bareMinerals The Power of Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette
bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette ($40.00 for 0.28 oz.) contains eight eyeshadows with a neutral color-scheme. They’re part of the bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow range, which means they’re supposed to have rich color with 12-hour long-wear. I wore several shades from the palette, and they wore well for ten hours, but after a full twelve hours, there was some very slight fading. Generally, all of the eyeshadows had good color payoff and were very soft and smooth to the touch–so a couple of shades were just a smidgen powdery but did not look that way on the lid or sheer out too easily.
Boss Lady is described as a “shimmer bronze.” (That’s what the website says, but I think it’s a mistake.) It’s a pale, light peachy-beige with a satin finish and subtle warm undertones. It had excellent color payoff and a soft, smooth texture. theBalm Matt Smith is less shimmery. L’Oreal Promiscuous Pearl is more shimmery. theBalm Adagio is more matte. Urban Decay Anonymous is similar. MAC Phloof is cooler-toned, more shimmery. Dior Fairy Golds #1 is more shimmery. bareMinerals Serendipitous is warmer. Inglot #352 is lighter. See comparison swatches.
Moneymaker is described as a “dusty olive.” It’s a deepened but subdued khaki brown with the merest hint of green and a mostly matte finish. The color payoff was nice, and the texture was soft and finely-milled. theBalm Lead Zeppelin is more shimmery, warmer. Urban Decay Snare is grayer, more shimmery. Dior Khaki Design #1 is darker. Burberry Khaki is warmer, lighter. bareMinerals Utopia is much greener. Make Up For Ever #47 is also much greener. Make Up For Ever #148 is warmer, lighter. See comparison swatches.
Schmooze is described as a “bronze sheen.” It’s a medium-dark bronze brown with a subtle warm, golden champagne shimmer and sheen. The color payoff was fantastic, and the texture had a really soft, buttery feel. Edward Bess Cosmic Bliss #2 is warmer. theBalm Stand-offish is lighter. Urban Decay Spotlight is similar. MAC Cactus Thorn is warmer. Burberry Pale Barley is similar. See comparison swatches.
Boardroom is described as a “deep chocolate.” It’s a dark brown with subtle red undertones and a matte finish. This was the “worst” shade in the palette, as it was a bit dry and stiff compared to the others. The color payoff, as a result, was only so-so, but it does apply better with a fluffier brush and wasn’t difficult to blend out with a brush. Urban Decay Muse is more shimmery. MAC Midnight Flurry is similar. MAC Dance in the Dark is darker. MAC Showstopper is not as warm-toned. MAC Diamond Dove is similar. bareMinerals Foreshadow is also similar. Inglot #363 is lighter. Inglot #326 is warmer. See comparison swatches.
Exec is described as a “polished slate.” It’s a medium taupe with a satin-matte finish–there’s a very hint of sheen but it’s so subtle that it ends up looking more matte. It had nice pigmentation and felt very smooth and soft. MAC Bossa Blue is darker, warmer. Disney Midnight Hour #4 is darker. Disney Kill Joy is similar. Urban Decay Mushroom is darker, more shimmery. MAC Electroplate is cooler-toned. See comparison swatches.
Payday is described as a “light granite.” It’s a pale beige with a gray cast and a mostly matte finish. It had good color payoff and a soft, smooth texture. MAC Rainy Season is very similar. Inglot #350 is cooler-toned. bareMinerals Suspense is darker. See comparison swatches.
Magnate is described as a “nude peach.” It’s a warm-toned, beige-peach with a satin finish. It’s warmer than Boss Lady and slightly darker. Kat Von D Vespertine is brighter. Urban Decay ABC Gum is darker. NARS Night Star is similar. NARS Biarritz is more beige. bareMinerals Stealth is slightly darker and more orange. Inglot #390 is similar, slightly more beige. See comparison swatches.
Get Ahead is described as a “rustic taupe.” It’s a subdued, medium-dark brown with a hint of gray and mostly matte finish. It had good color payoff and applied smoothly and evenly. Kat Von D Wolf is darker. Urban Decay Bewitch is also darker. Urban Decay Faint is more yellow-toned. NARS Self Portrait 3 #1 is redder in tone. Make Up For Ever #17 is warmer, richer. Inglot #360 is warmer. Bobbi Brown Stone is very comparable. See comparison swatches.
The Power Neutrals
LELimited Edition. $40.00.
Boss Lady
LELimited Edition.
Moneymaker
LELimited Edition.
Schmooze
LELimited Edition.
Boardroom
LELimited Edition.
Exec
LELimited Edition.
Payday
LELimited Edition.
Magnate
LELimited Edition.
