Lorac Refined Romance Palette Review & Swatches

July 22, 2016

I got my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale haul this week, and believe it or not, I only bought one beauty product...the Lorac Refined Romance Palette ($18). There are a lot of great beauty deals to be had, but I blew the majority of my budget on my wardrobe...there are SO many cute fall clothes and shoes out right now (and fall is my favorite season to buy clothes, hands down). Still, if I had to buy one beauty item, I'm so glad I chose this...at $18, it's a steal!

Let's take a look...

The packaging is beautiful with floral artwork that reminds me a lot of Nest fragrances...it's very different from the plain, solid-colored packaging of the Pro and Unzipped palettes. It also doesn't have that soft, rubbery finish on the outside that the Pro palettes have...it's more of a glossy cardboard. Inside, there's a full-size mirror, six eyeshadows, two highlighters, and a blush.

The palette doesn't have the shade names written on it anywhere, but according to the Nordstrom website, the shades are as follows:

Eyeshadows:

Ivory Shimmer
Gold Shimmer
Burgundy/Brown Shimmer
Light Rose/Taupe Matte
Light Purple Shimmer
Burgundy/Brown Matte

Face Powders:

Cream Shimmer
Light Pink Shimmer
Rose Matte Blush

The palette is the same size as the Pro Palettes, but contains fewer shades (the Pro palettes have 16 eyeshadows) so the pans are larger. There are four shimmer eyeshadows and two mattes. The two highlighters are shimmery (but not chunky) and the rosy blush is a beautiful matte shade.

I want to mention that this palette is made in China and in the past, they haven't been the same standard of quality as the US-made Lorac palettes. However, this one is everything I would expect from Lorac...the shades are highly pigmented, soft and easy to pick up. They go on beautifully and I really feel like you're getting a $40+ palette for $18.

These swatches are on bare skin, no primer and the matte shades are as intense and pigmented as the shimmer shades.

Overall, the Lorac Refined Romance palette is a steal at $18. I have so many eyeshadow palettes and have been gravitating toward face palettes lately so that I can have more shades at hand either while I'm traveling, or when I don't have a lot of time to get ready in the morning and don't want to have to think too hard about what blush to pair with my eyeshadows.

This is a limited edition, Nordstrom exclusive so don't wait if you're thinking about getting this one. It's definitely worth the money and will take you from the summer right into the fall/winter season with beautiful neutral shades.

Grab yours now at Nordstrom.com

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19 comments

AnonymousJuly 22, 2016 at 1:53 AM
Thanks so much for the review and swatches!!! I was eyeing this for days, but couldn't find any reviews, and Lorac palettes have been hit-or-miss for me. I just ordered it, I've been looking for something like this for a while, will be great for travel or touch ups at my desk. Reminds me of my beloved Lorac Unzipped (Katherine T.)
AnonymousJuly 22, 2016 at 9:28 AM
I knew that for the price point, this would be made in China. As much as I like LORAC, I've had disappointing experiences with their inexpensive products, particularly their Made in China/PRC palettes. But I'm glad it worked for you! -- Christina D.
AnonymousJuly 22, 2016 at 9:42 AM
Aaaack! Thank you so much for the timely review and swatches!! I've been eyeing this palette too but was being indecisive. Just ordered it now! Thank you again!
Gemma LouiseJuly 22, 2016 at 9:52 AM
The cream shimmer & the blush are so so pretty! I would love those for the summer months x

Gemma Louise
AnonymousJuly 22, 2016 at 1:35 PM
Ahh this is stunning! You can't go wrong for $18!

xx, A Little Dose of Makeup
DanieJuly 22, 2016 at 10:33 PM
The swatches are so much appreciated. I caved and bought it!
AnonymousJuly 23, 2016 at 5:56 PM
Thanks so much for posting this so quickly. I was able to get this for $8 using my certificate!! I wouldn't have ordered without seeing the swatches.
AnonymousJuly 23, 2016 at 5:59 PM
I was going to purchase the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita eye quad with my $10 certificate, but after seeing the swatches for this, I think it will be a suitable dupe, and even if it isn't, its a great deal and a beautiful selection of eye and cheek makeup for only $8 after the certificate.
AnonymousJuly 26, 2016 at 1:05 AM
Thanks for this GREAT review!! I was wondering if the shadow shades are similar to the Tarte in bloom palette?? Thanks!!
AnonymousJuly 28, 2016 at 1:08 AM
Hi, I was just wondering about the ingredients. They are not detailed in the description on Nordstrom's website. I have sensitive skin and I need to check the ingredients before I buy. It's a beautiful palette and I really want to buy it!! Can you please help me find out? Thanks!!
AnonymousNovember 6, 2016 at 10:32 PM
Hi, I just wondering about the blush. Do you know any dupes for the Rose Matte Blush? I love that color, but did not have chance to buy the pallets. Can you please help me find one?

I love getting comments from you and hearing about your experiences with the products, whether you agree with me or not. It's the best way other readers can get the best information before they buy, so keep the comments coming! :)