My Top 3 Eyeshadow Palettes

I hold my hands up - I'm a bit of an eyeshadow palette junkie. I've built up quite the collection over the past 4 years or so because I just think there's just something about owning a palette that's so much more practical than having a line up of singular shades. I love having a number of looks all available in one place and they're so easy to store and travel with.  I find it so satisfying to see them all stacked in a row (surely I can't be the only one...) and I always enjoy choosing which palette I want to use depending on what sort of look I'm wanting to achieve.  As the festive season is well and truly upon us, I thought it would be a good time to introduce my favourite eyeshadow palettes and explain a little bit about why I love them so much and exactly what I use them for. Personally, I'm a bit of a neutrals fan - the majority of my palettes are all filled with brown hues and shimmery nudes and are all suitable for everyday wear. Of course, it's going to depend on what sort of shades/tones you prefer and what colours seem to suit your skin-tone, but hopefully this post might give you a little inspiration if you're after a new palette to treat yourself to this Christmas (I know it's getting quite late on now but there's still time - and of course, there's the inevitable post-Christmas sale treats...) I also have full reviews and swatches of all of these palettes so I've linked these posts in case you want to have a more in-depth look at any of them. So, in no particular order...

Stila //  In the Light Palette // £25.00 // Link // Full Review & Swatches

Stila's 'In The Light' palette is a stunner to say the least. I really enjoyed using it over the festive season last year and I've used it throughout the year since. I love the fact that there's such an amazing range of shades for all occasions - the addition of the midnight blue also makes for a nice little twist.  I absolutely adore the consistency of these shadows - the majority of them are super creamy to the touch and incredibly pigmented.  I also love the matte shades - sometimes, I find mattes can lack in the pigmentation stakes but the 2 in this palette are really impressive and make for a nice base for adding a bit of shimmer.  The palette also comes with a smudge stick eyeliner (not pictured) which has become one of my daily staples.  Its seriously one of the best eyeliners I've ever used.

Favourite shades: 'Kitten' - a gorgeous champagne shimmer perfect for the inner corners of the eyes .. 'Sunset' because it seems to work really well with my green eyes and it worked really well with a tan in summer .. 'Bubbly' is a gorgeous versatile gold shade which will suit everybody and 'Bliss' is such a stunning shade for creating definition in the crease.

Urban Decay //  Naked 3 Palette // £37.00 // Link // Full Review & Swatches

In true beauty blogger style, I own all 3 of the Naked palettes.  Although I really enjoy using the first one, I have to say I think the third has beaten it to the top spot.  I didn't think I'd get on too well with the rose gold hues but they really do seem to work with my skin tone - especially through the colder months.  I love the mix of shimmers and mattes and each one is amazing in terms of pigmentation - Urban Decay really do nail it every time when it comes to colour pay off!  I love the range of shades in here as there seems to be a little more choice in terms of colour compared to the other Naked palettes - there's everything from a neutral barely there look, to an antique gold or dusky pink, right the way through to smokey browns.  I love the brush that comes with this palette too - it's double ended so it's much more handy for on the go as you get a standard eye brush along with a fluffier blending option.  The mirror is also bigger in this palette too.

Favourite shades: 'Limit' and 'Nooner' are gorgeous crease colours and are probably my most used shades out of the palette simply because they act as a lovely base for further colour or work perfectly on their own. If I haven't got much time of a morning, a quick dusting of either of these and I'm good to go. 'Burnout' is the perfect everyday shimmer - it's not overly glittery and the pastel pink hue has a brightening effect on the lids. 'Trick' is also a really unique antique rose-gold sort of shade.

Jane Iredale // Daytime Palette // £39.95 // Link // Full Review & Swatches

Ok - so as the most expensive palette of the 3 you're probably thinking is it even worth it? I thought this too when I first tried it but I can hands down say that this is my most used palette ever - the first four shades are used on a daily basis (particularly the peachy shade - I reckon I'm going to hit pan very soon).  These matte shades are so pigmented and a complete dream to blend - the white shade has a slight bit of shimmer which makes it perfect for highlighting the brow bone and for using in the inner corners of the eyes. They all look so natural and are incredibly long lasting - I can apply these in the morning and my eyeshadow will still be in-tact at the end of a long day. This was the palette I took on holiday with me this year, and it's also come on a few UK breaks with me - it's just my ultimate 'go-to' and it's perfect to carry around in your handbag too if needs be because its so slim and lightweight.   I also adore the smooth rose-gold packaging.

