Name: Eyeshadow in Lavender Fields
Brand: Neve Makeup
Size: 2g
Price: €7,90

From Neve Makeup’s website:
Sage green with warm mauve duochrome. A delicate shade that continually changes as the light changes.

What I liked:
- good color payoff
- soft texture, easy to apply and blend
- the packaging
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- crease and fades after a few hours without a primer
- because it is a loose eyeshadow, application can be messy

Neve Makeup is coming out with some beautiful duochrome eyeshadows lately. One of the most interesting imo, is Lavender Fields. It is described as a sage green with a warm mauve duochrome, but I don’t really agree with that. While it does look green in the jar, once applied it is a simple, rather boring greyish lilac shade. You have to apply it wet to really bring out the lilac duochrome. Then, the shade truly becomes stunning but of course my stupid camera wouldn’t capture that! *sighs*

Lavender Fields has a very soft texture that applies and blends smoothly, when used both wet and dry. As with all loose eyeshadows, application can be a bit messy, although fallout is reduced to a minimum if you use it wet or with a good primer. And you would need a primer anyway as the eyeshadow starts creasing and fading after a few hours on oily lids. Color payoff is good, but keep in mind that the shade is delicate so you’ll get a soft wash, not an intense pop, of color.

The eyeshadow is packaged in a small jar with sifter and a black lid. The full size contains 2g of product and retails at €7,90, which I think is pretty reasonable. In addition, samples are also available for purchase. I have the mini size, which costs only €3,90, and contains 0.7g, which is a very generous amount and will last you for a good while.

Available at: truccominerale.it

Summary
Neve Makeup Eyeshadow in Lavender Fields is a greyish green shade with a lavender duochrome that’s very visible only when used wet. It has good color payoff, a soft texture that blends easily and, with a primer, it lasts all day without creasing. However, because it is a loose eyeshadow, application can be a bit messy.

Rating: 4/5

Name: Pretty Compact Quartet Eyeshadow in P043
Brand: Flormar
Size: 14g
Price: €4,95

From Flormar’s website:
It is effective all day with its vivid and shiny look.

What I liked:
- nice mix of matte and satin shades
- pigmented
- soft and smooth texture, blends easily
- don’t crease
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- average staying power
- the packaging

I had never heard of Flormar until Mr BWB, while on a trip in Spain, bought me a couple of their products as birthday gifts last month. So, I was very surprised to discover that the history of the brand goes back to Milan! in the 1980′s production was moved to Turkey and the brand, famous for its nail lacquers, expanded the line and now offers a complete range of cosmetic products with over 800 items! Today, we’ll talk about the Pretty Compact Quarter Eyeshadow.

The eyeshadows are housed in a simple white circular packaging, which isn’t that pretty but helps keep the price down so I won’t complain too much about it. There are several color combinations available, all very basic and easily dupable but pretty, and the one I have is called P043. It contains four shades: a matte white, a matte lilac, a satin Barbie pink and a satin deep reddish purple. The two satin shades also have some shimmers but these are hardly noticeable when applied on the lid. And, as you can see from the swatches, they all have great color payoff.

The texture really surprised me. It is silky soft, smooth and applies and blends like a dream. Such a wonderful texture and pigmentation are not easy to find in eyeshadows at such a low price point, which makes it easy for me to forgive their poor staying power. Although I didn’t have any problem with creasing, they start fading after only about 4 hours on my slightly oily lids if I don’t use a base underneath. With a primer, they easily stay put for the entire day.

Available at: Douglas.de

Summary
Flormar Pretty Compact Quartet Eyeshadow in P043 contains four dupable but pretty eyeshadows in white, pink and purple shades with both satin and matte finishes. The pigmentation is good, the texture very soft and smooth and easily blendable. However, they fade after a few hours if used without a primer and the packaging isn’t very pretty.

Rating: 4/5

Name: Gli Arcobaleni Palette in Intensissimi
Brand: Neve Makeup/Neve Cosmetics
Size: 10x3g
Price: €26,80

From Neve Makeup’s website:
10 intense, vibrant eyeshadows packaged in a professional palette. The velvet texture makes blending easy.

What I liked:
- lots of beautiful vibrant shades
- pigmented
- soft texture, easy to blend
- longlasting
- the packaging

What I didn’t like:
- if you don’t like matte or bright eyeshadows, this is not for you
- four shades aren’t very pigmented
- colors aren’t as vibrant as they look in the pan when swatched
- there is no shade to highlight the browbone
- the price
- not available outside Italy

I have been lemming the Intensissimi Eyeshadow palette by Neve Makeup ever since it was released last December. How could I not? It looks like a dream palette for those who like me love bright eyeshadows. The price was putting me off a bit but then my lovely reader Ana asked me if I had any plans to review it, which gave me the encouragement I needed (which wasn’t much really) to finally order it. It took only one day to arrive and when I opened it, I was blown away but how vibrant the colors looked in the pan. So vibrant that my boyfriend remarked that this must be a painter’s palette instead than an eyeshadow one lol.

