The Most Interesting/Unique Single Shadows in My Collection

Throughout my "makeup addiction rehab" journey, arguably the most unexpected thing I have learned is to appreciate and gravitate toward single eyeshadows. A really fun activity has been moving around the beauty community, which is redesigning eyeshadow palettes or creating palettes people wished brands actually made.

MakeupStruggles started a "Palettes I Would Redesign" series.

Elle S has a video on palettes she wished existed from Urban Decay as well as Anastasia Beverly Hills.

And recently Temptalia wrote a post on palettes she wished existed from Colourpop.

I suppose I kind of have a similar post, which is on my duped Modern Renaissance palette. I've been vocal about not being a fan of that palette, so I made my own version of it that was more of what I wished the palette had been.

And while I can certainly see where these videos/posts are coming from and why they are interesting (I definitely like to read/watch them), it also makes me wonder why people wish these palettes exist and don't just recreate them with single shadows.

Single shadows have really been the best tool for me in curbing my spending on makeup and needlessly adding to my collection. My singles used to be the least used shadows in my collection, and I think part of that is because I organized them by color gradient. I had seen so many palettes organized this way that I just did the same thing. I started with the lightest colors and then worked my way to the darkest color. But that ended up just confusing my eye when I would look at them, and I would never feel inspired. When I started duping popular palettes and depotting shadows from other palettes, I started to really appreciate the power of singles.

Now, my singles are easily the most used shadows in my collection. I still have some palettes that I want to keep, but for the most part, I reach for my custom palettes on an everyday basis.

Another thing that has been helpful in curbing my spending is recognizing when a shadow is unique or special. Most of the time, it's really not. And when I look at a palette with a pretty or pleasing color scheme (like ABH Modern Renaissance) and realize that not one of those shadows is what I personally consider a special or unique color, it makes it much easier to resist hype.

So what I thought I would do in this post is to show what I consider the most interesting or unique single shadows in my collection. Upfront, I want to mention that I have included three shadows that were depotted from palettes that you cannot buy from those brands as individual singles. However, it is very likely that you can find a similar shadow from another brand.

I also want to say upfront that I will not be providing swatches in this post. I personally find it difficult to photograph swatches and have them show up true to life. Additionally, I have a light to medium skin tone with a warm olive undertone, so it is likely that a swatch on me will not be accurate for others. I also don't personally find swatches to be all that accurate or indicative of performance, so I don't like to include them. Instead, I will include photos of the shadows on my eyes for reference.

Bobbi Brown Camel

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that I absolutely love this eyeshadow. I have tried many other colors in this mustard-brown family (like Makeup Geek Desert Sands, Melt Rubbish, and Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Pukey), and while I do enjoy those shadows, I still prefer Camel. This is the perfect crease color for almost every shadow, and it allows for even bright colors to feel somewhat neutral. I know it looks like a nothing brown in the pan, but this is my favorite neutral matte shadow and one that I consider to be a staple in my collection. 

Camel in the crease

Dior Cosmopolite 

I first heard about this shadow through Tarababyz on YouTube because she constantly raved about it. If you're unfamiliar with Tara, she owns more makeup than anyone I have ever seen and has a true passion for collecting makeup. Because of how much she has owned and tried, when she continually raves about something, I pay attention. This shadow is also a great example of why I hate swatches, because every swatch that I saw of it before I decided to purchase made it look like an average, nothing bronze color. The reality is that it is a cool-toned bronze and is almost like a bronze-silver or a bronze with silver shimmer. I have never seen a shadow like this before, and it is truly the most unique neutral shadow in my collection. There are not many shadows from luxury brands (like Tom Ford, Burberry, Chanel, Dior, etc.) that I would say are worth their price tag (or rather I would recommend in spite of their price tag), but Cosmopolite is one. 

Cosmopolite on the lid

MAC Rose pigment

This is the only pigment I own from MAC, and it is the only one that I think is special enough to buy. MAC has some really gorgeous pigments, but I feel like all of them are pretty easily duped by pressed shadows, and I personally will always choose pressed shadows over loose. Rose, however, is absolutely gorgeous, and it is one of those pigments that really benefits from being applied wet using Fix+. At this point, I have several shadows that fit this general shade of golden pink (Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Sissy, Colourpop Come and Get It, and Coloured Raine Short Cake), but none are quite as good as MAC Rose pigment. This is one of my all-time favorite lid shades, and it's one of the few shades that I'm happy to have in such a large jar.

