The beauty industry finally seems to have cottoned on to the fact that makeup addicts as a whole are neutral eyeshadow palette hungry junkies, ready for their next hit of bronze lidded goodness. It’s taken them a while, but counters are being flooded with them at the moment and I for one am not complaining. I love me a good neutral palette. Of course I have more of them than I can bare to count and my container that holds them is well and truly brimming, but I can’t help myself. There are plenty that I’ve shone a light on individually on VDM, but for today – here are the best of the rest…
Smashbox Full Exposure Palette – £36 – from Boots. There’s a rumbling of complaints against this palette concerning wear-time and pigmentation, but I have to say – I love it. Yes things are a little sheer and sans primer it can get creasy (though I always have to slap it on anyway), but just let me count the ways in which I think this palette is awesome. One – the matte shades are kick-ass. Start in the middle with the creamy shade all the over the lid and work out in either direction blending in each one and you can’t go wrong. Two – it’s quite nice to have a corresponding shimmer shade to each matte that you can always add in the centre of the lid if you need somethin’ somethin’ – it’s almost like the Charlotte Tilbury ‘Lid Pop’ theory. Three – the brush is fab. In fact the only other brush I ever have to use with it is an angled one when I want to do some faux liner. I could go on, but I’ll leave it there.
Clinique All About Shadow 8-Pan Palette – £32 – from Clinique. I have to say I’m a big fan of the Clinique shadow formulas; they’re creamy, pigmented and easily blendable – even for an eyeshadow noob like myself. Ranging from a white highlight shade to a deep smokey bronze, it’s a comprehensive lineup. Personal favourites are Hazy (third from right) which just has the whole taupe thang down and Black Honey (second from right), but you all know about my love affair with that shade already. The packaging gets a thumbs up too for being small and sleek and the value for money is good with it being just twice the price of two single shadows. The only thing this does lack is a matte and I do like a good shine-free shade from time to time. In fact, if you paired this with the Smashbox Full Exposure – there you’ll have yourself one stellar palette…
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