Saturday, January 16, 2021

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Eyeshadow palettes have been my favourite makeup product, and will always be - so they always get the most focus on the blog! I always try to review or swatch all the palettes I get picked because it's important to share what's good and what's not! 

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!
The Pixi and Catrice palettes were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

I picked up 23 new palettes throughout 2020 - most I purchased myself, some came in subscription boxes, a few were received as PR samples, and one was a gift! 

It was actually really hard to go through and get an exact ranking, but I think I've got it pretty spot on. Sadly, I'm hoping in 2021 to be a little smarter about my choices, because I actually decluttered 7 of the palettes I picked up this year - yikes! 

But, I actually picked up 2 palettes at the end of the year that I couldn't try in time for this post, so I'm leaving them out of the ranking:

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Nabla Ruby Lights Glitter Palette ~ $36.50 US or € 24,00This four-colour eyeshadow quad contains intense, magnetic shadows that have a chameleon finish. With one swipe, the intense glitter formula delivers ultimate colour pay off that shifts and reflects under light. The super soft formula has minimal fall-out and doesn’t require a primer or glitter glue.

Nabla Side By Side Nude Palette ~ $55.75 US or € 39,90This sixteen-colour palette has all the soft, neutral tones you need to take your look to the next level. Featuring a range of mattes, foils, and shimmers, each shadow has a silky soft formula that buffs and blends onto the lid for a seamless finish.

Both of these palettes are lovely - I got them in the Nabla Trendmood Box at the end of November, and I just haven't tried them yet! I hope to use them soon and review all the Nabla products I picked up in the box! 

For the remaining 21 palettes, I will share them from Top to Bottom - here are all 21 palettes I tried this year in order from best to worst: 

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Natasha Denona Triochrome Eyeshadow Palette ~ $170.00 CAN. A palette with three different pressed-pigment, multi-chrome shades in the center of each row and their complementary tones to complete a makeup look.

This is one of the newer palettes in my collection - it came out towards the end of the year, but I feel like I have talked about this palette so much since I got it, because I love it! It's got a beautiful purple, green, light colour story with 3 multichrome shadows and it's a 15 pan palette. You can see swatches and three looks with this palette if you are interested in seeing my review post; but, this also made my Best of 2020 Makeup Post, so you knew it was going to be my favourite of the whole year! 

Kaleidos Cosmetics Futurism VII: Sashimi City Eyeshadow Palette ~ $24.00 US. Dynamic, cosmopolitan salmon delicacies. Saunter down a lively boulevard and soak up the vibe while indulging in renowned specialties. Includes four muted mattes, one sumptuous multichrome, and one savory sparkling duochrome.

This was the only other eyeshadow palette that was on my Best of Makeup 2020, so it should be no surprise that this is in the number 2 spot on this list! I really wanted to try Kaleidos Cosmetics this year and I couldn't resist when they released a neutral palette, and it's lovely! You can see a whole post with this palette swatched with a makeup look! The formula is lovely - the mattes are super soft and blendable - the shimmers are pretty, more topper shades, but they are so pretty and wear so well! 

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

ColourPop The Child Shadow Palette ~ $16.00 US. This monochromatic olive green palette features a range of finishes from matte, metallic, and our iconic Super Shock formula. Create the cutest looks in the galaxy with the fun olives, golds, and neutral tones.

Yes, I only picked this up because it was Baby Yoda, but it is actually a fantastic palette - it's a neutrally green palette, which isn't a colour story I normally reach for, but I love the shades in this palette. You can see the shadows swatched and a look on my original post here! Also, the formula is lovely on these shadows and I was very impressed with this one! 

Pat McGrath Labs Eye Ecstasy Subversive Palette ~ $38.00 CAN. A curated collection of five cult-classic shades unlock the secrets of McGrath's backstage kit in hues and texture that apply in a single saturated swipe. These hybrid cream-infused powder formulations release infinitely smooth and extremely blendable pigments for seamless color transitions with unprecedented buildability. 

This is such a stunning palette - these are all creamy, pigmented shadows are the formula is fantastic! It's certainly not a stand alone palette, but it's lovely for lid and accent shades and these wear so well! You can see swatches here

Marc Jacobs Beauty Eye-Conic Elec-trick Palette ~ $65.00 CAN. Limited edition holiday palette that features seven shades with three mattes one satin, and three metallic/sparkly shades.

So, this was a limited edition palette that came out for holidays 2019 and my friend gifted this to me - it's a lovely taupey, mauvey and pink palette with some gorgeous shimmers in it! Personally, I love this colour range and it's not what I typically reach for and the formula of this palette is so lovely! The mattes are so creamy and smooth and blend so well on the eyes and the metallics are so gorgeous and look so good on! You can see swatches of this palette here

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Too Faced Papaya Pop Eye Shadow Palette ~ $42.00 CAN. Indulge in this fresh and juicy eye shadow palette full of vibrant, high-intensity shades with extreme colour payoff. Buttery-soft textures offer ultra-pigmented, one-swipe color in a bold, revolutionary formula you have to feel to believe. It's like the ultimate tropical vacation in a palette. 