Rose pigment on the lid

Fyrinnae Rapunzel Had Extensions

I don't think there will ever be another shadow that is as true and perfect of a peach shimmer than this shadow. This was the first shadow that I purchased from Fyrinnae, and you will see several more appear on this list. Like most Fyrinnae shadows, Rapunzel Had Extensions really requires the Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy to bring it to its full potential. This is a warm-toned person's dream shadow, especially if you have blue or green eyes. I always get compliments whenever I wear this shadow, and while it looks and performs quite neutral, there is just nothing else like it. 

Rapunzel Had Extensions on the lid

Fyrinnae Serendipity 

One of my readers recommended this shadow to be, and I am so happy that they did because this is also an all-time favorite of mine. Serendipity is one of those shadows that I don't really even know how to describe. It's a little silver, a little mauve, and a little reddish pink. It can be paired with browns, mauves/purples, or even pinks. It is a gorgeous, complex color, and it looks stunning on the eyes. Like some of the other shadows on this list, it is certainly a neutral color, but it is just so much more interesting than typical bronzes or golds. 

Serendipity on the lid

Fyrinnae Illusionary

I once heard this shadow described as Serendipity's cool-toned sister, and I absolutely agree with that. In the jar, this shadow looks quite purple, but on the lid, it is much more complex than that. Like Serendipity, Illusionary can lean silver or mauve, and it can vary dramatically by the colors it is paired with: 

Illusionary on the lid with light peach in the crease

Illusionary on the lid with red/burgundy in the crease

Ardency Inn Rose Gold

I feel like many brands interpret "rose gold" differently, but, in my opinion, nothing beats the one from Ardency Inn. It is one of the more complex rose gold shades I have seen, and it is also one that truly looks like rose gold metal rather than a pink gold. It's a difficult shadow to photograph (though I've tried), and it's just a beautiful neutral that is just a little more interesting than standard fare. 

Rose Gold on the lid

Colourpop Making Moves 

This is easily one of my favorite shadows from Colourpop, and I love how rich in pigment it is and also that it doesn't come at a huge cost. This is the kind of shadow that really made me fall for the Colourpop pressed formula, because it was interesting, trendy, and high-quality. I have worn this shadow all over the lid, in the crease, and on the outer corner, and it is always really beautiful. It is a hot pink and peach hybrid, and something that I don't see very often.

Making Moves on the lid

Colourpop 143

If I had to pick one all-time favorite shadow from Colourpop, it would be 143. This is a gorgeous warm matte purple with a hint of pink. I primarily wear this color on the outer corner, but it would be beautiful all over the lid or in the crease. I don't often see rich purple mattes in a ton of premade palettes, which is why I have included this one on the list. It is also the shadow I pull for most often when I am looking for something to deepen a look or just make something a little more interesting. 

143 on the outer corner

Natasha Denona Nina's Orchid

On the whole, I don't like Natasha Denona matte shadows, and I especially did not like the first release of them, which included this shadow. However, I love Nina's Orchid and think it performs much better than other Natasha Denona mattes. It is unlike any other shadow that I own, and it makes such a beautiful crease color. I love that it can pull warm or cool depending on how it is worn, and it has been such a fun color to work into an otherwise boring look. Like all the matte purples on this list, I have included it because it is a color that I just don't see very often or have not seen at all, and I really like what it can add to a look. 

Nina's Orchid in the crease

Inglot 392 matte

This is probably the most boring shadow on this list, and it is also the most difficult to represent in a photograph. I've included it because it's a shadow that I often use as a crease or transition shade, and there are not many shadows that I have seen that are comparable. It's a soft matte lilac, and it can look purple or pink depending on its accompanying shades. I have really enjoyed using this shadow to give a soft glow to some of my looks, and it has been a staple in many of my "sunset" looks. 

