Clionadh Forge & Weathered Jewelled Multichrome Eyeshadows Reviews & Swatches
Forge
Clionadh Forge Jewelled Multichrome Eyeshadow ($19.00 for 0.05 oz.) had a blackened base with a metallic, multichrome shift that went between plummy-brown to brighter plum to bronze to warmer green to emerald green to bluish-teal. Per the brand, it is supposed to shift between “rose-orange-gold-lime-teal.” The teal was the hardest to see in person as it was just at the most extreme edge, so it was something better viewed in low light or by someone looking at you, but the other shades the product shifted between were readily apparent in various lighting conditions (without becoming a professional contortionist!).
It had rich pigmentation that adhered evenly to bare skin and blended out with ease along the edge for a soft, diffused edge. The texture felt creamy, dense without being too thick or too firmly pressed into the pan, and picked up well with a dry brush. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading a bit.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Lethal Cosmetics Magnitude (P, $16.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- Terra Moons Mirage (P, $17.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Kaleidos Solaris (P, $16.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Ultraviolet (LE, $28.00) is less shimmery, lighter, more muted (90% similar).
- Kaleidos Tourmaline (P, $16.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Terra Moons Sundazed (P, $17.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath VR Sextraterrestrial (LE, $25.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Dogbane (LE, $28.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- Terra Moons Sun Scorched (P, $15.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Clionadh Smoulder Lite (P, $19.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$19.00/0.05 oz. - $380.00 Per Ounce
The formula was described as "finely milled, ultra rich pigments" that have a "black base and intense colour shifting reflects" with the "end result [being] a saturated, vibrantly shifting shadow."
For those new to Multichromes, the brand has a nice application guide that walks customers through application. The big takeaway is with black-based Multichromes, less is more when it comes to blending as the more one blends, the more the base comes through and the shifting shimmer disappears. They can be used wet or dry, with a dry or wet brush, or with fingertips in "patting motions instead of swiping."
Clionadh's formula worked well with an assortment of brushes--flat shader brushes, fluffier shader brushes, narrow and larger pencil brushes, and even fluffier crease brushes. I liked using a small, lightly rounded crease brush to apply and diffuse product in my crease to buff out the edge for a blacker base to come through, which I found helped to blend the Multichrome shade with any transition/crease shade I might have used. A flatter, but not firm, shader brush worked well to deposit color all over the lid, especially on smaller areas, but fingertip application yielded the most intense, shiniest finish along with deeper color.
Multichromes are, in a way, the equivalent of applying three or four or five shades on an area at a given time, so for someone who likes the effect of more than one shade on the lid but may not feel as confident about blending... a multichrome gives some of that end result with less effort. It also does it in a reverse way, too, as they often shift slightly different from left to right, right to left, top to bottom, and bottom to top.
The consistency was smooth to the touch, dense and slightly thicker with a creamy, lightly emollient feel. A few shades felt more cream-like than powder-like, but most felt like a richer, creamier metallic by touch. The brand recommended applying the eyeshadows first as "there may be some fallout," though it seemed minor in my experience--the creamier consistency made the eyeshadow adhere readily to bare skin (or over primer).
I found them easier to use than expected, as I didn't feel like they had to be used with a wet brush or a fingertip to get opaque, even coverage, and they were blendable along the edges. The black base does make it harder to wear along the lower lash line without getting a noticeable shadow where the edge gets diffused, and the same was true around the inner tearduct (the brand's Iridescent Multichromes are better for these areas as they have a transparent base).
They had a tendency to crease faintly on me after eight to nine hours of wear without primer and more reliably between 10 and 12 hours over an eyeshadow primer. The shift became a bit more faded after seven to eight hours compared to the initial application over bare skin and around 10 hours over primer.
The brand recommended applying this formula over a "dried-down primer," which is actually unusual to see for an eyeshadow formula, so since most of the formulas I test don't require primer for testing, I tested all shades both ways so that they can be more readily compared to other formulas on the market.
Browse all of our Clionadh Jewelled Multichrome Eyeshadow swatches.
Ingredients
+/- Titanium Dioxide, +/- Mica, +/- Synthetic Fluorohlogopite, Dimethicone, +/- Silicon dioxide, +/- Tin Dioxide, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, +/-Silica, +/- Iron Oxide, +/- Kaolin Clay, +/- Magnesium Stearate, +/-Ferric Oxide, +/- Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, +/- Ferric Ferrocyanide, +/- Bismuth Oxychloride, +/- Red 40, +/- Blue 1, +/- Aluminum Oxide, +/- Ultramarines, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol.
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Forge
PPermanent. $19.00.
Weathered
Clionadh Weathered Jewelled Multichrome Eyeshadow ($19.00 for 0.05 oz.) has a blackened base with a metallic, multichrome finish that shifted between warmer, chartreuse green to more olive green to darker olive green (that was slightly cooler-toned). Per the brand, it is supposed to shift between “yellow gold-moss green-mint-silver.” I’d agree that it shifted between three shades, and because it shifted along a shorter spectrum (lighter, warmer green to darker, more mid-tone green), the shift was subtle compared to some of the other shades in the range.
