Maybelline The Blushed Nudes eyeshadow palette

Unfortunately for us, the Dutch drugstore is always a bit behind compared to other countries. So it isn’t until now that Maybelline has decided to launch their The Blushed Nudes palette. I so happened to pick this up last summer in the States and I hadn’t reviewed it yet. I decided to put out the review now, to time it with the new release in Holland. The Dutch palette looks different to this one, so just a heads up to let you know that I do not think the two palettes are 100% the same.

Maybelline The Blushed Nudes eyeshadow palette

It’s a good thing that drugstore brands like L’Oreal and Maybelline have started releasing eyeshadow palettes. It was about time! Maybelline also released a more brown toned eyeshadow palette, but my eye was drawn to these rosy shades. Both Maybelline palettes retail for $12.99 or €14.99. It truly depends on your color preference what you want to go for. Quality wise these same to be similar.

When you open the palette you are greeted by 12 rosy and taupe shades with a few golds and greens (??) thrown in the mix as well. There is a mix of cool and warm tones here and as an added bonus you get a few double ended sponge tip applicators. The latter I could live without as I prefer to use my own brushes. There is no mirror meaning the 12 eye shadows take center stage in this plastic compact packaging which isn’t super pretty but functional nonetheless.

On the back there’s a list of ingredients as well as directions on how to use this palette. Maybelline explains the layout of the palette as duos, trios and quads. In short, this palette is laid out to make it super easy for you to apply your make up, depending on your taste and skill level.

The top 6 shades are all fairly light in tone. What put me off at first glance is that random seemingly mint/ foamy green shade in the top row. In the bottom row, there is a dark grey that suffers from the same greenish hue to it. Not flattering and definitely something that had me frown. All other shades look stunning in the pan and I was most curious about the rosy shimmer in the bottom row, the gold and taupe shades.

The first duo consists of a matte off white shade and a soft shimmery peachy pink. Both are highlight shades.

Also in the top row is that ‘green’ shade. Up close you can see that is more like a light grey with a cool undertone. Next to that is a matte light pink. These could work as all over lid shades if they have enough pigment.

Two of my favorite shades in this palette: a matte flesh toned beige and a medium shimmery taupe. I absolutely adore taupe eye shadows and love them for all over the lid. A matte flesh tone like this may not look very appealing but it is the best shade for blending out shadows and creating smooth transitions from the crease to the brow bone.

On the bottom row we find a shimmery bronze gold and a dark matte brown. These can be lower lashline shades, all over lid shades, crease shades, and that brown could work as a liner if it is pigmented enough.

The next two shades are another medium taupe, but this one is more grey toned than its brother in the top row. Next to that is a deep dark grey with a cool under tone and a hint of shimmer. This is the cool toned version of the previous two shades.

Lastly, there is a gorgeous shimmery rose shade and a deep dark brown with red shimmer. That last shade reminds me of Blackheart from the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. But I have found several palettes that have tried duping that, but to no avail. That rosy shade is hands down my favorite in the palette. So beautiful!

So far I am not too impressed by the color selection. There is a good variety of shades and provided these are pigmented enough, this could potentially be a very versatile palette.

Unfortunately the swatches are a bit underwhelming. The medium shades look very nice, but the top row is pretty much only highlighters. The first 4 shades are very light and a tad powdery in texture. The next 7 shades have a great pigmentation, but unfortunately that matte brown and dark grey are not as dark on my skin as they look in the pan.

The most underwhelming shade must be the last one: what looks like a deep dark brown, almost black with red shimmer is a vague wash of color with some scattered flecks. The texture is not very buttery smooth: they are quite hard and a tad powdery. Only the four full on shimmers perform well and feel nice.

One applied this palette works quite nicely on the eye: these shadows blend nicely and on the eye some shades look better than in the swatch. However, there is one big but. Whenever I review palettes I try to give you at least 3 looks so you can see what different types of looks you might create. For me, this palette has just one. And it’s not as if I tried. On my eyes, most of these shades look the same. The only distinctly different look I can create with this is that shimmery rose shade.

Is this a pretty palette? Yes and no: it truly depends on your taste. If you never wear taupes and rose shades, then this is not for you. However, if you like the color scheme and aren’t into heavy smokey eyes this can work for you. It is easy to create some easy day time neutral looks with this.

If you are looking for a versatile palette that will boost your creativity and allow you to create look after look that looks different, then this is not for you. I find the color selection a tad bland and underwhelming. I will continue to use this palette on days where I want to create something romantic and natural looking without too much faffing about.

What is your experience with the Maybelline The Nudes palettes?