What I'm Not Buying: Jeffree Star Alien Palette

I conducted a poll on Instagram (a while ago at this point) to see what people wanted to see in my next anti-haul post. Readers selected the latest Jeffree Star palette, called Alien. 

And I won't be buying. 

As I've said before, I have talked about Jeffree's problematic behavior in other posts, so I'm not going to discuss that here. I will say that since I've written my other Jeffree Star posts, his series on Shane Dawson's YT channel came out (and let's call that was it is—a positive PR campaign), which changed a lot of people's opinion on him. I honestly think that all people who have associated with Jeffree are unreliable and manipulative, and I'm just tired of it all, so I have actively stopped reading about any drama surrounding all of these people. I would rather try to buy from brands with way less drama, but that is becoming an increasingly difficult task. 

Let's talk about this palette. 

Obviously everyone has different preferences, but a close friend of mine saw my poll on Instagram, and to this palette, she said, "Those colors are hideous." It made me laugh out loud, and she hit on something so obvious that I just couldn't articulate for myself. I agree. I think this is an ugly color story. And I typically love color schemes with mustard and green shades. But not this one. 

For example, I love Viseart Dark Matte:

I was gifted ABH Subculture, and have come to really like it:

And I recently purchased NYX Grind, which is also a palette that I love:

For me personally and my tastes, these are three palettes with this kind of color scheme that I like and think work. 

And Alien feels like a dull, unsuccessful, and clashing version of it. 

I thought about trying to dupe the palette, but I couldn't with the singles I have in my collection. For some of the shades, like the green ones, while I don't have them a singles, they are all in the Huda Emerald Obsessions palette:

Another reason why I can't fully dupe this palette is because these are not colors that I like. I haven't purchased them—because I don't like them. And I still don't like them, even when they are in a palette. 

This is something that I used to talk about a lot on my blog, and I feel like it's worth mentioning again. Earlier, in my makeup obsession days, I would look at shadows and swatches in the new "it" palette of the moment. And I would give each shadow a "yes" or "no" answer when asked the question: "Would I wear that?" If the palette had mainly "yes" answers, I would buy it. 

Now, when I look at a new palette, I still look at shadows and swatches, but this time, I ask: "Do I have this color already?" 

See, with my old method, if a palette had a matte cream or matte light warm brown, it would make me more likely to buy it because it had two shades in it that I knew I would wear. I wouldn't factor in that I owned at least five of these exact shadows already. But now, if a palette has those shades, I'm less likely to buy it because I have so many of those colors already that those are essentially wasted shadows. 

When considering a palette purchase, I also ask: "Would I buy this color as a single?"

This is a big one for me because if a palette has a significant number of shadows that I would not purchase as singes—either because the color is not my favorite, I already own one like that, or it just is not special enough—then I absolutely shouldn't buy those shadows in a palette. Just because shades that you don't like are grouped together with a few shades that you do like or already own doesn't mean you're going to like those same shades any more. You're won't. Because you don't like them. 

If you find yourself still wanting to buy a palette even after deciding that you wouldn't spend the money to buy the colors as singles, you have to ask yourself: "Why do I want this palette?" And if the answer is because I'm bored or I saw it on YouTube and want to be included or I look up to the brand owner and want to support them or I'm unhappy and this will make me happy—you may want to reconsider the purchase. 

In Alien, the only shades I would buy as singles are the matte mustard yellow and purple. Otherwise, I already have those shadows or I don't like the colors. 

But, assuming I did like the general color scheme of this palette, I still don't think it's worth the $52 (plus tax and shipping) price tag. The palette has 18 shadows, but several of the shadows will look the same when applied to the eye—like the three gray/black shadows; the white, cream, and pink; and the three shimmy golds. On darker skin tones, the differences between a lot of these colors will be subtle or too light altogether. 

