Eyes - the windows to the soul... As romantic and poetic as that phrase sounds, compared to other parts of the face that can be made up, I've always held that the eyes are one of the first features to be noticed. That's why I've always been looking for ways to play up my eyes and it's been a challenge...
I've always envied those people with double eyelids as it makes putting on eyeshadow so much easier (sigh). Moreover, most eyeshadow palettes are targeted at double-lidded people because they can make full use of their crease, which adds depth and intensity the look of their eyes.
Having single eyelids and relatively small eyes means that my eyes can't take most darker colours as they tend to make them look even smaller. It took numerous times of experimenting (and failing) to realise that I had a few options: layering neutrals washes of colour or drawing a strong line of bright colour (aqua green works wonders for me) along with a medium-thick eyeliner nearer the eyeline. The first look gives a subtle but bright-eyed look that complements smaller eyes/single eyelids and is good for almost every outfit; the second does the same, but looks way more obvious and isn't suitable for every outfit.
Even though I'd wanted to get a good palette of neutrals for ages, I held back from buying Bobbi Brown and other more expensive brands because well, I was kind of broke. Pure Colors mineral powder pots are the first neutral shimmer eyeshadows that I got, and I must say they're quite worth it!
Here are three pots of Pure Colors mineral powder pots. Each pot contains 1.5g of powder - sounds like very little but considering how little you use in one application, it can last pretty long.
I have swatches for Golden Sands #63 and Sand Dunes #29 because I used those two on my eyes for today's post. Beige Pink #7 is an interesting bronze-pink that can be used as a blusher though I haven't experimented with that yet. The great thing about Pure Colors mineral powder is that you can use it wet or dry.
This is how I would use it as a wet eyeshadow:
1. Apply some eyeshadow onto a water-repellant surface (I used the cover of my eyeshadow pot) with an eyeshadow brush.
2. Dampen the eyeshadow brush slightly with water
3. Use the brush to dab the eyeshadow until it has a consistent texture. Apply onto your eyelids, voila!
Note: Make sure to wipe the cover of the pot clean after using it for mixing! If not you may dampen the entire pot of eyeshadow. I'm not sure if that would mean you're stuck with using only the wet eyeshadow look, but just wipe it clean to be safe!
Swatches:
I have alternated dry and wet eyeshadow swatches so you can compare the colour payoff and texture. As you can tell, colour payoff is better when the eyeshadow is wet. But wet eyeshadows give a more metallic and "solid" texture compared to dry eyeshadows which are more shimmery and give a powdery texture.
Under natural light
From left to right: Golden Sands #63 dry, Golden Sands #63 wet, Sand Dunes #29 dry, Sand Dunes #29 wet
Under artificial lighting (look at the shimmers!)
From left to right: Golden Sands #63 dry, Golden Sands #63 wet, Sand Dunes #29 dry, Sand Dunes #29 wet
Golden Sands #63 is a shimmery light gold colour that's both great for a sweep over the lids for a nice shimmery base and can also function as a highlighter under the arches of your eyebrows. I find that warm toned highlighters don't stand out as well on warm-toned skin (like mine) because they tend to blend in too well! When it's wet, it yields a bold metallic gold that randomly reminded me of Aztec gold.
Sand Dunes #29 is a shimmery light pink colour remniscent of unicorns and fairy dust (seriously!) This colour can be used for a shimmery base too, but it's not so great as a highlighter under the arches of brows because the colour is very diffuse. When wet it transforms into a pretty neutral looking metallic mauve colour that is much better as a highlighter.
On my eyes...
Under the afternoon sunlight
(my eyebrows need taming *gulp*)
Under shade
In these swatches, I've used Golden Sands #63 as a base with a bit of Sand Dunes #29 as a highlighter which cannot really be seen (it doesn't really work so well as a highlighter when dry). I started off with dry Golden Sands #63 but decided to dampen it a bit to get a more intense gold metallic colour. I also used a little bit of my Canmake Jewelstar Eyes in 06 (Brown) on the outer corner of my eye to add some depth. I used Revlon Eye Crayon (Noir) for the eyeliner and a bit of Revlon liquid liner on the bottom lid.
Pure Colors mineral powder pots are perfect for layering on sheer shimmery goodness without going over the top. The particles are small, fine and very blendable, and the shimmers look like a wash of sheer colour on the lids from afar. I also like that you can wear them either wet or dry. But the eyeshadows do give an average colour payoff, nothing spectacular.
I'm letting you in on an exciting secret... Pure Colors mineral powder pots are multi-tasking too! According to their Pure Colors website, they can perform as eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick, blush, nail polish, body shimmer and hair streaks! The lady I bought them from showed me how they could be used on my cheeks and nails and I was very impressed. For use on cheeks, just sweep a blusher brush loaded with some powder (Beige Pink #7 does the trick, according to the lady) across your cheeks. For use on nails, pour a little powder out onto a surface then use clear nail varnish to "pick up" the powder and apply it to your nails, blending well. Pure Colors mineral powders are really multitasking and easy to use :)
Where did I get 'em?
I got four Pure Colors eyeshadows for $60 at a push cart store ($15 per pot) in Jurong Point as there was a promotion because my cousin and I bought four pots each. The fourth pot that I own isn't shown here, but it's a beautiful moss green that I wore recently and blended really well with Golden Sands #63. The store I bought Pure Colors eyeshadows from is called "Beauty n Treat" and is currently located opposite Bossini on Level 1 in Jurong Point.
The Verdict
Price: $15 per pot (promotional price)
+ Good buildability
+ Wide range of shades (there were at least 50 shades there in stock. It was so tempting...)
+ Shimmery texture up close that translates into a sheer wash when seen from far
+ Can be worn both wet or dry
+ 100% mineral makeup (mica is the main ingredient)
+ Multitasker! They can perform as eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick, blush, nail polish, body shimmer and hair streaks
- Expensive (without promotion one pot would cost $30. My advice? Try to bargain for a deal especially if you're buying more/with a friend)
- Some shadows e.g. Sand Dunes #29 have low colour payoff if worn dry
- Product amount is quite minimal
Overall: ♥♥♥♥
Product Packaging: ♥♥♥- (sleek but typical mineral makeup packaging aka sifter with holes for powder to filter through)
Effectiveness: ♥♥♥♥ (acceptable colour payoff, good lasting power)
Repurchase value: ♥♥♥ (♥♥♥♥ if it's $15 per pot/on promotion)
I'm definitely going to get more of these when my wallet feels better :) What do you think of Pure Colors mineral powder?
