I know I did Lipstick Week not too long ago, but the truthiest truth out there is that I’m an eyeshadow lady. I fricken love the stuff. I think that’s really where it all went downhill.
I can remember the first eye product I purchased that changed everything and how I looked at eye makeup (i.e. bareMinerals’ READY 2.0 in The Scenic Route). And then I was doomed to a life of swatching.
I don’t know if I want to make a whole week’s worth of celebration out of this, because eye swatches are much, much harder to do than lipstick swatches, but I’ll begin by outing my favorite eye palettes for all of you.
What I basically look for in eyeshadow palettes is versatility, which I feel like entails a good variety of tone, texture, and shade. With that little checklist in mind, I looked at my palette collection and picked out a few favorites.
Here goes nothing!
Honorable Mention: Guerlain Ecrin 4 Couleurs in Turandot (Review)
This was the first high-end palette I ever got, so I suppose that’s why it has a special place in my heart. Turandot is quite similar to Silk Road, and is a quad decidedly for warm-skinned folk. I compare them on this post.
It’s a really versatile quad that can get you a lot of mileage, for everyday looks and for special occasions.
Honorable Mention: Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope Eye Kit in Silk Road (Review)
This was my second try at the infamous Le Métier de Beauté’s Kaleidoscope Eye Kits, the first one being Northern Lights, and it made me a believer in the brand. Though this is similar to Turandot, this is an even warmer and deeper version of that. All the colors are wearable and usable, in so many different ways.
Honorable Mention: Urban Decay Naked Palette (Review)
Just an honorable mention?! The horror! Before you jump on my throat, my only reasoning for this is that I like other palettes much, much more. It’s a great, usable palette but I find it very typical and neutral. That can be a great quality when it comes to palettes and if you’re on a budget, but it doesn’t give me a lot of room to play, especially since the finished looks just look a tiny, tiny bit too frosty at times. Still a good deal, though.
And now, we have come to the actual top 5: brace yourself!
5. theBalm Nude ‘Tude Palette (Review)
This was my first neutral palette, and I used it every single day when I first got it. It’s got a nice range of tones, and though I’m not a fan of the 4 lightest colors (the white, yellow, and two pinks), it’s the deep matte colors that make this palette a notch higher than UD Naked. At least on my own personal list.
They have a bunch of truly beautiful colors like a very deep matte red called “Sexy” that sets them apart from a lot of palettes.
4. Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (Review)
I didn’t think I’d get on with Naked 2, but we became fast friends. I think that though this is cooler, there is also a wider range of texture, color, and tones. I rather like the finished looks with this palette a bit better than if I just used Naked alone.
It also feels like Urban Decay played with “neutral” more this time around, instead of relying on brown tones and a variation of greys.
3. Le Métier de Beauté Melange Palette (Review)
Ah, this palette. The acquisition of which was a labor of love. This became IMPOSSIBLE to get at a reasonable price, but I chanced upon it when I was browsing Neiman Marcus one day, months after trying to get a hold of it everywhere, including blog sales and eBay. It’s a beautiful selection of 18 colors and it may look garish altogether, but putting looks together with brights and neutrals is what makes this palette such a great value, and also super fun.
I am a bit apprehensive to play with these more, though. I don’t want to be attached to a limited edition item after all. This is still a really good palette, and a great introduction to Le Métier de Beauté.
2. NARS And God Created the Woman Palette (Review)
It was love at first PR photo for this palette and me. And, with a name like that, I was a goner. It took a bit more for me to be able to get it, and thankfully it lived up to my lofty expectations when I got it.
And God Created the Woman is a nifty little palette with just enough tonal and textural variation for me to be able to live on it for over a week without feeling stumped. You can make day looks and night looks, and the darks in this palette are dark enough to use as a liner.
The palette is limited edition, but all the colors are available on their permanent line. Clockwise from top left: Alhambra, Belissima, Kalahari, Night Clubbing, Galapagos, Coconut Grove.
1. Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes (Review)
AH ALLOW ME TO PULL A KANYE: THIS IS MY FAVORITE PALETTE OF ALL TIME. OF. ALL. TIME. I still get the fuzzies when I think about it. 😀 There is so much room to play around with these without looking like a child let loose in the makeup department.
