I love blue eyeshadow even if its the one colour most people fear. The trick is in wearing it so you don’t look like someone punched you in the eye, or that you just stepped out from the 80’s when blue eyeshadow ruled. I like wearing just a touch of blue on the lid or close to the lash line and then use a grey or black to blend it out.
I recently came across 2 blue eyeshadow palettes I just had to share in a Save and Splurge edition 😀
Do you see how I might have thought so? 😀
Both palettes from 2 different ends of the price spectrum contain interesting blue shadows and good crease and highlight shades. Lets see how they stack up, briefly.
Save: Rimmel Glam Eyes HD Eyeshadow Palette in Royal Blue – RM35.90 (Review here)
A lovely inexpensive palette from Rimmel in a very pretty Union Jack layout. I’ve told you about the practicalities of the palette (quite impractical) but I will say that the colours are well pigmented with a soft shimmer that isn’t over the top. Royal Blue has, as its base colour, a pretty teal shade that makes a very good lid shade without being too bright. At the wallet friendly price, you could use this as a practise palette to ease yourself into blue shadow 🙂
Splurge : Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Les Aqua – RM190 (Review here)
If you love blue eyeshadow and budget allows for it, splurge on the Guerlain Les Aqua palette. The texture and colour pay off is super and the colours are soft and blend well. There are 4 different textures in this palette, and the colours are bright and vibrant on the skin. The navy blue in particular deserves mention for being a gorgeous colour you can use to line your eyes, for accenting purposes, or as an all over smokey eye blended with the deep gray. Beautiful palette!
Here are some comparison swatches of the 2 palettes – want to hazard a quick guess which swatch belongs to which palette ?
Have you made your guess? Answer will be below 😉
My Pick
I do like both palettes but if I had to give one up, I’d give up the Rimmel one. Its not the price that’s the concern. Its the quality, texture, colour and above all, usability that sways me in favour of the Guerlain Les Aqua palette. Each pan is large and laid out in a simple easy to use design, and brushes pick up the colours well and deposit them on skin easily.
However, if you have been lusting after the Guerlain Les Aqua palette but are loathe to shell out the money for a palette you may not use very often, then the Rimmel Glam Eyes HD Royal Blue palette is a good budget buy. If you have been wanting to try wearing blue eyeshadow but aren’t sure how best to start, start with the Royal Blue palette… and then work yourself up to Les Aqua 😉
Do you own either palette I’ve featured here? Do you like blue eyeshadow as I do, or are you afraid of channelling that dreaded 80’s look? Do you have a favourite bright blue eyeshadow palette to share?
Paris B
Rimmel Glam Eyes HD Eyeshadow palette Price: RM35.90 at Rimmel counters at major pharmacies; Guerlain Ecrin 4 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette Price: RM190 at all Guerlain counters
Save and Splurge is where I show you similar items by different brands that I have tried. They may not work quite the same way, but it’ll offer you options for your wallet for a similar effect/product. Do note however, that it is based on products I have tried, so whilst there are many save and splurge options out there, these are my views. You can find more under the category of Challenges.
Answer: (1) Rimmel Royal Blue palette (2) Guerlain Les Aqua
xin says
February 10, 2012 at 9:18 amif i had the extra cash i would go for the guerlain one too, i am not liking eyeshadow in funky designs very much because its hard to reach with brushes.
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:26 pmYeah but look at the price difference! 😛
Sukie says
February 10, 2012 at 9:20 amNo I haven’t tried blue eyeshadow before! I really fancy Guerlain Les Aqua seeing it is the bigger palette and it would last me a lot longer than the Rimmel one but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to pull off blue eyeshadow with my noob eyeshadow application skills! +__+
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:27 pmHence you have to get the Rimmel one first, experiment to see if blue is your thing and then if you are very sure it is, then splurge 😉 But I will have to say that blue shadow isn’t for everyone. Most people don’t like it at all!
Lily says
February 10, 2012 at 9:30 amI do like the Guerlain one better but I usually wear blues less bright 😉 That brings me to Dior’s new collection! I was at Jusco the other day, and their samples just arrived. So I had the privilege to be the first to swatch them. Bleu de Paris, the one Lisa Eldridge used in her recent smokey eye video was more up my alley. Price, a little steeper than Guerlain but there are 5 shades.
Coincidentally, the commentLuv here took my most recent post on the swatches. NOT spamming your comment with selfish intentions >.<'"
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:28 pmI’ve seen that new Dior one which is pretty but quite different I feel. Its really nice for a subtle blue-grey feel though but lacks that electric punch 😀 Still, its probably nice for someone who wants a touch of blue but doesn’t quite want to go all the way
peach_ says
February 10, 2012 at 9:53 amI don’t own either palette, but my pick would have been the same. I used to wear blue eyeshadow like BAM! before my current neutral phase and buttery textures make life…well ok, application, much less frustrating when the smallest mistakes show. Your photo peeking out below reminded me how pretty blue is on you!
