Eyeshadow Palette Collection Post

Hi everyone! I was inspired to do a palette collection post. I am not going to count my two z-palettes, but rather complete, pre-made palettes.  With each palette I'll talk about how much I use it and give my thoughts on each.

The first section of palettes I am going to talk about are all from BH Cosmetics.

The Carli Bybel Deluxe Palette (top)

I have had this for one year. I have hit pan on the cream shade, and reorganized some shades from this palette by depotting two of the highlighters to put in my highlighter z-palete. Overall, this is a really easy to use palette with some excellent lid shades. It has subtle color to what could be considered neutral shades, which is what I prefer.

Where the palette falls short is just the sheer amount of highlighter/repeat shades. If she could have just stuck to an eyeshadow palette and maybe a separate highlighter palette, that would have been a lot less overwhelming and I'd want to use the palette even more.

I use this palette especially for a matte burgundy shade when I need something for the outer corner of my eye, because it is so soft and does not skip on my skin.

The Zodiac Palette (right):

My own palette is a bit of a mess because the center highlighter cracked and got everywhere. Other than that, though, I love this palette for glittery and high-shine lid shades. The mattes are of excellent quality, but I find they blend (especially the dark brown ones) little too easily, so less is more when it comes to those shades. It's a great palette, especially for the fall and winter.

Take Me Back to Brazil Palette (bottom):

This is such a fun palette but the shimmers are useless. They have no pigmentation. The reason this palette is worth anything is the mattes, which have pigment, but should be built up. In this way, for me at least, this palette is very useful for infusing colors into a look. I stick to the yellows, purples, pinks, and reds, though, and far away from the blues.


The next set of palettes are some of my smaller ones:

The Tarteist Pro to Go palette (left):

I got this from ebay after obsessing after it for months. Why? Ugh. I don't know. It feels so long ago. It is a nice little palette, with a nice selection of shimmers and mattes. It just feels like a thoughtful palette. The mattes are very smooth and soft.

The Wet 'n Wild Not a Basic Peach Palette (top):

This was part of WnW's brand update and reformulation. I really enjoy the this palette, especially the transitional mattes. However, the quality is a bit inconsistent, as I did discard two shades that were not working for me.

The Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette (bottom):

I got this from TJ Maxx on discount, but I don't regret it. This is an adorable palette, and really easy to make orangey brown looks with it. I really like the quality of the eyeshadow, except I think Bananas is very sheer.

Physician's Formula Classic Nudes (left):
This was part of their anniversary collection, and my review of this palette was very positive. It is a handy palette to have around.

Wet 'n Wild, Walking on Eggshells (center):

I purchased this solely to have the original formula in my possession. The quality is lovely. Unfortunately, I do have many overlaps with the color in this palette, but I do occasionally use it when I am in the mood for an easy look.

Wet 'n Wild 6-pan Palette in Greed (right):
I don't use this palette as much any more, but the salmon matte is my everything and I can't let it go because of that.

Finally, we have my larger, higher-end palettes:

ABH, Modern Renaissance.

I'll be honest. I am still using it after two years, and have panned six shades. I still really enjoy the quality of this palette.

Coloured Raine, Queen of Hearts palette.

This is a gorgeous palette, and the quality is commendable. The mattes are super blend-able, except for Ladyship. She's a (royal) pain. For me, the shimmers are a little intense for the day to day, which is why I don't use this palette as much as I'd like. If their mini-palettes would have been of better quality, I think I would have been better off using that. Still, I really enjoy using this palette.

ABH, Norvina.

 I have been using this for a couple of days now, and I am very pleased. This palette has a lot of what I have been looking for color-wise. I do think there are too many shimmers, and that the palette would benefit from one or two more mattes. Still, I really enjoy this palette and look forward to continue using it. I find it to be very inspiring.

I have decluttered a couple of palettes in the past that I definitely talked about on the blog. These include The Balm Meet Matt(e) Nude, The Balm Nude 'Tude, Urban Decay Pulp Fiction (this one pained me), Cargo Venice Enchantment, and Kat Von D Chrystalis and Innerstellar. With that in mind, I really like the collection I ended up with today.

