Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to purchase additional eye shadow palettes. There are quite a few in my collection. And they are, for the most part, neutrals.
Well, that just about sums it up as to why I’ll keep purchasing more neutral eye shadow palettes!! I’m weak. In fact, I AM the weakest link!
The first pricey eye shadow palette I ever purchased was Urban Decay’s Naked 2. This was, and still remains one of my favorites—but after receiving a pandering and condescending email from Urban Decay after I inquired why they don’t use older women in their ads, I divorced myself from further purchases of the brand. Too bad because their eye makeup is great. But I’m stubborn. Urban Decay no longer gets my Benjamins.
I’ve hit pan on most of these shadows and I’m so ticked off that Urban Decay was so condescending to me. I’m no longer a customer. It goes against my ethics to buy product from a company that is clearly not mature woman friendly! But the shadows are so beautiful!
My favorite palette is Mally’s Nude Attitude. I have a backup-in-waiting, just as the royal women have ladies-in-waiting. I’ve hit pan on so many of the shadows that I will be reaching for that backup in the very near future. Again—a palette of beautiful neutrals.
My Nude Attitude. I have a backup and am thinking of purchasing another backup for the backup because I know this baby will be discontinued. The story of my life!!! And since this photo was taken, I’ve hit pan on about five more shadows in this palette!
I’m telling you, there are too many neutral eye shadows in my home!!!!!
So then, what would have me purchasing yet another eye shadow palette?
I’ll tell you what would—I was looking for a few peach-colored tones. I figured since I’m wearing lighter fake hair these days, perhaps I should add a bit of warmth to my eyes.
And off I went in search of the Too-Faced Sweet Peach palette. This palette has gotten a lot of love with reviewers—I figured it would be a decent buy. Until I got to Ulta and saw the price.
I’m sorry but $49 for an eyeshadow palette doesn’t do it for me anymore. Not for the paltry amount of shadow product. Still—the colors in the palette were so pretty and shimmery and tempting. Like Jesus in the desert during Lent, I had to walk away from that temptation.
Yeah. I know. This IS a beautiful palette. Truth be told, I’m not spending forty-nine bucks for it. Sorry not sorry!
I walked over to the “drug store” brand cosmetics at Ulta. It’s so funny. Ulta’s middle aisle is the railroad track of the store’s cosmetics neighborhood. That middle aisle divides the cosmetics house into the “good” side of town, being the higher end cosmetics; and the “bad” side of town, being the lower-end cosmetics. I happen to like the bad side of town—just call me the tramp of Ulta’s wrong side of the tracks.
And then I spotted it. An end display with an opened palette. The palette was loaded with peach shadows and browns and coppers. Oh. It was a display of Morphe cosmetics’ eye shadow palettes!
I passed on the Jacklyn Hill palette and went straight to the Morphe 350 Nature Glow palette. It spoke to me. It said. “Hey–lady, buy me” and I did!
Now—I don’t know how familiar you are with Morphe cosmetics but for some time now, every “big” reviewer on YouTube pontificates the greatness of this brand. I honestly don’t know if its because they are getting free booty or because the brand actually has good stuff.
A while back I ordered an inexpensive set of brushes from Morphe and I wasn’t very impressed. The brushes were good but they weren’t Holy Grail status. Don’t get me wrong, I use them but the way some of these vloggers were talking about the brushes, I thought they were multi-tasking and using them as vibrators or something!
I think I may have paid about twelve dollars for this brush set. I can’t remember. They are good. Not the greatest but they are good.
The eyeshadow palette was intriguing because compared to the hefty $49 price tag on the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette, this Number 350 Palette was a bargain at $23!! Besides—Tati, my favorite YouTube beauty guru loves this palette. And I love Tati. Let’s just say Tati made me buy it!
The palette is “Tati” approved. Need I say more? Look at her makeup. It’s perfect!