Favourite shades: All of them! The only shade I don't use so much is the black - I save this for nights out or for smudging under the lash line if I want a more subtle eyeliner look.  'Almond' - the peach nude shade - is my perfect blending shade. I use this daily and sweep from the crease up to the brow bone and it looks so natural and flawless. I then blend a little bit of 'Cappuccino' (the greyish taupe) through the outer crease to create a natural shadow, and sometimes blend in a bit of the dark brown, 'Dark Suede' into the very outer corners for extra definition. I often wear 'Oyster' all over the lid and sweep a little on to the brow bone to highlight and accentuate my brows. It's my perfect eye look in a palette and I adore them all - they compliment each other perfectly.

I really hope you've found some inspiration (if you don't own them all already - I know what us bloggers are like with our eyeshadows!) and of course, if you want to see swatches of each palette - don't forget I've linked them all within the post! 

What's your favourite eyeshadow palette? 

Makeup Revolution Buys | Mini Reviews & First Impressions

When I first heard of Makeup Revolution, I have to say I was rather intrigued.  I tried so hard to resist the temptation but the inevitable happened and I finally caved.  I think it has to be the eyeshadow palettes that are to blame for my shoddy willpower - there's so many to choose from and all of them look absolutely beautiful. I try not to buy too many palettes as there's only so many one girl can use, however, when I saw range I simply had to have a cheeky browse. Not only do the colours look so well put together and well presented, but all of the Makeup Revolution products are super affordable - perfect for a pre-payday treat or a little pick-me-up now and again.  I actually went into my local Superdrug store to have a good ol' swatch and a proper look at the collection instead of ordering online and I'm so glad I did. It was like a beauty blogger's dream sifting through all the palettes and I spent ages looking at all  of the singular eyeshadows too.  Here's what I ended up with (believe me I'm incredibly proud of myself for walking away with just 3 things - I could have easily just picked the entire stand up and took that to the till instead but I don't think the staff would have been too impressed...)

The 'Essential Mattes' Palette | £4.00 | Link

The first thing I went for is this gorgeous palette containing an array of neutral matte shades.  I'm loving my matte eyeshadows at the moment as I find them much more natural and easier to wear in the daytime.  I quite liked the look of some of the lighter shades - particularly the yellow/peach toned ones as I find they work well as a base.  I was also drawn to the lovely mid-brown shade and the two lilac-browns next to it.  The palette is of a really good size (when i saw them online i imagined it to be a similar size to the MUA ones) and you actually get quite a lot of eyeshadow in each pan despite them being quite thin.  Admittedly, they aren't quite as pigmented as I'd hoped and some of them are a little hit and miss, but it's a fabulous palette nonetheless and I've really been enjoying using it.  The darker colours seem much more pigmented and less chalky but the majority of the shadows seem quite soft and smooth - for £4.00, you can't really go wrong.  I've since found they apply a little easier with a primer.

Nail Polish in 'Adore' | £1.00 | Link

Never one to say no to a nail polish, me. Especially when it's just £1.00! For £1.00 I have to say the packaging for these polishes is really lovely.  It's of a really good size, feels weighty and looks the part.  'Adore' is a beautiful mid-purple shade - really wearable, girly, and enough of a statement without looking too 'full on'.  The pigmentation is really good - all you need is 2 coats to get a good, even finish.  The only thing that struck me is that the brush can be quite streaky so you have to concentrate when you're applying it to avoid too many brush marks, however, this is easily solved as soon as you apply a glossy topcoat.

Vivid Blush Lacquer | £3.00 | Link

So far, I think this has to be my favourite product from the bunch. In all honesty, I don't usually get along with strongly pigmented cream blushes like this, but I'm really quite fond of this one.  It's lovely and creamy, and it's easy to dispense a very small amount due to the styling of the pump (you really don't need much at all).  I usually prefer a powder blush but I've been favouring a creamy consistency recently as my cheeks have been a little dry.  It's moisturising enough to create a dewy, fresh finish but not so much so that you end up looking greasy - I also like that it doesn't go completely matte and powdery on the skin too - it's just a nice, 'in-between' sort of finish. You only need a small dot of the product to blend into the cheeks so this will last you absolutely ages.  I reckon I'll do a full review of this with swatches soon.

