Shady Lady Vol. 2 by theBalm

I've had the Shady Lady vol. 2 palette for over a year and a half now, so I guess it's time for a review:-)  Actually, now that I'm doing The Monday Club, where I pick out in advance what makeup I'm going to wear for the week, my neglected makeup items are getting more love.  This is a good thing, as I was reminded of how nice theBalm's eyeshadows are when I dusted off this palette!

First off, I love the packaging:  they are compact, sturdy, and contain a lot of product for the size.  Plus, the names are printed on the front and back of the palette (thank you).

Secondly, the quality of shadows from theBalm (with 2 exceptions in Vol. 2) are really nice:  good pigmentation, smooth, and easy to work with.  The exceptions for me are the first two shades, Caught in the Act Courtney and Feisty Felicia.  While they look promising in the pan with their glittery darkness, they get lost in translation on the skin. 

You can kind of tell in my swatches, but they just look like brownish black or black shadow.  Maybe some kind of sticky primer for use with glitter would make a difference, but for me, these were a definite pass.  I used Courtney as an upper lash liner in one look and it promptly transferred to my crease, which was not the look I was going for.  The rest of the shadows are lovely, with my favorites being Devilish Danielle, Insane Jane, Bossy Bobbi, and Makeout Mary. 

Bossy Bobbi

Just This Once Jamie

Maggie and I soaking up Vitamin D between photos

The Shady Lady palettes are regularly $39.50 each, but theBalm has 50% off sales periodically if these interest you.