Product Review: Sephora Colorful Mono Eyeshadow in Marie and Aspen Summit
Name: Colorful Mono Eyeshadow in Marie and Aspen Summit
Brand: Sephora
Size: 0.07oz
Price: €11,50
From Sephora’s website:
Sephora Mono Eyeshadow has the perfect, high-payoff combination of brilliant color, an easy-blending formula, and endless versatility that will revolutionize your eye-makeup outlook and deliver show-stopping effects. This expert formula comes in three fabulous finishes: matte, glittering, and metallic shimmer
What I liked:
– wide selection of shades available
– easy to blend
– good color payoff
– the price
– long-lasting if used with a primer
What I didn’t like:
– doesn’t last all day without a primer
– short shelf life
Last year, I had the chance to try Sephora Colorful Pearl Mono Eyeshadows through a swap but I found them sheer and overall average so I never purchased them. But now that those have been discounted and replaced with a new formula, I was willing to give them another try and bought two of them. So, is the new formula really better?
These new eyeshadows are available in more than 80 different shades, from natural to blacks to brights, in 3 different finishes: matte, glitter and metallic shimmer. With such a wide selection of shades, it’s impossible not to find one that you like and the price won’t be setting you back too much.
Marie is a brown shade with rosey undertone and a slightly metallic shimmer finish. I’m not a huge fan of neutral shades, but this one is really pretty and doesn’t make me look washed out, which is what some natural shades tend to do cos of my pale skin.
Aspen Summit is a white shade with a subtle hint of silver and a shimmer finish. This is one of the most pigmented white shades I have come across and I like that. White shades tend to be very sheer which is good since they are usually used as highlighters, but I like that I can actually get the color to show quite well with just a few swipes if I want to use it on the lid.
Both shades have a soft texture that is easy to blend without any fall out problems. They are medium-pigmented and I only need two or three swipes to get a good color payoff. A great improvement from the old formula considering those were so sheer I had to apply lots of layers for the color to even show up!
Like most eyeshadows, these are better used with a primer if you want the colors to last all day without creasing, especially if you have oily lids. Without, they’ll only last a few hours before disappearing and you’ll have to apply again.
I guess most of you will be happy to know these eyeshadows are paraben-free. As for me, I don’t have any problems with parabens so even if these shadows contained them, I would’ve still been happy about it. Instead, the preservatives in these eyeshadows are Sorbic Acid and Phenoxyethanol which are weak and don’t work as well as parabens.
Phenoxyethanol, just like parabens, has potential safety issues too, although the small amount used in cosmetics is generally considered to be safe. In any case, my problem is that these shadows have a shelf life of only 6 months (as opposed to 2 or 3 years of most eyeshadows), so if you’re the type of girl that uses the same eyeshadow every day, this is worth getting.
But if like me, you have lots of eyeshadows that it’s rare for you to even hit pan on those you use more often after two years, well, you may want to look for something that won’t go bad so soon. It’s difficult for powders to harbour bacteria anyway, unless you use them wet, so I guess you could use them a bit longer than 6 months as long as you’re careful.
Summary
Overall, the newly reformulated Sephora Colorful Mono Eyeshadows are much better than the old ones. They are soft to the touch, medium-pigmented and last all day if used with a primer. However, they have a short shelf-life.
Rating: 3.5/5
Disclaimer: the item was purchased by me for both personal and review purposes. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. For more information, please see my disclaimer.Product review: Kiko Eyeshadow #43 Vinaccia Scuro
Name: Eyeshadow #43 Vinaccia Scuro
Brand: Kiko
Size: 3g
Price: €4,50
From Kiko’s website:
Compact high-pigmentation eye-shadow, easily gradable and long lasting. Available in 54 colours in the mat, satiny, pearly and glitter version.
What I liked:
– lots of shade to choose from
– medium color payoff
– lasts long without creasing if used with a primer
– easy to blend
– the price
What I didn’t like:
– can be hard to pull off
– not as pigmented as claimed
– not long-lasting if used without a primer
– the packaging
Kiko eyeshadows are available in more than 50 neutral and colorful shades in four different finishes: matte, pearly, satin and glitter. There is definitely something from everyone and with such a cheap price tag, you can get quite a few of them without breaking the bank.
