Colourpop Butterfly Collection Swatches and Review (Part 1): Super Shock Shadows

If you have been on Instagram anytime within the past month, you would have seen one of Colourpop’s biggest collections to date. With gorgeous shades and gorgeous packaging to match, it’s hard not to cave and buy some (if not all) of the collection. What collection am I talking about? The Butterfly collection, of course!

Colourpop’s take on a spring collection is of course bursting with colour, from its eyeshadows to its face duos and everything in between, so naturally, I made my biggest order to date! Ordering all the eyeshadows and lip products (both Lippie Stix and Lux Lipsticks), I wanted to review this collection as I know it can be very overwhelming when it comes to Colourpop releases, so hopefully I can at least help make this a little easier for you!

This collection contains 3 face duos (which I did not buy unfortunately), 14 Super Shock Shadows (6 being in the “Pretty Fly” set or available for individual purchase), 8 Lux Lipsticks and 6 Lippie Stix (sold individually or as part of the “New Theory” set). As part of today’s post, I will be swatching and reviewing all 14 Super Shock Shadows and next week I will be doing lip swatches and will also be reviewing the Lux Lipsticks and the Lippie Stix, so stay tuned for that!

Each Super Shock Shadow retails for $5 USD, or $25 USD for the “Pretty Fly” set (which contains 6 shadows), and contains 2.1 grams (or 0.07 ounces) of product. If you are unfamiliar with these shadows, the Super Shock Shadows are a hybrid of powder and cream which has to be felt to be believed! These are long lasting, packed with pigment (I recommend using fingers or a firm synthetic brush) and super soft and creamy (no fallout happens to be a bonus!). For each shadow, it comes in a small white pot. You cannot unfortunately depot these as they will dry out, so definitely ensure you keep the lid on tightly to stop these gorgeous babies from drying out!

Though packaging isn’t everything, it certainly helps! By far this is my favourite collection packaging-wise, with gold butterflies featured on the lid, intricate designs on the Super Shock Shadow collection’s box and even gorgeous boxes the individual shadows came in! If you’re a sucker for packaging like me, this is definitely a collection which will fulfil all of your packaging fantasies…

In today’s post, I’ll be doing things a little different. Instead of swatching the “Pretty Fly” set separate from the rest of the shadows, I’ll be swatching the entire collection in color order (i.e., swatching the purples, blues, golds, oranges etc.) so that you can see how each shadow compares to the others of the same color just in case you’re not planning to buy the whole collection! I will mark those part of the “Pretty Fly” set with an “*” for those interested in the set.

Let’s get into it!

Review

Ladybird: Described as a “soft ivory with multi-dimensional silver glitter”, this a glitter lovers dream come true! With a very soft ivory base, this makes the perfect topper for any eye look! Ladybird catches the light at any angle, really giving off an intense yet somewhat soft finish. Ladybird would make such an incredible inner corner highlight, and is the perfect way to brighten up a look! There is very minor glitter fallout, which is to be expected from an ultra glitter, however aside from this, I have no complaints! Though this is only the first one I’ve swatched, I have a feeling that it is a contender for my favourite shadow in this collection- no wonder why it’s such a fan favourite! Score: 10/10

Flux With You: Part of the “Pretty Fly” set, this “light gold softly sprinkled with silver glitter” is another eye catcher! If you’re not a fan of an obvious glitter and instead opt for a metallic, this is a great alternative! Flux with you has a hint of orange in its base, with the silvery/gold glitter catching the light in such a gorgeous way! Flux With You feels incredibly creamy, and only needs one swipe for full opacity. With no fallout, no patchiness and intense payoff, you can’t go wrong with this shade! Score: 10/10

Force Behaviour: Another shadow part of the “Pretty Fly” set, this “light pinky beige with silver, gold & pink glitter” is a lot less intense as the previous two! Though it is glittery in its own right, it looks almost dull compared to Ladybird and Flux With You. Force Behaviour looks a little like Flux With You, however this shade features a lot of pink glitter, to distinguish itself from the previous shade. Force Behaviour has a multitude of different coloured glitter, to give off a multi-dimensional result! I noticed that this shade is definitely more wet feeling compared to most Super Shock Shadows, and may need a second layer for full intensity (however I did like the look of Force Behaviour with one layer for a more soft result)! This is an extremely pretty shade, however it is a little underwhelming compared to the rest of the collection so far. Score: 8.5/10

