Ranking all my Natasha Denona Palettes | Plus some shady brand behavior

[@StevenForditude]

Thank you for your friendship and support. ❤

[@QueerBones]

Of course ❤️❤️ I’m sorry for how stressful this has all been

[@meganwalker27]

Beauty, fashion and tea?! This one had it all!! 💚

[@QueerBones]

☺️

[@NikkiRaven]

Ooo, I can’t wait to see this!

[@QueerBones]

☺️

[@emileek4107]

That jacket is GORGEOUS!

[@QueerBones]

Right? And like half off I couldn’t help myself

[@emileek4107]

@@QueerBones seriously!! I’m so happy your husband encouraged you to get it, it’s such a statement piece!

[@StevenForditude]

I didn’t realize that was a jacket. Silly me thought it was a shirt. Love it so much.

[@QueerBones]

Haha. I mean I only sent a photo

[@Scars2StarsBeauty]

Love the jacket and the hoodie you’re wearing 💜💜💜 The whole ND fiasco is just incredibly disappointing for a community of collectors like myself who had placed trust in her. Hopefully she does better in the future.

[@QueerBones]

Thank you! I wear it a lot because it’s thin/t shirt material. If they had just apologized and corrected it everything would have been fine but lying and pretending you didn’t make a mistake makes people lose trust in you. I’d much rather buy from a brand that might make a mistake but owns up to it than one that lies.

[@Scars2StarsBeauty]

@@QueerBones 💯💯💯

[@rabbiroz3806]

It could be fun for you to make a midi palette of the shades you DO enjoy! I’d love to see it and to see you use it!

[@QueerBones]

That is a fun idea

[@alnsubuga]

So glad you came up in my recommended list. You’re a breath of fresh air! I feel like such an outlier when it comes to my views on ND 😅 I’m really sorry to hear about your friend’s experience with the brand. It doesn’t surprise me, but it’s still disappointing. I think Metropolis might also be my #1. I just love the richness of the colour story. Still kicking myself for being “responsible” and not picking up Gold when it was re-released a few months ago…

[@QueerBones]

Thank you for watching! I grabbed gold, metropolis and Lila when they were supposed to be going away early this year and they all quickly became my go to palettes. I had wanted metropolis for so long and couldn’t let it slip away.

[@muumol]

I do not support ND, mostly due to her racist treatment to the Fancy Face, but also over other racist remarks and behavior that never got addressed, and got immediately deleted and swept under the rug. I also remember when the brand first got launched, it was the beginning of the incredibly expensive for cheap ingredients and getting attention for that. At the time, any call outs was swiftly ignored, deleted , rinse and repeat. The claims for the palettes (not like today, quality wasn’t there, Morphe packaging was even somehow better) being so expensive was that ND was self claiming that “world renowned makeup artist”, yet no portfolio, no imagery from major fashion houses, runways shows etc could be found and no proof ever given. As the brand got bigger the formulas got better and packaging better but at the root, the brand was built on lies and the racism was swept under the rug because gurus still shrilled the products and was “holy grails”. I have products , like by Ofra, that I absolutely adored and still have but I won’t repurchase and if I was a public figure, I couldn’t bring myself to promote. I’m hoping Steven’s eyes are doing better, that’s very sad and it’s inexcusable to not at least address such issues publicly but also compensate customers for being misled. In comparison, someone may be extremely sensitive to the point that it’s life threatening and not having declared ingredients would really be a horrific experience.

[@QueerBones]

This seems like another big set of issues that happened before I was watching KZbin much and need to look into.

[@muumol]

I understand that, you’re relatively “new”, and I’ve followed beauty stuff for years and I still miss things. The brands are so many, and often stuff gets deleted and quieted and smaller people get overshadowed and even silenced. But for ND, I think a lot of it is more complicated- a lot of people love her products, good or bad, and have invested a LOT of money at this point. Sometimes it’s willfully ignorant or not even conscious, I think all of us have done this at some point in our lives and it can be very hard.

[@StevenForditude]

To me, those are greens in the Gold palette. And I don’t think I can be convinced otherwise. lol 😂

[@QueerBones]

Python and Aurora are literally teal, which is a greenish blue. 😂 The only green is lime chrome.

[@StevenForditude]

@@QueerBones There have been so many times when I see colors differently than other people. It’s basically a joke at this point. I’m not colorblind, but I feel like I categorize/recognize colors incorrectly. It’s especially difficult for me with blue-green, blue-purple, and purple-pink.

