Lorac Pro 3 Review and Swatches

Lorac Pro 3

I am so excited about today’s post where I get to show you the brand new Lorac Pro 3 palette.  It’s no secret that I love Lorac shadows.  I have both the previous Lorac Pro palettes and the Mega Pro 2.  In fact, the Lorac Pro 2 is my all time favorite eyeshadow palette.  So, when I saw that Lorac had released another Pro palette, I had to get my hands on it.  The Lorac Pro 3 will be available online on Sunday 6/12 at ulta.com and in stores on 6/26.  Ulta did a pre-release for Platinum members, so I got my palette in the mail last Saturday.  I’ve been playing with it all week and have done several looks with it, so I am ready for a review.

Lorac Pro 3

The Lorac Pro 3 comes in similar packaging to the previous two Lorac Pro palettes.  I am not a fan of the fleshy greige color this time around, to be honest.  The black and the gray packaging was much more attractive than this one, in my opinion.  But, the palette is still sleek and easy to store, and comes with a full mirror.  All of the Lorac Pro palettes come with that NARS-like rubberized exterior, so they do tend to collect fingerprints and powder.  They wipe down easily enough, though, so if that bothers you it is an easy fix.

Lorac Pro 3

If you have the previous Lorac Pro palettes, then you know the drill here with the Lorac Pro 3.  There are 16 shadows total, the top row are all matte and the bottom row is all shimmer.  I really like the Lorac Pro formula.  The shadows are buttery and smooth, have great pigmentation, and blend like a dream.  The soft shadows do kick up a lot of powder, and that is a big complaint for some, but I don’t mind it.  As long as you don’t dig in with your brush and you tap off the excess you should have no problem.  I think the shadows in the Lorac Pro 3 live up to the quality that I expect from the brand with one huge disappointment.  The third shadow in on the bottom, Medallion, is a terrible shadow.  It is gritty with chunky glitter that gets everywhere.  When I tried to apply it the first time I could feel the fall out dropping on my cheek and I had glitter all over my face.  I don’t know what happened with that shadow, because I’ve never had that issue with any of the other Lorac Pro palettes, but it is a major dud.  Otherwise, if you loved the formula of previous Lorac Pro palettes, then you will love the Lorac Pro 3.  All of the Pro palettes are neutral, and the Lorac Pro 3 is the most neutral and natural palette of the bunch.  The first two Lorac Pro palettes had pops of color, but all 16 shades are neutral in the Pro 3.  The shades are lighter than the previous two, so if you thought that the original Pro and the Pro 2 were just too dark for you, then the Pro 3 will be perfect.  The shades are lovely, with a good mix of warm and cool tones.

Lorac Pro 3

• Blanc– Off-white matte with slightly yellow tones.
• Canvas– Light cool-toned beige, and a perfect shade to dust over the whole eye to give you a blank canvas.
• Cool Taupe– Medium-dark taupe brown.
• Pink Nude– Light beige with strong pink tones.
• Lt. Gold– Very light peachy gold with a pearl finish.
• Almond Pearl– Shimmery champagne with a touch of mauve undertones.
• Medallion– Warm bronze with chunky glitter.  As I said above, Medallion is gritty, and the worst shadow in the palette.
• Lt. Pewter– Light-medium shimmery taupe.

Lorac Pro 3

• Clay– Light mauvey-brown with red undertones.  This is a great transition shade.
• Terracotta– Medium brown with very strong orange tones.  This is a great transition shade if you have neutral or warm skin.
• Dk. Brown– Dark brown with neutral tones.
• Jet Black– Matte black.  This shade is in every Pro palette.
• Amethyst– Deep plum with a satin finish, a really beautiful shade.
• Rose Bronze– Aptly named rose toned medium bronze.
• Dk. Mocha– Deep, rich shimmery brown.
• Truffle– Deep blackened plum with subtle micro-glitter.

