Affordable Eyeshadow? Really? Maybelline Eye Studio may make it possible!
Maybelline Eye Studio Green with Envy Eyeshadow Quad
($7.49 to $9.99) is new from Maybelline for spring. Though the packaging is nothing to write home about (typical mass packaging–feels cheap, not the sturdiest palette I’ve ever handled–the lids often pop off, but they can be popped back on), the eyeshadows are some of the better ones I’ve tried when it comes to drugstore beauty brands. The eyeshadow quad consists of four shades…
- A shimmery, white-gold champagne highlighter that’s opaque enough to show up but sheer enough not to be overly frosty. I like this as a highlighter or all-over-the-lid kind of wash of color.
- A shimmery, yellow-based green with a golden sheen. It’s like a slightly muted, less golden-shimmered MAC Lucky Green. It has decent color pay off, but it’s not quite as pigmented as higher-end eyeshadows (like MAC or Urban Decay), but for a drugstore brand, I’m still impressed.
- A shimmery, muted peach-brown with golden shimmer and sheen. I can’t think of a dupe for this (at least, not off the top of my head), but it kind of feels like one of those hard-to-wear neutral shades, at least for me. I think those with cooler complexions may find it easier to wear than warm-toned complexions.
- A charcoal gray with gold and green shimmer. I felt like this had the worst texture and color pay off of the four, though it was still okay (just not fabulous). It felt a little chalky or powdery, so it’s best applied in layers and patted on rather than blended too much. It is, however, a unique shade (which just isn’t something you see often from mass). I think if you layered this over a dark base, you wouldn’t have to worry so much about pigmentation and could get the cool multi-tonal shimmer to show.
I think the color pay off of the Give Me Gold Eyeshadow Quad was better than this one, but I’d still say it was good for something found in mass retailers and for the price. It has the same silky texture, but it can sometimes feel powdery (use less than you think, then build up). I have a few more of these to try out over the next few weeks, so I’ll continue to review the other variations as I test them. I have a few of the more “colorful” ones to judge just how pigmented Maybelline can do truer, more vibrant hues.
Which ones have you tried? Impressed or disappointed?
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- Product: 26/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 3/5
Recommendation: If you like soft shadows and want something affordable, Maybelline Eye Studio Quads might be up your alley!
Availability: Target, Walmart
The First Blush of Spring: Chanel In Love Blush
Chanel In Love Blush ($42.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a dirty coral-peach with soft, golden shimmer. It can be applied softly or built up in intensity for a bolder cheek. I’ve found Chanel blushes to be extremely smooth and silky and have a tendency to blend very well into skin to look natural. In Love had this same texture and feel when I used it. (I wore In Love in this smoky look earlier this week.) It worked best when lightly patted onto skin with a blush brush (I like MAC’s 116) and then a gentle sweeping motion at the end to blend together.
I like pairing it with gold and copper eyeshadows as well as smokier looks. It’s versatile and definitely a shade I’m often drawn to. The shimmer in this is very fine and smooth, so it looks more like a shimmer-sheen than glittery shimmer. I just wish you got more for your buck; Chanel blushes are some of the smallest (by weight) blushes on the market, which then makes them one of the most expensive blushes by the ounce ($300/oz., whereas Dior blushes are $190/oz.).
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- Product: 28/30
- Value: 6/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: For silky soft blush, Chanel always makes for a good choice–when you’re feeling a little indulgent.
Availability: Nordstrom
Eyeshadows: Space Cowboy, Bobby Dazzle, Griffith, Diamond Dog, 54
Retrograde, Atmosphere, Moon Spoon, Void
Urban Decay Stardust Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches
For Spring, Urban Decay’s launched nine shades of a new eyeshadow formula: Stardust Eyeshadows. According to Urban Decay, these have a silky texture that has “40% more glitter than our most sparkly shadows,” and that this formula “delivers a sheer wash of color, topped with … sparkle that glistens like wet now.” The glitter ingredient is called “reflex” and these boast no fall out or chunky glitter. They can be used wet or dry, depending on what kind of color you want to achieve. Each Stardust eyeshadow retails for $20.00 for 0.12 oz. For reference, Deluxe Eyeshadows retail for $18.00 for 0.09 oz. and Deluxe Eyeshadows retail for $16.00 for 0.05 oz.
Stardust Eyeshadows
- Space Cowboy is a champagne beige with golden sheen and sparkle. It goes on barely there when used dry, but it has a more opaque look when used wet.
