These wearable winners are sure to please.
Pick the right palette and you have a ready-made selection of complementary makeup colours easily at hand. Compact palettes are also a traveller's best friend, so they are ideal to give - and to get - for the holiday season. Look for wearable colours, with one or two accent shades for fun.
Handily, now is when makeup companies have their limited edition palettes, compacts and sets on counter. Some brands specialise in these flash seasonal releases, with Bobbi Brown's Gift Guide aimed at everyone from the "the hipster" to "your fun friend" to "the multi-tasker." With around 10 palettes to choose from, hers is an unusually large selection, but you should find at least a couple of options from most brands. Here are some of our favourites:
1. Napoleon Perdis Sweptaway Great Escapes Brush Set $99
Good brushes make a big difference to makeup application and if well cared for they will last for years. This set of eight in a zip-up, lie-flat cobalt blue bag has all the essentials.
2. Mini Bobbi Brights Palette $190
Twenty colours from shimmering pastels to rich liner shades will give ample opportunity for experimentation. Other Bobbi Brown palettes, priced from $105, are studies in neutrals made interesting, with the sort of colour mixes that will become every day favourites.
3. Lancome Ombre Absolu Palette $97
Flattering peachy pink and silver grey shades are soft for summer, but come night-time can be layered up for a smoky eye. Wear with a deep wine coloured lipstick for the drama intended of this French Coquettes collection.
4. Dior Minaudiere $150
Each year Dior brings out a limited edition palette tucked into a miniature of one of its handbags; this time it's an utterly elegant evening clutch. Inside there's a generous-sized mirror, three grey-gold shadows and under a little gold lid, a russet and a gold lip gloss. (Available also in a brighter colour palette).
5. Smashbox Eye Wish Palette $118
Twelve shadows, and four cream liners offer plenty of creative licence, and a lid primer and a mini mascara start and finish proceedings. Comes in a gold foil keepsake box with mirror and a booklet of instructions for creating 10 different looks.
6. Becca Prairie Moon palette $140
Give neutral a kick with outdoorsy natural tones in this palette from Becca. Greenish gray and bone eye shades combine with a green shimmer eyeliner and a caramel nude lipgloss. (From Glamorpuss, Nuffield St, Newmarket and the Department Store, Northcroft St, Takapuna.)
7. Clarins Barocco limited edition makeup palette $98
Practical and beautifully presented, Clarins zip-up palette with mirror is a complete travel kit, featuring four brown shadows, a blush, and a mini mascara and gloss; just add a lipstick of your choice and you're good to go in style.
8. Shiseido Collector's Edition Makeup Palette $99
Slick lacquer-look case contains colours for eyes, lips and cheeks, including a cream eye colour base and a purply-black cream eyeliner with real staying power.
9. Inika Chocolate Box $99
This little gift box of bon bons is actually three Belgian chocolates and six limited edition loose mineral powder eyeshadows. Inika's colour options are striking and cutely named, to get the flavour - think creme caramel, lemon cream, mint choc cup, and licorice.
10. Jane Airedale Eye Steppes Go Green $129
Ingenious circular compact, opens out in tiers to reveal four eye shadow shades and one highlighter. This compact is designed for green eyes, but the English mineral makeup company also caters for other colours.
Stockists: Brand counters at selected department stores and pharmacies, except Napoleon Perdis from Farmers and the Sylvia Park mall concept store; Smashbox from Ponsonby Rd store, selected Life pharmacies, see smashboxcosmetics.co.nz; Becca from Glamorpuss, Nuffield St, Newmarket and The Department Store, Takapuna; Inika selected pharmacies and health stores, see inika.com.au; and Jane Iredale from salon stockists, ph (09) 636 1966
