Shadow Like an Olympian

Milani Olympian Blue Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.11 oz.) is a rich medium blue with a matte finish. MAC Blue Candy is lighter. MAC Electric Eel is comparable. MAC Freshwater is a smidgen darker and frosted. Inglot #371 is a touch lighter. Inglot #322 is similar. Make Up For Ever #72 is also comparable.  This is one shade that has a lot of dupes–this, of course, is the most affordable!

Olympian Blue is highly pigmented, just as described, with an ultra-finely milled, silky soft texture that’s easy to blend.  I love that it’s not so soft that it’s powdery, and it doesn’t disappear once applied. You don’t have to pack this color on at all–it’s very intense and stays that way, even as you blend around the edges.  When I tried it out, it wore for a full eight hours without primer and there was no apparent fading or creasing.

The Glossover

	Olympian Blue A
	Top notch, intense blue for under $6! If you've drooled over shades like MAC Electric Eel and Make Up For Ever #72, this is a great option that's nearly identical but at a fraction of the cost.
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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Milani Olympian Blue Eyeshadow

Milani Olympian Blue Eyeshadow

Milani Olympian Blue Eyeshadow

Milani Olympian Blue Eyeshadow

Milani Olympian Blue Eyeshadow

Milani Olympian Blue Eyeshadow

Not Quite Perfect

Milani Just Perfect Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.11 oz.) is described as smoky, muted bluish-teal with a gray cast and a frosted finish. It’s one of those fun colors to review, because it’s blue, it’s teal, it’s green, it’s gray! MAC Rain Drop is more teal colored, less gray. Urban Decay Hijack has a blacker base color, so it appears darker. MAC Emerald Dusk is darker and bluer. L’Oreal Endless Sea is a smidgen bluer. MAC Sky has gold shimmer. Urban Decay Shattered is very similar, but it also has gold shimmer.

Milani describes their latest powder eyeshadow formula as “super pigmented, easily blendable, crease-proof, [and] silk-like.”  I’ve been loving their new powder eyeshadows lately, but Just Perfect is a little less than that.  The texture is on the drier, stiffer side, so the color payoff is decent to good, but it’s definitely not super pigmented.  I worried it was going to be difficult to apply and blend, but it performed better on the lid.I did have to build up the color, but I did not have trouble blending the color and softening the edges.  It wore for eight hours without creasing both over a primer and just on bare lids–there was a smidgen of fading.

The Glossover

	Gold Dust B+
	I wish this shade was a bit softer and more pigmented, then it would really be Just Perfect (ha!) -- the wear is still good, and I was able to build up the color enough on the lid.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
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Milani Just Perfect Eyeshadow

Milani Just Perfect Eyeshadow

Milani Just Perfect Eyeshadow

Milani Just Perfect Eyeshadow

Milani Just Perfect Eyeshadow

Milani Just Perfect Eyeshadow

Milani Just Perfect Eyeshadow

Follow the Trail of Gold Dust to Find Your Way Home

Milani Gold Dust Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.11 oz.) is a warm gold with orange tones and a frosted, metallic finish. Giorgio Armani #1 is similar, slightly darker. Clarins Enchanted Summer contains a gold that is similar but also a little darker. Dior Couture Gold has a slightly lighter shade. Milani Drenched in Gold is less orange-toned.

The color payoff is decent to good, and it will apply mostly opaque to lid with a little packing of color but not too much is required.  In my use of this shade, what I liked least was the texture, which was on the powdery side with some dryness (it’s quite apparent in the swatch).  I wish it had a better or more binding ingredients, so it would stick together better.  This would make it apply more smoothly, though the powdery texture makes it easy to blend–but there is a little fall out during application, and the color can be sheered out too easily if you are not careful.  It managed eight hours of wear without a primer and only showed some very subtle fading along the inner corner.

The Glossover

	Caramel Brown B
	Not bad, not fantastic. For the price, some of the drawbacks might be worth overlooking. I think you may still be able to find a better gold for a similar price tag, though.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 8.5/10 Application 4/5
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Milani Gold Dust Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Gold Dust Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Gold Dust Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Gold Dust Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Gold Dust Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Gold Dust Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Gold Dust, Just Perfect, Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadows (8 Hours of Wear)

Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.11 oz.) is a warmed over medium brown with a golden bronze shimmer and sheen. As gorgeous as this shade is, there are several shades that are similar to it (but you can’t beat the price point of Milani!). Urban Decay Chase is slightly more orange-toned. MAC Love Connection is less brown, more red. Buxom Golden Retriever is similar but darker, less golden/shimmered. Urban Decay Suspect is pretty close, though not as warm.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Milani, because they’ve been one of the more reliable budget-friendly brands for years, not just recently, though they’ve been churning out some impressive products in the past year.  Their new range of pressed powder eyeshadows is fantastic overall, and Caramel Brown is no exception.  The texture is soft, buttery, and dense and blends beautifully and melts against the skin like butter.  Milani says they’re crease-proof, “super pigmented,” and blendable; they’re everything and more–but when I test drove Caramel Brown, I did experience some fading along the edges after eight hours (which is still really good–the majority of formulas have some fading after eight hours without aid of a primer), but absolutely no creasing.

