Makeup Geek Summer 2015 Eyeshadows Reviews, Photos, Swatches
Makeup Geek Desert Sands Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Shore Thing Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.064 oz.) is described as a “true pastel, mint green with a matte finish.” It’s a light-medium, aqua green with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had decent pigmentation, but the texture was powdery to work with and tended to look almost chalky against my skin. With a primer, it would work better, but it doesn’t apply well on bare skin–sheer, uneven, and dry-looking. On bare skin, it lasted for six hours before fading. ColourPop Flux (LE, $5.00) is lighter, cooler. Make Up For Ever S312 Mint Green (P, $21.00) is darker. Kat Von D Archangel (LE, ) is lighter, cooler. MAC Aqua (P, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter, brighter, cooler, less glossy. Inglot #345 (P, $6.00) is darker, cooler. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Makeup Geek Poppy Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.064 oz.) is described as a “matte orange with subtle pink undertones.” It’s a brightened, medium-dark orange with warm, reddish undertones and a mostly matte finish. It had good color payoff with a soft, blendable texture that was slightly powdery, so it is best patted onto the skin with minimal blending along the edges or else it can sheer out a bit. On me, it lasted for eight hours before fading. Too Faced Macaron (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery, lighter. Kat Von D Mandala (LE, ) is darker. MAC Red Brick (P, $16.00) is less shimmery, darker, brighter. MAC Farasha (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, darker, brighter. MAC Orange (P, $16.00) is less shimmery, darker, brighter. MAC Ablaze (LE, $16.00) is darker. Make Up For Ever #5 (DC, $20.00) is darker. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Makeup Geek Rapunzel Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.064 oz.) is described as a “light peachy champagne with a metallic finish.” It’s a muted, light-medium yellow gold with a frosted sheen. It had a really soft, smooth texture that wasn’t powdery, and the color payoff was fully opaque. It wore well for eight hours before fading. Cle de Peau Champagne Supernova #1 (P, ) is darker. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Dreamer #3 (P, ) is less shimmery. ColourPop High Tide (P, $5.00) is lighter. Anastasia Legend (P, $12.00) is less shimmery. Gucci Beauty Tuscan Storm #1 (P, ) is lighter. Make Up For Ever ME512 Golden Beige (P, $21.00) is darker. MAC Lemon Tart (P, $16.00) is darker. Makeup Geek Bling (P, $5.99) is lighter. Tarina Tarantino Taurella (LE, ) is lighter. theBalm C1 (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter. bareMinerals Aspire (P, ) is darker. Disney by Sephora Sand in the Glass (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Makeup Geek Wisteria Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.064 oz.) is described as a “matte pale purple.” It’s a medium-dark, cool-toned lavender purple with a satin finish. It had decent color payoff but was on the powdery side. It tended to sheer out and apply unevenly over bare skin, so it was hard to work with. I could only see using this over a more opaque, lightly tacky base to help overcome its issues. It started to fade after six and a half hours of wear. This is supposed to be the new and improved version (for 2015), and it seems better than the original, but it still has its problems. Illamasqua Can Can (P, ) is brighter, cooler. Burberry Lavender Blue (13) (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, darker, more muted, warmer. Inglot #334 (P, $6.00) is darker. Wet ‘n’ Wild Your 15 Minutes Aren’t Up #2 (LE, $2.29) is darker, cooler. Urban Decay Tainted (LE, $18.00) is darker. MAC Pin-up Purple (LE, $16.00) is warmer. MAC Purple Haze (DC, $16.00) is darker, more muted, cooler. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Makeup Geek High Tea Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.064 oz.) is described as a “matte medium brown with strong gray undertones.” It’s a medium-dark, muted olive brown with hints of almost cooler-toned green and a more semi-matte finish. I consulted with Makeup Geek on this shade while they were still working on it about a year ago, so I’m abstaining from reviewing it, but I have swatched it and pulled dupes! theBalm #42 (P, $6.50) is more shimmery, darker. Laura Mercier Pewter (P, $22.00) is lighter. MAC Flourishing (P, $16.00) is brighter. Burberry Khaki (08) (P, $29.00) is darker. Chanel Olivine (137) (LE, $34.00) is cooler. Laura Mercier Fog (LE, $22.00) is lighter. NARS Shade III (LE, $25.00) is darker. MAC Olive Blend #2 (LE, ) is warmer. MAC Stony (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery, lighter. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Makeup Geek Roulette Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.064 oz.) is described as a “rosy, burnt sienna with a shimmery finish.” It’s a rich coppery brown with warm, orange undertones and a metallic finish. The color payoff was incredibly intense and opaque with a smooth, buttery consistency that made it easy to apply and blend out. It wore well for nine hours before fading. This shade was previously available in the Vegas Lights palette but is now part of the permanent line (and available individually). ColourPop Sequin (P, $5.00) is more shimmery, darker. Marc Jacobs Beauty Leila (416) (P, $28.00) is more shimmery, lighter. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #4 (P, ) is more shimmery. Guerlain Cuivre Ora (LE, $35.00) is darker. Le Metier de Beaute Carnelian Opal (LE, $30.00) is more muted. Chanel Laurier Rose (127) (LE, $34.00) is warmer. YSL Steamy Coral (05) (P, $30.00) is darker. Tom Ford Beauty Pink Haze (LE, $42.00) is darker, warmer. ColourPop La-La (LE, $5.00) is darker. Too Faced Bon Bon #2 (P, $16.00) is darker. Makeup Geek Grandstand (P, $9.99) is warmer, darker. Urban Decay Lucky (LE, $18.00) is warmer. Anastasia Glisten (P, $12.00) is darker. Tarte Copper Kettle (LE, ) is lighter. Sleek MakeUP Sunset #9 (P, $9.99) is less shimmery, more pigmented.See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Makeup Geek Desert Sands Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.064 oz.) is described as a “medium camel brown with warm yellow undertones and a matte finish.” (It was originally described as a “medium terracotta matte.”) It’s a medium-dark, yellowed brown with warm undertones and a matte finish. This shade was originally released in the Vegas Lights palette, but it is now available individually (and permanently). The texture is incredibly soft, smooth, and silky without being powdery (one of the brand’s best matte eyeshadows). It lasted well for nine hours before fading. MAC Socialite (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery, darker. Make Up For Ever M660 Speculous (P, $21.00) is darker. Too Faced Peanut Butter (P, $16.00) is warmer. ColourPop Desert (P, $5.00) is more shimmery. LORAC Camel (LE, ) is lighter. Urban Decay Riff (P, $18.00) is darker, warmer. ColourPop Selfie (P, $5.00) is lighter, warmer. LORAC Undeniable (P, ) is darker, cooler. Too Faced Honey Butter (P, $16.00) is darker. Givenchy Delicate #2 (P, ) is less shimmery, warmer. MAC Mumu (LE, $16.00) is warmer. Too Faced Mousse (P, $16.00) is lighter, brighter. MAC Uninterrupted (P, $21.00) is lighter. Makeup Geek Preppy (P, $5.99) is lighter, warmer. Anastasia Bengal (P, $12.00) is lighter. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Makeup Geek Baby Face Eyeshadow ($5.99 for 0.064 oz.) is described as a “very light brown with cool gray undertones and a matte finish.” It’s a light, neutral beige with a matte finish. It had mostly opaque coverage with a soft, silky texture that was a tiny bit powdery. It lasted for seven and a half hours on me. Kat Von D Laetus (P, ) is darker. Givenchy Delicate #4 (P, ) is cooler. Hourglass Color Field #1 (P, ) is cooler. Hourglass Infinity #1 (P, ) is . Hourglass Graphite #1 (P, ) is . Tarte Super Mom (LE, ) is lighter, brighter. Tarte Vanilla Candles (LE, ) is cooler. Laura Mercier Vanilla Nuts (P, $23.00) is lighter. Make Up For Ever M532 Sugar Coated Candy (P, $21.00) is cooler. Tarte Sand Out from the Crowd (LE, ) is lighter. Tarte Sand Out from the Crowd (LE, ) is lighter. theBalm Matt Smith (LE, $16.00) is darker. theBalm Matt Smith (LE, $16.00) is darker. theBalm B1 (LE, $16.00) is cooler. theBalm Adagio (P, $16.00) is darker. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Shore Thing
DCDiscontinued. $6.00.
Poppy
DCDiscontinued. $6.00.