I loved the previous Too Faced Tutti Fruitti palettes, so when I saw the announcement of the Papaya Pop palette, I had to have it! This was a really weird release and this was only released on a weird website for months that didn't ship to Canada (HSN or something), and this was finally released on the Too Faced website - the first time it shipped to me, it didn't make it, so it also took quite a while once I did order it to get. But, once I got it, it was very worth it - these palettes are probably Too Faced's best formula - the division of mattes and shimmers were lovely, and the corals and purples and yellow are lovely - there is even a duochrome! And it's scented and lovely! You can see my swatch and look post here

Catrice Insta Bae Eyeshadow Palette ~ $16.99 CAN. You were born to be a #star! This Instagram inspired palette will get you glammed up and ready for that #selfie in no time! The Catrice Insta Bae Eyeshadow Palette contains 12 intensely pigmented eyeshadows in bronzy-golden shades with a variety of matte and metallic-shimmer finishes.

Catrice is a brand that really impressed me in 2020 - there formulas have been some of my favourites and their eyeshadow palettes are no exception. They are affordable and the formula is fantastic! The mattes are blendable and the shimmers are stunning - very pigmented and they last a long time! This is a warm, shimmery palette. The only downfall is it could have benefited from a few more mattes as it was hard to create full looks with mostly shimmers. You can check out swatches and a look with this palette here!  

e.l.f. Cosmetics Bite Sized Shadow Palette in Cream & Sugar ~ $3.00 US (or $4.00 CAN). Eyeshadow palettes that deliver mini eye magic in a perfect size. The luxe formula is creamy, blendable, & ultra-pigmented. 

I had heard mixed reviews about these bite sized eyeshadow palettes, but I thought the formula was really good! The mattes blend nicely and the shimmers look lovely! I like the quads, and this one was great with a light and dark matte and 2 shimmers in it! It's an easy neutral palette and it is nice and easy to use. You can see this palette in a look and swatched on me here

Pat McGrath Eye Ecstasy Sublime Palette ~ $38.00 CAN. A curated collection of five cult-classic shades unlock the secrets of McGrath's backstage kit in hues and texture that apply in a single saturated swipe. These hybrid cream-infused powder formulations release infinitely smooth and extremely blendable pigments for seamless color transitions with unprecedented buildability.

This is a more neutral palette compared to the Eye Ecstasy Subversive palette, but I had to try this because I loved the other palette! The formula is great on this too, but only 4 of the 5 shadows are the creamy shimmer formula and the other is a very deep shimmery matte that just isn't something I will use. The shades are nice in this one, but a little more common! You can see swatches of this palette here

Catrice Self-Made Bae Palette ~ $16.99 CAN. Self-Made BAE YASS, QUEEN, you were born to shine with Catrice's Instagram inspired palette featuring 12 intensely pigmented eyeshadows in deep berry and earthy shades with matte and shimmering finishes.

This is a pretty palette - again, the formula of the Catrice shadows are nice! This one is a little lower, because it's more berry toned and a little deeper, so I use it a little less. It's also a little heavy in the shimmer department, but it is still a very pretty palette! You can see my original post with a look and swatches here

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Pixi Beauty Eye Effects in Hazelnut Haze ~  $22.00 US. A selection of gorgeous super silky shadows come in a portable compact to help create any look needed, day or night. Flattering and versatile, this palette will be a must-have to take with you wherever you go!

This is a really pretty, earthy toned eyeshadow - these shadows are really pretty, and quite a creamy formula for a powder palette. I like the shades in this palette and it's easy to use and work with! You can see my swatches and looks with the Pixi palettes here

e.l.f. Cosmetics Bite Sized Shadow Palette in Rose Water ~ $3.00 US (or $4.00 CAN). Eyeshadow palettes that deliver mini eye magic in a perfect size. The luxe formula is creamy, blendable, & ultra-pigmented. 

This was just as good of a formula as the Cream & Sugar palette; but, the difference is the deepest shade has shimmer in it and it's quite deep, so it's a little harder to work with, but it's still really pretty and the medium shimmer shade is so gorgeous! You can see this palette in a look and swatched on me here

Pixi Beauty Eye Effects in Rosette Ray ~ $22.00 US (Waiting on CAN price). A selection of gorgeous super silky shadows come in a portable compact to help create any look needed, day or night. Flattering and versatile, this palette will be a must-have to take with you wherever you go!

This is the same formula as the Hazelnut Haze, I just reach for the colour story of that one a little more - this one is really pretty with the berry tones. The formula is really nice and the shadows are satiny and smooth - they are easy to work with and look nice on! You can see my swatches and looks with the Pixi palettes here

Wet n Wild Ice Cream Bee Shadow Palette ~ $8.99 US. I scream, you scream, even our queen bee screams for wet n wild’s new Ice Cream Bee Shadow Palette! With a deliciously buzzworthy lineup of 16 creamy pastel shades, you’ll have all the attention swarming around the amazing looks you’ll create with this shadow palette! The buttery-smooth formula is comfortable and long lasting, and the rich, high-payoff pigments blend seamlessly with a soft glide application.

