Review // Smashbox Cosmetics Heatwave Eyeshadow Palette - Summer Collection

So I posted my July beauty wish list one post ago, and on it was the Smashbox Cosmetics summer 'Heatwave' palette...and I loved it, and lusted after it so much, that when I went to visit my Mum in Plymouth yesterday (and it just so happened to be payday!) I absolutely had to snap it up. I apologise in advance that my photographs do not do it justice. I even took advantage of having my Dad's old DSLR camera at my disposal and still don't think the pictures came out any better than from my iPhone (guess I'm just not that good at picture taking, turns out there's more too a point and shoot than I had first imagined...). So if you have a larger Boots near you, and are not familiar with this palette please go and view it and swatch it, don't reply on my shots. I swatched all colours in store and was instantly sold!

Outer packaging: loving the orange to pink ombre effect!
Actual packaging: So sleek and sophisticated!

Anyways, I've never tried Smashbox before, but heard great things about the brand, and their Photoready Primer (something else I'd love to try!). I've seen this palette floating around a few blogs on the blogosphere and they got me all excited...excitement akin to viewing the Naked 2 palette in Duty Free, and upon applying the Chanel Les Beiges powder to my face for the first time! It's just one of those palettes that has something for everyone, mattes, neutrals, shimmer, glitter, the lot. It's the kind of palette you could take on holiday and not need to take any other eyeshadows (which, being a summer release is supposed to be the case, am I right?) I honestly couldn't love this anymore!

Beautiful Colours Take One

The palette itself is encased in a light bronze/gold coloured plastic with the Smashbox brand name and logo embossed on the bottom right hand corner. It feels incredibly durable and heavy duty, like it would last a long time and protect the shadows if you took it on the move - again, perfect for a holiday. Inside the palette you'll find a large mirror covering the whole of the underside of the lid, 10 beautiful colours and a dual ended brush.

Beautiful Colours Take Two

The colours themselves are gorgeous and incredibly pigmented. Smashbox describe the shadows to be a 'luxe wet-dry formula' and the texture of the shadows is nothing like I've felt before, and, dare I say it, I'm loving these over and above any other shadow(s) in my stash. They apply so easily - it's like they melt onto the skin, gliding off the finger/brush and settling so lovely on your eyelid and are then so easily blendable. Ooof they're so lovely!

I found, however, that when I was applying them they didn't apply so well with the brush, and found that using my finger to blend and put them on my eyelids created a much nicer effect. I don't know if this was just the type of brush I was using however, so I'll have to try some others.

I literally do not have a bad word to say about this palette other than the fact that I wish I could have photographed it a lot better! I just know I'm going to be using every single colour, both for day and nighttime looks, it's just that versatile. The colours work well together, and there are so many looks that can be created here from just one palette that I think it's definitely good for the price.

Priced at £36 (hello lots of Boots points) I believe that this is well worth the money and I can't wait until tomorrow to add it to my makeup routine in the morning!

Are you a fan of this palette? Or Smashbox in general for that matter?