Polly: With a similar description to “Force Behaviour”, Polly is described as a “light peachy pink with gold, silver & pink glitter”. I was honestly looking forward to this shade a lot, however once I swatched it I was let down. Aside from the undertone being a shade more pink than Force Behaviour, these shadows are almost identical. Not only this, but Polly is hardly opaque, and needs an extra layer or two to get it opaque. If you’re wanting Polly, I would probably recommend Force Behaviour instead as this shade doesn’t live up to the excitement I had for it, sadly! Polly is nice once it is layered, however if you’re getting Force Behaviour, I wouldn’t grab this shade, as I can’t justify having both. Score: 6.5/10

Goodbye Butterfly: This ” pastel peachy pink with a gold sheen” satin shadow exceeds my expectations! For any satin shadow lover, this is a must have! Goodbye Butterfly can be picked up in the “Pretty Fly” set or on its own, however regardless of whether you buy it individually or in the set you won’t be disappointed! Though I’m not much of a satin girl, this shadow swatched like a dream-silky smooth and fully opaque. The glitter in this is so finely milled that it acts as extra dimension rather than an obvious glitter layer. Not only this, but despite this shade being a pastel, it looks so incredibly intense on the skin which is rare for pastel shadows. You definitely won’t need a base to make this shadow pop, as it works just fine on its own! Score: 10/10

Race You: Uh-oh! I was expecting great things from the “bright pink with gold glitter” pigment! Sadly, this has to be one of the most disappointing Super Shocks I’ve tried (which breaks my heart to say!). As a pigment and as the description states, I expected this shadow to be insanely bright pink, however I was met with patchiness and an extremely sheer shadow. After 5 layers, I gave up on my swatch, which is such a huge disappointment! If you buy “Race You”, just be prepared to not get what you signed up for. The only positive I have found with this shade is that the glitter is really intense, so it makes up for the sheer pink (kind of). Overall, I’d pass on this. I have never had a problem like this with any of my Super Shocks (which I own 100+), so if you want a bright pink, I’d definitely check out some of the other Super Shock pigments and use a gold glitter on top for the same effect! Score: 3/10

Exo: Exo was definitely another shade I was excited for! Described as a “warm-toned rosy pink with silver & hot pink glitter” I find this to be more purple than pink, however pink or purple, this shade is stunning! Despite needing an extra layer for full opacity, the payoff is definitely unique! This shadow would look amazing as a finishing touch on a purple/pink eye look, and would look amazing as part of a glam look! I don’t think I’ve seen a shadow from Colourpop quite like this, so if you want something unique, Exo might be a good choice! Score: 9/10

Soul-cialize: I must admit, I was nervous to swatch this shade. When I got the page up for this “soft pinky lavender with pink & silver glitter” on Colourpop’s website, I was greeted with 2.5 stars. A lot of people said that this shadow is incredibly sheer, however unlike the reviews for Race You, I disagree. Though it was a tad sheer, I put on another layer and it was opaque and completely stunning! It may be a batch issue, however aside from initial sheerness, I have no complaints. If anything, I’ve got nothing but praise and love for this shade! Part of the “Pretty Fly” set, I think this is definitely one to pick up if you’re after a purple… I’m in love! Score: 9/10

Ripple: A fan favourite, Ripple is described as a “cool-toned violet with turquoise glitter”, and it’s hard not to see why! Ripple is such a unique shade, and is definitely a first of its kind in my collection, however this shadow isn’t flawless. Again, this shadow is a little sheer and does need another layer or two to really get the vibrant purple base to show through, however it is so pretty that personally I don’t mind having to layer it. If you’re on the hunt for a really unique shadow, this may be a great option for you! Score: 8/10

