For a penny less than $10 (and sometimes less than that on sale), these Maybelline Eye Studio Plush Silk palettes are some of the best drugstore palettes around.
I’d been so really impressed by the couple I picked up earlier this year in Sapphire Sire and Give Me Gold (both permanent, so you should still be able to find them in stores) that I recently went back for more.
They’re packed with pigment and therefore easy to build up in layers (read: I don’t have to spend hella time buildnig up the colors), and it only takes a few swipes from my brush to blend the colors together, which makes them great for gradients and looks involving multiple shadows.
Plus, I can totally swoosh these on my lids in the morning, do my cat’s bidding all day long, and know that my eyeshadow will look just as fresh at gravy time 8-10 hours later.
Until today, though, it never occurred to me just how similar these are to YSL’s (much more expensive) eyeshadows. In the case of Desert Fantasy, the tabby tum-like texture, seamless blending and creative combination of colors remind me of something you might find basking on a Yves Saint Laurent counter.
If you’ve got YSL dreams on a Pop Tart budget, it’s dream time, babe! Catwalk down to your favorite drugstore, and check out these palettes.
There are a number of potentially winning palettes in the permanent line, but don’t miss the four limited edition “Fall 2013 On the Runway” palettes ($9.99 each).
Ohmigosh! — they’re seriously beautiful.
They feature brown, gold, black and khaki neutrals; and dreamy jewel-toned teal, blue and purple. When I bumped into them the other day at Rite Aid (I wanted a Vitamin Water), I was like, “Oooh, this one needs a nice lady to adopt her… And this one. AND MAYBE THAT ONE TOO!” 🙂
Even at $10 each, despite being on the higher end of the drugstore palette spectrum, these still cost a lot less than a $55 YSL palette.
Granted, I wouldn’t call them YSL dupes. I mean, with YSL, I think you do get slightly richer pigments and brighter shine, but the Eye Studios are enticing $10 alternatives. I also detect a smidgen of fallout from them, too, but seriously, for $10?? Ain’t no thing but a chicken wing.
If you’re interested, might I suggest starting with Desert Fantasy?
Inside you’ll find…
- A sheer matte black, which may not be bold enough for hard-core MAC Carbon girls, but beginners, and anyone else who sometimes struggles with smokey eye looks, might appreciate the added control the sheerness provides.
- A shimmery khaki, which buffs down to a gorgeous gold
- A bright, high-shine yellow gold
- An absolutely epic peachy gold — like a pressed version of MAC Melon pigment
The palette might be named after the desert, but Desert Fantasy’s colors remind me of autumn leaves.
LOVE IT!
Regarding availability, well, do you live near a Rite Aid or a CVS? If so, good, because Desert Fantasy doesn’t appear to be as readily available online as the palettes in Maybelline’s permanent collection.
PRICE: $9.99
AVAILABILITY: Limited edition, and available now online and at Rite Aid, CVS and other drugstores
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Cat lady says what!?
This pallet looks so nice on you. I wouldn’t have thought the yellow would be so pretty.
“like a pressed version of MAC Melon pigment”
seriously?! i LOVE melon! *runs to the nearest drugstore*
Hi Karen,
I LOVE how you’ve made the tricky yellow in the palette work for you here. Also, Tom Ford Sable Smoke is such a gorgeous nude shade on you!
The khaki/olive is gorgeous on you! I’m obsessed with this color this fall. This whole palette looks beautiful.
I need more eyeshadow about as much as I need another hole in my head, but I’m tempted!
I’m going to have to rummage through some shades I own to recreate this look. It’s purrrrrfect. And it’s nice to see drugstore eyeshadows stepping up their game. I don’t have a favorite Pop Tarte price brand currently because I’ve been let down for far too long. Well done, Maybelline!
Agreed that I’d have to recreate this look with different shadows. Maybelline shadows are lovely but fade so fast on me–even with different primers. I love this blackened gold look though.
Gorgeous! We need a tutorial on that one. I have no idea how to do that to my eyes, but your’s look amazing!
This palette is totally up my alley! Love the black and gold combination! If only someone would make a nice eyeliner with black and gold hues…
You are totally rocking those colors, Karen! Each of the shades look beautiful. I am especially loving that golden olive.
Woww.. thats such a pretty EOTD.. loved what u did on the outer V corner.. Definitely a lovely palette.. 🙂
The shades are lovely!!
Oh whoa, that’s a great quad with an interesting color combo! That khaki alone pretty much makes me want it!
Those eye shadows look great. I love the pop of yellow!
Gorgeous! But why call it “Desert Fantasy?”….how about “Tabby Belly Fur?”….hee! That’s what I see in those colors! These colors are my favorite choices for eye shadow, so wearable and flattering to blue eyes. Thanks for sharing this find with us!
Wow. SO pretty on you. I might just have to go pick these up!
I couldn’t place what I loved so much about your eye shadow but I think it’s the precise outer edge. Can you explain to me how you got it to look that way? I love it!
I love how this eyeshadow looks on you! Maybelline has really been stepping up their game too, these really look high-quality (save for the packaging of course.
xoxo
Christina