The shade I have is #43 Vinaccia Scuro or Red Purple in English. I think the name is very appropriate and describes it well because even though in the pan it looks like a very bright shade of violet, once applied and blended, the shade is actually a reddish purple with shimmers.
The texture isn’t very soft to the touch, but it is easy to blend and doesn’t give me any fall out problems. Vinaccia Scuro is medium pigmented which makes the shade very wearable. I need about 2 or 3 swipes to get a good color payoff and it gives a nice pop of color to the eye without going over the top.
But because of its reddish tones, Vinaccia Scuro is not the easiest shade to pull off especially for those that find it hard to rock purple. I wear purples all the time but with this shade I find that, if I’m not extra careful when I apply it, it can make me look like someone just punched me in the eye!
Like with most eyeshadows, you need to wear a primer with this to make sure it’ll last all day without creasing. If worn without a base, it starts fading and creasing after a few hours and keep in my mind that my lids aren’t particularly oily. That’s not really a problem for me as I always use a primer anyway.
The packaging instead needs to be revamped. The circular pot not only looks very cheap, but is also flimsy and, as you can see in the above picture, it breaks easily. Also, the eyeshadow doesn’t come with a sponge or brush applicator, but since those are usually useless anyway, I don’t really mind.
Summary
Overall, Kiko eyeshadows are quite good for the price. Medium-pigmented and easy to blend, Vinaccia Scuro is a wearable and beautiful shade of purple that lasts all day if used with a primer. However, some people may find it hard to pull it off and the packaging breaks easily.
Rating: 3.5/5
Disclaimer: I got this item in a swap. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. For more information, please see my disclaimer.
Product Review: Gosh Quattro Eyeshadow
Name: Quattro Eyeshadow
Brand: Gosh
Size: 10g
Price: £8.00
From Gosh’s website:
Four matching eye shadows put together in a beautiful color collage. Quattro Eye Shadow is produced with a new technology allowing the use of ultra fine pearl- and micro pigments. With this production procedure you get a remarkable intensity of color in the base with fine micro pearl effects.
What I liked:
– sheer to medium pigmentation
– longlasting but only if used with a primer
– the price
What I didn’t like:
– colors not as bright as I expected
– texture is not very smooth
– the packaging
Around the blogosphere, I often heard people talk about Gosh as the European (and cheaper) MAC. So, when I was in London at the beginning of last year (I know, this review is long overdue but better late than never, right?), I couldn’t help but pick up some of their products, including one of their eyeshadow quads.
I chose the quad in Toucan which features four colorful shades: yellow, apple green, light blue and lilac. I didn’t have a chance to swatch the colors as most testers in Superdrug are missing or just dirty and messy so I was disappointed to find, once home, that when swatched, the colors are nowhere as bright as they look in the pan.
Apart from the yellow shade which barely shows up on my skin and I need to apply several coats to get a nice color payoff, the other shades only require two as they are medium pigmented. The shades are all very wearable and perfect for a wash of color during the day, but personally I prefer something more intense.
To get better color payoff, it’s better to use a primer, which will make the shadows stay put all day without creasing as well. As for the texture, that’s not very smooth, but the colors are quite finely milled and easy to blend.
I’m not too fond of the circular black packaging. It’s quite sturdy, but also bulky and too plain for my tastes. The lid is see-through so you can see the shades inside and a dual-sponge applicator is also included. But as always, that’s useless.
Overall, I can’t see how Gosh eyeshadows can be compared to MAC’s since the quality is inferior. Gosh’s shadows are less pigmented and the texture less smooth. The quality is not bad at all for a drugstore brand, but then I’d rather buy a Sleek palette instead: you get 10 very pigmented and soft shades packaged in a sleeker case for just £4.50.
Summary
Overall, Gosh Quattro Eyeshadow is just average. The colors are sheer to medium pigmented and provide a nice wash of color on the eyes. However, they are not as bright as in the pan and last all day only if used with a primer. The texture isn’t very soft either.
