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Cream Eyeshadow

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Laura Mercier Mini Caviar Stick Eye Color Set | Holiday 2014

October 28, 2014

This holiday Laura Mercier has released a limited-edition six piece Mini Caviar Stick Eye Color Set ($55, each mini stick 1.0g/0.03 oz). Over the past few years, I’ve eyed the holiday Caviar Stick mini sets but only liked 1/2 of the shades so never purchased it. This year’s set has beautiful neutrals including Rosegold, Copper, Moonlight, Khaki, Amethyst and Cocoa. All the shades are colors I know I will use, I’ve had this set for a few weeks now and love the versatility of the colors. These are perfect no-fuss cream shadow sticks that you can swipe and blend with a finger, although brushes work too for the darker shades if you want to get detail application.
  • Rosegold is a lovely soft warm champagne with a hint of rose
  • Copper is a warm but wearable soft copper shimmer
  • Moonlight is the perfect platinum-taupe shimmer with a bit of warmth
  • Khaki is a neutral khaki metallic
  • Amethyst is a soft mauve purple with silvery pearl
  • Cocoa is a basic chocolate brown with a hint of shimmer

Each shade is nicely pigmented but easy to blend and smooth on the lids. The sticks are buildable so you can control the level of color you want. My lids are on the normal-dry side, but I can apply these straight to the lid without any base or eye cream needed. If you have oily lids you will really like how these stay put. The dry time is just perfect for me. Some cream shadow sticks dry almost instantly requiring super quick blending before they set. The Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks have a slightly dewy texture which gives you more time to blend and apply slowly – but once they set, they don’t budge.

You can use these a number of different ways: a single shade alone, multiple colors layered together, or combined with powder shadow. Close ups and swatches:

Eye swatches below: top picture is just with Moonlight applied and blended on the lids, the bottom two photos are with Rosegold and Khaki layered in addition to Moonlight:

I’m smitten with this set. If you’re one who rarely gets to finish a cream shadow stick because they end up drying out before you can use it up, these minis are a good way to try multiple shades in smaller doses. I’ve had a couple of the full sizes that have lasted over a year and haven’t dried out but I’m always worried about it (many other brands have). Or if you want to try multiple shades out in a smaller travel friendly format, these are great. You can bring all six shades with you in your makeup bag or travels without worrying that they will take up a lot of space.

I highly recommend it. The Laura Mercier Mini Caviar Stick Eye Color Set retails for $55. I bought mine at Nordstrom (currently sold out). It’s also available at Space NK, Bloomingdales, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s and Laura Mercier.
Have you tried Laura Mercier Caviar sticks? What’s your favorite color? The holiday sets this year look amazing. I’ve started to make a wish list.

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Eye Makeup Roundup

Neutral Creamy Shimmer Wash Eye Shadows | NARS, By Terry, Laura Mercier, RMS and Chanel

June 25, 2014
Lately I’ve been a fan of these swipe and go shimmery wash eyeshadows. I like a creamy texture so there’s no extra base needed for good pigment and blending. I like neutrals but have discovered a few non-nude shadows I find good for color, dimension and glow. Just add a simple black or bronze liner and mascara and you’re good to go (for lazy makeup days). I also find them good for touch ups if you’re transitioning from day to night to add a bit of depth to the eyes. The creamy textures mean you apply straight from the tube if it’s a twist up stick or right from the compact with your fingers and smudge/blend easily. My current favorite neutrals:
  • NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Iraklion ($25) is a mauve rose quartz taupe fawn shimmer. It blends out to a sheer finish but nicely contours the lids. You can layer for more color and it also works well as a base for powder shadows but won’t change the color.
  • Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rose Gold ($26) is a shimmery gold with a slight hint of pink tones, on me it pulls more champagne gold but the pink prevents it from being a pure yellow gold. It’s on the creamy side so if you have oily lids you may need a matte base underneath.
  • By Terry Ombre Blackstar ($43 each) in Ombre Mercure (interesting oyster that flashes gold and a bit of green sparkle), Frozen Quartz (cool medium pink sparkle) and Misty Rock (plum pink) are all intense creamy shadows, I adore each of them alone on the lid with a simple liner. They are on the pricey side but the quality, texture and lasting power make these worth every penny.
  • RMS Cream Eyeshadow in Solar ($28) is something I use on a weekly basis, alone or as a base, there’s something so pretty about a rich gold shimmer for the eyes that warms up the complexion (review here)
  • Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Emerville ($36) is a classic champagne peach shimmer. I think it’s one neutral shimmer everyone should have in their beauty collection. It makes a lovely wash all over the lids.
  • NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows ($29 each) in Europa and Andromeda (reviews here) are nice when layered together for that simple polished glow look for the eyes. 

