In between running around NYC looking at studios masquerading as one bedrooms and shopping for the apartment I’ve yet to actually sign a lease on*, I’ve taken up a new hobby in the form of shopping for neutral eye palettes. I’m not sure how one relates to the other (they don’t) but I felt like giving you guys a quick summary of what I’ve been up to these past few weeks.
I don’t know what the impetus was for this new found love of all things neutral but I’m sure it was somewhere in between Urban Decay’s Naked 1 (holy grail) and Naked 2 (not so much holy grail). I used to long for bright blues and vivid hues but here I am proclaiming my love for warm an cozy every day colors.
It could also very well be because the beauty industry as a whole has gone nude because very one and their momma is releasing an eyeshadow palette got to replace your entire makeup collection (lol as if that’ll ever happen). Below is a breakdown of a few I’m loving.
‘The NARSissist’ Eye Palette: named after its social media handles, NARS took 15 of their best-selling hues and put them in one handy palette. While I prefer the texture of the cinematic eyeshadow the brand released in the Guy Bourdin collection, this is a nice palette for those who love the brand and is looking to invest in a collection without having to worry about depotting and spending too much. To best benefit from these, apply a primer underneath for ease of application. Also do yourself a favor and follow them on Instagram and Twitter – @NARSissist is one I the few beauty brands that’s able to sell me products and entertain at the same damn time.
Urban Decay Naked 3: I was on the fence about this and truth be told only ordered it because of the hype (and I’m sorta Type A so there was no way I wasn’t going to complete my naked collection). While Naked 2 left me yearning for more, Naked 3 surprised me with its rose toned neutrals – something I’ve never actually owned before. All of my nude eyeshadows tend to be on the brown side á la Naked 1, but these colors are pretty and oh so buttery. There are some colors I could do without (the really pale ones) but dear lord I need a full sized version of Buzz, Trick, and Factory.
Smashbox Full Exposure Palette: I probably own like four Smashbox items so I was shocked at how quick I was to hit “Add to Cart” with this one. I haven’t played around much with it but I can definitely say this is the palette to reach for when creating a smokey eye (the NARS is perfect as well but since that’s sold out – WOMP! – it may be worth looking at this one in the meantime).
Too Faced The Chocolate Bar Eye Palette: whatever I picked this up only because a) I had time to kill before going to view an apartment, and b) each shade supposedly smells like cocoa. I mean. Hello. 16 matte and shimmer shades that smell like chocolate, housed in a chocolate like tin. The highlight shades do scare me (the matte more than the shimmer) because there’s an epidemic of supremely highlighted brow bones in African American women and I refuse to become one of them.
Clinique All About Shadow 8-Pan Palette: Holy wow, Clinique! I typically go to Clinique for foundations or skincare but this came as a total surprise. Although it’s a tinier palette than any of the others mentioned, its compact nature makes it perfect for on-the-go.
Honorable mention goes to not a palette but a few affordable eyeshadows that you can put in a palette: Makeup Geek eyeshadows. I guess being an OG beauty blogger, Marlena knows what women are looking for. Her individual shadows are like buttah and sooooo pigmented. At $6 each (those in a pan are $12) I love the formulation and longevity. My favorite shades are: Brown Sugar, Glamorous, Gold Digger, and Mocha.
Disclosure: samples were provided for editorial consideration.