Battle of the BH Palettes: Zodiac vs. Carli Bybel Deluxe (CBD)

I got this idea because these are two palettes in my collection from BH Cosmetics, and they don't fit in my palette organizer. Storing them is a little awkward and annoying. Both of them are square-shaped, with the Zodiac palette being slightly larger. They both cost about $20, with the same amount of product and came out this past year.

I want to review them against each other because to me they kind of are night and day. Depending on eyeshadow preference and style, you might choose one over the other. The thing is, the both are excellent palettes, but so different. 

I. Formula

• Matte:
• The CBD palette contains very soft mattes that do not skip on me if I use them in the outer corner of my eye. In my experience, though, softer formulas such as these tend to muddy if over-blended or used with multiple colors. 
• Meanwhile, the Zodiac mattes are drier, and allow for a bit more intricacy in color layering. 
• Both palettes the mattes are not over-pigmented, and one can build them up nicely. The purples in the Zodiac palette are so good. 
• Shimmer
• CBD palette shimmers are creamy, but must be applied with a finger or over a sticky base
• the Zodiac palette shimmers are baked, and require a glitter glue to minimize fall-out. Applying with a finger or wet brush is also helpful. 

II. Shades:

• CBD palette contains very on-trend, "millenial" mattes that one can find in other popular palettes. It all gears very light, though. Highlighter shades are a bit more varied. 
• Zodiac palette has a more interesting range of colors, especially the mattes. I love them. There is some repetition in the shimmers, though. I can count three repeating "rose-gold" shimmer shade. 

III. Face Products:

• The CBD palette contains A LOT of highlighters. I think it should have been a separate palette. The amount of powder is a bit overwhelming. The formula of these highlighters is very creamy. They're okay. 
• There is one highlighter in the Zodiac Palette. It is a baked white-gold reflect powder that is NOT for the faint of heart. I like it, though. 

IV. Duds in the palette

• I only dislike two shades in the Zodiac palette: a shimmery silver, which I think should have been a lot more opaque for what it is, and a khaki green, which is just not impactful on the skin (that's a word, right?). Because of that khaki shade I ended up buying Colour Pop Team Captain, so I'd have a decent taupey-green. 
• As for the CBD palette, when it comes to the eyeshdow, there is only one dud. It is the UD Fireball "dupe," which acts like an eyeshadow "topper," meaning it has weak pigment. I don't have any patience for those. 

Takeaways?

the CBD palette is good for no fuss, easy glam looks. But the Zodiac palette is richer in tones and variety. But sometimes I am not in the mood for that. Both of them are excellent palettes, but I think concept-wise, the Zodiac palette comes out on top. Formula-wise, the CBD palette wins for me in that I can use the mattes in my outer corner without worrying out my brush skipping.

Using them together is another story, entirely!

Thanks for reading.