Burberry Complete Eye Palette in Plum Pink: Review & Swatches

When I found out Burberry were releasing eyeshadow quads I was practically giddy. Burberry's eyeshadows are probably my all-time favourites (definitely top 3 anyway), but at $45 a pop for a single shadow, building up a large collection of colours is a pricy endeavor. Palettes are such a good way to acquire a bunch of different shades from a brand so I'm beyond thrilled Burberry has added these to their permanent range.

I was initially planning on buying all six palettes, but after thinking it through I decided on just three; Pale Nude, Pink Taupe and the one I'm reviewing today, Plum Pink. I still might get Dark Spice, but I'd better swatch that one in store first as it looks like it could be a bit too warm for me.

The palette comes with the usual velvet pouch, except this one is envelope shaped and hides a little pocket containing three applicators. The brushes aren't too bad, they're nice and soft at least. I'm glad Burberry didn't put the applicators in the palette. I rarely use included applicators so it always feels like wasted space when a third of a compact is taken up by them.

The compact is about the same size as a Chanel quad. It has a nice heft to it without being a burden to carry around.

Plum Pink is a palette of three neutrals and one rich purple. The neutral shades do have slight pink/mauve/purple undertones, but overall this quad is far more wearable and versatile than the name might imply.

I love that Burberry has made the lid/crease shades larger than the others. I have so many palettes where the lid shades are heavily used and the darker shades look barely touched, as I need so little product to define in comparison to covering the whole lid.

The 1st shade is a shimmering beige. It has pink undertones, which are more obvious on the eye than when swatched on the arm.

The 2nd shade is a shimmering light/medium brown with a touch of mauve. To me it's not quite a taupe, but it's circling around that area.

The 3rd shade is a shimmering, reddish, deep plum. 

The 4th shade is a semi-matte dark brown. On the eye when worn with the other shades, there's a slight hint of purple and it comes across a little ashier.

The eyeshadows are all as smooth, blendable and highly pigmented as usual. I do feel that they're just the teensiest bit less buttery soft than the single eyeshadows, but I don't notice a difference in how they apply or wear. 

The colours aren't particularly unique, but there's a complexity to all four eyeshadows that you just don't get from cheaper brands. They look beautiful on the eye and the quality is exceptional, so although I have similar products in my stash I'm thrilled with this purchase. Plum Pink is exactly the sort of palette I love, and of the three Burberry palettes I own it's probably the most classic combination of colours. It reminds me a little of Illamasqua's Complement palette. It's certainly no dupe, but both have done a great job of making a purple themed palette versatile and wearable by including some browns and beiges.

I bought Plum Pink online from Harrods for £40.00. In Australia, Burberry is available at selected DJ's stores, and the Complete Eye Palettes retail for $85 (which isn't too bad compared to quads from Chanel, Dior etc.).

Have you tried any of Burberry's palettes yet? What's your favourite brand for eyeshadows?