Try the LORAC Mega Pro Palette 2 for Pigmented, Hyper-Blended Eye Looks

WARNING: Try not to think too hard about the name of the new LORAC Mega Pro 2 Palette, because it could leave your head spinning, as it has mine.

“Mega” usually means significant or major, so does that mean that you have to be a major pro to use it? And what kind of pro are we talking about? Because I’m a major pro at hoarding eyeshadow palettes. I’m also a mega pro when it comes to obsessing over the neighborhood cats. 🙂 And losing socks. I wonder… Do any of those talents apply to LORAC Mega Pro 2?

Feel free to not consider the above; otherwise, we could be here for days, and mama needs her Starbucks.

Basically, the $59 LORAC Mega Pro 2 Palette, which is available now exclusively at Ulta, could very well fool the world into thinking that you’re a world-class, “mega pro” makeup artist, even if your blending skills are mediocre.

If you like pigmented, hyper-blended eye looks, you’ll probably have a great time with it.

But there’s a catch (and it’s a big one). Before we get to it, though, first, some background…

A few years ago, LORAC released a 16-pan palette called the Pro Palette, which was so successful that they followed it up with a Mega Pro version containing twice as many shadows (yup, 32!).

I never worked with that first Mega Pro version, but I have used the original Pro Palette, and I like it a lot. This new Mega Pro 2 is part of LORAC’s holiday 2015 collection currently on counters, and it’s the star of the launch (it’s also an Ulta exclusive).

Inside are 32 shadows — 16 mattes and 16 shimmers. So that’s A LOT, and they range from practical, everyday shades (matte beiges and browns 4 life!!) to frosty, fun greens, blues, browns, golds and purples.

The shadows are also soft and very pigmented; they blend like cream in hot coffee. (Mmm…or pumpkin spice lattes.)

Press, swirl or swipe your brush on any of the pans, and the powders dance like no one is watching. The shadows have what I like to call “a floofy” texture, meaning that they’re super soft and light.

On the one hand, that makes them exceptional for blended looks like smoky eyes, because even if you’re rushing or otherwise not trying too hard, you can still make them work, as I tried to do here. I rushed through this look, and even though my blending was nowhere remotely near perfect, I think it looks alright…

All because of that soft texture, man!

As for the huge (mega?) catch I mentioned earlier? — well, you might experience a lot of fallout, and if that’s a big deal for you, just walk away, Renee, ’cause these’ll drive you batty.

If you don’t mind dealing with fallout and remember to tap off your brush as you use it, I think you’ll be fine. Like, when I work with this palette, it straight-up sounds like I’m part of a drum circle. Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap! I get almost aggressive when it comes to removing the excess powder, and I almost feel like I missed my calling as a snare drummer.

The wear time with these shadows is also good. I wore them with primer last weekend, and they looked fresh all day long until the early evening, and also didn’t migrate into my fine lines.

For $59, I think Mega Pro 2 is an ALL-CAPS GO. You get a wide range of colors and finishes to knock out a variety of looks. Just keep in mind the potential for fallout, and remember to always tap off your brush.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Starbucks run?! Who’s down?