Another big negative, at least to me, is the packaging: 

Personally, I don't like bulky packaging. I don't like cumbersome shadow layouts that don't serve the consumer and only serve the packaging. The shape of this palette is awkward, and depending on how you store your palettes, this will be awkward to store. It also bothers me that the layout has three rows of four shadows and then it tapers down. It doesn't feel like a natural tapering, and I just don't like the way that it looks. 

I also dislike the packaging because I honestly feel like this is the laziest and least creative way to approach an alien design. The only thing that sets it apart from every other basic alien design is that it's pink, but even then, the colors on the inside match that same basic design. There are endless ways to imagine an alien, and when it's your inspiration for a makeup product, at least put a little effort into making it look intriguing. But this is just the basic shape with the basic bug eyes. It's not cool, it's not inspired, and it's not interesting. 

I also think that the packaging is very impractical for everyday use, which suggests to me that this palette isn't meant for that. It feels much more like a "Jeffree Star fan collectible" than a functional makeup item. And I say that, especially, because this palette looks a lot like another Jeffree Star palette, Androgyny:

Like Alien, Androgyny has:

• A shimmery yellow gold
• A matte gray
• A matte mustard
• A shimmery bronze
• A yellow-green

So, if you're a diehard Jeffree Star fan—which, let's face it, that's clearly the target demographic here—you already have five shades in Alien that you have in Androgyny. 

I did not purchase Androgyny for many reasons, one of which is that I already owned Viseart Dark Matte, which is one of my favorite palettes. But, when compared to Alien, I much prefer the color scheme of Androgyny. I feel like it is more diverse, and even though there are less colors, it feels like Androgyny offers the potential for more looks than Alien. 

Something positive I can say about Alien is that it has a color scheme that I haven't seen a dozen times over, and it leans cooler instead of warm, which, again, is slightly different.

With that said, when you factor in tax and shipping, Alien costs upwards of $60 domestic, and I just feel that is too much to spend on a gimmick. And the reason I call it a gimmick is 100% because of the packaging. 

I've said this before, but the current trend in makeup seems to be "disposable" makeup that is on trend or has some other gimmick that will make people buy until they get bored with it and buy something new. Alien seems to fit right into this disposable trend. Green and yellow–based palettes are "in" right now, so what sets this palette apart from the others is that it's shaped like an alien head. It's a novelty item. 

And when you look at a brand like Colourpop, which sells "disposable" makeup at lower prices, it makes the $60 cardboard alien head feel like a ripoff. This palette was not meant to be a longtime staple in anyone's collection, but it is priced like one. A lot of that cost goes toward the packaging, which makes the boring design that much more disappointing. 

I don't think this is going to be a palette that people will talk about for very long, and maybe people have already stopped talking about it by now. It isn't meant for longevity—it's meant for diehard fans to collect. 

Personally, there just isn't anything that appeals to me about this palette, from theme to design to color selection. I don't want to pay mid-range prices that swing toward high-end for a palette that I can't even swatch in stores with tacky packaging. I think an alien theme could have been really cool, but this is about the laziest way it could have been approached. I don't like this palette and am frankly tired of internet brands, so I won't be buying. 

What I'm Not Buying: Jeffree Star Androgyny Palette

Jeffrey Star Cosmetics is releasing a new eyeshadow palette, Androgyny.

And I won't be buying. 

I've stayed pretty silent on my thoughts regarding Jeffree Star because they are strong and I don't want to invite drama. 

There are several reasons why I'm not going to buy this palette. I'll go into detail in a moment, but to quickly sum them up:

• I am skeptical of the quality
• I already have all these colors
• I do not support Jeffree Star, his brand, or companies that associate with him

With regard to the first point, yes, I am skeptical of the quality of these eyeshadows. When the Beauty Killer palette released, reviews seemed pretty split. The people who shill everything and clearly have "professional relationships" that they care about for their own popularity said the palette was amazing and completely glossed over/forgave all of Jeffree Star's disgusting behavior. And then there was everybody else who said one or two shades were really good, most were mediocre, and a couple were really, really bad. 

