Review on the Sleek iDivine Ultra Mattes V2 Darks Palette

Like my earlier post about the Sleek iDivine Storm Palette, I will say this in general about iDivine Palettes:

The color pay off of Sleek iDivine's are not bad at all and they can even stay long even without primer. With any primer, the Sleek iDivine's will not move even after your workout. BUT, a big but: they are not Urban Decay's. A mere touch of an Urban Decay eyeshadow is enough to make your day happy with its impeccable true to color shades and amazing blendability. The Sleek iDivine's however, will not blow your socks off like how Urban Decay does, but they are divine enough to be on top when it comes to other brands within their price point.

Price-wise: Sleek iDivine's are amazingly affordable. You get 12 shades for only PhP733.00 (Yes! That's less than USD20.00).

Side by Side with the Urban Decay Naked 1 Palette and the Lorac Pro Palette, it is tiny. So, sorry to burst your bubble, but the pictures online can be a bit mouth-watering. The actual palette is small (well, to be fair, it is sleek), so you gotta level your expectations versus the amount you pay for. At PhP733, accept that it is a small palette but giving you quite a bunch of different shades in a good formula.

Here below is a photo side by side with the Lorac Pro and the Urban Decay Naked 1 Palettes:

Moving on to the actual palette, below are my likes and dislikes :)

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS PALETTE
1. The dark shades (9 out 12) can be really pigmented. A little goes a long way with this palette! If you also happen to put a primer that dries way too fast, make sure to blend these eyeshadows as soon as a dot of the product comes into contact with your skin. Otherwise, you will have a hard time blending all that pigment.

2. It has a buttery, almost black shade called noir which allows for a standard smokey look.
3. Orbit is a bluegreen shade located at the topmost left corner and is by far the BEST shade in this palette. It is the kind that is unique in its color: a dark shade that is vibrant, and is the most alive blue green shade I have ever had. For a matte eyeshadow, this is just wow!

4. Formula-wise: Thumbs up for buttery texture and smooth application.
5. There is no fall out in my experience. These eyeshadows can hold up pretty good. I tested this with a primer but subjected to 1 hour of cardio workout, and it did not move at all. As in at all.
6. The packaging is true to its name: Sleek. It is thin and it is sturdy. I mean I won't put it on my check-in baggage in the plane and will definitely bring it on hand carry, but it sure feels durable.

7. The mirror is as big as the palette itself so you can really work on your eyemakeup.

8. I love how each box tells you what iDivine palette it is and you don't have a generic Sleek iDivine Box for all the palettes.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THIS PALETTE
1. The light shades do not come out, at least in my medium and yellow-toned skin. Flesh (2nd from top right) and Dune (3rd from lower left) are colors that I just cannot see on my lids. Pillow Talk (white shade on rightmost top corner) takes a lot of work and is almost sheer at first swatch. To be fair with Flesh, if I use it on my lids and contrast it with a darker shade on the outer corners, I can see a difference: It looks like it does not have makeup but it looks bright and even-toned. But again, not enough to make me say wow.

2. The palette cannot stand alone. It is a nice matte palette but I cannot create a nice eye makeup with just this palette. I would still look for a separate beige or transition tone. Therefore, I cannot bring just this palette for travel.

3. The purple shade called Highness (3rd from upper left) is not true to color and therefore not as vibrant as you would expect. You can make this stand out by putting on some white eye shadow base prior to applying Highness on the lids. Without a creamy white (or brightening) base, Highness comes off just like a dark eggplant on my medium + yellow-toned skin.

4. Thunder is a very nice true to color gray shade but surprisingly, for a dark shade, it is not as pigmented.

5. The applicator that comes with it is not something I would use to apply my makeup. To be fair, it can be a good touch up applicator when on the plane. I just don't think these sponge tip applicators will last as long as the palette or as much as I can deplete the eyeshadows, so you might as well take it out and replace with a more reliable brush applicator that will fit the slot allotted for it.
6. The names of the eyeshadows are listed on the protective transparent film. If you lose this sheet, the eyeshadow names are nowhere in the palette, not even at the back.

So the verdict: I am not in awe of this palette but if you are the type who:
1. Likes using one or 2 shades only
2. Can work on mainly dark mattes
then this palette is for you.

I purchased this product online at Luxola.com. With a minimum order for PHL residents of PhP1,300, delivery is free!

Update as of 01 December 2015: Sleek is now available in the Philippines. I saw their booth at the SM Makati Beauty Section. The iDivine eyeshadow palettes retail for PhP695 (cheaper than luxola.com).