Essence Metallics Quattro Eyeshadow 03 Copper Rulez : You Rulez Yo!

I am a smart shopper. Before I went off to pick up some Essence Cosmetics products, I made sure I did my homework and my homework told me to stay away from Essence eyeshadows which are pretty but seriously lacking in pigment and staying power. So, my eyes glazed over when I saw the shadow singles. However, for some reason, when I spotted this palette in the Metallics collection, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. There are about 3 different palettes but this particular colour caught my eye – it must be this neutral phase I’m going through. The name is Copper Rulez – that z there makes it way too young for me 😛 Yo!

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At RM14.90, into my basket it went. Preliminary swatches of the tester told me the pigment was fair and for me, at those prices, I was satisfied. What it contains is 4 powder eyeshadows and 1 gel liner. There are no applicators which is a good and bad thing.

At that sort of price, any applicator included would be crap – lets not mince words. However, at that sort of price and target market, you’d hardly expect the young girls buying to have a good set of brushes on hand. You can use fingers (works well enough) but not for the gel liner – but more about that gel liner later.

You know what though? I’m really digging this palette 🙂 I think it one of the best budget palettes I’ve gotten since… erm… never!

The pigment in this set of eyeshadow quads is fairly good. The shadows are smooth and soft to the touch and brushes pick up the colour quite easily.

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Essence Metallics Eyeshadow Quad. Gel liner on the left.

I was quite pleased with the shades which do tend towards being on the cool side. Well, except for that bronze colour which did trouble me a little. However, I soon found that if I used it sparingly and as a wash, rather than as a colour, it was wearable for me. The dark grey-black is dark enough to be used as a liner or as a crease shade if you want to go the smokey eye route, and I’m really liking the taupe (lower left in quad). The colours are not highly metallic but have enough shimmer to keep it interesting.

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Dark grey in crease, Taupe to blend, Bronze as a wash and Cream to highlight, Gel liner to line

Also featuring: Diorskin Nude Sculpting powder foundation, Maybelline Watershine lipstick in Dragonfly, Chanel Pink Explosion Joues Contraste

This is an everyday work sort of look. You can amp it up for the evening if you like. Its also a little lighter in photos than it really looks. I like that it gives good definition to the eye works very well for the office. Lasts long enough for me because I don’t have oily lids but if you do, a lid primer will do the trick.

What I do not like however, is the gel liner included. For me it is all sorts of crap. It started travelling the moment I applied it (albeit it applies very smoothly) and continued travelling thereafter at every opportunity. I don’t have oily lids and in 2 hours, there was nothing left on my upper lid … because it was all on my lower lid making me look like a panda! It also caused the powder shadows to crease and they did not otherwise crease on me. I don’t use it anymore because it is just simply crap.

Any eye brush picks up the colour very well, and if you do a little flick before applying to your skin, you’ll find there’s no fall out. If you apply it direct, you might get some fall out so do be careful. I find that if I use my Sigma eye brush, I just have to dab it on the colour and it picks it up nicely without having to brush at it.

I’m going to be very unpopular and say that this is a good alternative to that hard-to-get Urban Decay Naked palette. The 4 shades are good enough for you to create a dark smokey look or a light neutral look, depending on how you combine the shades. Granted, its just a quarter of the colours available in the Naked palette, but seriously, how many of us can apply 12 shades on your eyes at one go; and how many of us actually use every single one of the 12 colours available?? This palette is portable, wallet friendly and you will actually find yourself using every colour. I really like it! 😀

I however don’t like the other 2 palettes available. I did not think they were as nice as this one, hence my only picking this one up. See. I can be rational 🙂

Have you tried anything by Essence Cosmetics yet? I wish they were more easily accessible, like in pharmacies or something. But if you do check them out, do also check out the Metallics quads if they still have them. They were a limited edition collection from Nov-Dec 2010 but we still have them (yay!)

Paris B

Essence Metallics eyeshadow quad retails at RM14.90 at a kiosk called Coci Coci along Jalan Bukit Bintang (near Lot 10) and in Midvalley Megamall 1st Floor (based on reader info)