Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches (Part 1)
Milani Bella Taupe (05) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Taupe (05) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.05 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark taupe gray with cool undertones and a satin finish. It had semi-opaque coverage applied dry and mostly opaque coverage applied damp. The texture was a little dry and powdery, so it would benefit from a primer to improve adhesion and blendability. On me (without primer), it lasted for seven hours before fading. bareMinerals Exec (LE, ) is lighter. Maybelline Tough as Taupe (P, $6.99) is cooler. MAC Smoked Cocoa #2 (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter. Maybelline Tough as Taupe (P, $6.99) is cooler. LORAC Cool Gray (P, ) is less shimmery. Guerlain Two VIP #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter. Guerlain Two VIP #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter. Burberry Storm Grey (No. 27) (P, $29.00) is warmer. MAC Rose Blend #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler. LORAC Stone (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler. Kat Von D Night Crawler (LE, ) is lighter. Sephora + Pantone Universe Deep Taupe (LE, ) is lighter. bareMinerals Rowdy (P, ) is lighter, brighter. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Milani Bella White (07) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.05 oz.) is a brightened, medium white that leans very slightly warm-toned with a frosted sheen. It was smoother and brighter when applied damp and thicker in its opacity, but it was pretty opaque applied dry. The texture was fairly soft and smooth, and it blended well. It lasted for seven and a half hours on me. Tom Ford Beauty Ice Queen #1 (P, ) is darker. Inglot #453 (P, $6.00) is brighter. MAC Chillproof (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery. Giorgio Armani Open (LE, ) is more shimmery. theBalm Metal-ica (P, $16.00) is cooler. theBalm Sassy (P, $16.00) is more shimmery. Disney by Sephora Midnight Hour #1 (LE, ) is more shimmery. Anna Sui Pearl White (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer. Chanel L’Intemporel de Chanel #5 (LE, ) is less shimmery. Cle de Peau Marmalade Sky #3 (P, ) is more shimmery. Stila Moonstone (P, ) is warmer. Too Faced Nutcracker (LE, $16.00) is brighter. Kat Von D Lunar Lights (P, ) is warmer. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Milani Bella Sky (08) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.05 oz.) is a medium, muted blue with a frosted sheen. Applied dry, it was semi-sheer, and applied damp, it was semi-opaque and smoother. The texture was drier, lightly powdery, and prone to sheering out on the skin, and unsurprisingly, it only lasted for six hours before fading. Chanel Destination (LE, $36.00) is darker. MAC Bright Moon (LE, $21.00) is darker, more muted. L’Oreal Infinite Sky (P, $7.99) is darker. L’Oreal Infinite Sky (P, $7.99) is darker. MAC Moon’s Reflection (P, $16.00) is darker. Urban Decay Strip (DC, $18.00) is more shimmery, darker, more muted. Sephora Collection Sweet Dreams (17) (P, $13.00) is lighter. MAC Bleuluxe #2 (P, ) is more shimmery, darker. CoverGirl Ice Flame (345) (P, $7.99) is less shimmery. Wet ‘n’ Wild I’m His Breezey #4 (P, $2.29) is less shimmery, darker. Dior Rivage #1 (LE, ) is darker. Dior Rivage #1 (LE, ) is darker. Dior Rivage #3 (LE, ) is warmer. MAC Indigo Blend #1 (LE, ) is darker, brighter. Make Up For Ever I112 Chrome (P, $21.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Milani Bella Navy (09) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.05 oz.) is a blackened navy blue with lighter blue and medium-dark navy blue pearly shimmer that gives it a soft, frosted finish. It had nice color payoff both wet and dry, with the damp application yielding smoother, slightly richer intensity. The texture was soft, blendable with just a smidgen of dryness. It wore well for eight hours before fading. bareMinerals Climax (P, ) is more shimmery, lighter. MAC Blue Sheen (LE, $21.00) is darker, brighter. MAC Blue Sheen (LE, $21.00) is darker, brighter. MAC Blue Sheen (LE, $21.00) is darker, brighter. MAC Lunar (P, $20.00) is more shimmery, lighter. MAC Lunar (P, $20.00) is more shimmery, lighter. Guerlain Les Ombres de Nuit #3 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker. Le Metier de Beaute Midnight Sky (P, $30.00) is warmer. Clinique Massively Midnight (P, $17.00) is brighter. Tom Ford Beauty Cobalt Rush #3 (P, ) is lighter, brighter. Tom Ford Beauty Cobalt Rush #3 (P, ) is lighter, brighter. Make Up For Ever I220 Sapphire (P, $21.00) is less shimmery, darker. LORAC Navy #6 (LE, ) is lighter. Makeup Geek Nautica (P, $5.99) is lighter. Urban Decay Moonshadow (P, $18.00) is lighter. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Milani Bella Gray (10) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.05 oz.) is a medium-dark gray with a lighter silver shimmer and frosted finish. Applied dry, it was semi-sheer and very dry and powdery to work with. Applied damp, it was richer in color and easier to work with, but it still only lasted for six and a half hours on. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Enigma #2 (P, ) is warmer. MAC Bao Bao’s Jewels #5 (LE, ) is lighter. MAC Uninhibited #2 (LE, $21.00) is warmer. MAC Just Breathe #2 (LE, $21.00) is lighter. NARS Jardin Perdu (Left) (LE, $24.00) is more shimmery. NARS Bad Behaviour (LE, $24.00) is lighter, warmer. Makeup Geek Prince Charming (P, $6.99) is less shimmery. Kat Von D Piaf (LE, ) is cooler. MAC Graphic Style (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery. Giorgio Armani #21 (LE, $33.00) is darker. CoverGirl Charcoal (335) (P, $4.99) is lighter, brighter. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Milani Bella Charcoal (11) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow ($4.49 for 0.05 oz.) is a dirty taupe brown with subtle, cooler undertones in its brown base with a frosted finish. It was on the drier side, so I would recommend applying it damp to minimize it looking dry/powdery on the skin. It had good color payoff dry, but it was richer and smoother when applied damp. It lasted for seven and a half hours on me. MAC Trusted Instinct #5 (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer. Chanel Tisse Gabrielle #1 (P, ) is lighter. Dior Aventure (081) (P, $31.00) is more shimmery, darker. MAC Soul Serenade (LE, $20.00) is less shimmery, warmer. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #7 (P, ) is lighter. theBalm Selfish (P, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter. Benefit Skinny Jeans (P, $10.00) is more shimmery, warmer. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Bella Taupe (05)
PPermanent. $4.49.
Bella White (07)
PPermanent. $4.49.
Bella Sky (08)
PPermanent. $4.49.
Bella Navy (09)
PPermanent. $4.49.
Bella Gray (10)
PPermanent. $4.49.
Bella Charcoal (11)
PPermanent. $4.49.
See more photos & swatches!
Milani Bella Taupe (05) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Taupe (05) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Taupe (05) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Taupe (05) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Taupe (05) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Taupe (05) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella White (07) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella White (07) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella White (07) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella White (07) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella White (07) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella White (07) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Sky (08) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Sky (08) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Sky (08) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Sky (08) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Sky (08) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Sky (08) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Navy (09) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Navy (09) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Navy (09) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Navy (09) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Navy (09) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Navy (09) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Gray (10) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Gray (10) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Gray (10) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Gray (10) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Gray (10) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Gray (10) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Charcoal (11) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Charcoal (11) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Charcoal (11) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Charcoal (11) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Charcoal (11) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Milani Bella Charcoal (11) Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
Bella Silver (inner lid), Bella Gray (middle of lid), Bella Taupe (outer lid),
Bella Charcoal (crease), Bella White (brow bone)
I as able to pick up some of these shade locally now at Zerh(large stores)/SuperStore in Ontario. They don’t have all the colours though. And they are sitting in my review queue from last 2 months…. >_<
Bella Taupe (05) and Bella Navy (09) from this group. 😉
Have you tried them yet or are they still waiting to be tested, too? LOL! My review queue is filled with both. I’ve had my notes on these ready for months, but too many other things have come out and these have gotten pushed back!
Nope, I have been able to test the 13 I got. And the shades have I do like (used some for my face awards entry as well. lol)
What I don’t like was the $8.99 CAN price tag… so much more expensive compared to the rest of their product lines . But I use my PC (Zerhs) points on them when buying to get them for “free or 75% off”. lol
Ouch! I wonder why they bumped up the price so much in Canada on these alone.
Ani Bee- if you don’t mind saying, which Zehr’s store had them? My son is in a city with Zehr’s and I’d love to track down some Milani (Fortino’s – a Loblaw affiliate used to have Milani in my city but that was years ago).
I think it’s dumb luck that out of the 4 Zerh’s in my city one was large enough to bother with cosmetic section (and expanded on it!)
I live in the KW area and I know that the superstore there has Milani.