Not only did I purchase the palette, but I also spent an extra six bucks on a brush for blending shadows in the crease of the eyelid. Why not—right??
Morphe’s M441 Brush. It is excellent!
This brush is excellent!! Fluffy and soft, it feels like a little pillow almost tickling the eyelid while doing a stellar job of blending without erasing!
My expectations were not high when I decided to use the palette. I didn’t expect good pigmentation and I was very, very surprised when my low expectations were proven wrong.
Here’s how it rolled on the day I was trying to achieve a golden look for my eyes!
Here’s the palette. The shadows don’t have any cute names like “president orange” or “gimme that copper penny” or “lets taupe about it” (wouldn’t I be great at naming eye shadows?). But–the selection is a great one of coppers, browns, and oranges.
I started off with a light color over the entire lid and up to the brow bone..
Then I went with an orange over the lids..
A brighter orange in the middle of my lids ….
And a lighter brown in the crease and I lightly lined my bottom lids with the same brown.
The oranges look nice, don’t they?
Another look at the finished eye.
Finished look. A nice eye look!
Another look from the palette. This was the day I went to Estetica.–Monday. I wanted to look pretty!
have to say—I’ve been using this palette all week and it’s great. This morning, I went with a very neutral look and a bit of shimmer.
I love the shadows I used today! I’m telling you, this palette is fun!!!
Here’s my casual look for today. I love the shimmer and the underplayed look. And I love the way the warm shadow tones go so well with my lighter fake hair!
My overall grade on this palette is A+. Thirty-five shadows are in this palette. All are a decent size. The shadows that I’ve used so far have all been very pigmented. There was no fallout on my eyes. The shadows stay put all day—and I don’t use an eye primer. At $23 USD, this is a great, great value.
If you find yourself at an Ulta that sells this or if you are on the Morphe website, check this palette out. Number 350 Nature Glow!
My grade for the fluffy blending brush is also A+. I know it sounds weird but as a non-makeup application expert, my blending skills basically suck and this brush has done a great job for me and at six bucks I may get another for my travel kit!!
And YES!!! Older women CAN wear shimmery eye shadow!!!!!! I said so. Listen to me!
If you want to “see” my review you can watch it below. I made a YouTube video. If you like it, please subscribe. If I get more subscribers, I’ll be motivated to make more videos. Tee Hee!!!
Just found you last week and am so glad I did! (Even though you’re a youngster!! I’ll be 73 in 16 dsys, which is really quite unbelievable!!! Who, me?) Don’t think I’d ever wear oranges on my eyes though, but I LOVE that Malley palette and am going to try to find it. Mostly I’d love to know what lipstick you’re wearing in your “casual” photo. It’s gorgeous! (BTW, I ordered the Bronx Colors smokey eyeshadow palette from Ulta and expect it any day. Bronx Colors gets good reviews from bloggers but in the U.S. the only way you can get it is online through Ulta. Unless you’re a blogger in which case they’ll send you a lot apparently. Hint!)
OMG. tina! I’ve seen Bronx Colors and being a girl with relatives in The Bronx–I’m digging that company!! But the Mally palette–it’s just so absolutely beautiful. The shadows are close to perfection. I love them!!!! 73—you’re a teen ager!!!! XOXOXOXO!!!!
Teenager – HA!! Sometimes I feel like I’m 127! But mostly I feel no age – just me – unless my knees and back start reminding me! The Mally palette is $43 on Amazon and Utla is out and they don’t know if it’s going to come back. And please, beautiful Catherine, can you tell me the color of your lipstick? 🙂
Orange you glad you tried thar color haha! You are like me when Garnier discontinued their spray wax for men, yes I used it. I have short hair that is fine with natural curl. I keep it short and spikey and messy. However when it is warm and humid…humidity head appears!
So..anyway this was was my salvation this stuff gave me a bullet proof head! I called and pleaded with company among others NOPE Marketing said sales were lame I said you need a better Marketing team.
