Review -- Kat Von D Monarch and Chrysalis Eyeshadow Palettes

It's a pretty rare thing when I look at a makeup brand and can honestly say that I've never been disappointed by a product that I've tried from the line.

Seriously, I can count on one hand (with a couple of fingers to spare) the brands that I genuinely feel that way about.

Kat Von D has definitely become one of those brands.

Now, admittedly, I haven't tried as many items from the line as I have with companies like bareMinerals, MAC, or Tarte, but literally, every single product that I have tried has been a home run -- and I give Kat Von D a ton of credit, but I was pretty convinced when the line first came out that it was going to be one of those gimmicky ranges that didn't last for more than a few years.

Instead, the brand just seems to get better and better.

Case in point: the new Monarch and Chrysalis Eyeshadow Palettes.



From their names to their artwork, both palettes are butterfly-themed -- though in typical Kat Von D fashion, she manages to find a way to incorporate some skulls in the butterfly design, which is pretty darn cool.

Awesome artwork on the Chrysalis (top) and Monarch (bottom) Palettes

Both palettes come with 12 shades: 3 large base shadows and 9 smaller accent shades.

The Monarch Palette features a collection of warm toned shades, including: Entomology, a matte cream; Telepathy, a metallic pale gold; Tiny Death, a cream with silver glitter; Wrath, a deep satin copper; Papilio, a pearl chocolate brown; Summerfly, a glittery yellow gold; Killing Jar, a pearl light copper; Delaney, a metallic dark silver; Vanish, a matte taupe; Disintegration, a pearly purple-y brown; Shadow Box, a matte dark chocolate; and Deadhead, a matte black.

Back of Kat Von D Monarch Palette

Kat Von D Monarch Palette

From l. to r.: Entomology, Telepathy, Tiny Death

From l. to r.: Wrath, Papilio, Summerfly, Killing Jar, Delaney, Vanish, Disintegration, Shadow Box, Deadhead

While this collection of shades will be lovely for the fall, I've gotten a lot of use out of them now. I am absolutely in love with Wrath and Killing Jar, which both make blue eyes pop like nobody's business. Vanish is a versatile color that works well in a variety of looks, and Disintegration is a fairly unique shade that I've been wearing a ton for a smoky eye.


The Chrysalis Palette features cool toned shades, including: Lifelike, a matte vanilla; Lunar Lights, a metallic light gray; Lucid, a pale pink with silver glitter; Hybrid Moments, a matte deep plum; Mezzanine, a violet with purple glitter; Transition, a pearly mauve; Glasswing, a matte mid-tone brown; Melancholia, a metallic bright silver; Black Milk, a matte gray; Graphic Nature, a pearly charcoal; Entombed, a pearly indigo; and Tornay, a matte navy.

Back of Kat Von D Chrysalis Palette

Kat Von D Chrysalis Palette

From l. to r.: Lifelike, Lunar Lights, Lucid

From l. to r.: Hybrid Moments, Mezzanine, Transition, Glasswig, Melancholia, Black Milk, Graphic Nature, Entombed, Torney

Just like the Monarch Palette sort of screams fall to me, the Chrysalis Palette strikes me as the perfect winter palette. But I've been wearing the heck out of this one as well. Some of my favorite shades are Lunar Lights, Mezzanine, and Transition. Glasswing is another of those versatile crease or blending out shades, and I absolutely love Entombed as a liner.

The quality of the shadows in both palettes is outstanding. No matter what the finish, all of the shades are creamy and easy to blend. The glittery shades do have some fallout, but if I use a sticky base under them and pat them in place, I can easily minimize it.

The lasting power is also excellent. I always wear a shadow primer, but I am kind of the queen of naps and will often doze off in my makeup. These shadows hold up really well to my afternoon cat naps, which is a testament to their staying power, I'd say.

The palettes retail for $49 each and you can purchase them at the Sephora website and in store.

I recommend both palettes wholeheartedly -- which one I would suggest would be based solely on whether you prefer warm or cool shades.

Or just be a glutton like me and get both.

Have you tried the Kat Von D Monarch and/or Chrysalis Eyeshadow Palettes? What are your favorite shades? Are you a fan of the Kat Von D brand in general?