Blogmas Day 16 - Beauty Gift Ideas - my fave Eye Shadow palettes

I love buying gifts for others. I like to make people feel happy and appreciated. Even if I know the recipient really well, I have that anxious feeling that they wont like what I have picked out. I tend not to buy perfume for people I don't know very well as it can be quite a tricky thing to buy, you can't just go by what you like as everyone's sense of smell is soooo different and then preferences of sweet or spicy or fruity or floral or musky or.... you get the drift.
Buying beauty gifts also comes with its own *headaches* I only buy beauty stuff for people I know are into beauty and who I see wear make-up regularly or at least have an interest in wearing it - well obviously - and even then how do you choose? One person's treasure is another persons trash and all that. I take my lead from what they already wear, items they use most, brands I know they love or are interested in etc.
I also go by what I know is great quality - no point in buying something that's only fit for the bin after all.

A beauty gift I tend to reach for is Eye Shadow Palettes, They can be great value for money, often have different finishes(sparkle/matte/satin etc) are versatile,  have a variety of colours that can be mixed to get the exact colours/looks which make them great for every make-up wearer and I LOVE them lololol.

My Fave Eyeshadow Palettes in no particular order (Ooohhh I've gone all X-Factor haaaaaa) are;

[pls note I borrowed internet pics as my palettes are very..... well loved and not pretty looking]

Urban Decay : Naked 3. approx £37 $54 €46

Although on the pricey side, the Naked 3 palette is worth every penny. you do get 12 shadows - both shimmer and matte - in the pack so you can happily justify your splurge.
The pigmentation is on point. I feel the colours would suit a whole spectrum of skin tones and something about the.rose gold vibe is so sumptuous.
I love that the names of the colours are printed on the case(under the shadows).
The eyeshadows are creamy and blend well. The longevity of the shadows is very good.
A duo ended brush is included which works well and is better than those cotton bud looking things. I know some people don't like the brush but it comes in handy when you are travelling.
The Packaging is nice and sturdy. The metal is both strokable (I love the raised lettering) and durable.
The mirror means you can apply on the go and also get a close up view if at home.
There are soooo many different looks you can do with this one palette.

Bourjois: Smoky Eye Trio - Modiore chic. approx £8 $13 €10

These may be little but they pull a big punch. The pigment is subtle but very pretty.
They make a cute stocking gift or a little something to add to a basket/hamper and looks nice enough as a little gift by itself.
For a smoky eye, the shades are set for you with a little demo on the back to show you how to get that smoky effect.
The size is great for travelling and on the go.
A little applicator is provided but to be honest it isn't very nice. You could buy an eyeshadow brush to replace it if you don't think the recipient has one of their own.
The packaging is pretty and I like that you can see the colours without having to open the top. The plastic is durable and makes popping it in your bag mess free.

L.A. Color: 6 colour eyeshadow - hypnotic £1 $1.50 €1.25

Talk about bargaintastic! I picked up this palette in Sam 99 for you guessed it, 99p :) for 6 shadows.
I wasn't expecting much to be honest but really liked the colours. (I hadn't heard much about LA Colors at the time but now that I know more about this fab brand I'm kicking myself for not getting more. The shop had different bits and pieces by LA Colors, like lipsticks and glosses, eyeshadow pigments, eye pencils etc. I picked up a couple lippies and a pigment to try out but didn't go back for ages and when I did they were gone.)
I was so surprised at the quality and the colours just sing on the lids.
The pigmentation is fair but is better with primer or a white shadow pencil first. I don't go too wild with this one anyway because I'm not that brave fore really vibrant colours unless it's to go with a costume.
The metallic colours blend well together but the shadows are not very creamy and can look a little chalky if not smoothed nicely.
The packaging is basic and although the plastic hasn't broken, it doesn't feel as strong as I would like but I still put it in my bag with no qualms. Being nice and thin it doesn't take up valuable space.

Too Faced : Chocolate Bar Palette -approx £39 $49 €50

Another pricey but worth it palette! You get 16 shadows - shimmer and matte, 2 being *doubles*
The shadows are soft, creamy and smooth. Pigmentation is second to none.
The shadows actually smell like chocolate! Like seriously lol, not sickly I may add.
The eye look possibilities - both neutral and striking are (almost) endless. Such a versatile and delightful palette,
The shadows blend seamlessly and feel so buttery on the lids. The longevity of the shadow is very good.
The packaging is both functional and charming. The chocolate bar case is too cute, and the metal very durable. The only let down packaging wise is that it comes with a piece of crappy plastic that has the names of the colours on it instead of printed on the case. (the new semi sweet version has names printed lol) I thought I would have lost said piece of plastic but as I keep the palette in its box (unless travelling) I've managed to keep it.

Sleek: i-Divine - So Special - approx £8 $12 €10

This was my first big palette, I had a few quads that I played with but wanted to get a bigger one. I wasn't able to go for the big name ones at the time and had heard good things about sleek for years. I went to Superdrugs and had a good play look at the different options (they had loads). With the help of 2nd son I chose this one as it had soft and dark colours but still looked fairly neutral without being a wash of browns.
The price point is very good, 12 good sized shadows.
The shadows are not creamy being mineral based but they're not chalky either. You do get *fallout* but not too bad.
The pigment is good and longevity and vibrancy can be boosted with the use of primer or white shadow pencil if preferred.
The packaging is basic but - excuse the pun - sleek. The plastic is very strong and thin enough to slide into a bag without being bulky.

MUA: Undress Me Too palette  - approx £4 $6 €5

This has to be my most used palette, I have as you say *hit pan* on one of the shadows - only the very last bits around of the side left and another is heading that way.
The price is fantastic, £4 for 12 shadows!
Said to be a dupe for Urban Decay's Naked2 palette it is was always out of stock at my then local superdrugs until one day I found it and sang all the way to the till, we've been inseparable ever since. I have the Undress me (dupe for UD original naked) but don't reach for it even 1/4 as  much as this one.
The colours are delicious and blend so well it's a breeze to get a nice eye look without trying.
The quality of the shadows are awesome and they go on very smoothly.
The packaging is basic and being white gets dirty quickly but it doesn't get stained and a quick wipe gets it tip top. The transparent lid allows you to see the shadows without opening the lid but it isn't very sturdy and I have a crack in mine (MUA packaging as a whole is the only thing that could be worked on, other items I own have broken hinges, broken lids)
It's not bad enough for me to wrap it before putting in my bag though and is nice and slim so takes up little space,







Wow!! Who lnew I could go on so much about Eyeshadow haaaaaaaa. Hope it was helpful anyway.