Natasha Denona Mini Nude Palette: long-term experience

You’ve read the reviews, you’ve seen the swatches, but you’re still not sure if Natasha Denona’s Mini Nude Palette is the one for you? Then read on, because I’ll share my Mini Nude Palette long term experience – from application techniques to brushes to primers – all to help you decide: is the palette going to fit into your own life?

Mini Nude Palette long-term experience: My impression

Made in Italy, 5 x 0,8g, 25€/$ at Natasha Denona

The most obvious observation first: no, this isn’t exactly a ‘nude’ palette. This one is still rather warm toned (I would’ve loved if the darkest shade, Soil, hadn’t been a red, but a cool brown, but alas). You’ll very likely need additional shades for the looks you do, depending a bit on your skintone (apart from a medium skintone I guess nobody can wear the second matte shade, Quoin, as a transition shade), and Lumino isn’t light enough for me to be a proper highlighting shade.

This is my first foray into Natasha Denona, and I can’t find fault with the formula. Apparently, ND is often all over the place, changing formulas and manufacturers – this one is good.

Texture & comparison

The Mini Nude reminds me of the texture of Anastasia Beverly Hills shades, especially the mattes. The glitters fall for me in between Huda and Pat McGrath. There’re slight differences between the glittery shades, though – I think Lumino is the easiest to apply, smooth, with minimal fallout, while Bronzage is okay.

Sienna, though, with differently sized glitter particles, has potential to be a pain in the ass – I work around it, and it’s fine. I love that the glitters look good in whatever lighting conditions there are (different to Pat McGrath!). The mattes are very low maintenance and very, very easy to apply.

Primers

I think all goes, honestly: my go-to primer is Nars which is a bit more ‘stopping’ than Urban Decay’s, for example. All shades are still easy to blend over it, and they hold up well. I’ve also used various cream eyeshadows and paintpots, and my conclusion? All five shades are fine, whatever primer you use: they apply and blend easily, and hold up for my usual weartime with primers: about 10 hours.

Brushes

Let’s talk about the mattes first. I’ve used both synthetic and natural hair brushes with them: drugstore level synthetic brushes don’t work well with them. My high-end synthetic Hakuhodos though are great. (Too slippery fibres don’t work well with matte shades anyway, I find.)

With the glittery shades, I’ve tried synthetic Hakuhodos (paddle brush type) and they work great. Obviously, too fluffy (no matter if synthetic or natural, although in this case, fluffy synthetic are better than fluffy natural hair) isn’t good if you want to minimise fallout. I LOVE MAC’s 234 for those glitters, and recently they came out with a synthetic version of it. They perform both fine. As with every shimmery shade, it pays off to start with minimal product on your brush and built it up.

With Sienna, forget your brushes: use your fingertip and press it gently on your lids.

Convenience

As with all mini palettes, usage and variety is a big factor into your buying decision. IS this really a great vacation palette? I doubt that – sure, you can use all three glitters alternatively, use Quoin as some kind as a transition shade and use Soil in the Outer V – three looks that’ll look incredibly similar (although I deeply, deeply love using Lumino this way).

Usage with other shadows

You’ll very likely use different shadows with these, and I can tell you: no problem there. I used shadows from a lot of different brands with this palette, and all worked well.

Layering also worked well – I absolutely love that the ND shades feel substantial enough that they don’t blend away into nothingness or into a muddy mess.

Recommended?

I love the Mini Nude palette for doing basic warmish, nude looks. On top of that I thoroughly enjoy the texture, complexity and application of the shades, and I’ve worn it loads. My only critique would be that I still need a dark matte for variation from the blackened burgundy and a highlighter shade for the inner corners. It’s also an absolute no-brainer palette: all shades are really easy to combine with each other, so you don’t have to stare at it endlessly and wonder (ABH Subculture, I’m looking at you!).

You’ll love it too if…

• … you like warm, beige to brown shades,
• … you like glittery shades,
• … if you don’t mind using additional shades for more elaborate/cool-toned looks,
• … you own decent brushes (above drugstore level),
• … if you want a truly small-sized palette (which I love, because I won’t use up my eyeshadows in this life).

Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.