Review: Sleek iDivine Au Naturel Palette

This is going to be a review of Sleek's iDivine Au Naturel Palette.
I've had this for a while, my cousin who's studying in the UK bought it for me. I think it was last year. I really forgot when. It could be 2011 or 2012.

Comparing mine to the new ones on Luxola and also the main website here, I'm guessing mine is the old packaging, first generation one lol. My cousin already warned me that the mattes in this particular palette aren't that pigmented, but back then neutrals are the only ones I really bothered with using!

Looking it up also, I think the crisscrossing pattern on the eyeshadows are smaller and are almost invisible on the mattes! A simple act of Googling them would show you two different kinds of Au Naturel Palettes.

Moving on~

Description (For the new generation):

The Au Naturel i-Divine provides an array of matte and pearlescent eye shadows that you can use to create a subtle yet contoured effect for day, or build it up for a smoky glamorous evening effect using velvety browns and shimmering fawns. These shades are highly-pigmented and have a velvety consistency that gives full coverage on the eyes with serious staying power. Modern slim packaging make it easy to carry a full range of shadows conveniently and the full size mirror on the lid allows you to get gorgeous eyes on the go.

I don't know about the old ones, but I have to say, other than Nougat (which looks really white), the others look quite similar.

The back of the palette.

I tried to take a photo of the front but it was just too dirty. You could see the handprints and stuff even when I tried to clean it. Plus, you can't really see anything.

Here's the inside of the palette:

Names of the eyeshadow shades.

Sorry about the dirty sponge-tip applicator. Contrary to popular belief, for this one, the applicator is quite nice. Really. I use it to pat on the shimmery shades. However, I think I'll ditch it after this photo.

Texture of the eyeshadows on the pan.

The size of this palette, is the EXACT same like the Makeup Academy (MUA) palettes. Call me blond but it didn't occur to me until I put it in comparison LOL.

Don't believe me?

Take a look:

Top: Sleek iDivine Au Naturel Palette
Bottom: MUA Heaven and Earth Palette

You get virtually the same amount of product, in a slightly more classy looking palette WITH a mirror, for about £4 more! It didn't occur to me at all.

Heaven and Earth is also all shimmer and Au Naturel has 8 mattes and 4 shimmers. So basically, if you're a fan of mattes, by all means, go with Au Naturel. If you prefer shimmers, I'd say save yourself £4 and go with H&E. My review of this palette can be found here.

Au Naturel Palette taken with flash.

There's a catch though. I personally think that Au Naturel lasts a lot longer on the eyes without primer than H&E. I've tried Au Naturel without primer and it didn't crease. Although, if you want vibrancy, especially on the mattes, DO wear primer.

For the matte shades, I suggest a sheer finish primer like UD Primer Potion in Original or even e.l.f's Eyelid Primer (there are many similar ones, MUA has one too!). You can also use a skintone base, like MAC's Paint Pot in Soft Ochre or essence's I ♥ Stage Eyeshadow Base. With these, especially the skintone coloured ones, the lighter matte shades will pop more.

My favourite shades to use on Au Naturel are: Nougat, Honeycomb, Toast and Taupe.

I rarely use the shades on the bottom row until quite recently.

Here are the swatches:

On plain white paper.

While I was swatching these, the textures really got to me.

All the eyeshadows were buttery soft except one.

Noir.

It was dry as hell!

I was really surprised because I always used a brush to use these shadows nowadays.

The swatches down here are with one swipe of the finger, with no eyeshadow base.

Nougat, Nubuck, Cappuccino, Honeycomb, Toast, Taupe

Conker, Moss, Bark, Mineral Earth, Regal, Noir

As you can see, you can barely see some of the colours on my skintone. I didn't swatch these with a primer, obviously, so you can see how pigmented they are (or not). Just by looking at it, I'm sure you know that the shimmers are obviously MORE pigmented.

The bottom row obviously wins if you were to compare the two.

But I can vouch for the top row that as all over lid colour, with a nice primer, they work pretty well. Nougat and Honeycomb work well as highlighters.

PROS:

- Beautiful neutral shades for everyday or even smokey eyes.

- The shimmery shades are all pigmented and soft.

- Doesn't crease on me without a primer.

- Has 8 matte shades for those who love mattes.

- Packaging is sturdy and posh.

- Has a large mirror.

- Compliments most skintones.

- A good beginner's palette.

CONS:

- You can get a cheaper alternative for the 4 shimmery shades with MUA.

- The matte shades don't really show up.

- Matte shades can easily disappear if you blend too much.

- Needs an eyeshadow base for some of the colours to be able to show up.

- A bit pricey.

- Not that easily available.

- There are other better alternatives (slightly more expensive).

Rating: 3.5/5 (The matte shades are a downer despite having beautiful colours)

Will I buy this again?

No, simply because I'm not all that impressed and I don't go through the eyeshadows that fast. I have other palettes.

Do I recommend this?

I wanna say...no. But if you don't mind working with the mattes, be my guest. DO remember that this is a review of the first generation palette. I'm pretty sure the new ones you can get have better pay-off. Just make sure you get the new one!

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Where can you buy this?

You can get this palette on Luxola, here. 

It's priced at S$20 normally, but you can get 15% on orders above S$25.

Apparently they have a pretty nifty bundle that includes Au Naturel AND the more lauded Storm Palette for S$37, here.

There's one more bundle that includes this palette, Storm and also the V1 Palette, here for S$54.

You save 6 bucks plus 15% discount too. 

And you can get free shipping to Brunei on orders above S$40.

I'm not so sure if the official site does international shipping.

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So, basically, those are my thoughts on this palette.

Again, do remember that I have the first generation palette.

Yeah?

Okay then!

Take care!

-Nisah-

P.S: It's been brought to my attention that the one I have is the new packaging. Then Sleek fails because it seems like the old one was far more pigmented. Damn.