Refillable Makeup Palettes
A while back, I reminisced fondly about Revlon Custom Eyes refillable eyeshadow makeup kits.
It looks like another company has come up with a replacement for my beloved Custom Eyes. Make Up For Ever has created the Make Up For Ever refillable palette.
I received an advertisement from Sephora offering a free palette when I buy three refills for the palette (which usually costs $20). Here’s the link to the promo:
- Sephora: Make Up For Ever Free Palette Offer: It says it’s a limited time offer, but it doesn’t say when it expires, so be warned.
My problem with Make Up For Ever is that the eyeshadow and blush refills are so EXPENSIVE!! Each eyeshadow is twenty bucks! That was another thing that I loved about the Revlon Custom Eyes. The refillable palette was about five bucks and then each eye shadow was a couple of bucks apiece.
You can’t convince me that Make Up For Ever eyeshadow is worth $18 MORE than Revlon eyeshadow. It’s the same trouble I had with the Mary Kay refillable palette. Years ago, I bought a couple of makeup palettes from Mary Kay. Aside from the irritating issue of having to order the makeup through some flaky stay-at-home mom who never returned my calls, refilling the palette just never seemed worth it. When I wanted a new color of eyeshadow, I ended up buying an entire makeup kit from Sephora rather than call my Mary Kay “Specialist” back.
Even worse, they have since CHANGED their compacts, so if I want to replace the eyeshadow, I can’t. I have to buy their new compacts. Fortunately, through the power of Amazon, I don’t have to deal with an “Independent Beauty Consultant” and I can just buy what I want online. Although not as expensive as Make Up For Ever, Mary Kay products are still kind of pricey compared to Revlon, Cover Girl or Maybelline.
Even the cheap makeup companies make refillable palettes. For example, this Color Workshop makeup case came with several palettes to put into the case. I couldn’t swap out individual eyeshadows and blushes, but I could change to a different palette using the four that the case came with. I saw a similar set at WalMart in their gift aisle just this year.
In the end, I have never found a refillable makeup palette as good as Revlon had in the Eighties. I’m sure they still hold a patent on Custom Eyes. I wish they would revive it and make my day!
Update 12-29-09: It looks like Stila also makes refillable compacts in sizes of three, four and six pan sizes.
- STILA Pon Pon Gerbera Eye Shadow Trio 3 Pan Compact NIB – eBay (item 280419753193 end time Jan-04-10): This 3 Pan Compact comes with three eyeshadow pans as well for only $12. Good deal if you like those shades.
- Stila Refillable 4 Pan Compact at Amazon.com: This palette is sold empty and you must buy the eyeshadow and blushes separately.
- Stila 6 Pan Compact at Amazon.com: This palette is sold empty and you must buy the eyeshadow and blushes separately.
The eyeshadow and blush pans are held in place with magnets, which is an ingenious twist on the refillable palette market.
I also found these refillable makeup compacts from Eco Bella:
- Ecco Bella Elite Collection Compact at Amazon.com: This palette comes with shades that can be used alone or layered to create the perfect look for any occasion. Full-sized product can be removed and then placed into our Paperback Duo Compact for retouching on the go.
- Ecco Bella Refillable Paperback DUO Compact at Amazon.com: Sold empty for use on the go with the Ecco Bella shades.
These may be pretty, but the replacement eyeshadows range in price from $18 to $25 a piece, so they seem very overpriced.
Here’s a customizable make-up palette you might like. it’s pricier than any drugstore stuff, but eventually, from the money saved by buying refills, maybe you’ll make it back. uniicosmetics.com
Comment by Mina — January 17, 2010 @ 11:02 am
Mina, that Unii Palette is Brilliant! Thanks for posting, it’s just what I’ve been looking for! I hope they think to make a mini size soon, for customizable “back pocket” palette essentials.
Comment by ginny — June 13, 2010 @ 7:26 pm
I called Sephora about when the promo ends and they said they aren’t told by the company so at this point it is a “while supplies last” kind of thing.
Comment by Thomas — January 11, 2011 @ 1:54 pm
very impressive post, you made some great points and i found it very useful for me. very good collection
Comment by soraya — March 11, 2011 @ 6:59 am
I STILL HAVE MY REVLON CUSTOM EYES COMPACTS FROM THE EIGHTIES. WHEN I RUN OUT OF A COLOR, I SIMPLY FIND THE RIGHT SHADE IN WHOEVER’S BRAND & PUT THAT SHADOW IN THE OLD REVLON PAN. TO DO THIS, SIMPLY SATURATE THE NEW SHADOW WITH RUBBING ALCOHOL TO FORM A PASTE, TRANSFER THE PASTE INTO THE OLD PAN & FLATTEN & COMPRESS THE PASTE BY LIGHTLY PRESSING IT WITH A PAPER TOWEL FOLDED SEVERAL LAYERS THICK (AFTER THE FIRST LIGHT PRESS, TURN THE PAN OVER, ONTO A DRY SPOT OF PAPER TOWEL FOR A GOOD COMPRESSING). LET THE SHADOW DRY FOR 24 HOURS, & IT’S READY TO USE. THIS METHOD ALSO WORKS FOR MIXING EYESHADOW COLORS, JUST USE A BIT MORE ALCOHOL & MIX IN A SMALL BOWL (ALLOW TO DRY TO PASTE CONSISTENCY BEFORE PLACING IN A PAN.
Comment by CATHE — June 24, 2011 @ 8:32 pm