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If you had to pick one eyeshadow pre-made palette to use all summer, what would you pick?

I’m torn between Chanel Empreinte du Desert and Viseart Cashmere Theory!

— Christine

95 Comments

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Erica Avatar

I don’t own too many premade palettes but I guess it would be Wet n Wild’s Comfort Zone or Milani’s Earthy Elements. They are like literally the only premade palettes I own lol

Katherine T. Avatar

Lorac Unzipped! The whole palette just screams summer to me — lots of gorgeous, warm bronze gold shades. I was afraid it was going to be too warm for me, but nope! And no fallout, creasing, or fading –big love 🙂

Katherine T. Avatar

Honorable mention to UD Vice Reloaded — I like the neutrals with fun pops of color, and since the pops of color tend to be on the semi-opaque side, I can wear them without looking overly made up in summer time. I’ll save UD Spectrum for fall/winter.

Heather Avatar

Oh no, this is hard!

Probably the UD 15th Anniversary palette, since it has some nice summery neutral shimmers and some fun pops of color–but I depotted it into a z palette and now I can’t remember exactly which colors were part of the set! Of my existing non-depotted palettes, probably UD Gwen Stefani. It has a lot of easy one-and-done colors (I’m pale), plus some fun colors. 🙂

Nancy T Avatar

This is too hard to pick!!! At the beginning of the month, I bought that super gorgeous and glam Chanel Empriente du Desert quad. Which makes me feel like a golden beach queen of the sea!?
I do, however still love the heck out of a few VERY colorful palettes that I’ve been showing a lot of love to: UD Spectrum, BH Foiled Eyes and Nyx Ultimate Brights palette. Oy vey!!! ?

Kelsey Avatar

Viseart Cashmere theory. My god, I’m so glad I bought it.. it’s perfect! Even though it doesn’t have a great variety of colours, compared to palettes with more pans (like Naked 3), I never felt so satisfied about my eye looks.

Rachel R. Avatar

I’d pick the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette. Between sweating from the heat and watery eyes due to allergies, I do a lot of simple eye looks with light neutrals in the summer. The Gwen Stefani Palette has the perfect neutrals for my fair skin, plus it has a few pops of color and sparkles if I want to change things up. The dark reddish brown, gray, and black shades lend themselves to smokey looks for special occasions. I can get my color fixes from waterproof eyeliners, bright e/s singles, and lip colors.

M Avatar

Urban Decay x Gwen is my pick too! (With Naked 1 as my second pick). Am replying because the sale price has been reduced at Ulta and on UD site… I got a backup yesterday. It’s now less than half the original price.

Helene Avatar

I was just trying to chose between UD x Gwen Stefani and UD Naked 2. And I was gravitating to the Gwen one, as it has quite a few mattes.
I am now a bit envious as I can’t order from the UD site, and a palette like the Gwen one would never be on sale here, as they get sold out. Still, I am very happy we have *UD at all these days!

Jackie Avatar

have you tried finding a friend that could ship to you? I’m sure the postage might suck, but there just has to be a way you can get this!

Claudia Avatar

Chanel’s Tisse Fantaisie because it has both daytime and evening shades in it. I also use the pearly white as a subtle highlighter

Cat Avatar

It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? I want to reach for it every time I do my makeup! I’ve been forcing myself to use other shadows that I promised myself I’d wear this summer — shadows that I don’t reach for in the fall/winter. (Good to see you here.) 🙂

Wednesday Avatar

Ditto Cat! I was totally going to skip this palette because I already had Buon Fresco as a single. (I love this shadow beyond reason..could wear it every single day).. but I’m so happy I picked it up because while I enjoy the hot brights, I’m also completely love with the rest of the palette which works incredibly well together. My green, bronze and grey hazel eyes seriously pop with Buon Fresco, Antique Bronze, Cyprus Umber in a halo eyeshadow style highlighted with Vermeer and a bit of Primavera. I’ve turned into an ABH wh*re this summer. I just picked up two of the glow kits after indulging in both light contour kits (powder and cream). p.s. ABH Beauty Genius works wonders with the shimmers. So many thanks for your tip on that too ’cause I couldn’t get them to stick. Weird how the ABH mattes work effortlessly on us and yet the shimmers are nogo without help. Entirely the opposite to most.

