Bohemian Chic Minerals Eyeshadow

RRP: £11
# of shades available: 29
purchase from http://bohemianchicminerals.co.uk/

--What does the promo say?--
"Our mineral eye shadows are created using pure natural minerals. From soft to vivid, smoky to deep, shimmery to matt. The range is endless with  lush shadow shades with a lustrous, silken sateen finish.

Suitable for acne prone skin and sensitive skin. Preservative free. Nano-particles free; bismuth-oxychloride free. Suitable for vegans and Halal use."

--Packaging--

Comes in a tiny plastic screw-top pot, which has a plastic disc with holes in sitting inside. This is further protected by a sticky plastic sheet, which you can either remove completely or use to reseal the disc after each use. Generally this works quite well: to get more product to come out of the pot, close securely with the lid and shake it around a bit before carefully upturning and reopening. Spillage or wastage does not seem to be a problem.

--Application--

Use an eyeshadow brush to dot and blend the shadow over your eyelids as desired. This is easy - the beauty of mineral eyeshadows means that blending's a breeze and that making mistakes is nigh on impossible.

--Appearance--

The shade I was kindly sent, Kiwi, produced a lovely natural-looking sage shade that went well with my eyes and general complexion. Very pleasing! Would lend itself well to mixing with other shades of green and brown from the same range.

--Texture and consistency--

Soft and blendable without being too dusty (i.e. doesn't shower you/the sink/the bathroom with eyeshadow whenever you open the pot, put some on your brush or try to put it on your eyelids). Adheres well to brush and eyelids and is easy to manipulate to create different effects.

--Longevity--

Sadly, this is where the product fell down. Creased and faded significantly after about 6 hours' wear. You will definitely need to reapply during the day - although there's a chance that it would fare better with the help of an eyeshadow primer.

--Value for money--

While the colour and texture of this product is most pleasing, for £11 I would really expect it to last longer on the eyelids. For this price, I'd be more inclined to try Stila's mineral eyeshadows instead, which are also £11. If you're going to buy from this brand, go for their lip gloss instead - it's much better (review to follow!).

perfect partners

Eyeliner, £6.50 (2 shades)

Eyebrow dust, £6.50 (2 shades)  

Eye contour brush, £7
Eyeshadow brush, £7
Crushed Pearls primer, £18
Pigment stacks, £49.95 (pack of 6 eyeshadows)

Inika Mineral Eyeshadow

RRP: £14.50/1.2g
# of shades available: 24
 
--What does the promo say?--
"INIKA eyeshadows (1.2g) are rich in pigment providing vibrant and opulent colours that last all day. The purity of ingredients means that they are perfect for even the most sensitive eyes. INIKA eyeshadows are multi-purpose and can be used wet or dry as a shadow or eyeliner."

--Packaging--
The dinkiness of this pot means it can be easily slid into a purse or pocket - not just a handbag! The screwtop lid keeps everything secure, and for extra protection, there's a plastic layer inside as well, with holes so that you can just shake out the amount that you need into the lid. Hopefully this means that you shouldn't find any of the shadow in your pocket!

--Application--
The Inika website recommends using a brush, but if you should be caught short, I've found that fingers work just as well - the size of the holes and the security of the plastic lid inside the pot mean that powder doesn't just come rushing out and that you can control application easily. Blend outwards gently for idiot-proof smoky eyes; layer colours for a dazzling metallic rainbow effect; or wet the shadow for use as an eyeliner.

--Appearance--
Can be vamped up or subtly played down for the effect that you want; layering the shadow is easy and effective. The shade I had, Burnt Sienna, was given to me at a QVC press day, and would work well for any skin type (although may be less visible on darker skin tones). However, with 24 colours to select from, you're spoilt for choice and will definitely find a hue that suits you.

--Texture and consistency--
Smooth and powdery without sending dust everywhere. The texture is very manageable - easy to manipulate for blending and for application with your fingers.

--Longevity--
Definitely lasts all day as promised. Not a crease to be seen! Very impressive.