392 matte in the crease

Makeup Geek Blacklight 

This is another shadow that is difficult to photograph because it is a duochrome that shifts between purple and blue. This is easily one of the most unique shadows that Makeup Geek makes (Urban Decay has a similar one called Tonic), and it is the shadow that first made me fall for purple shadow looks. Like many of the shadows on this list, I love that it can be worn in a neutral look, but it also cam be paired with colorful shadows for more of a bold look. It is also the type of shade that really sells a palette for many people because it is somewhat different (look at Huda Beauty Desert Dusk), and it's a good shade to invest in if you don't want to buy an entire palette with shades you already have just because it has this in it. 

Blacklight on the lid

Ardency Inn Orchid

This is an interesting shadow that is difficult to describe. In some lights it looks purple, and in others it looks pink. It also has a bit of a blue flash to it, which makes it similar to Makeup Geek Blacklight. I prefer to use this shadow all over the lid, but I don't have a photograph of me wearing it in that way, so I'll have to use one where I wore it on the lower lash line. I enjoy how complex this shadow is and love how many different ways it can look. 

Orchid on the lower lash line

Coloured Raine Super Star

The market is really saturated with golds, but Super Star is easily the most unique one in my collection. I remember the first time I wore this and thinking, "Wow!" I was also wearing this shadow when a salty former coworker told me I looked like I was "going to the club" while at work. She meant it as an insult, but I took it as a compliment because it is such a gorgeous shadow. If you are looking for a statement gold, Super Star is what I consider the best.

Super Star on the lid

Fyrinnae Aztec Gold

This is one of my favorite Fyrinnae shadows, and it is a hybrid between an olive and patina gold. When I first wore it I wasn't sure if it would clash with the olive tones in my skin, but when paired with a warm brown, I thought it looked really beautiful. I have several greens in my collection, but this is the one that I find most interesting and unique. 

Aztec Gold on the lid

Natasha Denona Glam Green

If Aztec Gold is a mix of green and gold, Glam Green is a mix of green and silver. It has taken me a long time to really appreciate silver shadows because my skin tone is so warm and sometimes silver can clash. Glam Green is unlike any shadow I have seen. It looks silver, but it has just enough green in it to make it not a silver at all. It can pair nicely with other greens, warm browns, and cool brows, and it can easily make a look very dramatic. 

Glam Green on the lid

Notoriously Morbid Paradise Island

This shadow was released with the Wonder Woman collection, and I am not sure if it is currently available. But I absolutely love this shadow. This reminds me of the northern lights or aurora borealis. I've only paired it with pink, purple, and peach shades, but I'm sure it would also look gorgeous with blues, greens, and browns. This is the kind of shadow where I see it and wonder why every brand has not come out with a duplicate. 

Paradise Island on the lid

Juvia's Place Chi

This is one of the shadows that cannot be purchased individually as it is part of the Juvia's Place Masquerade palette. I had to include it on this list, however, because it is one of my favorite blue shadows and unlike most of the ones I've seen. It is a cool-toned blue (and while it seems a bit weird to think of a "warm-toned blue," there are blues that are warmer), and it can lean blue or purple depending on how it is worn. I personally love wearing it with a warm brown in the crease, and I love the juxtaposition between the warmth and coolness. I also love how deep it is and how easily it makes a look very dramatic. 

Chi on the lid

Costal Scents Lakeshore

This is also one of my favorite blue shades, and I love how it is a sea blue. Although this shadow has a shimmer finish, it is not as shiny or sparkly as other shimmer shadows, which adds to the depth of the shadow for me. I typically wear this shade all over the lid, but it can also be blended into the crease to add some warmth to a cool look. I love how many shades this can pair with (pink, purple, brown, teal, dark blue, etc.), and feel like it is an easy shadow to work with when first diving into blue shades. 

Lakeshore on the lid

Urban Decay Boom and Untitled

I feel like it's cheating to include these shades since they are from a palette and equally cheating to include two at the same time, but I really love these two shadows and especially love them together. In general I feel like a good teal is somewhat unique, and a deep royal blue is surprisingly hard to find. I have really grown to love both of these colors and love to use them to complement otherwise neutral looks. Years ago I remember searching for a midnight blue (that did not lean black) because I had it in my head that it would look amazing with a champagne shadow. Looking back on it now, there's no way I would have ever worn that look even if I could have found the right shadow because I never strayed away from my neutrals. But now I have the shadow I was looking for all those years ago and also have the confidence and courage to wear it. 