When the Beauty Killer palette launched, it was $45, which I suspect will be the price of Androgyny. If Jeffree Star mentioned the price in his palette reveal video, I apologize that I don't have the correct figure. I couldn't find this price listed online and I will not watch any of his videos. The Beauty Killer palette is now $22.50, and I suspect that price drop is for a few reasons. One, all of his controversies. Two, the colors in the palette don't really work well together. Three, the quality is not very good. If the quality is the same in Androgyny as in Beauty Killer, $45 is far too high of a price tag. And that's not even factoring in shipping since you cannot buy this palette in stores. 

The second point is the easiest for me to make. I already have all these colors. 

As I've mentioned before, I really hate finger swatches. I especially hate when a brand provides their own finger swatches because there are so many variables (like applying primer first) that they don't disclose. All of the swatches in the above photo look very heavy and like they were applied a couple of times. 

To be fair, by no means is Jeffree Star the only person/brand who does this. Almost every brand does. I find it deceptive, but it is something that is pretty consistently done across the board. 

And if I'm going to be totally objective about the colors themselves, I like a lot of them. I especially like the mauve/nude color (second from the left) and the rosy shades. But I quite literally have all of these colors already. And I can guarantee that I have them in better formulas. 

I have Viseart Dark Matte:

Photo: Temptalia

(See what I mean about heavy swatches happening across the board?)

And Coloured Raine Queen of Hearts:

I know I haven't spoken about the Queen of Hearts palette on my blog, and it was one of the few palettes that didn't get a one week, one palette post. And that's really a shame because this palette is absolutely stunning. It might even be my favorite palette. 

My understanding is that the Queen of Hearts palette was limited edition, and I heard that once it sold out, it would no longer be available. It is sold out. Due to its popularity, however, it would be great if Coloured Raine made it a permanent item. And if it was, this would be my recommendation if you wanted some of the shades in Androgyny but didn't think you would use the blue shadows. 

And if the palette does not come back in stock, I recommend checking out some of Coloured Raine's single shadows instead. 

If you really love the entire color scheme in Androgyny, I strongly recommend instead looking at Viseart Dark Matte. Yes, that palette is significantly more expensive, but the quality will be higher. 

And finally, the third point. I do not support Jeffree Star, his brand, or companies that associate with him.

Prior to several months ago, I was not a person who openly shared my views. Even with friends, I towed the line on talking and keeping things to myself. I am originally from the Southwest, have also lived in the Deep South, and have lived in Texas. I currently live in New York City, and for the first time, I live in a place where the majority of people share my viewpoint. But because I have lived elsewhere where the majority of people thought very different from me, I have learned that in order to keep the peace, it is best to keep things to myself. 

But then Brexit and the US election happened, and I can no longer act that way. 

I do not support Jeffree Star because of his racist, sexist, and bullying remarks and actions. There is ample evidence of this online, so I don't feel the need to divulge all of that here. If you are curious, I strongly recommend watching this video by Stephanie Nicole. Additionally, you can search online for hateful comments Jeffree Star has made on twitter and Instagram. In many cases, he calls women "hoe," "piece of shit," "fucking cesspool," and "fucking rat." And threatens violence. 

When Kat Von D disassociated herself from him because he never paid the artist who designed his brand's logo, Jeffree Star responded saying that this was why Kat Von D "could never keep a man."

I've mentioned this before, but I find it truly deplorable for men, especially those who work in the cosmetics industry where the majority of clients are women, to consistently make misogynistic comments. Yes, there are absolutely men who wear and enjoy makeup, but the far majority of cosmetics consumers are women. 

As far as his racist comments and behavior, that is unacceptable, full stop. I don't need to hear that anything is a joke, I don't need to hear that "it's okay because..." I don't need to hear that I'm being too sensitive. No. It's not okay. 

I know that Jeffree Star has issued "apologies" for this behavior, but they did not feel authentic to me. He did not acknowledge blame for his current behavior, acknowledge why it was wrong, and make a sincere apology and promise to do better. He skirted it as something that happened when he was younger, not at all acknowledging how he still attacks women on social media often. I feel strongly that the "apology" was damage control, as was paying off the artist who created his logo AFTER Kat Von D made a video denouncing his behavior and then having the artist sign a non-disclousre agreement. 

