REVIEW: Make Up For Ever Holodiam Powder in "Plum with Pink, Purple and Turquoise Highlights"

well, hello there!
today, i have something super sparkly to share with you - it is Make Up For Ever's Holodiam Powder. this powder is part of the limited edition Holodiam Holiday Collection 2012. the collection consists of the Holodiam Powders and the Holodiam Collection Eyelashes. i am excited to get to try a holo powder that i can use on my eyes and cheeks especially since i've been having a thing for holo polishes!

Holodiam Powder is a loose fine powder that creates a "hologram effect" when the light catches on the glitters and you can see multiple colors. there are four base colors available (copper, plum, white and brown gold) with different highlighting colors.
i have "#302 - Plum with Pink, Purple and Turquoise Highlights". it is a festive berry shade and downright gorgeous.

i find that the Turquoise color is the most reflective out of the three. the plum shade leans toward both purple and red, depending on the lighting.

bottom right is a bit blurry but you can see the turquoise glitter much better!

i should have known that there would be a seal over the sifter but i could not see it at all! so yes, to make life easier - take that seal off! it got a little messy when i took off the sifter lid so be really careful...

there are plenty of ways to use this powder - you can use a brush, a sponge applicator or your fingers and you can apply it dry or wet. it is suggested that you use a brush for a lighter application. i was surprised that when i did use a brush, that the powder did not fly all over my face. it actually stayed on my eyelid where i applied it to.

left to right: applied using a brush, a sponge applicator, a finger; applied with a brush over primer (Stila Prime Pot), over black eye crayon (Revlon Smoky Crayon); applied using a wet brush

personally, i didn't notice a difference between using a brush, a sponge applicator or my fingers to apply the product - all i can really see from this picture are some glitter particles here and there. this is because i am not under direct light so you can't see all of them. it could also be that i don't really have a "professional" sponge applicator... only the ones that come with eyeshadow quads and palettes. also you can tell that since i swatch from top to bottom, most of the glitter is concentrated at the top. i'd suggest you re-dip a few times into the jar if you want to spread the Holodiam Powder on evenly.

i definitely would recommend a primer since the glitter seems to stay on better when it has something to stick to. using a dark eyeshadow underneath also helps the pretty glitters pop! a wet brush picks up more of the base color than applying it dry.

a strange difference that i noticed with the brush and a sponge is that the two seemed to transfer different colors better. with the brush, i got the berry purple hue whilst the sponge applicator gave me more of a red-orange color. lemme see if i can show you this through pictures (worn over Stila Prime Pot in Taffy)...

warning! many eye looks i attempted up ahead! please excuse the eyebrows and other imperfections :)

on the left: applied with a sponge applicator (slightly more red-orange)

right: applied with a makeup brush (slight more purple)

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i found it slightly messier to apply the powder with my fingers. a tiny amount of glitter got underneath my eye and 8 hours later, it traveled further to my cheeks and nose. still, my eyes were as sparkly as ever.
here i am wearing the Holodiam Powder in "302" over theBalm's Matt Batali eyeshadow (it's matte and dark so i figured it'd be perfect underneath a sparkly powder) and a primer.

hello, awkward angle! it was the best way to show you the multi-reflection effect.

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one more eyeshot! just one, so bear with me. i sort of tried to recreate the look following the guidelines set out on the MUFE website (but a much tamer version since i was just heading over to my boyfriend's place anyway). anyway, here i used the Stila primer, Revlon Smoky Crayon in "Black Smoke", Rimmel Trio Eyeshadow in "Lynx" and Physicians Formula Gel CreamLiner in "Brown Eyes".
all i'm missing are those Holodiam False Eyelashes!

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all in all, it's a serious glitter party that is perfect for the holidays. i have seriously taken an interest into loose eye powders now that i got this one. it is just so much fun! i am sure sparkles and holidays go hand-in-hand. the Holodiam Powder retails for $28 (1 g) and are available now at Sephora or through Make Up For Ever Pro-Loft (remember they are limited edition!). 1 g doesn't sound like a lot but it is plenty for a loose powder! i'd recommend using a primer and a dark base underneath to really bring out the color-changing sparkles.

and what a coincidence that Topbox is giving away a Make Up For Ever gift set right now - the limited edition "All Eyes on You". enter here! the set includes full-sized items of a few of MUFE's best-selling products.

disclaimer: i received this product from Make Up For Ever Canada for review. the opinions above are a reflection of my honest feelings.