- Bobby Dazzle is a shimmery white (just slightly tinged by gold) with white and silver sparkle. This shade is best used dry unless layering over a more intense color, because it is incredibly sheer dry, though more obvious when used wet.
- Griffith is a soft, yellow-toned green with paler green sheen and sparkle. You can get some green to show when you use this dry, but it’s better when used wet or over a base.
- Diamond Dog is a dirty brown with a little gray and silverish sparkle. This brown kind of felt like one of those “ugly” browns to me for some reason. Somewhat pigmented when used wet but still nicer when used wet.
- 54 is an icy purple with silver-white sparkle. It’s pretty pale and cool-toned and like the other shades, best used wet.
- Retrograde is a darkened purple with red undertones and silver sparkle. I expected richer color, but I couldn’t achieve the deepness I wanted even when used wet. It just looks so dark in the pot, but it’s not nearly so dark in real life.
- Atmosphere is a bright teal-blue with silver sparkle. Atmosphere is easily the best shade of the nine — if you only wanted one, this is the one I’d recommend. It’s richly pigmented, even when used dry, and moreso when used wet.
- Moon Spoon is a gray taupe with cool silver sparkle. So so when used dry, smoother when used wet.
- Void is a gray-black with silver sparkle. It reminded me of Oil Slick, just with more glitter. I found this one didn’t seem to look much different when used wet–about the same as when swatched dry.
The packaging is a matte, slightly squish plastic (think NARS) shaped into a square. You squeeze the sides and it releases the plastic flip-top back. I’m not drooling over the packaging, but it’s functional. It’s particularly streamlined and “clean” for Urban Decay, actually.
The glitter in the Stardust eyeshadows is definitely not the typical chunky glitter a la Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, but I did encounter a decent amount of fall out when I used Atmosphere in this look earlier this week. It wasn’t the worst fall out I’ve encountered, but I did get enough to be able to say that these definitely are prone to fall out for me. I used it over Urban Decay’s Primer Potion and wet, for reference, and still had the fall out. I’d say the fall out is a little less than their typical glitter eyeshadows, certainly much less so than Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, as well. If you don’t mind a little clena-up, then these might be fun to play around with.
These are probably better over dark bases or else layered on top of more pigmented or vibrant shades of eyeshadow. I could definitely see these working well over a black base for a very smoky, glittering eye. Even though layering seems to the best way to use these, they weren’t quite as blendable as Urban Decay’s powder eyeshadows. When used wet, they have a bit of a tendency to “stick” in places, so you may find yourself using a similar-colored powder eyeshadow to help blend out the Stardust eyeshadow.
Bottom Line: I have never been a fan of eyeshadows that produce a lot of fall out. I don’t want to have to spend extra time cleaning up after application; I don’t mind a little bit–the kind that can be covered up with foundation, just not a lot. These have enough fall out that I don’t love them, and I think the colors themselves aren’t as vibrant as I’d like to see from Urban Decay, so they’re not to my taste. Atmosphere was the only one that really popped to me. It’s like they’re okay – Urban Decay states they’re sheer, but they also say “no fall out” which I found not to be the case in my experience.
I found myself preferring Stila’s Jewel Eyeshadow Palette for my dose of glitter, because I found the color went on a bit more pigmented when used dry, but I also didn’t encounter very much fall out when I used them either. Of course, the shades aren’t similar, so you may go one way or the other based on what kind of color you want. I will say that if you use a sponge-tip applicator or your finger to press on the glitter, there is a lot less fall out, though. Additionally, for a glittery-based eyeshadow, the fall out was much less than I’ve experienced in the past, on the whole.
Have you tried these yet? What has your experience been like?
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- Product: 24/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: If you love glittery eyeshadow, love the shimmering wet look, and don’t mind some fall out… I think these may be your style.
Availability: Urban Decay
SpaRitual Nail Lacquers: I am the Light, Yes, I Can, Hope Springs Eternal
SpaRitual Believe Collection for Spring 2010
For spring, SpaRitual has created a collection of six shades: Yes, I Can (leafy green creme), I Believe in You (poppy orange creme), Hope Springs Eternal (hot pink shimmer), Spread Your Wings (pomegranate creme), Shoot for the Stars (purple creme), I am the Light (lavender creme).
