My Top Five Favorite Eye Palettes
Of all the pretty things I get to play with and review, I love getting eyeshadow palettes. It's like opening a box of candy- but for my eyes. So many colors, so much fun to play with them all... I think eye palettes are the adult answer to the little girl that played "makeup" and "dress up" that still lives inside us all. Palettes are cool because they combine multiple shades and looks into one relatively compact product- affording the girl on the go or the jetsetter- or just mom with limited space in her purse- the ability to take multiple "looks" on the go with her. You can find one of these in my purse at all times, and another in my gym bag. When I travel, I tend to take just one palette with me and I base the selection on what clothing I'll be wearing while away. It helps limit the amount of wasted space on cosmetics I won't use while on my trip and also removes my need for anything more than a makeup bag. (Where I used to bring the equivalent of a small case with me. Who needs that drama?) Here are my top five favorite palettes and the reasons for their selection:
#1- Lorac- Pirates of the Caribbean Pro Palette- This was a Mother's Day gift and one of my ultimate favorite palettes. First- Lorac does it right. This palette comes decked out in Pirates theme (one of my favorite movie franchises) with pirate-esque names on all the shades. If geeking out on Pirates wasn't cool enough, it also has a black gel eyeliner pencil that is TO DIE FOR. But wait, there's more- this palette has a side compartment to add one of the add on palettes to- such as the highlighter palette or the cheek color palette. (I have the highlighter palette! LOVE it!! Perfect for subtle shimmery highlights and contouring!) Some of my favorite colors in this set are: Treasure and Arrgh! (Love the names!!!) Lorac shadows aren't cheap, which is part of why I think this palette is worth the price of $52. There are 18 shadows and the pencil in the kit. If you were to buy them all individually, the cost would be at least doubled if not more. The shadows are silky smooth and can be applied wet or dry. Wet for a more dramatic effect. I simply love all things Lorac, and this set will not disappoint you! Get the Pro Palette HERE (and a coupon on Prime for 15% off the $52 price!) And I just got the matching lipstick/gloss (haven't used it yet- but I'll include here for those of you that are complete set freaks like me!) There are only a few left in stock in each color, so hurry! They are $26 and also have a 15% off coupon on Prime- HERE (I would include a link to the cheek/highlighter palettes, but they are sold out at the moment)
#2- Younique Moodstruck Addiction Palette 1- Don't laugh at me, but people ask me constantly what the secret to my brows is. This is it. I use the second to last color in this palette to fill my brows, and the second color in to highlight my brow bone. I LOVE this palette. This is one that I have three of- as I mentioned, I usually carry only one in my gym bag and purse. This is the one. Totally neutral colors, it covers eyes and eyebrows in one compact palette. I use them both wet and dry and I can and will not find a shadow that I like better to fill and shape my brows. This, ladies... is it. It's super silky smooth, and this particular palette has both shimmer and matte shades. (The brown I use on my brows is matte of course) How do I do it? I use THIS eyeliner brush, and I dip it in water lightly. I blot the excess off, then run the brush over the eyeshadow. I line the outline of my brow UNDERNEATH my brow only, then blend upward. This stuff stays ALL DAY and will not run when I sweat at the gym. I.Love.This. Now, some of you might worry that you don't want to order this or any other Younique product in fear of being harassed by a rep. Worry not. A friend of mine is a kitnapper and agreed to not contact anyone to try and sell or upsell anything (or recruit!) If you want to order what you love and not be bothered- the link is HERE. She (Carol) will answer any questions you have- make sure you tell her you found her through here. (This is NOT a paid endorsement.)
#3- Naked by Urban Decay- The palette has 12 richly pigmented colors inside and can also be used wet or dry. These colors are really versatile. They can be applied lightly with ease and also can be layered for a more dramatic result. I especially like this palette because I'm able to create shading with just one color easily due to the layerability of the shadows. By layering, you get the illusion of using different shades, but it's really just one! I also like to use an eyeliner brush with these shadows, wet (as I described above) as eyeliner too. The pigments are so intense when wet, they work wonderfully and stay put all day! Smog and toasted are my favorite colors in this collection. When buying Naked, because of the popularity it is often copied and counterfeited. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a reliable product on Amazon for you Prime lovers, but I did find it on Ulta. (Sorry, no discount. I was just looking for authentic.) You can grab it HERE
#4- Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions- 8 matte and 1 shimmery colors- this palette is PERFECT for my fellow green-eyed girls. The tones of rusty brown and brick accentuate green eyes and make them pop BIG TIME. The single shimmer color is a gorgeous almost foil looking copper color. The recurring theme with all of the palettes I have selected is blendability and smoothness. Huda is known for the silky soft texture of their shadows and this palette isn't an exception to the rule. Super soft, almost creamy textured powder glides easily across your lids every time and stays put. Another use for this palette? Because it's so intense and the colors are very lipstick tone friendly, try rubbing a lip balm on your lips, then with a clean finger, swipe some pigment from the palette onto your lips and rub in. (If you repeat, just make sure you use a finger with no balm on it) It makes for a richly pigmented look on your lips- eliminating the need to bring that many lipsticks along for the ride. Get it HERE
#5- Too Faced Glitter Bomb- This is so cool. Too Faced always does a great job of making products that aren't copies of everyone else. This palette gives you two base colors- black and white, then 8 glittery pigments that are- for lack of better words- gorgeous. I'd call them more shimmery or metallic than glittery, though there is a slight glittery finish, but when I think of glitter, I think of big, metallic chunks that look like a disco ball glued to your eye. This isn't that, but the metallic sheen is really pretty. The colors are really pretty and are more versatile than I originally expected. They go on light or dark, so this palette is fantastic for day or night wear. I think the two best colors in this palette are Confetti (a shimmery lilac color) and Splash (a shade somewhere between teal and forest green- also amazing for green or blue eyes!) This palette is playful and fun, and very much my guilty girly pleasure. If my inner child that loved Lisa Frank came out and had to pick an eyeshadow palette, I think this would be the one she picked. I can't wait for summer because these shades look incredible on bronzed skin. Get it HERE I hope you enjoyed my top 5 favorite eye palettes! If you have any suggestions on others I should try, leave me a comment!