--Value for money--
I think one pot of this would last you a long time, and given that this literally stays on all day and is made with natural ingredients too, I think the shadow is worth every penny and that the price is an accurate valuation of the product. Would definitely purchase for myself and wholeheartedly recommend to others.

perfect partners
Mineral Mascara, £19
Certified Organic Eyeliner, £13.50
Certified Organic Eye Makeup Remover, £19.95 

Elemental Beauty Mineral Lasting Eyeshadow

RRP: £4.99
# of shades available: 40

--What does the promo say?--
"Our Mineral Eyeshadows come in a range of 40 pretty, wearable colours that are crease free loose powder minerals and last all day long. Each eyeshadow can also be used as an eyeliner, simply put a bit of powder into the lid and mix with a damp eyeliner brush into a paste and apply."

--Packaging--
Visibly part of the Elemental Beauty range, using the same packaging as all of the other products. As such, it has the same advantages and suffers the same pitfalls (see my other Elemental Beauty posts for more information).

--Application--
Carefully load an eyeshadow brush with a very small amount of the eye dust and sweep over your eyelids, starting at the crease/in the middle of the eyelid and working down to your lashes as the amount of powder in the brush is lessened (thus preventing you from getting eye dust in your eyes, hopefully). This stage of application, where there is less powder in the brush, is also helpful for when you want to apply just a little shadow to the brow bone.

--Appearance--
The shade I was sent, Silver Lining, is great for blue-grey eyes like mine, but ultimately should suit most eye colours and general complexions. A shimmery silver-grey that's subtle enough for work but could be built up for a more dramatic look.

--Texture/consistency--
No irritation was experienced around the eye area during the use of this shadow. The eye dust is of a very fine consistency and the shimmer particles are of a good size too.

--Longevity--
Really excellent; arguably a market leader in this category. These shadows are real winners - you won't need to reapply all day.

--Value for money--
The durability of this product once applied is arguably down to the format of the shadow: other eye dusts such as the ones by Stargazer and MAC also perform flawlessly. However, neither of the above mentioned brands are mineral brands, and MAC is considerably more expensive than both Stargazer and Elemental Beauty. Elemental Beauty also trumps its other mineral competitors, with its prices coming in more modestly than the mineral market leaders. In short: choose this and win.

Make Up Forever Star Powder

RRP: 13.80 € (2.8 g)
no. of shades available: 32

--What does the promo say?--
"These loose powders, made of pure, ultra-fine mother-of-pearl particles, give the skin intense sparkle and unparalleled shine. They can be used alone, blended together, applied over other makeup or mixed with makeup of any texture to illuminate your makeup."

--Packaging--
A nice little round black pot with a clear see-through lid. The product logo appears in black on the clear window. It all looks very nice; however, it can be difficult to properly close the screw-top lid, meaning that the possibility of wastage is high.

--Application--
Apply with a brush or sponge applicator. Moisten the brush slightly for a tenfold increase in shine and hold.

--Texture--
Quite fine, but no better than most of its high street competitors.

--Appearance--
It looks great on the eye with natural-looking colours that pack a touch of sparkle. Perfect on their own or blended with other colours.

--Longevity--
Even better when applied wet, but doesn't last too badly when applied dry either. Creases slightly, but not so that anyone else would notice.

--Value for money--
A very classy brand for the money paid. However, at a mere 3 euros less, I'd go for Bourjois' Suivez Mon Regard, with its vastly superior packaging and comparable quality.

--Where to buy--
Sephora (US and France), most major French and American department stores.

perfect partners
Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil, €13,10 for 1.2g
Make Up Forever Eye Shadow, 15.90 € (2.5 g)

Bourjois Suivez Mon Regard eyeshadow

RRP: £6.50
no. of shades available: 13

--What does the promo say?--
"Shimmering loose powder eye shadow with a built in brush. The unique, no spills pot and ingenious built in brush are the perfect companion for a professional application wherever you are. The clever pot deposits just the right amount of powder on the brush with each application. Explore the multiple facets of the intense, shimmering shades."