Each shade comes with a unique charm that dangles from the bottle with “an inspiring mantra,” like Yes, I Can comes with the charm “I Can.” This collection of nail lacquers will be available February 2010 at fine salons and spas nationwide, as well as skinstore.com. Each bottle retails for $10.00.
- I am the Light is a cool-toned lilac. It’s very spring-y! It has a cream finish and goes opaque in just two medium-thick coats. The formula gave me no issues when I applied it, which was surprising (I’m not always so good at applying cream polishes!).
- Yes, I Can is a rich, grassy green cream. Like I am the Light, it goes opaque in two solid coats. I don’t think I own any greens like this in my own stash, so it’s a nice addition.
- Hope Springs Eternal is a bright, shimmery pink-coral that flashes fuchsia-pink in some light. It has an almost chrome finish to it, though it’s definitely not a full-on chrome. I had some brushstrokes, but I think with a more patient hand, you could get it to look pretty smooth. This formula was easy to apply and went opaque in two coats.
Are you digging any of these shades?
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- Product: 27/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: For some fun shades for spring, SpaRitual gives you six you just might not be expecting.
Availability: skinstore.com
Bobbi Brown EXTRA Tinted Moisturizing Balm with SPF 25 Review, Photos
Bobbi Brown EXTRA SPF 25 Tinted Moisturizing Balm
($50.00 for 1 oz.) is a thick tinted moisturizer that comes in a glass pot with a black screw-on lid. It’s available in eight shades: Alabaster (lightest), Extra Light Tint, Light Tint, Light to Medium Tint, Medium Tint, Medium to Dark Tint, Dark Tint, and Deep Tint.
It is described as, “A lightweight foundation alternative for dry, dehydrated skin, this formula is ultra-rich, and blends easily, giving skin a dewy look with light coverage. SPF 25 helps protect skin against damaging UVA/B rays. Dermatologist tested.”
Bobbi Brown also has a SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer (not so thick) that retails for $40.00 for 1.7 oz. (but I haven’t tried it myself beyond squeezing a drop or two out in-store, so I can’t give you direct comparisons). According to the Bobbi Brown website, though, the SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer is ideal for Normal to Dry skin types, whereas the SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizing Balm is recommended for drier skin types.
EXTRA feels like a cream and looks like one, too, in the jar, but you have to remember that it’s a tinted moisturizer and not use it as a cream–seriously, if you use it as a cream, you’ll end up with far more product than you need! Whether you use fingers or a brush (or a clean spatula, whatever!), you really don’t need more than a pea-sized application to cover the entire face with a sheer, lightweight layer of tinted moisturizer. It also has a lovely lemon-y citrus scent that’s dreamy (very tarte, not sweet).
This tinted moisturizer does have a distinct dewy finish; it was too dewy for my taste by itself, so I had to set with powder to minimize some of the dewiness–then it was just fine for everyday wear. It’s also definitely a sheer coverage product; I’ve tried some tinted moisturizers where coverage is a bit more than sheer (more like a light coverage foundation), but EXTRA is sheer. It’s like “your skin but better,” because it’s not going to hide too many skin imperfections, but it will help even out your skin tone. This is, though, the very nature of tinted moisturizers, to be sure!
When I’m on a good skin kick, EXTRA is just enough for me to wear on a daily basis, even with full makeup elsewhere (eyeshadow, lipstick, blush, etc.). With the dryness of the winter season, my skin is definitely more normal-to-dry, so EXTRA is just moisturizing enough to help keep my skin hydrated throughout the day. I do, though, tend to use a moisturizer in the morning, because I often shower in the morning but not apply makeup until a few hours later. I don’t find it too heavy, though, doing that double-duty moisturizing.
I do think this may be a little too rich for those with normal or normal-to-oily skin types, just because it such a thick, rich cream-type tinted moisturizer. I would recommend trying a sample to see if it works with your skin type. Most tinted moisturizers feel more like a lotion or a thickened liquid foundation, but this feels just like a face cream, so it does feel quite nice when applied to skin. I would also recommend waiting five to ten minutes for it to dry a bit before layering any makeup on top (like blush or bronzer).
Bottom Line: I like it a lot, but I’m more of a matte-finish kind of gal, so the dewy finish is just not my style. I did receive several compliments from readers when I wore it in some looks this past month–some saying it looked better than my usual tinted moisturizer (Kiehl’s, lately). It’s a good tinted moisturizer for those with drier skin who are only looking for sheer coverage to help even out skin tone. It is also significantly pricier than Bobbi Brown’s regular Tinted Moisturizer–EXTRA costs $10 more and you get about 35-40% less. To be fair, a pot of EXTRA is going to last you at least a few months since you need so little per application, though.