Get Ahead
LELimited Edition.
bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette
bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette
bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette
bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette
bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette
bareMinerals Boss Lady Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Boss Lady Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Moneymaker Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Moneymaker Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Schmooze Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Schmooze Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Boardroom Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Boardroom Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Exec Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Exec Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Payday Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Payday Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Magnate Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Magnate Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Get Ahead Eyeshadow
bareMinerals Get Ahead Eyeshadow
bareMinerals The Power Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette (Schmooze on inner lid,
Get Ahead on middle of lid, Moneymaker in outer crease, Exec above crease,
Bossy Lady on brow bone,
I know that this is a neutral palette but this is a complete snoozefest as far as I’m concerned. I’m a huge fan of the BM ready shadows but I think Leslie Blodget jumped a little too late on the nude/neutral eye palette bandwagon. Hopefully, their holiday line will be exciting!
maybe it’s a bit late but in general nude collections are good to have for those who are interested and every line should carry at least one
I agree! I think it would be foolish for BM to not put out at least one neutral palette!
I feel the same way! It’s nice, but so boring!
If bareMinerals could just chop this palette in half and sell me that cool-toned section as a quad, we’d be in some major business, haha. As it is, this is still very tempting – almost just for Exec alone! But then again, I need more neutral shadows like I need another hole in my head. 9_9
I love the look you did for this palette! FYI, I can’t get the glossovers to expand.
Hi Rachel!
There was a note in the post earlier that they weren’t working, but they have been working since 12:45pm!
I really like the colours in this palette, especially Schmooze!
Since Schmooze is similar to Burberry Pale Barley and that’s been discontinued, this palette might be worth picking up. Even if I only use half the shadows this is a no-brainer.
PALE BARLEY IS WHAT.
Okay, I researched this, and apparently it hasn’t been discontinued – they just ran out of stock (the shade was unexpectedly popular). Burberry Beauty is infamous for taking ages to restock and this time the restock date has been pushed back..So, its just a rumor.
http://gummyvision.com/gummyvision/2013/04/update-on-burberry-pale-barley-and.html
https://www.shesaidbeauty.com/gummyvision/blog/burberry-rumors-be-squashed-pale-barley-and-blossom-will-be-back-131127
Here’s my question, since there’s only $10 between this palette and the UD Naked 1 & 2 palettes, which one would you recommend buying. I’m a Bare Minerals lover at heart, but I’ve been eyeing the Naked 2 palette for awhile now.
Hey Brandi!
Naked 2 is a bit… bolder? in a way. These are subtler, more subdued neutrals and generally closer to neutral than warm or cool. The finishes on these are also less shimmery than UD, so I think if you prefer shimmer, you might prefer Naked 2!
It’s nice for those who don’t already have these colors. I like the look you created.
Unlike Sonia, I am just on the edge of my seat waiting for this to be available “in store” at Sephora in Canada (I’ve already left my name for them to phone me when it comes in!). I love neutrals and especially neutral palettes and I can always find room for one more, especially a great one like this!
I was excited when I saw it coming out, but my enthusiasm is a little dampened by the fact that 50% of the palette is warm-toned. Admittedly, that makes it well-balanced, but I wish there were more cool-toned neutral palettes out there. To date, Too Faced is the only one I’ve come across that has one. So many of them seem to lean neutral to warm. 🙁
@Veronica Have you considered the LORAC Pro palette?
Boardroom (the “chocolate brown”) is the only one that looks a bit too warm/red-toned for my liking, though swatched, it looks less so. It’s funny, I avoid most warm colours – orange toned or red toned shadows (things like MAC Saddle, Soft Brown, Motif or a whole lot of their other shadows) but I got BM’s The Star Treatment palette at Xmas and some of the warmer toned colours actually work nicely with my dark brown eyes. I’m thinking this palette will be perfect and I’ll use it a LOT (if the stores would just get it IN already!)
Huh.
You know, for a matte/satin palette of neutrals, this is actually pretty good. Looks much better than Urban Decay’s Naked Basics (oh wow! Four variants of off-white! Holy crap!).
Too funny! I was a bit conflicted about whether to get Naked Basics or not – so many reviews of it are pretty lukewarm, largely for the very reason you stated. But then I read some glowing “best thing EVER” reviews and think “gee, maybe I really do need this” but the sane part of my brain has prevailed and I’ve found it easier and easier to pass it by. The promise of a palette like Power of Neutrals makes it that much easier!
Right???!!!! You’d think that for a palette, more mid-toned shades would be thrown in. I was highly disappointed by the Naked Basics.
I love this palette! These are the types of shades I reach for on a day to day basis.
is it just me or do the colors on the back of the palette look NOTHING like the actual eyeshadow shade lol im not sure i like this, im a sucker for neutral palettes but these colors look a bit….muddy?
It’s not just you, Amanda. I finally got this palette (Sephora called to say it was in and I was there in a FLASH to pick it up). The sticker on the back is so way off, colourwise. I guess it’s the best they could do but if I’d only seen the photos of the back label, I’d never have bought this. Fortunately, the actual shadows are much nicer.
