I just wanted to let you all know that you should read this review at your own risk. I didn't take the necessary precautions and wound up buying the Maybelline Stylish Smoke Eyeshadow quad in Charcoal at 7:15 AM when I went to the grocery store to pick up my morning bagel. Consider yourself warned. Now on to Joeybunny's review...
Hi Pink Sith readers! Today I did something I rarely ever do.
I bought drugstore makeup.
Normally, I’m a high-end kind of girl. Very rarely will something from a drugstore amaze me. However, whenever MUA hypes up a certain drugstore product I listen, and I’ll buy it sometimes. Happily for me, I haven’t really been disappointed yet (some examples of this include the Carmindy foundation for Sally Hansen, the Wet and Wild eyeshadow palettes, and the L’Oreal HIP line on the whole). This past week MUA has been yapping endlessly about the new HIP metallic and matte eyeshadow duos, the HIP Chrome liners, and the Maybelline Stylish Smokes palettes (FYI: Tanya at PinkTrainCase did a feature about the Maybelline Stylish Smokes palettes a while ago which initially piqued my interest in these eyeshadows - check out her entry and incredible swatches here)
So today, while on an errands run, I decided to seek out these new products. I found the HIP metallic duos first, and the HIP chrome liners. I found the colors of the liners to be kind of hideous, so I skipped them. Sadly, the display was already out of all the matte duos, but the metallic ones were in stock. There’s one with two shades of copper (I kind of liked this one but I may have similar shadows already), one with green and gold, and then the one that is driving MUA bonkers - #510 Electrified.
This duo is GORGEOUS and it has this KILLER TAUPE. KILLER TAUPE, PEOPLE! The taupe shade is on the left, and is super shimmery/metallic. It is a warm, light brownish gold taupe. I wish I could compare it to another shadow, but guys - I have never seen a color like this before. I’m really trying to think of what comes close. The shade on the right is also very lovely. It is as if MAC Cranberry and MAC Satin Taupe had a baby, and the baby came out plummy-brown with a hint of reddish shimmer. The two colors pair together quite well. Bravo, HIP!
Later on in my journey, I found the new Maybelline display. Apparently, Maybelline has really stepped up their game, and their reformulated shadows really rock. Well, the display had new foundation and concealers and mascaras and eyeliners (the new Stiletto Precision liquid liner really caught my eye but I am currently working on two liquid liners at home so I didn’t buy it) and lipsticks and the Stylish Smokes quads. If you read Tanya’s blog entry or have been keeping up with MUA, you know there’s four quads: Natural, Charcoal, Amethyst, and Emerald. I found the Amethyst to be too bright, and the Emerald to be too green, so I picked up the Natural and the Charcoal quads since they were BOGO50%.
Natural Quad & Swatches
Charcoal Quad & Swatches
These quads are extremely pigmented for drugstore makeup, and I am very pleasantly surprised. What surprised me first were the colors in the palettes. The LID shades in both palettes are gorgeous, sparkly taupes (the Natural palette has a warm, deep taupe and the Charcoal palette has a cool, greyed taupe). The BROW BONE shades are pretty and lightly pigmented in a good way, while the CREASE and OUTER CORNER shades are deep and lovely (the OUTER CORNER shade of the Charcoal palette is a great dupe of MAC Black Tied, and the CREASE shade of the same palette is a pretty good dupe of MAC Shale). I’m excited to try both on my eyes!
So, do I recommend these products? Hell yes! Just try to scope out sales like BOGOF or BOGO50%, especially for the HIP duos (I paid $8 for mine, and $7 each, before BOGO50%, for the Maybelline quads).
Hi. PinkSith again.
Here is my Eye Of The Day with the new Maybelline Stylish Smoke Quad in Charcoal. It's all Joeybunny's fault!
OOH Elvira! I love your EOTD =D the colors pull a little warmer on you than they do on me, jellz.
ReplyDeleteI have on the Natural Smokes palette this AM - I used the outer corner shade as liner, and the other 3 colors I used as directed lol =) I'm really considering a back-up.
Yay Joey! Great review. I'm not sure if I need the Maybelline, but I think I might have to get the HIP. OMG!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I'd actually get the Maybelline over the HIP. The taupe is incredible but super metallic - Becca didn't like the texture. I mean, I don't care because I think the color and pigmentation outweigh how it feels lol =)
ReplyDeleteLemmmmm!
ReplyDeleteI'll bring my quads for you to touch, Beccer, touch so gentlyyyy lol
ReplyDeleteI love the L'Oreal HIP duo! They never fail to make me happy.
ReplyDeletelol at the warning. it made me want to read it more. :P
ReplyDeletethey look like some of the japanese e/s palettes i have seen locally. something from kate or MM i think.
cool review as always!
tempting! they all look lovely. Do let us know how the staying power is, if you have time!
ReplyDeleteY: I have four other HIP duos and I love the metallic ones I have, but the one non-metallic one is only alright. But still good for drugstore.
ReplyDeleteJojoba: Thanks! By the way I loved your skincare post on your blog - I want to try some of the stuff you mentioned since I'm having a skin crisis at the moment:
Kuri: I have tried all three eyeshadows without base and they lasted all day. The staying power is best on the Natural Smokes quad - it literally lasted an entire work day plus 3 hour walk through Manhattan while I was *dripping* sweat!
wow, I am going to have to buy these!
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting them since Tanya blogged about them - now I am lemming them seriously after the EOTD!!!
ReplyDeleteMighty J: DO NOT HESITATE TO BUY THEM! They are so, so nice =D
ReplyDeleteOkay so I just bought these since they have FINALLY showed up in Calgary (well I got Natural and Emerald) and I am very surprised at how nice they are!! I am now lemming Charcoal and Amethyst, I think I'll pick them up the next time I'm at Wal-Mart...
ReplyDelete