The Eyeshadow Tag

Thank you for nominating me to do this tag Alyssa!

Rules:

1. Tag 3 bloggers to answer these same questions
2. Those bloggers will TAG 3 more bloggers of their choice with the same questions & rules
3. No tag backs

Questions:

1. How many eyeshadows do you own?
I own quite a lot of eyeshadows! I would say roughly 30 to 40 but I’ve never counted them one by one.

2. What was your first ever eye shadow?
I honestly don’t know if this is for sure my first ever eyeshadow but I believe it was a quad by Estee Lauder! My mum doesn’t use eye makeup so she always gave me all the free gift with purchases.

3. What is your most worn eye shadow?
Right now, probably my Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette! =) I’ve been using the shades Marzipan and Salted Caramel a lot.

4. What is your favourite brand for eye shadows?
This is tough! I don’t have a lot of eyeshadows by one single brand so it’s difficult to say. However, I do love my Naked 3 palette so I would have to go with Urban Decay.

5. What is your favourite finish?
My favourite finish would probably be shimmery! I love my matte shadows but I often gravitate towards one shadow looks on an everyday basis particularly for uni so if I could only use one eyeshadow, I always want something that has a touch of glam to it!

6. What is the last eye shadow you bought?
It was an eyeshadow stick by Missha that I ordered off eBay.

7. How many eye products do you currently have in your bag?
None! I very rarely carry makeup around with me except for a tinted lip gloss balm.

8. What eye shadows do you use to rock a smoky eye?
I’m a huge fan of brown smoky eyes! I like to use warm brown toned shades but I always switch them around and play with different palettes when I do a smoky eye.

9. How do you store your eye shadows?
I have them all stored in a drawer in my drawer unit and they’re kind of a huge mess right now. =P I know where everything is though so if I’m looking for something in particular, I know exactly where I’ll find it.

10. What eye products are you currently lusting over?
I want an eyeshadow quad from Charlotte Tilbury!

I tag Amelia, Chanteru and Tezzy!

Review: Missha Jewel Star Eyes in 05 Pecan Pie & 06 Lovely Chocolate

I have been absolutely loving cream eyeshadows lately and I thought I would do a review on these ones by Missha! =) The packaging is quite standard. They come in a glass container with a black screw top lip. Each come with 25 grams of product, which is a large amount considering how little is needed to achieve great pigmentation. The texture is quite interesting, they’re quite hard but are soft to the touch at the same time. They do not feel creamy at all though!

Left: 05 Pecan Pie; Right: 06 Lovely Chocolate

Both of the shades swatch beautifully and are highly pigmented. They also both have a significant amount of glitter in them so if you don’t enjoy glittery eyeshadows then these would not be for you! Pecan Pie is a medium golden brown with gold glitter and Lovely Chocolate is a deep chocolate with silver glitter.

Applied 06 Lovely Chocolate all over the lids as a simple one eyeshadow look

Lovely Chocolate applies really evenly and easily. I just use my fingers to apply these! The colour is buildable and layers really well. However, I find that Pecan Pie just leaves glitter on the eyelids. It doesn’t appear on your eyes as it does in the hand swatch. It is still pretty (considering I do like glitter) but I know that it is a shade a lot of people would be disappointed with. They also do not last the entire day but this might be because I have oily lids so it’s difficult to come across products that don’t crease on me without a primer!

Overall, these can be a hit or miss in terms of performance. I haven’t tried the other shades but considering that the two I have perform quite differently, I can only assume that the other shades would be inconsistent as well. I will continue to use these as a base because they do work well for that purpose! However, they do not last all day by themselves. If you do have drier eyelids then I do not think you will have an issue with these. =)

♡ Great colour payoff

♡ Large amount of product

♡ Works great as an eyeshadow base

♡ Does not last all day

♡ Application of colours inconsistent

Review: Etude House Look At My Eyes Cafe in Cafe Latte & Caramel Latte

Etude House has a huge range of colours in their single eyeshadow collection so I had the toughest time picking out colours that I wanted to try. At the time, I was in need of some matte transition shades for crease work so I picked up two different browns and restricted myself from buying too many! But there are many other colours and finishes to choose from, plus they are so affordable so you definitely won’t feel guilty about picking up a few more than usual!

I think the packaging of these eyeshadows is super adorable! The eyeshadows themselves have a tiled heart pattern imprinted into them and they are in basic plastic containers so they are easy to store and you can see exactly what the colour is. I’m not entirely sure if they can be de-potted because I haven’t tried to before but I assume they can be! Cafe Latte is a more cooler toned brown whereas Caramel Latte is warmer. I feel either of them work perfect for subtle definition in the crease or as a transition shade.

Left: Light swatch; Middle: Three layers; Right: Smudge test

The eyeshadows feel very buttery and soft but are not overly powdery. I have no issues with fallout when I apply them and they last all day on me with no creasing. As you can see with the smudge test, the eyeshadows just sheer out a little but they do not smudge or merge together in the slightest.