But once I swatched them, I was left a bit disappointed. Not all the shades are as bright and pigmented as I had expected. Grass, a grassy green with a satin finish is the sheerest. Banana, a matte bright yellow, Night Life, an electric blue with a satin finish, and Velvet, a purple with warm undertones, are on the sheer side too. You really need to pack the color on to get them to show up properly. The other shades, instead, have great pigmentation. Magma is a matte bright orange; Watermelon is, like the name suggests, a watermelon red with a velvety finish; Diva is a satin and bright fuchsia; Alien, a bright and matte lime green; Acquario, an intense turquoise with a satin finish; and Brivido, a bright blue with a satin finish. Acquario and Brivido look very similar in the swatch above, but the first is greener.

While most of the shades are pigmented, and all of them have a soft texture that’s very easy to blend and last about 8 hours before they start creasing, they really aren’t as bright as they look. You wouldn’t think so by looking at them in the pan, but these are actually wearable brights that are easy to pull off. They’re bright but quite soft (unless you really pack the color on or use them wet which improves the color payoff). I know that sounds a bit confusing. I think I will have to use them in a FOTD soon to show you all what I mean. I am a bit disappointed that it doesn’t contain a highlighting shade. I know this is meant to be a palette of really vibrant shades, but maybe they could have included a bright white. Maybe it’s just me, but I thinks something is missing from a palette when it doesn’t include a highlighting shade.

Overall, if you’re looking for a palette of wearable brights, you will really enjoy this palette. But if you prefer really vibrant shades, then you should opt for Sleek eyeshadow palettes, which are more pigmented and a lot cheaper. If bright colorful shades aren’t your thing at all, instead, you can try  one of the other palettes in the Gli Arcobaleni range: Chiarissimi, a palette of 10 pale and light eyeshadows, Scurissimi, a palette of dark and smokey shades, or you can  just customize your own palette with your favourite shades from the other three.

The packaging is very simple. The palette is dark purple, almost blue in color, with a simple drawing of a green rainbow on the lid. It is quite big so not very handy to carry around with you when you travel. It also doesn’t have a mirror, which is a shame as there is plenty of room for it. But each pot is huge so the colors will last you for ages and the palette has a magnetic bottom so you can take them out easily.

Available at: http://www.truccominerale.it/

Summary
Neve Makeup Gli Arcobaleni Palette in Intensissimi contains 10 colorful eyeshadows in matte and satin finishes. The colors are bright but not as bright as they look in the pan and quite wearable. Four of them are on the sheer side, but all have a soft texture and blend easily. However, it doesn’t have any shade suitable for highlighting and is not available outside Italy.

Rating: 3.5/5

Name: Multi Effect Eyeshadow in Metal Green
Brand: Manhattan
Price: €3,85

From Manhattan’s website:
Flexible application – apply dry for a silky soft effect; apply wet for intensive highlights.

What I liked:
- beautiful shade with slight metal finish
- good color payoff
- blends easily
- texture is soft to the touch
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- needs a primer to last all day
- the packaging

Have you ever tried Manhattan cosmetics? It’s a very cheap German brand available only in some European countries (of course it’s not sold here in Italy ). But I still managed to get my hands on a couple of products from this line and the one that really impressed me is the Multi Effect Eyeshadow in Metal Green.

Metal Green is a gorgeous shade: it is an olive green with multicolored shimmers and a slight metal finish. This metallic finish is barely noticeable when applied dry, but more obvious when used wet. It is a very flattering shade of green and perfect to create green smokey eyes. The swatch really doesn’t do it justice.

Color payoff is good. I’d say it is medium pigmented when applied dry on bare skin, and easily buildable too, but if you want it to really pop, you’ll have to use a base underneath. The texture is soft to the touch, but not silky soft. Considering the price, I don’t really mind. It applies easily and I get no fallout from it.

Staying power when used alone is average. If you have oily lids, you’ll experience some creasing and fading after about 4-5 hours, but that can easily be prevented by using it together with an eyeshadow primer. The only other thing I’m not too keen on is the packaging: too basic and simple, typical of drugstore eyeshadows. It helps keep the price down though so I can’t complain too much about it.

Available at: Amazon.de and German drugstores

Summary
Manhattan Multi Effect Eyeshadow in Metal Green is a beautiful, good quality and affordable eyeshadow. Medium pigmented, with a slight metallic finish, it has a soft texture that blends easily without fallout. However, it needs a primer to last all day and packaging is really cheap.