And the thing about Jeffree is that he has a really fun personality in his YouTube videos. Before I was educated about his deplorable behavior, I would watch the occasional video on his channel and think he was really funny to watch/listen to. And I think this charisma confuses a lot of people, makes them believe the insincere apologies, and continue to buy his products. 

The CEO of Beautylish recently made an announcement saying that he was proud to partner with Jeffree Star Cosmetics because the products sell well and receive generally positive reviews and that anyone who had a problem with that could email him directly. So, I emailed him directly. I explained that I was disappointed by his response because it essentially said it didn't matter to him what Jeffree Star has said and done and what communities he has hurt and offended because his products make Beautylish money. I provided the CEO will all of the above screenshots as well as the video by Stephanie Nicole that shows Jeffree's racist actions and speech. And the CEO wrote me back saying, "We'll miss having you shop with us."

I also think a lot of people who have careers talking about makeup on YouTube don't speak out against this kind of behavior because they are afraid that it will hurt their financial bottom line. Tati even said that Jeffree had only ever been nice to her personally, so she did not want to consider other people's concerns and just wanted to rave about his lipstick. That is an incredibly privileged viewpoint to think that just because something doesn't affect you personally, that it must not be a problem. And I think because so many of these influencers online don't speak out about his unacceptable behavior, it makes the younger audiences think that it's okay.  

For me, my integrity is worth more than any lipstick or eyeshadow palette. Because of that, I won't purchase the Androgyny palette or any other items from Jeffree Star Cosmetics. 

What I'm Not Buying: Jeffree Star Beauty Killer Palette

Jeffree Star Cosmetics, known largely for liquid lipsticks, has recently launched an eyeshadow palette. I won't be buying it. 

Upon first glance, there are definitely several shades I would be interested in, specifically Princess, Violence, Rich Bitch, Courtney, and Confession. I could also get use out of Vanity, China White, and Black Rainbow. That leaves only two shades--the hot pink and shimmery blue--that I wouldn't use, at least not regularly. 

When I first saw the palette, I considered buying it. Knowing I could use the vast majority of shades was appealing to me, but I was mainly interested in Courtney, the matte transition/crease color. However, I was able to talk myself out of purchasing because I have all of those colors somewhere in my collection. 

Princess, a light lilac, looks pretty similar to my Makeup Geek shade in Phantom (which I love). 

Violence, a fuchsia purple, looks like shades in my Natasha Denona palette and Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly palette. 

Rich Bitch, a gold, looks like a shade in my Kat Von D Monarch palette as well as shades in my Morphe 35T palette.

Courtney, a warm matte transition color, looks like shades in my Viseart Neutral Mattes palette, Ciate London Pretty Palette, theBalm Meet Matte(Trimony) palette, and Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette. 

Confession, a burgundy shimmer, looks like shades in my Viseart Paris Nudes and Sultry Muse palettes. 

Violence, a blackened brown, looks like shades in the Tartelette or Tartelette in Bloom. 

China White, a matte white, is duped in nearly every single palette I own. 

Black Rainbow is the only color that I don't really have an exact dupe, however, I highly doubt that the rainbow glitter will adhere to the eye without a glitter glue or when blended out. In that event, it looks like every other matte black shade that I have. 

When reviews of the palette started coming out, the few people who I trusted, who didn't seem to have an agenda or want to please Jeffree, said that the mattes were difficult to blend and that Rich Bitch was very patchy. 

If you're interested in a more thorough review, I recommend Tarababyz and Stephanie Nicole. 

There are definitely some pretty shades in this palette, but there is nothing that I don't already have and want. This palette also doesn't have the "perfect" shade selection for me to want in one palette to merit purchasing shades I already have. 

The shade selection, plus the mediocre reviews, makes this an easy pass for me.