maybelline new york

the nudes, the blushed nudes & the brights

description: all claim to have 13 looks in one palette, includes applicator

pros

• each palette is split into quads, trios and duos on the back of the packaging to help simplify and create unique looks
• contains a combination of matte and shimmer shadows
• the shimmer shadows are super pigmented, and blend out well
• each collections has a contour color, a brow highlight and a grey-black shade to deepen the crease or outer corner of the eye

cons

• no matter how much eyeshadow primer you apply, these babies crease
• the lighter shades, especially from the blushed nudes palette, have zero pigment in them. you can apply 10x the amount of normal product, and you’ll still have very minimal color pay off
• the matte shadows appear chalky on the lid, they do NOT blend out seamlessly, and they crease. i included a swatch picture alternating shimmer and matte shadows from each collection to show what i mean:

first two (brown, taupe): the nudes

second two (raspberry, mauve): the blushed nudes

last two (gold, charcoal black): the brights

verdict: eh. i am drawn to the color choices maybelline selected for each palette, but each time i use these i am highly disappointed in their color payoff and blend-ability. they are very cost effective, about $9.00 [the brights were on clearance at target–i can’t find them online to link], but for the actual quality of the product i would recommend investing in a higher end shadow that won’t leave you wanting for more. basically, the shimmer shadows are the saving graces of these palettes.