REVIEW: Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows

i've been eyeing the Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows (5.5 g) for a while now and finally took the plunge. mind you, it was more like a little hop since Essence products are so reasonably priced and i even got these two on sale (75% off!).

i picked up the Stay All Day Eyeshadows (which are cream eyeshadows) in "02 Glammy Goes To..." and "09 For Fairies". these eyeshadows come in a tiny clear pot with a dome lid.

"Glammy Goes To..." is a shimmery champagne gold. when you layer it, it becomes darker and more brown.

"For Fairies" was released after "Glammy Goes To..." and has slightly different labeling. the color is a shimmery pink with a golden sheen.

i love both of these colors!!! they are both very pretty and wearable. keep in mind that they are really shimmery so i love to use them on the inner half of my eyelid and then a dark matte powder eyeshadow around the crease. i am surprised that even though the formula feels rather thick, it actually lasts 8+ hours on my oily eyelids if i am wearing good primer (for the "Glammy Goes To..." anyway - haven't used For Fairies on my eyes yet!). i only noticed the slightest trace of creasing after i've been wearing it for 11 hours - there was also some fading of the color but otherwise, it was still very impressive.

the eyeshadows are very pigmented - the top picture shows a swatch of when i just lightly rub my fingers in the eyeshadow. i also decided to use this close-up to try to show you how the eyeshadow may feel patchy and uneven. note that "Glammy Goes To..." looks more gold here than in the bottom swatch, which is where it is layered. when i wear it on my eyes, i only need to use a tiny bit since a little goes a long way.

like i said, the texture is slightly thick and patchy but as long as you put in a little effort to blend it out, you shouldn't have any problems. the eyeshadow dries nicely afterwards and does not budge. when you first touch it, it does feel a little hard but it's only because the top has dried a bit. 

warning: it looks like these eyeshadows are in the process of being cleared out for the new Essence releases so if you want to get your hands on these before they are gone (possibly forever), head to your Shoppers Drug Mart right now where you will find them for $3.99 or probably cheaper in the Clearout section! hurry hurry!

REVIEW: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in "Silver Spoon"

one of the reasons i made my recent online Sephora order (which you can read about here) is because they have some fantastic promotions.

with a purchase over $25, i was able to get Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner (4.5 g) for free.
the color is "Silver Spoon" which is a Sephora Exclusive (it doesn't seem to be sold at Sephora anymore either). other Creaseless Cream Shadows/Liners are regularly $24 at Sephora.

it comes in a cute little box with a pamphlet describing the product and how you can use it for shadowing and lining. for shadowing, you can build up the coverage by adding another layer after letting the shadow dry for 30 seconds.

"Silver Spoon" is described as a true silver and that's what it looks like in the jar. in the swatches however, i see a tinge of blue.  the color is not something i'd wear on its own - i like my grays darker so i am glad that i can build it up. i think it will work well for creating a smoky eye!

in terms of its claims of being creaseless, i`d have to disagree. without primer, creases crept up near the inner corner of my eye. i do have a monolid which makes creasing more likely so i was not surprised (especially since i was using a cream eyeshadow).
-- update Sept 16/12 -- using a primer worked wonders for me. there was no smudging and the color remained very pigmented and shimmery all through the day. it comes off easily with makeup remover. --

to compare with the MUFE Aqua Cream i reviewed recently, the MUFE one held up a bit better on my eyes. both are very smooth to the touch and well pigmented; though the Aqua Cream color payoff was more intense. and the scent? both smell like bananas and milk to me - is it a cream eyeshadow thing? the Aqua Cream has a stronger scent though.
i really like the packaging of the Benefit one. the lid is very cute! as for a price comparison? the Benefit one cost $24 for 4.5 g and MUFE cost $26 for 6 g (better value for the Aqua Cream).

what are your favorites in terms of cream eyeshadows?

