It only seems fitting to start this review with, “Hi, sisters,” as this is how the creator of this palette starts off all of his YouTube videos.

This palette by James Charles was launched at Ulta in store and online as well as at morphebrushes.com on Nov. 13, 2018. Right now, you’re probably shaking your head and wondering why I wasn’t writing a review sooner. That is because ever since the day this palette launched, it has sold out within minutes every time it came back in stock to retailers.  If you aren’t familiar with James Charles, he is a 19-year-old beauty vlogger on youtube who makes various makeup tutorials for his viewers to enjoy.

I was able to finally get my hands on one, and since Valentine’s Day is next month, I decided to create a vibrant, romantic look in honor of the holiday I’ve been single for in all of my 17 years of living. What can I say? I enjoy doing my makeup to look good for myself.

The palette will take away any makeup lover’s breath upon first opening it. There are 39 shades and to match the quantity of product, it retails for $39. As if the price wasn’t a great deal, you definitely get what you pay for.

The shadows in this palette are the most pigmented colors you could imagine. Upon being richly embellished, James Charles himself warns that the shadows in this palette are pressed pigments, which is slightly different from a normal eyeshadow as the pressed pigment is more likely to stain your eyelids after taking the shadow off with makeup remover.

I found that the pigments did, in fact, leave a little residue when just taken off with makeup remover; however, there was no stain left after I washed my face with real face soap. This is no real inconvenience if proper measures are taken to cleanse the skin after a full day of wearing makeup.

Application is a tricky thing when it comes to this palette because the shades are so pigmented, and if you pick up too much shadow on the brush, it’ll be very hard to blend out into a flattering look. It takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, you can create any look flawlessly. I would advise beginners in makeup application to practice with a less pigmented palette before tackling the James Charles look.

After I spent 2 hours applying and perfecting the look because I knew I’d be publishing it for everyone to see, I went about my day. This included going to lunch with my parents, cleaning my house, and ended with a nap from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

I fell asleep in my makeup, which I do not recommend, but I was delighted when I awoke and my makeup stayed in place for the 6 hours of tossing and turning. It will last you all day.

Overall, the James Charles Palette is affordable with a good quality, and since there are so many different color choices, you can create any makeup look with it. Just be aware that it possibly could leave a stain on your eyelid if not removed properly.

If you’re a beginner in makeup application, approach with caution as a palette this loud and outgoing may be overwhelming to some. If you’re a makeup-lover like me and you love to try out different palettes, I’d highly recommend considering to purchase this one.

James Charles made a whole video dedicated to educating us about everything there is to know before you purchase it, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/0c4wxwLbtxo