A Year in Palettes (Part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of this awful guilt trip where I expose the darkest depths of my soul in the hope that someone will help me one day. I decided to try and break this post down, primarily so that I didn't bore anyone too much and so that I could actually finish this complete marathon.

After publishing part 1, I felt like I'd been to confession. I don't think that anyone forgave me for being such a pushover when it came to buying make up, but it has kind of opened my eyes to my spending habits as well as what I already own to see me through this year and hopefully sway me away from buying so much excess eyeshadow in 2019.

Our total cost from part 1 came to a pretty frightening £328, considering two of those palettes were a gift I can feel it getting a little hot in here. I had no idea what kind of figure I was going to see at the end of this post, and while I did receive discount (I can be savvy when I want to) I feel like that would almost cover the cost of other bits of make up purchased in the year that haven't recieved a mention.

Onwards with the torture!

Next we have the Born to Run palette which was the big launch for Urban Decay over the summer. This was actually gifted to me by Urban, so we're off to a good start in terms of keeping the cost down! The general idea behind this palette is great as UD noticed the trend that a lot of YouTube gurus and customers were using several palettes and singles to achieve one look. They designed this palette as an all-in-one so you could literally take this palette travelling and not feel the need to bring another six palettes with you. I think they did a pretty good job overall.

I can see why they have decided to release miniature versions of this palette as it does have a lot of potential, and the mini collection does remind me of their Feminine, Dangerous and Fun Palettes is the past. This palette is also great value in comparison to a Naked palette which retails at £39.50 for 12 eyeshadow shades including a dual ended brush, whereas the BTR palette is the same price but for 21 shades. The pans may be smaller, but anyone who has used Urban Decay know that it takes some real elbow grease to pan these bad boys.

Total Cost: Freeeeee

How Do I Feel Now?

More warm shades? I'm really hoping the trend of warm oranges and pinks keeps up in 2019 seeing as I'm stocked up for life at this point. This is still a gorgeous palette and I will reach for it on my more relaxed make up days when I just want a wash of colour on the lid. It's a very handy palette to have in the collection, but I'm not sure I would have bought it for myself? It's a permanent edition to the UD family which kind of removes the FOMO knowing I could get it whenever I wanted, and there's not really a shade in there that I've not owned similar before in the Heat Palette or a classic Naked.

That being said, I know I will still use this palette and will always recommend it to anyone who doesn't know what palette to buy. It's a great purchase for those who are just dabbling in eyeshadow or as a fantastic introduction palette to the brand. Like the less bulky version of a book of shadows or vice, as well as more wearable.

Okay so this was technically a Christmas gift, but I feel like I needed to break up the Urban/KVD fest this was turning into. For the first time in years I got make up for Christmas, all because Beauty Bay decided to do their Black Friday 30% everything sale. I wanted to get this palette originally when it launched and my Area Manager dunked my head in cold water and told me no (I talked her into Venus XL to be honest, I was being excessive).

I already own the Venus 2 and XL, and loved their formula and to be able to get this one at such a steal seemed like a no brainer. This is another palette which has a different vibe from others in my previous post, it's a lot softer and more dream like, the closest palette I had to it would be the Kristen Leanne Daydream palette which has a similar vibe. However this palette contains some gorgeous foiled shades as well as satin shimmers which I clearly could not resist.

So that this post doesn't become some kind of freebie free for all, I will include the cost of my Venus XL as I did actually purchase that palette in 2018 but could not resist its siren call and have used pretty religiously since it arrived.

Cost: Some More Love (Gift) Venus XL £45

How Do I Feel Now?

I'm still glad I have this palette, I feel like Lime Crime are pretty good at staying ahead of the current trends and I have no doubt that every other brand will bring out something similar in 2019, the Lolita palette has already launched by this point to prove mine. The mattes are going to get a good work out from me and I cannot wait to get foiling with 'Beam' and 'Heavenly' seeing as I don't think they'll be bringing their original eye foils back any time soon.

As for the Venus XL 2, I'll most likely give it a miss at this point in time.

Okay so I may have cheated with this one and used it just a scooch. However I'm so glad that I did, otherwise I'm not sure what I would have written about this palette other than the price was right and the lettering on the box was pretty badass.

I was convinced to pull this one out on Christmas Eve after watching a tutorial from a colleague using it, and I was blown away by the look he had created. The pigmentation on such a budget brand has me wondering what I've been missing out on these last few years, since the last time I used a drugstore powders I found them to be chalky and wishy washy. One of the most shocking things I found in this palette was the amazing quality of the black eyeshadow, which I think most of us know is like rocking horse shit even when it comes to the high end brands. There's something magical about finding a decent matte black shade, like scissors gliding through wrapping paper.

I'm not sure how I feel about the pans being removable just yet, unless you can replace the eyeshadows that are already in there. I think it would forever bug me if there was a different shade from what was originally there. On the other hand it is also the biggest build your own palette I have ever owned, and if their other shades are equal quality then I've struck gold.

Total Cost: £10

How Do I Feel Now?

This palette was originally an impulse buy, but I'll never look back. Again it's more warm tones and nudes, but for the price this is an absolute gem. I'm not a big follower of Belle Jorden, but I hope she's really proud of this product compared to some of the the other influencer products we saw launch last year. This is a quality palette that has opened my eyes to budget beauty being completely worth it. For those wondering what tutorial I was talking about, you can watch it here.

Next is one of my most loved palettes despite mine being completely unused (perks of the job, ha!). The quality of these shadows compared to the other Naked palettes is a chasm and while I'm hoping UD are planning to reformulate the other shades, it's highly unlikely as 2018 was the year they announced the death of the original Naked.

