I went upstate last weekend to visit the family for Labor Day, and managed to convince my brother to stop at Kmart on the way up so I could pick up a few things. One such thing was this cream eyeshadow from E.L.F.'s studio line. I was drawn in by the neutral shimmery brown, and have been wanting to try a cream eyeshadow (the only other one I've ever used was not very successful), so plunked down the $3 for it. Following, my thoughts.
It is, however, about twice as large as it really needs to be, which makes it really inconvenient for traveling. The jar design may also be off-putting for some who don't like the germs introduced by dipping their fingers in, but since I apply my makeup in my bathroom right after washing my hands, I'm not too worried about it.
The texture is much firmer than I expected, though very creamy and emollient. I use my ring finger to apply, and have found that swiping it around in a circle is a good way to get a decent amount of product.
I've tried using a brush, too, but found it not as effective as my finger, though your mileage may vary. I have to blend quite a lot for even coverage, but the creaminess makes that easy. It's not so creamy that it takes forever to dry down, though, and within a minute it's set. Worn alone (no primer or powder), it lasts 4+ hours with very minimal creasing. Worn as a primer, it adds a nice brown depth to shadows; I like wearing it under brighter shades because it helps tone them down and make them friendlier to me.
At 0.35 oz, the size is very generous for a cream shadow; those made by other brands are in the 0.12 – 0.21 range, so this is nearly 3x the size of some. The shade range is limited with only 4 neutral-oriented shades available at the store I went to, but their website lists 5 more new shades, several of which are much more vibrant. At only $3 apiece, they're a good way to see if cream shadows appeal to you. Cream shadows can be handy for days when you just want a light wash of color, or for when you want to tweak the color of your powder shadows, or extend their wear, by layering them over cream shadow. They're a very versatile product, and the E.L.F. are definitely a worthwhile entry into the field.
Overview
$3 for 0.35 oz, available from E.L.F. and some drugstores and Targets
Quality: 8
Effectiveness: 4.5
Ease of Use: 4.5
Senses: 5 (no itching or irritation)
Pigmentation: 4.5
Duration: 4 (lasts all day over primer or under powder, and lasts several hours on its own before some creasing occurs, but the color never fades)
Consistency: 4 (very creamy and emollient, almost so much that it slides all over the place before it gets set)
Price: 4.5
Value: 5 (cheap and huge, just the way I like it)
Packaging: -0.5 (I like how elegant it looks, but I really dislike how bulky it is––completely impractical for travel)
Grade: B+
I like it and think it's a solid, affordable cream shadow.
What do you think of Dawn? Have you tried any of the E.L.F. cream shadows?
Dawn in window sunlight
It comes in a heavy plastic jar with a large black lid. The packaging is quite elegant, especially for a drugstore brand, and the well of shadow looks very modern in its casing.
It is, however, about twice as large as it really needs to be, which makes it really inconvenient for traveling. The jar design may also be off-putting for some who don't like the germs introduced by dipping their fingers in, but since I apply my makeup in my bathroom right after washing my hands, I'm not too worried about it.
The texture is much firmer than I expected, though very creamy and emollient. I use my ring finger to apply, and have found that swiping it around in a circle is a good way to get a decent amount of product.
Dawn blended (top) and unblended (bottom)
Same swatches, different angle––the shimmer level here is more representative of how it really looks
I've tried using a brush, too, but found it not as effective as my finger, though your mileage may vary. I have to blend quite a lot for even coverage, but the creaminess makes that easy. It's not so creamy that it takes forever to dry down, though, and within a minute it's set. Worn alone (no primer or powder), it lasts 4+ hours with very minimal creasing. Worn as a primer, it adds a nice brown depth to shadows; I like wearing it under brighter shades because it helps tone them down and make them friendlier to me.
At 0.35 oz, the size is very generous for a cream shadow; those made by other brands are in the 0.12 – 0.21 range, so this is nearly 3x the size of some. The shade range is limited with only 4 neutral-oriented shades available at the store I went to, but their website lists 5 more new shades, several of which are much more vibrant. At only $3 apiece, they're a good way to see if cream shadows appeal to you. Cream shadows can be handy for days when you just want a light wash of color, or for when you want to tweak the color of your powder shadows, or extend their wear, by layering them over cream shadow. They're a very versatile product, and the E.L.F. are definitely a worthwhile entry into the field.
Overview
$3 for 0.35 oz, available from E.L.F. and some drugstores and Targets
Quality: 8
Effectiveness: 4.5
Ease of Use: 4.5
Senses: 5 (no itching or irritation)
Pigmentation: 4.5
Duration: 4 (lasts all day over primer or under powder, and lasts several hours on its own before some creasing occurs, but the color never fades)
Consistency: 4 (very creamy and emollient, almost so much that it slides all over the place before it gets set)
Price: 4.5
Value: 5 (cheap and huge, just the way I like it)
Packaging: -0.5 (I like how elegant it looks, but I really dislike how bulky it is––completely impractical for travel)
Grade: B+
I like it and think it's a solid, affordable cream shadow.
What do you think of Dawn? Have you tried any of the E.L.F. cream shadows?
