Seducing You Away From the World of Minimal Makeup, One Fallout-Free Sweep at a Time, the New Laura Mercier Sensual Reflections Satin Matte Eye Colours

Seriously, if there’s anything capable of seducing me away from the World of Single Cream Eyeshadows Applied With a Finger (also known as My Current Love Affair With 5-Minute Makeup, also known as Mr. Minimal Eye Makeup for Summer), and back to the Land of Four Shadows All Up in Yo’ Crease, it’s going to be these Laura Mercier Satin Matte Eye Colours ($24 each).

These should carry a warning that says, “Do not operate heavy machinery while wearing these or gaze too long at your own reflection; otherwise, you might totally forget to eat!”

OK…we all know that’ll never happen (because this girlfriend is HONGRAY), but if I were to ever forget my lunch, you’d be wise to suspect this eyeshadow’s impeccable formula.

New and limited edition, these $24 Satin Matte Eye Colours are part of the new Sensual Reflections fall collection, which is all about smoldering, seductive eyes in shades of gold, plum, green and pink, and I don’t recall ever seeing anything quite like these in Laura’s line before.

The formula is D-O-P-E! Feeling almost like a cream, but one that doesn’t feel wet, these powder eyeshadows don’t feel as grainy as many other powder shadows do to me, nor do they exhibit the same fallout I often notice.

They’re almost like a gel, but not quite.

If you’re familiar with the MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows, I think these are similarly easy to blend and also packed with pigment, but the shine is more nuanced (and, yay! — forgiving) on the lids.

And then there’s the wear time and lack of fallout. Once you get them on your lids (with the help of a good primer), they stay put. No fading, no budging, no creasing — none of that business — all day long.

To make a long story short (or a short story long, depending on your P.O.V.), these are easy like Sunday mornings and last a really long time. No need for touch-ups.

The colors are also surprisingly complex. Each one has something to set it apart — some special twist or flash of color, and when I’m wearing them and blink or turn my head a certain way, there it is. It makes them seem more special than run-of-the-mill flat, monochromatic colors.

Gold Seduction: Ah… This one is SO my jam and a must-have for gals and guys with warm skin tones. A deep brassy, bronzed gold (almost like MAC Powersurge Eye Kohl in eyeshadow form), it glows when it catches the light just right. It also manages to do this without aiming a bullhorn that says, “This way to Karen’s fine lines!!!”

I’m thinking about grabbing a spare (or two or 12).

Wear it on your lids with a warm matte orangey bronze in the crease, and you’ll feel like you’ve arrived in eye makeup heaven (*cue angels singing!*).

Plum Allure: OMGCANTBREATHEGORGEOUS! This rich, plummy bronze has little flashes of copper running through it.

Reminds me a lot of BECCA Cabrera, an old eyeliner I have stockpiled in a drawer.

(I’m so not kidding… I have about eight sticks.)

Plum Allure has that same plummy, bronzy complexity, and I think it looks fantastic in the outer V with Gold Seduction on the lids, or smudged along the lash lines by itself.

If you have hazel, brown or blue eyes, please, PLEASE give Plum Allure a try. I have a strong feeling it’ll rock.

P.S. Try it beneath Chanel’s New Moon Illusion D’Ombre cream shadow, if you happen to have it around.

Tempting Green: So pretty! If you like green smokey eyes in rich jewel tones, get on Tempting Green as soon as humanly possible. It’s an intense forrest green with a hint of blackened charcoal.

Layering it on top of a gunmetal cream shadow like Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Smoke brings out the charcoal notes and makes it look almost like a blackened jade.

Sensual Pink: I think this one is a tad averse to swatches. I like it much better on lids.

When buffed into the inner corners and along the brow bone with a domed eyeshadow brush, this opalescent peachy beige pearl creates an understated spotlight effect.

It’s a very Chanel-esque shade.

And with all of these, there’s the packaging. I love the clear top because you can see the colors immediately, and the plastic feels sturdy.

I can’t really think of anything I don’t like about these eyeshadows, except for the fact that they aren’t joining the permanent line.

Oh, well. As they say en français (sort of), LE SIGH.

Since these are limited edition, if any of them catch your eye, don’t delay. Keep an eye out for ’em at your local Laura Mercier counter and online at lauramercier.com when they arrive in late July/early August.

PRICE: $24 for a 0.08-ounce pan
AVAILABILITY: Late July/early August; limited edition
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+

’80s Fashion at Its Finest

Besides reruns of The Golden Girls, which never, ever get old, Dominion, Defiance and The Strain (and probably something else I’m forgetting, LOL!), there’s absolutely nothing — NOTHING — on TV right now. 🙂

So I’ve been watching a lot of Netflix lately, and last night I started watching this super cheesy ’80s teen high-school movie called Can’t Buy Me Love, starring a very young Patrick Dempsey.

It’s beyond cornball (cheesy character development and dialogue, on par with a C+ Lifetime movie), but I couldn’t stop watching it because the fashion is totally on point. The movie is from 1987, which was when I was in middle school, and the big hair, the oversized blazers… I lived through it ALL!

I even had the exact same oversized Esprit sweater one of the main characters is wearing early in the movie (this one here).

DUDE! You don’t understand. I LOVED this sweater so much that I wore it on seventh-grade picture day.

Next time I visit my parents I’m gonna look for it, and if I can find it, you better believe I’m wearing that thing to Trader Joe’s.

Viva la ’80s!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen