Sabrina's Perfect Palette Tag

Now, I don't have the most massive collection of palettes as I have returned some, found better homes for others and thrown out ones that were no longer safe for contact anywhere near my eyes. While looking through my makeup collection the other day, I realized how much I really like the edit of palettes I have at the moment and I don't feel any need to go out and buy the newest and latest thing or lust over something that has been around and raved to death (but if someone wants to gift me an Hourglass Modernist palette, I won't say no). I've omitted a couple questions from the original tag because they were repetitive, but my collection includes some palettes you might need just one more review on, as well as some that probably aren't too widely known.

Best packaging: Urban Decay Naked Basics
Urban Decay seriously just got it with this one. It's slim and sleek, has a mirror that takes up half the palette and organizes the shadows to suit any OCD packaging lover. I also really love the color scheme and the font (I was once a journalist, so I'm all about layouts and fonts). I will gripe about how easily the packaging can get dirty, think NARS packaging experiences, and mine has also suffered a bit of melting on one side via really hot hair straightener. Regardless, the packaging is great and I just love how secure my shadows feel every time I click the lid shut.

Best color payoff: Lorac Pro 2
I have a full review on this one here and let me tell you, buttery eye shadows may sound weird, but they're a necessity now after spending some time with the Lorac Pro 2. You need the tiniest amount to get the job done in terms of covering your entire lid as well as getting sublime pigmentation. There's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to how much product gets kicked up, but once you've played with the palette a bit, you get the hang of it and wish your other shadows were that easy to use. It's spoiled me for the better.

Most Versatile: NYX Love in Paris Eyeshadow Palette in Merci Bocoup
This was a random purchase I made last year because I hadn't tried many NYX products and because the shade range really spoke to me in a time when the UD Naked 3 and Naked Basics were the only palettes in my possession. You have a good mix of browns, nudes, bronzes and then you get a peachy/orangey shade and a bit of cranberry. This palette works best with a primer and does take some time and a good fluffy brush to really blend things seamlessly, but the pigmentation and workability is so good that it hardly matters. Also, this is a major dupe for the Stila Eyes are the Window Palette in Spirit (review here). The shades are similar, but NYX's quality is far better in my opinion, especially when I compare the prices.

Best for Travelling: Urban Decay Naked Palette
I know a lot of people don't like the packaging for the OG Naked palette and find it a bit flimsy, but I think it's better because it has a flap that means I can open and close it in the blink of an eye rather than fiddling about with its clickable successors. I love this palette more and more with each passing day, but from my experience, two pairings really work and cover basically any look I would go for on a regular basis: Naked and Buck or Toasted and Hustle. The first look is very natural and just adds the slightest definition, but it's perfect with lashings of mascara and a bold lip. The second is my standard shimmery pink/purple that I love. You can also play around and be adventurous with shades like Gunmetal and Halfbaked to get your smokey eye on. This is the palette I go to when I'm feeling bored with my look, but it's also really reliable and who knows how I'll feel whilst travelling?

Biggest Regret: Urban Decay Naked 2
This one is such a huge regret that I actually returned it only a couple weeks after purchasing it (hence no photo). There was a lot of fallout and the pigmentation wasn't anything like the other shadows in the Naked range. The shimmers were far too glittery and the mattes were quite difficult to blend.  Halfbaked can be found in the original Naked palette, Foxy is from the Naked Basics, Blackout is just your typical matte black found in most places, and Sin and Busted are v. similar to the Toasted/Hustle pair found in the original Naked. I feel like this is a good palette if you're quite experimental with smokey eyes but also really into the classic silver/black or gold/brown combos. It's a bit of a bore to me color-wise and a massive let down in terms of quality.

Best colour names: The Balm How 'Bout Them Apples
I don't know why this palette isn't all over the blogosphere as it's literally the funniest, cutest, most practical blush palette I've ever seen. It's marketed as a cheek and lip cream palette, but something about putting things on my cheeks after they've been on my mouth just worries me about breakouts and bad reactions. I've done a full post here so you can read all about it, but it's basically six different shades of blusher encompassing peaches, pinks, reds and a browny/mauve. The names are so clever as they all apply to apple-related foods like cobbler and pie. Plus, there are some pretty hilarious half-naked cowboys by each shade and they just make my LOL every time.

Most Used: Urban Decay Naked 3
I genuinely can't say enough about the Naked 3 palette. It's the most beautiful and perfect arrangement of shades for me as I really love the look of pinks and purples. Limit and Nooner are such beautiful mattes and I love pairing the two together to get a neutral look that isn't your typical nude pairing. Blackheart is a seriously gorgeous and unique black with red shimmer running through and I wish I could pull off an all-over black look every day just to wear it. I have also been searching for a beautiful shimmery copper shade and Trick is the one. Dust is a bit of a fallout nightmare, but it works nicely when you press your finger into the shadow and pat it over your lid. The most surprising thing for me is that my favorite look of all comes from Liar and Factory - sometimes I even throw in Mugshot on the outer V and line the lids with Darkside to get this gorgeous purpley/taupe-toned smokey eye that isn't too in your face and can go with a lot of different looks. I can't stay away from this palette for too long and it's probably the only Naked palette I would actually repurchase without thinking twice.

Most Loved: Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eyeshadow Pallete the Dolce Vita
I almost left this question out because of my Naked 3 palette, but then I remembered there is one I love as much, if not more than the Naked 3, and that's Charlotte Tilbury's Dolce Vita. I lusted after this gem for months before my mother and I worked out a plan to make the purchase without feeling totally guilty about dropping $52 on four eye shadows. Look at the packaging, the shade choices and fall in love. Then, actually use the shadows and make the commitment to spend the rest of your life with this palette, for better or worse. I'm not a fan of champagne shades and I really love this one as it's more of a pearlescent pinky tone that looks lovely and subtle all over the lid. Then hit the crease and line the upper and lower lids with your brick red-brown and just try to continue living life because you won't even be able to deal with how perfect and unique this shade is and then you're going to want to cry because you just want a bucket full of this one eyeshadow to last you your whole life but you only have this tiny little square. When you get over that, you move on to the matte brown and I'll be honest, it's just a matte brown that's a bit too dark in my opinion, but wet a liner brush and swap it out for your inky black and the look is really put together. OH WAIT then you have a gold glitter that you press your finger into and pat all over your lid and now you're done and perfect. Was it worth the money? Yeah, and I would have paid loads more.

Well there's my mini collection of palettes. I'm missing a couple, but they obviously were not worth the mention. Which palettes make your list? Xx S.