REVIEW: Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in "Yellow"

i had the opportunity last month to review a product - Make Up For Ever's Aqua Cream (6 g) - but did not have a chance until now since i was having a little trouble brainstorming (as you will see).

Aqua Creams are cream colors that are designed to withstand water and heat. many of the colors are multi-purpose in that they can be used on the eyes, lips or cheeks.

i avoid cream eyeshadows since i have had nothing but terrible experiences with them - not only are my eyelids on the oily side, but one of them is also a monolid so smudging or creasing are inevitable with cream eyeshadows. but after hearing about the magical properties behind MUFE's version, i was excited to try it out. on the box, it says that this color can be used on the eyes and cheeks. i have the Aqua Cream in "24 - Yellow" (the name is not actually on the box but can be found on the site).

and let's say, there is no better word to describe this color because really that's what it is - so utterly, completely, very very yellow. i have never used such a super yellow before. i was a little intimidated and unsure how i would use this on my eyes (i don't see how it would work on my cheeks so i gave up on that idea completely...).

swatching on my arm, you can tell that it is very pigmented as well. 

top to bottom: natural light; artificial light

the first swatch is of 1 swipe with my finger, the second is 1 swipe with a brush (the brush i used was a little on the coarser side since it was the only clean one i had - so you can see a few lines in the swatch) and the third was about 4 swipes with my finger to show you how vivid the yellow can be! i think that the product goes on more pigmented when using your hands. taking a closer look, there's actually shimmer! it's quite subtle though. i decided to check the Aqua Cream pot again and noticed that the shimmer can only be seen underneath that first layer. 

the Aqua Cream feels super smooth and creamy when you touch it. once you apply it, it dries pretty quickly. there is also a scent that seems ermm.. manufactured. i am not a big fan of it but i don't usually sniff my eyeshadows so it won't bother me. 

i decided to go for it and try it on my eyes. i must warn you that i am in no way an expert in applying makeup so this is the first eye makeup shot you have ever seen!! i just want to show you how you may incorporate this color into your eyeshadow collection! i only dabbed a tiny bit of the Aqua Cream and that was already more than enough. so be careful! a little goes a long, long way. i decided to blend it out using Maybelline's "Emerald Smokes" eyeshadow quad. the yellow is a little too bright and bold for me to wear everyday so i decided to use darker colors to even it out.
awkward eye shots, here we go!!

i kept the swatches on my arm for more than 6 hours to see how it would hold up. it doesn't budge when i rub it or when i spritz water on it. 

after 2 hours, the swatches changed a bit - the ones i applied using my finger got patchy on some areas. since the cream dried, i move my arm around often so it starts to crack in areas when i bend. on my eyes though, i did not find any patchiness which could be because i only attempted to use as little as possible and blended it with other colors. 

from here, i decided to perform the ultimate test on these cream colors. since MUFE created them to last through "extreme environments", i figured cleaning my room meets that definition. honestly, i have been tripping on those spiked heels i posted last week about 5 times and it hurts!! it was time that i finally moved them. i can now say that there is actually flooring under all that mess. looks great!

and my arm swatches? to be fair, i was wearing a long sleeve but i kept it rolled up most of the time. the swatches are there but have faded in terms of vividness. on my eyes, i find that it has faded even more in comparison. 

still, it was pretty impressive for a cream eyeshadow. as advertised, they do not crease or run - not even when you try to smudge it intentionally. i think that for someone like me with monolids and/or oily lids, i'd try using a primer (or a setting spray afterwards) if you want the color to last longer. one idea i found on MUFE's website is that you can add other products to the cream color, like other eyeshadows or what's more fun - glitter! just make sure you blend it all in before the cream color dries. there are now 25 shades available, 4 of which were launched only this June. the Aqua Creams are available for purchase online or at Sephora for $26. 

disclaimer: i received the Aqua Cream from Make Up For Ever Canada (thank you Charlotte!) for review. the opinions above are a reflection of my honest feelings.