Question Beauty - Legend of Land and Sea Eyeshadow Palette
Several months ago, maybe more someone, a colleague or otherwise, granted me the pleasure (of discovering something new) or the displeasure (of increasing wanting) of the brand Question Beauty. Originally I was interested in their colored mascara, which I ordered exactly zero of because, shortly after discovery they released this Legend of Land and Sea eyeshadow palette. I always want to jump in and support “indie” brands but frankly what holds me back most the time is the ugly cardboard packaging. Spending $60+ on a palette packaged in paper, sorry to be shallow but it’s not the experience I’m looking for as a consumer. So yes, maybe I did but this for the packaging. Good thing it turned out to be satisfactory quality as well or else I would be feeling quite silly right now.
It can be scary giving your money over to a brand that you can't swatch first and I hope this blog post gives you an authentic look at my experience with this palette.
Value Breakdown
$69USD ($6.90 per shadow) 10g total
Compared to buying a single eyeshadow in a makeup retailer these days, I'd say this is a decent deal. The artistic packaging and modern magnetic component also help to elevate the overall feel of the product. With brands like Natasha Denona reaching into the $89 MSRP for a shadow palette (granted you do get 18 shades of brown in the new Eye Sculpt) the price of $69 USD for a creative palette could be worse.
As always you can get cheaper eyeshadow somewhere else, no one is making you spend this money. You get added value with the Legend of Land and Sea because you are buying a story and an art piece to incorporate into your life.
Ingredients
This palette has colors that are out of this world. There is a reason you don't see high saturation shadows like these being released often for the commercial market. Ready for the bad news? This Question Beauty Legend of Land and Sea palette contains ingredients not approved by the FDA in the United States. Good news in the following ingredients are current not approved only due to irritation and staining concerns, so nothing too scary.
Here are the ingredients in questions.
Colorants not FDA-approved for the immediate eye area
- D&C Red No. 27 Aluminum Lake (CI 45410)
- D&C Red No. 28 Aluminum Lake (CI 45410)
- D&C Red No. 7 Calcium Lake (CI 15850)
Conditionally approved / with restrictions
- Yellow 5 (CI 19140) → FDA approved for eye area use, but some people have allergic reactions.
- Ultramarines (CI 77007) → FDA approved for eye area, not for lips.
- FD&C Blue No. 1 Aluminum Lake (CI 42090) → Approved for general cosmetic use, but sometimes restricted in the eye area outside the U.S.
Swatches
Ten whole colors of vibrant goodness. The swathes shown are done on dry skin applied with a finger. not everyone loves a high pigment and creamy shimmer formulas but, I do.
Lost Relic - Neon yellow matte that used on primed skin maintains a vibrancy uncommon of regular eye shadows.
Dragon Cave - A black brown matte that can get you in trouble fast. Work slowly because once it’s placed it’s locked in.
Treasure Trove - High metallic gold foil. This also makes a great accent on the cheeks for a chunky highlighter.
Jungle Mirage - Like a disco lizard. the smoothness and blue green duochrome shift is astounding. This was so easy and satisfying to use.
Shimmering Scales - White iridescent shimmer with green and blue duochrome. Feels like the tears of an angel.
Sandy Shores - Pastel yellow I used for an underbrow highlight. Honestly this color didn’t do much for me.
Deep Sea - Navy matte that blends like the night sky. Had some small issues with this being patchy but was able to build it up to satisfaction.
Mystic Haze - Periwinkle shimmer that’s like looking deep into an enchanted lagoon while you toss a cursed ring over your shoulder.
Emerald Waters - Using this felt like diving into an enchanted sea. Texture is so smooth it feels like you’re on a dolphin’s back straight to Atlantis.
Moonlit Lagoon - Delightful sky blue matte with an ethereal powdery effect.
Those unapproved ingredients really shine when it comes to swatches. All these swatches are done using only my finger with no primer or eye shadow base. This is in natural sunlight by a window no edits.
Performance
To prep my eyes I use Urban Decay Primer Point in the orginal formula. If you didn't use some sort of primer I believe you would still have relevant success with your look but a primer will make colors more vibrant and long lasting. I'm using a variety or synthetic makeup brushes with not particular special qualities.
Moving slowly was my key to having success with such high pigment mattes. Creating densely packed area then softening the edges gave me my desired effect. I was also very intrigued by the special shade performance. They are creamy but not so much that the oil content prevents them from delicately diffusing.
Mostly I love the experience or rather the vibe of having this palette on my vanity. Its presence encourages a creativity and whimsy that I feel is an integral part of my makeup ritual. This is not something I do for the sake of the gaze of others, it’s a moment for art at the start of my day.
Overall Thoughts
I like the Fable of Spice and Bloom palette better. While I can work with both warm and cool toned I feel like I’d be reaching for these colors less, especially the yellows as they take a bit of patience to work with. The quality is out of this world and I didn’t have issues with irritation or staining. If I could trash talk this I would. The package did ship direct from China so I was braced for the worst but I ended up entirely enchanted with my order. If a third chapter is released in this series I would purchase it for my collection but also as a sign of appreciation to a brand delivering quality creative tools to the beauty community.
