Welcome to the Freak Show - Strobe Cosmetics

Late last night, a knocking sounded at my door.
I opened the wooden door with a creak and sitting on our welcome mat was a box. Not a person in sight but still the knocking continued.
I picked up the box, taking my trusty letter opener and pierced the tape.
I peeled back the lid, I peered inside.
There was a sea of orange tissue paper surrounding my ticket to the Freak Show.

I am of course talking about the Strobe Cosmetics "Freak Show" eyeshadow palette. Though if you follow me on Instagram or Tumblr you had probably already guessed that.
I first saw this palette in one of Rose Shocks Instagram photos, it was a photo of her eyeshadow palette collection. I hadn't heard of the palette before or the company for that matter but my fascination with the dark, macabre, weird and wonderful demanded that I have this palette. A quick search around the interwebs and I knew where to order this fabulous creation from. After finding the palette on the Strobe Cosmetics website I fell in love with one particular shade in the palette and was more determined that ever to claim it as my own.

I ordered the palette with my birthday money the day after my celebrations; the 15th of March for anyone keeping track at home.

I'd call put this palette in the "neutrals with a twist" category.
The packaging is slim, in gloss black plastic but without feeling tacky or cheap. Placed on the lid is a gloss sticker design based on the old fashioned ticket stubs. In big letters it shows that this ticket or palette for that matter is for a Freak Show.  The back of the palette provides you with ingredients and colour names.
Once opened you are greeted with a full lid sized mirror, the bottom section contains five pressed shadows and a small indentation for a brush to be stored. The palette is the perfect size to fit into my tiny purse, that in conjunction with the brush storage makes it extremely convenient for taking to parties or nights out for a quick mid-night touch up.

The shades are easily workable to design a day or a night look; which means that it is at the top of my list for any straight after work events that I need to attend. I can use the lighter shades for my work day and then apply some of the other shades for the event.

The first shade in the palette (going left to right)

Twisty: in pan appears as a shimmery greyed eggplant shade.
Once swatched, Twisty has a brown base with a bright purple shift. The heavier the colour is applied the more the purple becomes visible.

No Primer or base, rubbed my finger once in the pan and one swipe.

Strongman: when in the pan appears as a light antique gold colour. Once applied it becomes more of a dusty gold, almost a rose gold.


Monsters Among Us: is the colour that had me sold on this palette. The moment I saw it, there was no doubt in my mind that I would be buying this palette. Even in the pan this colour goes through a
dramatic shift. Depending on the light it can appear as a standard dark brown or a bright aqua.

Conjoined: In the pan, the shade comes across as a peachy gold. It keeps the same tone when swatched and on my skin is a beautiful buttery gold highlight shade.

Bearded Lady: A hickory brown in the pan and when swatched, this shade takes on a metallic cordovan or reddy purple hue,

The palette feels durable, it's slim nature means as I said before that it is great for travel and easy storage. The mirror is large enough to use for applying makeup and the colours are extremely pigmented. The beautiful vintage feel of the palette definitely called out to my tastes and earned this palette in my favourites very quickly.  <3