In this Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette review, I discuss all of the reasons why this affordable, high-quality palette is such a staple in my makeup collection.

When this eyeshadow palette launched last October, I fell in love with it immediately. I loved the palette’s colour story, as it has a great mix of everything. Vibrant shimmers, neutral mattes, cool tones, warm tones, dark shades, pastels – you name it, this palette has it.

I was very drawn to the palette’s versatility. Some of the shades were genuinely so interesting and didn’t feature in my current eyeshadow collection. Plus after enjoying the overall formula of the Beauty Bay EYN Bright Matte 42 Colour Palette, I wanted to give a newer Beauty Bay eyeshadow formula a try.

What is Beauty Bay?

Beauty Bay is a large, online retailer of makeup, skincare, haircare, wellness, and body care products. It stocks a huge variety of brands from major multinational brands like Maybelline to popular Korean skincare brands like Dear, Klairs.

In 2018, Beauty Bay launched its own line called By Beauty Bay, which has become very popular. The cosmetics line is well renowned for its affordable yet high-performing eyeshadow palettes.

Who is Jade Thirlwall?

Jade Thirlwall is part of one of the biggest girl groups of all time – Little Mix. Not only does she have an incredible voice (she’s my fave Little Mix member), but she’s amazing at makeup.

Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette claims

The Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette promises to be intensely pigmented, blendable and long-lasting in Beauty Bay’s “iconic” formula. It’s vegan and cruelty-free with celestial matte and crystalised shimmer shades, according to the brand.

From the top left to the bottom right of the palette, the shades are described as follows:

• Good Vibes Only – A dusty beige matte
• Tarot – A burnt orange matte
• Dawn – A bright orange matte
• Red Planet – A red matte
• Space Jam – A orange/red matte
• What’s Your Sign Hun? – A copper gold shimmer
• Angel of the North – A burgundy matte
• Halo – A nude shimmer
• 22:22 – A lime matte yellow
• Sand Dancer – A yellow shimmer
• Affirmation – A tan matte
• Milky Way – A white/pink shimmer
• Ethereal – A pale lilac Matte
• Natural Beauty – A peach matte
• Soul Mate – A deep purple matte
• Galactic – A purple shimmer
• Day Dreamer – A lilac matte
• Alien – A gold shimmer
• Retrograde – A bright pink matte
• Rose Quartz – A peachy pink shimmer
• Love Aura – A bright pink shimmer
• Starry Eyed – A light brown shimmer
• Intention – A cool nude matte
• Confetti – A silver shimmer
• Northern star – A royal blue matte
• Sunshine skin – A copper shimmer
• Nefertiti – A brown matte
• Heritage – A brown shimmer
• Capricorn – A deep brown matte
• Zodiac – A deep teal shimmer
• Head in the cloud – A pastel blue matte
• Horizon – A bronze shimmer
• Serenity – A pastel mint matte
• Jaded – A jade shimmer
• Full moon – A warm nude matte
• Mother earth – A khaki shimmer
• Orion – A khaki matte
• Chakra – A deep nude matte
• Celestial – A midnight blue matte
• Crystal clear – A baby blue shimmer
• Tourmaline – A matte black
• Moonlit – A blue shimmer

Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette swatches

Swatches should never be used as your ultimate decision as to whether to purchase a product or not as eyeshadows can perform better on the lids and makeup is very much down to the individual’s preference. However, swatches can help you see how pigmented a particular product is and what the formula is like.

I swatched all 42 shades on my arm without primer:

How stunning are the swatches?! With the exception of a few mattes that are a little chalky and patchy, each shade is richly pigmented and buttery smooth. I particularly loved the formula of the shimmers as they have an insane colour payoff and catch the light in the most beautiful way.

Honest review

I’m so impressed with the Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette.

Firstly, I love the whole astrology theme going on. The design on the front of the palette is stunning, and the shade names have a cosmic theme throughout. It’s a very aesthetically pleasing eyeshadow palette.

Plus, the palette comes with a massive inside mirror. I pretty always opt for this palette when travelling as the mirror is so convenient.

The colour story is my favourite thing about this palette. There’s a great range of shades, from wearable staples to experimental shades for when you want to push boundaries. There are also some truly unique shades. Orion, the khaki matte, is gorgeous. So is Rose Quartz, the peachy-pink shimmer, which reflects the light in a truly captivating way.

Unfortunately, there is some inconsistency with the formula. I’d say 85% of the shades have 10/10 formulation. They’re buttery, pigmented, blendable and easy to build. All of the shimmers I’ve used have been exceptional.

However, a few of the mattes are a bit chalky and patchy. Although Orion is a shade that speaks to my soul, it’s not that easy to work with. It’s fairly patchy. Northern Star, the vivid royal blue matte, isn’t as pigmented as many of the other shades either. It’s a shame, but they’re still workable.

The shadows have incredible lasting power. They’re some of the most long-wearing eyeshadows I’ve ever tried. After a full 8 hours out in Edinburgh, my eyeshadow didn’t budge or fade hardly at all.

And this palette is so affordable. It costs £30 for 42 shades that are genuinely such good quality. Plus, the palette frequently goes on sale!

Do I recommend the Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette?

100%. If you’re looking for a highly versatile and great quality eyeshadow palette, I can’t recommend this one enough.

Rating: 4.5 stars
If the palette had a consistent formula throughout, this would get an easy 5 stars from me. I use it all of the time. However, some of the mattes are a bit patchy and powdery, so I can’t quite justify 5 stars.

But this is a total steal for a whopping 42 shades. For the shimmers alone, the Jade Thirlwall x BEAUTY BAY 42 Colour Palette is worth picking up if you’re an eyeshadow lover like me.