The Glow Up is Real: Morphe 3502 Second Nature Palette
I hate palettes. That’s right, I said it. And it won’t be the last time. To be more specific, I hate the pre-assembled palettes that are the bread and butter of brands like Urban Decay. You know, the kind that cost a $50 for 3 shades you’ll use and 10 you won’t. For the most part, my chagrin for these pricey pots of powder has caused me to not even look at them in the aisles, but every now an then, a glimmer of hope slips through. This time, it’s Morphe.
Morphe is a California-based cosmetic brand that has been around online since 2008. They carry a full range of products and tools, but their eyeshadows and brushes are cult favorites in the beauty community. I first heard about Morphe for a couple years ago, mainly through my favorite YouTube beauty vloggers. I was quite impressed with the range of available shades and how well they seemed to wear on the YouTubers, but I wasn’t yet into purchasing makeup online without seeing it in person first. In October 2017, Morphe partnered with Ulta to bring their products to brick and mortar stores, starting with shadows and brushes.
Morphe carries a whopping 161 individual shadow shades and 27 palettes online. My first trip to Ulta after the launch introduced me to 12 of those palettes. It was love at first swipe. First off, the palettes available at Ulta come in such a beautiful array of well-balanced, wearable shades. Secondly, the quality of the shadows is amazing. Thirdly, the price points are perfect. I immediately wanted to buy ALL the palettes, but one in particular caught my eye and stole my heart – the 3502 Second Nature palette.
The Morphe 3502 Palette
The 3502 palette has 35 shades (11 shimmer and 24 mattes). The overall scheme of the palette is very warm and toasty, like a hot summer day. Mixed in with great basic neutrals are hot oranges, bright reds, and beautiful warm metallic shades. I also appreciate that they put standard transition shades and a nice basic black to help complete full looks.
- Row 1: Universal, Pure, Orb, Tan, Sizzle, Amber, Bronzie
- Row 2: Flux, Contour, Heat, Ablaze, Sauce, Fire, Ruby
- Row 3: Zodiac, Polished, Spice, Terracotta, Brick, Rustic, Zippy
- Row 4: Dust, Risky, Chestnut, Halo, Rich, Brave, In the Zone
- Row 5: Fawn, Stone, So Warm, Toast, Brunette, Muddy, Whiz
I purchased this palette right before a week-long vacation. Now I typically don’t travel with eyeshadow palettes for the same reason I don’t buy them. You pack this big, cumbersome brick in your suitcase, and still end up having to pack extra singles. For this trip I did an experiment – I packed the 3502 and nothing else. I was pleasantly surprised! I was able to get seven days of day and night looks out of one palette. I was sold.
The shadows also apply easily. They are smooth and not chalky, and the ccolor payoff is comparable, if not better, than many prestige shadows. However, I do recommend applying them with a damp brush for maximum pop.
THE VERDICT
- The Palette – The palette itself is pretty durable. It’s an opaque plastic palette with a hinged lid and snap closure. It’s pretty secure, but may not withstand too many drops. (Full disclosure: I did break the black shadow following my last trip. *sadface*). Still better than a cardboard palette.
- Eyeshadow – The quality is great. The shadows go on smooth, show up well, and stay put.
- Price – Talk about bang for your buck! $23 for 35 high-quality shadows. You really can’t beat that. For comparison, the Urban Decay Naked palettes retail for $54 and only get 12 shades.
Rating: High and Migh-T
I highly recommend the Morphe 3502 Second Nature palette, and fully intend to purchase more palettes, as well as their brushes. For the value, I also recommend their palettes to those just starting out. The shades are so well-curated, you get the most basic shades you need to complete a foolproof flawless eye look, but you also get fun shades to try out.
Have you purchased any of the Morphe eyeshadows? What is your favorite palette or eyeshadow brand? Share with me below!
