It applies as a sheer medium brown with a shimmery finish, nothing like the grayish taupe with subtle green undertones that you'd expect from the pan. Telepathic Taupe is the biggest let-down in this palette. It's intensely pigmented and goes on smoothly. Smoke and Mirrors is probably the best shade in the palette: a rich, buttery dark brown with a hint of mauve undertones and a glowing satin finish. It feels very creamy to the touch and doesn't cause fallout. It's a fine shade to use as a highlight in the inner corner of the eye, but nothing unusual. For some reason it looks off-white on my lids, loosing its undertone completely. Platinize is a semi-sheer light beige with a soft sheen. I was genuinely excited to experience Pat McGrath eyeshadows - but are they really worth the hype? Let's find out!

I jumped on the occasion to try the brand's much raved about and supposedly very luxurious eyeshadow formula, grabbing Subliminal, the palette that seemed to have cooler tones. But in a smart move the brand released three smaller, 6-pan eyeshadow palettes called MTHRSHP that are a lot more affordable for us commoners at $55. $125 for the Mothership eyeshadow palettes or $38 for a lipstick? No thanks.

The only reason I hadn't purchased anything from Pat McGrath Labs until now is the high price tags. I don't know who the famous makeup artist worked with to launch her line but they all did a fantastic job with the branding. From website to packaging and social media everything is beautiful, cohesive and very appealing. Ever since Pat McGrath launched her brand's permanent collection last year I've been fascinated by its aesthetics, a sort of dark, artsy underground but luxurious visual identity that looks very unique to me.

Pat mcgrath subliminal swatch