If I Could Only Keep 10 Eyeshadow Palettes

So a lot of you normal non-make obsessed citizens may be like 10 palettes? Who on earth needs 10 palettes??

Or like me, you went to make up school, have worked some freelance makeup in the entertainment world, love watching YouTube beauty videos and makeup is a therapeutic passion, you will understand my pain. How do I narrow down my eyeshadow palette babies?
 

Carrie Bradshaw had shoes, I have eye shadow palettes. I've been a collector for years (though I do use them, they don't just sit looking lovely) and I have... a lot. Keeping only 10 sounded scary, but in these uncertain and trying times that is such a bratty thing to say. I have truly restrained from buying makeup. I'm trying to save my pennies and there are such bigger things going on the world than makeup. That said, makeup is an escape for me, a form of creativity, expression and it makes me feel calm and confident. And we have to do things for us that make us happy during this time ya know?

This was a hard decision. I wanted to give myself plenty of color options to suit my moods, but also stay true to the palettes I wear most often. I'm generally drawn to neutrals,  but I also love purples and mauve's, cool tone taupes, pinks, warm reds and oranges, jewel tons, olives, mustard's and grungy tones. I also wanted to keep in mind the quality, how inspired they make me feel, price points and mainly, which palettes just bring me joy. I figured that with so many Sephora sales coming up, this would be the perfect time because almost all of these palettes can be found there.  So without further adieu

1. Natasha Denona Biba Palette

This was a no brainer. This is the ultimate neutral palette. You have all your brown and mustard shades, red browns, beautiful gold shimmers, a black, in her cream to powder formula. making it very easy to work with and a few cool tones. It's perfect for everyday, travel, office, a working makeup artist should definitely have this one in your kit. The beautiful neutral color story - combined with Natasha Denona's incredible forma = win/must have. This is definitely my ride or die, go to palette that comes traveling with me and that I can always count in. 

I have two Anastasia Beverly Hills on this list so let's just get them out of the way. 

2. ABH The Soft Glam Palette 

This is another pretty neutral palette that leans warm. This is palette is just such a staple because you can create really soft and neutral looks for the office, you can deepen and glam it up for a nice night out, and it also contains really beautiful romantic pinky mauvey shades as well. There is such a great matte/shimmer ratio and I love that they included some perfect transition sheep, deepening shades, a black and a brow bone shade. All the necessities, plus some very special and unique shimmers to amp things up. I think this palette is truly perfect for brides, dates and going to the office or anywhere really. The quality is fantastic and I just love it.

3. ABH The Jackie Aina Palette 

Jackie Jackie Jackie Jackie really knocked it out of the park with this one and it's truly the best ABH formula I've ever worked with. They definitely amped it up a notch. I absolutely adore the rich jewel tones, which happen to be perfect for fall. There is so much versatility within this palette and so many looks you can create. I love creating an orange/ginger peachy look. The color Zamn in the palette is just...magical. I also love that she included some rich purples and pinks if you want to go that direction. She has some stunning greens and gold greens, a cool tone taupe number called Lituation, which is so unique to my collection. This palette truly inspires me, brings me joy and I always love the looks I create with it. 

4. My Pat Mcgrath V Bronze Seduction Palette

I saved up very long and hard for this palette and now you would basically have to pry it always from my cold dead heads. I admire Pat McGrath's incredible artistry, skills, knowledge of make up and products. She so just dang expensive. I knew in my life I'd only ever own one and I knew it would be the Mothership 5 Bronze Seduction. The four special astral shades in the front right of the palette make my heart happy. They are almost other wordly (like her palette names suggest) and when applied, you look like a mermaid who dropped down from heaven. The packaging is so luxurious. It's just such a beautiful and special palette that I will always treasure. 

5.Colourpop California Love

Since Pat Mcgrath is soooooo esssspensive, I thought I'd take a minute to talk about Colourpop. Colorpop is one of my very favorite brands because they come out with great launches (well, lots of launches. Like one or two A WEEK). Still, they give incredible quality, cute packaging, great customer serves and you are truly getting fantastic products at super affordable prices. There are so many Colourpop palettes that I adore and it was so hard to narrow down. I love Marvelous Mauves, Going Coconuts, Sweet Talk, Smoke Show...I could go on. The palette I ended up choosing actually surprised me because it is very very warm and glittery and that's really not my vibe. Perhaps the name California Love drew me in or the cute names that I can relate to as a Cali girl. What really struck me about this palette though, is how stunning it is. If you are looking for glam fall look or even a birthday, holiday or special occasion, this palette has got you covered. The mattes bend beautifully and the shade Diego...chef's kiss. I ALWAYS get compliments when I wear this palette from both men and women. 

6. Huda Beauty Desert Dusk 

I feel, and I've felt for a long time that this palette is underrated and never got the attention it truly deserves. But I still use it and I still adore it. I love the beautiful color story which includes vibrant oranges and coppers, delicious rich reds and pinks, purples, golds, taupe's and they all work so well together. She also includes so many different textures from mattes and metallic, to glitter shades, duo chromes and toppers. We need to bring Huda Beauty Desert Dusk back fo sho.

7. Marc Jacobs Steeletto 

I debated whether or not to include this one because it is only 7 shades.. But the shades in it are perfect to create a Smokey, dramatic, cool toned look. There is one shade that is just so unique and special in the palette, and although I don't use it everyday, when I want to look Smokey and sultry... this is my cool toned dream. 

8. Dominique Cosmetics Berries and Cream

I was going back and forth between the Latte Palette, which I adore and the Berries in Cream. Ultimately, I choose Berries and Cream because between the Biba and Soft Glam, I think I have my neutrals pretty covered. I love Christen Dominique's eye shadow formula and I love that this palette includes such gorgeous and rich berry shades, as well as some chocolate browns, a taupe, light pinks, even a pop of blue. It's such a easy to use palette, but you can definitely add pops of color and creativity

9. Melt Cosmetics Gemini Palette

I love Melt Cosmetics aesthetic, but some of their products have been a bit hit or miss for me. That said, the Gemini palette is one of my all time favorite palettes in the world. To me, having grown up in the 90s, it's sooo 90s. It's grungy and yum like you just want to put on a cozy flannel and listen to Nirvana during a My So Called Life marathon. I love that the first half is more wearable colors, you get these grungy browns and mustards. The second half is the green side and they are just the perfect olive and army green mattes plus one beautiful shimmer. Again, this palette works wonderfully, I never have any issues and it makes me feel like I'm living a 90s teenage dream. 

10. Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk

Ok this one was the hardest. It was up against my Colourpop Sweet Talk and my Natasha Denona Love palette, but ultimately I just find myself reaching for it the best. I love how monochromatic it is and while it lean peach, there is also pink. I love that Charlotte set up little  sections for you such as "day," "date" and "desk.' If you don't want to think about your makeup, she does the work for you, but you can certainly stray away from that and you do you boo! All the  colors work well together and Charlotte's formula is impeccable. Plus, it's pretty dreamy and romantical if you ask me. 

What are your all time fave palettes? Would love to know!