Spring always inspires me to play more with colors. It's that time of the year that is definitely the most vibrant and colorful. Many makeup artist play with colors so well and I especially like monochromatic eye looks created by using different tones of just one color. That's what I tried to create with this purple look. 

I've been seeing combination of purple eye makeup with red lips a lot. So I thought of doing something similar as Christmas makeup this year. Instead of using bright purples, I used mauve shades and did a bright pastel lavender in the inner corner. No Christmas makeup is complete without the signature red lip and I went for metallic option which is so on trend this year.

Purple was one of my fist colorful eyeshadows I started using, when I was in high school. It's been my beloved eyeshadow color ever since, even though I don't use it as often as for example my neutral browns. Smoky eye isn't what I would usually go for, but if I do, I prefer it to be colorful. Hence why I'm posting this purple smoky eye today. In general, purple eyeshadows look bomb on brown eyes as well as green ones.

I wanted to try out cut crease technique that seems to be so popular. I was avoiding it, because my eyes are slightly hooded and not the most symmetrical, so anything that requires precision and harsh edges can look messy on my eyes. But I want to improve my skills, so after a few tries, I finally have a look that I am satisfied with. It's a more pink purple look with fierce liner.

You probably know that Ultra Violet is the color of the year 2018 according to Pantone. I am a huge fan of purple in makeup. Purple eyeshadows and eyeliners are one of those colors that go really well with my dark brown eyes. It adds a pop of color in a good way. I also like purple lipsticks, but more for the fall. Beyu has decided to sent me an array of their picks for purple makeup. I have tested it all out and here are my thoughts.

I already own three Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadows and about a year ago I got another shade. Somehow it slipped through my to do list, so here is a review of it now. These are one of the best creamy eyeshadows in the drugstore range. 

Packaging

Eyeshadows have a matte black packaging. It closes securely. On the bottom of each pen, you have a small part that is colored and shows you what color is inside. It's pretty accurate. 

In it is 1.64 grams od product and it costs 6.95€.

It's in a pen form. You just twist the bottom and the product comes out, there is no need to sharpen it. I find it really practical, because you essentially don't need any brush. Just twist it, apply and blend with fingers or a brush, if you prefer that. 

Formula

It's a very creamy formula that glides on your lids without any needed pressure. It doesn't tug, but it also stays were you apply it and is not in any way greasy. 

Pigmentation is good. It's not fully opaque in one coat, but you can build it up to that perfectly opaque look. This is the least shimmery shade out of all the others I have and because of that I feel it's not as pigmented as some more metallic shades. 

Performance

I find that these are one of the rare creamy eyeshadows that don't crease on me. They work amazing as an eyeshadow base, but you can also wear them on its own. Once the formula dries down a little, it doesn't move through the day. If you have very oily eyelids, I still advise you to use eyeshadow primer underneath it. 

It's also long lasting formula, since it almost looks the same at the end of the day. It may fade a bit and loose intensity just slightly, but it lasts.

Colors

Kiko has a wide range of about 28 shades to choose from. Some are more matte looking with a sheen and some are very shimmery to the point of being metallic.

37 Burgundy is dark burgundy red base with purple sheen. The shimmer in it is so fine that you only see that purple sheen and no visible shimmer. Purple sheen is more prominent and dominates on the lid. The name is actually misleading, since it looks just purple on me. 

I did this monochromatic all purple look. In the crease I used a matte brown transition shade and I used 37 Burgundy all over the lid. As you can see, it looks much more purple on the lid than red. I also paired it with a purple eye pencil. 

 Other Colors

As I mentioned I already own a few more shades, so I decided to swatch them side by side. Just in case anyone is deciding which shade to get. In terms of pigmentation 06 is the most pigmented, most shimmery and metallic. 37 is the least shimmery and just has a healthy looking sheen. 36 is also very shimmery, but not as much as 06 and this one is also a bit sheerer. 21 is more similar to 36 in that it doesn't have any visible shimmer and it does have a nice sheen. 

36 Golden Mauve

21 Passion Fruit

06 Golden Brown

If you're searching for good creamy eyeshadows in a useful pen form, try these. They have a wide range of colors, are well pigmented, last well and don't crease. These are also amazing as an eyeshadow bases, if you want to intensify the color on top of it. I have nothing bad to say about the formula, it's just great for a creamy product. 

This fall I had a vision of deep red eyeliner and I took a look in our drugstores first. When I saw a deep burgundy colored pencil by Essence I was ecstatic. At home, I realize the pen inside is not as red as I would have like it to be. It was more purple. After my disappointment wore off, I actually tried it on the eyes and realized it's not that bad. The color isn't what I expected it to be, but it's a lovely deep purple shade perfect for fall. 

It comes in a plastic burgundy packaging with white writing. The pen is automatic, you just swirl the bottom of it and it comes out.

In it is 0.28 grams of product and it costs 1.59€.

At first it has a sharp point which becomes thicker as you as you use it up. I would like at least a plastic sharpener for these automatic pencils, but sadly there is none. Keep in mind that you can't get the most precise line by just using the pen on its own. 

I usually roughly apply it on the lid and then use a small angled liner brush to draw a more precise line or a wing. Pencil can also look kind of patchy and thick once you press it on the skin, so it's nice to even it out with a brush. 

Shade 29 Berry Fantastic is a warm dark purple shade with red undertone. I expected it to be more red toned based on the packaging of it, but it looks a lot more purple on the skin, especially if you apply more layers. The shade is actually perfect for fall.

