Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Palette Review and Swatches

With the recent release of the Morphe and Jaclyn Hill Vault Collection, I’m finally getting around to reviewing the original Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette! I’ve used this palette for several months to formulate my final thoughts and the following reflects my personal experience.

What it is: Morphe’s Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette is not your average eyeshadow palette. That’d be boring. And Jaclyn Hill doesn’t do boring. This palette is a 2-year love affair. 35 OMG eyeshadows that were created by Jaclyn to deliver not only the best color payoff but also amazing application. Mattes, shimmers, satins, foils, and a glitter: all pressed to perfection just the way Jaclyn wanted. Her dreamy colors are now your reality. So, whether you’re pressed for time or have time to play, this palette is your new bestie (ulta.com).Price: $38, 1.98 oz (ulta.com)Packaging: I like that the palette is super sleek, compact, and sturdy. I’ve traveled with this plenty of times and never had issues with it opening up or being damaged in my luggage. I purchased this palette from Ulta after the second release, when the white packaging was changed to a glossy finish instead of matte. So while it does get dirty easily, it is easier to wipe clean. For convenience sake, I would have liked to see a mirror included and the names directly below the shades instead of on the back of the palette.

Formula: When it comes to the formula of these eyeshadows, I’m torn between the mattes and the shimmers as I feel they perform very differently. The mattes are wonderful and my personal favorites. They are buttery smooth, creamy, and gorgeously pigmented. They blend beautifully, without ever looking muddy on the eyes. The mattes are on the softer side, so there is a bit of kick up and fallout when dipping my brush into the shadows, but nothing unmanagable. The shimmer shades have a very creamy consistency so there is no fallout or kickup. However, while they swatch beautifully on the arm, I find they lack that intensity on the eyes, which I have gotten used to from the shimmers in the Colourpop Palettes. Some glittery shades, which look stunning in the pan, I have a hard time getting it on the eyes even if I keep packing it on with my fingers.Color: The shade selection is absolutely gorgeous and a warm eyeshadow lover’s dream. Warm browns, reds, and oranges are totally my jam so I’m a happy camper. I love that Jaclyn included a full range of light to dark shades and an even selection of matte to shimmer shades. You have everything from the brow bone highlight, to the matte transition shades, and lid colors to create complete eye looks. You can create so many different looks from neutral daytime eyes to nighttime smokey eyes and even add in some pops of bright color. My only critique would be the similarities in the shimmer shades. For example, I can not discern the difference between the first two champagne highlight shades in the palette. They look identical once applied on the browbone. I would have loved for one to be a shimmer and one a matte highlight. Also, there are very slight variations in the last three shades of the first row, and in the first two shadows in the third row and third. Honestly, once applied on my eyes, I can’t tell a difference.Swatches in Natural Lighting: All these shades swatch beautifully.Swatches with Camera Flash: The camera flash really captures the rich undertones of the darker shades.Overall Rating: I really enjoyed this Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette so I’m awarding it a rating of 10/10 stars! The pigmented formula of the matte shades are really what sold me on this palette, despite my disappointment in the majority of the shimmers. Pricewise, I feel $38 for 35 shadows is totally fair. That is a great value, even if I don’t reach for every single color because of their similarities. There are plenty of other palettes I enjoy and wholly recommend, even if I don’t love every shade in the palette. Formula-wise, do I feel that Morphe shadows are the end-all-be-all of all eyeshadow palettes? No, I still prefer Colourpop any day of the week. However, for the price point, this is still a gorgeous, cohesive palette with a stunning shade selection that would make an excellent addition to anyone’s makeup collection.