Eyeshadow Collection

This post is all about my eyeshadow collection! As you can tell, I love eyeshadow, and I have learned that it is worth the few extra dollars to get a good product. In other words, no more CoverGirl or cheaper eyeshadows for me! I have broken my eyeshadows down into color, and I will go through what each color is and a description of that color if it is available from MAC. Most of my eyeshadows are still available, but I will put the ones that were discounted or limited edition in italics. I will also follow up the descriptions with what my favorite colors are from that section as well as ones I wish I hadn't gotten. I hope this will help you all, and I hope you don't look at this as bragging. I just like to look at my blog as a way to tell others good products as well as things to beware of...things I wish I had known, I guess. Enjoy! =)

My Makeup Collection...

Drawer One: Highlights and Neutrals
(If no brand is listed, then it is MAC)

Starting in upper right hand corner and going down:

• JANE-Intensity-A pigment-type e/s, good for going over dark e/s to add shimmer
• Grand Entrance
• Vellum
• Naked Lunch-Minimal pink with shimmer (frost)
  

Second column from right

• Smashbox-FIZZ
• Ricepaper-Peachy gold with shimmer (frost)
• All that Glitters-Beige with gold pearl (veluxe pearl)

Third column from right:

• Vanilla-Peachy-Ivory with reflects (velvet)

Fourth column from right:

• Gesso-Vivid White (matter)
• Crystal Avalanche-White with reflects (veluxe pearl)
• Dazzlelight-Neutral with shimmer (veluxe pearl)

There are several eyeshadows in this drawer that I love! My favorite highlight is dazzlelight. I think it just has enough shimmer to be pretty without making you look like a glitter ball-definitely a must for MAC-lovers! Another good highlight would be Vanilla, I use this one when I have a lot going on on my lid and don't want any shimmer to take away from that. Vellum is a very different highlight, it can create this interesting bluish tint when put on top of darker or purple colors. All that Glitters, Grand Entrance, and Naked Lunch are all good neutral eye lid colors, and I have mentioned them all in a previous post when talking about good, quick looks. Lastly, I would have to say that I love my Smashbox shadow. It is the only Smashbox shadow I have, but I love it, probably because it is so similar to All that Glitters or Naked Lunch.

As far as the bad ones, I don't have too many I don't like. After getting Dazzlelight, I wish now I hadn't bought Crystal Avalanche, just because it is more intense, and I get more use from Dazzlelight. Ricepaper and Gesso are two colors that I guess I'm glad I have, but I don't use them very much, so looking back I should have bought colors I knew I'd use more.

Drawer Two: Blacks/Greys

First right column, starting in upper right corner:

• JANE-Clubbing-A lot like MAC's Black Tied-black with glitter
• Contrast-Purplish-blue with blue pearl(velvet)
• Carbon-Intense Black (matte)

Second column from right:

• Electra-Silver with icy shimmer (frost)
• Plumage-Dusky peacock (matte)
• Typographic-Asphalt black (matte2)

Third column from right:

• Graphology-Blackened purple-grey (matte2)
• Knight Devine-Black with silver pearl (veluxe pearl)

I have four favorites in this drawer: Contrast, Carbon, Plumage, and Graphology. I love Contrast because I use it to do my "Kim Kardashian" look, which is super easy, but looks really good! Carbon is a great color because I can use it in the outer corner to deepen the color, or over eyeliner to smudge it out and look sexier =). Carbon is definitely the must have in this drawer for you MAC-lovers! Plumage is just this gorgeous, unique color that I like to use, especially with my mermaid-eye look. Graphology is a really pretty color as well, because it looks dark, but it has this purple tint to it, and as you will find out in a bit, I love purple eyeshadow!

I only have one eyeshadow in this drawer I regret buying, and that it Typographic. It is an okay color, but it looks way too much like Carbon!

Drawer Three: Purples

Starting in upper right corner and going down:

• Creme de Violet-Pink-violet with gold pearl (frost)
• Nocturnelle-Pinked up chrome purple (frost)
• Poison Pen

Second column from right:

• Shale-Mauve-plum with subtle shimmer (satin)
• Sketch-Burgundy with red shimmer (velvet)
• Beauty Marked-Black-red with sparkle pearl (velvet)

Third column from right:

• Purple Haze-Intense purple (matte)
• Trax-Burgundy plum with shimmer (velvet)
• Hepcat-Jazzy little deep blue-wine (frost)

Fourth column from right:

• Beautiful Iris-Lavender with sheen (veluxe pearl)
• Stars 'n' Rockets-Purple with pink pearl (veluxe pearl)
• Parfait Amour-Blue-violet with shimmer (frost)

As you can probably tell, I love purple eyeshadow! Honestly, there isn't one of these colors I regret buying, and I can tell you in the new Style Warrior Collection, I am going to be getting Vibrant Grape to add to my purple obsession =). I do have a few absolute favorites from this drawer though: Nocturnelle, Sketch, Trax, Hepcat, and Stars 'n' Rockets are my faves for sure! If you're looking for a good deep purple get sketch, it works great as an outer "v" color to add depth, and Trax is a really pretty all over lid color. I bought Trax after seeing MakeupByTiffanyD's Audrina look, it was just a very simple, but classy look that I find myself doing often.