I’m drawn to this shade like you wouldn’t believe–I think it’s the balance of warmth, gold, brown, bronze, and shimmer. It’s lovely against warmer complexions, as it brightens without dominating. It can easily be worn on the lid or in the crease, but I really like it softly on the lid with not much else.  Naturally, the strong warm undertones in this hue will flatter warmer complexions overall.  I’m a believer that you can wear anything and everything–it’s all about confidence and how you wear it!

The Glossover

	Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches A
	It's lovely against warmer complexions, as it brightens without dominating. It can easily be worn on the lid or in the crease, but I really like it softly on the lid with not much else. Naturally, the strong warm undertones in this hue will flatter warmer complexions overall. I'm a believer that you can wear anything and everything--it's all about confidence and how you wear it!
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Caramel Brown Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Pitch Black Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Pitch Black Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.11 oz.) is an intense dark black with a matte finish–though there appears to be a very, very faint sheen, it doesn’t translate on the lid or from afar. It also seems to have very subtle blue undertones (rather than brown), but it’s hard to tell–it’s that close to neutral. Urban Decay Blackout is just slightly richer. Tarina Tarantino Lovely is a little softer. Guerlain Les Ombres de Nuit is similar. Inglot #391 is not quite as dark.

The formula is supposed to be “super pigmented, easily blendable, creaseproof, [and] silk-like.”  This is the second shade I’ve tried from the line-up, and I’m not disappointed.  I think the texture is a little drier than Shocking Pink, but it’s very intense and pigmented.  It’s soft, finely-milled, and doesn’t look chalky when applied.  It blends out fairly easily, though it could be just a little softer and denser.  The good news is that it’s not powdery, so you don’t end up with lots of excess product underneath your lid during application as you might with a more powdery formula.  This particular shade is closer in texture to MAC’s mattes, but it’s not quite as dry.  When I trialed Pitch Black on the bare lid, it wore for eight hours with some slight fading around the edges but no creasing.

It will be available exclusively at select CVS stores this May. I’ve linked to Milani’s website for the time being, as it’s a good starting point for tracking down where Milani is sold near you.  These are packaged in a clear-cover plastic compact and contain over double the amount of product as the average eyeshadow (0.11 oz. vs. 0.05 oz.).

The Glossover

	Pitch Black A-
	It's definitely one of the better budget-friendly blacks--I love that it doesn't have a super dry, chalky texture, and it actually goes on as intense as it looks in the pan.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4.5/5
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Milani Pitch Black Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Pitch Black Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Pitch Black Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Pitch Black Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Pitch Black Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Pitch Black Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Shocking Pink Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Shocking Pink Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.11 oz.) is a vibrant magenta pink with strong blue undertones and a very subtle dusting of silver shimmer. This might be one of the most vibrant shades I’ve seen, period, but particularly from a mass brand. Sugarpill Dollipop is less blue-based, pinker. MAC Magenta Madness is a little more intense, darker, and pinker. Make Up For Ever #75 is much, much darker and pinker.

The formula is described as “super pigmented, easily blendable, creaseproof, [and] silk-like.” It’s a pretty tall order, but Milani actually delivers well on all four claims. It’s extremely pigmented; it’s rich in color, and it has a soft, buttery texture that’s dense and so very soft. It’s one of the softer, denser mattes (like Inglot), as compared to MAC’s regular matte formula, which is a drier, firmer matte. The soft, silky-smooth texture enables really easy blending and diffusing of color. It applies and adheres well to the bare lid, lasting about eight hours with no creasing and minor fading around the edges.

It will be available exclusively at select CVS stores this May. I’ve linked to Milani’s website for the time being, as it’s a good starting point for tracking down where Milani is sold near you.  These are packaged in a clear-cover plastic compact and contain almost double the amount of product as the average eyeshadow (0.11 oz. vs. 0.05 oz.).

The Glossover

	Shocking Pink A
	Intensely pigmented, soft as silk, smooth as butter, and easy to blend--what's not to love? Oh, and it's less than $5--even better. Fans of matte eyeshadows who also love their brights will definitely want to keep an eye out at their local CVS!
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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Milani Shocking Pink Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Shocking Pink Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Shocking Pink Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Shocking Pink Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Shocking Pink Powder Eyeshadow

Milani Shocking Pink Powder Eyeshadow