I can’t sing enough praises for this uninspiringly-named palette. It’s limited edition, but take heart, as most, if not all, of the shades are part of their permanent line.My favorites are: African Violet, Cameo, Sunlit, Vanilla Nuts, Plum Smoke, Café Au Lait, Coffee Ground, and Deep Night.
And there you have it! I’m thinking of making a drugstore equivalent. Would any of you be interested in that? I don’t have very many drugstore palettes, though, but I’ll see what I can put together. Maybe just a few shades here and there, or a brand spotlight or something. Let me know!
What about you? What are your favorite eye palettes?
Softly Sometimes 
Yes, please do a drugstore equivalent!
I much prefer the Naked 2 palette to the original, I agree, it’s more versatile. Also, the colours are lighter, so you can layer them to get smokier looks or keep the makeup light.
I don’t own any of these palettes, but I own Urban Decay’s Glinda and Theodora palettes, use them both all the time. They’re wonderful. =)
I gotta warn you, it’ll just be full of Wet n Wild eyeshadows! Hehe.
That’s true. I was thinking it was a downside, but you do get a lot more variety with subtler colors. 🙂
That’s awesome! I don’t have a lot of UD because we can’t get them here locally. I would love to get my hands on a few singles, though.
i have both nakeds and the nude tude! 🙂 I’ve considered that nars palette in the past but i have other nars palettes and don’t love most nars eyeshadows anymore compared to some other formulas. I’m SO bummed i miss the laura mercier artist palette BUT i got some other palettes from the brand that have a good selection of eyeshadow colors 🙂
Yeah, I find that NARS shadows are very hit or miss! I’d love to see your Laura Mercier picks 😀 Will you write a review?
Uy! Galing! I just posted something about my new favorite eyeshadow palette, and I’m not an eyeshadow girl haha. 🙂 That Laura Mercier palette is so pretty talaga! Huhu
Congrats! Ang ganda 🙂 Haha I LOVE eyeshadow talaga. I think it’s easier for me to play around a bit because I have hooded eyes, so mahirap maging masyadong dramatic yung eyes. Hehe.
Haha ako naman new to really loving eyeshadows! 🙂 Ang ganda ng selection mooooo
Glad you like them and that you’re getting into eyeshadows! I think I like them a lot kasi may pagka-painting siya haha. May shading-shading ekek.
Most of it’s available here rin and CF. Yun lang hindi, Guerlain. 🙂
Onga e, shading-shading haha. 🙂
Good to read! I’d love to try that Nude ‘Tude palette from The Balm, it looks GORGEOUS.
You definitely should! It’s part of their permanent range. 🙂
That Laura Mercier palette is GANDA LANG, ha. Grrr. Must control self.
The Lorac Pro Palette is in one of my top fives. I reach for it more often than my Naked palettes. And the Guerlain Les Bois de Rose, too. Ive been struggling on whether to get Turandot or not before pa pero since I’m always too lazy to apply, I always remind myself of that fact when I feel the itch to purchase. HAHA.
Anyway, I liked reading through this entry!! GJ Carinz!
SUPER GANDA~ 😀 You can build a customized palette! Hehe. 🙂
Funnily enough, the LORAC Pro Palette and this LM one have been compared to death, because they were released very close to each other and have a similar concept (1 row of satin/shimmers and 1 row of mattes). 🙂
Haha yun lang! I have a lot of palettes because it’s my favorite step when it comes to my makeup talaga. 🙂 Thanks, Shari!
Love the Guerlain Tournadot. Looks beautiful
Thanks 🙂 It’s really one of my favorites. Heh, I’m glad it’s permanent!
Ugh! I love all of them! Such great choices. I’m very impressed myself with theBalm formula. Love Turnadot!
Thank you, Taylor! 🙂 I really love theBalm’s shadows, I agree. I especially like the deeper colors, like I said. It seems like the formula is better for these shades.
I super love this post! I wish you could expand on it, kinda like a Palette week 😛 I never knew the Balm had such an interesting palette! And thanks to Eula, I am ultimately thirsting for the Lorac Pro 😛 Thoughts?
Thanks, Tellie! 🙂 I am currently trying to think of “themes” but am coming up with some pretty lame ones. Haha.
I don’t have the LORAC, but it’s been compared a lot to the Laura Mercier palette here, which is my favest! I think if you wanna play around with color more, LORAC is the better bet!