Etude House & Rose Flowering Eyes

Fall 2013 hit me fast and hard. See, I'm a sucker for autumn colors, and it's definitely my favorite season in fashion. There's a certain je ne sais quoi that jewel tones and trench coats bring... Or maybe it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas? Either way, I became obsessed in those three months with finding the perfect fall makeup, and ended up with Etude House's &Rose Flowering Eyes eyeshadow palette (PHP 1,148).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] The right mix of feminine and cute[/caption]

While I'm usually into sleek-looking packaging, this particular palette is undeniably pretty enough that it deserves attention. I like that it's cute, but isn't too teenybopper that an adult woman can't whip it out in front of her peers. This slim palette's size is perfect for your everyday bag. Inside are 10 shadows that can be divided into 2 groups: neutrals and rose tones. Some of the colors are rich and classy, but what sets this limited edition palette apart from the rest are the fun colors that were included to mix things up.  By the way, I applaud Etude House for providing long shadow sponges that make the experience quite ergonomic.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] From Left to Right: Falling, Fade, Innocent, Delight, Pure, Romance, Blossom, Petal, Gloomy, and Poison[/caption]

Let's go through each shadow then...

Falling is a milk chocolate brown with gold shimmer.

Fade is a matte tan and one of my favorites.

Innocent is a pale matte cream that's great as a shadow base or brow highlighter.

Delight (fun color #1) is a slightly shimmery peach-orange that goes very lightly on the lids.

Pure (fun color #2) is a pale cream with big gold shimmer bits that I like to use only on the corners of my eyes.

Romance (fun color #3) is a light pink with big gold shimmer bits that functions the same way as Pure does.

Blossom (fun color #4) is the one to experiment with. It's a bold wine-red (matte), and a little bit goes a long way. Personally, I haven't mastered this one yet.

Petal is a matte light pink with just a hint of peach and is another one of my favorites.

Gloomy is a matte dusty rose and my third favorite.

Poison is a shimmery wine purple.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Fade, Pure, Innocent, and Blossom in action[/caption]

Apart from the gorgeous colors, what makes this palette so great is the quality of the shadows. The powder is finely milled making it wonderfully easy to apply because the pigment has no trouble getting on the brush or sponge. This is the first time I've used such a fine shadow that I'll be making this the standard for comparison. Most of the other reviews I've read have also given a nod to the softness of the powder.

Remember, this is a limited edition release, so go grab the last few in stock. I asked relatives who went to Korea last year to try and find me this palette, but the Rose line was already phased-out there.

Rating: 4.5/5 Pricey for an Etude House offering, but maybe I can turn a blind eye because I love the quality and the colors so much.