Bourjois Smoky Stories Eye Quads

Eye palettes are everywhere are the moment. You can buy any colour, any finish in any price bracket, one for every day of the week but realistically, unless you are a make-up artist, one good eye palette is going to last you 6 months to a year at least - there's almost too much choice. This, obviously, doesn't stop me from having loads but one that I've been using, loving and recommending for the last couple of months is the Bourjois Smoky Stories.

These eye quads come in lots of different colours but the two I picked to try on myself are Tomber des Nudes and Over Rose. The first is pretty nudes and pinks which is almost too pale for me but the second Over Rose is incredibly wearable, suits most people and is the one I've been recommending left right and centre.
First I feel I should mention that to me these are not eye quads really, they are eye trios. All the palettes three larger, wearable colours around the outside and then a square of highlighter-y colour in the middle. I haven't actually used these as, even when swatching, the chunky glitter just drops straight out of this. I know why it's there, highlighter is incredibly fashionable and for some it's a must-have product if you are doing a smokey eye but for me it is just not necessary. I think Bourjois know this though as they have kept it to the smallest palette in the quad.

Now, these palettes are cheap and therefore I highly recommend you use a primer with them. This will make a huge difference to not only the longevity of the shadow but the colour when you put it on. The face that these are affordable mean that they are not the most highly pigmented colours of any palette I've tried but I actually really like that. You can softly build the colours up so you get a really subtle, beautifully blended eye rather than packing the colour on and getting too much drama. This also makes them fab for those people who aren't too sure about how to do smokey eye - you need to build and blend and that's exactly what this palette encourages you to do.

Use the lightest shade all over the lid, the medium colour in the outer corner and the darkest along the lash line, round the corner and up into the socket and keep blending. If you want to use the highlighter then touch it into the inner corner of the eye but watch out for drop down. You may need to clean up any glitter that falls.

These palettes are great - some really wearable and interesting colour ways, something for everyone and really nice to find a good product that's not incredibly over priced.  They are also a great way to get a feel for colours you may not necessarily usually wear but want to try out.

You can see me use them in a Face of the Day video here

What You Need to Know - Bourjois Smoky Stories

• £7.99
• 8 quads to choose from 
• Bourjois is a cruelty free brand but does sell in China
• Available from Superdrug, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic,