Palettes make excellent pressies for The Christmas. Ah, yet another chance to say THE Christmas. I never grow tired of it.
They're great when given as a gift in their own right, and exceedingly lavish as stocking fillers. FAO any men reading: Just don't get all value for money and assume that that enormous 'Colour Workshop' set from Dunnes / the local chemist for €12.99 is better because it's bigger. Because you'd be wrong. Very wrong. OH SO VERY VERY WRONG.
I have done a complete about turn regarding makeup palettes. Possibly this is due to the fact that these days they're fantastic, truly multi-functional and filled with lots of stuff I'd actually use, as opposed to being filled with one deadly thing, 2 ok things and a load of auld rubbish, which is what I remember from my teenage years. Now I am a firm palette fan, and in this series o' articles I will be telling you all about the bestest and most beautifullest available.
Urban Decay do brilliant palettes - and it's not surprising given how glitzy and up to the minute their makeup is. I was given a present of one a couple of years ago and I'm still using it - and I was delira to note that it contains a very this season sparkly purple shadow which is getting a lot of use these days. Their current palettes are fantastic but in particular Urban Arsenal stands out.
Advertised
It's perfect for a sampler for new users and old users will love it just as much because it's rammed full of goodies for eyes, lips, cheeks and face, all in warm, wearable shades designed to work for everyone. You get an Eyeshadow Primer Potion, Mascara, Big Fatty Lip Plumper, Naked XXX Shine Lip Gloss, Afterglow Blush in Score and 4 eyeshadows. Phew! It's also gorgeously presented in a sleek lavender foil case which is topped by a black fabric patch, embroidered with thorny roses and a stylized Urban Decay logo. Lhhaaavely. I'll have it! $42 from Urban Decay or you'll be able to get it in Boots - for about a billion quid.
Benefit are without a doubt the absolute queens of palettes. Fabulous packaging, fabulous contents and fabulous usability. And palettes aren't just for gloss and shadow anymore as Benefit well know. Their Realness of Concealness is a must for every savvy gal and it's actually a can't live without item that will transform you from limp to lush in mere minutes, and it's small enough to fit into even weeny handbags. I call that a wonder product!
It contains mini sizes of their bestselling concealing and fab-ularising (I just made that word up) products lemon-aid, boi-ing, ooh la lift, lip plump and high beam. And you get all that for $28.
The only negative thing I ever have to say about Benefit is the fact that some of their products aren't uber-transportable. The palettes are made from paper and card so they get tatty very easily, especially if you're carrying them around in your bag.
