I’m Feeling Neutral About the Anastasia All Eye Want Palette

When Urban Decay coaxed thousands of us (maybe millions!) into getting Naked last year, it prompted many of the big makeup lines to follow suit with neutral palettes of their own. And just like that! — neutral was the new black. 🙂

I’m not complaining, of course. I’m always down to play with easy-to-wear colors. Colors like the cocoas, caramels and latte shades in the new limited edition Anastasia All Eye Want Palette ($32, exclusive to Sephora).

The palette, which Anastasia created with weekend getaways (and very likely coffee-based drinks, LOL!) in mind, contains nine neutral shadows, some shimmery and some matte, and small versions of her Clear Brow Gel and Lash Lifting Mascara.

I think Anastasia picked a great selection of colors here — shades neither too warm nor too cool — which should be very accessible to a wide range of skin tones.

On performance, though, the shadows vary dramatically, with the buttery, easy-to-blend mattes hitting all the right notes for casual weekend looks.

I think the shimmers and glitters, on the other hand, leave room for refinement. Like the mattes, they boast medium pigmentation, but they sure take after Orville and Wilbur Wright…meaning that they like to fly around. 🙂

Definitely keep your makeup wipes handy for cleanup when you bust these out.

As for other pieces, the Brow Gel and mascara, both of them deliver. Sasquatch brows better fear the Brow Gel, which is clearly one of Anastasia’s specialties, and the mascara, while not for dramatic lashes, has natural lash looks down pat.

All in all, an okay kit with a nice selection of colors, some top-tier matte shadows and a fantastic brow gel. If Anastasia could refine the shimmers in a future version of the kit, I think she’d have a home run.

The All Eye Want Palette is one of four holiday 2011 gift sets from Anastasia…

• Bright Eyes, Big City ($39; available at Nordstrom)
• Kisses on My List ($30; available at Sephora)
• All Eye Want Palette ($32; available at Sephora)
• Skin Essentials ($70; available at Nordstrom)

PRICE: $32
AVAILABILITY: Available now exclusively at Sephora stores and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Doesn’t it seem like the days get shorter around this time of year? I mean not just sunlight hours, but overall? I feel like the weeks are moving at 2x speed!

It’s almost Thanksgiving, a perfect time for a recipe exchange. 🙂

We did one last year, and I got some great dishes to try. Who’s game to hold another one this year?

Thanksgiving… Just writing the word makes me hungry, LOL!