Actually, it’s Belle Expresso (06) and not Bella Taupe (05) that I have. lol This range is so massive. 😉
Glad you finally got around to reviewing these!! I’ve passed by them so many times at the drugstore, but not sure which ones to get. I really love all the colors, but I’m thinking that Bella Taupe will make a good brow powder because it’s a cool brown with some gray. I don’t mind if it’s a little dry because I would use it to set my Anastasia Dipbrow Gel. As for Bella White, I’m wondering if it could be a base to make some pastel shadows pop? I tried the NYX Milk pencil but that creases on me like crazy. Too bad about Bella Sky, SO pretty that seems to be a tough shade to get right. As for Bella Navy, I think it might be close to ColourPop in Kimono, and I have enough dupes for Bella Gray and Bella Charcoal, so I have to resist buying them
It’s possible it could work to make something pop, but it’ll depend – the problem in general is that these are a little drier, so it may not be enough for a pastel to “pop” on top (it may just get faded away).
Taupe, Navy, and Charcoal are so pretty!
The colors are pretty!
I’ve found with these that they fade way faster than more expensive shadows. I have five, but won’t buy any more for that reason.
Yes, some of these definitely are prone to fading!
Some are beautiful but I’d rather not have to mess around with using it wet for a great performing shadow.
Totally understand! 🙂 I prefer using dry except when I want an little extra oomph, but I’d like to be able to use it dry if desired.
Thank you! Exactly! This is why I still have not bought any NARS dual intensity.. Especially the cheeks? Come on! Why should that be necessary? Umm I think I might have a problem with ColourPop on the rise… LOL 😛
Wow, that eye look is just a big taupe blob! I had a bunch of these I bought because of the hype and they were not good at all. I tossed them. At least they didn’t break the bank.
Milani does put out quality stuff though, you just have to look for it.
There are some nice shades in the range, but a lot of them were just so-so!
I don’t think I have any of these shades, but I’m surprised by the low grades. I mostly have brighter and darker shades, and metallics (gold, copper, and bronze), and they’re fantastic. I’m glad I’m not “into” pale blues and grays too much, since they look like skip with this line. I fancy Navy and Charcoal, though.
I think the more metallic/shimmery shades tend to be better than the mattes – the dryness/powderiness is less noticeable, at least, I think the metallic shimmer helps everything bind together better.
It seems that way with a lot of brands. I tend to go for shimmers, so that’s probably why I haven’t noticed any dryness.
My favourite colours too!
Sorry to see these didn’t rate better – Bella Taupe looks so beautiful!
So nice in theory…
I don’t wear taupe or most greys, so that lets out a lot of these, lol. The white looks really nice, will keep in mind for next time I need a white shadow! I want the Navy, though.
Phew 😉
The only one that I really like the color of here is Taupe. And I am pretty certain that I do already have some very close iterations of it. The Navy isn’t bad either, but again dupes galore. The rest of these look either terrible or trapped in the 70’s.
I bet you have dupes!
They get so many rave reviews.. but on me they crease within a couple of hours and fade terribly after that. Within 5-6 hours I may as well have put nothing on. I’ve purchased several different shades thinking I just got duds but they all do it.. something about the formula just doesn’t work for me because everything else I put on my eyes stays all day.
Which ones did you try, Charlotte? Some of them fade more quickly than others – the shimmery shades seem to be better (on average).
Gosh, about 12-15 of them over three different purchases. Most of the neutrals.. the navy, charcoal, gold, copper, green, purple. I have 5-6 in my “hope to find a new home for” box right now that I lost the receipt for and can’t return. Milani used to have some of the best powder shadows, their brow kits are the old formula and they are HG I wear them all the time as highlight/crease shades, they have a permanent home in my makeup tray as helper shadows/perfect neutral eyes/travel shadows.. I wish they would just go back to the good stuff.
Wow! That really sucks that not even one of them worked well for you 🙁
Love some of these colours: the Navy and the Charcoal the best. I wonder why the Sky colour did not perform as well, it is a pretty colour too. The taupe seemed too matte for me.
But that navy is a winner for me. Your eye look is lovely Christine too.
Thank you, Genevieve!
It’s a shame the quality isn’t really there. The colors are cute though.
Yeah – some of the line is nice, but there are some misses!
What’s on your lower lash line, please? I’m looking for that color!
I don’t remember! The photos are from about a year ago 🙁
Thanks anyway! It sure is pretty!
The navy is nice and I wish I liked the taupe more.
At least you liked one!