Urban Decay's Show Pony Shadow Box - Product Review

In past reviews, I have said that the Foreshadow Palette was my favorite palette of all time. While the Foreshadow Palette may have won the race for functionality, it has been beaten by the Show Pony. That's right- my new favorite palette is Urban Decay's Show Pony Shadow Box.

COLOR(S)

Show Pony comes with six colors, all of which are gorgeous and unique in their own way. Urban Decay decided that this palette would have a mix of neutrals and bright colors, making it appealing to an array of customers. Starting at the top and going to the bottom, you have Snatch, Mildew, Flash, Painkiller, Smog, and Toasted. Painkiller and Snatch are exclusive to this palette and are gorgeous colors. All of these have shimmer, so matte wearers, stay back! However, Urban Decay is known for their chunky glitter, and the only one that has their signature this time is Snatch. It is definitely not as bad as Midnight Cowboy Rides Again or Uzi, but it is still there. Snatch is a peachy-pink with glitter, Mildew is a deep green, Flash is an electric purple, Painkiller is a turquoise shimmer, Smog is a deep bronze, and Toasted is a copper. At least, that's how Urban Decay describes them. Most of them seem pretty accurate, except for painkiller. Painkiller, to me, is a shocking blue that immediately pulls the eye in- I get no turquoise. However, I adore all of these colors because they go so well together and they look gorgeous separate! Another Urban Decay win!

FORMULA

When I first saw this set, Flash was the color that really made me want this set (I love purples) and it was the only one that somewhat disappointed me. Flash is the one with the poorest pigmentation. Not to say it doesn't show up (it is better than a lot of shadows I have), but it doesn't meet the usual Urban Decay standards. The other five, however, go above and beyond! They are all really pigmented and super-soft. Urban Decay's formula when it comes to shimmer is outstanding! Even Snatch has a nice formula even though it has their infamous chunky glitter- I can't even really tell it's there.

FUNCTIONALITY

This palette is made of cardboard (I'll go in more detail about the packaging in a minute), so it is not suitable for throwing in your purse. But, you will get so much use out of it at home, it is completely worth it. Since there are six colors, you have a plethora of looks for day or night, summer or winter, bold or subtle. I am attracted to all of these colors and use all of these colors in different ways. To me, it is extremely functional; however, to the wearers of natural, subtle colors, it may not be as useful.

PACKAGING

If anyone has read my past reviews, you know I go weak at the knees for awesome packaging. I can safely say this is, without a doubt, the most amazingly cool packaging I have ever owned or ever seen. Designed by L.A. artist Kime Buzzelli, it is a work of art. On the front, it says Urban Decay and pictures three girls, long, wavy hair and bright, bold makeup. There are three more girls on the back, which look about the same and more information on the palette. There is also a pink unicorn from a merry-go-round! Along the sides, there are abstract lines, shapes, and colors that also fill in the front and back. Opening it, you see the shadows with their names and more of the fun lines. There is a slot for a 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil (more about the extras in a minute) and even that is filled in. On the top, you have an odd shaped mirror and two more girls, one sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees and one where you can only see the bottom half of her face. My description does not do the art on this palette justice! This is one of those instances where you HAVE to go look up a picture of this palette. I'm telling you, even if you don't buy it, you have to see the masterpiece of a makeup palette.

EXTRA ITEMS

This palette is really great because it comes with extras. While Urban Decay's mini brushes are actually not bad, I was stoked when I opened the palette and saw what the extra was. This time, they have included a 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in the color Zero. I will not do a review since I plan to do a separate one for their pencils, but I can tell you that it is awesome and so refreshing to see in place of a little brush. The Show Pony Shadow Box also comes with a mini Primer Potion. Nothing special, right? Well, this one has their new angled wand, and it has the same shape as their normal one! It is the cutest mini of something I have ever seen! Seriously, you HAVE to go look at a picture of this set. You will not be disappointed.

PRICE

This palette is a steal at the retail price of $30. For $30, you get six colors, each at 0.9 grams of product! That is about how much you would pay for two MAC shadows, only you're getting about double the amount of product. Hello? Which one would you pick?

FINAL OPINIONS

I absolutely adore this palette and recommend it to anyone. This would make a great Christmas present for followers of Urban Decay, or someone who has never heard of them. PARENTS: Your teenage girl would LOVE this as a gift if she is just getting into makeup and would be thrilled opening it on Christmas. This palette is limited edition and will not be available for long. It is available at urbandecay.com, sephora.com, Sephora stores, ulta.com, Ulta stores, and wherever else you can find Urban Decay products. This palette is the best of all worlds: great colors, great formula, great packaging, and a great price tag. I would snatch up one of these before they're gone- they are INCREDIBLE!