The palettes that will take you from desk to dance-floor

We’re officially in festive season, which means it can feel like one night after another, and that’s not just confined to weekends. With office Christmas parties only around the corner, it’s inevitable that you will be running straight from work to a bar with no time to go home first. So after you’ve done a speedy outfit change in the office bathroom you’ll be needing to amp up the drama with your makeup too. For most, this will involve a quick foundation top up and maybe a little facial spritz, like the Caudalie Beauty Elixir  to revive makeup that’s been on all day. None of us want to lug around a huge makeup bag filled with different eyeshadow/cheek options so we’ve rounded up the best do it all palettes that you can throw in your work bag and be party ready.

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette Smokey Eye Beauty; €41.40 at charlottetilbury.com 

Charlotte Tilbury always seems to hit the mark when it comes to beauty launches, and this is one of her best, with a waiting list on its first release it was a total sell out. Containing three eyeshadows, two blush shades, a highlight and a contour as well as a huge mirror (always a plus) it’s easy to do your makeup on the go with this. You can also use the cheek colours on lids, so if you don’t want a dark smokey eye you can use the bronze colour instead! It’s discounted for Cyber Week on the Charlotte Tilbury website so grab yours for €41.40 instead of €69.00.

NARS Endless Summer Hot Escape Eye and Cheek Palette; €55.00 at Brown Thomas

A brand that often gets the IMAGE seal of approval is NARS, especially when it comes to palettes. They release these every year with different colour combinations, and having owned a variety of them myself I can safely say they are always a winner. Slimline packaging that doesn’t take up lots of space, as well as a big mirror, make them great for travelling or doing makeup on the go. This new release contains four eyeshadows, as well as a highlight and a blush. We are especially lusting after the shimmery, grey purple, a no-brainer for an easy smokey eye.

Shape Your Money Maker Eye & Cheek Palette; €28 at tarte.com

For a more budget-friendly option this palette from Tarte is a great pick, especially if you are not as confident wearing dark eye makeup. It has six shadows as well as a sculpting cheek shade and a highlight. What we love is the choice between three matte shadows and three shimmers. Despite there being no options for a smokey eye the shadows are buildable and you can go heavy on the bronze shade with lots of shimmer, perfect for the Christmas party. This is also discounted on Tarte’s website for Cyber Monday at €28 instead of €43.