Eyeshadow Files, pt. 1 : Modern Renaissance (Updated 12/29)

I am officially on a makeup no-buy until I begin work again in September. This is not too daunting for me, because I think I have too much makeup. As I do my makeup in the morning, I am now trying to use consciously reach for products that I haven't used in a while.

So I thought I would use this time to look at some of my eyeshadow palettes, and analyze shade by shade. What have I panned, are close to panning? What have I never touched, and why?

These really won't include swatches, but rather pictures of the palettes and anecdotes of my own experiences.

Today's palette comes at an opportune moment. The failure of Subculture has caused many to re-evaluate their experiences with its "golden" predecessor: the Modern Renaissance (MR). Now, I've had this palette for a year, and I do think it still is an excellent palette, though prone to fallout.

MR was the first high-end palette that I bought and really liked.

As of today, this is what my palette looks like:

As of today, December 29, 2017, this is what the palette looks like:

Panned Shades: 

Tempera. This is a really beautiful shade for me. It matches my skin tone and has fine, subtle shimmers in it. I was really hesitant about continuing to use it after hitting pan, but then I realized that is a ridiculous mindset to have.

Vermeer - Inner corner highlight. I used to use this all over the lid, until I started using darker shimmers for that. (panned as of 8/19)

Golden Ochre (panned sometime before 12/29). I mean, it is a teeny tiny baby pan. But it is a pan. I find this shade muddies up on me, but I will give it more of a go, and avoid that area of my eye where I see this muddying up. My original note for this color was, "Good for the crease and blending with the orange." 

Heavily Used Shades:

Burnt Orange- Adds subtle color

Buon Fresco- Same as above

Warm Taupe- The lighter mattes mentioned in this section were used heavily when I first got this palette, but then I started to just use Warm Taupe in the crease. A great workhouse shade.

Cyprus Umber- Used for the outer courner.

Moderately Used Shades:

Raw Sienna: I always think I confuse this with Burnt Orange, but I end up using Burnt Orange more. This is a nice warm medium brown shade. I'd like to use it more, but I also have many mattes like this.

Primavera: This is not an exciting gold shimmer. It's pigmentation is medium, but it is a rather pale gold and I have more saturated golds in my stash. Still, I do use it in the inner corner, as well as on the lid sometimes. [Update] Infuriatingly, I've not hit pan. I don't get it. I do use it every chance I get and still have not hit pan. What gives??

Red Ochre: I've only started to really enjoy this shade and not be scared of it, and the other colors listed below. I've been blending it into the crease as well as a little on the outer corner, especially to complement a gold lid. [Update]  I have been using this a lot more, and feel that actually, when blended with other colors, it actually pulls somewhat brown-toned, which I do't mind. Same with Realgar, which I've been getting more use out of, as well as Venetian Red. 

Rarely Used Shades:

Antique Bronze: This shade frustrates me because the shimmer is VERY muted and glitter fiends may not be satisfied. I think this shade is great on the lid to create a brown smoky look. [Update] still not using this. 

Love Letter: This is the only shade I have not used in a look I enjoyed. I've barely touched it. I don't know what it is, but I feel like I need to try a bit more.

Level of Usability overall NOW: (on a rating from 1-impossible to use to 5- super easy). 4. I feel like I have not explored so many possible combinations, but I do feel like I have gotten over a fear of the reds and oranges. The pink, however....

Course of Action:

1. Pair more muted mattes with some of the more intense ones.

2. Attempt to use pink and see how it goes. 

3. See what antique bronze looks like in the crease. 

4. Bring in other shimmers to expand possibilities of palette. 

Z-Palette Updates and Progress!

Yay, another z-palette post! I haven't done one of them in a very long time, and I am so excited. I added a few things, took away a few things, resurrected some eyeshadows from makeup purgatory, you know, the usual! Today I thought I would talk about notable additions to my z-palette.

