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How many eyeshadows do you prefer in a single palette?


How many eyeshadows do you prefer in a single palette? Four? Six? Ten? More?

I like between six and ten, because that way you can get a variety of colors and finishes within a single palette.

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xamyx Avatar

I don’t really have a preference when it comes to amount of shades, but I like there to be some sort of cohesion in the layout of the shades. I don’t usually “follow” the layout, but on days I’m in a rush, or just being lazy, I don’t always want to think about what to wear, or scan the entire palette to see what works together.

xamyx Avatar

* Something like the Kat von D or WnW 8-pans are ideal, as they are actually set up as 2 “quads”, but all 8 can be used together in any combination. The same as the Tarte 10-pans, which are set up as 4 “quads”.

Elizabeth Cunningham Avatar

totally depends on the purpose of the palette. Does this refer to a palette we put together with our own shadows? Or does it refer to shadow collections and themed shadow palettes?

blueraccoon Avatar

I don’t generally buy single eyeshadows because I think palettes are a better value, and most of my palettes have nine to twelve shadows in them. I think that’s a good number for a good mix of colors and finishes; you could probably do less than twelve, honestly, but I like the palettes I have. (Naked 2, Balm Jovi, Shady Lady vol 1-3, and an Inglot 10-pan)

Dominique Avatar

Maybe just 4. Chanel ” 4 Ombres “, YSL Pure Chromatics, Kiko eyeshadow palettes, Cargo, M.A.C quads, etc.. Except for Urban Decay I prefer quads.

Sarah Avatar

I rather like using all the colors of a palette in a look, so I like palettes with 4-5 or 6 eye shadows. Ones with 5 are optimal if one of the colors is very dark and can also be used as eyeliner.

Nicoco Chanel Avatar

Hm, I would agree with that, actually. As long as the variety is there – especially in finishes! – so looks can vary. Nothing puts me off a palette over 4 colours more than nothing but frosty, shimmery finishes. The colours can be as drop-dead gorgeous as they want, but if I’m going to have to pick up another palette to create something other than a shimmerbomb… um. No.

This doesn’t apply to palettes that are SPECIFICALLY made with a finish in mind – Sleek’s Matte palettes come to mind – because they’re aiming for that and that’s fine. But if it’s not a specific part of the theme of the palette, it just freakin’ bugs me.

Sasha Avatar

I agree that getting a few more colors or even well-chosen colors is nice. Palettes tend to be full of shimmery, frosty colors and for everyday wear sometimes you need a good matte highlight or crease shade and many are lacking.

Dinitchka Avatar

At least 6. I like to have 2 crease colours, 2 highlight colours and 2 lid colours. More is fine and always nice to have. I try to gravitate to palettes that have a variety. For my brows I like browns.

Lee Avatar

I kinda feel like there are two different types of palettes: single look and multiple look.

In single look palettes, eye shadows are conveniently grouped to be used together for a particular look (like in most MAC quads and I’ve made my own quads of some of my favorite combos) and, for me, four to six would be the best number of eye shadows.

Multiple look palettes are things like the recent Urban Decay Vice palette that have a broad range of eye shadows to be used in different combinations. For a multi look palette, I’d want at least ten shadows but preferably more.

Courtney Avatar

I like anywhere from 3-6. I’m terrible at coordinating shadows, so I like it when a palate does it for me. If you have too many colors, then I don’t know what to pair with what. Boo hoo! T_T

Maryla Avatar

I don’t really like big palettes, I feel like 8 is a good number of shades per palette. That way you get variety but it still generally follows a theme. I feel like a palette with more than 12 shades can get a little bit too scattered, color wise.

Zainab Avatar

I think I like around six, that’s enough to offer variety and express any theme. My Urban Decay Book of shadows arrived yesterday (yay!) and whilst I like all the colours, the size of it is absurd. But at the same time I don’t get the point of duos and trios, they’re giving you the risk you won’t like one of the colours whilst not offering a lot of variety.

Quinctia Avatar

What’s in the Naked palette? 12? That’s a nice size, that and 8-pans. Though I don’t mind buying the huge ones from UD, and I’ve got a Coastal Scents 88-pan laying around. That one’s a bit absurd if you only use a few shades out of it.

Leticia Avatar

I like four to six eyeshadows. I rarely use all colors in one palette either at the same time or separately, so those are usually more than enough! I guess I’m more of a single shadows person.

zhanna Avatar

two, maximum four. i prefer single eyeshadows. i have about twenty single eyeshadows (half of which i use about once a year :D) and two palettes of two :D´guess i am adventurous with complexion products and nail polishes but tend to reach for some kind of shimmery nude for 90% of the time when it comes to eyeshadow.

only “big” palette i miss is the excellent 5 different shades of white by dior from ages ago (around 2000?). that one has been much imitated, but never done as good.

VickyM Avatar

I like the number of eyeshadows to be from 2 to 6, since I don´t really use eyeshadows very much in my makeup anyway (I´m a lip liner and lipstick person) so I just like a Chanel 4 eyeshadow quad and a Guerlain 6 eyeshadow quad, for a few classic looks, since the star of the show are always my lips, also I don´t think is a good idea to have many colors that you are never going to use up…unless you are dedicated to makeup like Christine, or you are a MUA…it´s just a waste of money to me

Jessica Avatar

I don’t like 88 color palettes because I feel very overwhelmed, but I also despise duos and quads because I’m so limited. I like choices,so I prefer palettes with 10-20 colors. That way, I can dream up a whole bunch of different looks.

joyce Avatar

No less than two and more than 5/6. I tend not to buy pre made palettes as the colours tend be really poor for dark skin ladies like me. I really like custom palette eyeshadow that MAC and Inglot offer because I choose the colours myself.

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