All in all, some fabulous buys from Makeup Revolution - they certainly won't be my last! I can't wait to pick up some of the singular eye shadows, bronzers and blush palettes soon and I'm quite intrigued by some of their lipstick shades too (typical Beth!) I must apologise for the lack of swatches - I'll probably write up some full reviews of these products soon so keep your eyes peeled for those! You can have a browse of the Makeup Revolution range on their website here and they can also be found on Superdrug and in selected stores.

Have you tried anything from Makeup Revolution? What's your favourite product?

Jane Iredale | The Daytime Palette

Jane Iredale | Daytime Eyeshadow Kit | £39.95* | Link 

Just recently, I've been very much in favour of the 'barely there' look.  As soon as summer rolls around, I really do take my make-up back to basics - a dewy base, a subtle dash of bronzer, a smudge of shadow on my eyelids and lower lash-line with a quick sweep of mascara and I'm pretty much done and dusted for the day.  I'm a neutrals girl through and through - nothing tickles my fancy like a good 'everyday' palette and I'll often just wear a matte shade swept into the crease of the eye as opposed to spending ages applying my shadow in layers (ain't nobody got time for that!) The past few weeks, I've really been loving this little beauty from Jane Iredale. 'The Daytime Palette' consists of 5 neutral hues and is the perfect size for travel - its slimline exterior and lightweight feel make it the perfect companion for on the go.  It's simple, understated and pretty - everything a neutrals girl could wish for when it comes to this time of year.

My favourite shades have to be the first 3 - 'Oyster' - a gorgeous creamy white which is lovely to use on the inner corners of the eyes, 'Almond' - a peachy yellow/beige which works well across the entire lid and 'Cappuccino' - a stunning light taupe shade that is just perfect for using in the crease of the eye for some definition.  Texture-wise, these shadows are lovely and blendable - they're soft to the touch and apply really smoothly.  I've even used 'Oyster' on my cheekbones (it's also perfect for the brow bone) - it has a lovely bit of dimension to it but it isn't shimmery or glittery so it makes for a really natural looking highlight shade. The only shade that doesn't seem as pigmented and one that can be a little chalky is 'Charcoal' - the black shade in the palette.  Personally, I don't tend to reach for blacks that much anyway so this doesn't fuss me - I actually find it applies more grey - which makes it a nice option if you're smudging colour under the lash-line for a subtle smokey effect.  It actually works in the palette's favour and the fact it's not an intense black means it fits in very well with the 'daytime' theme - but it's well worth baring in mind if you prefer a strong black as it's quite difficult to work up colour with.   The brush that comes with the palette is a nice little extra - I prefer to use it for blending instead of packing colour onto the lid as it's quite fluffy, but it's a very welcome addition nonetheless - i do like it when palettes include a little brush! Also, it's worth mentioning that the shadows are formulated with minerals and botanical extracts.  

If you're a fan of the natural look then it's well worth looking at this palette. At £39.95, I have to say it really isn't the cheapest to say you're getting 5 shades - I shan't sit here and tell you that there aren't cheaper options on the market that probably do a similar job.  I own 3 Naked palettes by Urban Decay and it's easy to achieve a similar look with those (it seems very similar to the Naked 'Basics' - which fortunately happens to be the only one I don't own!) - but I must admit I do find this palette much easier to use for daytime because it's so simplistic.  I can even pop it in my handbag and carry it around with me all day because it's so small and slim - It's lightweight yet sturdy, and the rose-gold frosted finish tops it off nicely - very understated and simple.  The 3 lighter colours have to be my favourite eyeshadow shades at the minute! I do love a good matte... If you travel a lot, or just fancy trying something new or branching out from your usual daytime options, it's worth looking into these palettes. They also do a smokier version for those of you who prefer a darker look.

