Flashback Beauty Friday 87: Hard Candy Eye Shadow Quartet

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Warning, there's over 40 photos in this post, so grab a cuppa! This is the post I've been teasing for weeks.  An iconic oldie and one that I just couldn't resist photographing in a big way, especially when the swatches started. I'm not kidding when I say they brought a tear to my eye, they are sooo good. Firstly, last week was the second of my lip stain pens, this time Urban Decay's offering, so click that if you have time to read it later. If you've already seen that, then read on for the mega post.

I've spoken before about Hard Candy and how they and Urban Decay really owned the early Noughties makeup scene. Both brands had a unique twist on everything from shade names to packaging concepts and really put the fun back into makeup. I'm sure some would make the assumption that the Hard Candy Eye Quartet bore the usual frivolity of the brand and passed on it, however those in the know, were well aware of the absolute gems these palettes were. Whilst I think most would agree that the ring nail polishes are the most iconic thing HC ever made, these palettes had a quiet power and cult-like following and once you tried one, you wanted them all.  Unlike the collectable Estee Lauder 'ice-cube' eyeshadows or Lancome's Juicy Tubes, this was completely down to their performance rather than packaging, which was actually quite sedate for HC at the time.

The outer box featured the usual pastel heart pattern with the shade name rather conveniently located on the top (if you had many like me and stood them up in a row). The back reads "Four unexpected, yet complementary eye shadow shades and applicators.  How to: Each Quartet contains the basics: a pale highlighter and a darker liner/contour color.  Use the two additional shades creatively for limitless looks."  Inside is a plain silver compact with embossed heart and Hard Candy on the lid. You press the button on the side to open the hinged lid and it clicks shut when you close it again. Inside is a mirror with more little hearts at the side and then two applicators. You get the teeniest (adorable) angled liner brush and double ended sponge applicator. They were either transparent glitter or pale blue or oddly a mix of both in some compacts! The eyeshadows consisted of three narrow strips filling the width of the palette with a slightly larger one at the bottom, going from dark to light. Older releases (I think) were a heavier feeling compact and some had the shade names (?) engraved into the shadow. I only have one like this, but I've noted throughout the post the heavier or lighter compacts. The quality doesn't differ on the other ones, though the compact feels less luxurious.

I couldn't decide whether or not to swatch them all, but once I started my absolute awe for this formula meant I had to do the whole lot. They are smooth, buttery soft, silky feeling and these swatch photos haven't been altered in any way. They are swatched on bare skin with only one finger swipe. The pigmentation is awesome and the glitters and metallic finishes are like nothing I've ever seen. Bear in mind these are at least 20 years old, but the quality hasn't diminished in the slightest. I have 9 palettes so have split them into groups of three.  Let's begin with Chameleon, Dillusional and Disco 2000.

Chameleon; this is the one I recall as being my favourite, though when swatched it pales in comparison to some of the others here. It was maybe because it was my first one, it holds sentimental value.  It's a heavier compact with the engraving on the shadows. That top colour isn't black, but actually a very dark green with sporadic loose glitter in it, which back then and right now, I think is very cool. The lilac, grey and ivory all have satin like finishes.

Dillusional; is a lighter weight compact with pastel looking shades. Usually colours like these come off as frosty and lack pigmentation. This palette blows my mind in all honesty, it's stunning. The metallic sheen all the shadows have, give them this amazing glow. It's not cheap or tacky looking, just like some magical, ethereal light. The silver is perhaps the most incredible silver I've ever seen. It's less glowy than the others and more of a traditional-metallic, but one swipe gives an opaque foil like finish. The white highlighter shade has a lilac sheen, when it looks rather boring in the palette. It's such a pretty palette.

Disco 2000 is another stunner. A heavier compact, I've genuinely never seen a black like this. It's rich in one swipe with absolutely beautiful multi-coloured sparkles. No other black I've ever tried compares, I just kept making "ahh" and "ooh" noises. I've included an extra swatch because my camera hates glitter! The bronze next to that is just as impressive, rich and with beautiful glitter. The lilac was a little more sheer but also has some glitter in it and the gold has lilac glitter and the most beautiful glowing sheen, which you can see best in the close up swatch.  It's such a lovely soft looking gold.  

Extra swatch for glitter...

Next three are Techno, Star and Pixie.  

Techno was another I recall using a lot as I used to love nude lips and smoky grey eyes. It's a heavy palette. The off-white highlighter shade has a strong violet sheen to it, the silver metallic is also nice (though not as dazzling as the one in Dillusional). The other two are mattes; the charcoal isn't great, it's rather patchy and the black with silver glitter has more substance but is nowhere near as impressive as the black in Disco 2000.

Star; is a lovely Autumnal palette (lightweight) and is one of the more unusual ones as it doesn't contain a pale highlight shade. There's a matte, deep purple with silver micro glitter, the others have more of a frost metallic finish. A plum, stunning gold and a lilac with sporadic glitter, all perform brilliantly.

Pixie is another light feeling palette. The black at the top is actually a burgundy with pink and purple glitter and applies so richly, it's really dramatic. Alongside that is a frost metallic, sweetie pink, the cream is actually a warm pink when swatched and the white has amazing green, purple and blue glitters that didn't show up in the photos. Usually highlighter shades are a bit meh in an eyeshadow palette, but all of these ones are stunning.

Last lot are Drama Queen, Fringe and Moody.  

Drama Queen is another heavy palette. The swatches maybe don't look that impressive, but it's another beautiful, unique set. The deep purple has a pink sheen, the others have sporadic gold glitter throughout, which once more, was difficult to catch on camera. Light olive green, a lilac green duo-chrome and light beige. I wish you could see the sparkles, because they're so pretty in the flesh, but I've included a tilted pan photo to really show the glitter.

Fringe is a light palette. The colours appeal more to me now than they would've back in the day. There's a matte brown with gold glitter, pink with an orange base and gold glitter, then satin finishes in light brown and light gold. The brown one being the silkiest, smoothest eyeshadow I've ever swatched in my life, seriously.

Finally, Moody was another well used one of mine, a lighter palette. All have soft frost finishes, it's a classy texture, not at all tacky. The soft charcoal with silver glitter is incredibly pretty, alongside other muted shades of green, pinky plum and taupe-silver. If Lancôme's famous Erika F was a quad, it would be Moody.  I just love the diffused look of this palette.

I hope this has brought back good memories, it certainly made me feel very nostalgic.  I was talking last week about how much cosmetics have advanced over the past 2 decades, but these Eye Quartets would shame a lot of brands even nowadays.  They were quite rightly much sought after and no wonder, the quality and colour stories are superb.