From P215 to P1,500: Six multi-purpose palettes for different budgets

If you ask me, it is my genuine belief that makeup palettes are the gateway drug to starting a makeup stash. Finding a reasonably priced palette that contains a lovely mix of shares and/or all the products you'd need for a proper #FOTD is just the thing that fires up your imagination. How many different looks can you come up with? Isn't it great that you can tote so many options in one nifty container? It's definitely worth going for, even if you’re already more of a hoarder than a beginner building a collection. A cleverly curated palette seems like the perfect excuse to add another prize to your collection!

If you’re looking to fill in some gaps in your current kit or picking out the perfect gift to get a friend's beauty ball rolling, check out these five palettes that fit the budget AND cover a lot of ground:

Bobbie Cosmetics Insta-Runway Ready Contour Kit (P215 at Watsons)

While you may relate Bobbie products to the teeny-bopper set because of the cute packaging, the Insta-Runway Ready kit is all refined glam inside. Bobbie went the modest route in naming this palette, but it’s honestly so much more than just for contouring! The four big pans feature a pearly pale gold highlighter, a warm-toned matte bronzer, a matte apricot blush, and an ashy brown contour powder. And while the contour powder looks waaaay too dark on the pan, it actually swatches a bit more subdued and can be diffused easily.

Tony Moly Panda’s Dual Lip and Cheek (P598 at Tony Moly)

Cute and versatile, you don’t just get flushed cheeks and pouty lips out of this palette. For days when "beauty sleep" is not in your vocabulary (or schedule) you can even use the orange shade of the Bubble Red variant to conceal dark circles. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Celeteque DermoCosmetics Blush and Face Contour Kit (P845 at Watsons)

When the local skincare brand expanded into makeup, they came up with no-nonsense pieces that have everyday wearable formulations and shades. Their take on a contour kit is no exception, resulting in a 3-in-1 palette in their trademark minimalist packaging with a sizeable mirror inside. The contour and blush (both with matte finish) swatch light but are buildable, making them pretty fool-proof for those who tend to get heavy-handed. On the other hand, the highlighter has finely-milled shimmer and the pigmentation is already at bling-levels upon first swatch.

BYS Bronzing Powder Palette (P899 at SM Beauty)

At first glance, I thought that this BYS bronzer palette was actually neutral-toned eyeshadows. Upon closer inspection, however, the 8-pan palette contains a combination of matte, pearl, and shimmer finishes. And with two particularly high-shimmer shades, the palette can definitely be used for countless eye looks! With several options, you’re also likely to find a contour shade that suits your skin tone.

Ellana Cosmetics Athena Magnetic Makeup Palette (collectively priced P995 at Ellana Cosmetics)

Why stop at selecting a palette when you can also select what goes in it? Ellana takes the palette-shopping experience up a notch by giving you the power of choice. Pick up an Athena Magnetic Makeup Palette for P199, then choose any four from six Multi-Purpose Pressed Pigments (P199 each) to create a 4-pan palette that can be used as eyeshadow, blush, contour, and highlighter. The pressed pigments are soft and buttery, and most of the shades are versatile so that they suit various complexions.

Estée Lauder The Essential Face Palette (P1,500 at Estée Lauder)

Bet you didn’t think a luxe beauty brand would make this list. We can hardly believe it either! The 8-pan palette that contains eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, and highlighter in a shiny-sleek gold case with a huge mirror inside for convenient on-the-go application. The well-curated set features both a cool- and a warm-toned blush and four shadows (two matte and two shimmer) that can go from day to night, glam to sultry. Does it come as any surprise that this palette is constantly sold out?

What makeup does your dream palette contain? What palettes have made you give in and take the plunge? Let’s trade stories in the comments section!