Overall, a really lovely addition to my collection and one that I feel is quite different from the rest. For me, the 3 lightest shades really are stunning - I've been reaching for them one heck of a lot just recently!  You can find Jane Iredale makeup on Feel Unique - the 'Daytime' palette retails for £39.95 here.

What do you think to this palette?  Have you ever tried anything from Jane Iredale before?

Stila | In the Light Palette

Stila | 'In the Light' Palette | £25.00 | Link

I know what you're thinking. Beth - how late on the bandwagon do you want to be?! In fact, I can't even see the bandwagon anymore I'm that late.  Stila's 'In the Light' palette was a firm favourite on many a blog a few moons ago, wasn't it?  Being the controlled, sensible blogger I am (haha, whatevs...) I resisted temptation and made do with the collection of palettes I already own.  I'm quite fussy when it comes to palettes - I only ever buy them if I know for a fact i'll use them (I'm not one for impulse palette purchasing!) and I usually stick to my trusty Urban Decay varieties.  However, Christmas rolled around. Motherbear began digging for hints regarding beauty goods...  I stumbled upon a pin on Pinterest of an eye makeup look someone had created using this Stila palette and all of those lustful feelings returned.  Needless to say, on Christmas morning - I was a happy girl when I unwrapped this little beauty. It wasn't an easy task to track one down before Christmas - I really struggled finding one anywhere and my mum was lucky enough to be able to have one sent to our local department store from London where there was only 1 available. Eek! But was it worth all that trouble of hunting it down...?

Well... YES! Of course it was! I adore this palette. I mean, just look at it?! There's something in there for everyone - from barely there neutrals, to pretty champagne toned shimmers and bronzes to full on smokey eye shades.  I really love the addition of 'Night Sky' - a beautiful gunmetal blue shade - it looks lovely against the warm, bronze tone of 'Sunset' - which happens to be my favourite shade out of the entire palette.  It seems to really set off the green tones in my eyes and I've been wearing it non-stop just recently.  I has a reddish undertone to it when worn on the eyelids and it really does look stunning.  Another favourite has to be Stila's ever-famous 'Kitten'.  I can see why this is such a raved about shade. It's perfect for everyday wear and looks lovely when worn in the inner corners of the eye to brighten and open up your peepers.  'Bliss' is also a beautiful shade - I love using this in the crease of the eye to bring some definition and warmth and it also makes for a lovely blending shade. 

Stila's eye shadows seem to vary in texture. The majority of shades in here are buttery soft and really pigmented - just what I look for in an eyeshadow.  They transfer amazingly well and show up pretty much true to pan.  The only one I was a bit unsure of  is 'Gilded Gold' - it doesn't seem as buttery as the rest and transfers much lighter on the skin than in the pan. But it's still a lovely antique copper shade and one that I will get a lot of wear from - I'm such a neutrals girl...  'Bubbly' is also a favourite of mine.  I love gold shades - and this one is lovely and creamy in consistency and transfers perfectly onto the lid.  The Stila Smudge Stick is also a lovely little addition to the palette. It compliments the tones in the palette really well and is perfect for adding definition to the eyes. Oh - and how cute is the quote on top of the mirror?! As a self-confessed Pinterest quote addict, it's a nice little girly addition and finishes off the whole palette perfectly. Never one to say no to a quote, me...

I'm so glad I finally got my bloggery mitts on this palette.  It really is a stunner.  I love the mix of shades and it's perfect for a neutrals girl like me! Aside from their cream blushes, this has been my first experience with Stila and I will certainly be looking into more of their eyeshadow offerings in future.  I love how all of their palettes have names and themes too! For £25.00 - it isn't the cheapest of eyeshadow palettes. But when you consider the fact you're getting 10 extremely wearable shades plus the addition of the smudge stick - it's really quite reasonable and it's one that's become a firm favourite in my collection.  You can find the Stila 'In the Light' palette on Feel Unique (link) and also on Beauty Bay.

Have you tried the 'In the Light' palette? What's your favourite Stila shade?

