My most used eyeshadow palette - Urban Decay Naked Basics

I love seeing reviews and photos of well used and loved makeup products, and today I wanted to share my most used eyeshadow palette ever - Urban Decay's original Naked Basics. The pictures show the proof of use and my most used shades, so let's get started!

On a boring note, Urban Decay Naked Basics retails for $29 for 6 full size (.05 oz) shades. I bought this myself at Ulta a long time ago on the suggestion of my husband. I had overlooked it many times in the display, but luckily it jumped out at him! (A recommendation to other makeup addicts: shopping with non addicts can lead you to see products you might not otherwise)

Makeup Memories - My First High End Palette - Too Faced Matte Eye

I wanted to show you a behind the scenes sort of look at my eyeshadow palette collection and put the spotlight on the first high end eyeshadow palette I ever bought. My Too Faced Matte Eye palette is very well loved and I still use it regularly.

The Story

I bought this palette almost 3 years ago (feeling old!) on a trip across the country to visit my then boyfriend/now husband's family. Before the trip, I was really nervous and excited to meet them - I was his first serious girlfriend to be brought to meet the extended family, and I was feeling the pressure! His awesome cousins took me out shopping and made me feel loved and welcome. On that shopping trip, I picked up the Too Faced Matte Eye palette at Sephora, along with some other goodies. I remember being so frustrated by the lack of good matte eyeshadows at the drugstore (still true to this day, alas), and I used the crap out of this every single day after buying it. I still use it regularly and love remembering that trip. 

Sephora vs. Ulta 2015 birthday gift comparison

I have had the Sephora and Ulta free 2015 makeup gifts for a little while now, so I thought I would do a comparison smackdown post. The 2015 Sephora gift is two NARS lip pencils - Cruella (velvet) and Rikugien (satin).  The 2015 January, February, & March Ulta gift is an Ulta store brand complete eye palette in Indie.

So which one is better? 

 Left: Sephora 2015 birthday gift, Right: Ulta 2015 birthday gift

Ulta Q1 birthday gift 2015: complete eye palette in Indie

Ulta's free January, February, & March 2015 birthday gift is an Ulta store brand complete eye palette in Indie. The Ulta complete eye palettes have five shades and look like they are being repackaged. The old layout is a bullseye format palette and the new style is a traditional quint layout. The new layout makes more sense to me because there is enough room for your brush in each pan.

The free Ulta birthday gift changes quarterly - Q1 was the palette in Indie, Q2 was an Urban Decay eyeliner mini in Voodoo, Q3 is a Urban Decay Perversion mascara mini, and I haven't heard yet what the Q4 gift is. If you know what the Q4 gift is, please leave me a comment and I will update the post!

Ulta 2015 birthday palette in Indie

Indie has five shades: a satin champagne in the center, a satin lilac taupe at 2 o'clock, a chocolate brown with red glitter that swatches suspiciously matte at 4 o'clock, a matte medium brown at 8 o'clock, and a satin rose gold at 10 o'clock. The palette retails for $12, contains 9 grams of eyeshadow, and is free for Ulta rewards members with an email coupon. Unfortunately, you may not choose your complete eye palette - everyone gets Indie.

Ulta 2015 birthday palette in Indie, back

Bare Minerals The Comfort Zone Ready 4.0 Eyeshadow Quad review & swatches

Bare Minerals' The Comfort Zone eyeshadow quad is a pairing of four subtle satin nude shades. I haven't seen many reviews of The Comfort Zone, which isn't surprising - this quad isn't for everyone. The Bare Minerals Ready pressed eyeshadow formula is a total winner and this combo is perfect for someone who loves a soft wash of color with a sophisticated sheen. The Comfort Zone retails for $30, I bought mine at Ulta.

If vibrant color is your jam, let me save you $30.

Stila In The Know matte eyeshadow palette review & swatches

I love reviewing my well loved collection staples because I have spent a lot of time forming my opinion. I have owned the Stila In The Know eyeshadow palette for almost a year and still use it regularly. In The Know is all matte (and *real* mattes - no hint of shimmer in the pan) and contains 10 mostly neutral shades. The palette usually retails for $40, but I have seen it on sale for $20 at promotional events (like Ulta's 21 days of beauty) and in clearance sections. I bought mine at Sephora.

Stila In The Know matte eyeshadow palette

Note: This palette also comes with a Stila smudge stick eyeliner in halfmoon (dark grey). I used it a handful of times and disliked it. The eyeliner does smudge, but didn't set well on my eyes, resulting in transfer to my lower lashline. If you like the smudgy lived in eyeliner look, you might like this product, but I passed it along to a friend.

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes palette review & swatches

I have been wanting to try the Benefit Box O' Powders for a long time now and I'm a total sucker for holiday sets, so I had to jump on the Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes palette as soon as I saw it on Sephora's site. The palette contains mini sizes of Dandelion, Bella Bamba, Sugarbomb, Hoola, Coralista, Rockateur, and Watt's Up and is packaged in a tin that looks like it should have stale gingerbread in it. I bought mine at Sephora for $36 and the kit includes 1.08 oz of product.

Is it a dupe? Urban Decay Walk of Shame (WOS) vs. Wet N Wild Brulee

Battle of the beige! As a self professed nude matte eyeshadow junkie, when I saw an online reference to Wet N Wild's single eyeshadow in Brulee duping Urban Decay's Walk of Shame (WOS) in the Naked Basics palette, I had to investigate.

Warning: this is a long one with lots of pictures! Get some popcorn :)