Rating: 3.5/5

Name: City Duet Eyeshadows in Island Sunset
Brand: NYC
Size: 1.9g
Price: $2.99

From NYC’s website:
These silky, long-lasting, ultra-vibrant shades stay flawless for hours and hours.

What I liked:
- buildable pigmentation
- colors complement each other well
- almost matte finish
- easy to blend
- texture is quite soft
- the packaging
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- color doesn’t transfer from brush to lid well
- creases without a primer
- some fall out can occur

I’ve read lots of positive reviews about NYC City Duet Eyeshadows, all claiming they were bright and pigmented. So you can imagine how excited I was when my friend Dao sent me one of the duos, Island Sunset in a swap. This duo contains a matte bright pink shade and an almost matte but with a slight sheen medium purple. However, bright and pigmented isn’t exactly how I would describe them.. Not when used alone anyway…

I’d call the pigmentation buildable. It is true that my eyeshadow brush picks up quite a lot of product but, for some reason, most of the pigment won’t transfer from it to the lid. It’s definitely not a problem with the brush as I get the same result with all the brushes I usually use and even with my fingers. It may be that I simply got a duo from a bad batch but because NYC is not available here I can’t verify it.

However, I’m not too disappointed about the color payoff. Yes, it does provide a sheer wash of color on the lids when used alone (which is easily buildable anyway), but the payoff greatly improves when you use an eyeshadow base underneath. This will also make sure the eyeshadows will last all day otherwise, if you have oily lids, they will crease on you after about 4 hours of wear.

The texture is quite soft to the touch, especially considering it is so inexpensive, but not silky smooth. The colors are both easy to blend but some fall out can occur. Nothing major, but still something worth mentioning. They come in a black case which looks sleek and is quite sturdy. It also includes a dual-ended sponge applicator but this is just useless.

Available at: Target and CVS

Summary
NYC City Duet Eyeshadows in Island Sunset contains a matte bright pink and an almost matte purple which complement each other beautifully. However, the colors don’t transfer well from the brush to the skin so pigmentation is sheer but buildable. It improves if you use a base which will also prevent the colors from creasing. Despite this, I would say that considering the price, they are good value for money if you use them with a primer.

Rating: 3/5

Disclaimer: I got this item in a swap. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. In addition, the review contains an affiliate link, which means we get a commission when you purchase the item from this link. By doing so, you’ll be helping to support Beautiful with Brains. For more information, please see my disclaimer.

Name: Color Boulevard Eyeshadow in Honolulu Dance
Brand: P2
Price: €2,95

From the packaging:
5 colors for the perfect city-look. Silky soft and longlasting.

What I liked:
- colors go well together
- colors are easy to blend
- sheer, buildable coverage
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- colors may be too sheer for some people
- eyeshadows need a primer to last all day
- texture is not very soft
- the packaging

If you love purples but are scared of looking like you’ve just been punched in the face if you wear them, P2 Color Boulevard Eyeshadow in Honolulu Dance may just be what you need. It includes 5 shades, two soft pinks and three purples, all of which are very wearable and soft and with a slight sheen finish. And the best part is that it retails at only €2,95!

While I do think that P2 Color Boulevard Eyeshadow in Honolulu Dance is a really lovely palette, especially for makeup newbies, and that it is good value for money, you also get what you paid for. The colors are on the sheer side, which is good for those that are scared of color and just want a soft wash of it on their lids, and look elegant and easily wearable.

If you want a more intense color payoff, you will have to use a base underneath, but as you can see in the look above, these colors are soft, so if you’re looking for bright shades these aren’t for you. I love wearing them when I want something feminine, romantic and subtle and, even though the texture isn’t really that soft they also blend easily with very minimal fallout.

Although they are easy to blend, they’re not too easy to apply because each stripe of color, although separated by the others by a clear plastic thingie, is really small. Too small for any eyeshadow brush so you may accidentally but easily pick up more than one shade if you’re not careful. Once applied though, they do last all day provided that you use a good eyeshadow primer underneath. Without, you’re only getting a few hours of wear.

Available at: German drugstores

Summary
P2 Color Boulevard Eyeshadow in Honolulu Dance contains 5 sheer, soft and romantic eyeshadows perfect for makeup newbies or those that want to wear purples but are scared to look like they have been punched in the face. No risk of that with these eyeshadows. The texture isn’t soft but they blend easily to create feminine everyday looks that last all day if you wear a primer. However, the small packaging makes it hard to pick up just the color you want with a brush.