The Urban Decay Naked3 Palette | Review, Swatches & Photographs

First off, a big Merry Christmas Eve to you all! I hope you've all had a fabulous day and are now enjoying some good ol' festive telly and the first pickings of the Quality Street tin.  I've had a little walk around a local garden centre today (sounds rubbish but I'll have you know it's one of the best garden centres I've ever been to and it always looks amazingly Christmassy!) I ended up slipping a couple of decorations into my basket and realised when I got home that they were all bird themed in some way shape or form. Woops! Anway, I did have a jolly good festive post planned for today but it didn't quite work out how I'd imagined - so, instead, I thought I'd post about my newest addition to my palette collection - the Urban Decay Naked3 Palette.  If you were thinking of treating yourself to it after Christmas, then hopefully this post might be of some use.  I could just end the post here because it doesn't really need any words, does it? Just look at it! In all its rose gold, sparkly, glittery glory...

I told myself I really didn't need the third palette. Although, when they started selling out everywhere online and in-store (released just before Christmas - brilliant timing ;)), I couldn't resist any longer and snapped one up at House of Fraser with student discount as quick as humanly possible.  I use my Naked Palettes to death - I don't think there's a single day I've done my makeup and not used at least one shade from them.  I even take them on holiday with me.  Yep. It's love! If you've never tried Urban Decay eyeshadows then I really recommend them. They're hands down my most favourite shadows ever - in my opinion - they're hard to beat! I preferred the Naked2 ever so slightly over the first Naked palette, and so when I saw the third version with its rose gold tones and similar taupes - I had to snap it up.  Rose gold tones can be difficult to wear, but these ones aren't overly pink and are much easier to wear than what I first thought they would be... So what are the shades I hear you say? Here goes:

 

I won't provide a run-through of every single shade - as you can easily see for yourself in the photographs above (and there's been plenty of posts about this palette all over the bloggosphere already), but I thought I'd mention a few of my instant favourites! I adore the shade 'Half Baked' from the first 2 Naked Palettes, and am a massive fan of 'Chopper' from the second (a lovely antique gold) so I was instantly taken by 'Trick' - a stunning true rose gold colour.  'Buzz', 'Burnout' and 'Dust' all stand out to me as perfect everyday shades and are perfect to wear for uni with either 'Limit' or 'Nooner' - the two matte brown shades - blended into the crease.  The 2 matte brown shades in this palette seem to have a plummy undertone to them, compared to the taupe and warmer brown tones included in the first 2 palettes - so bare this in mind if you struggle to get on with plum colours and tones on your eyes! It's not always the most flattering! The other star of the show for me, has to be 'Blackheart' - it's unlike any colour I've seen in the palettes before. It's a beautiful deep brown/almost black colour with purpley-red flecks of glitter running through it (you can see it more clearly in the photographs below).  This will definitely be a main component in any smokey eye I decide to create over the festive season! I love it!

I have to apologise that my swatches are hard to decipher - but it's incredibly hard to photograph an arm full of swatches (although I think I deserve a gold star for managing not to twist my arm in the process...) I thought I'd pop them up there anyway so you can see how all the shades work together and compliment each other. The lightest shade in the palette (a matte creamy white called 'Strange' which can't really be seen on the swatches) doesn't show up too well on my arm anyway and isn't too noticeable on my eyelids - but it would make a lovely subtle highlight.  All the shadows are incredibly pigmented and creamy - and only require a quick dab of a brush in order to achieve a good colour pay off. I didn't expect anything less from Urban Decay - they always get it spot on!

As well as the palette (which comes packaged in a lovely box - always important!), you also get 4 weeks worth of different eyeshadow primers to try (not pictured) - I love their primer potions so this was a welcome addition into the box for me!  The brush is also the best one I've received in a palette so far.  It's double-ended and very similar to the Naked2 brush, but less dense and easier to use for blending.  It also seems slightly softer to me.  I also have to mention the tin the palette comes in - I much preferred the sturdy packaging of the Naked2 over the Original so I was really happy to see they'd continued this through the the Naked3.  It contains the same big mirror and is still fairly lightweight if you tend to travel with palettes. The interesting wavy shaped indentations over the lid make it even more unique and help set it aside from the Naked2.

