Looks – Super Black Smoky Hot Contrast Eye

Looks

I did this two days ago, because I really just wanted to see how black I could get Hot Contrast to be. I wasn’t disappointed per se, but it definitely didn’t get as black as I envisioned (even when used wet). I tried my super black smoky eye I do from time to time, so the look follows that (so it’s nothing new!). I figured that would be the best way to test! I think I may end up exchanging Hot Contrast for another duo, only because Carbon works well enough for me as a black, IMO. Anyone want to try to talk me out of it?

Is everybody gearing up for Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale? I haven’t decided if I’m going to brave the 7AM crowd tomorrow – it’s a bit more of a hike (9 miles) from my new apartment, compared to last year when it was a skip away (1 mile). It was a MADHOUSE! last year, though, even at 7AM. Anyone excited over Colour Forms? That comes out tomorrow, too. I have to pick up my preorder (only two items), and then see if I can resist the pigments (not likely). What about you? What’d you pre-order?

Let’s talk Nordstrom lemmings and Colour Form hauls (or potential hauls) to keep Thursday from dragging its feet.

P.S. – Since several of you asked about a tutorial for this look, have you seen my black smokey eye tutorial?

I used Blacktrack fluidline on lid, Hot Contrast mineralize eyeshadow (solid side) (LE) all over lid, Hot Contrast mineralize eyeshadow (marble side) (LE) in crease, Vex eyeshadow above crease and on brow, Phloof! eyeshadow on brow to highlight, Graphblack technakohl on lower lash line, Pearl cream colour base on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. I wore Pleasantry mineralize blush (LE) on cheeks. I had Sweetie lipstick with Crystal Rose lipglass (LE) on my lips.

** These are recommendations for dupes based on permanent colors available — may not necessarily be identical; they are the closest I can think of!

Hot Contrast (solid side) = Carbon; Hot Contrast (marble side) = Shale; Pleasantry = Pink Swoon; Crystal Rose = Pink Pearl Gloss


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82 Comments

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Laney

You might not be sold on it, but now I am! Oh, and this is buried_unburied from LJ–I did the RAOK with the puppy pictures!
In any case, I pre ordered the eyeshadow palette in the blue case, and the green brush set. I have to wait for it to ship ($8!!!) because there’s no Nordstrom’s within a bajillion miles of me. I’ve got samples of the pigments coming in the mail too, yay!

I cannot WAIT to get the MES Duos and more blushes… My birthday was Tuesday but my boyfriend doesn’t have a day off until Sunday, and he’s taking me. I did sneak in Merrily Blush when I went on my own birthday shopping spree last weekend (MAC, Shiseido, Benefit, Sephora Store, CCO!). It’s gorgeous, and might be dupeable (I just got into blushes recently; I’m so pale that I finally gave in) but it would look GORGEOUS on you!

Okay, I’ll shut up : X

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Laney,

LOL!! It’s pretty, but I just feel like Carbon is good enough, this doesn’t surpass it? or something.

I’m glad you’re lovin’ it though. I really love the mineralize blushes, those are definitely worth a peek or two!

Laney

Thank you : D And I actually don’t have carbon because I faaaaaaail… I have the other black one, though?

And yes, I can’t wait to get more of the blushes!!!

n.fiona

this looks great christine. Can I PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE beg you to do a tutorial on this look? May I also please ask a request to do more of the MES duoes from the latest collection. Would appreciate this very much.

THANK YOU!

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi hun,

I do have a tutorial for this look using Blacktrack fluidline and Carbon – it’s really the same, just use Hot Contrast nistead of Carbon.

Courtney

love that look with Hot Contrast! i might have to pick that up now…….

I ordered my Color Forms online when they were put up for pre-order, only because i’ll be working tomorrow and the nearest Nordie’s is about 45 mins away 🙁 I got:

Cool eyes Palette (i’m a sucker for purples)
Inner Hue Lipstick
Naked to the Core lipstick

i should have also gotten one of the richmetal highlighters, but i passed because i already have one CCB that i use as a highlighter (fantastic plastic), but i only touch it once or twice a month.

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Courtney,

Thanks! 🙂 It’s pretty, but I don’t know if it’s a must-have, since I already have Carbon as my favorite black shadow.