--Packaging--
Really neat and clever, and of course great for travelling. It can't be any more than 5cm tall (half of which is taken up with the eyeshadow powder) and the top half shows the clear brush handle through the transparent lid (all plastic). The bottom half shows the shadow and there's a paper strip running round the halfway point in the same colour, with the Bourjois and Suivez Mon Regard logo in white. Sadly there are no refills available for this product, so the whole thing has to be thrown away when you're done. Shame, as the brush isn't a bad quality one at all - good for blending as well as the initial putting on of the eyeshadow.

--Application--
Very easy. Unscrew the top plastic lid, and pull out the little brush. When you pull it out of the main pot, there should already be a sufficient amount of shadow on the bristles. Spread the powder onto your eyelid and dip the brush into the pot for more as necessary. When you're finished, put the brush back into the pot and replace the lid.

--Texture--
It could be finer, to be honest: even though the shadow blends well, the powder particles seem quite big. Saying this, though, I experienced no irritation while using this product.

--Appearance--
Really nice and shimmery with a strong (but not too strong) colour. However, I'd recommend finishing off your look with a slightly darker shadow and/or a liner as I feel the shadow lacks something on its own.

--Longevity--
Not great, even with a primer. Just really very average.

--Value for money--
It's fine for what you get, and one pot certainly lasts a long time, but I wouldn't want to pay any more than the RRP for it.

perfect partners
Bourjois Coup de Theatre Mascara, £8.95
Bourjois Khol&Contour Eyeliner Pencil, £4.25

Stargazer Eye Dust

RRP: £3
no. of shades available: 44
available from http://www.stargazer-products.com/ - they deliver all over the world. You will be charged in £ sterling.

--What does the promo say?--
"Coloured loose powder available in a mix of vibrant colours for application around the eyes. The colours are dense and give a very good strong finish on the skin. All the eye dust colours give you a fine shimmered effect which can be applied by hand or make up brush. Some of the colours have a slight metallic sheen on the skin while other colours are a little more subtle."

--About the brand--
Stargazer was established in 1978 with the opening of a stall in the Great Gear Market in the Kings Road, London. Kings Road was the centre of the punk fashion in London at the time and it was this attitude towards colour and the outrages that moulded many of the company’s ideas behind the ranges that they produce. They still are based in the UK as their base is in Croydon on the outskirts of London. In the 1980s Stargazer began to expand into the department stores trying to bring the colours we produced to a wider audience. Then in the late 1980s they started to slowly produce the products themselves. Now they produce the majority of the products in-house. Stargazer not only sells cosmetics but also sells hair and nail products, face paint, wigs, and face and body jewellery. None of the products are tested on animals, and all of the products are vegan except for the bleach kits and eye shadow/blusher colours.

--Packaging--
A small screw-top plastic black pot with a clear window in the lid so that the eye dust colour can be easily seen, and the brand name written on the side of the pot itself in a gold cursive script. If I were designing it I would perhaps change the font so that it better reflects the brand's punk roots. Tiny amounts of the powder leak out of the crease where the lid and pot meet, but this really is only a tiny amount. The pot is easy to open and close and I like how you can see the colour easily through the lid.

--Application--
On the site they say you can apply this with your fingers but I don't think I'd recommend it as I expect it would be messy and wouldn't allow for precise application. So get a brush, apply a primer to your eyelid, and then carefully dip the brush in the pot and apply it to the eyelids a small amount at a time.

--Texture--
Very fine and glittery. The particles aren't too big at all and spread over the eyelid very smoothly.

--Appearance--
Successfully glittery without looking overdone. Subtle shades are available alongside the wackier shades. While the range of available colours on the website is mind-boggling, some of them look pretty similar on the website, so choose carefully.

--Longevity--
Easily a threat to its more expensive competitor, the MAC pigments.

--Value for money--
At a mere £3 a pot you really cannot lose.