Superfly: Another shadow I was nervous for, Superfly is described as a “deep turquoise with green and violet duochrome”. Despite sounding AMAZING (and being one of the shadows I was super excited for), this has not been met with good reviews. And oh boy did I think Race You was a let down! Superfly looks muddy when swatched, and in desperation to make this shadow work, I layered it eight (yes EIGHT) times in hope that it would be as magical as promised, and unfortunately, swatch number eight was where I gave up. Upon first layer, I was left mouth agape, and a single sigh was all I could muster. This is so disappointing! After 8 layers, it is not too bad, however there is no way I am layering this shadow eight times every time I use it! This will probably sit in my drawer collecting dust. If you want a shade like this, Bae is a good alternative, however I am still left with a deep turquoise with green and violet duochrome hole in my heart that is still yet to be filled. I’m so disappointed. I don’t know what else to say. Score: 2/10

Three’s a Cloud: Not only does this shadow have the cutest name ever, but this “rich amber gold” is one of the most BEAUTIFUL copper/orange shadows I have ever laid eyes on! Three’s a Cloud is such a richly pigmented shadow, that only needs one layer to be intense! Perfect for any sunset eye, Three’s a Cloud is a must have in any collection and has definitely been slept on in this collection! You can grab this baby in the “Pretty Fly” set or as a single. This metallic is beyond my expectations, and it’s definitely one to order as part of your next haul! Score: 10/10

Bubble Bee: Another gorgeous orange, this “bright yellow orange” is another must have! If you’re after a true bright orange, Bubble Bee is for you! This is such a bright and bold shadow, so it definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. Three’s a Cloud is definitely the more wearable of the two, however Bubble Bee is such a fun shadow-I’m torn! This gorgeous orange is fully opaque, ultra reflective and with no fallout it is definitely a favourite of mine from this collection. If you don’t own this yet, you need it! Score: 10/10

Buzzin: Probably one of the least talked about shadows in this collection, Buzzin is a matte shimmer “matte warm brown topped with gold glitter”, Buzzin is nice for a matte shimmer. I’m not a fan of this kind of finish, so I already know I probably won’t get much use out of it, however if you like this finish this is a nice shadow to add to your collection. Despite this, it is a little patchy. Adding another layer will definitely help, so definitely keep that in mind if you’re buying this shade! Score: 7.5/10

Up in the Air: Seemingly a world away from all the brights and pastels in this collection, Up in the Air is a “dirty plum” which is actually a smart addition to this collection. Up in the Air makes such a gorgeous base shade for the numerous toppers in this collection, however on its own it’s nothing special. For those (like me) who aren’t a fan of the matte shimmer finish, Up in the Air is a good alternative, however it is a little darker and more purple. It is a bit patchy, which is a downside, however it definitely isn’t the worst shadow in the collection! Up in the Air definitely isn’t something to write home about, but it’s not bad. I wouldn’t recommend to pick up this shade unless you want it! This shade is also part of the “Pretty Fly” set. Score: 7.5/10

Final Thoughts

Overall, I am loving this collection. Oddly, there were some major hits and misses, unlike most releases which are pretty well rounded. I’ve found some of my new favourite shades in my entire makeup collection in this release, and some I’ll never touch again. I would highly recommend Ladybird, Flux With You, Goodbye Butterfly, Soul-cialize, Three’s a Cloud and Bubble Bee from this collection. As for the Pretty Fly set, I’d highly recommend it too! If you love the colours it’s a definite must, and considering that 4 out of 6 of the collection are stand outs in the set for me personally is a good sign! Ones to definitely avoid are Polly (if you’re buying Force Behaviour), Force Behaviour (if you’re buying Polly), Superfly and Race You. Superfly and Race You are hands down my least favourite in this collection, as there is very little pigment and they don’t live up to the hype (or description!). I do love this collection, however I don’t believe you need all of the eyeshadows. If you must buy only ONE from the Butterfly Collection, I would definitely go for Ladybird or Three’s a Cloud! On a side note, I am so happy that Colourpop is stepping away from neutrals and embracing colour again! A very well done to Colourpop for this collection-overall I am pretty happy about the Butterfly collection, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future!

Keep your eyes out for part 2 next week where I review all of the lip products from this collection!

What are your thoughts on this collection? Have you picked up/want to pick up any of these shades? Let me know in the comments down below!