Avon Celestial Eyeshadow

RRP: $8
# of shades available: 2

--What does the promo say?--
"Make eyes glisten with the Jillian Dempsey for Avon Celestial Eyeshadow, a marbleised baked shadow that blends on as smooth as stardust in shades inspired by the ocean and sky."

--Packaging--
A sophisticated yet simple sturdy black circular container, made from plastic, with a clear domed lid so that you can see the colours all the time. The lid clips closed well, and being a baked shadow, no flakes of shadow come off and litter your bag when you're on the move. However, as with several Avon/Jillian Dempsey products, they could play up the association with her a little more - the signature appears in white on the black cardboard box, but that's all.

--Application--
This can be applied wet or dry, so if preferred, just wet the brush before application and proceed as normal. Make sure it's dry before you add any other colours or liners (but this doesn't take too long).

--Appearance--
The Sunset Sky shade laces blue with pink, while the Moon Sand shade has veins of brown in the gold. This provides a subtle and nuanced effect that also conveys great realism - their sources of inspiration in this Spring Colour Collection are immediately apparent. The finish is metallised, but even when applied wet for extra intensity, the effect is still quite subtle and can be worn for day or night. It also mixes well with other shadows - I have used this with all ranges of eyeshadow, from Stila to Prestige Cosmetics.

--Texture/consistency--
Doesn't flake off at all when using the brush, and yet the brush picks up the colour well. The lack of powderiness suggests it's quite finely pigmented, and the colour glides over the eyelids smoothly.

--Longevity--
This creases more when used dry, so I'd suggest using this wet for a more flawless look that you don't have to touch up as often.

--Value for money--
As always with Avon, you're getting an up-to-the-minute product that's of a good standard as well as having the association with the celebrity makeup artist Jillian Dempsey. While not perfect, this is a fair backup and competitor to the similar baked shadows by Stila and Urban Decay.

perfect partners
magiX Tinted Face Perfector SPF15, $10
Spectralash Mascara, $9.50
Big Colour Glossy Lip Pencil, $6*

*While this is an existing Avon product, there are four new shades available for spring (Glossy Rose, Glossy Celestial, Glossy Sand, and Glossy Sunset). Glossy Celestial is a bit redder than the website makes it appear, so think carefully about your shade choice (though I am ridiculously pale!). Check out my review of the original Glossy Lip Pencil here.