5 of the best make-up palettes to buy

written by Adila Jallal January 16, 2018

Make-up palettes are a great investment – they don’t take up tons of space in your beauty bag (a big win when travelling), and you’ll be spoilt for choice when creating looks. Plus, it will help you cut back on buying products you’ll never use. Honestly, do you use all 20 of those loose eyeshadows lying around in your make-up drawer?

So, if you’re on-the-go a lot and like the idea of a multi-use product in compact packaging, then you need to start investing in palettes. Here’s our list of the best make-up palettes to buy:

For your cheeks

Here’s the deal: If there’s one way to make yourself look perkier in seconds, it’s with a dash of blusher – it’s been a woman’s secret weapon for centuries, so a palette full of it is a must-have.

Enter the Smashbox L.A. Lights Blush & Highlighter Palette – each palette has two tonal shades of blush, with one perfectly-matched highlighter.

Flaunt it: If you’re looking to complement a bold lip colour, keep things subtle with the lighter blush. Add a gentle sweep of the highlighter below the hollows of your cheeks for the barest hint of a sun-kissed glow.

Neutral lips? Time to pop some colour on your cheeks. Gently swirl both blush shades on the apples of your cheeks to switch from subtle to dramatic – but build up gently to avoid the Aunt Sally look.

Top tip: To really tie your make-up look together, use the highlighter along the brow bone, defining the brow shape perfectly.

For a youthful glow

Here’s the deal: The Essence Light Up Your Face Luminizer Palette has a handy trio of highlighting powders with light-reflecting pigments for a bright, polished complexion. The colours in the palette have been chosen to flatter a broad range of skin tones, and they have been designed to work their magic in any type of lighting

Flaunt it: Use a brush and apply the golden glow powder to the tops of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, brow bone and Cupid’s bow to cheat your way to a dewy look. The lighter pearl shade is the perfect colour to softly emphasise the hollows of your cheeks, and the darker brown with shimmer is your one-stop shop for a healthy flush of colour.

Top tip: Dampen your fingertips with a little water and use to apply the light pearl shade for a more intense dose of highlighter.

For your eyes

Here’s the deal: We’re in love with Estée Lauder’s Pure Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow 5- Color Palette in Envious Orchid, and it’s worth every cent. Not only can you show off its glossy case when touching up your look on the go, but the five shades included are crease-resistant and last up to 12 hours when applied wet. The suits-all colours add warmth to brown eyes and make blue eyes pop!

Flaunt it: After a soft-focus wash of colour, a quick sweep of the lilac shade across your lid and a dash of pale pearl powder in the corner of your eye is all you need. Ready to amp it up? Take the luxe purple shade across your lid, then shade the black carefully along your lash-line and lightly into your sockets.

Top tip: The pale pearl shade makes a brilliant highlighter if you’re short of space in your make-up bag.

For a bold brow

Here’s the deal: The full-brow look isn’t going anywhere, so invest in a palette that ticks all the right boxes, like the Clarins Perfect Eyes & Brows Palette. The combination of wax, three brow powders and a luminous pink shadow all in one palette means you can lock down your look in an instant.

Flaunt it: First, tidy up any stray hairs using the tweezers, then use the angled brush to work the wax onto the hairs, following the natural shape of your brow – this will neaten everything up.

Next, using the opposite end of the brush, apply the colour – you just need short, light strokes for a natural finish, then give them a final groom with the fibre brush. And for the finishing touch, dab your fingertip into the nude pink shadow and work it along your brow bone for extra definition. Move over Cara Delevingne!

Top tip: Mix the brow colours for a bespoke shade.

For your lips

Here’s the deal: Avoid carrying several lip colours in your handbag and go for NYX Pro Lip Cream Palette instead. Plus, the nude and pink shades can double up as a blusher too.

Flaunt it: For a subtle look, dot colour onto lips with the fullest part of your finger and blot with a tissue. To use as a blusher, make-up artist Sascha Jackson advises rubbing your chosen colour between your fingers and thumb for a few seconds to warm it and make it more sheer, before patting it on your cheeks.

Top tip: Use a thin lip brush to apply the nude shade as a soft and subtle lipliner… genius!