Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes ($48.00 for 0.36 oz.) contains twelve eyeshadows. The palette leans just slightly cool-toned, though there are some warmer shades included. It’s a mix of peach, brown, and plum; with more matte finishes than the average palette. Some shades seem to be part of the permanent range, while others are not. The ones that aren’t include (based on looking at Laura Mercier’s website): Sparkling Dew, Violet Ink, and Espresso.  The palette is really consistent across the board; all shades had nice color payoff with some hitting it totally out of the park and others just being slightly under, but all the shades are easy to work with, blendable, wear well (eight and a half hours without creasing/fading), and apply easily.

Normally, Laura Mercier eyeshadows are $23 a pop for 0.09 oz., so the palette is a value of $92. The main advantage is that most people take years to even hit pan on an average sized eyeshadow (0.05 oz.), let alone one twice the size, so you get a lot more variety for a little more than the cost of buying two eyeshadows individually.  This palette is exclusive to Sephora, and it’s on a lot of wish lists from readers’ for the VIB sale, so it may sell out. YEP! this sold out late afternoon/early evening on 11/7. You might still be able to find it in store! (I wish I could have gotten this up sooner for you, but by the time I purchased it due to reader requests, received it, and finished testing it… this was as fast as I could do it. So sorry!)

Sparkling Dew is a pale, soft peach with a hint of pink and barely-there warm undertones. It had a soft, frosted finish. The texture was incredibly soft, finely-milled, and blendable. It had good color payoff. It was a smidgen on the powdery side, one of the drawbacks of such a soft texture, but it did not seem to show on the lid. When this is sheered out, the frost finish becomes more pronounced. Too Faced Whiskers on Kittens (LE) and Too Faced Spike the Punch (LE) are both warmer. Urban Decay Dope (LE, $18.00) is similar. MAC Easy Gesture (LE, $15.00) is similar. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Tease #4 (P) is pinker. Urban Decay Snatch (P, $18.00) is darker, glittery. MAC Orb (P, $15.00) is less frosted. See comparison swatches.

Guava is described as a “peach stucco.” It’s a light-medium, peachy-pink with a pale golden sheen and light warm undertones. It had a soft, frosted finish with good color payoff and the same soft, buttery texture that tended towards very, very slightly powdery. Too Faced Ringleader (LE) is slightly warmer. Urban Decay Snatch (P, $18.00) is glittery. MAC Dynamic Duo 1 #1 (LE, $15.00) is similar. Le Metier de Beaute Nouvelle (LE, $30.00) is warmer. See comparison swatches.

African Violet is described as a “violet copper shimmer.” It’s a cool-toned, violet purple with a golden frost. It had fairly good color payoff, and the texture was very soft but didn’t bind together as beautifully as other shades. Over a base, you shouldn’t have any issues with it. theBalm A1 (LE, $16.00) is less golden. Fyrinnae Meerkat (Pressed) (P, $8.25) and Fyrinnae Meerkat (P, $6.80) are brighter. theBalm rem (P, $16.00) is more muted, purpler. Urban Decay Bordello (P, $18.00) is warmer. MAC Neo Nebula (LE, $21.00) is pinker. See comparison swatches.

Plum Smoke is described as a “smoke amethyst.” It’s a muted, smoky purple with neutral-to-cool undertones and a matte finish. The texture was incredibly soft, finely-milled, and a little buttery, with great color payoff and no powderiness. Too Faced Mulberry (LE) is darker. MAC Stormy Pink (P, $18.50) is lighter, grayer, cream product. LORAC Mauve (P) is pinker. Benefit Rain Check (P, $20.00) is darker. Inglot #358 (P, $6.00) is similar. See comparison swatches.

Kir Royal is described as a “deep aubergine.” It’s a dark, burgundy-brown with a satin finish and warm undertones. It had fairly good color payoff, and the texture was fairly soft. Tarina Tarantino Deep Dahlia (LE) is darker. Kat Von D Wonderland (LE) is darker. Chanel Delicatesse #4 (LE) is similar. Kat Von D Fur Elise (P) is also similar. Make Up For Ever #141 (P, $20.00) is lighter. MAC Festive Delight (LE, $15.00) is similar. MAC Palace Pedigreed (LE, $15.00) is cooler-toned. Burberry Mulberry (24) (P) is similar but more frosted. See comparison swatches.