Cat Avatar

I knew the Renaissance palette was going to be amazing, but it has completely exceeded my expectations! The top row is my favorite, too. Buon Fresco, Antique Bronze, and Vermeer (they gave that shadow the perfect name!) are spectacular. I love using Antique Bronze along the lower lashline, too. The first time I used Cyprus Umber, I didn’t expect it to be so pigmented and got a little too much on my brush… but it still somehow managed to blend out beautifully into a smokey eye look that I liked even better than my original plan. =)

The only color I haven’t used yet is Realgar, which is funny considering my love of Morocco in the ABH World Traveler palette and my general love of red-based and terracotta shadows.

I’m happy to hear the ABH Beauty Genius is working for you. Any time I have a shadow (not only shimmers) that isn’t popping on the inner lid the way I want it to, I use Pixie Epoxy and it has never disappointed. I thought I had a sample of the Beauty Genius to try out, but it’s TF Glitter Glue. I’ll have to ask for a sample next time I’m in the store and do a comparison.

Cat Avatar

Yes, I picked up the gold about a month ago. 😀 I hope she adds more metallic liner colors, like Liquid Copper, Liquid Bronze, Liquid Pewter…

Anne Avatar

I’m with you — I just bought this palette, and it’s so much fun. So well done — highly complementary hues that work in all sorts of combinations. Love Venetian Red and Love Letter for the pops they give, and almost every other shade suits my warm, fair coloring. Very well crafted set.

Grace Avatar

Oof! Because of being a bridesmaid in a wedding, probably Naked Smoky. I know it’s probably the least loved Naked, but it has a great mix of mattes and shimmers.

Honorable mention to the Gwen palette for the same reason, but it’s not as versitile of a selection. I like being able to go dark on my eyes if I want.

xamyx Avatar

Probability the L’Oreal LA Palette Nude 2, although I love using it paired with CoverGirl TruNaked in Roses. I’m just really “feeling” those rosy shades ATM!

Vanessa V Avatar

That’s easy Bobbi Brown Sandy Eye Palette. It was limited edition but I’ve taken it on numerous tropical vacations and it never fails me!!!

Simone Avatar

For me it would be the Boots No7 nude eye shadow palette I got recently ( Boots its a chemist chain here in the UK) its got amazing colour pay off and coverage for what you Americans term a drug store beauty line. no7 is my go too make up brand because its hypoallergenic and their eye shadows usually mix well with my Sephora (I got one of their make up Christmas packs last time i was in Australia) and kiko cosmetics eye shadows no problem (yes I do mix from different brands to get the results i want)

Holly Avatar

The UD Alice Through the Looking Glass Palette. It can do anything from a simple light wash of color, to a warm neutral look, to intense smoky eye. Second choice would be the UD Naked palette. It just looks good on me!

Anne Avatar

Clarin’s ‘Instant Sun Light’ quad. All warm shimmery neutrals — light sandy beige, rose gold, warm chocolate, and darker warm brown, with a medium brown liner. I’d forgotten I owned it, found it in a clean out project earlier this year and am using it often now this summer.

RJ Avatar

The Anastasia Shadow Couture palette from last summer! It’s probably got the most versatility in my collection in terms of some very vibrant and exciting colors but also something I could do a total matte neutral eye with. Very summery colors.

Holly Avatar

I couldn’t commit to just one. Sorry, HUGE makeup junkie and it feels like being limited to eating only one thing for 4 months lol! 🙂

Brenda Lee Avatar

This is really hard. Torn between UD x Gwen Stefani and the TF Sweet Peach palettes. Plus the Jaclyn Hill x Becca palette, apparently I’m one of the few who got a good one.

Stacy Avatar

I know this isn’t very exciting, but my answer is my old tried and true “workhorse” palette, UD Smoked. I’m so familiar with it now that I can get it to do pretty much anything I want it to do, with a little bit of dipping, mixing, and blending. That includes neutral, nude-ish, grey/black smokey, or colorful smokey looks. But I also can, and have, lightened up the core colors into pastels with the highlighter shade, making the palette workable for summer. With that much versatility, it’s definitely my “Only One” choice.

