By Terry Eye Designer Palette 1 - Smoky Nude Review, Swatches, Demo

If you ask me what are some of the best luxe neutral palettes to invest in this season, one of them would definitely be By Terry's Eye Designer Palette No 1 in Smoky Nude.

I mean - just look at it!

It's expensive; let's get that out of the way. In Singapore this is $145. But let's not forget that you get 10 full-size shadows (1.4g each); more than 9 MAC shadows. And these colors are idiot-proof. I can find very little that is wrong with this palette other than the fact that I don't like the applicator inside, and I don't particularly love the rubbery purple case, which in my opinion actually doesn't look as posh and luxe as the brand is. 

That's a minor problem, but when you're paying this much, I think you deserve to get the best and most beautiful packaging.

Still, the product more than redeems itself. 

I don't really need to say much besides showing you the swatches. 

1. It is very pigmented. You hardly need to rub to get fantastic payoff.
2. Some chalky shadows can come up pigmented on your fingers, but do not adhere or transfer well onto the lids. That's not the case with this. The color transfers and builds beautifully onto the lids.
3. The colors are mostly matte or satin, but all the textures are consistently smooth to the point of feeling almost buttery. They are incredibly easy to blend, so even if you don't have mad makeup skills, you would probably still be able to get a great look with this.
4. There is a great mix of dark and light shades, spread between warm, cool, and rosy neutral tones.

By Terry Eye Designer Palette 1 - Smoky Nude; top row

By Terry Eye Designer Palette 1 - Smoky Nude; bottom row

And now I'm going to show you a demo, using 4 of the shades for a quick look. Not a dark look, but with enough definition and drama still.

The other day, I did a "Get It or Forget It" list on dayre.me/makeupbox, and this was not included because I was still testing it, but I would definitely say this palette would make that list. Budget allowing, I definitely think every neutral palette lover should take a look at By Terry's Eye Designer Palette No 1 Smoky Nude. 

I especially recommend it for mature lids, if your skin is getting a bit crepe-y and shimmery shades emphasize all the fine lines. This is the sort of palette with velvety textures that have just a teeny tiny bit of luminosity, so they don't look flat and powdery, but also won't emphasize lines.

It's also an easy one for anyone who is still quite new to makeup, or those who are very demanding about their eyeshadow textures. If you enjoy those smooth and ultra-fine textures from brands like Cle de Peau and Tom Ford, you would love this.