When BH Cosmetics released their Desert Oasis palette a few months ago I kept telling myself I didn’t need it but I did think it was beautiful. Then it went on sale at Ulta and I was able to snag it for just $11.00, regular price is $22.00. This palette contains five highlighters and fourteen eyeshadows; four mattes and nine glitter/duochrome shades. I have had terrible luck with BH Cosmetics eyeshadows in the past but this one is TOTALLY different. I’ll get into all the pros and cons and then show you five looks I made just using this palette.

Pros:

• If you love glitter, then this is the palette for you. The shimmers in this are absolutely stunning.
• The mattes are creamy and easily blendable.
• All of the shadows are pigmented.
• You can get a wide range of looks from very neutral to bold and smokey.
• This palette has a mirror and a magnetic closure so I think it would be perfect for travel.
• The five highlighters included are stunning. These are on par with the BH Cosmetics Spotlight Highlighter palette that I’ve reviewed before and loved. A wide range of skin tones will be able to use these. My personal favorite is Serenity. Utopia and Hideaway are too dark for me but they make beautiful eyeshadows.
• The matte shadows had very little to no fallout.
• This palette contains warm and neutral tones.

Cons:

• So much glitter fallout. For all of the shimmer shades you will need to make sure to tap off your brush. These shadows have great color payoff even with a dry brush but to prevent fallout I usually wet mine.
• Hot Spring, the blue shadow, is the most crumbly of the palette. This is a bright blue so it will easily stain the face and needs to be used carefully.
• While I love the highlighters some may not. They are very intense and can cling to texture but most powder highlighters do.

 

The eyeshadow swatches are in order from left to right and top to bottom. The highlighters are in order from the top of the palette to the bottom: Serenity (champagne with some pink), Bliss (white base with a strong gold shift), Mirage (rose gold), Utopia (bronze) and Hideaway (deep rosy bronze).

I’m going to show five looks I made just using this palette. Since these eyeshadows do have names I won’t describe where they are in the palette but I do go in the order they’re in on my hand, left to right/top to bottom. You can click on the pictures to see them in more detail.

 

Like most of the looks I made with this palette, I loved this one. I am wearing Serenity as my highlight.

1. I used Canyon in the crease.
2. I deepend the crease with Dune.
3. I used Terrain all over the lid.
4. I used Moonscape as my inner corner and brow bone highlight.
5. I used Sand to clean up all the edges.
6. I used Nightscape on my lower lash line with Dune smudged underneath it.

 

I was in a hurry this day and just did this bare bones, glowy look. I am wearing Mirage as my highlight.

1. I used Sand on my lid and up to my brow bone.
2. I used Quartz on the lid and up into the crease.
3. I used Mineral as my inner corner and brow bone highlight.

 

This was my favorite look of the palette with my favorite shade, Cactus. Cactus is a duochrome reddish brown that shifts green. It looks identical to Prickly Pear in swatches and the two go beautifully together. I am wearing Bliss as my highlight.

1. I used Sand on my lid and up to my brow bone.
2. I used Sandstone all in my crease.
3. I deepend the crease with Canyon.
4. I used Prickly Pear from the outer part of the lid to the middle.
5. I blended Cactus in with Prickly Pear and put it to the innermost part of my lid.
6. I used Bliss as my inner corner and brow bone highlight.
7. I lined my lower lash line with Nightscape and smudged a little bit of Canyon below Nightscape.

 

This isn’t necessarily a look I would wear on a typical day. I did this in honor of it finally being spooky season. I found I really struggled with Nightscape, the very dark brown. I don’t think it was the shadows fault, however, I think it was just my lack of skill with darker colors.

1. I used Sand on my lid and up to my brow bone.
2. I used Nightscape all in my crease.
3. I used Heat Haze all over the lid.
4. U used Mineral as an inner corner and brow bone highlight.
5. I used Heat Haze on my lower lash line.
6. I smudged Nightscape under Heat Haze on my lower lash line.

 

I actually really liked the way this look turned out. The blue did get a little higher in the crease than I wanted it to and the blending isn’t quite as smooth as I like but overall, it’s not the worst thing I’ve done lol.

1. I used Sand on my lid and up to my brow bone.
2. I used Sandstone all in my crease.
3. I deepend the crease with Canyon.
4. I blended Dune into Canyon on the outermost part of the crease, in the V of my eye.
5. I used Hot Spring on the outermost and innermost part of my lid.
6. I used Turquoise in the middle of my lid and as an inner corner highlight.
7. I lined my lower lash line with Hot Springs and smudged Dune underneath.

This palette is absolutely wonderful and even worth the full price of $22.00. However, you shouldn’t have to pay that because BH Cosmetics and Ulta are always having sales. This is a great year round palette and I see it being one I reach for often. I’d love to know what you think! Have you tried this palette yet? Thanks for reading and have a great day!