stila "in the know" eye shadow palette: Swatches + Review!!

This palette review

is a lost library book

thus long overdue

(as is a dose of my horrible haiku poetry... my sincerest apologies [on so many levels]).

And also, I know what you might be thinking about my photos for this post: "Wow Cassie what a horrible editing job you did these are sooooo over saturated with yellow and green lolz failure." 

Fair enough.

I CHALLENGE YOU TO A PHOTOGRAPHY BATTLE (insert original Pokemon battle music here)!!

In all seriousness though, this really is one of the most difficult makeup products I have ever had the displeasure of photographing and editing; the clash of the crazy toned (Cassie-chu used vocabulary diarrhea... it's super effective!! [How annoyed are the non-Pokemon fans right now?]) case housing the green/yellow/blue toned shadows was something I've never encountered before. 

HOWEVER. 

I held my palette up to the computer screen for a good hour or so making the most subtle of adjustments to get the colors dead on... and I'm quite pleased to say that I think I've done just that because this palette is worth it. It's worth everything. 

So, if that rambly opening bit didn't put you off too badly, take the jump below for all of the photos I wept over/on and my full review of this holy grail palette (oh yeah, you weren't expecting a HG status to be thrown in right there were you? *whisper* You're welcome...).

I'm not sure if any of you remember, but I actually technically already swatched and reviewed this palette way back when upon receiving it from Birchbox for free (thank you brilliant rewards system!!).

However, my blogging hobby had only really just begun and I wasn't a master quite yet (who am I kidding, I'm still far from) of getting crisp and accurate shots of the products I was reviewing. Heck, the only reason I really back-linked you to that post was because Galileo looks so tiny!! He's really grown up so quickly *sniffle sniff #proudmamma* T^T

I hadn't tried any of stila's eye shadows prior to this palette but I am now such a convert; these are all incredibly pigmented, buttery soft, finely milled, and just overall beauties to work with in the morning. I feel like it's so rare to find a palette where all of the shadows perform to the same excellent standards but "in the know" does just that. 

Also, as I'm sure you've noticed (or were previously aware of): this is a palette comprised of all matte eye shadows.

The quality I mentioned above is absolutely UNHEARD OF for a collection of matte (or heck, even for satin/shimmer/etc.) shadows!! Not to mention I have been using this palette daily for the past month and a half and, as you can see, I haven't made a dent in any of the pans (and I tend to use four or so shades each day); I'm essentially thinking this palette is going to last me until I'm a grandma and then I'm going to pass it down through the generations (I'm only saying I'm kidding in order to appear socially acceptable). 

Air - a nude, off-grey milk

Wind - a sandy cream*

Desert - a tan, caramel brulee*

Clay - a blushing pink mauve*

Earth - a classic Hershey's chocolate

Driftwood - a subtle Swiss Miss hot chocolate

Fire - a blazing burnt pumpkin

 Rain - a brown taupe*

Smoke - an ashen slate

Ebony - a true charcoal*

I marked my favorite/most used colors with an (*) so you can get a feel for how I utilize this palette (which is, essentially, a very nude and natural everyday look).

Honestly, this palette is so much more versatile and flattering in my eyes (heh) than the Urban Decay NAKED Basics palette that everyone and their dog has been talking about as of late; I realize that there is a $12 difference between the two but for that little bit more you get four additional shadows as well as an eyeliner with this palette.

I just find that the UD palette comes with colors that only suit a very slim amount of skin colorings (when I swatched it in stores only a couple of the colors were distinguishable from the others) while this palette has an array of tonally different nude colors so practically everyone can be happy.

Let's also take the time to appreciate this little beaut that comes with the "in the know" palette:

I can't even begin to express my love for the stila smudge sticks... I love them so much that I was willing to do the disgustingly cheesy heart swatch above for you all.

Halfmoon is a beautiful grey that seems to be in the color spectrum right between the shadows "smoke" and "ebony". True to all of stila's smudge sticks this glides on like velvet, has a flexible dry-down so you have time to smudge it out if desired, and lasts ALL. DAY. Seriously, this isn't going anywhere (until you tell it who's boss with some makeup remover).

So there you have it!!

It felt so good to finally write a nice long, in-depth, and proper product review for you all :)

If you want to see more of this product, definitely check out my February Best & Worst of Beauty video (at the 13:24 mark) where I talk, swatch, and rave -OR- you can watch my Current Everyday Makeup Tutorial video (which isn't so current anymore, but I'm still using this palette nonetheless)!

Don't want videos? No worries!! 

Here are some photos I've dug out of previous posts/never published posts for your viewing pleasure:

(from an upcoming post [ooo spoiler alert kind of not really!!])

 (from a never published FOTD)

(from this post)

 (from this post / this video)

The only shadow I used on my eyes in the looks above that isn't a part of this palette is the second shadow in this horrible waste of money palette because a.) I can't NOT put a highlight in the inner corners of my eyes #blasphemy!! and b.) I'm trying to make the most of that palette since I did spend money on it and I can't stand to waste my hard-earned moolah.

Phew!!

Longest post ever?: Most likely.

Worth it?: Absolutely.

Have you tried stila's "in the know" palette?

Love it? Hate it?

What's your current everyday palette/quad/trio/etc.?

Do share!

xoxo - Cassie