Swatched side by side you can see they look intense when swatched straight from the tube, the pigment is good and textures are super easy to blend and layer. They aren’t quite as frosty when you blend them out. My assessment for shimmer levels:
  • Most shimmery are the By Terry Ombre Blackstar sticks but if you’ve tried these you know they blend out really nicely but maintain the color. RMS Solar is on the shimmery side as well but the gold base blends well with my natural skintone almost like a contour.
  • Medium shimmers are Laura Mercier Rose Gold and Chanel Emerville.
  • Sheer shimmers are NARS Iraklion and Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows in Europa and Andromeda (most in this formula are intense, but I have the softest ones).

What are your favorite creamy shimmer shadows for an all over wash? Do you have any swipe and go kind of shadows you love? Or are you one who usually prefers to layer more color on the eyes?

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By Terry Eye Makeup

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon

January 18, 2014

I’ve always been fascinated by the By Terry line but it’s one of those brands I had never ventured into. I took my first baby step into the brand with the Baume de Rose which lives up to all the hype. During my last trip to Barneys New York in Beverly Hills last month, the product specialists showed me the Ombre Blackstar Color Fix Cream Shadows and the Brow Mascara (thoughts on this soon). I had about six different cream shadows swatched on my hand. I let the cream shadows sit on the back of my hands for about a minute. When I tried to remove, I found that none of them budged when I tried to wipe them off. The colors all applied very smoothly and blended easily upon first swipe before drying down to a budge-proof finish. I literally wanted to purchase one of each color limited myself to test one first. I picked a classic shimmering bronze: the Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon ($43 for 1.64 g/0.58 oz).

The Ombre Blackstar shadows contain an ultra-smoothing Tahitian black pearl extract which makes most of them brighten the lids with reflective shimmer particles. Bronze Moon is a neutral shimmery bronze. The texture is creamy and pigment is easy to control but you need to blend quickly after application. Once it sets and dries, it really does have a “tattoo-hold.” It feels natural on the lids after it dries, you can’t feel any pull or layers of product like with some cream shadows. On me it lasted from 5 am past 8 pm without budging, fading or smudging. Do note that I have normal to slightly dry lids. I rarely have issues with cream shadows being too moist. Most primers I try tend to be a bit too dry in texture when they dry down causing the skin to almost shrink and stretch. By Terry Bronze Moon is a really nice color on the lids. It’s one of those colors that works perfectly all by itself. No other highlighter, base, crease or liner needed for me. Just the shadow and one coat of mascara.

Swatched heavily and then blended out:

Comparisons to Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in Initiation (review here), Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Cocoa, Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Stick in Rehab, MUFE Aqua Shadow Stick 20E, Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow in Moon River and Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow in Bronze Sugar (swatched here).
Out of all of these, the By Terry Bronze Moon has the best staying power. On the lids its the most neutral in color, not quite as bronzey or silvery.

I’m really impressed with the staying powder, pigment and blendability of Bronze Moon. The lasting power is far better than most cream shadows I have tried before. The price is high though which has prevented me from wanting to look at them in the past. I will definitely be checking out the other colors my next trip to Barneys or SpaceNK, however it will be a while before I can bring myself to buy another one due to the high price tag. If you have any favorites from the By Terry line I’d love to hear about them!
By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon ($43) is permanent and is available at Barneys, SpaceNK, Beauty.com and Bloomingdales.
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Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Fatal and Initiation | Holiday 2013

October 13, 2013


Chanel has released two new shades of their Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow ($36 each) in Initiation and Fatal. Each color is beautiful alone with a simple coat of mascara but also look lovely when layered together. Lasting power is quite good for these – they did not budge from my eyes from morning to early evening when I tested these.

Below: Left – Fatal, Right – Initiation

Fatal is a stunning purple-red with silver sparkles. It’s like a mix between Chanel Illusoire and Ebloui but with an added kick of visible silver shimmer to make it unique. Purples can be hard for me to pull off if they have too much blue or too much red. Fatal is the perfect in between. It does look warmer in the pot than it applies on the skin but it’s a chameleon-like color. The shimmers are both red and purple so it may look different depending on what angle you hold the pot at.

