Morphe is a brand I really think are upping their game. I am a big fan of their eyeshadows and love the 35O Palette which is a classic. When I saw Jaclyn Hill was collaborating again with Morphe I was intrigued. I never purchased her original collaboration even though it looks stunning. This time she has created four smaller palettes which all consist of 10 eyeshadows with a mixture of finishes and tones. This palette in particular caught my eye.
Now I had set a reminder on my phone the morning they were launching on the UK website and most of you will have seen on social media Morphe and Jaclyn Hill decided to cancel the launch the day before. I was disappointed but they say the reason was the shades weren’t up to scratch. I had seen some youtubers review them who got them as PR as the reviews were mixed saying shades were patchy, not pigmented and the formula wasn’t the usual Morphe standard. This didn’t put me off because they were working on the formula and were releasing them at a later date.
Armed and Gorgeous caught my eye because I thought it is the perfect Autumn palette, the shades screamed Autumn to me. Those leaf like shades and gorgeous shimmers. There are four palettes in total:
Armed and Gorgeous – Mixture of warm shades with golds.
Bling Boss – A purple dream for the cool toned lovers.
Dark Magic – A cool toned palette filled with blues, silver and greens.
Ring The Alarm – Warm toned with oranges, reds and more.
Armed and Gorgeous appealed the most to me, purple shades aren’t my thing and I have alot of orange/red toned palettes.
The packaging is simple, it comes in a white cardboard case with silver across the front. I love the style of the packaging but the only thing I find with the cardboard packaging is that eventually the fallout from the shadows stains it. I wish brands would use better quality packaging.
The formula is something I wasn’t sure how it would be with them pulling it back the first time but I am very impressed. The matte shades did feel a little dry on the first swatch but when I swatched them again they felt much smoother, once that initial first layer was taken off they are perfect. They are smooth and very pigmented. The shimmers are the best part of this palette and they are very unique. The swatches don’t do them justice.
The matte shades apply well, they apply pigmented but blend out easily and you can build them up. If you want the pigmentation to be intense straight away apply them onto a tacky base, don’t set your eyelids once you apply concealer or an eyeshadow primer. If you are unsure on this method I 100% recommend watching Rachel Learys “How To Makeup Like An Instagram MUA” video as she uses this technique and the finish is stunning. If you want to skip straight to this part of the video go to 4 minutes 14 seconds.
The shimmers, well more like foils are incredible!
VIP – A very bright intense icy white (stunning in the inner corner) – Intense shimmer
Gilt Trip – A peachy toned gold – Shimmer
Coin – Your typical gold – Foiled
Classified – Deep gold with a khaki tone – Foiled
VIP applies intense straight away, I dab my pencil brush in it then apply to my inner corner and bam your highlight is there in one little pat of your brush!
Gilt trip is such a pretty shade that I find works well on a flat brush whether it is dry or wet.
The foiled shades Coin and Classified need to be applied wet, I use a flat brush, get some product on it then spray with a setting or prep spray. When I first tried using the foiled shades I tried a flat eyeshadow brush and it didn’t pick up much product or apply to the lid well and I was annoyed BUT I then applied it to the brush and then sprayed my brush with a setting spray/prep spray and oh my oh my it transforms into the most magical shadow. It then applied to my lid effortlessly and the pigmentation was intense! I didn’t need to add any more product. I have worn them numerous times from 7am-7pm whilst at work and they don’t fade at all! I have had so many compliments when I have worn them.
My favourite combination is applying Classified all over the lid which is a deep gold that has a khaki tone to it in certain lights then I add a little bit of Coin on top just in the center to add a lighter element to the look.
Fallout is average, I don’t find there is too much to be honest but I have to say fallout isn’t something that bothers me as I expect that with pigmented shadows.
I cannot recommend the Armed and Gorgeous Palette enough, the swatches don’t do the shades justice especially the shimmers/foils. If you want a palette that is perfect for the Autumn/Winter months this is the palette you need! The best part is it is only £15!! Such a bargain. I purchased mine directly from the UK Morphe Website here.