Every makeup brand has its niche, a particular item that they excel at, and iconic products that make them a recognizable name. For Buxom, there’s no question that that category is lip gloss. And with all the hype (well deserved, I might add) surrounding their Full and Healthy Lip Polishes, some would be surprised to learn that they also have a line of eyeshadows. The Buxom Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette is yet another iteration of their ever-popular “Dolly” lipgloss.
- Buxom Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette Overview
- Buxom Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette Review
- Cruelty-Free and Vegan Status
- Where to Buy the Buxom Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette
- Final Thoughts
Buxom Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette Overview
Buxom has a full line of eyeshadow singles which sell for $12 each when purchased separately. The companion empty compacts hold six shadows and cost $13 on their own. The idea is to purchase six shadows along with an empty compact which reduces the total price to $40 (separately would be $85) and Buxom also sells several premade compacts.
The Buxom Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette is a departure from their standard shadow configurations. It is a 12 shadow palette that retails for $39 and is packaged in a slim cardboard palette. So not only are you getting double the amount of shadows for $1 less, but you’re also getting slightly more shadow in terms of weight. The six pan compacts contain a total of 0.3 oz of product as opposed to the Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette, which comes with 0.36 oz.
Buxom also released several other Boss Babe palettes that are the same size as the Boss Babe Dolly, in varying color schemes.
Buxom Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette Review
Color Story
Dolly is an iconic mauve shade of the original Full and Healthy Lip Polishes that Buxom replicated in multiple other products such as their lip creams, lipstick, blush, and now eyeshadow. They did release a six pan compact named Dolly’s Wild Side, several years back that also followed the same mauve theme.
At a glance the Boss Babe Dolly palette looks like a half cool neutrals, half muted mauve color scheme. There are six shades that all follow a mauvey,-pinky-purply theme, a couple of taupes, a couple of browns, and a cream. The one odd shade out would be the soft peach labeled Last Call, which is warmer than the rest of the palette.
In terms of the mauve shades there are three shimmers labeled Top Shelf, On Ice, and Wild Nights which are a pale mauve, a medium cranberry, and an amethyst. Although they don’t look super close to one another in a swatch, the shades can all kind of run together and end up looking very similar on the eyes.
The mattes included are A List (a soft pink), After Party (a muted neutral lavender), and Trust Fund (a deep neutral plum).
As far as the neutrals go there’s a satin cream (Satin Sheets), a taupe and cool bronze (Drippin, and Mink Magnet), a cool matte brown (Spoiled Sexy), and a deep brown with scattered gold sparkle (High Society).
There’s a decent mix of light, medium, and dark as well as matte and shimmer. Because the palette contains a range of matte and shimmer shades in each color scheme, you can definitely achieve a look that’s entirely neutral, or entirely mauve.
The palette doesn’t have a pale matte shade which I would usually need to hightlight the browbone, however the palest shade called Silk Sheets is a pretty soft shimmer, almost a satin, and it works ok without being too frosty.
So while it is a complete palette, it’s not what I’d call bold or super versatile. I think this would work well as an every-day palette especially if you like cool toned neutrals and muted mauves.
Formula
I remember being surprisingly impressed at the quality of Buxom’s shadows when they first launched their singles. Part of what prompted me to buy this palette was my experience with the Dolly’s Wild Side compact which has beautifully smooth, pigmented shadows.
In the Boss Babe Dolly palette there are several textures of shadow.
Firstly the mattes. They’re soft and not too powdery. They feel more firmly pressed than say an ABH eyeshadow but they still have good pigmentation and blend easily. The shade labeled Trust Fund swatches a bit patchy and requires some building, which is common with deeper mattes.
Left to Right: After Party, A List, Spoiled Sexy, Trust Fund
The shade labeled High Society is pretty much a matte with gold particles scattered throughout. As I’ve said before, I don’t really get the point of this type of finish. The shimmer is too dispersed to make the shadow reflective and ends up serving no purpose, other than to leave flecks of gold fallout on your cheeks.
The shades called Silk Sheets, Last Call, Top Shelf, On Ice, and Wild Nights are all what I’d call a soft shimmer. They’re a subtle take on a shimmer shade and aren’t super reflective. The shadows are somewhat buildable. They’re not the most intensely pigmented shadows however, they layer nicely and have even pigmentation. I also didn’t really experience any fallout with the shimmer shades which I appreciate.
Left to Right: Silk Sheets, Last Call, Top Shelf, On Ice, Wild Nights
The shades Drippin’ and Mink Magnet are more of an intense metallic. Mink Magnet is pretty smooth, but Drippin’ is pretty chunky and miniscule particles of silver sparkly. It’s also somewhat loosely pressed and doesn’t really apply smoothly. Even with layering it looked kind of patchy.
Left to Right: Drippin’, Mink Magnet
Overall I think the formula was for the most part easy to use and something a beginner would probably enjoy. I prefer my shimmers to be really intense and reflective so this is not my ideal formula. However, if you like a softer look to your eyeshadow this is a good option.
Swatches
Comparable Products
I pulled out my Dolly’s Wild Side compact to compare it to the Boss Babe Dolly palette. There are four shades that are exact duplicates with the same names in both palettes, Silk Sheets, Mink Magnet, Spoiled Sexy, and Wild Nights. The two shades that are different in Dolly’s Wild Side are a pale pinky shimmer and a pale matte pink. Overall the two are so similar that you really wouldn’t need both. If you loved Dolly’s Wild Side and you want an expanded selection of mauvey tones, you are getting them in Boss Babe Dolly.
I also found a few similarities between Boss Babe Dolly and Urban Decay’s Naked Cherry. Some of the mattes and deeper mauves will give you a similar look and the shimmery peaches look alike. What’s missing would be the lighter mauves so if that’s what you’re going for, the Buxom palette is a better choice.
Cruely Free and Vegan Status
Buxom states that they do not test on animals. They also don’t work with manufacturers or third-parties that do animal testing. Their products are not sold anywhere where animal testing is required by law.
Buxom’s parent company Shiseido, does test on animals.
The Boss Babe Dolly palette contains carmine and as such is not vegan.
Where to Buy the Buxom Boss Babe Dolly Eyeshadow Palette
- Ulta – Free shipping on orders over $35.
- Buxom – Free shipping on orders over $35 and free returns.
- Beauty Brands – Free shipping on orders over $50.
Regardless of where you choose to purchase from, make sure to check if Rakuten (ebates) is offering cashback. Sephora offers cashback for anywhere from 2% to 8% and Macy’s up to 10%, so it’s definitely worth looking into.
If you haven’t signed up for Rakuten yet, you can do so here, it only takes a minute and then you’ll earn cashback every time you shop through their link. They also have an extension which I recommend installing, that activates cashback on all eligible websites with one click. It also scans for coupons.
Final Thoughts
For me this palette was kind of take-it-or-leave-it. I liked the color scheme but the textures weren’t as good as I remembered them being in the Buxom singles. It’s not a bad formula by any means. The mattes are great and the shimmers are nice for what they are. I just prefer a more intense finish to my reflective shadows. If you’re someone who generally does a more subtle look, this is a well-rounded palette that will work for both neutral and mauvey looks.
Pros
- Smooth matte and shimmers shades with minimal fallout
- Good mix of matte and shimmer
- Range of light, medium and dark shades
Cons
- Metallic shadow has a chunky, crumbly texture
- Lots of shadows within the same color family end up looking very similar on the eyes
Thanks for reading, feel free to leave a comment below.
Bye now,
