Difficult eyeshadow formulas and how to conquer them (& a review of MAC's Dazzleshadows)

Recently MAC came out with a new eyeshadow formula, the Dazzleshadows, which, well, dazzle. They’re full of little reflective glitters, and while that looks absolutely gorgeous in a swatch, when you apply it with your usual brush – the horror! Fallout all over your face. That got me thinking, because I guess we all have that eyeshadow graveyard full of gorgeous shadows that are a b***** to apply. Here’re our best application tips for challenging eyeshadow formulas and our best tools that will help you with that.

Base

For glittery eyeshadows like MAC’s Mineralize Eyeshadows, the new Dazzleshadows, Urban Decay Moondust shadows, or in fact every powder eyeshadow that you’ve experienced fallout with – they need a good, sticky base to make particles adhere to your lid. I like cream eyeshadows for that – staples like MAC paintpots (or fluidlines!) or stick eyeshadows like Chanel’s or Kiko’s. These are usually more emollient than eyeshadow bases like Urban Decay Primer Potion and their brothers and sisters from other companies.

For pigments and Dazzleshadows I use Too Faced’s Glitter Glue. This will change your makeup life, promise! Pat a tiny amount on your lid and immediately apply your shadow. Shadows are notoriously difficult to blend over Glitter Glue, so I found that applying your glitter eyeshadow last will do the trick (do everything else first – crease shades, transition schades etc.) – just pat the Glitter Glue over your base or whatever you used carefully and apply the glitter e/s on top of that.

Speaking of Dazzleshadows…

… they are absolutely gorgeous.

MAC Dazzleshadows in Let's Roll, I Like 2 watch, Try Me On, She Sparkles — MAC Dazzleshadows in Let’s Roll, I Like 2 watch, Try Me On, She Sparkles

“The rich, stay-true pigments adhere to the lid with minimal fallout, imparting eyes with a beautiful, twinkling sheen. The creamy, talc-free formula delivers a texture that’s the perfect union of cream and powder, creating a multidimensional, reflective surface that leaves lids looking dazzling yet delicate.” (MAC)

Same swatches, different lighting. (She Sparkles, I Like 2 Watch, Let's Roll, Try Me On) — Swatches! (l.t.r.) She Sparkles, I Like 2 Watch, Let’s Roll, Try Me On). You can see that She Sparkles has light pink glitter in a silvery grey base, IL2W and Let’s Roll are the most duochrome and Try Me On has a light blue basewith green/gold glitters. IL2W shifts between red and green, Let’s Roll between red and pink.

Although they’re definitely powder e/s, they feel quite creamy, and their glitter is never gritty. They all have a coloured base with reflective glitters in them. Some shades are duochrome, some get their reflective quality from different coloured glitters. MAC aptly called the LE they came out with Le Disko, but I’ve really enjoyed the smoothest colour (She Sparkles) in looks during daytime as well. They perform great worn over the lid with a matte transition and crease colour and add some oomph to neutral looks. (Use a similar base all over your lid and use the Dazzleshadow for a pop of sparkle right in the middle of your lid!) My favourite way to apply them is patting them over Glitter Glue with my fingertip. I really don’t see what’s the benefit is of applying them wet, it doesn’t make them more vibrant and it doesn’t enhance the weartime or application. Normal wear-time is around 8 hours for me – I wore them in very hot and humid weather and at the end of the day, I could definitely detect some migrating glitters and a bit of creasing.

Another pic of She Sparkles and I Like 2 Watch.

What they aren’t: restrained. They give your eye makeup a lot of sparkle and glamour! If you wanna get them, hurry! They’re LE, but a lot of retailers still carry nearly all of them (21$, 16£, 24€).

Try Me On and Let's Roll in all their sparkly glory. You can see the duochrome of TMO and the different coloured glitters in LR. — Try Me On and Let’s Roll in all their sparkly glory. You can see the duochrome of TMO and the different coloured glitters in LR.

Application methods

Fingers

Let me start by saying that it has never fazed me to use my fingers when applying makeup. I’m not a makeup artist so I don’t use products on others, and I know that my fingers are clean when I dip them into a paintpot or concealer. If you’re a germaphobe, then very likely this method won’t appeal to you.

Especially when it comes to blending cream eyeshadows or formulas like the ColourPop eyeshadows, MAC’s Electric Cool e/s, Chanel’s Illusion d’Ombre or Armani’s Eye to Kill e/s, no brush can beat my fingertips (for me). (I even use my fingers with the Dazzleshadows.)

Brushes

If you insist on using a brush, synthetic brushes are the way to go with creamy formulas. Let the formula of the eyeshadow be your guide of which brush you need – a very creamy formula will need a softer brush than a stiff formula (that needs a firmer brush).

Silicone/foam applicators & mini beautyblender

Who would’ve thought that one day the little applicators companies love to include into their palettes would come in handy one day?! MAC’s Pressed Pigments can be applied with them beautifully, as well as something like NARS sparklier eyeshadows. ‘Bouncy’ formulas like ColourPop e/s, Chanel Illusion d’Ombre and MAC Electric Cool can also be applied with a damp mini beautyblender – especially good for blending edges!

Forget the applicator wand

Liquid eyeshadows, how I love thee! Let me count the ways… (sorry, got carried away here). You know that Astrid and I both think that Armani’s Eye Tints are the bees knees and all that, but even we fangirls can admit that they might be a tiiiiiiny bit difficult when you try to apply one of the bolder colours – they appear to be patchy on the lid, hard to blend, etc. Even more difficult are the liquid (duochrome!!!) eyeshadows German drugstore brand P2 recently came out with. Generally speaking the more liquid the formula is, the harder it is to apply.

How to conquer very thin cream eyeshadows like the Armani Eye Tints and P2 sheen supreme gel eye shadow: use a very thin base (pictured here: Urban Decay Primer Potion) and a fluffy blender brush!

To get a nice even look, first you’ve to forget about the applying the shadow with the applicator wand. Apply a small blob on the back of your hand or a palette and look for the fluffiest synthetic blending brush you own. Real Techniques has a real good one, but both Astrid and me love the cheap-as-chips ebelin blender brush found at dm. Apply on your lid and carefully blend upwards. Try to get it right on your first try, if you have to go in again to apply more in some places, wait a bit before using the gentlest motions imaginable. You don’t want to wipe the layer you applied before off again, so take care. Same with blending another shade into your first. Also, try to use a very silicon-y base with liquid shadows. The thinner, the better.

Astrid wearing Armani Eye Tint in Sunet and P2 eye shadow in hidden treasure

Experiment!

Never forget to try out different things when eyeshadows give you trouble. A different base or a different tool could make all the difference, and what works for me can very well work not at all for you. Our eyelids are all different.

I’d love to hear your application tips! Please share!