Ever get an eyeshadow palette and wonder, “What am I going to do with this?” Whenever it happens to me, and it does happen, I look everywhere for ideas. Here are three different palettes with examples of ways to use each of them for day (work), night (play) and drag (dramatic) looks. By no means are these looks the only combinations you could create, but I hope they give you some ideas! 🙂
Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette
The Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette ($44 at Sephora) contains 8 eyeshadows, a double-sided brush and double-sided eyeliner to take your looks from “day-to-night.” This palette has an interesting mix of very cool and very warm shadows, and the combinations doesn’t always work for me. The cool and warm shadows don’t really seem to work well together (at least on my skin tone), and I found that the paler shades, though great in texture, are way too frosty. I’m also disappointed by the bulky packaging (the lock and key, albeit cute, make it pretty chunky) and the lack pigmentation from the black shadow.
Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette daytime eye
Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette nighttime eye
Tarte Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette dramatic eye!
NYX Smokey Eyes Palette
The NYX Smokey Eyes Palette ($9.75 at nyxcosmetics.com) comes with 10 eyeshadows. I admit I’m not the best makeup artist around, but I find myself more at a loss to come up with creative ideas with this palette than with the other two here. Though the shadows look grey, blue, and buttery cream in the palette, they apply with rather limited color payoff. The shadows themselves are very nice for $10, but I think the arrangement is a little too monochromatic to create a very wide variety of looks…
NYX offers other palettes with more striking color, but this is a great base palette for the money. You just might have to offset it with some additional colors or be content with grayscale eyes.
NYX Smokey Eyes Palette daytime eye
NYX Smokey Eyes Palette nighttime eye
NYX Smokey Eyes Palette dramatic eye!
Kat von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Ludwig
The Kat von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Ludwig ($34 at Sephora) contains 8 eyeshadows. When this line first came out, I completely dismissed it because I thought Sephora was degrading itself by putting together a makeup line for a reality TV semi-star, but I changed my tune immediately after swatching the palette in store. These shadows are greatly pigmented and have a soft, buildable texture. Although the line is based on someone who embraces “extreme” beauty, I find Ludwig to be incredibly wearable. Of the three palettes here, I think this is the best one to take from day to night to drag. It has it all.
Kat von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Ludwig daytime eye
Kat von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Ludwig nighttime eye
Kat von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Ludwig dramatic eye!
Please tell me what you think in the comments. I’m very curious. Do these give you any new ideas? And do you have a favorite eyeshadow palette for going from day to night to drag?
Christian says
Great post! I love all the eye looks you created. Can you tell us what lashes you used for each of the drag looks? I LOVED the ones you’re wearing in the Tarte drag look 🙂
Instant Karma (formerly L) says
I was just about to ask the exact same question. They look amazing! Please share with us 😀
applepark says
Thanks!!! I was away and just saw this today!
Here are the lashes I used:
Tarte: NYX Nirvana EL 101
NYX: Japonesque Criss Cross Whispy
Kat von D: NYX Rebel EL 109
knownever says
Kat Von D’s products are really great. The shadows in her palettes coordinate really great even if they don’t seem to in the pan.
Solangel says
I absolutely love Kat Von D’s products! Her Beethoven palette was the very first thing I bought in my Sephora when it opened, I use it basically every day 😀
BlovetBeauty says
love the dramatic eye!
very pretty palette
Linda says
Nice look.. Good inspirations… î–
Karen B says
I have to agree that the Kat Von D palette seems the most versatile. Very pretty looks with the green 🙂
beautylogicblog says
Kat Von D palette all the way.
S says
Love the post! Which mascara did you use in each of the dramatic looks?
applepark says
I wore falsies on the dramatic looks with MAC Haute & Naughty mascara.
Tracy says
Great post! I’ve always dismissed the Kat Von D makeup too.
I’m not a fan of Tarte eyeshadows period-they don’t last on me very long even with a primer. I love almost everything else they make though!
Kelly G says
I’m with Christian! Love all the looks but I couldn’t get past all the lashes! Love! I need to know what you used. The Tarte ones were my favorite, too.
Kelly
Gina says
Ahhh Tarte shadows. I’m not huge on them, either. I got the Spring Greening palette, and some of the shadows take THREE coats to show up! And that’s with a primer. But this is a fantastic post, and I think this is very helpful! My favorite palette right now for day-night-drag is the UD Naked palette, it’s perfect.
Kim says
Awesome “drag” lashes! Is it sad that I’d like them to be part of my daytime eye look? 🙂
applepark says
Hehe no! I usually am “drag” during the day
Kaydrian Korday says
Wow! NYX smokey eye! That’s my favorite! I need to start adding more color, but hey. I just like what I like. Its beautiful.
Deb says
Your drag looks are especially gorgeous! Thanks for the eyedies!
Deb says
Wow, you can tell it’s been a long weekend when “ideas” becomes “eyedies”…let’s just pretend I was going for “eye-deas” to be cute.
pia says
The looks you created out of the NYX palette should’ve earned you a beauty medal! They’re gorgeous!!!
Anh says
NYX smokey eyes for drag. Your lashes look so pretty in that picture. What brand are you wearing??
applepark says
MAC Haute and Naughty mascara!
Shabby says
I totally like the dramatic eyes for all. The NYX dramatic eyes looks so sexy+seductive while the Tarte dramatic eyes is just the right sexy. 😀