Illamasqua Powder eyeshadow- review, swatches & EOTD

I'd been searching for a brown eye shadow since a long time. Hey I know that you would be surprised to think as to why I was bothering to search for a common shade like brown. Isn’t it? But trust me, I have a lot of brown shades in my eye shadow collection but I wanted a different type of brown…a brown which I can apply with all my outfits especially white and black and which can justify with all my jeans colors. I think I’m making you a bit confused, but what can I do because some times it seems that I’m myself am  a bit confused with my eye shadows. Anyways I’ll finish all the confusion and tell you the truth, I wanted a brown shade matte eye shadow which can be used with many dresses and can give a natural effect. In my opinion a brown shade is most effective shade to get a complete natural look.

It’s a coincidence that I found this color recently not just once but twice. First it was with Too Faced Dream Edition palette and the other is the Illamasqua Matte powder  Eye Shadow
 Vernau from Illamasqua’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection- Human Fundametalism. Both are almost similar to each other and are exactly the brown that I wanted since a long time.

Today I’m going to write about Illamasqua’s single powder eye shadow in Vernau.

Illamasqua Powder Eye Shadow-Vernau

Illamasqua Powder Eye Shadow Vernau is single matte powder eye shadow which was a part of Illamasqua’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection- Human Fundametalism.

What Illamasqua says...

Each of these glorious colours makes a statement that is as individual as you are. Highly pigmented, prepare for an intensity that’s not just colour-true but extremely long-lasting. Experiment and be bold.

Weight 

2g 0.07 OZ

Price

£15.50

Ingredients

TALC, DIMETHYLIMIDAZOLIDINONE RICE STARCH, MICA,  AQUA (WATER),  PROPYLENE GLYCOL, MAGNESIUM MYRISTATE, OCTYLDODECANOL, ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PEG-150, PHENOXYETHANOL,  RICINUS COMMUNIS OIL (RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL),CETEARYL ALCOHOL, QUATERNIUM-26, SILICA, METHYLPARABEN, GLYCERYL RICINOLEATE, CERA CARNAUBA (COPERNICIA CERIFERA (CARNAUBA) WAX), CANDELILLA CERA  (EUPHORBIA CERIFERA (CANDELILLA) WAX), ETHYLPARABEN, SODIUM CETEARYL SULFATE, STEARIC ACID, CERA MICROCRISTALLINA (MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX), PROPYLPARABEN, TETRAHYDROXYPROPYL ETHYLENEDIAMINE, PARAFFINUM LIQUIDU (MINERAL OIL), CETYL ALCOHOL, CERA ALBA (BEESWAX), PARFUM (FRAGRANCE) AND MAY CONTAIN: [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE CI 77891, IRON OXIDES CI 77491,    CI 77492, CI 77499, CARMINE CI 75470, ULTRAMARINES CI 77007, YELLOW 5 LAKE  CI 19140, BLUE 1 LAKE CI 42090, BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE CI 77163, MANGANESE VIOLET CI 77742, FERRIC FERROCYANIDE CI 77510,  RED 40 LAKE CI 16035,  CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS CI 77288, CHROMIUM HYDROXIDE GREEN CI 77289] (EU EXCLUSIVE SHADES MAY CONTAIN: CI 12085, CI 15850, CI 45380, CI 15985, CI 73015, CI 45410, CI 77266) MAY CONTAIN CARMINE AS A COLOUR ADDITIVE. STOP USE IF IRRITATION OCCURS

Shades

There are six exciting shades launched with this range.
Burst.
Pivot.
Cancan.
 Sex.
Obsidian Rich black.
Vernau

Vernau

It’s a taint fawn brown shade which is excellent for blending out alone on the lids and for getting a lovely natural effect. It can be applied with a black eye shadow to get a smokey eye look.

How to use

Use a long bristle brush for blending and a shorter bristle brush for precise colour placement. Mix Powder Eye Shadow with Sealing Gel for colour-intensification, and apply with an Angled Eye Liner Brush for unlimited eye liner opportunities. They can also double up as blushers or contours, whilst shimmer textures can be used as a highlighter on the eyes, face and body.

In the mirror of my own experience

It's my first chance to use this brand, I had heard a lot about it but the final opinion always comes after one's own experience. Every experience gives you a new excitement, some times with lot of happiness and a bit disappointment too. My experience with Illamasqua was very nice and lovely.

Packaging

Illamasqua eye shadows come in an exclusive packaging with black shining curved edges and a transparent lid with the brand logo marked on it. The shade can be seen without opening the box. It does not come with an applicator or a mirror.

Overall I love its packaging because it looks elegant at the first look. It so light weight so very easy to keep in my handbag. I also love the fact that I can see the shade from outside. But I think its so inconvenient for application point as there is no mirror or applicator is provided with the packaging. I can ignore the applicator easily because I hardly use it but mirror should be must with the box.

Texture

I love its texture because it’s soft and silky smooth. On seeing it, I hadn't expected such smooth texture. But after touching just one swipe I was blissfully delighted because as you know that texture of a shadow plays a major role in its quality and when I applied it on my lids I can say that it’s not super creamy as RBR or Sleek Makeup eye shadow but I really enjoyed while applying it on my eyes.

Pigmentation

The pigmentation is as perfect as I wanted with this brown, I can’t say it super duper pigmented but can say it well pigmented because just one swipe of the color shows on the lids properly. As you know I wanted a brown shade which can give me a natural effect and it’s just perfect for it. So in my point of view it’s an ideal brown shade.

Application

As I have written that it’s not super pigmented so at a first application they do not come up super strong but still, strong enough to be seen, the second and third application makes it completely beautiful. It’s so buildable that blending becomes natural, and give you an effect which I want. It blends well with a simple eye brush and you can get look which you want.

Effect

The effect which I get after applying it is really very pretty. It’s a color which can be applied in many ways. If you applied just one or two swipes and blend it, the effect will be so natural and as innocent that it’ll seem you have applied nothing on your lids and your eyes are entirely natural. But if you applied 4/5 swipe and mixes it with black shadow, the effect which comes will be quite glamorous. It can be used with other shades like cream and blue to find a different look. For smokey looks it’s an ideal color along with a black eye shadow. So it’s quite a versatile  shadow.

Lasting power

I love its long-lasting power. I can apply it without primer and it lasts about for 5 to 6 hours easily. I never faced any creasing problem with it. With a good primer it can last almost whole day which is really very effective.

Good points

Very elegant packaging.
Soft, silky texture.
Beautiful matte brown versatile shade.
Practically pigmented.
Blends well.
very buildable.
Great staying power.
It doesn’t crease on my lids even without a primer.


.

Bad points

There is no mirror and applicator provided with the packaging.
Slight fall out is experienced.

A bit expensive for a single eye shadow.
Only available online which makes it more expensive.

Finally...

Over all I love this shadow, the shade and the quality is impressive and great & so you can ignore some bad points of this product. The effect you get after using it makes your eyes look blissful. I'm really very happy with my experience with this product and I would love to try out some more shades of their eyeshadows!

Rating

4.25/5

Recommendation

If you love a complete matte eye shadow with a soft texture, you should really try it once.

Availability

You can purchase Illamasqua Powder Eye Shadow Vernau from their website.

This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. All reviews are expressed with complete honesty. For more information, please read my full disclosure HERE