And there you have it.  The Lorac Pro 3 is $44 and comes with a mini of the Behind the Scenes Eye Primer.  It may not be the most unique or inventive palette, but it is solid and can be used by almost anyone.  Do you already have these shades?  Possibly.  But it is a lovely palette and I am glad that I own it.  It has been compared to the UD Naked 3 and the Lorac Unzipped palettes.  I don’t have Unzipped, so I can’t really compare, but I do have Naked 3 and can say that they are not similar.  Though there are a couple rosy shades, Lorac Pro 3 is not a rose toned palette.  If you like lighter neutral shades that are appropriate for any occasion, then you will love this palette.  And of course, if you are a Lorac fan, you will probably feel the need to buy this palette to complete the set.  (Gotta catch ’em all!)  You can find the palette at Ulta later this month.  The Lorac Pro 3 is not limited edition, so don’t feel like you need to stalk the internet to be the first to get it.  They hype over LE palettes selling out has been crazy lately, but rest assured that Lorac Pro 3 is part of the permanent collection, so you can take your time.

Lorac Pro Palette, Totally Worth It

Lorac Pro Palette

Today I wanted to show you the Lorac Pro Palette.  When I first got the palette a few month ago, I took pictures before using the palette like any dutiful beauty blogger would, but I honestly didn’t expect to use them. This blog is focused on budget beauty items, and Lorac isn’t the most budget friendly brand out there.  I’ve got to say, though, that the Lorac Pro Palette is totally worth getting.

Lorac Pro Palette

I got my Lorac Pro Palette from Ulta when they were having a 20% off your entire order offer for Platinum Reward members.  I’m not sure if all Pro palettes come with a bonus Behind the Scenes Eye Primer mini, but mine did.  The palette itself is sleek, with a similar feel to NARS packaging.  Unfortunately that means it is a magnet for dust and fingerprints, and is almost impossible to keep clean.  The inside is heavy-duty cardboard and feels pretty sturdy.  The palette has a full-sized mirror.

Lorac Pro Palette

Matte shadows are very popular right now and the Lorac Pro Palette delivers in that department.  The main selling point for me was that, of the 16 shadows in the Pro Palette, half of them are matte.  I was asked around the holidays if I was  going to get the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette of matte shadows when it came out, but I felt that the shades in that palette were too similar to each other.  There wasn’t enough variety.  The Lorac Pro Palette, on the other hand, contains similar shades as the UD Naked Basics palette, but offers so much more.  The entire top row are matte shadows in a range of light to dark.  The bottom eight shadows are a variety of shimmer and metallic shades.  Not only can you achieve lovely neutral eye looks, but there are copper and purple shades to add some variety.  This is a complete palette, where I thought that UD Naked Basics was lacking.

Lorac Pro Palette lighter shades

The left side of the Pro palette contains all of the lighter shades.  There are several flesh-toned options in both matte and shimmer for lighter lid shades or highlights.  Taupe and Cream are essential, and I love how Nude and Champagne brighten my eyes.  And, of course, that molten Gold shade is just beautiful.  The swatch below is on bare skin, no primer.  I took shots in the sun so that you could see the lighter shades a little better.

Lorac Pro Palette lighter shades

The Lorac shadows aren’t quite as creamy as Urban Decay shadows.  The matte shades, especially, can be a little powdery, but that only means that you have to tap off your brush to avoid fall-out.  The shadows apply smoothly and evenly, so don’t take me to mean that I think they are chalky or patchy, because they aren’t.  As long as you tap off, you should be fine.

Lorac Pro Palette darker shades

The right side of the palette holds all of the darker shades and they are really lovely.  I have gotten some really good  use out of Mauve and Garnet, both very versatile shades.  Pewter is absolutely gorgeous for a pop of color.  Deep purple creates a gorgeous smoky eye, and Espresso and Black are great liners.

Lorac Pro Palette darker shades

I am definitely glad that I got the Lorac Pro Palette.  It is so versatile and has everything you need for countless looks.  At $42.00 full price, it is a little steep.  Like I said, I got mine at Ulta with a discount and cashed in some rewards points.  But if you think about it, $42 for 16 shadows is only $2.63 per shadow, so it’s not that expensive when you look at it that way.  Only you know what your beauty budget is, but I fully recommend the Lorac Pro Palette.  It’s totally worth it, in my opinion.