I don't particularly think this is the palette to end all palettes. But for what I have, I know I could just take this with me and I'd be set. In addition to this palette, I have 9 palettes total. All my eyeshadow is mostly drugstore/affordable/discounted, with some full price high-end thrown in.

Let's get to it! Let's first talk about brand new additions:

1. Angel Face by Coloured Raine. This is in the "fifth" column of my palette, the second one down. It is a reported dupe for MuG's "Peach Smoothie," and I think Orange Soda by ABH. I can see why shades such as this are excellent for helping to create blended-out, warm looks. I've really been enjoying this eyeshadow. 

2. Mac Chrome Yellow: This is the brightest yellow, farthest down in the "third" column. I've used this in my crease, but it is tricky to work with and I haven't yet used in a way that I especially like.

3. Tangy Dijon, Vanessa's Vanity. Just arrived in the mail today by total surprise. It swatches beautifully, and I am excited to use it, and perhaps even pair it with Chrome Yellow. 

And now, resurrections!

4. Urban Decay sample shadows in Lounge and Fireball. When I first got these, I didn't know what to do with them aside from swatch the,. But I've grown to really appreciate duochrome shadows, and have decided to give them a second chance.

5. The brown matte shade from the Nude Tude palette, depotted. I have it here to the left of Fudge from ABH. This shade has a really large dip in it from constant use from a while ago, and I want to pan it. It is my mission. And it still works really nicely. 

For reference, this is what my palette looked like five months ago:

Before we get to decluttered shades, let's talk about panning progress!

6. The Kat Von D large pan of a cream shadow: I definitely made progress on it. I don't know when I am actually going to use it all up, but I am getting there.

7. ABH in Amber. This one is not panned yet, but it is getting close. This is probably one of my favorite lid shades of all time, and I know it is very close to hitting pan. Amber is in the sixth row from the left, and the third one down. 

As for decluttered stuff that is moved to makeup purgatory:

8. One half of a Nars duo. This was when I was getting really into yellow-toned mustard shades. But this was not flattering on me. It just came off really muddy and I did not enjoy using this.

9. Japonesque pixellating shimmer powder thing: This came from an ipsy deal, and I was actually keeping this in my face products z-palette. I needed to make room in there for a powder from Vanessa's Vanity, and I chose this to go. Why? It's an okay powder and I would use it under my eyes, but I have not used it in a while. I don't think there was anything special about it, and I don't see myself using it in the future. 

Goals?
Aside from panning, I really want to push myself to use the KvD mattes, as I have not used them in a while. They are perfectly good, I've just been enjoying other things. I also want to try more of the colorful shimmers I have, in order to use my z-palette in a more balanced way.

Thanks for reading!

Eyeshadow Files, pt 2: Pulp Fiction Palette

For my second installment of Eyeshadow Files, we have a very interesting palette from Urban Decay. When this palette came out I was really was taken with it, being a Quentin Tarantino fan, but I was not so into makeup, nor did I have the funds, to purchase it. This is the all-matte palette- the Pulp Fiction Palette.

A couple of years later I found one being song on ebay, so I bought it! This palette relaxes me for some reason. It is not demanding, the shadows are easy to work with; it is just a damn good palette.

Let's take a look:

Panned Shades: 

none

Heavily Used Shades:

Righteous- the only one with a significant dip in it. This is a little warmer than my skintone, but it makes an excellent base. 

Moderately Used Shades:

Tyranny: Very useful for the crease. I have many shadows similar to this in my stash.  

Vengeance- Dark brown with hints of shimmers. Blends beautifully. Why don't I use this?!

Rarely Used Shades:

Furious- I used to blend this in the very outer corner to create a gradient, and I remember liking the effect. Don't know why I stopped doing that. 

Anger- Not a useless shade, but not as pigmented as Furious. Acceptable to use as inner corner highlight. 

Level of Usability overall NOW: (on a rating from 1-impossible to use to 5- super easy). 5. 

Course of Action:

1. Remember to integrate Vengeance and, to a lesser extent, Tyranny into looks.

2. Blend a bit of black into the outer corner.

3. Do more all-matte looks.