Sorry NYX, this Catwalk Romance has left me lust-less

Before the giant mess that was the NYX anniversary sale, I don't believe I had any experience with the brand. I decided that, for $1.20 apiece I would go out on a limb and try some of their palettes, a flesh-toned eyeshadow base, and a few other products. I've only used three of the things I ordered so far, and am unimpressed with those products. 

First we have the Eyeshadow Base in Skin Tone, which is $6.99 at Ulta. 

I purchased this in hopes that it would work for swatching purposes in place of my beloved Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Upon opening the jar, I was hit by a strong perfumed scent. To me, it smells like the floral perfume of a ninety-year-old woman. Not really what I want my primer to smell like. Also, the color is far too dark and orange to blend into my skin. You'll see what I mean in the swatches.

The jar simply states, "To hold, intensify, and last longer".

I can't tell you how well it works in action because I just couldn't deal with perfumed, orange eyelids. However, in swatching it definitely does intensify shadows as compared to without a primer.

Next are the 10 Color Eyeshadow Palettes in Catwalk and Romance.

 Catwalk

Romance

I'm glad I only paid $1.20 each for these.

That being said, they're not bad. They're just not something I think I'll be getting a lot of use out of. The pigmentation with a primer is good (with most shades). I found the frostier shades to be much smoother in application, with lighter and more matte shades being more difficult to apply. Some shades were chalky, especially the white in Romance. Compared to the buttery smoothness of the loose shadows I typically use from indie companies, the texture of these shadows did not impress me. I purchased these palettes thinking they would be good for travel and might help me in my quest for the perfect neutral look. For the former, they are useful. The packaging is sleek and I won't be heartbroken if they get broken or lost in travel. For the latter, I'm doubtful. 

 Catwalk swatches

 Romance swatches

My arm is not orange because of a bad fake tan- it's the primer.

Overall thoughts:

Primer: Skip it.

Palettes: If you're looking for a budget-friendly travel palette and don't mind if the shadows aren't especially smooth, this may be worth a shot.