As I made my way through the mountains of 2014 Favourites videos (I look forward to these for much of the year!), I noticed a reoccurring element – the LORAC Pro Palette. Back to the forefront of my attention, I figure it’s about time I do a quick review.
The Good
The Lorac Pro retails for ~42 USD and includes 16 shadows; a decent amount of bang for your buck. The palette is slim and travel friendly and the shades are labelled (maybe this is more a Youtuber concern? The Too Faced Chocolate Bar is driving me up the wall).
The colour selection is well curated, a vast mix of neutrals without near duplicates. Additionally, half the shades are matte! Haaaah-llelujah! Essentially, you could create any neutral eye without having to dip into your other palettes, the Lorac Pro is a one-stop solution.
One thing that often irks me with palettes is an overload of medium shades and omission of extremities; the Lorac Pro has a solid selection of very pale and very deep shades and everything in between. With each depth, there is a warmer and cooler counterpart – definitely one of the more versatile palettes that has been released as of late.
The Bad
To be quite frank, I really don’t get along with this eyeshadow formula. I think I’m a bit spoilt for choice in the matte department, I’ve become accustomed to formulas that sortof blend themselves and by comparison, the Lorac matte shades strike me as so much work! I have to pick a brush carefully and monitor my pressure – even then, the outcome is a little choppy. I’ve tried multiple eye primers, each yielding a similar result.
The Lorac Pro shimmer selection exhibits superior blending performance (predictable, shimmers are easier to formulate) yet I feel as though the shimmer lacks complexity; the iridescence almost perfectly matches the base. Half my collection is comprised of multi-dimensional eyeshadows so I’m not sure I have a place for ‘nice but boring’ shimmers.
Overall
I can really appreciate the thought and consideration invested in the colour selection, big thumbs up there. For me, the Lorac Pro falls short on the formula front; clearly the entire Youtube community disagrees with me but as always, it comes down to preference. This time I’m the lone dissenter 🙂
Have you tried the Lorac Pro? Share your thoughts below!
xxkarima
100% agreement on the blend-ability factor but for the pigmentation, colour selection and price, a gal can’t be too picky!
That’s exactly it, at that price point and with the versatility, I imagine this would work well for many people. I might have to purge it, though š x
OMG, yes!!! This palette gets so much love from so many and I get really frustrated when I work with it. The shadows get everywhere and they all blend together or look patchy. I was so looking forward to the deep purple, but it looks like a patchy muddy mess… so disappointed.
Good to hear others agree with me! I thought I was the only one. ‘Frustrated’ pretty much sums up my application experience. xx
I’ve heard so much about this palette and I even included it in my wish list. I haven’t heard a bad word about it until your review, and I’m glad I did! As someone who isn’t really too skilled (and quite heavy handed) blendabiity is an important factor. Thanks!
My pleasure š I like the mattes in the Too Faced Chocolate Bar, if that’s any help. Very easy to blend. xx
While I appreciate your reviews always, I find the blendability of this palette really good. Of course, I am the color of paper, so maybe that is a factor – it doesn’t take much product to render good color, so blending might come easier to me? I dunno. Anyway, thoughtful review as ever. Thanks.
Your mileage may vary, as always š Makeup is so personal. I’m pleased you like it, you’re definitely not alone there! xx
Couldn’t agree with you more! The fall out is annoying and the shadows take a lot more work than I like. I like the palette but wouldn’t call it the holy grail everyone else seems to think it is.
You’re right, I didn’t mention it in the review but they kick up a LOT of powder.
xx
I couldn’t agree more on the blendability with mattes. Karima- what’s your favorite pallette for easily blendable mattes (neutral warm shades)? I’m guessing you’ll say VIseart, but I’m definitely curious. Frankly, it doens’t even have to be a pallette- I’m just partial to warm matte neutrals and am always on a quest for good formulations!!!
I’ll be doing a matte shadow smackdown soon š So you’ll see my favourites there. Until then, some of my favourite formulas are Burberry, Viseart š and Rouge Bunny Rouge.
xx
I heard the same thing about the blend-ability from vintageortacky. I’m gonna get the second one, which is (according to other people) a lot better.
Ooh good to know! The colour story in the second is probably a touch cool for my preferences but I hope you love it!
x
Oddly I have the opposite problem with these mattes! For me, I have to be super gentle or they either blend away into nothing or get very muddy very quickly. So strange.
