Product Review -- Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette

I'm a serious fan of Kat Von D's products, so I've wanted the Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette since it came out.

But I've got so many palettes with a natural color scheme that I couldn't really justify picking it up.

Thank goodness for the holidays, though, because I put it on my Christmas list and I was lucky enough to find one under my tree.

And I'm kind of kicking myself for not giving into the impulse to buy it when it first came out because it's a pretty great palette.

Like the last few Kat Von D palettes, the Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette comes in sturdy cardboard packaging that features a decent sized mirror on the inside.

Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Eye

Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Eye

The shades in the palette are laid out in four quads, though obviously, you can mix and match however you like. What distinguishes this palette from others with a natural color scheme is that there's a group of warm shades, a group of neutral shades, and a group of cool shades, so you've got everything you need to create a variety of looks.

And all of the shades are matte to boot.

The palette includes 12 shades: laetus, creamy nude; lazarus, cool taupe; ludwin, peachy bronze; samael, dusty fawn; solas, espresso brown; lucius, soft beige; saleos, smoky brown; shax, jet black; liberatus, pinkish ivory; succubus, rich rust; sytry, chocolate brown; and latinus, golden bisque.

Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette

From l. to r.: laetus, lazarus, ludwin

From l. to r.: lucius, solas, samael (my apologies - I swatched this trio backwards for some reason)

From l. to r.: saleos, shax, libertus

From l. to r.: succubus, sytry, latinus

The formula of these shadows is as good as Kat Von D's usual mattes -- they're very pigmented, smooth, and blend easily. I don't notice much of a problem with fallout (though I do always tap my brush off before applying) either.

In terms of the color selection, I feel like there are some unique shades here that you don't find in every natural eye shadow palette. For example, lazurus maybe a taupe, but it has gray and almost green-ish undertones that really make it unusual. ludwin is a peach, but it has bronze-y undertones that make it a little richer than other peach options.

The standout shade in the palette, though, has to be succubus. It's a warm, rich, rusty reddish brown that is just gorgeous. I find it nearly impossible not to use it whenever I bust out this palette.

I hate to say any item is an absolute must-have because everyone has different makeup needs and preferences, but this palette comes as close to a must-have as anything I've tried. I just feel like there's a place for it in everyone's collection.

It retails for $46 on the Sephora and Kat Von D websites.

Have you tried the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette? What's your favorite combo with it?