There are some new cream shadows that have launched from a few brands I really love and I have a quick roundup review. There are new shades from Bobbi Brown and new formulas from Hourglass and Victoria Beckham Beauty.
New Bobbi Brown Shades
I’ve been a long-time lover of the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks in the shimmer and matte formulas. The pigment is great, easy to layer and once they set and dry they are pretty much budge-proof. I saw some new limited-edition shades pop up online in Sun Pearl, Bronze, Soft Bronze and Sunlight Gold and ordered two.
Bronze is more of a neutral taupe shimmer while Soft Bronze is a slightly lighter neutral (both listed on-sale at Bobbibrowncosmetics.com). Both shades are really pretty and slightly different variations of their Golden Bronze (which isn’t really golden or bronze on me but still stunning).
I added a swatch of Smoky Topaz (cooler taupe shimmer) to compare. Also had to give Peach Mimosa a shoutout because when it launched last year it was a bit hard to find but it’s back in stock at Nordstrom and Ulta Beauty.
They also added some new variations of the Dual-Ended Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick at Sephora and I have one in Cashew/Pink Copper which I’ve been really loving. I hope they make Pink Copper in the full size eventually.
Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow Stick
Top to bottom: Equinox, Prism, Phoenix and Solstice
So many of you expressed interest in the new Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow sticks and the shades looked so beautiful I had high hopes. After testing these for a few weeks now I feel I am among the very few that did not like these.
I found the color payoff and formula very disappointing. They swatch beautifully on the hand. The colors, shimmer and texture are just beautiful. However, on the eyes the color does not show up. The formula feels dry so if I pack it on to get the color payoff I want it looks very creased and caked.
A few things to note: I have dry eyelids and I think these were formulated for more oily lids. Also I think I may just be the skintone that the shades blend in – if you have lighter skin or deeper skin the colors may contrast more and show up better. Last – I’ve received a number of messages from new followers who found my account and like to wear foundation/blush but don’t wear a lot of eye makeup and have asked for a recommendation on a light eyeshadow they can swipe on without a lot of effort.
If you’re one who wants a more minimalist wash of color I think these will be right up your alley. I found these missed the mark and still 100% prefer the Scattered Light Eyeshadows.
Available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty and all other Hourglass retailers.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Eye Wear
Last is a look at two of the new Victoria Beckham Beauty Eye Wear Cream Shadow ($34 each) and these are pure love. I think the formula is really nice for a cream shadow. I wish there were more shades to pick from in the initial launch but I’m happy with both.
Formula is creamy but long-wearing, easy to blend and work with. I like layering on Pecan (matte brown) first as a base and blending it out they adding Caramel (shimmery bronze) on top. I can’t wait to see more colors in this formula.
Available at Victoria Beckham Beauty and Violet Grey.
I swatched some other browns I own including her Lid Lustre in Mink. Also included the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Chocolate Brown, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadows in Cinnamon and Espresso, Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Cocoa, the creams from the Patrick Ta Major Dimension Palette and By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon.
Overall my favorite cream shadow stick formulas are still Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier. They’re easy to work with, they have the right amount of color payoff for me, they set well and they have a good range of colors + finishes to work with.
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Have you tried these new colors or formulas? What did you think?