Rapunzel
DCDiscontinued. $6.00.
Wisteria
DCDiscontinued. $6.00.
Roulette
DCDiscontinued. $6.00.
Desert Sands
DCDiscontinued. $6.00.
Baby Face
DCDiscontinued. $6.00.
High Tea
DCDiscontinued. $6.00.
See more photos & swatches!
Makeup Geek Desert Sands Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Desert Sands Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Desert Sands Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Desert Sands Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Poppy Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Poppy Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Poppy Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Poppy Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Rapunzel Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Rapunzel Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Rapunzel Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Rapunzel Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Wisteria Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Wisteria Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Wisteria Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Wisteria Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek High Tea Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek High Tea Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek High Tea Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek High Tea Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Roulette Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Roulette Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Roulette Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Roulette Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Shore Thing Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Shore Thing Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Shore Thing Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Shore Thing Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Baby Face Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Baby Face Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Baby Face Eyeshadow
Makeup Geek Baby Face Eyeshadow
Great review! I believe high tea is an old shade because I already owned it for quite some time. I’m so happy that roulette is now a permanent shade now!
I love that they brought some of the Vegas shades into the permanent line!
Baby Face is the only one here that I think might suit me, and it looks to me kind of like MAC Omega.
If somebody were to come out with a dupe for MAC Seedling, though, I would be *seriously* interested!
Seedling… old school!
Oh no, so sad about Wisteria 🙁 I love these lavender violet shades, but they are so hard to get right. Poppy is gorgeous, can see it doubling as a blush. Curious about High Tea – looks like it turned out pretty nice
I was hoping it was REALLY improved but not enough 🙁
Wisteria is great with a sticky base (NYX Milk). I pair it with Sugarpill Mochi in the inner corner and Kitten Parade with a little bit of Colourpop Slave2Pink on the edges.
Thanks for the tip! I forgot about the NYX Milk pencil, that thing can work miracles! I bought the Hello Kitty Mon Amour palette, and I couldn’t even get the pastel shadows to swatch on my arm, they were so sheer and dry, but with the NYX Milk, they do show up on my lids. I think I will grab Wisteria, so hard to find this shade of lavender, and price is right. Thanks again
No problem, Milk’s really the only way I can get pastels or neons to work on me 🙂
I love eyeshadows in the color range of Desert Sands, Roulette and Poppy. I have dupes for each shade. Laura Merceier’s Camel and Mac’s Interrupted are my faves. Looking forward to your review of High Tea. I use that type of shade in the Fall/Winter.
Desert Sands is an interesting color – happy to see a budget-friendly option for it!
High Tea will have to go on the list. I usually prefer MUG shimmer and metallic finishes the best, but I like this matte muted olive green.
I was surprised at how green it leans, though it makes it more different, I think.
OMG POPPY IS GORGEOUS!
It is! Appropriately named, too.
How does it compare to MAC coral?
Desert Sand, Poppy and Roulette look pretty. I’ve bought 4 or 5 MUG shadows, and I haven’t been terribly impressed. I’ll have to try some of your A-grade ones and see if I change my mind. I’ve found their lighter shades way underpigmented.
Do you happen to remember any of the ones you got, Rachel?
Some are great, some are total misses. I would tend to agree — lighter shades seem to be a weakness, except the more neutral shades.
Bitten, which was actually pretty good, though not as red as I’d hoped. Unexpected, which was light and matte, and has zip color payoff, even with primer. Twilight, which I think is really pretty and not as bad as Unexpected. I can make Twilight work with primer. I bought a couple others, but forget which off the top of my head. In general, I have found MUG to be kind of dry and underpigmented. I need to try a few more bright/dark shades before making a final judgment, though, but it hasn’t been at the top of my priority list.
The Secret Admirer blush was fantastic though, so I definitely want more of the blushes.
Twilight was nice if I’m remembering it right, but Unexpected is one of the sheerer/more powdery ones!
Yeah, the other really bad ones I had were lighter mattes like that. I’m going to avoid those from now on. I was trying to round out all my brights and jewel tones, but I think I’ll go to another brand for the lights. Thanks for your help!
Twilight is a beautiful color, it just needs a little help. I can definitely work with it. Bitten I’d give a solid “B.” It was the best of the 5 or 6 I bought. (Admittedly, not a huge sample.)