That too :-S It’s very puzzling, it takes a while to build up colour yet they don’t blend as I would like them to. Odd!
xx
I don’t have this pallette but I just purchased a Lorac limited edition pallete on Hautelook. I’m having a hard time with a lot of the shades in this pallete too! Just this morning i was running late BC it wouldn’t make a nice transition and blend out. Ugh. It’s weird bc I don’t find them chalky or anything but there is just something about them. Side note: you should so a really scientific video or post about the chemistry of makeup…you seem to be into that sort of thing: and so am I!
Limited edition palettes are notorious for bad formulas in my experience, they frequently don’t match up to the permanent shades š
xx
What are your favourite matte shadows? I’d love to know some other brands to try – MAC and Lorac aren’t doing it for me.Great review!
Erin
Hey Erin,
I mentioned down below but I will do a Matte Eyeshadow Smackdown soon. I like Makeup Geek for affordable mattes and Burberry, Viseart and Rouge Bunny Rouge for higher end mattes.
Hope that helps š
xx
I love your honest reviews! Never change!
Always honest, always will be š
xx
I also felt like the lone dissenter on this–bought it not long after it was released, ended up returning it. I actually disliked the lack of mid-range colors–too many pale and dark colors for me and not enough in the middle, and I found the red-toned shades unflattering for my warm (yellow)-toned complexion; and the shimmers, like you said, weren’t very complex. Light Bronze and Pewter were my favorites from the palette, but I got a single of Pewter from the Lorac website for $6 including shipping and have been happy without this in my life ever since.
Hmm interesting. Colours can pull differently depending on the skintone, always a risk! Pewter is nice but as you said… meh.
xx
Valentine, everything you said is how I felt. I felt like I was the only person who didn’t like it (and returned it) because there were not a lot of mid-range colors. The only shades I liked were the same two shades as you but it seemed crazy to spend so much money for 2 shades. If they have Light Bronze as a single, I am buying it.
I really love this palette. Mature mattes and shimmers. I did, however, struggle to blend while using a primer. Without they’re magic–and mix nicely with the natural oils on the eyelid. I quite like the (non-creasing) lived-in look it gets at the end of the day. *So* enjoy your posts and videos, Karima. Thank you!
Hey Jane,
Good to know. I’m a die hard eyeshadow primer fan but I’m pleased these worked for you!
xx
Another request for your fave matte eyeshadows (bonus if they’re in a palette).
Coming soon š xx
Sham Frip for PM !
LOL <3
Karima could you do some tutorials on all the viseart palettes including reviews of course- everyone’s raving about them but not using them in tutorials and i so want to see them in action!
I don’t own all the Viseart palettes – although I wish I did! If you’d like to see the matte Viseart palette in action, I used it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyHzMVJ_q20&list=TL0i8KZ5Q2E-Q
xx
This pallete has a great colour range but that’s where it ends. The blendability is terrible I literally have to add an extra 10 mins to my makeup routine if I know I’m using the Lorac pro. I ended up selling mine because it just wasn’t worth the money for me.
It’s slimline packaging is perfect for travelling because you’ll need more space to bring your best blending brushes.
Very tedious and frustrating to blend, I agree :-/ And LOL about the brushes <3
Nah, you’re not the only one. I find this palette a bit ‘meh’. I agree with the versatilityof this palette that everyone goes on and on about but it’s none of the shades excite me (FYI I love the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette)
I like the Too Faced Chocolate Bar, too! The mattes in that palette are lovely!
xx
I actually really like the LORAC Pro palette, but I absolutely agree that it is basic in the conventional sense of the word. I did find that the shadows creased over my NARS eye primer, but they don’t over my Wet n Wild replacement. Odd, isn’t it?
Basic is the perfect word to describe it, I’m not compelled to use it because it’s not exciting y’know?
Odd about the NARS primer, I find that one to be very strong.
xx
No I agree I have both of the Lorac Pallettes and find that you have to becareful with the brush because you’ll have fall out everywhere!!
YEP, lots of fallout too!
xx
Thank goodness. Every time I look at it I wonder why everyone loves it. Then… I start to want it… like I’ve been hypnotized! In and out of my shopping cart! Finally I can put it out of my mind. I have garnet in a single and that will do.