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:29 pmGotta live a bright life sometimes, Peach! 😀 I must agree with you though. Colours take a lot of work to get it right but neutrals are just slick on and go 😀
Issa says
February 10, 2012 at 9:58 amI love blue eyeshadows too …. Just a little to give a pop of color to my eyes 🙂
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:30 pmIndeed! Some days when I feel a little colourless, I go for a bright blue and all’s right with my multicoloured world again 😀
Applegal says
February 10, 2012 at 10:51 amI used to wear blue eyeshadow (the ZA palette) in my uni days but now a bit scared to wear it to work! I have one baby blue-ish eyeshadow from the Faceshop sitting in my makeup box, you’re inspiring me to wear it again! But maybe I should get a palette instead of just one blue. . .
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:31 pmIf you have a black shadow, blend and wear it together then you won’t need a whole new palette 🙂 That said, I was never quite one for baby blue for my eyes – I always looked so washed out 🙁 For work, sometimes a bright blue liner can perk things up 😉
Cas says
February 10, 2012 at 11:29 amOnce upon a time I used to be adventerous in my makeup. But now I stick to neutrals so if I had to ‘indulge’ in bright colored eyeshadow I’d stick to Rimmel, coz it’s affordable for days when you feel like having a different color to the eyes 🙂
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:32 pmExactly! 😀 Its always nice having some wallet friendly options for bright colours if you don’t wear them often. Your wallet won’t hate you so much and you get better value for your buck! 😉
Hanny says
February 10, 2012 at 11:33 amStrangely the Rimmel is calling my name, although the Guerlain one makes more sense. I’ll just have to look see look see next time I’m out.
Speaking of eyeshadows: where can i find straight up red eyeshadow/pigment with no undertones? I need it for the blog when I’m doing FOTDs, burgundy just does not cut it heh heh heh.
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:34 pmIt isn’t strange at all Hanny 🙂 The Rimmel is good value for money IMO if you use brushes because then you can reach into those hard to reach colours 🙂 I’m not sure about red shadow – never was in my radar but you can try Make Up For Ever or perhaps even Inglot. A matte colour usually has fewer undertones than a shimmer shade. Good luck!
gio says
February 10, 2012 at 2:42 pmThe Guerlain palette is prettier and more user friendly, but I think I’d go for the Rimmel one because of the price. I have quite a lot of blue eyeshadows already so I’m sure I’d use the Guerlain one enough to justify the price.
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:35 pmSavvy Gio! 😀 I gotta agree with you on every point!
Helen Nguyen says
February 10, 2012 at 3:36 pmI think both palettes are really nice. Eventhough they both have similars blue colors, in the swatches I noticed the Rimmel palette is leading more towards cooler, metallic tones. For my taste, I would choose the the Guerlain palette, cause it seems to be more suitable for day and night looks. And in many cases, you get what you paying for 😉 so there must be some quality difference between the eyeshadows too.
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:36 pmYou are right in many ways Helen 🙂 The quality of the Guerlain shadows are much more impressive but then, so is the price 😉
Jyoan says
February 10, 2012 at 8:22 pmhaha, I realised you like blue eyeshadows after the post on Rimmel, because it came very close to each other!
Personally, I have found out that I can never wear blue! Sparkle or no sparkle, dark or light shade… it just goes way off.
I realise my mum likes blue eyeshadows though, and I wonder why. Think I need to ask her how she wears blue someday.
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:38 pmteehee yes I do like using blue shadow – its a hard colour to pull off, I will admit. But I’m glad it works on me. I am still working my way up to the same sort of love for purple shadows which can go very wrong for me. Sometimes I think its to do with our skintones. Blues do tend to pull out the yellow in our Asian skintones so its hard for us to wear it. I do tend to have more pink tones in my skin so it just sort of works better 🙂
LeGeeque says
February 11, 2012 at 11:30 amI’m dying to land my grubby paws on the Guerlain palette. I’m waiting for Bee to arrive in May with my goodies 🙂 I swatched both Guerlain and RImmel and I agree Rimmel can be a little gritty. Also, I love the quality of Guerlain products – I wish they’d do away with the scent, though
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:39 pmHurrah for Les Aqua 😀 I think you’ll love it a LOT! 😀
makeup.addict says
February 11, 2012 at 8:34 pmI do like the look of the Guerlain palette but I for one am not a fan of the blues. Every time I attempt to put on blue eyeshadow, a picture of Mimi from The Drew Carey Show pops up into my head, I’ll shudder, so bye-bye the blues. 🙂 The most I have done with blues on my eyes is using a dark dark dark dark blue shadow as an eyeliner. Adventurous I am not. 😀
Paris B says
February 12, 2012 at 6:42 pmHAHA! Indeed that Mimi from the Drew Carey show is priceless (and the perfect example of how NOT to wear blue shadow!) I think blue shadow is something that isn’t for everyone but you could also try blending in a bright blue as an accent colour, with dark grey or black. Its very eye catching!
milktea says
February 20, 2012 at 12:26 pmI have no problems with blue as a regular day-to-day color. Do not like texture of Rimmel’s eye shadows. When rubbed on with fingers, it feels gritty. I have used Kanebo’s Media range of shadows, they have nice blues with a smooth texture.