Review: Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture Palette

If you hadn't already heard, there had been a massive uproar about the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture palette. From tons of mixed reviews, to talk of inconsistency and fall-out of the shades, this palette has definitely stirred up a lot of controversy. However, after having seen a lot of stunning tutorials and looks using this palettes grungy and unique shades, I decided to ignore the negative reviews and go ahead and purchase it.


Subculture boasts a range of 14 shadows (11 matte and 3 shimmer/metallic) with mostly warm shades along with a few cool shades thrown in. It includes muted deep shades that give off an autumnal 70s kind of vibe - mustard yellows, golds, burgundies, olive greens and blues - the colours are definitely very unique and unlike any other palette I've seen before. It wouldn't be the kind of palette you use for your everyday looks, and it is not as easy to create simple looks like you can with ABH Modern Renaissance, but it's a unique and refreshing change to the ordinary warm-toned palettes.

First Row (T-B) Axis, Mercury, All Star, Adorn, Destiny, Dawn, Cube

Second Row (T-B) Rowdy, Edge, Untamed, New Wave Fudge, Electric, Roxy

Personally, I really like this palette and I don't think the quality of the shadows are anywhere near as bad as it was riled up to be. In comparison to the Modern Renaissance, which is one of my favourites, there is a little more fall-out more so on the mattes than shimmers. However, it is only minimal and can easily be brushed away.

The ultra matte shades are very pigmented, so you will need to be a bit more careful and use a light-hand when dipping in your brush to avoid any excess fall-out. I also recommend using a primer and base beforehand to make the blending more smooth. But again, as long as you use your brush gently, the fall out is minimal and not much different from ABH Modern Renaissance.

Overall, I quite like this palette as it has a lot of unique grungy shades that I don't already own which is fun to experiment with. I don't think it's better than Modern Renaissance, mostly because those shades are much easier to wear and create looks for both day and night. I think Subculture has a lot more deeper and bolder shades that are great for creating a 'statement' kind of look. Nonetheless, I am definitely going to continue using this palette and I look forward to experimenting more with the colours soon!

Have you tried the Subculture palette? What are your thoughts on it?

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