Boom on the lid, Untitled on the outer corner

Boom in the crease, Untitled on the outer corner

Duped: Huda Beauty Desert Dusk

Arguably, the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk palette is "the" palette of the holiday season. And I both totally get it and also don't get it at all. It's a very pretty color scheme, but as I mentioned in my anti-haul post, I feel like these colors are just so incredibly common. 

I never felt a true craving for this palette until I saw Lauren Mae Beauty's Let's Dupe It! video on it. I've mentioned Lauren's channel on my blog a lot recently, and it's because I really like her content and have become incredibly inspired by her Let's Dupe It! series. I thought the palette Lauren put together was so pretty and a little more interesting than the Huda Beauty palette, and I felt inspired to go through my own collection and see what kind of similar shades I had. 

And what I came up with is a palette that I actually really love and feel incredibly inspired by. 

A few things to note:

• The Huda Beauty palette has 18 shades, and my duped palette has 26. That's obviously quite a bit more than in the original palette. The reason for this is that I had several shadadows that I thought would work well with this color scheme that I wanted to incorporate. I also wanted to make the palette slightly more functional for me by putting in a brow bone highlight and several inner corner options. 
• I did not try to duplicate every single shadow. This goes with the note above, but if there was a shadow in the Huda palette that I didn't like very much, I found a shadow that still complemented this color scheme that I liked more. 
• There are several depotted shadows in my palette from existing premade palettes. I know that is slightly "cheating" since those shadows can't be purchased individually, but this is what worked best for me and my collection. 
• In my anti-haul post on this palette, I mentioned that the color scheme was very similar to the Coloured Raine Queen of Hearts palette, which I own. I have since depotted the shadows in that palette, and eight of them indeed ended up in this duped palette.

Here is Huda Beauty Desert Dusk:

And here is my duped palette:

Here are the colors in my palette:

Row 1: Coloured Raine Heir, Coloured Raine Princess, Inglot 361 matte, Colourpop Come and Get It, Fyrinnae Octopus (pressed), Coloured Raine Short Cake, and Coloured Raine Moments

Row 2: Colourpop High Strung, Fyrinnae Rapunzel Had Extensions (pressed), Makeup Geek Blacklight, Inglot 392 matte, Coloured Raine Ladyship, Colored Raine Queen Mother, and Colourpop Glass Bull

Row 3: Anastasia Beverly Hills Pink Champagne, Makeup Geek Mai Tai, Makeup Geek Phantom, Coloured Raine Your Majesty, Coloured Raine Noblewoman, Inglot 355 matte, and Coloured Raine Empress

Row 4: Coloured Raine Crown, Too Faced Satin Sheets, BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Deluxe shadow 4, Kat Von D Liberatus, and BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Deluxe shadow 8 

Obviously, my palette does not look as pretty or uniform as the Huda Beauty one mainly because of the Inglot shadows. I have to say, this is the best example I have seen of the progress I've made in "makeup rehab." Just a few months ago, I would shudder to see a palette full of shadows of diverse shapes and sizes. And when I first put this palette together, I had to give it time before I fully accepted the Inglot shadows. And, sure, I think the palette would look better without the Inglot shadows or if those shadows were in round pans, but, whatever. My Inglot shadows haven't been getting a lot of use from me lately, so it was time that I mixed them in with some of my other shadows. And I now see the palette as a functional item filled with colors, rather than pretty shadow pans in pretty packaging. 

I also feel it's worth noting that Colourpop 143 is a closer "dupe" for Huda Amethyst, but I currently have that shade in my duped Just Peachy Matte palette, and I love it too much in there to consider moving it. That's why I've chosen two colors for this spot—Inglot 392 matte and Coloured Raine Ladyship. 

The BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Deluxe shadow 4 on the bottom row is also what I am using as the dupe for Huda Angelic, but I wanted to put Makeup Geek Mai Tai in this palette as well, and in order to do that, the Carli Bybel shadow could only fit on the bottom row. (I should also mention that in total there are four shadows that I put in this palette that were inspired by Angelic.) 

