Can we just take a minute to squeal in delight? A 12 pan palette from the drugstore? It's about time! Thank you Maybelline for listening to us beauty addicts and stepping up the drugstore game!
Following in the footsteps of the big name high end brands like Urban Decay and Lorac, Maybelline has released a multipan eyeshadow palette and it has more than 5 shades! It was an incredibly smart move on their behalf, they obviously did their research and discovered what their consumer really wanted - neutral based eyeshadows in a convenient palette that provided options. Us makeup lovers like to play with our eyeshadows, we don't often follow the diagrams on the back of a quad in favour of making it up on our own, so we want group of good quality shadows that we can mix and match. The question is, did Maybelline pull it off?
Maybelline's The Nudes palette has pretty fantastic packaging. It is a sleek, black plastic palette with a sturdy closure. It feels quite well made and all of the pans seem really well attached. The slim design is very classic and chic making the palette feel timeless and more expensive.
For those of us who are not yet confident enough to design our own combinations, Maybelline has split the shadows into quads, trios and duos with corresponding diagrams on the back of the palette.
The shadows themselves come in varying shades of brown, taupe, gold and beige with a mixture of matte and satin finishes. The best bit is, there is absolutely no glitter to be seen! When it comes to quality, there is a little left to be desired. The texture of the shadows varies from one to the next, most of them are nice and creamy while a few are more powdery and dry. The same can be said in terms of pigmentation, some are vibrant while others are quite sheer. The interesting thing is that the shadows seem to transform when applied to the eyes, they become incredibly creamy and smooth and they blend beautifully.
Overall, this palette leaves me a bit confused. While I LOVE the concept and the palette itself is incredibly well thought out with its mix of cool and warm tones and lighter to darker shades, I am a bit disappointed by the formula. I know that Maybelline can create beautifully pigmented shadows - their Color Plush Silk Eyeshadows for example - so I expected better. Then the fact that they magically transform on the lids leaves me excited but again confused.
So in my opinion, I think that The Nudes palette is a great big step in the right direction for the drugstore and I think it is an awesome addition to any makeup collection, big or small, but I do not think you need it. If you are an avid Urban Decay Naked Palette collector, you might be disappointed but for eyeshadow novices or even people just starting to build up their confidence, I think it is the perfect place to start. So good job Maybelline.
The Nudes Palette is available now at drugstores in the US and Canada - I purchased mine for $14.99 and they will be two more palettes from this series - The Brights and The Smokes - releasing in the coming months.
