Ulta Eye Shadow Review and Swatches

I have a complicated relationship with Ulta brand cosmetics. On the one hand, I love that they’re budget friendly, frequently have good promotions, and come in a wide variety of colors. On the other hand, it seems that more often than not you’re getting what you pay for… and it can sometimes leave a little to be desired. 

That being said, I’ve found myself with a pretty healthy (those darn promotions!!!) collection of Ulta shadows. These come in Shimmer, Matte, and Glitter finishes and offer a large range of colors from neutral to colorful. 

The following swatches are applied twice, plain on the left side, with Urban Decay’s Primer Potion on the right. It’s pretty clear that if you want colors that are vibrant and pop, you can’t use these on bare lids. They can also, occasionally, be a little bit difficult to apply, but it varies from shade to shade.

*= Shade is no longer being sold through Ulta.com, but may be available in stores. 

Amethyst                                    Love

Aztec Gold                             Bermuda Sand

Brass*                                    Flirty

Truffle                        Trendsetter

Platinum                     Granite

Pearl                                Pink

Mystical                              Silk

Verdigris                           Galaxy

Smoke*                          Black Ink*

Polished*                             Milk Chocolate

Au Naturel                         Seashell

Lustre                             Toast

Sable                                 Chianti

In the Buff                             Molten

Mint                                     Bone

Envy                             Naked

Sage                                    Stardust

Brown Sugar                         Zephyr

Bloom                                 Wisteria Lane

Majesty                               Calla Lily

Bayou                                  Sterling

Glamazon                              Ice Queen

Peacock                                   Deep Sea

There we have them. Though the colors are fun, I feel as if I’ve done a better job advertising the Primer Potion, rather than the shadows. That being said, if you like the colors there’s no need to not enjoy them. Just be willing to invest in a good eye base/primer, unless you’re a fan of the super-sheer look.

One final plus is that Ulta often includes these in Gift-With-Purchase promotions and they come in neat little quads that are amazing for travel.

Final Verdict: Like it! 

Ingredients:

Talc, Corn (Zea Mays) Starch, Nylon-12, Magnesium Stearate, PTFE, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Black 2, Tin Oxide, Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide Green, Chromium Hyrdoxide Green, Carmine, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polyurethane-11, Aluminum, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Acrylates Copolymer, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Bismuth Oxychloride, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue1 Lake, Manganese Violet.