Makeup by Mario
A wise woman named Christina Aguilera once said, “They say if you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it’s yours, and that’s how you’ll know it’s for keeps.” That’s basically the story of the Makeup by Mario Ethereal Eyes Palette ($68) and me: the eternal tale of a girl, a stunning limited edition eye palette and their triumphant reunion.
Ahead, everything you need to know about the highly-anticipated restock, and our honest review.
Makeup by Mario
The Palette
Makeup by Mario, the beauty brand helmed by Kim Kardashian’s go-to makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, launched its multi-finish Ethereal Eyes Palette in late 2022. The palette, which Dedivanovic described as his “dream,” included 12 shades in buttery mattes, unique metallics and the coolest wet-look shimmers. Of course it went viral almost immediately and became nearly impossible to find online or at Sephora, which only made me want it more. It was the perfect palette for me; not since the OG Urban Decay Naked Palette had I found a group of eyeshadows so versatile and gorgeous.
I needed them on my eyes immediately.
When I tell you I was obsessed with finding this palette, I mean I was checking Sephora daily, including stock at stores in my area; “randomly” popping into Sephora just to check; signing up for all the “back in stock” alert emails; and scrolling the brand’s Instagram and Reddit to see if it would ever be restocked. My mom had the palette and I seriously considered stealthily swiping it from her when she came to visit. But sadly, my conscience won out and I accepted my fate. The palette was destined for cult classic, legendary unicorn status due to its scarcity, and we were never, ever getting back together. Or together in the first place.
But then, a miracle occurred. Whispers started to arise on TikTok that the palette was making a comeback, and lo and behold, she has returned to the shelves—once again for a limited time only. I was not going to miss my chance this time, and even got rid of the rest of my palettes in anticipation.
Ethereal Eyes Eyeshadow Palette
$68.00
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My Review
The Makeup by Mario brand has quickly become one of my favorites. It’s a makeup artist’s makeup brand, but it’s not intimidating or snobbish. The products are thoughtfully formulated; I’m a big fan of the SurrealSkin Liquid Foundation ($42), Soft Pop Powder Blush ($26) and the SoftSculpt Transforming Powder ($34) which just makes you look pretty, simple as that.
It was love at first sight with the Ethereal Eyes Palette, just as I knew it would be. The matte shadows are as luscious as the softest suede, and the shimmers truly do melt on your eyes, perfect for a glazed mermaid finish. I didn’t want to touch them, they were so gorgeous. But of course I did, and started whipping up a naked smoky eye with my fingers. The shadows are pigmented yet exceptionally blendable and layer like a dream, so you can create all kinds of custom combos on your lids.
Kara Nesvig
Like I said, I rehomed the rest of my palettes; given that I typically stick to gold, bronze and brown shades, the Ethereal Eyes Palette will reign supreme in my beauty drawer. I can do a wash of mauve pink with a pop of shimmer in my inner corners, a full smoky eye or a sheer dab of sparkle and it all feels effortless. I’m currently obsessed with layering a slick of shimmer over the matte shades, though it’s worth noting that the shimmers do migrate, so you may want to use a light primer to keep them in place.
The palette isn’t sticking around forever; it’s still a limited edition, so if you, like me, can’t imagine your life without it, snap it up ASAP or risk paying three times the price on Poshmark. (Trust me, I considered it at the height of my obsession.) It will sell out again—don’t say I didn’t warn ya.