Violet Ink is a muted, neutral-to-warm eggplant purple with a matte finish. It had good pigmentation, and the texture was soft, blendable, and easy to apply. Tarina Tarantino Deep Dahlia (LE) is slightly warmer. Disney by Sephora Master (LE) is more shimmery. bareMinerals Nightcap (P) is more intense. MAC Fig. 1 (P, $15.00) is also more intense. Make Up For Ever #160 (P, $20.00) is brighter. See comparison swatches.

Vanilla Nuts is described as a “light neutral champagne.” It’s a cool-toned, pink-tinged beige with a matte finish. It had excellent color payoff, and the texture was very soft–it might look a little chalky on deeper skin tones. Too Faced Powdered Sugar (LE) is similar. Tom Ford Beauty In the Pink #1 (LE) is pinker. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Tease #3 (P) is similar. theBalm Matt Chung (LE, $16.00) is cooler-toned. NARS Douce France #1 (LE, $24.00) is cooler-toned. Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse #1 (LE) is whiter. Chanel Variation #1 (P) is shimmery. Chanel Premier Regard #2 (P) is similar. Inglot #356 (P, $6.00) is warmer. See comparison swatches.

Primrose is described as a “yellow pink with golden pearl.” It’s a light-medium, peachy beige with a frosted sheen. It had good color payoff, but it had such an interesting texture–it almost felt like a solid, wet cream product, but it is a powder. Tarina Tarantino Tiny Pansie (LE) is similar. Tom Ford Beauty In the Pink #2 (LE) is similar. Dior Chimere (821) (P, $30.00) is a cream product, cooler-toned. Too Faced Ringleader (LE) is similar. theBalm Stubborn (P, $16.00) is less frosted. MAC Jete (LE, $15.00) is darker. See comparison swatches.

Fresco is described as a “neutral beige brown.” It’s a medium brown with neutral-to-warm undertones and a matte finish. It had good pigmentation, and the texture was soft and blendable–just a tiny bit powdery. Sleek MakeUP Propose in Prague (LE, $9.99) is darker. Too Faced Cookie Dough (LE) is lighter. MAC Indie Spirit (LE, $15.00) is warmer. MAC Soft Brown (P, $15.00) is also warmer. Inglot #337 (P, $6.00) darker, grayer. See comparison swatches.

Bamboo is described as a “golden brown shimmer.” It’s a medium, slightly golden brown with golden champagne shimmer. It had excellent pigmentation, and the texture was soft, smooth, and buttery. Sleek MakeUP Lust in LA (LE, $9.99) is more golden. LORAC Pewter (P) is less frosted, darker. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #3 (P) is darker. Bobbi Brown Sandy Rose (LE, $21.00) is cooler-toned. MAC Superwatt (LE, $18.50) is a cream product. MAC Aloha (LE, $32.50) is grayer. bareMinerals A-Ha (P) is similar. Inglot #402 (P, $6.00) is darker. See comparison swatches.

Truffle is described as a “deep chocolate taupe.” It’s a medium-dark, chocolate brown with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had excellent color payoff with a smooth, silky texture that was never powdery. MAC Swiss Chocolate (P, $15.00) is darker. Make Up For Ever #17 (P, $20.00) is similar. Inglot #357 (P, $6.00) is lighter. Inglot #327 (P, $6.00) is darker. See comparison swatches.

Espresso is a deep, dark blackened brown with a matte finish and cool undertones. It had good pigmentation, and the texture was fairly soft and blendable, but a little drier compared to other shades. MAC Midnight Flurry (LE, $15.00) is similar. Inglot #329 (P, $6.00) is similar. Inglot #326 (P, $6.00) is similar. See comparison swatches.

Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes

Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes

Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes

Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes

Laura Mercier Artist’s Palette for Eyes

Laura Mercier Sparkling Dew Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Sparkling Dew Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Guava Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Guava Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier African Violet Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier African Violet Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Plum Smoke Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Plum Smoke Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Kir Royal Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Kir Royal Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Violet Ink Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Violet Ink Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Vanilla Nuts Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Vanilla Nuts Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Primrose Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Primrose Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Fresco Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Fresco Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Bamboo Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Bamboo Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Truffle Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Truffle Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Espresso Bean Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Espresso Eyeshadow

Laura Mercier Eyeshadow: African Violet (inner lid), Kir Royal (middle of lid),
Plum Smoke (crease), Violet Ink (crease), Primrose+Fresco+Sparkling Dew (brow bone)

Laura Mercier Eyeshadow: African Violet (inner lid), Kir Royal (middle of lid),
Plum Smoke (crease), Violet Ink (crease), Primrose+Fresco+Sparkling Dew (brow bone)