Entries for Tuesday November 30

Aromaleigh v1’s Pyro

• Vendor: Aromaleigh v1
• Availability: available as part of the Elemental Lusters collection
• Color Range: metallic cinnamon shimmer
• Staying Power: 4 out of 4 stars
• Cost/Amount: USD$8 for 1.2 grams
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades: Meow Cosmetics' Pyramid

Zoya’s Suvi

• Manufacturer: Zoya/Art of Beauty
• Availability: originally released in October 2008 as part of Zoya's Downtown collection
• Color Range: metallic blackened emerald shimmer
• Staying Power: 4 out of 4 stars
• Cost/Amount: USD$7 for 15 ml / .5 fl oz
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades: China Glaze's Jolly Holly (same shade of green; not quite so blackened)

This color definitely needs two coats before it’s opaque - in any way, shape, or form. It’s watery, like Ki; but two coats gives you opacity and three coats (thin coats, but three of them) gives you a gorgeous blackened green shimmer. One coat will get you a thin dark-emerald wash of color. Two coats, and you’ll start to see what this will be when it’s applied. Three coats…et voila, you’ve got the full effect.

Entries for Monday November 29

Aromaleigh v1’s Drama Teal

• Manufacturer: Aromaleigh v1
• Availability: available as part of the Pure Drama collection
• Color Range: blackened teal shimmer
• Staying Power: 4 out of 4 stars
• Cost/Amount: USD$7.25 for 1.2 grams
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades:

I originally got this because I thought it might - MIGHT - be a halfway-decent substitute for Loretha, which I missed out on. Turns out…they’re kind of similar. Loretha has more teal pigmentation and less of the blackening; but Drama Teal doesn’t have a whole lot of sootiness - which is a very nice relief!

This particular shade will definitely work well as a liner color, but probably not as anything else unless I become very adept at lighthanded makeup application.

Zoya’s Pasha

• Manufacturer: Zoya/Art of Beauty
• Availability: originally released in July 2004 as part of Zoya's Suede collection
• Color Range: beige-taupe pearl
• Staying Power: 4 out of 4 stars
• Cost/Amount: USD$7 for 14 ml / .5 fl oz
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades:

It looks so very unassuming…and maybe it’s because the color is a pale-milk-chocolate brown, but the faint “metallic” finish really shows up on this color. Two coats and I felt a burning need to rip open a bag of Christmas candy. (Fortunately for me - and my waistline - there wasn’t any in the house.) Even with a single coat it was a bit too dark to be truly a “mannequin-hands” color. One coat was still not fully opaque, but it was fairly close.

Entries for Saturday November 27

Benefit Cosmetics’ Taupe-aztic cream shadow

• Manufacturer: Benefit Cosmetics
• Availability: from Sephora; released as part of the Femme Metale kit
• Color Range: metallic beige-gold shimmer
• Staying Power: 4 out of 4
• Cost/Amount: USD$19 for 3 grams
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades:

Entries for Friday November 26

Benefit Cosmetics’ Plum-ing for Gold cream shadow

• Manufacturer: Benefit Cosmetics
• Availability: from Sephora; released as part of the Femme Metale kit
• Color Range: metallic maroon shimmer
• Staying Power: 4 out of 4
• Cost/Amount: USD$19 for 3 grams
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades:

With “Plum” in the title, you might expect this to be a purple. Well…perhaps it is to others, but to me it’s a lovely maroon. This is actually the color I’d hoped MAC’s Artifact would be, but isn’t quite - so I’m very happy!!

BareMinerals’ Tinsel

• Manufacturer: bareMinerals/Bare Escentuals
• Availability: was released as part of the All Wrapped Up kit
• Color Range: deep navy-blue sparkle
• Staying Power: 3 out of 4
• Cost/Amount: $13 for .28 grams
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades: Aromaleigh v1's Bette (less pigmentation)

This color raised hopes that there would be a deep rich blue…and then kind of dropped them. Folks found that unless they wetlined, most of the blue sparkle disappeared, leaving them with a blackened navy ish that’s a bit similar to Marina, but with less pigmentation.

Pat this one over primer, or the sparkle won’t stick and you might not be incredibly happy with the results.

Entries for Thursday November 25

Benefit Cosmetics’ Platinum cream shadow

• Manufacturer: Benefit Cosmetics
• Availability: from Sephora; released as part of the Femme Metale kit
• Color Range: metallic white-gold shimmer
• Staying Power: 4 out of 4
• Cost/Amount: USD$19 for 3 grams
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades:

The three paint pots from Femme Metale are very nicely pigmented. They spread easily, but don’t stay damp forever. I hope Benefit adds more colors like this to their lineup!

BareMinerals’ The Gift

• Manufacturer: bareMinerals/Bare Escentuals
• Availability: was also available as part of the All Wrapped Up kit
• Color Range: bronze taupe shimmer
• Staying Power: 3 out of 4
• Cost/Amount: $13 for .28 grams
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades:

One of the two previously-released colors in the All Wrapped Up collection. It’s a fairly soft, slightly-warm brown sheen. The color reminds me of graham crackers.

(This could mean that this color really does match graham crackers, or that I’m hungry. Either one, really…)

Entries for Wednesday November 24

Benefit Cosmetics’ Purple Snap cream shadow

• Manufacturer: Benefit Cosmetics
• Availability: from Sephora (exclusive)
• Color Range: iridescent ultraviolet shimmer
• Staying Power: 4 out of 4
• Cost/Amount: USD$19 for 3 grams
• Would you purchase again: yes
• Similar shades:

If you took Sephora's Flashy Mauve pencil, added a little more pigmentation, and made it into a cream shadow...you'd get this. It's not easy to get opacity out of this color. I had to apply more than I normally do, and then I had to wait longer for the stuff to dry. There are slight hints of blue duochrome in there, though, that make the color look good all on its own. If you're looking for a candy-colored purple cream shadow, this might not suit your needs. If you're looking for something other than the standard taupes/neutrals/browns for use as either a semi-translucent base color or a subtle shade on its own, give this a try. It's exclusive to Sephora, which means that unless Benefit has special marketing agreements with Sephora to release this color at its international stores and boutiques later on, you'll have to get a friend to buy this color for you.