Stila In The Moment Palette | Review + Swatches

TK Maxx can really uncover some gems at great prices, but you sure need your game face on to find the decent stuff. Many a time you can find your dream product, only to find that someone has stuck their gammy fingers right in there. A few weeks ago I had a particularly lucky visit. I managed to pick up two pristine palettes for less than half the RRP; the Stila In The Moment Palette and the Cargo Shanghai Nights Palette, but I'm saving that for another day.

In The Moment, sister to the ever popular In The Light Palette, features ten shadows housed in slim cardboard packaging. The size would be perfect for travelling, but it is worth noting that Stila have chosen to omit the mirror, which I can imagine would annoy some people. Instead of the mirror, there is the quote "Cherish the beauty of the moment", which is cute, but it isn't exactly a functional design element.

There is also a twist up eyeliner in Tetro, a blackened purple shade with purple glitter, similar to the Catalyst eyeshadow shade. This is super long wearing, and makes a lovely change from the standard black. However again this is a controversial feature, as I'm sure many would prefer a brush.



The top row of the palette features five cool toned shades. Instinct is a frosted white, with incredible pigmentation. I've never truly loved a highlight shade, but this is beautiful, and is actually one of the stand-out shades in the palette. Impulse is a soft pastel lilac, but isn't quite so pigmented. Glance is a duo-chrome bright purple shade, again with questionable pigmentation. Both of these took quite a lot of layers to achieve the swatches below.

Improvise is a matte deep purple, and is one I'd use in the crease. In this instance, the fact that it isn't as pigmented works in its favour as you can build up the colour gradually. Catalyst is a black with purple shimmer, similar to the black in the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. I find this quite dusty, but is nice to smoke out the outer V. Sometimes I find black eyeshadows to be too pigmented to do this, and it ends up looking messy, but this is perfect.

Top Row

The second row of shades runs a lot warmer, and looks like they have come from a completely different palette. Desire is a matte cream, that is perfect to blend out an eye look. Wonder is a satin baby pink. The pigmentation isn't incredible, but this would be a nice lid shade for day time. Spontaneous is gorgeous gold, and one where the swatch really doesn't do it justice. It is so unbelievably pigmented, and it is the standout shade in the palette for me.

Whim is a warm bronzey brown shade, with good pigmentation. It is quite a unique, almost coppery shade, and is perfect for autumn. Captivate is a shade that initially I wasn't that wowed with, but on closer inspection, it has the most gorgeous multi-tonal glitter running through a deep brown shadow. As you can see, this entire bottom row far surpasses the top in terms of quality and pigmentation. Stila really seem to do their neutrals well.

Bottom Row

Overall, the Stila in the Moment Palette (£9.99, RRP £25) is one that is versatile thanks to the range of shades and finishes, but unfortunately the level of pigmentation isn't as consistent as I'd have liked. It would be incredible if all the shades had the same pigmentation as Instinct and Spontaneous. I only paid £10 for this palette, so I still think it is worth it for the few shadows I do love, as the quality of these ones is fantastic. This is by no means the perfect palette, and Stila have quite a way to go, but if they ever bring out one with a dozen shades like Spontaneous, I'm all in.

What would be your perfect palette?