Along with highlighter, eyeshadow palettes are my second favorite things to buy. I also don't do it often, because they are usually quite expensive and I'm trying to buy those that add another dimension to my collection, not just repeat a lot of neutrals. I have four that I consider my favorite based on how often I use them.
I could create my perfect basic palette by just picking different shades from all of these four eyeshadow palettes and combining them in one.
This was one of the first sort of bigger eyeshadow palettes that I bought. I wanted something basic and in those warm tones that I love so much. This has a nice mix of mattes and shimmers. I actually use only warm shades from this palette. I picked a few of my favorite shades from each palette and swatched them down below. From Cocoa Blend I love Subtle Blend which is that basic warm bronze brown shade and Pure Ganache which is perfect warm coppery gold. These two create the best summer bronzy look.
I love formula of Zoeva eyeshadow palettes. Shimmery shades have insane pigmentation and are very buttery. Matte shades are drier, but also really pigmeted. They blend like a dream, sometimes you just need to build up matte shades slower than you might do with some other eyeshadow palettes. But that's not a problem in my mind. They are also fairly affordable, although Zoeva had much more affordable prices in the beginning, before they became very popular.
Cocoa Blend was my first choice, before I got Caramel Melange. This one is even warmer in tone. I love almost all the shade in this palette and some are heavily used.
Universal Delight is one of my all time favorite matte transition shades and the proof is in the pan - almost used up. I love it because it's very pale and warm toned brown. If you know a good dupe of this shade, I'd love to hear about it. Finish Sensual is another one of my favorite matte browns. This one is more chocolate toned, although it still has warm undertone. Liquid Center is the most pigmented eyeshadow out of all the Zoeva eyeshadows that I own and it's again one of my all time favorite. This is a true warm copper that almost looks metallic.
This one is my most expensive eyeshadow palette in my collection and for that reason alone, I try to use it more, because otherwise, I've wasted my money. That being said, it also has some of the basic shades that I always go back too, although this one has the most shades that I actually don't use in it too.
I don't like shimmery shades in it, because they just don't pop as much as with Zoeva or Colourpop. They feel a lot drier. Mattes however, are amazing. They are very pigmented and blend with no problem. It's a fairly neutral color story with some pops of color, so a great all-rounder, if you don't want just warm tones. I also adore that it's vanilla scent.
Truffled is my most used shade in this palette and I wish I had something similar in other palettes. It's a matte chocolate brown, but I love it because it's actually darker than most other browns. This is perfect for deepening the crease or that outer v. Mousse is another favorite, because it's matte muddy brown. This one actually feels more neutral in tone and I find it quite unique. It works on warm as well as cool skin tones and it's great for the crease.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but this palette might be even a bit too bright for my daily use. It's great for warm toned lovers, but it's also quite bright. I would use it more in the summer. Some shades in it are my staple no matter the season.
Formula in Colourpop eyeshadow palettes is always superb. Pigmentation is just amazing on both matte and shimmery shades. Dark mattes can looks a bit uneven, but it's all in how you apply it.
Butter Cake is a shimmery star in this palette. It's that yellow gold that will pop any makeup look by just applying this on the center. I also like that I can sheer it out for that halo effect and it doesn't look too stark. My absolute favorite shade in this palette is Note to Self, which is again one of those mattes that I wish I had bigger pan of. This is matte orange toned brown that I love in the crease or just all over the lid for that basic matte eye look. Part of the reason why I like it so much, it's also because it's so pigmented and I don't need to build it up at all.
If there's one thing you got from this, it has to be that I love my matte browns. It's true, almost all of my makeup looks include some sort of matte brown in the crease. As much as I love creating with colorful eyeshadows, I prefer more neutrals on daily basis. My comfort zone are browns, golds and coppers. I also prepared some of my favorite individual eyeshadows and in that post I'll have a few more colorful choices.
These days it's kind of hard to find a palette that would just look different. Problem with palettes is also that you almost never use all the shades in it, at least I don't. So I tend to overthink it before buying a new one.
On my wishlist are still some staple neutrals that I feel like I need. Colourpop Double Entendre is another one of those nude palettes that I considered getting. Mostly because it has a lot of matte browns that I'm using up so well in all of these palettes that I own. Another neutral that I would love to try is Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam palette. It's up there in price, but I'm kind of curious what all the fuss is about and if it's really such a good formula.
When it comes to more colorful choices, Colourpop Good Sport calls my name. I just love those colors - golds, purples and greens. I would love to try some eyeshadow palette from Juvia's Place, but I have hard time deciding which one has the most of my shades in a palette. The Nubian is great basic and The Masquerade would be lovely colorful option with blues and greens. I hear their quality is amazing. Nabla also came out with their newest launch called Poison Garden and I love the shade selection. I really like all the mattes in this palette and they have some great pops of color like that electric blue and berry pink.
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