Wet N' Wild Color Icon Trio: On Cloud Nine

Of the six palettes I was sent for evaluation, I have to admit that the one I was least excited about was On Cloud Nine. It wasn't that it was ugly or anything. There were just so many other ones that really popped out at me. As it turns out, I actually do really like this color combo!

If you want a close look at the packaging of the Color Icon Trios, please check the review I have up of Spoiled Brat: I go in depth about the labeling and applicators, et cetera.

Like the other Color Icon Trios, this one is an absolutely beautiful color combo. When I started out using eye makeup, I have to admit that I tended to avoid blue eyeshadow. It wasn't that I didn't like blue, I just didn't know how to wear it, and I know that can't be just me. I really wished I'd found a palette like this before to take some of the guesswork out of what color combo to use and how.

Left to Right: Eyelid, Crease and Browbone shades from 'On Cloud Nine'

I like the pigmentation and texture with all three of these shades. One small issue is that there's a bit of a learning curve with the browbone shade: the browbone shade kicks up a more powder than the others. Basically, be careful when you stick a brush in it because you might accidentally pick up too much product. This browbone shade, however, has none of the issues of the one in Knock on Wood (in which the highlight shade wasn't easy to use on the lid) or Spoiled Brat (where the highlight shade was too difficult to sheer down).

The Browbone shade is a pale silvery blue. It's a little powdery (a lot of product comes loose from the pan if you put the brush in wrong), but it's not chalky.
The Crease shade is a neutral medium brown.
The Eyelid shade is a mid-toned blue with slight grey tones.

The Good:

• Super affordable on pretty much any budget.
• The three shades are smooth, blendable and offer excellent pigmentation.
• The colors in the palette are cohesive and well-coordinated.
• I really like how it's a nice blue-centric color combo that isn't just blue, blue and more blue. I think it makes blue eyeshadow more accessible to the sort of woman who's never worn blue shadow before. Wish I had this when I was a blue shadow newbie!

The Bad:

• The brow shade seems loosely packed. It's easy to pick up too much product. Just be careful and it should be fine!

The Neutral:

• The applicators are useless, but I assume you aren't buying this for those anyway.

Overall, I think this is a lovely palette with no real pigmentation or textural issues, aside from a slight tendency for the brow shade to feel a bit loose. I also like the color combo. It's blue but not too blue. That is to say, a lot of blue lid-crease-brow palettes just put three different shades of blue together (tell me I'm not the only one who sees this all the time!) and not everyone who wants to wear blue wants to go with something that monochromatic. There aren't a lot of drugstore blue-centric palettes that I'd consider to be one-and-done products (at least for me), but I think this hit the nail on the head.

This is currently available at various drugstores for $2.99.

This review contains a sample/s sent by a company for evaluation purposes. All opinions expressed are my own, and fully honest based on my own experience/s.