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- Product: 27/30
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: If you’ve been looking for a more hydrating tinted moisturizer, Bobbi Brown’s EXTRA may be the one to quench your skin’s thirst!
Availability: Bobbi Brown
See more photos of me wearing this tinted moisturizer! Continue reading →
Tarte for Spring 2010: Flower Child Palette
Tarte Flower Child Natural Eyeshadow Palette
($44.00) is a new spring-styled palette from Tarte. It seems like every season, Tarte has a new eyeshadow palette up their sleeves. The Flower Child palette is in the same vein; it includes ten eyeshadows housed in a purple-covered case (kind of like a patent material) with flowers sprouting out on top (sorry, no photo).
Inspired by the rich earthen hues from which their pure color pigments are harvested and this Spring’s runway and red carpet trends, Tina’s interpretation of tarte’s best-selling eyeshadow palette combines saturated pigments with subtle pops of color. Versatile and artistic, this palette seamlessly transitions between day and night thanks to a wide variety of tones ranging from delicate to robust. This harmonious balance of shades ingeniously captures the expressiveness of the eyes no matter the look.
Eyeshadows
- Soft Daffodil is a lightly shimmered peach. It’s hard to see on my skin tone, but it’s a very pretty shade to use with a neutral or softer look.
- Ecru Hibiscus is a pink champagne. It may not seem ultra pigmented to the eye, but it’s designed to be softer shade — this is something you could use as a highlighter or as a wash. I think it’s just pigmented enough to do what it should.
- Pink Peony is a brightened up blue-based pink. It was a little powdery when I played with it and looked sheerer when swatched than I’d have liked it to be. Even though it’s supposed to have shimmer, it seemed very minute to me.
- Gray Periwinkle is a silvered gray with a light shimmer sheen (but it’s truly quite faint). I didn’t see any periwinkle in this, though. This shade was decently pigmented relative to the rest of the shades in the palette.
- Peach Tulip is a coppery bronze that goes on very smooth and looks rich. This one is very pigmented, but it looks absolutely nothing like a peach or tulip. This seems like a better fit for the name “Firewheel” (while Firewheel seems a better fit for Peach Tulip).
- Firewheel is a peachy melon with a soft gold sheen. This is a played down, more pinked melon than MAC’s Melon pigment. I always gravitate towards these kinds of shades! This applied very smooth and pigmented.
- Buttercup is a slightly warmed-up soft brown with a matte finish. It’s soft, but it’s a little on the sheerer side and can look a bit faded.
- African Violet is a darkened purple with red undertones with a light shimmer sheen. It’s decently pigmented, though not intense.
- Delphinium Blue is a powdery navy blue. This was the sheerest and most powdery shade of the ten eyeshadows–it just wasn’t very pigmented or smooth.
- Vibrant Forest Grass is a darkened cool-toned green with a soft shimmer finish. I think the name is a little off — it’s not vibrant (just pigmented, but not intensely so), but it is like a forest green, I suppose.
Also included in the palette is a double-sided eyeliner that has a dark brown on one side and a lightly shimmered darkened teal on the other; a double-sided brush (yes, a brush–no sponge tip applicators here!), and a miniature-sized Natural Eye Primer. The Eye Primer doesn’t actually fit inside the palette, though, so it’s not as functional as it could be. (It comes in a plastic holder that hangs off of the side.)
All of the eyeshadows are full-sized and magnetized so you can remove them if you want, refill with other Tarte eyeshadows as needed, and so on. I really do like that, because it means you are getting a great deal for your money, but it means you can always slot in another shade if you happen to finish one of these!
Bottom Line: It’s a solid palette, but it’s definitely on the sheerer/softer side of the eyeshadow spectrum. The colors do fit well with the season, as it gives me a spring feeling. The palette itself holds excellent value as you get ten full-sized eyeshadows for $44 (as opposed to $10 a pop, not that you can purchase these shades individually, though). I think some of the shades could have used some more pigmentation, particularly the deeper shades, but it’s a decent palette overall.
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- Product: 25/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: For a real value-loaded palette, Tarte’s Flower Child offers several soft shades for the spring season.
Availability: Sephora