I guess some people really DO love it but man, it was way overhyped in my opinion! The Too Faced Chocolate Bar is much easier to work with, if you’re seeking a warm alternative.
xx
I agree with you on with this palette. I bought it because it seemed like a favorite across the board and the collection of colors and textures seemed ideal. I have tried to like it a few times and just have not made friends with it. I have tried lots of eye shadows high end to low end and have just recently figured out that I still love my MAC eye shadows the best. They aren’t always the most buttery but all my favorites have great color pay off, blend easily, and I can customize my own 15 and 4 pan palettes. Tom Ford, Guerlain, Givency, Urban Decay, Chanel, Two Faced, Benefit, Stila, Lancome, Revlon. Wet n Wild, NYX, IT Cosmetics, Burberry, Maybelline, etc don’t compare
Exactly! I’d heard so many good things that I expected to love it (a risk in itself). MAC has the best colour range, I still come back to many shades. In terms of mattes, I preferred Makeup Geek to MAC but preferences differ š
xx
I love the Lorac pro palette in terms of versatility, but yes I do agree with you re: the quality. I think it comes down to the fact there are so many good eyeshadow formulas these days i.e. makeup geek, that we don’t have to settle for anything that isn’t damn near perfect. I love your webpage design and article layout by the way, absolutely gorgeous. I also appreciate your blog posts reading like university assignments – old habits die hard don’t they! š
Spot on, Makeup Geek is affordable and damn awesome, so we come to expect a lot. Your comment made me giggle by the way, everything I write is a damn essay LOLLLL.
XX
Such a thought prevoking review. I purchased this pallette a few weeks back, after much dithering. I’m enjoying it overall, but not as much as I thought I would. It wasn’t until I read you comments about the lack of chroma sophistication re shimmer that it struck me… that’s whats letting this pallette down for me. Very astute Karima.
š That’s what I do here, analyse makeup WAYYYY too much!
xx
I only started using eyeshadow seriously last year in my 30s, so figured the Lorac Pro would be a good place to start with after some research – safe colours, plenty of mattes. I’m glad to hear it’s not just a lack of experience/ skill on my part – as, yes, I do find the mattes very hard to work with. Plus I find the colours really uninspiring. My next eyeshadow purchase after more research were Makeup Geek singles in a Z palette… these shadows are far superior to the Lorac ones and it’s these I turn to for work-friendly neutral looks and more fun looks. Because the shimmers in the LP are easier to apply I sometimes think of using them, but again, they just don’t suit my purposes, I like neutral or neutral with pops of colour or bright colour, I find the metallic colours boring, had thought I was being a bit churlish with it but nice to see Karima pointing out the lack of dimension in the metallic side of the LP. Overall – massive bummer but a good learning curve. I wonder if there’s a quality control issue here because of the widely different experience with the matte colours??
Couldn’t agree more, Makeup Geek is AWESOME. Very consistent.
LP is just boring and the formula is mediocre, too much variety out there to settle. I think it’s less likely a quality control issue (all the mattes in my palette were crap lol) and more a preference incongruence. Preferences vary so widely!
xx
Hey Karima, I am wondering if the mattes are rubbish for some because they have inadvertently bought a fake pallete?! I saw a youtube vid comparing a fake and a genuine palette and mine seems to be a fake! That never even crossed my mind. I’m not going to seek out a genuine one, though, too happy with my MUG and thebalm shadows but definitely important to know if there are fakes out there!
Hey Abigail,
Fakes are a risk if you’ve purchased on eBay or a dubious online seller, generally this is not a widespread problem with authorised stockists.
xx
It’s a great workhorse palette if you’re into single washes of colors in my opinion…I’m not reaching for it if I want a more complex/multi-dimensional look. I usually do Taupe in the crease and Gold on the lids so I’m bound to reach pan on just a few shades.
Interesting! This explains a lot because if I pull out the eyeshadow, we are going to TOWN. Rarely do a wash (and when I do, I tend to reach for a cream).
xx
Hi Karima,
I really enjoy your blog and YouTube channel. Your opinions and reviews of products are spot on and I take them into consideration before buying a product almost 99.9% of the time š Would you please recommend an eye shadow palette? I don’t own one, I only own individual shadows, but would really want to buy a palette!!
Thanks,
Dedee
Hey Dedee,
Are you looking for a matte palette? Shimmers? Neutral or colour? Price range?