Initiation is a stunning warm bronze with silver and gold flecks. I find this one to be extra sparkly but in a good way. There was no fall out with the sparkles. I like to use the little applicator brush to apply but fingers or a basic cream shadow brush works well too. (One of my favorites is MAC #242 for creams or Chanel Concealer #10.) I’m glad Chanel released a bronze shadow – it was a much-needed color in the Illusion D’Ombre lineup.

Swatches, two views. The colors are easy to control for pigment. I swatched with a heavy hand but they are easy to blend out and layer.

Comparisons show that Chanel Initiation is quite different from most bronze colors I own. Armani Eyes to Kill #15 is warmer and #26 is more brassy. For Chanel Fatal I found Armani Eyes to Kill #27 almost identical in finish. The Armani is just slightly lighter with a bit more silver frost.

Comparisons below: MAC Buried Treasure Paint Pot, Armani Eyes to Kill #15, Armani Eyes to Kill #26, Chanel Ebloui, Chanel Illusoire and Armani Eyes to Kill #27.

With flash:

Without flash:

Overall beautiful colors perfect for fall to holiday. Versatile enough to incorporate into many different looks for both day and night. Also wearable alone, mixed, or layered over other powder shadows for added depth and sparkle. Definitely must-haves in my book.
Both Chanel Fatal and Initiation Illusion D’Ombres are limited-edition colors. Available now at Neiman Marcus.
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Pinks: Diorshow Fusion Mono Chimère #821 and Armani Eyes to Kill Rose Popillia #30

October 2, 2013

I’m loving shimmery pinks for eyes right now. Two new discoveries include these interesting hybrid gel-creams, in particular Diorshow Fusion Mono in Chimère #821 ($30 for 6.5g) and Armani Eyes to Kill in Rose Popillia #30 ($33 for 4g). There are pinks that can be impossible for me to pull off on my olive skintone, but these two have an interesting mix of sparkle and shimmer that they don’t look like traditional pinks on the eyes.

Diorshow Fusion Mono Chimère #821 is an iridescent multidimensional mousse-gel type of shadow. It mimics a similar feel to Chanel Illusion d’Ombres with the slight bounce it has when you press the product with your fingers. In general I found the Diorshow Fusion Mono shadows extremely shimmery (almost glittery) with a sheer finish. Chimère #821 was one of the few shades I felt was the least metallic making it the easiest to wear for someone conservative like myself. The texture blends easily on the lids without a base. It’s a lovely swipe-and-go kind of no-fuss shade. Lasting power was excellent on me.

Armani Eyes to Kill Rose Popillia #30 was released with the Fall 2013 Collection. I blinked and it sold out. It has sold out online multiple times and been on backorder. Luckily I was able to test it instore to know it was a must-have (and I immediately ordered it online). Rose Popillia #30 is a complex mauve-pink-taupe-lavender kind of shade. It has a similar complexity and multi-chrome finish to MAC Vex (but easier to wear). I’ve been a longtime Eyes to Kill fan and this one is no exception. Lasting power is amazing on me. It’s one that is impossible to describe properly. The mix of colors makes this one truly unique.

More photos and swatches, you can see the pigment is easy to control by layering. The shimmers are visible but not over the top:

Swatched in sunlight with flash:

Without flash in sunlight, you can see how the color flashes different due to the complexity:

Comparisons to other pinks including Armani Eyes to Kill #29 (swatched here), Chanel Abstraction, Tom Ford Pink Haze (reviewed here), MAC Vintage Selection Paint Pot.

Both = love. Dior Chimère is definitely easier to find right now (not sure if it’s limited). I ordered mine online at Nordstrom.com. Armani Rose Popillia on the other hand sold out near me at mutiple counters. I waited for a week while it was on backorder but it shipped quickly. You may have better luck than I did tracking it down at your local counters.
Have you checked out the new Diorshow Fusion Mono cream shadows or the Armani fall collection?
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RMS Solar Cream Eye Shadow

May 25, 2013

I had my first experience with RMS beauty at Woodley and Bunny Apothecary (now in Los Angeles on West 3rd Street). I’ve been intrigued by this brand for quite some time but it’s been near impossible for me to find and try in person. I picked one cream shadow to buy, Solar Cream Eye Shadow a stunning warm gold shimmer ($28 for 0.15 oz, 4.25g, made in USA) and worth every penny. Solar has a complex mixture of shimmers making it metallic-looking on the lids but not over-the-top. There is no detectable scent. The cream shadow has a dewy finish but stays put for a surprisingly long time on the lids. The pigment is extremely rich but blendable. Although there is a dewy sheen and rich pigment, the colors are surprisingly lightweight in texture. I found Solar very easy to apply. The golden color is neutral enough to go with virtually any look.

