Colourpop Mar & Sol Eyeshadow Palettes

Colourpop Mar & Sol Eyeshadow Palettes

As summer seems to have well and truly drawn to a close, with darker autumn nights drawing in and crisp leaves forming on the trees, it seemed natural to talk about the two standout items from this summer’s makeup bag for me. And whilst the Colourpop Mar & Sol Eyeshadow Palettes have been perfect for the summer months, I can see myself wearing them well into Autumn and even through to winter too.

If there’s one thing Colourpop standout at in my opinion it’s their eye shadows – whether it’s their single pressed pans, supershock shadows or palettes, there’s barely an eye product that I’ve not tried and loved, over a year on their Yes Please palette is still a recurring favourite in my everyday makeup drawer. And I was hoping their releases from the start of the summer would live up to that and the Colourpop Mar & Sol Eyeshadow Palettes have easily been the two palettes I’ve gravitated to most days that I wear shadow.

The palettes were perfect timed for summer – sun and sea themed, each with nine pans each in a mix of finishes in. These have proved perfect little palettes that create a variety of different looks with them individually, but I’ve also loved how they’ve worked as a duo, quite often I’ve found myself cracking them out side by side.

The packaging of these is lovely, they came in bright colourful cardboard packaging and inside there was a beautiful semi-matte white plastic packaging, a change from their usual cardboard finish which I personally prefer. The lid (which features a mirror on the inside) features the name of each palette in a gorgeous chrome lettering effect, blue for Mar, and a coppery orange for Sol. I will say that over the summer that they’ve been in and out of my drawer so much that the lettering hasn’t work particularly well, especially on the Sol palette as that’s had the most use, however it’s not enough to put me off recommending, as these budget palettes pack a punch. At a mere $12 each I can tell you already, they are 100% worth it and have rivalled everything in my collection.


Colourpop Sol Eyeshadow Palette

First up, meet Sol – whilst I love these palettes equally, I’ve found that I gravitate towards this palette a little more as I’m such a sucker for a warm toned eye. In this palette there are four mattes, and a mixture of 5 metallics, some which sail close to being foils but are a bit of an in between finish. There’s a mix of tones in this palette from peach, oranges, bronzes to brighter coral reds. There is on shade this palette lacks for me and I wish it had a darker matte brown – the last shade in the bottom corner isn’t as dark as I’d normally prefer in the outer corner, but it is workable – there is a shade from the Mar palette which does fill this gap though.

New Digs – A matte peachy cream shade, great through the crease and for toning down other shades.

Anthem – a darker rose gold metallic shade, it has a slight duochrome effect as it shifts to a lighter shade with an extra tinge of a pink undertone.

Dynamite – a medium burnt orange matte, I love this shade under the eyes, through the crease.

Hotel – a creamy metallic copper shade, great pigmentation.

Motel – Bright, rich coral red that really packs a punch, this has a slightly crumbly texture to the touch but presses on to the eye fine with a finger.

B+B – A gorgeous metallic paler rose gold shade, this is another one which has a slight duochrome shift with a soft champagne fleck. This is such an easy shade to wash all over the eye in a rush, but does need a good primer to stick to otherwise it sheers out too easily.

Floaties – A vivid bright orange metallic, this is summer in an eyeshadow pan. Nice pigmentation and applies easily.

OOO – Out of Office is on and so is this shadow, a darker orange with a red undertone, gorgeous creamy matte that works beautifully through the crease and blended into the metallics in this palette.

Unwind – Last but not least is this warm orangey-terracotta matte. Creamy matte that blends easily.


Colourpop Mar Eyeshadow Palette

When I was ordering these palettes I was trying to make up my mind whether to order Sol, but I knew I was definitely ordering this one. On the surface my eye was immediately drawn to all the blues in this palette, but actually when you go into closer inspection it’s easy to be distracted and to over look all the neutrals which are in this palette too. This palette isn’t just the sea, but the warm tones bring a sandy element too. There’s three mattes in this palette and 5 shimmers and metallic shades. I naturally have to keep correcting my brain that I can get more out of it than just blue eye looks, but equally I want to play with those blue tones.

As a pair these palettes have it all, but standalone I find the neutral medium matte shade a little too much for all the way across my crease as it has such good pigment. If I could tweak it to be a more buildable formula I would do but it just takes a bit of time to work with.

El Rey – This on the surface is a bit of a pass but it’s actually a beautiful pearl shadow that’s unique within my collection. It’s a soft peachy metallic yellow shade, it’s semi sheer (which you’ll see further down). But it has such a gorgeous glowy quality that’s hard to capture. Good all over the lid, good in he inner corner, good on the brow bone. Not to be underestimated.

Wild One – a lovely warm bright orangey bronze shade, lovely, creamy metallic with good pigmentation.

Detour – A bright vivid pool blue matte shade. Good pigmentation, blends well, however it doesn’t stay as bright when blended – it adopts a much darker smokey blue.

