Friday, September 9th, 2011
Le Metier de Beaute Midnight Sky Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Midnight Sky Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Midnight Sky Eyeshadow ($30.00 for 0.13 oz.) is an incredibly deep, dark navy blue with soft frost finish. It almost seems like navy blue sheen over a blackened-blue base, because the level of darkness is so high, but it doesn’t read blackened blue at all. It looks a bit like MAC Blue Sheen used dry–but Midnight Sky is so much darker and opaque. Make Up For Ever #81 seems the closest but leans a touch purple.
The formula is buttery and almost creamy (but it is a powder) because of its denser texture. It applies smoothly and the color distributes evenly across the skin. I found it worked well both dry and wet with no real distinguishable difference between the two methods.
P.S. — I swear, I didn’t already review this, but I did review Lapis, which is a medium blue–but the two really are several shades away from each other!
Where to Buy: Nordstrom, $30
When Le Metier de Beaute gets it right, they really get it right. Midnight Sky has excellent color payoff, a silky smooth texture, and it wears beautifully.
Monday, August 29th, 2011
Le Metier de Beaute Lapis Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Lapis Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Lapis Eyeshadow ($30.00 for 0.13 oz.) is is a medium-dark blue with a frosted finish. I love it as an eyeliner, because it has enough vibrancy to add some oomph, but it’s not too bright, so it doesn’t come off harsh. Urban Decay Goddess is darker, while MAC Deep Truth is darker with a blacker base. Inglot #428 is similar but a touch darker, as is Make Up For Ever #308.
It has a soft texture that applies pretty smoothly across the skin. It’s dense and the color payoff is nice, though it does sheer out a little easily. It’s good, but it’s not the best Le Metier de Beaute shade I’ve tried (in terms of texture). It does apply nearly the same whether you use it dry or damp, which is convenient, because you can forego the extra step of dampening your brush and still achieve the same intensity and color.
Where to Buy: Nordstrom, $30
If you find that a lot of darker blues are too intense or dark, you might like this one more--it is still a dark blue, but it's not in-your-face and it doesn't have a really deep base color.
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
Le Metier de Beaute Fire Lily Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Fire Lily Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Fire Lily Eyeshadow ($30.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a pink-laced raspberry red with red glitter and a frosted finish. This is my least favorite Le Metier de Beaute eyeshadow I’ve tried from the brand, because the texture is gritty when used dry and still a touch uneven (from the glitter) when used damp. This shade worked best when applied damp, because it allowed the product to bind together and give a smooth finish with opaque color. When applied dry, it is sheer, a little dry, and there is some fall out.
In the past, I’ve been very pleased with Le Metier de Beaute’s eyeshadows–they have a really smooth texture with a rich and buttery feel and excellent color payoff whether they are used dry or wet. Here, Fire Lily seems to be lacking in all of those characteristics in some way. It applies more smoothly when applied damp, but it still has some of the unevenness in the texture due to the glitteryness of the shade itself.
It is redder than MAC Cranberry. It’s only a touch redder and darker compared to Inglot #450. It’s must pinker compared to Urban Decay Gash. It’s closest to MAC Quartz Fusion, slightly less red, and the texture is better than MAC’s.
Where to Buy: Nordstrom, $30
It's a good eyeshadow when used wet, and an inferior one when used dry, so it averages out to something in-between--average, perhaps--so if it's something you see yourself only using wet, then it will be of more value to you.
Tuesday, July 26th, 2011
Le Metier de Beaute Fig Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Fig Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Fig Eyeshadow ($30.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a reddened eggplant purple with a soft, frosted sheen. When applied wet, it takes on a slightly more jewel-toned depth, while applied dry, it appears the faintest bit lighter. There is not a big difference between the two, and the color payoff is excellent either way. Make Up For Ever #311 is darker–it has more of a blackened base. Inglot #452 is similar but redder, less purple. theBalm Curvy Cami is less intense with a dustier color, but there is some similarity.
The texture of Le Metier de Beaute eyeshadows is phenomenal–rich and buttery with a silky feel and smooth application. These eyeshadows can be used wet or dry, but generally, they work as well as wet as they do dry, which is nice, because it allows the user to decide on the application without sacrificing color payoff or texture. Here, Fig worked well both wet and dry, and the color intensity with either application method was lovely–really dense, opaque color with a silky smooth feel.
Where to Buy: Nordstrom, $30
Fig's formula is consistent with Le Metier de Beaute's richly pigmented but soft textured eyeshadows. The color will work well with both cooler and warmer skin tones.
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011
Le Metier de Beaute Chameleon Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Chameleon Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Chameleon Eyeshadow ($30.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a lightened antique gold. I love the lightness of the color–a lot of antique golds tend to be murkier, almost green, but this still retains some of the sheen and brightness of gold while still having that antique appearance. Urban Decay Rush is much, much darker and browner, while Inglot #404 is much too gold. It seems like it would compare to long-ago limited edition shades like MAC Rye and Summer Neutral, but this still seems warmer, more golden.
The texture of Le Metier de Beaute eyeshadows is phenomenal–rich and buttery with a silky feel and smooth application. These eyeshadows can be used wet or dry, but generally, they work as well as wet as they do dry, which is nice, because it allows the user to decide on the application without sacrificing color payoff or texture. Chameleon has good color opacity, and the finish is a soft frost, which is emphasized when it is used wet.
Where to Buy: Nordstrom, $30
Cooler skin tones who find golds typically do not work for them may want to take a look at Chameleon, because its muted quality reduces its warmth and brightness--it's earthy and more neutral.
Thursday, July 14th, 2011
Le Metier de Beaute Innocence Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Innocence Eyeshadow
Le Metier de Beaute Innocence Eyeshadow ($30.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a red-tinted copper with a part frost, part metallic sheen. It’s a finely-milled, smooth, blendable eyeshadow that applies as well dry as it does wet (the metallic sheen is emphasized when used wet). The color payoff is rich, intense, but it did read redder in the pan than when I swatched it. I imagine my yellower undertones have something to do it and would expect someone with pinker undertones to see this pull redder on them.
This is very similar to Milani’s I Heart You in color, though it is less pigmented. It is also similar to MAC Coppering, which looks more copper than Innocence.
Where to Buy: Nordstrom, $30
It's a gorgeous version of a coppery red and higher quality than the dupes I own, but it's not as nuanced as one might expect.
