Happy New Year, loves! Is your mind also blown that January is already here? I know this can be a rough month, what with all of the fun and excitement of the holidays behind us, but I do have one piece of good news to lift your spirits. A new year means that a TON of beauty launches are on their way, so you can at least look forward to having plenty of pretty new makeup to play with if you're cooped up indoors.
One of the things helping me get through the post-holiday slump is this Maybelline 24K Nudes Palette ($11.99). Maybelline was kind enough to send it to me to review along with some other fun eye makeup goodies to complete my look. It's got some really beautiful on-trend colors that I'm super excited to show you!
The 24K Nudes Palette takes a glamorous twist on your classic neutral palette. It contains 12 stunning shades in a variety of different finishes - from buttery mattes, to shimmery metallics - all inspired by the luxurious look of gold. And while there is only one true gold shade to be found, the combination of pinky champagne, warm bronze, sparkling aubergine, and glittering smoke make for a really well-rounded palette.
In addition to having a beautiful color selection, you've also got everything you need to transition, highlight, and create depth all in one place. There's nothing more frustrating than a palette that you can't create a complete look from, so I really appreciate that Maybelline is giving you so much to work with. With that being said, let's take a look at how each of these individual shades swatch on the skin.
The one thing I will definitely commend Maybelline for is the formula of the matte shadows in this palette. They're all super silky and blend out with incredible ease. The two matte shades in the top row (#2 and #5) were especially impressive and could easily be mistaken for a high end shadow. The shimmer shades were a little more inconsistent. The gold shade (#6) was a total standout and provided beautifully rich pigmentation, while shade #1 and #3 though were a bit sheer for my tastes. Fortunately, they can be built up to a greater opacity if you pat them on with your fingers or apply them over a primer.
As much as finger swatches give you a nice idea of color payoff, they're not the be-all and end-all of determining eyeshadow quality. I always like to see how things perform with a brush and how easy they are to blend. To see exactly what these shadows look like in action, here's a soft smokey eye look I created using this palette!
To complete my eye look, I also had the help of a few other Maybelline products. First is their new Colossal Big Shot Volume Express Mascara ($8.49). I actually really love the design of the wand, which has a tapered shape that makes it really easy to get even those tiny inner corner lashes. The formula of the mascara itself is on the drier side, which means it creates tons of volume on your lashes while still being buildable and not too clumpy. And like my other beloved Maybeline mascaras, this one doesn't flake or smudge even after several hours of wear. If you're a fan of volumized lashes that still look separated and defined I think you'll really enjoy this product!
For my winged liner I used the Maybelline Eyestudio Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner ($7.99). This liner has a long, super sharp felt tip that lets you create a cat eye with ease. I found it to be a little bit drier than some other felt-tipped liners I've tried recently, but not so much so that you start to deal with a lot of tugging or skipping.
Color-wise this might just be my favorite Maybelline Nudes palette to date! I'm such a sucker for warm toned neutrals and anything metallic, so this palette totally speaks to my heart. I definitely look forward to playing around with it some more and seeing what other looks I can come up with. The 24K Nudes Palette will be hitting the shelves at your local drugstore this month, so if you're looking for a great, affordable option to add a little glamour into your makeup routine, you might want to check it out!
Which shade in this palette is calling your name?