[@QueerBones]

It’s because they are all on a spectrum anyway and just specific wavelengths of light.

[@karensnailstudio7171]

Ohh that’s terrible news about what Natasha Denona customer service did to your friend! Especially when it would be so simple to just apologise, people are so weird! I loved watching this video anyway, it’s so fun & interesting seeing what everyone else’s faves are ❤❤❤

[@QueerBones]

Lying to a customer is bad but using incorrect labels and inaccurate ingredients lists on the website is horrible business practice and unsafe. I understand mistakes happen but to pretend they didn’t is so untrustworthy

[@karensnailstudio7171]

@@QueerBones yeah it’s the combination of both bad things that make it horrendous!!!

[@d.m.3133]

That is disappointing yet not surprising how that was handled. =( . I’m allergic to some of the shades in the Love palette. I wish brands would stop using carmine. I know purples and reds can be problematic but I am not allergic to any of the shades in the Lila palette. Lila is my #1!! 💜. Fun video. I’d LOVE a mini gold!! I’m cool toned so I could not justify such a steep amount for so much gold! The mini is gorgeous though! That might be my #2.

[@QueerBones]

It’s so sad that it’s not surprising 😔 The problem is to make red and red based purples etc you need either carmine or the vegan dyes that aren’t approved for eyeshadow in the US. That’s when you get pressed pigment warnings and possible staining and all the drama associated with peoples misunderstanding and fear there (the Huda lawsuit).

[@Utriedit215]

Everything can’t be for everybody if you’re allergic to it then don’t buy it I personally like true red base tones and that’s the only way to get them why force your allergies things on other people That’s selfish and unfair

[@d.m.3133]

@@QueerBones oh, okay. I guess I wish it had to be held to the highest standard of cleaning. I’m not allergic to all carmine. I think it has to do with how it’s processed.

[@Utriedit215]

@@d.m.3133 Now that Sounds fair especially for the price

[@ryyyyan]

Tbh, I’ve been feeling like ND doesn’t care about their customers at all. After the “tutorial for Asian eyes”, and the response from the brand, the responses to people in the comment section, and this… just nope! Not interested anymore! I will enjoy my other brands from now on. Thanks Colin! They just feel scummy to me.

[@QueerBones]

Yeah I agree. I know she started the brand and eyeshadows for her students vs consumers but the last year or so have really made me feel we are unappreciated. For how much the brand costs you'd expect more.

[@deathbeforedecaf7755]

I think she has quite A LOT of missteps. Too many for a prestige brand imo. And it’s not that mistakes happen, they do but how she responds is very disheartening. She’s either dismissive or honestly quite rude. Sad esp when smaller brands do better!

[@hermanlane9846]

I am really into ranking videos I need to build a playlist of my faves like you just doing the same brands

[@QueerBones]

I have another one this week already filmed and prob some more soon. I want to have them be an end of year tradition I think

[@celestecelestial90]

You should check out the Sydney Grace Mel Thompson bundle that dupes the Retro palette. It's deeper in tone, cheaper, from a small indie, handmade shadows and it's a good formula. Just suggesting since you are taking a break from the brand. I plan to get that one instead at some point.

[@QueerBones]

I definitely thought about it. I think it’s a better version of the color selection but more beige than I’d like and I like the SG formula less.

[@celestecelestial90]

@@QueerBones I see, maybe another brand will dupe it soon in a formula that you prefer more. 🙂

[@muumol]

Omg I’m reminded of my childhood in Alaska, going to school… dark… recess time… kinda light… going home…dark lol blink and I’d miss the sun

[@QueerBones]

I can’t handle it lol I love that we are so far north during the summer so it’s light out till 10pm or so but this time of the year is rough

[@muumol]

I also get that about clothing! I remember as a kid I got this super expensive ski jacket. I didn’t ski, except during PE class but fluorescent clothing was huge in the late 80’s and I loved it so much! It was $60! At those times it was like $200 or more. I still remember it. I rarely buy new clothes myself even now, mostly because I get attached to certain items and want to wear them all the time because when I do buy something, I get multiples because I find they are not just comfortable but comforting. Also, the whole fast fashion concept is against my own feelings. My grandmother made parkas , boots, out of materials she trapped, made , designed and cut herself to get us though winter. Just throwing away stuff after one season is abhorrent to me.

[@QueerBones]

@@muumol I saw some statistics that the average American only wears a clothing item a couple times and I just don’t get it. So expensive and so bad for the environment. I get having nice items you only wear 1-2 times a year but your whole wardrobe shouldn’t be that.

