Buxom Smoky Eye Sticks Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:00:07 +0000

Bow & Arrow, Silver Sword, Nunchucks, 5″ Stiletto, Two By Four, Brass Knuckles, Ice Pick, Smokin’ Pistol

Buxom Smoky Eye Sticks

Released this past spring, Buxom’s Smoky Eye Sticks ($18.00 for 0.03 oz.) might seem familiar–MAC Greasepaint Sticks look awfully similar. They feel similar, too. Both formulas are creamy but yield slightly uneven, almost patchy application, because they set really quickly. Buxom’s Smoky Eye Sticks don’t budge, smudge, or crease when worn alone, but you have to work fast to soften the edges if you plan to wear it as a one-and-done shade.

There are eight shades available: Bow & Arrow (smoky moss), Silver Sword (smoky silver), Nunchucks (smoky royal blue), 5″ Stiletto (smoky plum), Two By Four (smoky black-brown), Brass Knuckles (smoky bronze), Ice Pick (smoky gray), and Smokin’ Pistol (smoky coal).

Like MAC Greasepaint Sticks, though, as pretty as they look, they tend to “eat” color, so you might find yourself packing on an eyeshadow if you plan to layer additional products on top. The tip of the pencil is pointed but still thicker than your average eyeliner pencil, which may be cumbersome to use for some (I do). On the bottom, there is an included sharpener (just like MAC Greasepaint Sticks). There is some overlap in the shade range, but a few shades do not. MAC’s Greasepaint Sticks were limited edition, so they are not longer available, and when they were available, retailed at $17.50 a pop.

Bow & Arrow is a dark, mossy green with subtle yellow undertones. It is not as cool-toned (it reads much yellower) than MAC Greengrease.
Silver Sword is a dark, silvery-gray with a brownish base. It seemed darker than MAC Zinc Zone, which I’d say is the most comparable.
Nunchucks is a medium-dark navy blue. It is very similar to MAC Uniformly Blue.
5″ Stiletto is a blackened plum-purple. It’s red-based, while MAC Charred Mauve is blue-based.
Two By Four is a dark brown with a near-matte finish. It doesn’t have a comparable shade in MAC’s line-up.
Brass Knuckles is a reddened brown-burgundy. It is very similar to MAC Below Ground.
Ice Pick is a dark gray (which almost casts a bit green) with a near-matte finish. Like Two By Four, MAC does not have a comparable shade.
Smokin’ Pistol is a creamy black with a near-matte finish. It is very similar to MAC Slick Black.

You can usually tell within a couple of hours whether a product that extolls long-wearing properties is actually going to live up to the claims. I splashed my eyes with water, and I didn’t experience any bleeding or running color, so they seemed waterproof to me. I didn’t go swimming or anything with them, though. With summer in full swing, I thought this might be an appropriate time to review these, given they just don’t budge!

Have you tried Buxom’s Smoky Eye Sticks? How did you like them?