I was kindly sent the MAKE Colour Aether Palette* by the folks over at MAKE and Autumn PR, which was exciting for me, as I wanted this so badly but settled on trying out one palette first, the Post-Impressionism Palette (reviewed here), which I ended up loving a lot.
The reason for this edit-out-in-favor of another palette is because… well, this palette is a bit experimental as far as palettes go. Aether is an artist collaboration with Faye Toogood, a furniture designer, and makeup artist Ayami Nishhimura.
“Opaque and pure, Aether is an endeavor for the absolute and the eternal, with a series of hues in cool and warm matte whites set off by deep flesh lips, which Nishimura interprets into an other worldly look.”
First of all, this palette has three matte white eyeshadows—Salt Flat, Warm White, and Cool White—a medium matte grey, a cool matte yellow, and two pale glitter eyeshadows. Oh, and one fleshy lip color. I loved the idea of tonal whites, but it truly wasn’t the most practical palette for me to get as an introduction to the brand.
Swatched, L-R: Matte Eyeshadows in Salt Flat, Warm White, Cool White, Cement; Glitter Eyeshadows in Quartz, Alabaster; Matte Eyeshadow in Sulfur; Silk Cream Lipstick in Deep Flesh
Swatched, L-R: Matte Eyeshadows in Cement; Glitter Eyeshadows in Quartz, Alabaster; Matte Eyeshadow in Sulfur; Silk Cream Lipstick in Deep Flesh
As you can see, Quartz and Alabaster are only slightly tonally different, with Alabaster just being the tiniest hint warmer.
Swatched, L-R: Matte Eyeshadows in Salt Flat, Warm White, Cool White, Cement
Here, you can see the very subtle tonal differences between the three whites in the palette. Salt White seems to be the “purest” white, Warm White has a little touch of cream, and Cool White has a slight tinge of grey. That a makeup company would make an eight-pan palette with three matte whites is just so insane to me. And I love MAKE for doing that!
This is the left side of the palette with two of the three matte whites and two glitter shades. The differences in each shade is so subtle. So, here are some looks I made with Aether. It can be done, yessir!
LOOK 1: I will dissect this in a Made-Up History post tomorrow, so I hope you stay tuned for that. 🙂
LOOK 2: I used Sulfur on the inner 2/3 of the lid, and Cement on the outer 1/3, taking both up a bit past the crease. I also used Deep Flesh, which is the only lipstick color in this palette.
LOOK 3: I used Salt Flat, Quartz, Sulfur, and Cement on the lids! Then I patted on Deep Flesh lightly on the lips and cheeks. And I guess I will have perpetually wonky brows.
This is such a great sleeve, with a debossed/spot UV coated creamy white paint blob over a frosty, cool white—driving home the concept of this beautiful tonal palette.
I think Bea said it best in the comments of the Post-Impressionism Palette review:
“I’m going to be honest and say I’m not terribly impressed with the quality of Make’s eyeshadows based on the Celeste e Verde palette. They kick up a lot of fuss and are tricky to work with. […] This is one case where everything else makes up for an underwhelming performance, and I totally agree with what you said about the feelings the palettes can bring up. I love how carefully each collection is designed, how adventurous the palettes are, and how strongly each collection evokes a specific mood/feeling. […]
Makeup collections nowadays are so predictable and boring, and the themes are so vague that brands can basically throw in whatever shades they want and invent reasons. But with MAKE the inspiration comes out so strongly in the palettes. You can tell that the artists’ preserved their various source material in the purest form possible, even if that means going rogue (Aether’s 50 shades of white). It’s the only brand that made me question: why these colors? Why this inspiration? What about this combination makes it work?
And maybe that’s what makes MAKE special: it invites you to look at makeup like you would a work of art. To study, appreciate, and ask questions. Or, if you’re shabby at art appreciation like yours truly, at the very least, it invites you to react and feel.”Bea, whose comment I linked because it really is how I feel about MAKE as a brand.
Anyway, that’s that! I really adore this palette. Not because it’s functional or totally flattering for me to wear, but because it is beautiful in itself, and it was able to tell me a beautiful story using three tones of white.
* PR Sample
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Softly Sometimes 
Oh, this palette is so gorgeous and interesting! You’d need eyes like an eagle to tell the different whites apart on the skin, but I bet the effects layered with other colours will be obvious. Love all the looks you showcased here.
Thank you, Liz! 🙂 I think seeing them together/beside each other is perhaps the only way you could tell… unless, like you said, you had eyes like an eagle haha. Thank you so much!
I love this! But I sort of feel like I wanna own the palette qua palette as a sort of art object– not sure how much use I’d actually get out of it. XD
Thank you! I agree haha. This is precisely why I get suckered into makeup, though….. LOL.
I love the third look! I think this is really a well-thought out palette. I don’t think I’ll ever get it but it really feels nice that some cosmetics makers follow certain inspirations in coming up with makeup sets rather than just manufacturing what they think will sell in the market.
Thank you! 🙂 They’re such an amazing company. All of their palettes have such great character.
I’ll probably not buy something like this but I have to say, those whites are amazing. They didn’t look chalky or ashy. They meshed really well with your lids, like an actual part of your lid turned white. It doesn’t look like it’s sitting on top looking garish.
Nice no? 😀 It’s definitely not for a utilitarian purpose, but I would buy something like this over a palette I’ve seen over and over again, especially if it’s something I have a similar one of already. Glad you think so! They have great mattes, actually. They go on sheer, are buildable, but not patchy.
This is what we need makeup to be; inspired and inspirational!
All 3 looks are awesome and I love Look 3 the most, very flattering and urban concrete jungle-kind of cool!
YES! I agree. 🙂 Thank you so much for the kind words!
OMG they sent it to you? Droool! 🙂 It looks heavenly.
Yeah! So nice no? 😀 P.S. Congratulations!!! ❤
Super saya!! 🙂 Thanks! 😀
At first glance I thought that part of the palette was blank. It is kind of insane to have three white shades, all matte pa! You made it work tho, so props to you too!
Haha! Galing no, that they thought of doing a mostly white palette! I find it so great. 🙂 Thank you so much, Pat!
I love Bea’s comment. I absolutely agree. It seems like we get a nude palette every season and we’re supposed to rip our tits off about it. These are totally adventurous and while not completely utilitarian, serve their own “purpose” through their artistic value.
I dunno. I got pretty excited when I read 33.33% ’cause I thought you were an affiliate. :))
Died @ “rip our tits off about it”
If there’s one person who could make Aether work, it’s you, Carina!
(me 2.)
Thanks, Bea!!
OMG DNW tits to be ripped off!!! But yes, nice right? I mean, I know the beauty world revolves largely around consumerism and buying more than you need, etc. etc. but I really appreciate it when brands and companies actually take the time to try and make something other-than and beautiful! In the often congested world of beauty, that’s the kind of products I like spending my time on. 🙂
LOL sorry no discount for us D: Hahaha.
Hello! I nominated you for the Sisterhood of World Bloggers Award! Look here for more details: http://pluanna.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award/
🙂
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