Ouch! I can’t complain about my measly 9 miles then (takes about 15 minutes to get there).

I’m pretty sure I’ll be passing on the Richmetal Highlighters, too – just doubt I’d reach for them!

Zsofi

So this Colour Forms collection is only availabl at Nordstrom…
i am just a continent away :-DDDDDDD
no probs,once i go to the U.S.,keep Your pigments safe America 😀
i would so damn buy Royal Flush :-DDDD
pick it up in my name Christine :-DDD

Nell

Wow, looks pretty black to me, very beautiful!!!!
I´d definitely go to Nordstroms if it weren´t thousands of miles away, boohoo! If I lived in the US I´d probably be bankrupt right now, at least here I can´t get my hand on everything.

Heather

OMG I forgot I can pick that up already!! I got all the lipsticks, two of the cream shadows (may get more), and all of the pigments that I didn’t already have (the new ones). Yay for already ordering! Yay for getting new stuff!! 🙂

Angi

I say keep it only if the marbled side is something you can’t live without and can’t dupe with something better. The dark side it not that special for sure.

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Angi,

Aw! I wasn’t too impressed with it, but it’s not too exciting, IMO. Cute, but no biggie if you pass on it.

Kate

Love these shades together. You should call this your Black Pearl look. Very sultry. I love…

I only ordered two things from Color Forms, Dark Influence Richmetal Highlighter and Naked to the Core l/s.

Arika BH

Christine, you look hot! This is fun and sexy. Sometimes i think a dark eye ages a person but this looks hot. Seriously if you have the time could you please do a tutorial on this I just bought a bunch of e/s to do Eve’s face chart for the Viva Glam special edition and i just cant get it down. So any help i could get. I love the way your layers are growing out too. You are a gorgeous girl!!

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Arika,

Thanks! I do have a tutorial for this black smoky eye – it just uses Carbon instead, but it pertty much looks the same otherwise! 🙂

cloudburst

I love the purpley grey of Hot Contrast. Sure the black is nothing new, but I really do think the marbled side is quite unique & grey

You guys don’t have Colour Forms yet? They’ve been on our counters since last Friday! The only thing I bought so far was the warm eye palette – the olive green colour & red were just too beautiful to pass on. I was really quite dissapointed in the Rich Metal Highlighters, I have one from the Couture collection from a few years back that I love, but these seemed no different (or metallic) than the regular CCB’s. Rose Buillion is the nicest of the bunch IMO.

I think I will go back and buy Royal Flush and Circa Plum pigments. Royal Flush is really beautiful and different enought from Accent Red to own it. Circa Plum would look fantastic with greys & browns.

There’s my review 🙂

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

The purple is pretty, but I don’t think I need it. Nope, Colour Forms wasn’t out at my Nordies when I went last week.

Thanks for the little review 😀

Danielle

Pretty! I am not going to Nordstroms, because I don’t think I would use any of the palettes and the brushes I heard were not the best quality. I do wonder if I can live without two e/s one out of each palette, Brown border vp (a purplish shade) And tancentric (a pinkish shade) I need dupes desperately!!!

Chrissy

I got Hot Contrast and can’t wait to try this look! It looks great.

I probably pre-ordered too much stuff. I got the Warm Eyes set, the pink beauty powder, Pop circle and Inner Hue lipsticks, and then Female and Quick Flash (the gold one…I think that’s the name) Rich Metal Highlighters.

I really want the green brush set, not because I need any of the brushes (although an extra 187 is always useful), but because I just love that green bag! I’m trying my best to resist, but I don’t know how well I’ll do once I get there tomorrow and see it in person again…

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Chrissy,

I’m glad you found a lot of things to like from Colour Forms! I just got two things, but we’ll see if I end up with the other pigments, too!

arness

Finally someone who uses the tub space like I do. I don’t use bar soap so I have at least 10 open bottles of shower gel out , no to mention body scrubs, and facial scrubs. I also never buy razors cause there’s always a free offer out the Schick Quarto is good for having them every few months. I have a stockpile of at least 5 now. Here’s a one

http://www.noxzemashaving.com/promotion/

Nepenthe

I love this duo, and I can’t wait to try out some looks. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m uncomfortable with using carbon.. I found the solid side of hot contrast is easier to use. It’s still got that depth, but it’s softer and easier to blend in my experience.