Boozy – A fizzy warm bright bronze shade, has a semi-crumbly texture and works a little better I find pressed with a finger instead of a brush.

Gridlock – This shade is like a pressed glitter in the pan, in a gorgeous bright turquoise toned blue. When applied with a brush it doesn’t apply as glittery, more like a metallic, but with a glitter primer and pressed on it retains a more glittery effect.

Sorbet – A warm orange toned brown transition shade. matte, good pigment, blends well.

HWY – A gorgeous turquoise shade that has a very pretty soft gold fleck. Need to wear this one more often. Colourpop describe this as a seafoam but I don’t agree it’s too bright!

Top Down – A gorgeous warm dark chocolate matte that’s perfect on the outer crease.

My Way – This is such an usual finish for an eyeshadow, it’s a pearly warm chocolate bronze shade that has a bronze micro glitter also laced into the formula.


Colourpop Mar & Sol Eyeshadow Palette Looks

Look 1: World’s On Fire

Palette Used: Sol & Mar Shades Used: Dynamite, Floaties, Boozy, Top Down, Unwind Method: A dedication to one of my favourite Albums – from the Prodigy. This has been my favourite look so far, and one I’ve worn a lot! I used Dynamite through the crease, and placed Floaties over most of the lid. Topping off with a bit of Boozy blended in on the inner corner for a bit of extra dimension. I then finished with a mix of Top Down and Unwind in the inner Corner. Floaties and Unwind were blended below the bottom lashes.

Look 2: Meet Me at Coral Island

Palette Used: Sol Shades Used: New Digs, El Rey, Unwind, OOO, Top Down Method: First New Digs went through the socket as a transition shade, I then placed Motel over most of the lid. I used a bit of El Ray blended together with Motel in the inner corner, whilst on the outer corner it was a mix of Unwind and a tiny smidge of OOO. I used a little of Top Down under the bottom lashes, but easily a replaceable shade with one from Sol.

Look 3: Shimmering Sands

Palette Used: Mar Shades Used: El Ray & Top Down Method: A super simple and quick look, El Ray is swiped over three quarters of the lid and over the inner corner, whilst Top Down starts from the outer corner and meets El Ray into the middle and are blended together.

Look 4: Sea You Tonight

Palette Used: Mar Shades Used: El Ray, Detour, Gridlock, Sorbet & Top Down Method: First up Sorbet went through the crease I then blended Detour through the outer two thirds of the crease also. Next up Gridlock got put all over the lid. I then put a little bit of El Rey on the inner corner to add a bit of dimension an break up the blue. Top Down went on the outer corner, I mixed in a bit more of Detour through the outer corner to brighten up the blue in the crease so it wasn’t too brown, and softened the edges of the crease a little more using Sorbet. Detour went underneath the bottom lashes on the outer, and El Rey met the inner corner. I loved how smokey this turned out, and yes, I forgot to put mascara on (and went out full glam eyeshadow, no mascara).


When I think about other nine pan palettes I’ve had over the years this one outperforms them all, compared to the Huda Mauve Obsessions palette which is double the price and only half the quality of these. The Colourpop Mar & Sol Eyeshadow Palettes are fantastic and will be favourites in my collection for a while I am sure! I hope we get to see more of this size of palette from Colourpop in future – I’d love to see an emerald toned one!

What do you think of these palettes?

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21 Comments

  1. September 13, 2018 / 8:40 am

    These are so pretty! I love orange eye looks but don’t think I could pull them off! Your eye makeup is always stunning and you have such beautiful eyes (in a totally non-creepy way) x

  2. September 13, 2018 / 9:30 am

    Wow! Amazing review ! Loved the sea you tonight eye look

  3. September 13, 2018 / 9:46 am

    I have been wanting to try the pressed shadows from Colourpop for some time now!

    Candice

  4. September 13, 2018 / 7:28 pm

    I loved your swatches very creative šŸ˜Š

  5. September 13, 2018 / 8:56 pm

    In Portuguese Sol means Sun and Mar is Sea! Xx

    • September 13, 2018 / 9:57 pm

      that’s nice!! Thanks for sharing this information!!

  6. September 13, 2018 / 10:02 pm

    Very nice review!! I love the shades of both palettes!! it does go very well with the names. I also love the looks you created!!

  7. September 16, 2018 / 6:15 am

    I got Mar and I love the quality and shade selection in it! It’s brilliant for only $12!!!

  8. artofeyeshadow
    September 22, 2018 / 3:58 am

    Pretty eye looks!

  9. September 22, 2018 / 6:32 am

    Your eye shadow looks are always so incredible Rach! I need you to teach me your ways. Iā€™d definitely be interested in trying the Mar palette, so beautiful! xx

    • September 23, 2018 / 7:35 pm

      For every good look there’s normally one which didn’t work haha! Those Primark shadow shields have really helped me get a bit better – even without using them I know where the right point to stop is now!

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