[@StevenForditude]

Now that I have natural hair brushes, I need to try Zendō again.

[@QueerBones]

Oh yes although I don’t remember issues with synthetic either

[@StevenForditude]

@@QueerBones My main complaints are with the CP shadows in that palette. Secondary was the shimmers not being her best formulas.

[@QueerBones]

I know. I just didn’t have any issues my my cream to powder shades. And I think they are subtle shimmers but I like that. I think they work well with the theme and inspiration

[@QueerBones]

But so many people seemed to review it badly because they were confused by the colors lol

[@richardwright9292]

Hi, new subscriber here over from Steven's channel. I have only just learnt about the situation and it is completely unacceptable and actually against law in many many regions of the world. Carmine has to be explicitly labelled (either as 'carmine', 'cochineal', or E120) due to highly allergenic potential and religious dietary laws. It is likely that the brand will not respond in any way that acknowledges the error because that could constitute an admission of legal wrongdoing in multiple countries. Carmine allergies frequently progress to type I responses and anaphylaxis, which can result in charges of 'corporate manslaughter' if it is improperly labelled and leads to death. I do not fully know current FDA guidelines or reporting procedures for USA but encourage anyone in a similar situation to contact their local governmental health agency and ask to report a 'severe adverse reaction'. If you have sought medical attention then doctor/hospital will already have been required of to report this information. However, they often do not have full details of product or batch code so it is best to report with yourself too.

[@QueerBones]

I figured they were slow to respond because they wanted to avoid any legal issues but lying and pretending it didn’t happen wasn’t what I expected

[@richardwright9292]

@@QueerBones yeah, it was completely unnecessary and unfair to lie and to gaslight a customer. Companies at least used to attempt to bribe customers with vouchers or freebies. Sad state of capitalism when even the 'criminal negligence' service has gone down hill.

[@LilithsVeil]

I saw Kevin Bennett repost about this situation with Steven and ND on IG. I didn't even hear about her controversies involving racism until I read the comments. WTF!! I have so many of her palettes and love them but I'm going to have to sit out of her future releases because this is IN-sane

[@QueerBones]

Yeah it’s a LOT! I feel people don’t talk about any of her controversial behavior.

[@NikkiRaven]

Wouw, that is a big boo-boo by ND😱

[@QueerBones]

Right?! They have had a few issues this year and have not handled them well at all. Makes me sad and disappointed.

[@LocMaiden]

🖤

[@QueerBones]

💚

[@hermanlane9846]

Wow that was really bad faith shown by ND. I had been off the brand after I bought Metropolis years back. I was new to makeup and the palette was just too much for a beginner like me. Earlier this year I de-potted it ND mixed it into my singles collection and can enjoy it more especially the 1001 brassy goldish colors.I recently bought the two mini palettes that I had eyed for years during the Black Friday sale (mini Star and mini Gold). Because I liked these smaller palettes so much I have been eyeing the mini Bronze. But I think I'm good and will look to my Glam Shop shades for now to fill this bronzy need I have. Natasha is not the only brand with a terrible reputation that I've had to put on hold. Sometimes these brands can do with a timeout. I hope they want to do and be better. I only get a say with my $.

[@QueerBones]

So many brands seem to forget that people watch this stuff and pay attention. We all have cameras and computers in our pockets you can’t easily hide this behavior anymore.

[@StevenForditude]

I totally forgot you have Metropolis and Lila. Whoops! 😅

[@QueerBones]

Hahaha

[@sakuradusessea4881]

Thank you ❤

[@QueerBones]

I’ll have an updated ranking next month too ☺️

[@LilithsVeil]

I'm Latina but also very fair and almost all of the palettes you ranked low are my favorites! My heart! Lol 😆 But different tastes, different people. I still like to hear your thoughts. I'm so sad that brands aren't creating makeup that works for everyone...

[@QueerBones]

I like them all but I definitely gravitate towards more depth. I wish more brands used a mix of light and dark shades, so often they lean so pale which means so many people can’t use it. If she made more pale shades her cream to powder that would help since those tend to work better on darker skin.

[@earthyglow]

The art of creating a palette that is universally user friendly for every skin type, skin color, age group, etc….highly unlikely. It would contain hundreds of shades. I personally look for palettes that align with my vibe. But I still enjoy viewing new releases whether they work for me or not.

