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If you ever doubted the absolute stronghold eyeshadow palettes had on the 2010s, allow me to take you back, back to the beginning. I recently stumbled across an Instagram post from creator TreasurexTrove (username checks out), who was revisiting a full-blown product graveyard from the era — and it stopped me mid-scroll. One by one, she dusted off the palettes that defined a generation of beauty lovers. Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Modern Renaissance, Urban Decay’s Naked, Lorac’s Mega Pro, NYX’s Ultimate Shadow Palette… each one instantly recognizable and carrying a very specific memory of YouTube tutorials, cut creases, and the thrill of swatching every shade with abandon.

It got me thinking: When was the last time I actually reached for an eyeshadow palette?

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And to be clear, when I say “palette,” I’m not talking about tightly edited duos (like Patrick…