Stila In The Know Palette Review

I recently won a giveaway for a Sephora gift card, and I had it in my mind to treat myself to a Stila palette since I had never tried their eyeshadows before.  When it came time to spend it, though, I talked myself out of the palette because I thought, "I don't need another palette."  But then I realized that I don't actually need any makeup, so I went ahead and got what I wanted!

I have heard great things about Stila before, and I really wanted to get their "Stylish In Seoul" palette because that's where I was born, but it was out of stock online and my gift card was an e-gift code.  My second choice was the "In The Moment" palette because I love purples, but I ultimately chose the In The Know palette because it's new to their collection and is made up of all mattes.  I usually gravitate toward shimmers, but I wanted to try something different.  The shades are also really gorgeous.

The palette retails for $39 and comes with 10 shadows and a full-sized Smudge Stick.  I was drawn to the shades because they're all "Earth-inspired," and I have an affinity for neutrals.  So I guess this is the third neutral palette I've acquired, but they make me happy!

Another aspect of this palette that I really liked was that it came with a little booklet that contained tutorials for six looks.  These shades can definitely be worn to work and played up for night.  For work I used Air, Clay, and Earth.  I think Clay is my favorite color in the palette because it's so pretty; it's slightly peachier than my skin tone so I just love the way it looks all over my lid.  The shadows apply decently with a brush, but when I swatched them I noticed that they didn't feel as soft as I had envisioned them to be.  By "soft" I mean that I was expecting a really smooth application, and in reality their color payoff wasn't as solid as I was hoping for (Fire is definitely the most pigmented).  I have yet to try the Smudge Stick (shade: Halfmoon), but I did swatch it on my hand out of curiosity and it applies super smoothly!

Bottom Line: I think this is my second-favorite neutral palette that I have in my collection.  The colors go together very well and I like that it comes with a full-sized Smudge Stick, too.  I would recommend this for someone who wants a great set of eyeshadows but might not want to pay as much as some other palettes cost.

Check out my swatches after the cut!

*Disclaimer: I purchased this palette with a gift card I won in a giveaway.  I was not asked to review it.