July 1, 2014

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette 1

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette is one of several upcoming eyeshadow palettes that Maybelline is releasing. The Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette is of course, the first palette for Fall 2014 and more are being introduced, from my understanding, into 2015 (including a possible color one).

I think what makes the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette unique is it isn’t something that’s been done before by Maybelline or any drugstore brands in the past. Ok, granted, NYX has a ton of eyeshadow palettes but many don’t make it to the drugstore. A twelve eyeshadow pan palette from a drugstore brand is pretty amazing and different and new and fresh and exciting. Plus with all the hype that surrounds the Urban Decay Naked Palette it’s no wonder we see so many dupes pop up like the Revealed 1 and Revealed 2 Palette so it was only a matter of that that the drugstore brands finally caught onto the trend.

So I’m very happy and excited to talk to you today about the new Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette that released with the Dare to Go Nude Fall 2014 Collection which includes not 1, not 2, not 3, not even 6, but 12 Eyeshadows!

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette 2

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette comes housed a slim, plastic palette and features twelve shades of nude, natural eyeshadow shades in a blend of browns, golds, and beiges. The palette cost me $9.99 at Harmons but likely will range in price from $12.99-$14.99 at mass retailers like Walgreens, CVS, etc…At $9.99 it’s a super deal however, the quality is an unfortunate hit or miss inconsistency array of shadow textures and formulas.

The back of the palette is very handy as it breaks down “looks” into quads, trios, or duos. So it’ll pair up two shades, three shades, or even four, to create an easy look and features a small diagram for shade placement. So if you’re low on creativity or just fail at matching shades well this is a nice way to create looks without a ton of know how or headache.

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette 9

The shadows feature a mix of satin, frost, and matte shades. I’d say you’re looking at about five matte shades all of which are fairly dry and dense with sheerer color pay off. There are two or three frosts and the rest are satin. I find the frost shades are nicely pigmented but since I dislike frosty shades I’m not keen on these. The satin shades are ok but also prove sheer. Out of the entire palette there are two shades that performed very well. One of which is the fourth shade on the top row and the fourth shade on the bottom row. These too colors had a velvety texture with strong pigmentation and a fairly soft, buttery texture. It makes me rather sad that out of twelve shades only two captured my attention as fair quality where as the rest were just blah.

Maybelline the Nudes Palette

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette 8

Maybelline the Nudes

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette Swatches

Maybelline the Nudes Palette swatches

Maybelline the Nudes Swatches

Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette Swatches

I think the palette looks amazing! And really quite exciting for the natural girls and guys out there. But when you get it home and realize the shadows are either sheer or just too bloody dry to blend well that’s when the disappointment comes into play.

The Maybelline the Nudes Eyeshadow Palette is unique to the drugstore world but it has a long way to go to becoming anything at all like the nude, natural palettes we’ve been seeing lately. At this price you can get twice as much palette and better quality from the Coastal Scents Revealed Palettes!

Maybelline the Nudes Palette fotd

I’m disappointed.

And sad.

Anyone own it?

What did you think?

Do share!

I purchased this item.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Carly

    I bought one. I hate it with the exception of a few shades. No bueno.

  • Emily

    I totally agree with everything you had to say! i found the shadows to be chalky and VERY difficult to blend. I was really disappointed with this palette and I don’t think it will get much use in my collection.

  • lisa

    Got this on a BOGO sale recently at Riteaid. The colors are disappointingly muddy on my fair/med skin.The two shades that appear taupe turn out reddish brown on me.I was very excited to buy this and am rather disappointed in the color payoff.In the drawer it goes!

  • fancie

    The reviews don’t seem to be that great across the board. It’s too bad the quality isn’t better because the swatches look really pretty

  • Ellen

    Initially I was disappointed when swatching but when I applied to my eyes after using a primer I was pleasantly surprised. I got a couple of good looks from this palette there is a good mix of light med and darker shades as well as different textures ..I think it was a good value for 9.99

  • Adrienne

    As always Muse thank you for an honest review. Sometimes things just don’t live up to the hype.When I saw your swatches it reminded me of some of the other maybelline quads I have like the sunlit bronze so I can pass on these because the original quads were iffy.

    • Isabella Muse

      my pleasure!!!!!!!!! Yeah, sadness 🙁 I have some of the quads too and this is basically that formula just housed in a new monster sized palette. I wish they improved on the formula a bit because this could blow things up at the drugstore. But quality isn’t there 🙁

  • Christina D.

    A-ha! I knew it! Maybelline was trying to fool me with the new format but I have learned my lesson and never, ever buy Maybelline powder eye shadows. They consistently disappoint, no matter how many ways Maybelline repackages them.

    The only Maybelline product I buy without hesitation, as you know, are the Color Tattoos.

  • Dee

    My reaction was like yours. I was so excited to find this at Bed Bath and Beyond and got the last one. But the colors ….meh. Nothing to write home about. Glad the price was under $10. It’s a great idea and I hope other brands try this, but what a let down!

    • Isabella Muse

      agreed price was nice but the quality blah! TOO DRY 🙁 I hope so too, I think L’Oreal could potentially ace a nude palette!

  • Gina

    The higher-end palettes aren’t in my budget, so just bought this today. I intend to layer whatever shadow I use over a color base of some sort (a Color Tattoo or MAC Paint Pot). On their own, Maybelline shadows aren’t pigmented enough for my taste, but I will make these work! Thanks so much for the swatches and thorough review – you’re a natural beauty! 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      gina great idea to use with color tattoos, def makes these more workable 😀 aw you’re welcome, thanks for commenting! Enjoy the palette!

  • Raven Alexis

    I used to love Maybelline eye shadows but sadly over the years my lids have become oilier and these just don’t stay put, plus the color payoff isn’t as pigmented as I would like.

  • Dee

    Darn it:( It’s almost like they lucked out with the colour tattoos and can’t recreate the magic!!

  • Sharlene

    Aww bummed. The colors look very chalky and not as pigmented =(

  • Em

    I bought this thinking it might be an okay, much cheaper alternative to taking my naked palette to the beach. When I swatched with my fingers, they looked okay. I decided to wear them today, and you can barely tell I’m wearing eyeshadow, let alone that I’m wearing different shades of shadow. I’m even wearing them over a paint pot. :-\

  • Jennifer

    I should have known not to stray from UD! I bought this because it looked so inviting, like a box of chocolates. This morning, I applied my “smokey-nude look” using three shades, and now that it’s dinnertime, you can barely see anything on my eyes at all!

  • Aude

    Hi,
    I just found your blog. Thank you for your review.
    I bought the palette last week and used it for the first time this morning.
    I used the second “quad”, the color are ok, not very intense though, I guess it could be a good idea to use the matching color tattoo eyes shadows.
    Am I the only one to find that the “map” doesn’t make sense? When you look at it, the colors in the map are not a reflection of the colors in the palette

    • Isabella Muse

      hi aude nice to meet you! my pleasure! no, unfortunately the shades aren’t great! and quite dry 🙁 to be honest I didn’t notice as I didn’t use the diagrams on the back! I’ll have to have a second glance to see if that’s the case!

    • Leah

      The colours on the back change to show how they are ‘grouped’. They’re not meant to reflect the colour of the actual shadow.

  • Alexandra

    I haven’t tried the palette yet so I can’t speak for my experience with it, but your results don’t surprise me. I’ve been using a few Maybelline powder eye shadows for years now with excellent results (I’ve even had folks at Mac and Sephora ask what I was wearing! Fun). However, all of them are the same sparkly, shimmery type of shadows–forgive me, I don’t know the correct terminology–as the two from this palette that you highlighted as having a particularly velvety texture. Names like Antique Jade and Amethyst something or other are coming to mind, for the curious/interested. 🙂

  • Mary

    Where are the Maybelline eye xpert “The Smokey” 12 eyeshadow Palette and the 12 Bright color Palette. The Nudes are not the only 12 Palette. I purchased one Today at a local Walgreens Pharmacy in the Display with the Nudes/
    Anyone have those yet?

  • Julianne

    I soooooo loooove this palette! The colour is so beautiful, and the price is affordable. The size is really perfect!

  • mirandagrosvenor

    Maybelline always falls down when they try to put more than 4 shades in a palette. Always, always, always. And look for those mattes to be crumbling in about 2.5 seconds.

    I’m an old head and the quality of their e/s is just not what it used to be when they were still “Maybelline” as opposed to “Maybelline New York.”

  • S Michelle

    I just bought the palette, couldn’t resist!!! I like the colors, we’ll see!

  • Loremil

    I finally got this at Walgreens for 40% off and had store credit. I am very pleased with this product. Yes, some things are sheer and chalky, but that is ok. I don’t have the money to buy the brand names, so all my “Naked” type of shadows are all dupes. It’s hard for me to pay $$$ when I’m a full time stay at home mom. I didn’t have any extra bucks or % off from CVS because I can get free makeup to paying a dollar or two for $5-$20 dollar woth of make up.

  • Angela M.

    I’m so glad I didn’t get this palette (thanks to honest reviews like yours). I think this palette would have been better if they used the same formula for their eyestudio line. (Though it would be nice if the came out with some matte quads for it).

    • Isabella Muse

      that indeed would be nice angela! the studio shadows are so soft and buttery!

  • sara

    Hello, can you please refer me to a trio or quad etc in only brown/ tan shade in matte? I have looked and looked and cant find. Thank you

  • Seana

    I bought it, and though I haven’t given it that much of a chance yet, it doesn’t seem so bad. I swatched a few of the colors & they had decent pigmentation. I do love that they tried, but for $11 at my local WalMart, it was kind of a fail for me, too. Pretty sad…

  • kasie

    ahh I wish I found your review before I bought this palette! haha. I watched several sponsored reviews on youtube and they were almost all saying how creamy these shadows were. I was so disappointed when I tried them myself. I have never had such difficulty blending an eyeshadow before and the color barely showed up even after a primer and cream eyeshadow underneath it. That’s why I decided to check other reviews to see if anyone else felt like that too. I also found the only acceptable colors were the two bronzier shades but even those weren’t worth it for the $10 I spent on this palette lol

    • Isabella Muse

      aw sorry kasie 🙁 Unfortunately this one was a miss. The shadows are very dry 🙁

  • Em

    I am super late to this but:
    Should I save money for the Naked palettes?
    I guess I am a “beginner” but I have watched so many Youtube videos I hardly think the title is fitting. I’m not sure, but thanks for the review!
    P.S. Naked 2 would be my choice

  • mary

    I must be an oddball odd skin color or just picked up a good one. But I like mine.

    • Isabella Muse

      you’re not odd at all! different strokes for different folks, if you love it that’s all that matters!