This is the last of the palettes that I kept from the whole year and it just sneaked in - I really haven't used this a ton. It's a pretty bright Spring or Summer palette and that's when I will get the most use out of this, so I can see how it really preforms. You can see the swatches of this palette here

So, those are the 14 palettes that I tried this year that I kept, are here are the 7 palettes that I tried this year that I decluttered (and they are still in order from best to worst):

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Storybook Cosmetics Robin Hood Palette ~ $35.00 US. This is magical palette was created exclusively in partnership with BoxyCharm. Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Robin Hood, Feauturing a custom mini hardcover storybook with 6 pigmented matte and metallic eyeshadows. The cruelty-free, long wear, buttery smooth shadow formula can be used wet or dry. Mix and match to concoct your favorite Fairy Tale look.

I didn't declutter this until December and I did use it quite a few times - the formula of this one was pretty good and I liked the shades included in this palette. But, after getting the ColourPop The Child palette, I loved the formula and it had a lot of greens, so this felt a little repetitive to me and I liked the other formulas better! (You can see it swatched here if you are interested!)

Urban Decay Stoned Vibes Mini Eyeshadow Palette ~ $33.00 CAN. This mini palette features all-vegan eyeshadows designed for attracting good vibes. Use your fingers with the three ultra-creamy, marbleized shimmers to build up more color payoff—these shades are infused with real tourmaline crystals. The high-pigment satin and matte shades are super-velvety and blendable.

I just posted about this palette the other day (you can see swatches and a look here), but I did use it in December and decided to declutter it then! This formula just wasn't really great - the deep matte was a little stiff and the marbleized shimmers creased and didn't last on me. 

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Natasha Denona Camel Eyeshadow Palette ~ $63.00 CAN. An eyeshadow palette with a range of five versatile, nude shades.

I actually really love the Natasha Denona formula, so when I got this in my last Beautylish Lucky Bag, I was really excited. But, this palette didn't have a lot of variety (you can see it swatched for yourself) - two of the five shadows were very similar, and the deepest matte isn't that different. So, even though the formula was nice, I wasn't reaching for this at all (I even have mini Natasha Denona neutral palettes that I was reaching for me), so I decluttered it in September! 

Storybook Cosmetics Red Riding Hood Palette ~ $35.00 US. This is magical palette was created exclusively in partnership with BoxyCharm. Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood Feauturing a custom mini hardcover storybook with 6 pigmented matte and metallic eyeshadows. The cruelty-free, long wear, buttery smooth shadow formula can be used wet or dry. Mix and match to concoct your favorite Fairy Tale look.

This was not nearly as good as the Robin Hood palette - the colour story wasn't really red theme and the only red was a weird satin red that didn't look good. The shadows were not cohesive and they weren't great quality either. Sadly, I didn't love this and I decluttered it in September.

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Physicians Formula Rose All Play Eyeshadow Bouquet ~ $21.49 CANA palette of 12 gleaming eyeshadows to adorn your eyes in richly-pigmented shades that melts into the skin. Carefully selected in easy-to-use combinations to transform your eye look for any occasion - Finishes range from gleaming shimmers, flattering mattes, to second-skin satins.

I was so drawn to this palette at the beginning of the year - the shadows were so pretty, with the marbleized shimmers and the mattes and satins with the roses in it! Really fit the theme, but these shadows were pretty mediocre. The mattes weren't very blendable at the deeper shades were quite patchy, while the shimmers were fairly sheer. It wasn't a terrible formula, but it wasn't great - you can see swatches and a look on me with this palette here!  

Wander Beauty Wandress Fling Eyeshadow Palette ~ $33.00 CAN. This array of flirty, beautiful eye shadow colors delivers intense payoff that lasts all day. An intensely pigmented eyeshadow palette with a range of six buttery eyeshadows for a fun and flirty spring look. 

I'm always a fan of mini eyeshadow palettes - I love six pans; but, I knew right away when I got this in a Tribe Beauty Box, that it wasn't quite for me. They were all super light shadows with only 1 matte and 5 shimmers and foils (you can see it swatched on me here!) I decluttered both of these in February.

And, I saved the worst for last:

Ranking All The Eyeshadow Palettes I Tried In 2020!

Hot Topic The Nightmare Before Christmas Jack & Sally Love is Eternal Eyeshadow Palette ~ $16.90 US. Jack and Sally's love is eternal just like your love of makeup. This eyeshadow palette will be sure to give you the perfect spooky, smokey eye. There are 5 shimmery and 7 matte shades, each with their own The Nightmare Before Christmas-inspired name.

If you saw my Worst of Beauty 2020 post, then you saw this coming - this was a terrible eyeshadow palette - you can see the swatches and me attempting to try this palette on my eyes here to see for yourself! It's probably the worst palette that I've ever tried. The shadows were not pigmented at all, they didn't blend and they were so patchy and awful. So bad! 

What were your favourite palettes that you tried in 2020?! 

2 comments :

  1. thanks for the review! some great palettes! Going to check out the Pixie ones

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    Replies
    1. So many great palettes - and Catrice and Pixi are great drugstore options!

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