Wearing Caramel Latte as a single eyeshadow look

The pigmentation of these eyeshadows are not too bad. If you want them to show up more bold then multiple layers are required! For days when I’m wearing simple eyeliner and I need a little something in the crease then a light application will suffice. Otherwise, I enjoy using this as a one eyeshadow look for natural school makeup days. It makes getting ready a lot quicker!

I think that these eyeshadows make great additions to a beginner’s makeup kit because they are so affordable and there are so many shades to choose from! If you’re on a budget then these will be great for you! If you already have an extensive range of eyeshadows then these aren’t a must-have.

♡ Extremely affordable

♡ Amazing colour range

♡ Decent but buildable pigmentation

♡ Can be a little on the sheer side

Review: Etude House Dear My Blooming Eyes in PP501 Swaying Heart Purple

We all know that Etude House has one of the prettiest and cutest packaging in the Korean cosmetics market and this eyeshadow palette is no exception! Etude House never fails with its pink, princess-like packaging!

In this collection of eyeshadow quads, there is a decent sized mirror (so handy!) and two applicator wands. Surprisingly, I actually don’t mind the applicators since one of them has a pointier foam head so it makes it easy to be precise on the lower lashline! =) Sometimes when I’m in a rush and I don’t want to take out and use separate brushes, I am more than happy to just use the given applicators because they do a fine job!

The pigmentation of these eyeshadows are fantastic! They give great colour payoff and it shows up just as great on the eyes. I absolutely love every colour in this quad. It comes with a light muted purple, a deep brown, a dark purple and a more medium brown shade. In this specific palette, all of the shades are quite shimmery but I know that there are others that have some matte shades inside. I personally do not mind using all shimmers on my eyes as long as I skip out on a brow highlight and the rest of my face is kept fairly neutral! =) I love the mix of lighter and darker shades, meaning that it can easily transition from daytime to nighttime.

If I had to be very specific and pinpoint a minor flaw, it would be that the shadows can be a bit powdery. They feel very creamy and soft so naturally they will powder up a little when you dip your brush into them. So if you’re not careful then there can be some fall out but I don’t have any major issues with this at all.

Applied the light purple all over the lids, then the lighter brown in the crease as a transition shade and lightly deepened up the outer corners and the crease with the darker brown. Used the dark purple on the lower lash line! =) Skipped mascara and eyeliner for the pictures so you can see the colours more clearly!

Overall, I would recommend this palette if you enjoy shimmery eyeshadows because there are no matte shades in this specific one! =) I think every colour is really stunning on the eyes!

♡ Great pigmentation

♡ Adorable packaging

♡ All shimmery shades (a disadvantage for some people)

♡ A little powdery

Review: Missha The Style Silky Shadow Duo in 08 Rose Tree and 13 Natural Heaven

Today’s review is on Missha’s The Style Silky Shadow Duos. They come in a small black pan inside a plastic container. This is probably one of the biggest drawbacks of these eyeshadows. The packaging just seems a bit tacky to me! =( I think the purpose is so you can depot them and put them in a separate palette but for someone like me, I am too lazy to go through that struggle. I was also expecting that they could at least stack up together somehow but they don’t so it’s hard for me to store them neatly. The packaging is also all in Korean so I had to use Google to translate the shade names! =P

The eyeshadow range is really limited, with a strong focus on neutrals and basics. In fact, a lot of the colours look the same. Even in my pictures, you can barely see a difference. 08 Rose Tree has a pale pink and a medium golden-brown shade, and 13 Natural Heaven has a pale yellow toned brown and a medium purple taupe shade. When swatched on the hands, 08 seems to have greater pigmentation but it is actually in fact harder to blend and apply on the eyes in comparison to 13. Surprisingly, the eyeshadows are soft to the touch and swatch sheer but are both very buildable. I don’t think they are anything spectacular because you need to apply multiple layers for it to show up and it is very powdery, especially when you use softer fluffy brushes.

Applied 13 Natural Heaven for a very basic and natural eye look

I don’t absolutely dislike these eyeshadow duos, they are quite decent for the price and I have no major issues with creasing but they are just so small and in dull packaging that I forget I have them! I feel that they are definitely not a must-have and you can skip out on them. There are a lot of better quality eyeshadows with better pigmentation out there in the Korean beauty market!

♡ Very compact so it is easily portable

♡ Sheer but buildable pigmentation

♡ Affordable

♡ Powdery

♡ Need multiple layers to get decent colour pay off

♡ Packaging is quite boring and cheap looking =(

Review: 3 Concept Eyes (3CE) One Color Shadow in Gold Luster

3CE is the makeup brand under Stylenanda, one of the leading fashion retailers in Korea. They have such a huge selection of makeup products in every area. In particular, the single eyeshadows have a variety of finishes/collections including pink, matte, luster, shimmer and sparkling. The shade I will be reviewing today is Gold Luster, which is a part of the sparkling collection (which is quite confusing o_o). They really do have something for everyone.