Texture is creamy and kind of thicker in a way, but not greasy at all. If you apply it as it is, you get a more uneven application. Because it's so creamy, it's great for smudging out and doing smoky eye with it. The more layers you apply, the darker and thicker it looks. As I've said before, I think it's best to apply it on the lid and then blend it out with a brush. That way you get the smoothest and most even application. Pigmentation is actually great.

Even though the formula is creamy, it doesn't transfer once it sets on the lid or you smooth it out with a brush. It stays put through the whole day and is actually very long lasting. 

Here I used it in a slight winged out option and I love colorful version of the usual black line. It's perfect for fall and it compliments many eye colors. This would look even better with green eyes. 

This is a creamy pen formula that isn't too greasy nor so dry that it would pull on the skin. It's a no sharp pencil, so it's not the most precise, but if you use with a brush, you can get a very even application. It's great for smudging out or building up the color and making it darker. It's also very long lasting. The color is perfect for fall, a warm redish purple. 

I am all for glittery and shimmery eyeshadows and when I first swatched this one in the store, I knew I had to get it. I've said in my review of Catrice Liquid Metal Longlasting Cream Eyeshadow in 020 Champagne Shower that I really wish they'd make this version with glitter in it. I guess that's what they tried to do with these new Essence Metal Shock Eyeshadows (or at least with some). The glitter is much more visible here. 

Essence Metal Shock Eyeshadows come in a plastic transparent lip gloss like packaging with a black plastic top and silver details. In it is 3.5 ml of products and it costs 3.79€.

It has that fluffy lip gloss applicator which looks like a cone shape from the sides. It's diagonally cut. With one coat you can coat your entire lid and it applies eyeshadow softly and fairly evenly. 

The texture of it is creamy and quite spreadable. It almost feels like a moussy texture. 

If you apply it heavily, you get a very opaque metallic finish. You can also blend it out and it looks like a metallic base with more pronounced shimmer or small glitter. If you apply it very sheer, you get mostly glitters and just a bit of that metallic sheen. The pigmentation is in general great. 

It has an artificial scent to it, but you don't notice it once it's on the lid.

The color 02 Stars & Stories is a cool toned taupe based purple with silver glitter. In the packaging it looks like a warmer mix of brown and purple, but on the lid it looks very cool toned, because it has strong silver glitter and shimmer in it which gives it that cool sheen. The base looks like a taupe tinted purple. 

You can chose among 7 different shades, although some don't have as much glitter in them. Mostly they are more metallic than shimmery. 

Once this dries down, it doesn't move. It didn't even crease on me and it stayed on for the whole day perfectly, so it's very long lasting - but not water proof at all. There is also no glitter fallout.

Here you can see how it looks like applied really heavily. You can definitely get that opaque metallic shimmery look. I'm afraid my photos don't do it justice. This sparkles so pretty in person that the camera just doesn't catch its true beauty.

I almost prefer to wear it applied lightly. I usually put it on the back of my hand and use my fingers to apply it on the lid. I also sheer it out, so that I get a lot of glittery particles and it looks much more shimmery and less metallic. Obviously you can also put this on top of other shadows to add glitter. I did that a lot too.

On this photo I applied it very sheer on the lid and then I also applied it as an opaque metallic liner on top of black eyeshadow liner. Just to give you an idea how this can look different depending on how you apply it. It also works as a shimmery inner highlight. 

I have been wearing it a lot ever since I got it, which means I really like it. I've wanted a cheaper brands to come out with some glittery or shimmery eyeshadows that look pigmented and don't have a fallout and this is just that. It's like a less shimmery affordable choice for Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows. It applied lovely, you can choose how metallic or shimmery you want it to look, it lasts all day and doesn't move. I am particularly in love with this shade, because it has a stronger shimmer or glitter to it. If this was a regular metallic eyeshadow, I wouldn't care for it. It just looks really luxurious on the lid with very little effort. Essence definitely did it with these and I highly recommend you to get this shade, if you like glittery and shimmery eyeshadows that don't move or loose intensity. 

Whenever summer comes, I tend to gravitate towards bright colorful eyeshadows. Ever since I got Colourpop Coconut,  I knew I wanted to use it in a colorful makeup look. What could be more appropriate than a mermaid makeup look. These pinks, purples and blues look amazing together and I actually really like this look. It's definitely colorful and a bit bolder for summer. 

On the eyes I used an eyeshadow primer and went over it with a skin colored matte shade to set it. Then I used light pink fuchsia shade to apply a bit over my natural crease. I took a brighter purple and applied it on the outer corner as well as on the inner corner. On the lid I applied amazing cobalt blue shimmery shade. 

I took dark cool toned purple and blended the blue out. It should look like a gradient from blue to purple to pinkish purple. I also applied a light blue color with a warm yellow sheen to it on the very center of this blue. It just makes it pop more and it adds an additional glow to the center lid. Of course this look needed a bit of winged out effect, so I applied a slight wing with a pen liner. I used all the same shades around my lower lash line. In the inner corner I added light pale purple with a nice purple sheen to it. 

I applied lots of mascara, but thought that the look need a very subtle lashes. So I used half lashes. This model is shorter in the center and they become longer towards the outer edges. A basic winged out look, but it's very subtle. 

On my face I used a mix of BB cream and matte foundation. I also concealed with a concealer and powdered. I wanted to add a pink toned glow to my face, so I used a sheer highlighter with golden and pink sheen. I also applied bronzer on the outer parts of my face to give me some warmth. Because blush would overwhelm this look, I choose a very light brown peach shade that is almost undetectable. 

On the lips I used a light mauve colored lipstick as a base and then I went over it with a lavender colored lip gloss that has silver and golden shimmer in it. It just gives it a light nude color with pretty shine and doesn't compete with eyes.