[@Ririko_N]

Thank you so much for sharing the information! I've personally canceled her brand because I'm concerned after her "monolid eyeliner" situation(though I think that was because of her inexperience rather than racism), but this drama reassured my canceling😅 There are tons of great brands other than ND in terms of formula. Thank you again for speaking up about it🙏❤

[@QueerBones]

Yeah that was bad. I assumed ignorance and if correctly properly something that happens frequently and a growth opportunity but it seems like the bad behaviors keep happening. I’ll always speak up if I know about something even in regards brands and people I really like. I think being a marginalized person means you never build blind loyalty to things. Also been working in activism most of my life 😂

[@aaronddp]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@QueerBones]

🥰🥰

[@StevenForditude]

If I had to guess, I’d say Zendo, Gold and Triochrome are in your top 3.

[@QueerBones]

👀

[@StevenForditude]

I didn’t consider the lack of depth in Triochrome. I think it’s in my top 5.

[@QueerBones]

I love the unique tones but wish they weren’t all so light. that’s also why Cara modified hers because like 4 shades were just ashy on her.

[@Subtitles_Addict]

I'm confused. Is this an issue with ND or Sephora? I agree, someone saying sorry goes a long way. Admitting mistakes and taking accountability is a redeeming quality.

[@QueerBones]

An issue with ND. It was on their website and packaging and the ingredients list they provided to Sephora etc. The product info stores have is given to them by the brand. So they updated the site etc and then emailed saying it didn’t claim to be vegan but ignored the screenshots and boxes that say vegan on them.

[@earthyglow]

It’s weird that the cosmetic industry can’t find a pigment that doesn’t involve beetles, right? Hopefully you will be a harbinger of change. ❤

[@QueerBones]

They have but sadly the FDA is behind the rest of the world and says they can’t use it in eyeshadows. Which is why anything that does is called a pressed pigment and now we are getting lawsuits about it which is just 🙄

[@earthyglow]

@@QueerBones ..that is disappointing. Continue to speak. You have a platform. And a diverse follower base.

[@megan_mackenzie]

The only ND palette I have is the Pastel palette (suckered in bc of the packaging) and I enjoyed it a lot in the Spring. I love the idea of the interchangeable shadows and love to see people build new combos. However, what happened to Steven is suuuuper bad. I can't support brands that are that blatantly dishonest.

[@QueerBones]

I love the brand in theory and they have some of my favorite palettes and want others but I’m so extremely disappointed in them.

[@AA28374]

Has the carmine/packaging issue been fixed with the brand? That’s disappointing and concerning they acted that way

[@QueerBones]

They update the website to say carmine, I don’t know if they reprinted the boxes without vegan on it but there definitely are boxes out there with it on it still. And they have still just acted like nothing happened 😔

[@AA28374]

@@QueerBones That’s incredibly disappointing!

[@celestecelestial90]

That's not okay how ND treated your friend. I wonder if he could report them so that they are held accountable by the law to pay some kind of penalty or issue an apology on their site. What they did sounds illegal. I don't get how they are a luxury multi-million-dollar company, and they still make a mistake like this. I would expect that from a low-end private labeled, ugly design packaging indie brand, but not a huge luxury in Sephora brand! They got plenty of employees that could double check on spelling errors and to make sure their ingredient list is correct. LOL The owner has always been shady. She was rude to Tina from the Fancy Face years ago, just because Tina said that she thought her shadows were overpriced in her review.

[@QueerBones]

Right. It feels like more than a someone forgetting to put an ingredient in. Putting vegan on the site and box makes it look like they were trying to hide it and that’s so sketchy especially for such a well known large brand.

[@celestecelestial90]

@@QueerBones That’s something that they can’t make a mistake on. If they don’t really care about their customers’ well being, then they need to at least care about themselves staying out of legal issues. At the jobs I’ve worked, forgetting to include a word or a typo after something has gone to production would constitute termination because it’s a waste of money, resources and time.

[@suzannesinclair2165]

That’s a shame about Natasha Denona’s response to your friend. I bought a palette from ASOS (in the UK) that didn’t have the ingredients listed on the website. My eyes reacted badly so I searched online and found it contained carmine, which I also have a bad reaction to. I emailed them, they apologised profusely and refunded me straight away - and that was just for not listing the ingredients, not for falsely labelling something as vegan when it contained animal products. Disappointing that Natasha Denona isn’t accepting responsibility for their mistake.

[@QueerBones]

Yeah it was really shocking. And big accounts on IG tagged and reached out and they just ignored it like nothing happened. The ethics of so many brands make me sad.