Lea Avatar

If quads count, then Tom Ford Nude Dip would be my choice. If we’re talking a true multi-pan palette then I would have to choose Armani’s Luxe is More.

Lulle Avatar

That’s a hard one as I tend to gravitate towards cream shadows in the summer… And I don’t own any of the most recent buzzed about shadow palettes. I’m going to pick Too Faced Love Letter palette, because the high shine finish of most of these shadows makes for a pretty summer look!

Denise Avatar

Here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Naked Basic 1 and 2. Viseart Neutral Matte,Dark Matte and Cool Matte.Bridal Satin and Paris Nude.YSL Paris Variation 10. Kat Von D Shade and Eye contour!!!!!!!!!! WHEW just to name a few I love.

Eileen Avatar

Empreinte du Désert because it suits my eye color, the formula is a dream, it can be used for day or evening looks, it’s made it through some SoCal heat waves without any problems, and it is very versatile. I like to change up my looks, but if I had to select just one palette, this would be it.

Susan Dowman Nevling Avatar

Probably one of the newer UD palettes. I also somehow acquired an Eve Pearl Sapphire palette that I love. I’m hitting pan already.

SMITA Avatar

I like my new Bare Minerals neutral attraction palette that also comes with blushes for my everyday look. But sometimes I want to change it up and so my fave Tarte in Bloom/ a colorful shadow from a UD Vice palette currently.

Sarah Avatar

Probably Makeup Revolution’s I Heart Chocolate Vice palette! I’m loving golds, browns, and sort of summery red shades right now. Plus it has a black that you can press against the lash line for an every day liner look!

Cat Avatar

All summer? I need variety so my first thought was the UD Gwen Stefani palette. However, after really thinking it through, I’m going to have to go with the KVD Mi Vida Loco palette.

Naomi Avatar

probably the violet voss holy grail palette! great mix of neutrals similar to ABH modern renessance but a bit more variety in shimmers (which I love)

Barbara Montalvo Avatar

I’m torn between the Morphe Brushes 12S Soul of Summer palette and the Makeup Revolution Newtrals vs Neutrals palette.

Deborah S. Avatar

I am going to have to go with the ABH Modern Renaissance palette. I was leaning towards the Chanel summer palette and I really love it also but recently have just been reaching for the ABH more consistently.

Claire L Avatar

I’ve been making plenty of use of my Stila A Whole Lotta Love palette this summer. It’s got a good mix of cool neutrals and pops of colour, it’s been a good one to turn to this summer, despite it being a Holiday palette. Very pleased with it!

Holly Avatar

A tie between Too Faced Sweet Peach and Urban Decay Alice Through The Looking Glass with Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette as an honorable mention as I just picked it up

Lucy Avatar

If i had to pick one i’d pick b.h cosmetics foiled eyes pallette theirs some very pretty shades and they’re very opaque and they stay all stay thinkin of getting a back up and the price is very good for the quality.

Flaky Avatar

I’m kind of doing that. We have all our stuff in storage while we build our new house. I have on hand Narsissist Dual Intensity Palette & the Too Faced Natural Mattes palette. I’ve been able to do a lot with these. It’s lacking a purple which I miss, but I’ve been happy with the looks I’m creating

kjh Avatar

Alright, you guys. Can blame my next order frenzy on you. Why not 2X Gwen, or maybe 3, 2 as gifts? It’s getting so much love here. Just thought I had it covered. Look back time. I’d have to say one of the vices, prob 4, bec there are lots of choices with neutrals plus a pop. But that’s bec I haven’t fallen for mod ren and the Zoeva cool palette hasn’t arrived. We really do have an embarrassment of riches. Seriously. Good to hear from you, Wendy.

Connie Avatar

You mean the chocolate bar palettes? Original, semi-sweet or bon bons? Those are from Too Faced you were right in your first post ?

Mo Merrell Avatar

OHH okay. I wrote this at work and couldn’t for the life of me remember which was right but yes, the chocolate semi sweet is my every day favorite! Thanks.

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