From the benchmark palette to a travel friendly and one drugstore option, I give you all the highs and lows of three warm-toned, reddish eyeshadow palettes. We’ll have a veeery close look at the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance, Viseart Petit Pro and Makeup Revolution New-Trals vs Neutrals and see how they’re similar or differ and if any shades are downright dupes.
Oh, how I wanted the Modern Renaissance Palette (MR) when it came out. But it eluded me for months, until I finally got it this summer. My first attempt with a warm-toned palette was the cheap MUR New-trals vs Neutrals to see if I would like the look on me. Then came the Viseart Petit Pro. While the Modern Renaissance is easily my favourite, but all three of them have their merits. (And faults – for example, I don’t like any of the bone-coloured shades in all three palettes that I use for my inner corners and as a highlight under my browbone. That’s firmly MAC Blanc Type territory for me.)
Viseart Petit Pro – small and travel-friendly
For me, this falls short because of two reasons: all shimmery shades have fall-out, and the matte shades blend together muddily if you overdo it. (I discussed that here already.) But, ymmv, and its tiny size can make it a staple if you love warm-toned looks and travel a lot. I find the texture of the mattes a bit stiffer than the ones in the MR palette, but the shimmery shades are very, very pigmented and smooth.
Comparisons
The six shades, though, don’t give you a lot of variation in looks – with the light taupe shimmer shade and the light taupe matte shade you’ll get a nice neutral look that’s not too bam in your face. The second you use the gold, copper and burgundy shimmers, though, neutral and restrained goes out of the window.
If you want to go for an all-matte look, the result will be rather dark and smokey, too. Speaking of the shimmery shades – the copper, gold and burgundy are quite unique when I compared them to the palettes mentioned in this post.
This is my least favourite palette of all my reddish, warm-toned palettes, but don’t let this deter you. It got stellar reviews on a lot of blogs. Six shades, 5,9g/0,208oz for about 30€/30$. (Cruelty free, made in France.)
Makeup Revolution New-Trals vs. Neutrals – the drugstore option
When I wrote about it here and here, I waxed rhapsodically about the great blendability and the glitters that don’t have fallout. I miiiiight have been a bit too enthusiastic about this great budget option. You’ll get a tiny bit of fallout that can be minimised with a good sticky base.
The formula of the eyeshadows is generally ‘thinner’ than those of the MD and Petit Pro palettes and it’s less pigmented.
For the lighter matte shades, you definitely need a base like a paintpot (I like MAC’s paints) to get the pigment to properly perform.
Comparison with the Viseart Petit Pro
Compared with the Petit Pro, there’re two shades that are similar (no dupes!), namely Mode and the copper shade (Petit Pro) and Custom and the dark brown shade (Petit Pro). Compared next to each other you can see easily that the MUR shades are less pigmented and more glittery. (Which is weird because their glitter seems to adhere better for me.)
Comparison with the ABH Modern Renaissance
Compared to the MR palette, Trend, New-Tral and Tone are quite similar Red Ochre, Venitian Red and Love Letter in the MR palette, but again, less pigmented. Like the MR palette it has four shimmery shades, while one of them (Strong, dark-brown with red glitters) is pretty useless. It’ll drop the glitter down your cheeks, while you’re left working with a dark brown matte shade.
Conclusion
What makes this one a winner for me (especially at the price point), is the variety of looks you can do with it. Its two peachy shades have no counterpart in the MR palette. Besides the obvious warm red-toned looks you can also do very light peachy looks, taupe looks, and quite cool icy pink looks. You can also go all out and do a burgundy smokey eye. I find that this is the most versatile palette of all three, and also the one that people who’re cool-toned may be get away with.
16 shades, 16g, ranging from 7£, 11€, 12$ at various drugstores (USA, GB, D). Made in PRC. The company doesn’t disclose if the palette is vegan or cruelty-free. Comes with a dual-ended brush.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance – the benchmark
I honestly can’t remember that an eyeshadow palette was that successful in establishing a new look since Urban Decay did it with the Naked 1. When I got the MR palette, I immediately could understand why – the quality and ease of use of the shadows is exceptional.
I hate to use that clichéd term, but they honestly feel creamy and buttery. The pigmentation is insane, and the way to apply these shades for me is to dip my brush in the pan and then tap the excess product off.
Super easy to blend, and generally, using the palette is a joy. Fallout? None. (At least with my little dip and tap routine.)
Comparison with the Makeup Revolution
The shades in this palette, at the first glance, seem much more pink/berry and ochre/orange than the MUR palette. If you do a ‘neutral’ look with it, you can – I use either Vermeer with Buon Fresco or Primavera with Cyprus Umber. (For a totally matte look try Buon Fresco and Warm Taupe with a dark grey in the crease!)
But even seemingly cool-toned or neutral shades lean warm in this palette (e.g. Antique Bronze that in the pan seems to have a rather cool-toned greyish tone, is exactly what it says it is – an antique – warm – bronze.)
Instead of the light peaches and icy pinks the MUR palette offers, you’ll get matte ochres and oranges, and strong pinks that lean cranberry.
Conclusion
While you can do a variety of looks with this one, they’ll lean warmer and more saturated than the MUR palette, which might be great for you, or not. I like it, but I need a dark grey for my everyday, rather neutral taupe looks.
14 shades, 9,8g for about 55€ (at Douglas, where it is in and out of stock regularly), 41£, $42. Also vegan, cruelty-free and made in the USA. Comes with a dual-ended brush.
Do you own any of these? Which one do you like best? Any other warm palette I should look into?
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