Make Up For Ever 18 Golden Grey Star Lit Powder Review, Photos, Swatches
18 Golden Grey
Make Up For Ever 18 Golden Grey Star Lit Powder ($21.00 for 0.02 oz.) is a medium, bluish gray base with green-to-gold shifting shimmer. It had semi-sheer coverage applied dry with semi-opaque coverage when applied damp. I felt like this had more potential swatched then applied, as the gray base seemed to blend away rather quickly so it often looked more like a golden sheen than the cooler, gold-green-gray combo of the swatch (or jar). You wouldn’t think that this would be workable on the cheeks for most, but since the base ended up disappearing, it actually was more than workable–it ran cooler in undertone but did not appear nearly as gray after blending it out. Unfortunately, when I tried it on the eyes, the same thing happened–it was mostly shimmer and lacked the base (which made it a more original shade). It wore well for eight hours on me before fading.
The Star Lit Powders can be used to “highlight eyes, lips and cheeks” with an “ultra-fine loose powder” that can be used “wet or dry to customize coverage intensity and luminosity.” While checking the weight on these, I noticed that the weight differs from shade to shade; this one had a mere 0.02 oz. while others ranged from 0.03 oz. to 0.09 oz. I also noticed that it appears the brand identifies what area you can use a shade on by listing an icon on the back of the jar in the shape of a pair of lips, an eyeball, and then a face (presumably for cheeks).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Fenty Beauty Platinum Pearl (LE, $25.00) is less shimmery, lighter, less pigmented (85% similar).
- Dose of Colors Harpoon (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Rebel (DC, $6.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Natasha Denona Quick Silver (09M) (PiP, $29.00) is less shimmery, darker (80% similar).
- MAC Frozen Blue (LE, $21.00) is darker (80% similar).
- CoverGirl Charcoal (335) (P, $4.99) is darker (80% similar).
Formula Overview
$21.00/0.05 oz. - $420.00 Per Ounce
The Star Lit Powders can be used to “highlight eyes, lips and cheeks” with an “ultra-fine loose powder” that can be used “wet or dry to customize coverage intensity and luminosity.” While checking the weight on these, I noticed that the weight differs from shade to shade; this one had a mere 0.02 oz. while others ranged from 0.03 oz. to 0.09 oz. I also noticed that it appears the brand identifies what area you can use a shade on by listing an icon on the back of the jar in the shape of a pair of lips, an eyeball, and then a face (presumably for cheeks).
Browse all of our Make Up For Ever Star Lit Powder swatches.
Ingredients
Looking at it in container, it reminds of a MUG eyeshadow… thinking… Rebel? Just checked and yup.
Thank you, Wendy!! 🙂
Or sheers and voiles over old master. Gotta find s.t. to dupe it. This one was my fave.
Yes! the Zoeva
L’Oreal uses this same pigment in one of their eyeshadows. I’ve rebought it in several iterations- pot of loose powder, the infallible pigment, a liquid formula- over the last 20 years. Funny.
Do you know the name of it?
Gah, I should have thought to look at the container this morning! It’s either Infinite Sky or… the other silvery-ish one. It’s the L’oreal Infallible, the flat square pots with the little press thing inside, and it’s one of the silver ones.
The loose powder is from the 90s, and the liquid was in the early 2000s and came in a tiny squeeze tube.
Love it! But *if* I were to buy this shade, my use for it would be as an eyeshadow. Brush dampened with my trusty e.l.f. Mist & Set. However, there is a far more pigmented version of this shade in the Dose Of Colors Desi/ Katy eyeshadow palette, and I will be trying to snag that one!
I wish this was a bit better!
I too would only wear a color like this as an eye shadow.
This might work on my eyes but on the face, it actually looks like the very last traces of a healing bruise, maybe a healing bruise covered by concealer??? (and I had a bruise on my cheek last week after an acupuncture treatment!) – just not a good look for me.
It gave me more of an “ice queen” vibe personally! 🙂
oh my word that is beautiful. how on earth is the grey base having so little staying power?
I’m not sure 🙁
Golden Grey looks so promising! It’s too bad the swatch didn’t quite live up to the colour! It’s a very interesting shade and looks difficult to dupe!
It could have been better!
This is my favorite color in the universe. I’m always on the hunt for something that looks like this no matter what the product is. Starlooks made a cream eyeshadow (unfortunately discontinued) that was this color a few years ago. I begged customer service to come out with it again. Illamasqua makes a pure pigment called Ara. I can check for more. I just bought this in two seconds!
Thank you for the heads up on Ara!
Awkward name. People should read their Toni Morrison.
Make Up For Ever typically uses very simple names 🙂
It’s an extremely straightforward, and truthfully descriptive name, with no other associations. I’ve read several of her books, and I do think people should read them, but it isn’t helpful or fair to conflate the two things.
I used to wear and love Antigua eye shadow by Milani for a wash of green/gold. This reminds me of it, although it’s gray/gold. I have to try this.
Pretty!!
Tempted to try is despite the issues you had with it. I want it for the grey/gold combo, so I would be sad to have the grey completely buff away; I wonder if playing with application (both applicator and base product) will allow me to make it work “just like it says on the tin.”
Unlike most, I’m also interested in this as a cheek product, where I’d be okay with losing **some** of the grey, but on my eyes I want it to look like your arm swatches. Hmmm. What to do? …
“Tempted to try **this** …”
🙁
Go for it! You can always return it right?? I haven’t yet played with mine, so I cannot attest to how well the grey base adheres
If the mood strikes you, come back here after you do and let us know how it went.
I wore this last night as an eyeshadow. It went beautifully over my lid, was opaque but when I blended it into my crease I did have to reapply to get back the opaque look I wanted. It lasted 9 hours, no creasing, with only a little concealer (Nars matte pot) as my base. I’m in love with this product! I don’t think I would wear it as a highlight ever though. I did not find that I lost the grey base but maybe because I didn’t wear it sheer. Its a beautiful formula that is very easy to work with imo. Hope this helps!
Thanks! That helps!
For the life of me, I can’t find this one Urban decay pallette that had a super BUT, here are some I could find that are the most similar. Makeup Geek Rockstar, Anastasia Self Made pallette Blush, and in the Balm’s Balmsai pallette, the color Surf’s Up. Please let me know how similar these are. Thanks Cristine for all of your hard work!