shu uemura | shu:palette | ommorphia beauty bar

There are eyeshadow palettes, and then there’s the Shu Uemura shu:palette (CAN $105.00/valued at $304.00)) – a collection of 16 neutral {read that as: totally wearable} full-sized eyeshadow shades along with a dual ended brush, in a slim profile case you might easily mistake for a watercolour palette. Designed in Japan (but made in Korea), the 16 hues range in finish from matte to shimmery, can be applied dry or with a dampened brush, and offer a wide variety of looks you can create with just this one palette, taking you effortlessly from day to night.

There’s one drawback, however; the shu:palette was a limited edition online release and sold out in the blink of an eye (although the website still shows that you can add it to a wishlist) and normally I don’t like to show items that can no longer be picked up, but all the shades of this palette are available as part of the brand’s core collection and you can even create your own mini version(s) of this palette with their custom palette case (CAN $17.00 for a 4-pan case). Thought that might soften the blow …

The case is smooth black plastic which also means it will show fingerprints (but can also be easily cleaned) and opens to reveal a full sized mirror on the inner lid. The 5 matte shades (M soft beige 814, M soft brown 851, M light beige 813, M dark brown 895, M black 990) apply buttery smooth with no visible chalky residue, the 4 metallic shades (ME light beige 825, ME medium brown 856, ME medium brown 862, ME medium olive 471) display more of a soft metallic finish and not overly blingy, as we traditionally associate the word, the 3 pearl shades (P soft beige 823, P light beige 822, P medium brown 875) offer up a subtle sheen, the 2 iridescent shades (IR light beige 811, IR dark blue 690) have an incredibly complex yet refined iridescence, the 1 glitter shade (G beige 821) has finely milled glitter for reduced fallout, and the final 1 satin shade (S light beige 815) is similar to the mattes but with a hint of a smooth shine. All of the shades have excellent wear time (especially when applied over primer), with the deepest hues saying true until removed.

Both heads of the dual-ended brush are made of synthetic bristles which means they can be used with either powder or cream formulas; one end bears a larger paddle shaped head with firm yet flexible bristles that can be used for a broader application of colour and some blending (although definitely not as effective as using a fluffier brush would be), while the other end bears a narrow head and is tapered for more precision work (definition, lining).

To facilitate a breakdown of the shades, I’ve divided them into two groups; the 8 hues (top & bottom) of the left side, followed by the 8 hues (again, top & bottom) of the right side of the palette.

Shu Uemura shu:palette

shu:palette (left side)

Top row:

G beige 821 – champagne/pale gold with ultra fine shimmer
M soft beige 814 – ivory, matte
ME light beige 825 – rose gold, soft metallic
ME medium brown 856 – mauve/taupe, soft metallic

Bottom row:

M light beige 813 – bone, matte
P soft beige 823 – nude gold, satin shimmer
S light beige 815 – fleshtone, satin
P light beige 822 – pink beige, smooth iridescence

Swatches all shown in sunlight (left side of photos) & alternate light (right side of photos), as well as applied dry (top 2 photos) & applied dampened (bottom 2 photos)

shu:palette swatches – top 4, left side of palette

shu:palette swatches – bottom 4, left side of palette

shu:palette (right side)

Top row:

M soft brown 851 – camel, matte
ME medium brown 862 – bronze, soft metallic
IR light beige 811 – oyster, smooth iridescence
IR dark blue 690 – blackened navy, smooth iridescence

Bottom row:

P medium brown 875 – chocolate, satin iridescence
M dark brown 895 – blackened brown, matte
ME medium olive 471 – silvered olive, soft metallic
M black 990 – carbon black, matte

Swatches all shown in sunlight (left side of photos) & alternate light (right side of photos), as well as applied dry (top 2 photos) & applied dampened (bottom 2 photos)

shu:palette swatches – top 4, right side of palette

shu:palette swatches – bottom 4, right side of palette

For years I was ambivalent about eyeshadow palettes that contained more than the standard 4-5 shades, considering them generally too large and unwieldy & usually made up of a couple of standout hues, with the rest acting as fillers – but there’s been a not-so-quiet revolution taking place (we can all thank Urban Decay and their series of ‘Naked’ palettes for starting things up) in this field. This Shu Uemura shu:palette has to be one of the most stellar palettes in the ‘neutral’ genre that I currently own, by virtue of its 16 full-sized and noticeably superior quality eyeshadow hues, to how well the colours meet all skin tones & makeup style preferences. Final word: Shu Uemura absolutely NEEDS to make the shu:palette permanent, and if you are able to find one of these beauties, I strongly suggest you grab it. And don’t let go.

The Shu Uemura shu:palette is a limited edition item – find more information through shuuemura.ca (currently listed as in stock), or by clicking on the link in the sidebar for direct access.