Kaja Beauty Mystical & Magic Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigments Reviews & Swatches
Mystical
Kaja Mystical Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment ($16.00 for 0.29 oz.) is a bright lavender with cooler blue-to-pink shifting pearl and larger sparkle. It had medium to semi-opaque pigmentation with a chunkier, more glittery texture. Applied, it also kept its high-shine finish along with lots of twinkle. The downside was that it did not apply evenly to my lid and had a tendency to emphasize lid texture/lines.
The liquid eyeshadow dried down quickly, but it just didn’t dry down in a flattering way; from afar, it was brightening and sparkly, but up-close, it was a mess. The best way to use the product was to apply it all over the center of the lid with a fingertip, diffusing the edges quickly for more of a one-and-done kind of look. Once the eyeshadow set, it wore well for nine hours without creasing, but I had slight fallout over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Make Up For Ever 104 Blue White (P, $26.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Anastasia C3 (Norvina Vol. 4) (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Moira Regal (P, $8.50) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Luna (Sailor Moon) (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Voila (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Rare Beauty Ablaze (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Anastasia Macaroon (P, $12.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Winter Garden (P, $6.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Tonic (DC, $19.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Twilight (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$16.00/0.29 oz. - $55.17 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "weightless, jelly eyeshadow" that has "full-pigment" and "high-impact sparkle" that "dries to a powder" for longwear. Of the four shades I tried, they were blendable, fairly pigmented, and long-wearing, but the struggle was in the application and in getting a smooth, even layer. I was only able to get one shade, Tiger's Eye, to blend out evenly, while the other three I tried had a tendency to clump up as I applied and blended them out.
They worked better applied all over a larger space with a fingertip than with brushes or to smaller areas; being able to spread and really work the product across the larger area prevented them from getting noticeably uneven. Once applied, they set quickly (definitely work one area at a time) to a powder-like finish that stayed in place for about eight and a half hours before I noticed creasing/flaking (the ones that went on unevenly were more likely to flake off).
Browse all of our Kaja Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
Water, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Butylene Glycol, Mica (Ci 77019), Talc, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Alcohol, Isobutylene/Sodium Maleate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Silica, Titanium/Titanium Dioxide, Citric Acid, Tin Oxide (Ci 77861), Diamond Powder, Sapphire Powder, Topaz.
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.
Look Using this Product
Mystical
PPermanent. $16.00.
Magic
Kaja Magic Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment ($16.00 for 0.29 oz.) is a deeper, reddish-brown base with blue-to-teal shifting sparkle and pearl. The consistency was noticeably clumpy as it squeezed out of the tube (and a little went a long way), so in order for the product to go on smoothly, there had to be enough pressure during application to smooth those clumps out–and this was a challenge.
I had the best luck applying the color all over my lid with my fingertip, as it gave me the surface area to diffuse and spread everything out and the warmth of my fingertip seemed to help it stay pliable longer. When I used a brush, it was difficult to apply the product evenly and smooth out the lumps, so it was noticeably thicker in some areas than others, which emphasized my lid texture/lines. It dried down fairly quickly, but it had a tendency to pull away as it was drying down, and this just seemed to make the unevenness I was already contending with even worse!
The eyeshadow was quite pigmented, and a little went a long way, so it was good to start with less than you think you might need and ramp up as needed, though it did not build up well–so I mean that more in the sense of what seems like necessary for just one eye. Once it was on, the eyeshadow stayed on without creasing for nine hours but a few flakes had fallen over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Lucid (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Fyrinnae The Alchemist (P, $8.50) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Duabandita (LE, $17.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Equilibrium (382M) (PiP, $29.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Secret Garden (DC, $6.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Moira Green Paradise (P, $8.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Bae (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Haus Labs Deep Teal Shimmer (P, $24.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Insomnia (P, $9.99) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC I've Got a Crush on You (LE, $32.50) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$16.00/0.29 oz. - $55.17 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "weightless, jelly eyeshadow" that has "full-pigment" and "high-impact sparkle" that "dries to a powder" for longwear. Of the four shades I tried, they were blendable, fairly pigmented, and long-wearing, but the struggle was in the application and in getting a smooth, even layer. I was only able to get one shade, Tiger's Eye, to blend out evenly, while the other three I tried had a tendency to clump up as I applied and blended them out.
They worked better applied all over a larger space with a fingertip than with brushes or to smaller areas; being able to spread and really work the product across the larger area prevented them from getting noticeably uneven. Once applied, they set quickly (definitely work one area at a time) to a powder-like finish that stayed in place for about eight and a half hours before I noticed creasing/flaking (the ones that went on unevenly were more likely to flake off).
Browse all of our Kaja Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
Water, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Butylene Glycol, Talc, Silica, Alumina, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Mica (Ci 77019), Alcohol, Isobutylene/Sodium Maleate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Citric Acid, Diamond Powder, Sapphire Powder, Topaz.
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.
Mystical looks sooo gorgeous that it’s really a sad shame it doesn’t apply as beautifully as it looks in the swatches! I’m wondering if using a primer may help it too apply better?
The trick is really trying to smooth out all the clumps, so I didn’t find that a primer helped since the longevity was okay (once it dried down). You can try to put it on the back of your hand and smush it with a fingertip or brush, then apply, but you have to work super quickly because of how fast it dries down!
It sounds like quite the process to get it to work, if you ask me. Possibly worth it, but I’m not sure. Soon, one of close dupes will be in my hands, so that will likely kill the lemming for Mystical.
Yeah, I settled on getting the GOT e/s palette and then going to Sephora early Thursday for just the pieces I really would wear and enjoy. Still very bummed and salty about Sephora’s handling of the launch, or lack thereof, of the Vault.
Lovely, huh? I’ve already got texture issues with my eyes.. too much work.
I’ve gone back to using MAC paint pot in Painterly for my lids rather than concealer. Maybe a solid cream base would work. I’m not down with finding out though ?
Thanks for reviewing these. Magic is in transit, courtesy of the VIB sale, but I will not even bother opening it. Back to the store it goes!
Lovely shades, but nah – too tricky for me.
Ugh Mystical is so pretty. I’m really into that pink-purple-blue type of sheen lately
MAN. I wanted these soooo bad but they seem too finnicky for me!
Mystical is beyond stunning, but I don’t want to deal with smoothing out clumps, etc. Too much work.