Natasha Denona Tropic Mini Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches

Tropic

Natasha Denona Tropic Mini Eyeshadow Palette ($25.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a new, limited edition (and Sephora-exclusive!) mini palette that features five shades from the larger Tropic palette. They’re from the last row, and of the 15 shades in the original Tropic palette, they were the most interesting/least done within the brand’s releases. Mint Frost is much improved (from F to A-!), while the others were consistent with past performance; Tiger Lily seemed slightly worse (B- to C+).

Tropic

B+

Limited Edition

8.5

Product

9.5

Pigmentation

8.5

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

89%

Total

Mint Frost

Mint Frost is a pale, silvery aqua with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. It had good color coverage in a single layer, which was buildable to full coverage with a bit more layered on top or when applied with a wet brush. The texture was smooth to the touch, lightly creamy, but not too densely packed in the pan–it was miles above the version that was in the original Tropic palette (that one rated an F!). It lasted nicely for eight and a half hours on me before creasing noticeably.

Top Dupes
Ingredients

Top Dupes

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Bobbi Brown Seafoam (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
NYX Mermaid (P, $6.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Smashbox Sea (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Sydney Grace Mint Green (P, $6.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Make Up For Ever #53 (LE, $23.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
Too Faced Joy (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Melt Cosmetics Blue Dream (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
Colour Pop Heavenly (P, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar).
Stila Freedom (LE, $24.00) is cooler (90% similar).
MAC So Jaded (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).

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Ingredients

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Mica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Talc, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides, Isododecane, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Aluminum Powder (Ci 77000), Green 5 (Ci 61570), Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Carmine (Ci 75470).

Mint Frost

A-

Limited Edition

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

91%

Total

Exotic

Exotic is a bright, emerald green with subtle, cool undertones and a pearly sheen. It had opaque pigmentation with a smooth, dense, and lightly creamy, but it had such a firm/dense texture that it does require a flatter brush and a moderately firm hand. I actually found that it softened a bit after two uses, and while it was dense, I didn’t struggle to apply it to my lid or to blend it out. It wore well for nine hours on me before creasing faintly.

Top Dupes
Ingredients

Top Dupes

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Juvia's Place Buzo (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, brighter (90% similar).
Disney by Sephora Fins (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Colour Pop The Bull (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Juvia's Place Mali (P, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Urban Decay Grasshopper (LE, $19.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Sephora Picnic in the Park (07) (DC, $10.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Milani Green Safari (P, $6.49) is darker (90% similar).
Colour Pop Up Shot (P, $5.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
Urban Decay Hatter (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Colour Pop Left on Thread (LE, $5.00) is cooler (85% similar).

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Ingredients

Mica, Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Aluminium Powder (Ci 77000), Carmine (Ci 75470).

Exotic

Limited Edition

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

9.5

Longevity

Application

94%

Total

Laguna

Laguna is a bright, medium blue with strong, cool undertones and a matte finish. The pigmentation was opaque in a single layer, while the consistency was soft, velvety, and blendable without being too powdery or prone to fallout. It did darken a bit when applied to my lid, though, so it may be more reactive to natural oils/wetness (like from a tacky primer). It stayed on well for eight hours on me before I noticed fading.

Top Dupes
Ingredients

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Dominique Cosmetics Evil Eye (LE, ) is more muted (95% similar).
Colour Pop Zoomship (P, $5.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Coloured Raine Drip Drop (P, $6.99) is darker (90% similar).
MAC Les Portes Bleus (LE, $17.00) is darker (90% similar).
Kat Von D Synth (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
MAC At the Turntable (LE, $17.00) is lighter (85% similar).
MAC Triennial Wave (LE, $17.00) is darker (85% similar).
NARS Mad Mad World #1 (DC, $25.00) is darker (85% similar).
Urban Decay Narcotic (P, $19.00) is lighter (85% similar).
Sydney Grace Oasis (P, $5.00) is cooler (85% similar).

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Ingredients

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Zinc Stearate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Silica. May Contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Carmine (Ci 75470), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Ultramarines (Ci 77007).

Laguna

A-

Limited Edition

8.5

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

91%

Total

Tiger Lily

Tiger Lily is a deep blue with cool undertones and a satiny sheen. It had opaque pigmentation, but the issue I had was getting the product to translate from pan to brush to lid. The texture was dense, almost like a compacted cream, and had a firmness to it that made it harder to pick up and apply. I’d recommend using this shade with a flat, synthetic brush and gently jabbing the edge of the brush against the pan to pick up product and then press and pat it onto the lid. It seemed a bit firmer compared to the original in the larger Tropic palette, but it was pretty comparable overall (not much of a compliment!). The eyeshadow lasted well for eight hours on me.

Top Dupes
Ingredients

Top Dupes

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MAC Moon is Blue (LE, $22.00) is darker (95% similar).
Melt Cosmetics King Stud (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
Colour Pop Two Piece (P, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
Kat Von D Nile (LE, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Makeup Geek Blue My Mind (P, $9.99) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
MAC Weirdly Wonderful (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
MAC A Sprinkle of Blues #3 (PiP, $21.00) is darker (90% similar).
NYX Kiss in Casablanca (P, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Dior Rivage #5 (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar).
Urban Decay Radium (P, $19.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).

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Ingredients

Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Zinc Stearate, Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Indigofera Tinctoria Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide/Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Aluminum Powder (Ci 77000), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Carmine (Ci 75470).

Tiger Lily

C+

Limited Edition

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

8.5

Longevity

3.5

Application

78%

Total

Zena

Zena is a muted, medium-dark lavender with subtle, cool undertones and a matte finish. The eyeshadow had a soft, silky feel that wasn’t too powdery nor too firmly pressed in the pan. It had rich color coverage that applied well to bare skin and blended out with ease. It wore nicely for eight and a half hours on me before fading visibly.