Drawer Four: Miscellaneous

First column on the right, starting at top:

• Newly Minted-Rich sea green (matte2)
• Steamy-Bluish-green with gold pearl (veluxe pearl)

Second column from right:

• Aquavert-Soft mint with white pearl (veluxe pearl)
• Aquadisiac-Deep sea turquoise (lustre)

Third column from right:

• Chrome Yellow-Vivid bright yellow (matte)

Fourth column from right:

• Coppering-Orange copper (veluxe pearl)
• Fab & Flashy

So this drawer is another one that I don't really have any that I regret. Sometimes I like to do different, colorful looks, so I had to get these brighter colors. Once again, I couldn't pink one favorite, I have 4 that really stand out to me: steamy, aquadisiac, chrome yellow, and coppering. Steamy is a gorgeous color, and over different bases, it just seems to get more beautiful. My favorite base to use the the turquoise cream liner from Coastal Scents, then add Plumage to the outer crease and Mutiny in the inner corner, and it creates a very pretty mermaid look. Aquadisiac was my first MAC shadow, so it will always be special to me, and it looks great with purple, too! Yellow is my all time favorite color, so of course I had to have a yellow shadow. With Coppering, I didn't think I would like it since I don't really like orange, but honestly, it is such a gorgeous color. I bought it after seeing MakeupGeek's Christina Aguilera look, and it creates a very beautiful smokey eye especially in the fall. All of these colors are gorgeous in this drawer, and it depends on what colors you like to wear as to which one you should get, but I would definitely suggest either Steamy or Aquadisiac since they seem to be so versatile.

Drawer Five: Browns

Upper right corner, going down:

• Satin Taupe-Taupe with silver shimmer (frost)
• Mulch-Red-brown with bronze pearl (velvet)
• Antiqued-Ash brown with bronze (veluxe pearl)

Second column from right:

• Bronze-Gold brown with gold bronze shimmer (frost)
• Texture-Peachy-brown with light shimmer (velvet)
• Embark-Intense reddish brown (matte)

Third column from right:

• Swiss Chocolate-Muted reddish brown (matte)

Fourth column from right:

• Soft Brown-Soft golden peachy brown (matte)
• Signed Sealed
• Brun-Muted blackish brown (satin)

Browns are another color group that I like. It seems like I'll either to a fun purple look, or a more neutral look with browns. I'll be honest, I haven't used all of these shades yet, but I feel like that are all different, and I look forward to playing with them all. I do have 3 top favorites in the brown family though: Antiqued, Swiss Chocolate, and Soft Brown. If you've read previous posts, then you know one of my favorite neutral eye looks include Antiqued, since I've gotten it, I've used it several times a week with All that Glitters. Swiss Chocolate is a gorgeous mid-brown, and I know it sounds weird, but if you pair it with a bright purple, it looks amazing! Soft Brown will be your best friend if you get it, haha. I picked it up after seeing Tiffany (MakeupByTiffanyD) use it in like ALL of her videos to help blend your lid color and create a shadow on your brow bone, and let me tell you, that trick works! It just seems to finish the look. So, as far as definite buys, I would suggest Soft Brown (or a color just like a shade darker than your skin tone) and Antiqued.

Drawer Six: Pinks

Upper right corner, going down:

• Angelcake
• Girlie-Rosy pink with subtle shimmer (satin)

Second column from right:

• Swish-Bright pink with icy shimmer (frost)
• Passionate-Real mid-tone red (matte)

Third column from right:

• Post Haste
• Sweet Lust-Pinky rose (lustre)

Fourth column from right:

• Cranberry (in white pot)-Red-plum with pink shimmer (frost)
• Sushi Flower-Pinky coral with pink shimmer (satin)

I have to admit, I don't use too many pinks, but I wanted to have a few to use, especially in the summer when I get more color. I think I have done well in picking very different pinks, except for Post Haste. I wanted this color so badly, but after buying it, I really think it is too similar to Passionate. If I could have seen it before, I don't think I would have bought it. Angelacke and Girlie are two that I haven't even used yet, so I'm not sure about them either. From this color group there are two pinks I really like: Passionate and Cranberry. Although it is described as a red, Passionate is a very gorgeous hot pink color. Cranberry is a pretty deep wine color that I like to use to create a different kind of smokey eye.

~*~*~*~

So, that's all my eyeshadows! In conclusion, I would like to tell those of you that want to start your MAC collection, to make sure you spend the money on colors you know you'll use a lot, like a good highlighter (Dazzlelight or Vanilla), a black that can double as liner or outer crease color (Carbon), 2 more neutral colors that you'll be able to use everyday (Antiqued and All that Glitters), as well as one WOW color that you can put on when you're feeling adventurous or when you need a pick up (like a purple, green, blue, or pink).

You may also wander why I haven't depotted any of my shadows. I just think it would be a long, hard process, as well as, when I see people's palettes they look dirty for some reason to me, where the shadow has gotten everywhere. Also, I think leaving them in their pots makes it easier to throw in your makeup bag when travelling, so you don't have to take like 6 palettes.

I know this post has been FOREVER long, but hopefully it was helpful. Next, I'll do my pigments or brushes, not sure yet. =)

LATER!

TARYN