Cherry was always deemed late to the party when it came to the pink palette trend, with brands like Huda beauty, Anastasia Beverly Hills and Charlotte Tilbury already boasting their pink babies. However I still find this palette is the best value for money and the highest quality of eyeshadow I believe Urban Decay have ever produced. Once again the brush provided has raised the bar for what I expect with high end palettes, and I genuinely want to marry and have kids with the shade 'Bang Bang'.

One of the main bits of feedback I heard about this palette was the lack of red, which I always found laughable. Red cherries should be left in emojis and those little grim jars behind a bar (or on a bakewell tart). Point being that nuclear red cherries are not real people; get over it.

Total Cost: Freeeeeeee

How Do I Feel Now?

I know everyone else is already over the pink revolution, I'm still pretty excited though. This palette is amazing quality and basically did all the work for me when I was working on clients, it also means I get to bust out that beautiful brush (I'm pretty sure I have a fetish for fluffy blenders that I can't let go of).

A later edition we have is the Beauty Daydreamer palette from Too Faced cosmetics. This palette won me over at work with how teeny tiny the pans are, which for someone who clearly has a problem with eyeshadow is ideal because at least I can pan this much faster. I'm wondering if more brands should come out with taster palettes at Christmas to save on the wastage and so that the customer can see what they'll actually use most of?

This set came with a minature BTS mascara, which I have already been using after one frantic morning where I needed some lashes and couldn't find my Perversion. I know there are people out there that literally live and breathe the BTS mascara but I just don't get it personally, it makes my lashes crispy and doesn't do a lot for me unless I really pile it on. Along with the mascara there was a nude gloss which was a handy edition for my dried up raisin lips. Nothing amazing, but not anything I wouldn't use.

I've not had a lot of Too Faced products but have actually invested in some lip colours from them recently which have definitely blown my mind. I was a huge fan of the Gold Chocolate Bar palette which formula was miles away from the Bon Bon palette that was just so very disappointing in terms of performance despite having some gorgeous shades.

Total Cost: £34

How Do I Feel Now?

I adore the bag design but I'm under no illusion that it will only come out once in a blue moon when I go somewhere. When the palette is in the bag there isn't a whole heap of room for much else either. I'm looking forward to a few of the shades in the eyeshadow section, 'Resting Grinch Face' in particular which is a gorgeous green duochrome. I'm also interested to try the face powder as I've never really tried anything other than the previously mentioned palettes and lip products. All I can hope for is that it's not another dud like the Bon Bon palette. So overall I'm happy but I'm wary.

Finally we reach the final palettes purchased in 2018, and these have to be the most satisfying in terms of packaging. If you're here to rant to me about what I think you are, then feel free, but my stance on the issue was made clear in one of my previous posts if you'd like to have a read.

I purchased this palette before realising that my friend had actually left the brand and was hoping she'd talk me through the palette. Unfortunately I was given pretty much no help by the counter staff that remained, so I doubt I'll be purchasing anything from the Manchester counter anymore. Anyone who is spending this much on make up deserves a luxury experience, or at the very least some basic service which I didn't see a lick of. I don't have time for attitudes.

As a piece these palettes are stunning to look at, and I did end up getting the face palette in the sale as an impulse purchase a few weeks after the eyeshadow palette and I think I actually like the face palette more? I've certainly found more use for it, despite the huge range of colours in the eye palette.

I'm once again entranced by the chonky looking shimmer shades and expect they'll need some heavy duty foiling to avoid excessive fallout. I feel like for a Christmas palette the colours were very toned down, whereas the naming was downright scandalous. Personally I love the whole vibe of this collection, but fully understand why people were clutching their pearls in horror at the overall theme. It is extremely sexual, although I'm not sure what else anyone was expecting from a palette named Fetish?

Total Cost: £89

How Do I Feel Now?

I think after the big backlash against Kat it did make me feel wary in my purchase, however she did clear that statement up. As someone who was due to be a mother at the time the emotion of it all was very raw, but people wishing death on her baby was completely despicable and I'm not aligning myself with people like that. While I'm no longer a super fan like before, I'm glad I made this purchase, these palettes are so gorgeous in their design (when have you ever seen stitching on a palette case before!?) and the shades are more muted in the eyeshadows which gives them that grungy edge I do adore. I've already tucked into the face palette and I'm adoring the usual highlighters and even the blushes look amazing.

So there we have it, my crazy 2018 time capsule of make up! I can see an obvious trend of warmer eyeshadow that I think we can all agree was popular throughout last year, and I now have enough pink and orange to keep me going until my final days. I can safely say there is no shade that I will feel I'm missing out on, I have the whole spectrum in here.

The overall spend across both of these posts is:

£506

Some of you might be gasping in shock, others are probably thinking that isn't too bad (I know I'm relieved to see my spend was under £1000). I think by keeping these palettes back it did help me feel a little bit more guilty about my purchases, as well as what I already owned in terms of current and awaiting products. Would I do it again? Probably yes. Would there be as much? Probably not. What I did enjoy was the almost Christmas like feeling of getting all these palettes out and fawning over them all over again, I feel inspired again!

I think my aim for this year is to focus on not purchasing so many eyeshadow palettes due to hype, or at least trying a few more brands out there as I clearly have a pattern of purchase which is a little bit repetitive. I think in order to excite me, a palette needs to be on par with my excitement for the Venus XL which never even saw the tomb, that bad boy was used straight away.

Would you guys ever try this challenge?