A Nude Eyeshadow Palette With A Twist - Smashbox Double Exposure Palette*

If you're as addicted to nude eyeshadow palettes as I am then you'll know that at some point you need to draw the line and say enough is enough! I have a drawer full of neutral eyeshadows from all price points and as much as I'd love to keep adding to my collection, even I know that I've got to stop somewhere.

It doesn't stop me wishing and wanting though, and I've currently got my eye on some of the palettes that I passed on including Urban Decay Naked 3 , the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette and the Smashbox Full Exposure palette.

I must admit that the Smashbox Full Exposure Palette was one that initially passed me by, but every time I go into Boots now I can't help looking at it and thinking how pretty it is. Full Exposure and now it's mini travel sized sibling, looks to be the perfect nude palette and features a combination of matte and shimmery shades in various neutral and smokey colours. For a neutral lover, and a Smashbox fan like me, it looks to be a must have.but I just can't justify it. If you're like me though and you're stowed off with neutral palettes but you fancy a little bit of a Smashbox splurge the Double Exposure palette might be right up your street..

The Smashbox Double Exposure Palette is very much Full Exposure's, braver little sister. Yes you have a few everyday neutral shades, but you also have a wider range of shades including silvers, blues and purples that take you from day to night, with the sweep of a brush.

Boxed and packaged in a magnetic fastening, plastic lined cardboard palette, Double Exposure contains 14 eyeshadows and a full sized double ended brush.

Unlike with some palettes this brush isn't an afterthought, it is identical in size and appearance to the standalone brushes in the Smashbox line. The brush is double ended and features a domed end, and an angled end for precise application.

The box also contains an exclusive #Shapematters insert which gives you instructions and a tutorial for a day look, a dramatic look and a defined look, for 6 different eye shapes.

Okay on to the shadows themselves, and as I say the palette contains 14 matte, satin and shimmer shades, ranging from browns, taupe's, and nudes, to lilacs, purples, mauve's and even a navy blue. The top row of shadows gives you a row of lighter shades, where as the second row gives you some more dramatic colours.

From left to right - Silver, Mauve, Peony, Blanc, Quartz, Flushed and Veiled.

and from left to right - Midnight, Temper, Haze, Noir, Copper, Fig and Espresso.

As you can see the pigmentation of all of theese shadows from the lightest to the darkest is excellent. There isn't a dud shadow in the palette they all blend really well and the staying powder is superb. There is a little bit of fallout on application but that's only to be expected when shadows feel as soft and silky as this.

Impressed so far? Well you've only seen half of it. Yes you get 14 eyeshadows in this palette, but what I haven't mentioned it that with the addition of water you can produce a further 14 shades! Yes that's right every shadow in this palette contains special coated pigments that transform the shades in one of 4 ways when they're used wet. Add a little bit of water or as I've been doing the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water (read my review here) and the shadows will either deepen, turn metallic, become more sparkly or the colours will become more vibrant. Not only that but the addition of water or liquid won't damage your palette, just wet your brush and use the shades straight from the palette without any fear that your shadows will harden or glaze over.

Hopefully from these swatches you can see just how the shadows transform when you add a little bit of liquid - it's almost like foiling or painting! Again on the top row from left to right - Silver, Mauve, Peony, Blanc, Quartz, Flushed, and Veiled.

and on the bottom row from left to right - Midnight, Temper, Haze, Noir, Copper, Fig and Espresso.

The liquid makes a big difference doesn't it? and it really adds to the versatility of this palette. It isn't cheap at around £37-38 but your really getting 28 highly pigmented, versatile, blendable and wearable shades, and a full sized, superb quality brush. I was kindly given this palette way back at the end of January and I've used it pretty much solidly since then. This is a picture of my palette taken about 2 weeks ago - it doesn't look anywhere near as pretty or pristine as it once did but it has been very well used.

If you want to branch out from the traditional nude palette without being too brave then this palette could be worth a try. The colours can take your from day to night, and you can be as subtle and neutral or as daring and dramatic as you like. Smashbox Double Exposure Palette retails between £37 and £37 and is available from various retail outlets including Boots, Sephora and from the Smashbox website. Have you tried any Smashbox eyeshadows? Let me know your thoughts below x

*Sample