Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette in Exposure - review and swatches

My beautiful best friends gifted me with two of the Hourglass Modernist Palettes for my birthday - Exposure and Graphite. Up for review today is Exposure. Exposure is the purple toned palette of the bunch. It features five shades which can be used in combination to create a purple eye look. Three out of the five shades are purple in tone. This palette can be purchased from Mecca Cosmetica, Maxima and Mecca Online for $85. Hourglass describes this palette as the "plums" of the bunch.

(Just a comparison with the size - top is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush palette, bottom is the Eyeshadow Palette in Exposure).

Hourglass describes these palettes as "an artist-inspired eyeshadow palette with seamless colour transitions offering effortless blending in a single pan. The innovative multi-press, three-dimensional design, combined with a fine, creamy consistency, introduces a new level of control for blending and picking up pigment. Available in 7 curated colour palettes".

The only issue I really have with these palettes (and all Modernist Eyeshadow Palettes) is that there are no shade names. Of course, when you look at these palettes and how the shades are set up and intertwined, they are absolutely gorgeous. I just like to have a name for the shadow. 

Exposure #1 is a shimmery beige, and described as a champagne. This shadow swatches beautifully and can be used as an allover lid shade or as an inner corner highlight or brow bone highlight. 

Exposure #2 is an aubergine. This shadow has a matte finish. I tend to find shadows with a matte finish are usually harder to blend, but this shadow blends absolutely beautifully. 

Exposure #3 is a metallic bronze gold. Such a nice inclusion in this palette and allows the wearer to mix things up. This is the star shade in this palette for me (I'm a diehard for bronze golds), and it is very pigmented. 

Exposure #4 is a blackened plum. This shadow has a pearl sheen. 

Exposure #5 is a more cool-toned dusty mauve. This has a shimmery finish.  

Hourglass states the following for each of the Modernist Eyeshadow Palettes:

- Complementary colours for base, crease, and eyeliner allow for endless customised looks with one palette

- Artist-inspired palettes feature a range of finishes, from matte to metallic, for countless combinators, from subtle to dramatic

- Unique sculptural design provides superior control for picking up and blending pigment

- Each shade and finish is specifically calibrated to work with the other formulas within the palette

- The finely-milled, creamy formula - the first of its kind - is exceptionally soft, long wearing and crease-resistant 

- Shimmer shades may be applied wet for more dramatic colour

This is definitely a luxury eyeshadow palette. For makeup loving friends that you may have, this is a great gift, or if you want to buy yourself a present. It is a pricey palette, and you can get a lot more shadows in other brands for much cheaper, but looking at this palette in my makeup collection makes me extremely happy. I like the combination of the five shadows in this palette, and in Graphite as well. Next time you're in Mecca (or wherever you may be able to purchase Hourglass) take a look at the palettes and swatch them. I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

Thanks for reading,

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