The eyeshadow delivered opaque coverage in a single layer, which was achieved with a dry brush as well as with a fingertip, though the latter definitely packed a smoother result more readily. The texture was lightly creamy, emollient but not overly slippery, and easy to work with on bare skin but had a smidgen of fallout. It stayed on nicely for eight and a half hours before creasing slightly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Danessa Myricks Gaia (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Scarab (341MC) (LE, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Danessa Myricks Sweetheart (P, $26.00) is more muted, cooler (90% similar).
- Clionadh Vermeil (P, $19.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Clionadh Burnish (P, $19.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Cipher (P, $21.00) is less shimmery, darker, less pigmented (85% similar).
- Clionadh Patina (P, $19.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Natasha Denona Scarab (LE, $28.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Terra Moons Inertia (P, $15.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- Clionadh Tarnish (P, $19.00) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$19.00/0.05 oz. - $380.00 Per Ounce
The formula was described as "finely milled, ultra rich pigments" that have a "black base and intense colour shifting reflects" with the "end result [being] a saturated, vibrantly shifting shadow."
For those new to Multichromes, the brand has a nice application guide that walks customers through application. The big takeaway is with black-based Multichromes, less is more when it comes to blending as the more one blends, the more the base comes through and the shifting shimmer disappears. They can be used wet or dry, with a dry or wet brush, or with fingertips in "patting motions instead of swiping."
Clionadh's formula worked well with an assortment of brushes--flat shader brushes, fluffier shader brushes, narrow and larger pencil brushes, and even fluffier crease brushes. I liked using a small, lightly rounded crease brush to apply and diffuse product in my crease to buff out the edge for a blacker base to come through, which I found helped to blend the Multichrome shade with any transition/crease shade I might have used. A flatter, but not firm, shader brush worked well to deposit color all over the lid, especially on smaller areas, but fingertip application yielded the most intense, shiniest finish along with deeper color.
Multichromes are, in a way, the equivalent of applying three or four or five shades on an area at a given time, so for someone who likes the effect of more than one shade on the lid but may not feel as confident about blending... a multichrome gives some of that end result with less effort. It also does it in a reverse way, too, as they often shift slightly different from left to right, right to left, top to bottom, and bottom to top.
The consistency was smooth to the touch, dense and slightly thicker with a creamy, lightly emollient feel. A few shades felt more cream-like than powder-like, but most felt like a richer, creamier metallic by touch. The brand recommended applying the eyeshadows first as "there may be some fallout," though it seemed minor in my experience--the creamier consistency made the eyeshadow adhere readily to bare skin (or over primer).
I found them easier to use than expected, as I didn't feel like they had to be used with a wet brush or a fingertip to get opaque, even coverage, and they were blendable along the edges. The black base does make it harder to wear along the lower lash line without getting a noticeable shadow where the edge gets diffused, and the same was true around the inner tearduct (the brand's Iridescent Multichromes are better for these areas as they have a transparent base).
They had a tendency to crease faintly on me after eight to nine hours of wear without primer and more reliably between 10 and 12 hours over an eyeshadow primer. The shift became a bit more faded after seven to eight hours compared to the initial application over bare skin and around 10 hours over primer.
The brand recommended applying this formula over a "dried-down primer," which is actually unusual to see for an eyeshadow formula, so since most of the formulas I test don't require primer for testing, I tested all shades both ways so that they can be more readily compared to other formulas on the market.
Browse all of our Clionadh Jewelled Multichrome Eyeshadow swatches.
Ingredients
+/- Titanium Dioxide, +/- Mica, +/- Synthetic Fluorohlogopite, Dimethicone, +/- Silicon dioxide, +/- Tin Dioxide, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, +/-Silica, +/- Iron Oxide, +/- Kaolin Clay, +/- Magnesium Stearate, +/-Ferric Oxide, +/- Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, +/- Ferric Ferrocyanide, +/- Bismuth Oxychloride, +/- Red 40, +/- Blue 1, +/- Aluminum Oxide, +/- Ultramarines, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol.
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
IF for some reason I wind up not getting PML Divine Rose II, I will absolutely buy Forge, as it looks nearly identical to Sextraterrestrial. How either one will look on my very hooded, tiny mobile lids, I don’t know. These multichrome shadows are ones I would probably apply very differently than I do traditional metallic and shimmer shades. Best bet, even with hooded eyes, is all over the lid from lashes up through the crease or use it in a vertical gradient? I’m not sure.
I’ve put an order in for a few of these eyeshadows so we will see how they turn out on me when they ship in September! And as Nancy says I have hooded eyes as well so I will have to play around, but it will be fun.
Both shades are totally divine – I think you would only need one or two others paired with them to make the shades shine.
These are so gorgeous!!
How many eyeshadows were used in each of the look above? I am very confused with the Clionadh eye looks. Christine usually uses not less than 4 colours for each eye look. So are these the effect of 4 + shadows or one?
There’s a link right under each photo that says “Look Details” where you can see what was used.
I know that these reviews are for Forge and Weathered, but those incredible shades on your brow bone are stealing the show! Damn, Ray!
Glad I picked up Forge. It’s a brighter, more colorful version of VR Sextraterrestrial, which was the only shade I was wanting in the PMG Divine Rose II palette.
I know the Clionadh price point is going to hurt for a lot of people. For me it was a no brainer. I am at the point with my makeup where I have plenty of the more popular eye shadow colors and finishes. Clionadh has those multichromes–pressed at that!–which fill some significant gaps in my eye shadow collection.
I have Forge it’s my favorite so far , but I plan to get more of course.