Archived Post

What was the first eyeshadow palette you ever purchased?


What was the first eyeshadow palette you ever purchased? Share!

I think it was one of MAC’s holiday palettes from 2005 or 2006…

Thanks to Ashley for today’s question! Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.

92 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Lizzi Avatar

Urban Decay’s Deluxe palette back in 2007 is this first named one that I can thin of. But I know I got an Ulta holiday one before then.

Ammara Avatar

Urban Decay’s Vegan palette! I was around 16 then, I think, and even though the Naked had just come out, that’s the palette I wanted because of the artwork. I still use it and it works just fine.

Abby Avatar

My first one was the Lorac Pro! I thought about it a lot and decided to invest in the perfect high end palette for me. I absolutely love it to this day. I can get so many looks out of it!

Joall Avatar

It was the urban decay book of shadows… The most recent one. That kicked off my obsession. And now, looking back that palette was so expensive. I would never pay that again for that product.

Sylirael Avatar

…eyeshadow *palette*…..hmm…

The earliest eyeshadow I can remember buying was a powder blue Innoxa single eyeshadow back in (ye gods) the late ’90s. The first palette I ever got was one of those ones they give you for your birthday at Pizza Hut when you’re 6 😛

The first palette I actually bought was probably the Chanel quad I can no longer find (sobs), which I bought in about 2008 or so. It’s the one with the black/gold/silvergrey/pale pink shadows.

Chris Avatar

Urban Decay Book of Shadows II. I did not use it as much as I thought I would – first I did not want to disturb this beauty too much. Then the addiction started and I acquired waaaay too many palettes.

Heidi Avatar

The first one that I remember that was an actual palette(not a duo or trio)was UD deluxe shadow box but I’m sure I had some before that. Maybe one of those random brands(profusion?) that you can get at Ross for ridiculously cheap.

Lisa Avatar

Naked 1 in 2011. I was buying makeup years before then, but never really saw the value of palettes. I always thought “well, I only like half the eyeshadows in the palette so what’s the point?” But the Naked palette was the first one I knew I would use all the shadows except maybe one or two. Now I’m hooked, I’ll buy palettes even if I won’t use every single shadow because they’re usually a good value.

zainab Avatar

The first I remember was a Revlon quad (black, greys and and silver), but I don’t think I ever used it. The one I bought as used (but had to toss in the end because it got broken) was UD’s Vegan. That and eyeshadow primer got me addicted to eyeshadow. I should probably just pony up and buy another Smog, because I LOVED that shadow and none of the similar replacements I’ve bought have quite filled its void.

Sarah Avatar

I don’t really count my really old “here’s my mums leftover makeup” stuff, because I used to use her older makeup or colour palettes she didn’t like etc. It was nice makeup, and was kept in great condition, so I didn’t really need to purchase my own until I started cultivating brands for myself 🙂

My first palette that I purchased myself was a Build Your Own Palette from Urban Decay. Of course the first eyeshadow I purchased for it was Woodstock, since I have a soft spot for bright eyeshadow- particularly bright pinks and purples 😉 I ended up filling it with: Woodstock, Gravity, Walk Of Shame (came with it), Rockstar, Laced and Midnight Cowboy

monica Avatar

Hard Candy palette in Techno. My dad got it for me as a Chinese New Year gift when they still sold it at Sephora. I think I was between the ages of 15-17 lol.

Veronica Avatar

A Princess Marcella Borghese palette that had 10-12 eye shadows… This was way, way back in the 80s, I was 16, I think, and Borghese was a big brand in department stores at the time. Those palettes were usually sold as purchase-with-purchase items, you had to buy something else to get one.

This brand had black fluted packaging, and the eye shadows were super pigmented and very good quality overall, these palettes usually had a few neutrals and some really bright colors!

MissJae1908 Avatar

The first one that was purchased for me was Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. The first one that I purchased for myself was Wet n Wild Comfort Zone. I love that palette and I have a backup!