Other shadows that I added to this palette that weren't meant as dupe shadows are:

• Colourpop Come and Get It, which is actually the closest dupe for Huda Angelic 
• Fyrinnae Octopus (pressed), which is a rich, darkened cranberry
• Coloured Raine Short Cake, which is like an intense version of Huda Angelic  
• Makeup Geek Phantom, which is a white/violet duochrome
• Coloured Raine Your Majesty, which is an intense foiled gold 
• Inglot 355 matte, which is a warm matte brown 
• Coloured Raine Crown, which is a pink/gold duochrome
• Too Faced Satin Sheets, which is similar to Coloured Raine Crown, but less pink
• Kat Von D Liberates, which is a matte pink-white
• BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Deluxe shadow 8, which is a matte mauve 

Desert Dusk shadows that I did not try to dupe are:

• Amber, which is a matte terracotta 
• Blood Moon, which is a shimmery copper 
• Cosmo, which is red glitter 
• Saffron, which is a matte redbrick 

The reason I left out all of these shadows is because I feel like those colors (except for the red glitter) are so common and didn't interest me as much as some of the other pink/purple shades. I also just have no desire to have an underperforming red glitter shadow when I have Stila Magnificent Metals Next to Notte:

It's not surprising to me that people are really drawn to the color scheme of Huda Beauty Desert Dusk, but it is surprising to me that many people have given the palette positive reviews when I personally feel the texture of many shadows is quite dry and patchy. I tend to agree with Temptalia's assessment of the palette (she gave it a B– rating).

This was just another reminder to me to "shop my stash," which is a phrase that I have heard for years and never quite understood or took to heart. I might not have an exact dupe for the Desert Dusk palette, and my palette might not be as symmetrical, but I have a palette filled with the exact colors that I want inspired by this color scheme as well as what I believe is a palette of superior quality. And this is a way that I can still participate in the current trends without having to spend money on items I already have just so that I can say I have the popular product of the moment.

And when I think about it that way, it feels really good. I didn't spend any additional money on this palette. These were all items already in my collection. I could have instead shelled out a whopping $65 and added yet another palette to my collection, and I probably wouldn't have liked that palette nearly as much as I like this one.

Weekly Looks: Jouer Skinny Dip, Sephora Pro Editorial, Colourpop, and Coloured Raine Queen of Hearts

This was a fun makeup week. I know that sounds slightly repetitive since makeup should always be fun, but this week was just a little more fun than usual. And that is because I am playing with color. I really think I am making up for all the time I spent buying every single brown color imaginable and lusting after neutral palettes. I am all about color now and have been really inspired by the single shadows in my collection. I feel like I'm moving into a good place with my eyeshadow collection, pairing down my shadows, and finding new sources of inspiration. 

Here are five looks I did this week. 

Look 1: Sephora Pro Editorial 

Jeffery on the first half of the lid, Helen P on the second half of the lid, and Costal Scents Oktoberfest blended into the crease. Shawn on the lower lash line. NYX Vivid Brights liquid liner in Sapphire. 

Look 2: Colourpop Rosé All Day, Fyrinnae Aztec Gold, and Makeup Geek Typhoon 

Colourpop Rosé All Day on the inner lid, Fyrinnae Aztec Gold on the center lid, Makeup Geek Typhoon on the outer lid, Costal Scents Peach Petal blended into the crease as a transition shade, and Costal Scents Fine Wine blended into the crease. Coloured Raine Super Star padded on the inner corner. 

Look 3: Jouer Skinny Dip and "Desert Dusk"

Jouer Magic Hour on the lid, peach Inglot shadow and purple Inglot shadow blended into the crease as transition shades, Coloured Raine Ladyship blended into the crease, and Coloured Raine Queen Mother padded onto the outer corner and on the lower lash line. Coloured Raine Crown on the brow bone and inner corner. 

Look 4: Jouer Skinny Dip and "Just Peachy Mattes"

Jouer Star Light on the lid, Colourpop The News blended into the crease as a transition shade, Colourpop Slim Fit blended into the crease, and Colourpop Stay Golden padded onto the outer corner and blended into the crease. 

Look 5: Costal Scents Lakeshore 

Costal Scents Lakeshore on the lid, Makeup Geek Beaches and Cream blended into the crease as a transition shade; Coloured Raine Royal Prerogative, Makeup Geek Desert Sands, and Makeup Geek Cocoa Bear blended into the crease; ABH Fudge and Coloured Raine Dethrone padded onto the outer corner, and Makeup Geek Flamethrower on the lower lash line. Marc Jacobs Whirl(pool) on the waterline. 