Nartian

I’m just going for the warm eye palette in Colour Forms & the brush sets simply because I want them for the gym bag.

I have been lemming Hot Contrast for the marbled side (more complex than being a Shale dupe) but interestingly enough the MAC MA steered me away from it to Odd Couple. Still I wonder if I should get it.

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Nartian,

I have a few of the brush sets for when I travel 🙂 I find that they work perfectly. You’ll enjoy them for sure!

Lil

Yesterday I went into Nordstrom’s and luckily they let me take home the merchandise already! I ended up spending almost $200 so it was worth it on their part. I got the cool eyes set and two pigments, the circa plum and gilded green. I was thinking about Tea Time but it’s too brown for my liking…I dunno. Then I got Sun Centered Beauty Powder (I’m NC25), 3 of the richmetal highlighters and one lipstick. Thank God, I don’t have to spend two hours there tomorrow! The colors are pretty cool, and I have to say that the eyeshadow sets are a really good buy. 5 eyeshadows for $38 isn’t too bad. Good luck tomorrow ladies…Also, I’ve never heard anybody say the word “lemming” before, I don’t know where it comes from. I guess I’m out of the loop or something. I don’t get it.

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Lil,

That’s awesome! You’re definitely lucky 🙂 Sounds like you got a pretty good call. Which highlighters did you get? Let us know how those work out for you!

Macaddict

Loved the look so much, had to go buy shale and hot contrast after work today!! I am big on smokey eyes.
Have had the whole color forms line since July 11th (in Canada). As usual, bought a load (over $500 worth of products!!). I swear I must be one of the biggest “MAC w—e” ever! I am not big on mineral makeup especially since the last duos mineral e/s were not that colorful (I rarely reach for them) but, this time around, they are way more pigmented – therefore – more to my taste! MAC definitely has improved in the area of mineral makeup.

Monica

Hi Christine! you look gorgeous as always!!
I do have to agree with your opinion on the product.. I got odd couple and I’m not that happy eighter. Love the purple color but if used dry it has so much fall out (no matter how carefull I try to be), when I used it wet it was better, but I couldn’t mix it good with the golden part (which by the way can easily be replaced by a pigment.. I’m thinking melon). I really like it when I swatched the products but when I tried a look at home.. not so much.. It can be because I’m not used to mineral products.. I’m not sure. Please somebody tell me if they have this problems with this product.. and how can I correct it.. or should I not bother and return it.
Thanks!
Do you have the same problem with fall outs?

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Monica,

I think MES are either love ’em or hate ’em, but you can be persuaded either way. Are you using a creamy base? I do know these work better with creamy basis, like paints and paint pots, at least.

Monica

Thanks Christine.. I tried it with UDPP, but I’ll try it with a paint to see if the color is stronger and if there is less fall out.
Thanks for the tip! 😉

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

Hi Monica,

Sure thing. Let me know how it goes! I’m still hoping, but I don’t think I will be a MES convert!

stacy

hey , beautiful look as usual , one of my faves , i wanted to know which color was the nice purple shimmery color? is that from hot contrast ?

Whitney

I am so sucking time on your site right now… just had to put in my 2 cents (2 years late) Carbon is so, so not black enough…I got UD Perversion (ok ok I had to go look up the names….see below. HAHA) and never looked back, in fact while on a de-potting frenzy not long ago I broke my Carbon and still have not gotten around to fixing it. eh. I will likely be a Smolder addict for life but an wondering about UD Zero (and all those smaller sizes you have). Did you say they are retiring the 24/7 UD in Zero? ( I am too lazy to go check names right now as I just found a sweet spot on my bed 😛 but you know the names of like EVERYTHING….)
Ok so now that I have freaked you out (typing to you like we’re bff’s!) I’ll continue my time suck on your fab site. xoxo whitney

Christine
Light-Medium, Neutral, slight yellow undertones. Normal-to-Dry skin. »

LOL! 🙂

Perversion has that weird glitter, doesn’t it? It’s more like Black Tied in terms of finish, I think! I’m pretty sure Urban Decay was April Fooling on the Zero bit 🙂

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