SO many options out there, need some more info to narrow it down.
xx
Thanks for replying Karima! I guess it shows I don’t have much experience in makeup š I love mostly warm neutral colors, mattes and some shimmers just to put in the center of my eyelids, my eyes lean more towards hooded eyes so I don’t use shimmers that much although I like them too. xo
Forgot the price range, I would say up to $40 max, thanks!
Hi Karima,
Which would you get? The IT cosmetics palettes (either one) or two faced, the chocolate bar? I realize the price is high but I don’t mind if it means I can get a good eye shadow palette. I also like the Tartelette palette and the Soul Stilla. Do you recommend any of those? In terms of shadow payoff and blendability.
Thanks so much! xo
Dedee
If you’re okay with warm shades, The Chocolate Bar palette is a versatile all rounder and is easy to blend.
xx
Thanks so much! xo
Hi Karima,
This post could not have come at a better time for me. I live in Hong Kong so sadly need to rely on ebay/amazon for a lot of American drug store brands.. I was toying with the idea of buying the Lorac Pro palette whe I happened to read your post – my wallet thanks you š
Can you please recommend a matte eyeshadow palette? Hanppy to go with singles as well.
Thanks!
Hey Tarini,
My favourite matte palette is Viseart Matte Neutral Palette. For singles, Rouge Bunny Rouge and Burberry mattes are fantastic.
xx
Thanks for the recommendations! xx
Hi Karima,
Could you maybe show a few of your favorite matte shadows and complex shimmer shades?
Also, since I’m a very very basic beginner, what concealer do you recommend? I’m super paranoid about the whole “concealer sitting on your skin” thing. I still want my skin to look like skin.
Thanks!
Much love and support,
Liz
Hey Liz,
Sure, I can do posts on those topics! Concealer wise – are you looking for an undereye concealer or a blemish concealer? The formulas are generally quite different.
xx
Hey Karina! I just started following you because I see how you’re a fellow lover of Lisa Eldridge and thus, worthy of great trust ;D Anyways, I wondered if you could do a Palette Review (if you haven’t done so already) of great matte palettes, great versatile palettes, palettes with complex colours, palettes with sophisticated textures, your favourite palette etc. You could include the cost of each too and talk a bit about why each palette is worthy. I am thinking this would require a lot of research (D:) but it would be tremendously helpful for all your followers! There are a lot of (undiscerning) people on the internet going “OHMAHGARDHH THIS PALETTE IS SO DIVINE IMMA OBSESSED” for virtually every palette that has a rave. I think some astute, discerning and perceptive voices are in great demand to discriminate between the good, and the best.
Hey Ruth,
I think a post on palettes is a fabulous idea! I have a few other posts lined up but I’m adding this to the to-do list š
xx
I just found your blog. I bought the Lorac pro palatte recently. I experienced that the colors will end up one muddy gray color after a short period of time. This happens to me with so many other eye shadows. I tried the too faced primer and the lorac primer with no luck. I have a pigmented eyelid which I neutralise with foundation and concealer/primer. The colors apply not so pigmented on my eyelid as well. Do you have any suggestions? Im thinking of getting the MAC paint pot in painterly. what do you think? Thanks
There could be a variety of reasons as to why your eyeshadow changes colour after some time, I think a coloured base (like MAC Painterly) set with a translucent powder prior to eyeshadow application should help.
xx
Thanks for your review! I recently bought this palette, played around with it, didn’t like it, posted a review on my blog, and then proceeded to scour the internet for reviews to check if I was going crazy…that’s when I found your post and breathed a sigh of relief. I am so basic when it comes to eyeshadows. I only have a MAC quad with matte browns. It is the only thing I held onto after a makeup collection purge. Now I’m on the market for eyeshadow palettes. I’ve been eyeing the Charlotte Tilbury and Tom Ford quads –> have you used these before? do you have any recommendations?
Hey Alice,
Are you looking for matte shades or a mix of mattes and shimmers? The Charlotte Tilbury quads are a bit hit and miss, if you can find a colour story that you like within the Tom Ford quads, I’d recommend them.
xx
Thanks, Karima!
I wish I had seen this review sooner. I bought pro 2 palette and i had the exact same thoughts š
The color selection is near perfect but the quality is so disappointing. The shimmer particles in the darker shimmer shadows seem to separate from the base š I really don’t understand how all the people who collect and play with makeup for a living are not able see this??
Quality is a subjective term, it really comes down to preference. I guess some people love the formula but it just didn’t work out for me!
x