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Keep your pressed powder pans pretty and protected!
I used to wonder why people would depot their products, which means to remove the pan of pressed powder from the plastic casing. While the payoff can be good (having less packaging, being able to organize however you’d like), the methods seemed a little dangerous (candles, knives and flatirons can be involved) and sometimes led to heartache (broken or gouged products.)
However, as my collection of eyeshadows grew larger and larger, I began to understand the desire to physically reduce the size of your stash, without actually throwing out products. While it’s important to perfect your depotting skills (try it out first on shadows you don’t mind ruining, NOT your favorite limited edition irreplaceable shadow!) it’s very important to have a safe place to put the pans.
I’ve tried a few different palettes in different price ranges and sizes, but I have to admit that the UNII palette is one of the nicest (and prettiest!) Available in six colors – Honeysuckle (coral pink), Midnight (black), Turquoise, Crystal (white), Pear (pastel yellow), Lavender – each palette measures 3.7″ x 6″ x 0.7″ (outer dimensions) and I managed to fit 14 pans of MAC sized eyeshadows.
The UNII Palettes ($29 each) are sturdy plastic cases with a fold over plastic closure that snaps securely. The size is perfect for travel. Adding to the fun, they are slightly sparkly on the exterior.
Inside is a full-sized mirror, a thumb pad (so you don’t stick your thumb in an eyeshadow), and a magnetic surface that will attract most metal magnetic pans. Non magnetic pans (like MAC’s, which are aliminum) can be made to stick by attaching a piece of the included ‘Not A Magnet’ sheet.
Pros:
• Durable and provides great protection
• Works with almost all pans, and comes with Not A Magnet sheet to attach to the pans that aren’t magnetic
• You’ll be able to save money and prevent waste by buying refill pans!
• Since it’s a “freestyle palette”, it can fit many sizes and shapes of pans, including eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, highlighter, powder, concealer and lip product pans – you could make your own all in one perfect palette!
Cons:
• Gets expensive if you have a lot of eyeshadows and need a lot of palettes.
I was pretty impressed with my UNII Palette. I was able to fit a nice sized collection of products into the palette, and found that they all traveled safely and securely. In my opinion, if you want a good quality palette, this one is worth every penny.
we heartsters – Have you ever depotted your products?
photos: we heart this
Marilyn is a makeup maniac and slow but stubborn runner. She loves color coding her day planner, reading celebrity gossip and drinking good wine. Marilyn blogs about makeup and fitness over at her blog, Lipgloss and Spandex.
skin tone: NC25
skin type: oily, acne-prone
favorite beauty product: eyeshadow
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.
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I’ve depotted broken eyeshadow to fix them, but to use elsewhere. I’ve seen palattes like this before, but this is the first that I think I would actually use! The others aren’t very pretty, or don’t look like they’d hold enough, but I definitely think this would make me do some major depotting. Especially since half the time I don’t use some of my products because they’re not in front of my face and I forget they are even there. This might save me some storage space and make me use the stuff that I have!
This is also one of the sturdiest palettes I’ve seen. If you plan on travelling AT ALL, get one of these to keep your pans safe. I’ll use cheaper (but less sturdy, and less attractive) palettes for at home, but I’m so glad I’ll have this!
I have been using the Trish McEvoy palettes for years for travel and this one seems great as well!
With the draconian weight restrictions on planes these days, I need to travel with the necessitites, so I take only may favorite shadows, blushes and bronzers with me, and a custom palette is the way to go!
I love the thumb pad and sparkly exterior!
I really never understood depotting…mostly because I find palettes bulky to keep on hand and pre-made ones generally end up in my locker at work for emergency use or in a weekender bag for a short getaway. You, @glamazon56 however, just showed me why I should depot: traveling with your fave products rather than the ones included with preset palettes or bringing multitudes of individual pieces. It sounds almost worth the trouble! Now, can I repot depots? Since I don’t like the bulkiness of palettes for everyday on my vanity…
I love the UNII Palette! I got one from my sister and while I don’t use it for travel, I thought it was the cutest thing ever. It has a nice sturdy feel to it and I like the colors. Mine is yellow. I think it’s a great option to have a mix of your favorite eye and cheek depots. It is a bit pricey but worth it if you have a lot of random depots.
@lipglossandspandex, thanks so much for the great review! I’ve been eyeing this particular palette for over a year. I have never depotted products before, but I’ve gotten to the stage where I want to carry and use certain products together and there is no other way. Loved the way you described this–I think it’s time to give this a go!
I have broken quite a few MAC shadows from depotting. But I’d love to get this palette and save some space by purchasing pro pans in the future.
Help!! I have been trying to find the Unii Palette, but can’t find anywhere! Is the company still in business? Please, please help!! Much thanks in advance.