I beat them I scouted the internet and behold I found a source! 100 cans later yes I am ready for zombies but damn the hair will be awesome!!
I feel your pain when something good that a bazillion people use goes away. Grr!
I swear to God, Debe, I’m the discontinued Queen. It is just so …..well, so, it always happens to me!!! Why does this happen to us????? XOXOXOXO!!!
Reblogged this on LIFE STORY'S FROM LINCOLN.
Thank you for reposting!!!! XOXOXOXO!!!!
your welcome, fantastic post
Even though I only wear one type of eyeshadow on a regular basis, I am such a sucker for a good palette, I have a problem obviously!
My other problem is my eyeshadow of choice is the Chanel Ombre cream eyeshadows, they are so very expensive, yet so amazing. The only eyeshadow I can wear all day and not have it disappear into the creases of my eyes (even on 45 degree days here in Australia).
https://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/beauty/chanel-makeup/eyes-536577–1/493235200
There are HEAPS more colours than shown on that website (including an amazing terracotta orange), but this was easier to link than the actual Chanel site. And yes, that is $52AUS for a single eyeshadow!! And I have every colour (pretty much), but I stock up when I travel, I can get it about $35AUD duty free, and sometimes I can get colours that aren’t released in Australia overseas which is a bonus.
I don’t even use a brush, just smear it on with my finger 😀
Hi Q! Oh..I LOVE Chanel cosmetics. When Daniele was alive, her housekeeper had a relative who worked for Chanel cosmetics. No questions asked but I used to purchase the cosmetics from Daniele’s housekeeper for a very deep discount! I bought stuff for Oona too. Sadly those days are over–but like you, I’m into the Duty Free!!!! XOXOXOXO!!!!
I am enjoying your blogs, although I’ve never heard of most of those brands, but then I live in Canada. I would be happy if I could find a nice matte eye shadow. I hate the sparkly stuff on myself as I have deep set eyes and it just draws attention to it. But most mattes only come in beige/neutral palettes, and I do better with light grays and blues, just applied at the outer corners, as a Sephora artiste demonstrated to me once. Estee Lauder used to make shadows that had just a whisper of sheer color…..whenever I find a matte color I like it gets discontinued…..still it’s fun looking!
Thank you so much for enjoying my blog posts!! Don’t be a stranger!! Hmmmm…have you ever tried the Trish McEvoy shadows? I think she has some good mattes. Morphe has a website and many of their shadows are, in fact, mattes. The thing I find difficult with some matte shadows is that they can be ashy–that’s why it’s important to find the right ones. But you’re correct!! It IS still fun to look!!!! XOXOXOXO!!!!
Thanks Catherine….I’ll check it out! Joan
Anybody that says older women can’t wear shimmery shadows (or anything else they want to) can go suck it! Great reviews like always ❤️❤️
Thanks Puffy!!! Right??? I love my shimmer!!! XOXOXOXO!!!!
Hi, the Morphe palette looked just like one I bought here in Tasmania – I looked and it is just the same but mine is “Crush Cosmetics” on the lid. I love mine and it was a VERY reasonable price, some of my palette are matte and some shimmer. They had other colour palettes and I think I will get another one, they are so intense in colour. I am enjoying your blog posts and also the YouTube videos.That Chippy! He always seems to photo bomb or video bomb you!
Catherine, I have found that powdered eye shadows do not work well for me anymore with my eyelid droop and dryer skin. Have you use crayons before or other creamy eye shadows and, if so, how did you like them? I do not have big eyes as you do, and with the droop on my eyelids, it is hard to use more than one color. And the creamy ones seem to show up better on me. But boy I would love to try that palette out!
No way can I wear orange. My hats off to you for trying. I’m a lavender natural color person. I’m probably the only person that doesn’t own the Urban Decay Palette. But I’m hitting pan on my Laura Mercier Artist Palette so may have to get another one. I’ll check out your Morphe ones at Ulta. Fun seeing your experiments.