…huh. Y’know, it’s weird: I usually really, really like the look of bareMinerals palettes, and I’m crazy about neutrals, but this one just isn’t doing it for me. It seems a little (dare I say it?) too boring — all of the shades just seem a little blah when put together.
Oh well! Just one more thing I can skip on without regret 🙂 With all the other great neutral palettes out there (the ones with a little more mauve, burgundy, or olive green for interest), it’s not as if I’m at a loss for options!
Mauve! Burgundy! <3
aahhhhh! I actually picked this up RIGHT AWAY when I saw it online at sephora and it just arrived yesterday evening for me. I’m such a sucker for neutrals and palettes always offer the best bang for your buck. I have been dying to try baremineral eyeshadows and I figured this was the perfect palette to grab. so happy to see that it got such a good rating. thanks for the review christine<3!
Yay!! Hope you get a chance to wear it soon, Kimy!
Glad you reviewed this one, I’m such a HUGE fan of bareMinerals. I swatched this in store and though the texture and pigmentation was great as usual with their ready eyeshadows, I just wasn’t excited enough about it. Too cool toned for my taste, but I can see this working very well for other people.
Thanks so much for reviewing this palette! I put on my list of maybes, but now it’s a definite 🙂
I was planning on picking up the UD Naked 1 and Naked Basics palettes this weekend since I don’t have much neutral eyeshadow. Would you recommend this over those palettes?
Honestly, it totally depends on what you want! Naked 1 is warmer, more shimmery. Naked Basics is more matte, less variety. If you like more matte textures, I’d go for bareMinerals. If you like warm, shimmery neutrals – Naked 1!
i love neutrals! this palette definitely just went on my “to-buy” list!
Ehh I already have 2 neutral palettes, so I don’t need this… and the colors probably won’t show well enough because of my skintone .. Thanks for the review =]
I actually really like the look of this, though I definitely have more then enough neutrals.
I would have dumped one of the highlighters and added a black or dark grey, to use as liner.
I love moneymaker and want to pick it up as a solo. I like this palette, but wish it had a little more ooompf. Perhaps a few darker shadows to create a little more contrast to take it out of ho-hum. I do think these shadows are highly usable.
OMG in love with this selection of shades… I’ve been waiting for the perfect palette to finally try out these new bare mineral shadows… this is it!
Thanks for the review and swatches! I can’t wait to get my hands on this palette, I love how sophisticated and easy the shades are.
Christine, I was wondering: What are the size comparisons between the eyeshadow pans in this palette to the size of the pans in the READY quads?
The quads contain 0.17 oz. and these contain 0.28 oz.!
Liking the neutral eyeshadows but not that much to let me splurge on it though 🙁
Given that the majority of READY 8.0 palettes are glitterbombs, this is a welcome addition to my collection! I have 3 others I am hard pressed to create daytime looks with, but this never fails me. That said, those who are not fond of mattes (5 of the 8 shades) may find this to be more Power Outage Neutrals. For some reason I find this brands matte shades harder to blend that many others, and suggest dusting a light layer of powder (I like bisque or well rested) over your primer before laying down color.
I love Bare Minerals shadows and neutrals, so theoretically I should love this palette but I’m not hopping off my seat for it (just yet). I do like it, but just not exactly motivated to snatch it up since I have the UD Naked palette and another BM palette that is pretty neutral. It is lovely, though.
I love the Ready Eyeshadows, and I probably would never have looked at them if it weren’t for you, Christine! So thank you! Not so sure about this palette, though, since I have UD’s Naked 2 and BM’s The Promise. But I can’t wait to see what BM does for their holiday 8.0 palettes.
My pleasure, Clare 🙂
I love this but I’m very boring when I comes to eyeshadow anyway. 🙂
This is a nice palette, but I have *way* more neutrals than I care to admit… I’m a huge fan of Bare minerals, but I look to them for more unique, complex shades, and this one (while nice) kind of leaves something to be desired.
I think I need this palette. Love the thorough review. I have always wanted to try a palette from this brand and I think this will be the one. Thank you!
I already have both naked palettes from UD. I love them both especially because one of them has a nice matte black that I like to use for lining my upper lid. I love the swatches for this BM palette but I don’t know if I need this.
Christina – would you recommend purchasing this BM neutral palette for those who already have both UD naked palettes?
– Mabeline
Hey mabeline!
You don’t NEED it. Would it be nice? Yes. I don’t think it’s totally overlapping, but you may be covered on neutrals – if you reach for your Naked palettes often, then maybe it would be nice to add this.
I’m so torn – I love Ready eyeshadows and I love neutrals, but this just looks so blah! Not to mention I think they will all turn grey on my complexion and wash me out completely.
Yet, I have a suspicion that this may be the perfect palette to supplement other, shimmer-overload, palettes.