3CE describes it as a “dewy pearl cocoa colour” but I would say it is a sparkly cool toned taupe-brown colour in true lighting (it’s looking more warm in the pictures because I took them under sunlight)! I feel as though it’s not golden at all even though its called Gold Luster.

The eyeshadow swatches really nicely but once it is blended out, the colour becomes really sheer and brushes off, leaving behind only the glitter. However, if you pack on the eyeshadow, its intensity can be built up. It can be even more intense if you wet it. I feel that some people always want pigmented eyeshadows but for the no-makeup-makeup look days, sometimes it’s just nice to quickly brush a light layer of eyeshadow for a natural look. Under the light though wow, it is absolutely stunning. I also like to layer this eyeshadow over the top of other eyeshadows to add lovely sparkle to the look.

♡ Wide range of colours and finishes to choose from

♡ Smooth texture

♡ Really sparkly (perfect for parties!)

♡ Buildable colour

♡ Not for people that want very high pigmentation

♡ Quite expensive for just a single eyeshadow ($13USD each)

Review: Skinfood Choco Smoky Eye Palette #2 Warm Brown Chocolate

I LOVE Skinfood! They make really awesome skincare products but I’m also curious about the makeup they produce also. Today I’m going to review the Choco Smoky Eye Palette in #2 Warm Brown Chocolate! It contains 3 eyeshadows and 1 gel eyeliner. This is a palette I got in my 2012 Korea trip and it is one that I enjoy the look of on my eyes but I don’t reach for it that often because I try other things and I forget that I have it haha.

The palette really does have a slight chocolate scent but it is not like the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette. It is not as strong but it still does smell quite nice. It’s not something you will smell throughout the day though so it is kind of a gimmicky product where people will want to try it just because it is unique and different.

The palette comes in a compact, dark brown case with a mirror inside. At the back, there is a diagram showing how beginners can use the different colours if needed. It also comes with a small double-ended brush and it is useable but I definitely prefer to use my own brushes. It may not be extremely clear but the eyeshadows seem quite fragile and in my personal palette, the first two shades appear to have formed little clumps and this is something that has only happened to my cheaper palettes.

Left to right: as follows in the palette

The pigmentation of these eyeshadows are not poor. They apply nicely on the eyes as they do swatched but it is nothing spectacular. The eyeliner is not bad either – I have had this palette for around 2 years now and it has not dried out. I feel that this is not a must-have palette but it is convenient for travelling because it has a gel eyeliner inside so you wouldn’t have to pack a lot of different products when this already has basic eyeshadow colours and a decent performing eyeliner all in one.

#1 is a shimmery champagne-beige colour

#2 is a medium taupe colour

#3 is a deeper golden brown colour

#4 is a deep dark brown gel eyeliner

Shade #1 applied all over the lids towards the brow bone; shade #2 all over the lids; shade #3 in the outer corners; slightly winged out liner 

The colours in this palette are quite basic. They are easily dupable and I feel that a lot of people already have similar colours in their makeup collection. However for beginners and just people who enjoy collecting makeup, I feel that this is still a nice palette to have. If you do not like full-on shimmery eye makeup looks then you will have to incorporate other eyeshadows into your makeup look so this may be inconvenient for some.

♡ Convenient

♡ Slight chocolate scent (yum!)

♡ Decently pigmented eyeshadows

♡ Versatile, basic colours

♡ Fragile

♡ Eyeshadows have small clumps inside the palette

♡ Not mind-blowing

♡ Expensive

♡ No matte shades

Review: VDL Festival Eye Shadows in 903 Sparkle Bronze & 107 Sun Shine

VDL really reminds me of a Korean version of MAC. The similar packaging and wide range of products resemble MAC a lot and so I had really high expectations for their products.

These range of eyeshadows come in a very standard eyeshadow pot. The cap is see through so it is easy to see exactly which eyeshadow it is. It is quite sturdy, I feel that if I drop them (*touch wood*) they will not break easily. 903 Sparkle Bronze is exactly as the name suggests, it is a glittery bronze copper colour. 107 Sun Shine is really unique, it is a pinky-gold colour that leans more pink on the eyelids. It is more of a satin eyeshadow in comparison to the Sparkle range.

These eyeshadows are absolutely amazing. They are highly pigmented and creamy to the touch. They apply so nicely on the eyes and blend out really easily. The colours are gorgeous and look just as amazing on the eyes as they do when swatched on the hand. Even when I build the colour up, the pigmentation is still similar to what it looks like when I swatch really lightly once. It is amazing!

Left: swatched once and swatched heavily; Right: smudge test

These eyeshadows last all day on me with very minimal transfer without primer (I have really oily eyelids). I really do recommend these eyeshadows if you can get your hands on them. I do not have anything negative to say.

♡ Super creamy

♡ Highly pigmented

♡ Blend easily

♡ Lovely colours

♡ Long-lasting

♡ Sturdy packaging

♡ Not readily available

♡ Quite expensive