Hey, lovelies! If you've been visiting Shoes and Glitter for a while, you probably know that eyeshadow palettes are my biggest weakness when it comes to makeup. I just can't say no to a pretty set of lovely eyeshadows; plus I find them to be much more convenient and practical than mono eyeshadows (especially when travelling). Today, I've decided to do a little round-up of all the eyeshadow palettes I've reviewed this year. There is a good mix of both high-end and drugstore palettes, and I've added the links in case you want to check out a full review and swatches. Hope you enjoy!
TheBalm - Nude Dude (£29.99, Superdrug). Full review & swatches here.
This was one of the very first eyeshadow palettes I've ever purchased, and I still find myself reaching for it on a regular basis. Nude Dude features twelve versatile, warm shades; ranging from light, golden browns to rosy purples. The tonality reminds me a little bit of Naked 3 by Urban Decay, with addition of a few unusual and beautiful golden shades. The pigmentation of these eyeshadows is absolutely top-notch, rivaling a lot of high-end brands. The colours are rich, vibrant, intense, and very true to how they look in the packaging. I honestly can't think of anything I dislike about this palette. It's a little on the pricey side, but definitely worth the investment if you're looking for a lovely set of eyeshadows that are rich, long lasting and wearable all year round.
TheBalm - Voyage Vol. 2 (£30, Feelunique). Full review and swatches here.
This is more of an all-in-one face palette, featuring nine eyeshadows, blushes, a bronzer and a highlighter. To be completely honest, I'm not hugely impressed with the shade selection. There isn't much of a theme to it, and the quality falls short to what I've come to expect of TheBalm (especially when compared to their other palettes, such as Nude Dude). The eyeshadows are still nicely pigmented and easy to work with, but they do feel a little dry and chalky. It's definitely not their best formula, and if you want to get this palette just for the eyeshadows, I'd probably advise against it. Having said that, I think that the highlighter, bronzer and blushes included are absolutely gorgeous, and I enjoy using them on a regular basis.
Sleek MakeUP - i-Divine (£8.99, Boots). Full review and swatches of 'A New Day' & 'Oh so Special!'.
The i-Divine range offers some of the most affordable eyeshadow palettes out there, and I love how many different versions there are to choose from. At first glance, these look a lot more expensive than they actually are, with a lovely selection of vibrant colours. Unfortunately, the eyeshadows themselves turned out to be a little hit and miss. The shimmery shades are gorgeous and creamy, but the mattes are barely pigmented, and appear quite chalky when applied. There is a lot of fallout when working with some of the darker shades, although the overall quality is still pretty decent - especially considering the low price. I think that these palettes are good value for money, and whilst I wasn't hugely impressed with the pigmentation - I'd have a hard time finding a palette that's any better for under £10!
Zoeva - Cocoa Blend (£18, BeautyBay). Full review and swatches here.
This quickly became one of my favourite eyeshadow palettes of all time, and I honestly can't recommend it highly enough! Inspired by delicious sweet treats, Cocoa Blend features ten warm, versatile shades; ranging from milky beiges to chocolate browns. There is a nice mix of both casual and more unusual colours, each one of them equally wearable and easy to work with. As for the quality, it is absolutely top-notch - the eyeshadows are soft and velvety, easy to blend with zero fall-out, and last all day even without a primer. Another thing to note about Cocoa Blend is that it's much more affordable than most high-end palettes, whereas the quality and the formula is one of the best - if not the best - that I have ever tried.
The Naked range needs no introduction, and I'm sure that many of you are already familiar with these iconic palettes. The hefty price tag meant that Naked 3 was on my wishlist for the longest time, before I finally decided to take the plunge and buy it. I'm still not convinced whether it was really worth the money - the shades are gorgeous, but the pigmentation isn't as good as in the previous two Naked palettes. Still, I absolutely love the delicate, rose gold tonality of this palette, and I think that it will appeal to a wide audience in general. The colours are versatile, vibrant, and very true to how they look in the packaging. The mattes are soft and velvety, and the shimmers have a lovely, bright sparkle when applied. I'd say that these shades are much more wearable than ones in the original Naked or Naked 2, although I definitely expected a little more 'oomph'.
L'Oreal - Color Riche La Palette (£14.99, Boots). Full review and swatches of 'Rose'and 'Glam'.
These palettes (especially the Rose version) seemed quite promising at first, with an interesting selection of shades that could potentially be a good alternative to high-end brands. Unfortunately, both turned out to be quite disappointing, and I haven't really been using either of them. The quality simply isn't up to par - the pigmentation is poor, and the shades appear quite chalky and bland when applied. The colourful Glam edition features shades that I don't find to be very wearable, whereas the Rose version is just a poor dupe of the Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay. I believe that there are better drugstore options out there for a lesser price - i.e, the Sleek MakeUP palettes. Honestly, for £14.99, you're much better off investing the extra £3 and getting yourself a 10/10 Zoeva palette!
Have you tried any of these eyeshadow palettes? What are your favourite high-end/drugstore palettes?
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