Look 1: Sephora Pro Editorial 

I had a lot of fun with this look. I must have been really feeling the greens this week because this look was originally going to be some kind of monochromatic green look. But then as soon as I was going to apply a green color to the crease, I diverted course and threw in a neutral orange-brown. I added a blue-green to the lower lash line and a bright blue eyeliner, and I really liked this look. I think it looked better in person than on camera, but considering these were light pastel colors, I think this turned out pretty alright. This is also a look that I would have never even thought to do a year ago, and while I think there are looks that are more "flattering," I had a lot of fun with this.

Look 2: Colourpop Rosé All Day, Fyrinnae Aztec Gold, and Makeup Geek Typhoon 

Remember that monochromatic green look I was just talking about? Well, I couldn't get it out of my system, so I did this look the next day. I don't know if I would have ever chosen to put all these green and gold shades together, but I have recently been doing a lot of shuffling of my single shadows in custom palettes, and at some point, all of these colors ended up near each other. And I really liked how they all looked. I love the gradient across the lid from gold to green, and I love each of the shadows I used. Like the look from the day before, I was planing on adding a dark green color to the crease, but once everything was in place, I diverted and went with berry. And I love how it looked! Green and berry isn't necessarily something I would easily think of to pair together, but I actually think the color combination is gorgeous. 

Look 3: Jouer Skinny Dip and "Desert Dusk"

So, this is one of my favorite eye looks that I have ever done. And I know that I say that often, but this look was really special to me. I used the silver-charcoal shade in the Jouer Skinny Dip palette as well as my duped "Desert Dusk" palette (I'll do a post on this soon). I guess it's a little bit cheating to call it the "Desert Dusk" look because several shades came from the Coloured Raine Queen of Hearts palette. I know it is sacrilege of me, but I actually depotted all the shades from Queen of Hearts. My reason for this is that every time I looked at the palette, I thought it was a gorgeous combination of shades, and each shadow was great quality. But, I hardly ever used it. And I think it's just because I've been so into my singles this year, and Queen of Hearts was being forgotten. Learning to get over ruining the perfection of shadows and palettes in depotting has really been such a helpful tool in my "makeup rehab" and in using my collection. I absolutely loved pairing the berry/purple shadows in Queen of Hearts with the charcoal shadow from Jouer. I think the overall look turned out quite smoky, but also intriguing. Again, this wasn't really a shadow combination I would have thought of when looking at Skinny Dip or Queen of Hearts as independent palettes, but when I saw the Queen of Hearts shadows depotted, I feel like it opened up a lot of creativity. 

Look 4: Jouer Skinny Dip and "Just Peachy Mattes"

Can you tell how my week went with shadow? Every time I used something that I thought was interesting, I had to try something out similar the next day. I typically don't like silver shadow, but I was so in love with the look I created with Jouer Magic Hour the day before that I wanted to step it up a notch and try Star Light, the most silver shade in the palette. I hadn't used my peachy matte palette in a few days, and as I've said, it seems I can't go too long anymore without using it, so I knew it was going to be a coral look. I wanted to see what it would look like to combine the neon nature of Colourpop Slim Fit with the coolness of Star Light, and I really liked the end result! I kept staring at my eyes all day because this silver was so intense and gorgeous. I find myself continually impressed with the Skinny Dip palette, and I've been enjoying using it with non-obvious colors.

Look 5: Costal Scents Lakeshore

Something that I am starting to learn is that it is perfectly okay to take inspiration from a palette without having to purchase that palette. At this point, I have basically every color of eyeshadow possible, so if there is a color scheme that is pretty to me, I know that I likely have colors in my collection that can replicate the look or give me a similar effect. For this look, I was actually inspired by the swatches of Natasha Denona Aeris:

I really liked the look of the blue and orange (left) shades together, and while a few years ago my impulse would have been to buy the palette, now I can take inspiration and just find colors in my own collection. I have shadows that would be better "dupes" for the Natasha Denona shadows, but I wanted to go for a slightly toned-down neutral look. Adding Makeup Geek Flamethrower on the lower lash line really made this look for me. Especially against Whirl(pool), I think the color combination just looked so cool.