We have a new brand! Well, I have a new brand. Meet Ensley Reign, an indie brand from the USA. This brand landed on my radar through several beauty YouTubers. Except I'd fairly quickly written the brand off, since it has to come from the USA. As an EU resident you then simply end up paying quite a bit extra, mostly for shipping, but also for import handling and the tax you have to pay on top of that. To my delight, Monolith carries this brand. Except, because of that import factor, they're understandably not cheap through this retailer. This palette currently costs €87.50, which is a bit much for eyeshadow, for me. So, when the Light in Your Eyes palette showed up in the sale, I grabbed my chance.
Ensley Reign
So what exactly is an indie brand? Ensley Reign is actually an indie brand from the USA. "Indie brand" is a term for an independent brand. The word "indie" is short for "independent." Indie brands are usually small, creative brands that aren't controlled by a larger company or conglomerate. They're often characterised by their innovation, authenticity, and a strong bond with their audience.
I personally love this kind of brand, since they make high-quality pieces that, as far as I'm concerned, aren't mainstream. Think of the gorgeous pieces from Lethal Cosmetics and Oden's Eye. Ensley Reign was started in 2021 out of a huge love for beauty and the wish to create something exceptional. They specialise in multichromatic, sparkling makeup that captures the imagination and adorns the skin with otherworldly beauty. They believe makeup is a form of creative expression, and they want to produce products that suit every form of creativity with makeup.
The Light in Your Eyes palette
Out of all the products in the sale at Monolith, why did this palette end up in my cart? Well, at Monolith you have to click through for the swatches on this palette. People, those swatches are to die for. After that I also looked up the palette on Ensley Reign's own site, and I nearly started drooling. Especially those different kinds of glitter formulas! Wow, wow and wow. The Light in Your Eyes palette was also the perfect palette for me, because it's a neutral colour story with a bit of a twist. So hopefully a palette I'll be able to use a lot, since I don't want to walk around with bright red eyeshadow every single day.
What does Ensley Reign say about the palette themselves? Unveil a world of beauty and connection with the Light in Your Eyes Palette, part of the deeply personal and transformative Light in Your Eyes Collection. Inspired by the iconic song Naive Melody by Talking Heads, this palette captures the magic of light and the bonds that define us. With a stunning array of wearable neutrals and muted pops of color, this palette is as versatile as it is meaningful. Bring home the Light in Your Eyes Palette and experience a versatile, stunning collection of shades that tell a story of connection, love, and transformation. Whether creating subtle, everyday looks or shimmering statement artistry, this palette is your gateway to timeless beauty. Encased in a luxurious upgraded gift box, this palette is perfect for everyday wear or statement-making artistry. It's designed for all levels of makeup expertise and complements a wide range of skin tones.
The packaging
It's not a hugely special piece of packaging. It's made from sturdy cardboard with a glossy finish. On the outside of the palette you see a close-up of a pair of eyes. I get why they chose this image, since it fits the palette's name. That said, I'm not massively impressed with the artwork. I know they're genuinely capable of gorgeous artwork, like their Harvest Moon palette, which is a stunner both outside and in.
On the inside, the palette has white packaging with shimmery flecks. There's also a decently sized mirror on the inside of the lid. You can customise/rearrange the palette however you like.
Light in Your Eyes by Ensley Reign swatches
I was so incredibly excited to receive this palette. The swatch photos I'd seen online were everything I wanted from a palette. The palette contains 21 eyeshadows, of which 11 are matte shades. The other 10 shades are a mix of holochromes, duochromes, and an ultra-glittery brilliant formula.
The first seven shades, left to right;
Synchronicity, Lucid Shine, Sharing Space, Besties, Soul Sisters, Glimmer in Time and Grounded. A really impressive first row. Lucid Shine especially, with its shift, is an absolute stunner of an eyeshadow.
The second row, seven shades, left to right;
Eyes that Light Up, Beloved, Prismatic Glow, Once in a Lifetime, Home, Feet on the Ground and Head in the Sky. Genuinely, those glitter formulas feel like butter. So soft, so pigmented and SO GLITTERY. I was also really impressed with the matte shade Feet on the Ground. A bit of a green shade with a yellow undertone. Gorgeous pigmentation and honestly no effort at all to swatch!
The last row, seven shades, left to right;
Passing of Time, Endless Light, Soul Sisters, Emjay, Naive Melody, Radiant Soul and Girlfriend is Better. The matte shades in this row were a bit darker on the skin than in the palette. That green, Girlfriend is Better, what a gorgeous shade that is.
To wrap up
It is, and remains, an expensive palette, whatever you think of that. I'm glad I managed to score the palette for a reasonable price, because I'm so excited, so excited! It's my first palette from Ensley Reign, but I completely get the hype now. The quality is ridiculously high, and especially the different kinds of glitters are super impressive. You only need a tiny bit of eyeshadow to make your look pop. The colour selection in this palette is also, as far as I'm concerned, really well done. Neutral, but with dark matte shades (like green and purple) as a POP of colour, and you can really deepen your look with it.
Light in Your Eyes palette, Ensley Reign Cosmetics, €75.50 via Monolith