Mariella Avatar

It was either Too Faced’s Natural palette or their Enchanted Glamourland palette (which included other products but was primarily an eye shadow palette). Waaaay back in the distant past, I know I purchased some Estee Lauder 3-pan shadow palettes (the names of which are long forgotten) and even further back than that, palettes from Mary Quant (how’s that for a real blast from the past?).

Nikki J. Avatar

My first palette was a random Cover Girl trio palette from Wal-Mart that I bought while in college. The colors were beautiful, but it lacked pigment and lasting power. I eventually threw it out, and I’ve been turned off of Cover Girl products ever since.

Alix Avatar

A Maybelline Blooming Colors quad. Blue, green, brown, and yellow ocher. Oh, it was ugly! The second quad I bought had much prettier pinks and purples.

Sherri Avatar

Gosh, I don’t even remember the brand because I bought it in like 2002. It was a full-face palette from Sephora that included eyeshadow, eyeliner, and lip gloss. As far as a palette that included eyeshadow only, it was a holiday palette from MAC a couple of years ago that you didn’t give a favorable review on, and I definitely know why. I’ve since branched out to Urban Decay and Too Faced palettes.

Kari Avatar

oh boy lol it was probably like wet’n’wild’s “don’t steal my thunder”, if you could call it a palette. or some avon or mary kay product. first “real” palette? kvd’s metal orchestra keeps coming to mind.

Andrea Avatar

I only like singles. Though my first more than one eyeshadow was either a Shiseido duo, or a Helena Rubinstein one. Fast forward, many years later, went against my principles amd got 2 UD Naked palettes. Ended up returning them. Me no like more than 2 eyeshadows. Find them a waste of money and product cause only use one or two in the whole palette, so rather spend my money on something I know I love and I am goi g to get a lot of use out of.

Karen Avatar

It was an Urban Decay palette. Um… I think it was called the Wallflower palette or something like that? This was back in 2009, I believe. It was definitely a good first palette to buy because it had some nice neutrals as well as some colors to play with.

nina Avatar

The Naked 1 palette in 2012 my present for myself when I found out I was going to be my hs valedictorian. Best beauty purchase ever!

Tami Avatar

It was a mac palette with six shadows from the 90’s. I still have it, as when I bought it I didn’t know how to wear the shades properly and rarely used it then.

aeri Avatar

It was the early 80s, so whatever it was it was probably at least a little hideous! The first notable thing I can remember buying (though it was far from my first) was the Ultima II Nakeds collection, but iirc those were just shadow singles.

JoJo Avatar

The first eyeshadow palette I ever bought was the Urban Decay Naked 1 palette. It’s also the first high end palette I ever bought. I never really understood how versatile an eyeshadow is until I had one.

Susan Avatar

Naked2. I picked it up on a whim January 2011 after seeing it as I was browsing Sephora (with no real intention of buying anything). It was my own first higher end purchase and started my love affair with makeup. Up until that point I had just used eyeliner and mascara!

Chi-Chi Avatar

Omg I just went all the way back LOL.
Technically, the veryyy first palette I ever bought was the Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow Palette in Pink Petals. I used up all my allowance on it and wore that thing down to the last smudge of shadow and my makeup was always a hot creamy smudgy mess because I had no clue what primer was back then, but I loved it.

But officially speaking, my first real big girl palette was the Coastal Scents 88 shimmer palette.

Genevieve Avatar

The first eyeshadow palette I ever purchased was Estee Lauder’s Sea and Sky. It was the first blue palette that anyone had bought out in long time and I absolutely loved it. I still do. I bought the last palette in the shop and it was on my birthday, which made it extra special.

Janice Avatar

I can’t remember which was first because I got them both close to the same time but UD Book of Shadows original or the Sustainable Shadowbox from UD as well! I’ve been addicted ever sense!

Jackie Avatar

It was either Urban Decay’s Vegan palette or ELF’s 100-Piece Eyeshadow palette (which I hardly ended up using). This was about 3-4 years ago…Urban Decay’s Vegan palette was probably my first high-end eyeshadow palette. I’ve purchased so many more palettes since then…

MizLottie Avatar

I’m really old so the first palette I got was when Borghese was a high-end department store line. I bought 3 of their palettes, great colors.

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!