Overall - I'm so glad I bought the Naked3 palette.  I wear their shadows on a daily basis so for me, it really is a fabulous purchase and one I know I'll get plenty of use out of!  I can see myself using the left-hand side more than the right (but i guess this is true for all 3 of the palettes) but I must admit I do love the darker shades included in the Naked 3.  On first impressions before I bought it, I did wonder whether I'd be wasting my money - in photographs - it does seem very similar to the Naked2.  But when viewing it in the flesh - it's very easy to see obvious differences and it actually has to be the most unique of the collection! The shades are undoubtedly more pink and plummy than the other two palettes - but definitely not so much so that they're hard to wear and I can see this palette suiting a lot of skin tones and eye colours. If you're a fan of Urban Decay shadows like myself, it's worth having a look into. I still don't know whether it has the potential to knock my current favourite, the Naked 2, off the top spot - but we shall see!

If you quite fancy rose-gold hues, pretty neutrals and plummy browns - I'd definitely recommend this palette.  They still have them in stock on House of Fraser for £37.00 here - so head on over if you fancy snapping one up! ( you can also grab discount with UniDays if you're a student) Or - keep your eyes peeled for some boxing day discount - you never know!

Have you given in to the lure of the Naked3 Palette yet? Which has been your favourite palette so far?

Urban Decay Singular Eyeshadow Pots | My Current Daily Duo

When it comes to eyeshadows, Urban Decay have to be a clear winner for me.  I use my beloved Naked Palettes on a daily basis and find their shadows to be best in terms of pigment and velvety consistency.  Buttery soft and easily blendable, they really are the cream of the crop for me and I think they're worth every penny.  Although my palettes get a lot of use and are ideal for taking abroad with me, I also have a selection of their singular pots.  I thought I'd introduce you to my current favourite duo - one shade of which most of you will probably be quite familiar with...

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in 'Naked' | Matte | £14.00 | Link

Yep, you're right. This is the lighter of the two matte shades featured in the Original Naked Palette.  I adore this colour and ran it down to the pan pretty sharpishly. I wasn't exactly keen on the idea of re-purchasing another Naked Palette purely for the sake of one shade so I was jolly well chuffed that they sell a singular version of it.  I guess you could say it's nothing special - but I really do love it to bits and it's just the perfect blending shade for use in the crease of the eye.  It's not too dark, so it doesn't look too heavy for during the day - a light dusting of it blended slightly up towards the brow bone provides a lovely, subtle bit of shadow and definition without going over the top. It's slight grey tinge helps to create a more natural look.  It's also a good shade for blending harsh lines and for wearing purely on it's own across the lid.  Urban Decay admittedly don't offer a great deal of matte shades - they're very much known for their sparkle and shimmer, but the matte offerings they do have are all very usable and great for neutral, everyday eyes. I use this without fail almost everyday - and I've even been known to use it to fill my eyebrows in so it really is quite versatile (my eyebrows are quite ashy so its the perfect kind of grey/brown shade). If I ever want a little more definition in the crease I simply blend the darker matte shade from the Original Naked Palette through the outer 'v' with a fluffy brush and I'm good to go.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in 'Easy Baked' | Shimmer | £14.00 | Link

I was lucky enough to win this little beauty in a giveaway hosted by The Sunday Girl a while back (thankyou Adrienne!) and it's fast become an everyday 'go to'. It is without a doubt extremely similar to the famous 'Half Baked', featured in both Naked original and Naked2 palettes, but I find it to be slightly lighter and a little more yellow toned.  It is described as a warm toned, golden copper with a frosty finish.  I love the texture of this one - like the majority of Urban Decay shadows, the formula is amazing and lasts all day without creasing or a great deal of fading - and gives a wonderfully smooth, seamless finish. I simply sweep this across the lid of a morning and take it slightly under the lower lash line for that extra 'pop' of gold.  Alternatively, I apply 'Half Baked' across the lid (slightly darker and more of a true gold colour) and then dab a little touch of this in the centre of the eyelid for a subtle eye-opening effect.  

I cannot recommend the Urban Decay shadows enough.  If you still haven't got your mitts on the Naked Palettes I'd recommend grabbing one or the other as a starting point - I promise that from then on you'll be hooked like me!  Or if the palettes aren't your thing, it's worth having a nosey at their singular pots - there's something there for everyone and I find each shade to be incredibly pigmented and amazing quality for the price. 

Do you love these eyeshadows as much as me? What's your ultimate favourite Urban Decay shade?