A 9-pan palette for P199 — and with rave reviews to boot. All signs were pointing to me liking the Squad Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palette in Berry Squad. But, as you can tell from this review’s headline, I feel like I was duped. Here’s why this fan-favorite didn’t work for me.
Packaging and texture
The palette, which is in the brand’s signature peach hue, is incredibly lightweight. Its cover is clear so you can easily see the eyeshadow colors. There are no printed names for the colors. I’ve never found a need for them, but if you’re particular about those things, you won’t find them here.
The powders are fine and soft to the touch. They’re not chalky nor powdery.
Application
When you swatch the Squad Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palette in Berry, you’ll find the colors quite pleasant. They are quite pigmented in one swipe — once blended is a different story. I know many people like their eyeshadow to be more on the sheer side because it’s easier to build up color and opacity than to tone them down. I find this performing poorly in both aspects, though, not just in terms of intensity.
On the pan, it looks like the palette has a cohesive color story. There are warmer shades for those who like using “transition” colors, and then there are the brights for whatever berry-inspired look you have in mind.
There are shimmers, too, which is also a plus in terms of versatility. The biggest downside is the colors that lean towards pink, even the purple ones, are incredibly similar once blended — even the shimmers. That reddish shimmer shade? Pink. The brownish shimmer? Still pink. The lilac? Yup, pink. This palette is also in need of a real dark shade from the same color family for dimension.
When you apply it on bare lids using a brush, the colors almost don’t show up. So make sure you have a primer or a colored concealer before using this. And don’t bother setting the primer anymore because this eyeshadow needs something to stick to.
Final thoughts
The Squad Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palette in Berry was a purchase the internet made me do — I mean, how could I pass up on it? The affordable price tag coupled with the many, many rave reviews really did it for me. After giving this a whirl, I’m still going to use it because I don’t want to be wasteful (even if it already broke and I’ve already salvaged two pans with the help of alcohol). But, obviously, I will not repurchase once I’ve hit pan.