Eh, six is plenty to make a compelling case either way, you know? They’re lucky you’re so forgiving, honestly!
I feel like High tea is very similar to Coquette from Mac. We’ll see…
Let us know!
I just ordered most of these yesterday, and I’m pleased to see that the ones I chose all got such good reviews here. All of them are interesting but Poppy looks like so much fun, while Desert Sands looks like it might be a great, affordable dupe for my beloved MAC Uninterrupted. I’m glad to see MUG producing matte shadows again – they are the best out there at this price point.
I think if you like Uninterrupted, you’l like Desert Sands — and it’s an exceptionally good matte!
High Tea is really interesting; I don’t know if you consulted on color or formula, but I like the results. Roulette looks interesting too.
It was already created as far as color went, but they asked me for feedback on how close the color was to what they were going for, how dupable it was, and how it fit within their range. 🙂
I just love your blog; not only is it fun and very useful but you truly are a professional about what you do.
Also – appreciate that I almost bought Shore Thing yesterday because I love the *idea* of the color, but found your swatch, before the review was up, and changed my mind based on it. Thanks for what you do!
Those pesky pastels are hard to get right! 🙁
Thank you! xo
Poppy and High Tea are interesting (I already have Vegas Lights).
Poppy would pair well with the Vegas Lights palette!
I like Poppy!
Yay!
Roulette would be my favourite of these – somehow they look very chalky – although that could be the matte finishes. These are really summery colours.
Glad you liked Roulette!
I’m really digging Desert Sands and High Tea. They’ll make a nice addition to my neutral collection
Awesome 🙂
Poppy, ehmahgerd!!! <3 I could love that one… Oh yes I could… 🙂
Haha!
Who’s baby, roulette and desert sands are going into my cart pronto!! Gorgeous! Already hot raunzel, poppy and high tea… Very pleased!
Got not hot lol… But $9 shipping kinda hurts for two shadows!
Yayyyy! 🙂
Picked up recently with this launch the roulette, desert sands ,baby face and chickadee (because i didn’t own it yet , was inspired by these other shadows of how to use it paired up for the summer). I thought it would fit best my very light complexion with slightly yellow undertones. Can’t wait to get them 😀 it is worth the wait till they come to Denmark . BTW great review , to be honest each time I want to buy something and I am not sure I come to your site , you are sooo honest in your review I simply love you saved me from a lot of mistakes and you help me make better decitions 😀 please never stop what you do.hugs
Aww, thank you so much, Valentina!! 🙂 xoxo
Shore thing was painful to look at, so chalky and dry!
So sad!
My heart breaks for Shore Thing ahhh! </3 I have been looking for a perfect mint green for so long and it looked just right. 🙁
I am extremely pale (Cover FX Total Coverage Cream Foundation in N0/N Zero) so I'm wondering… I always wear TFSI or UDPP (Original)… Do you think I can make Shore Thing work with a primer bc my skin is super light? Lip colors that have failed others often work for me bc I have almost no pigmentation in my lips…would this ever apply to eyeshadow?
I checked out the comparisons & dupes but…everything is much darker or too different. I was hopeful when I first saw Colourpop Flux but it's more like a white with a mint tint / not enough color. Thank you so much for having such a comprehensive comparison list! <333
If you use a primer, that should definitely help 🙂 It will be less contrasting on your skin tone compared to mine, but it should still show up.
Hi Christine, this is more a suggestion about the Swatch Gallery – would you consider changing it so that it shows your rating when you look at the shades in the gallery? I’m thinking of placing another Makeup Geek order, since I loved the texture of all the shadows I got in my first order, so it would be great to be able to spot the ones with the amazing texture at a glance, based on your rating, rather than having to click on each one.
Right now, if *one* person reviewed some shadow, and thought it was 3 out of 5 stars, then that 3 out of 5 rating will be shown on the swatch gallery, whereas your rating wouldn’t. This seems a bit counterintuitive since I trust your opinion more so would rather see that more prominently.
Hi Kara,
We are working on an entire recode, and this is already implemented in the next version, but I don’t know when we are launching. We’ve been working on it for about seven months now. Sorry 🙁
is it possible the shore thing one was just a quirk in the batch?? I just saw xparkage review it and it looked BEAUTIFUL!
I’m sure anything is possible!