Rating: 3/5
Disclaimer: the item was purchased by me for both personal and review purposes. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. For more information, please see my disclaimer.Product Review: Senna 3-in-1 Eye Color
Name: 3-in-1 Eye Color
Brand: Senna
Size: 0.07oz/2g
Price: $22.00
From Senna’s website:
Three velvety soft harmonizing eye colors in one travel friendly compact makes it easy to make eyes look polished for daytime and dramatic for night. The three made for layering and easy to blend colors include one highlighter color, one soft lid color and one darker shading and lining color.
What I liked:
- sheer wash of color
- soft texture
- easy to blend
- long-lasting if used with a primer
What I didn’t like:
- the ingredients
- the price
Senna 3-in-1 eyeshadows are available in 2 versions: Aspen, a mix of pink and purple shades and Bahama, the one that I got, which contains a soft vanilla beige, a soft pinkish brown and a chocolate plum.
All the shades are beautiful, slightly shimmery and compliment each other very well. And because they are so safe and wearable, they are perfect to be worn during the day and at work.
Just like the single eyeshadows, the shades in the trio aren’t very pigmented and I have to layer the colors 3 or 4 times for them to show properly. People who prefer their eyeshadows to be on the sheer side will love the trio, but personally I prefer something more pigmented.
The shadows are very soft to the touch and very easy to blend. I’d recommend using them with a primer to get the best color payoff as well as making them staying put on your lids all day without creasing. I tried them without a base as well and, just like most shadows, they disappear after 4 or 5 hours on me.
One of the preservatives used in this trio is called Imidazolidinyl Urea and works by releasing formaldehyde. Although the quantity of this ingredient is really small and considered safe by the FDA, I prefer to use product that are free of this substance.
Summary:
Overall, Senna 3-in-1 eye color contains 3 shimmery, sheer and wearable shades that are easy to blend and last long if used with a primer. However, it is pricey and contains a formaldehyde-releasing preservative.
Rating: 3/5
Disclosure: this item was sent by PR for consideration. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. For more information, please see my disclaimer.Product Review: Senna Metallic & Sheer Glow Eye Colors
Name: Metallic & Sheer Glow Eye Colors
Brand: Senna Cosmetics
Size: 0.7oz, 2.00g
Price: $16.50
From Senna’s website:
Metallic Eye Colors: nothing matches the intensity of true metallic eye colors such as these. The glossy surface and depth of color and dimension make these the richest colors you can wear.
Sheer Glow Eye Colors: for semi-opaque color, quick, easy blending, and beautiful light reflective finish work with sheer glow colors. These give intensely rich color ‘read’ that’s soft on the eyes.
What I liked:
- lots of shades available
- apply quite sheer
- easy to blend
- last long and don’t crease if used with a primer
What I didn’t like:
- the ingredients
- the price
Senna Cosmetics has a large selection of eyeshadow colors in different formulas and finishes. I was lucky enough to try a couple of metallic and one sheer glow shadows and even though I usually go for brighter shades, I really like the colors.
Metallic eyeshadow in Amethyst is a dark purple with subtle shimmer and a metallic finish.
Metallic eye color in Sugar Plum is a medium pinkish bronze with a hint of shimmer and a metallic finish.
Sheer Glow shadow in Legend is a a medium golden brown with light reflecting particles that give eyes a nice glow.
They all have a silky texture, blend smoothly and apply quite sheer, esp Legend obviously, but they can all be layered for the desired effect or you could use a primer for better color payoff. All of the colors are very wearable and provide a nice wash of color that is perfect for the daytime.
I used these shadow both with and without a base and, like most shadows, they perform much better with a primer. Applied on a bare lid, they last for about 6 hours before they start to crease and fade. But when I use a primer they last all day, without creasing. Keep in mind that I don’t have oily lids. If you do, they may perform differently on you.
However, I was disappointed to see that one of the preservatives used in these shadows is Imidazolidinyl Urea, which works by releasing formaldehyde. It is present in very small amounts (the FDA approves it in concentrations up to 0.06%) in the shadows so using them won’t kill you. But personally, I prefer to use products that are free from formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.
Summary:
If you don’t mind using products that contain formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, these eyeshadows, available in lots of shades and finishes, offer a nice wash of color with subtle shimmer that last all day if used with a primer.
Rating: 3/5
Disclosure: this item was sent by PR for consideration. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. For more information, please see my disclaimer.