Close at an angle shows the rich warm gold base, so many different colored sparkles gives Solar that gorgeous golden sheen:

Here it is swatched, due to the complex shimmers make it look different depending on the light, here it is with and without flash. I love how it’s easy to layer for a rich metallic look. It’s also easy to blend out for a more subtle glow.
Swatched with a heavy hand in sunlight, the more you apply, the more metallic the color:

Some gold comparisons show that RMS Solar is quite unique and different from other golds. It has enough warmth to make the brighten the eyes but it’s not too warm. Armani Eyes to Kill Shadows in 28, 26, and 15, MAC Paint Pots in Cash Flow (discontinued) and Rubenesque, Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in Apparance.

Swatched:

Overall very impressed. I can’t wait for my next trip to test out other RMS colors. If you’re new to the brand like myself check out the detailed RMS reviews on Café Makeup and London Makeup Girl.

You can find RMS Solar Cream Eye Shadow for $28 online at Woodley & Bunny and in store at both their NY and LA boutiques. Have you tried RMS Beauty? What are your favorites?
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Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes: Escapade and Pink Haze

May 9, 2013

Tom Ford’s new Cream Color for Eyes in Escapade and Pink Haze are the stars of his summer beauty collection ($40 each for .21 oz/6g, both limited-edition). These are a cream shadow with a unique formula that’s a cross between a traditional cream eyeshadow and whipped mousse cream. These new colors are the same formula as his original release from last year (see formula review and swatches on Platinum and Spice here) but with new and improved richer pigment. Both are pigmented enough to wear alone on  the lids with mascara for a simple look. The new cream shadows from Tom Ford are extremely versatile in what you can pair with each shade. I have used both layering a bit of a bronzey copper (like NARS Fez, Urban Decay Lost and NARS Cordura) for a bit of depth. Lasting power was excellent for me – they stayed put all day long well into the late afternoon.

Escapade is a stunning peachy gold that has a pink/opal iridescent sheen. It has a beautiful mixture of colors that makes it a stunning neutral with kick that is absolute perfection when applied. I love how it applies smoothly with the fingers. Pigment can be easily controlled by layering.

Pink Haze is a lovely warm rose pink shimmer. I normally avoid warm rosey shades on the eyes because they tend to pull too warm often clashing with my olive skin. Pink Haze has a bit of a silvery sheen to it making it perfect. It’s not too warm and not too pink. I do prefer this one with a lighter hand blended out on the lids though.

Some more photos below:

Swatches on me:

Also check out these beauties to see how the shades look on different skintones: Makeup Magpie, Makeup and Beauty Blog, The RAEViewer, Best Things in Beauty.

Although the two shades Escapade and Pink Haze are neutrals which might seem like repeats of other releases, I found the two to be fairly unique with the depth of shimmers. Some comparisons and notes below:
  • Chanel Emerville Illusion d’Ombre is more transparent, sparkly and pinker than Tom Ford Escapade, both are lovely neutrals, the Tom Ford has a lot more coverage/pigment and is more peachy (both are different enough to justify owning)
  • Laura Mercier Gold Metallic Creme is a warm gold shimmer compared to Tom Ford Escapade which is more peachy/creamier
  • Chanel Abstraction is close to Tom Ford Pink Haze, Abstraction is warmer/more pink and has a lot more complexity in the sparkle with gold flecks
  • Laura Mercier Pink Gold is more silvery and cooler-toned than Tom Ford Pink Haze
  • MAC Vintage Selection and Armani Eyes to Kill #29 are shown for additional comparison purposes but aren’t similar

Because the shimmers made photographing swatches difficult, I’ve included several shots, hope this doesn’t confuse you, but each of these shades change depending on how the light hits the sparkles:

Bottom line gorgeous. Given the pigment, ease of blending, lasting power and size of product, I think these are worth every penny for the splurge. Both shades have sold out online so I recommend checking your nearest Tom Ford counters to see if they can help locate one for you.
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