Rating: 3/5

Name: Runway Eyes in Black Out
Brand: Milani
Size: 2.1g
Price: $5.99

From Milani’s website:
A silky-smooth powder eye shadow that delivers unbelievable color with a curved double ended applicator. The innovative shape of the curved applicator was designed for easy application. Use the sponge applicator WET or use a thin brush to apply as eye liner to create a glamorous, intense effect on the eyes. Use the brush applicator DRY for blending and shading for a subtle, natural finish

What I liked:
- nice color payoff when you used with a base
- very sparkly
- blends easily
- the price

What I didn’t like:
- it may be too shimmery for some people
- it needs a primer to last all day
- the packaging

When I first picked up Milani Runway Eyes in Black Out I felt like I was holding the night sky in my hand. In the pan, this shades looks absolutely stunning: a deep, dark blue with multicolored glitter that sparkle and shine a lot. It also looks quite scary as all that glitter could easily make anyone resemble a discoball. But, thankfully, it doesn’t. It is very shimmery but I don’t find it over the top at all although if you are a fan of matte shades, you won’t like it.

Although Milani says you can use this eyeshadow both wet and dry, Black Out is pretty useless when used dry. It barely shows up on bare skin so you would need to layer, and layer and layer again, only to see the color disappear after a few hours if your lids are oily. I haven’t used this eyeshadow wet as I’m not really a fan of wetting my eyeshadows but I didn’t really need to. To make Black Out work you just need an eyeshadow primer.

If you use a base, color payoff greatly improves but the color looks different from how it looks in the pan: it is a greyish black with multicolored glitters that’s perfect for smoking eyes. A base will also bring out the glittery particles more and ensure your makeup stays put the entire day. The texture is not very soft to the touch (but I didn’t expect it to be considering it is chock full of glitters), but it isn’t powdery and blends well.

I don’t like the packaging at all. It looks really cheap, doesn’t it? But then the eyeshadow is cheap so I can’t complain too much about it. It also comes with a dual-ended curved brush: you get a sponge applicator on one side and a brush on the other. While I like the concept, the brush is pretty much useless (but if you need to touch up your makeup and this is all you got I guess it’ll do) so I just use my own brushes instead.

Available at: milanicosmetics.com and walgreens.com

Summary
Milani Runway Eyes in Black Out is a pretty greyish black chock full of multicolored glitters but it needs to be used with a primer to get good color payoff that lasts all day. The texture is a bit gritty but not powdery and blends easily. The packaging however, is cheap and the brush useless.

Rating: 3/5

Disclaimer: I got this item in a swap. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. In addition, the review contains an affiliate link, which means we get a commission when you purchase the item from this link. By doing so, you’ll be helping to support Beautiful with Brains. For more information, please see my disclaimer.

Name: Sparkle Eyeshadow in n.13, n.14 and n.15
Brand: Layla
Price: €12,04

From Layla’s website:
Pure colour with particles of pure light for a sparkling eye make up. Sparkle Eyeshadow allows all women to re-create themselves using fashionable colours and an easily softened texture

What I liked:
- available in a lot of shades
- very pigmented
- very shimmery
- silky soft texture, easy to blend
- the packaging

What I didn’t like:
- some people may find them too sparkly for their taste
- if you have oily lids, you need to use a primer to make them last all day
- the price

When it comes to eyeshadows, I have no will power. They are one of my favourite makeup items and whenever I see one I like, it’s really hard for me not to give in and buy it (and, at times, regret it). As a result, my eyeshadow collection is huge and it takes a lot to really impress me. But Layla Sparkle Eyeshadows have completely blown me away, they are awesome!

Pigmented? Check. Shimmery? Check. Silky texture? Check. What could a girl want more? But be warned: available in 18 shades, ranging from colorful bright greens and blues to safer shades like browns and white, these aren’t for the faint of heart. The colors in fact, are both very pigmented, and very, very shimmery!

Above, you can see swatches of the three shades I had the opportunity to try. N.13 is a bright medium blue, n.14 a vivid forest green and n.15 a bold pink and as you can see, they all have excellent color payoff. The swatches, in fact, were done with only one swipe and no primer! Isn’t that amazing?

Also, as you can see, all the shades are chock full of shimmers and will definitely make your eyes sparkle and get them noticed! If you are a fan of matte eyeshadows, these will be way too shimmery for you, but those that want to sparkle, like me, will fall in love with them. And despite how shimmery they are, all three shades have a very soft and smooth texture that’s not chalky at all and blends like a dream!

The catch? These sparkle eyeshadows need to be used on top of a primer to last all day. Without, they start fading and creasing after a few hours on me. Of course, keep in mind that my lids are somewhat oily and I have this problem with most eyeshadows. But considering how pigmented and sparkling they are and the wonderful texture they have, I don’t really mind having to use a primer to improve their staying power.

Available at: Laylacosmetics.it and soloestetica.it

Summary
I’m in love with Layla Sparkle Eyeshadows. They are hella pigmented, very shimmery (too much for some people) and have a smooth and silky texture that blends easily. However, if you have oily lids you need a primer to make them last all day. But if you love shimmery shadows, you definitely need to try them!

Rating: 4/5