Your amusing factoid of the day!
The part of a pen responsible for the click-click-clickity sound is called “a thrust device.” ?️
You’re welcome! ?
There’s no thrust device in these new $7 Maybelline Color Strike Cream-to-Shadow Pens, and aside from their cylindrical packaging, they aren’t very much like pens at all… When you twist them open, there’s a sponge tip inside, which is basically a fairly traditional preloaded eyeshadow applicator. In fact, there isn’t a felt tip or a ball-point pen applicator or a thrust device anywhere in sight.
Semantics, schemantics.
These cream shadows are great for a single, purposefully messy sweep of color on the lids because they’re only moderately pigmented, so they’re perfect for washes of quick, easy color.
The formula is on the thinner side, but I wouldn’t call it watery. It’s almost like someone melted a MAC Paint Pot and thinned it out a bit. It’s slick and slippery when it moves across your skin, and it takes some time to set, so you have a good 10-15 minutes to blend.
I would caution against using too many “pens” (“air quotes”) on your eyes in one sitting, though, because there seems to be a tipping point after which too much shadow results in the colors mushing into a muddy mess.
I also find the applicator a challenge to use and, even with the pointed sponge tip, the shadow always ends up a little bit off…which makes these difficult to use for layered looks with multiple placements.
That said, the price is right, though ($7 MSRP). They’re less than $10 each! And the wear time is fabulous. They last all day long on my dry lids with barely a hint of creasing, and that’s without using any primer with them.
If you’re a fan of one-and-done eye makeup, I think they’re great. Just remember to stick to single shadow looks, OK?
I would suggest starting with Flare, the matte cool-toned taupe. It’s the one I wear the most, and it’s a neutral everyday shadow color a lot like MAC Groundwork Paint Pot but more gray.
You can find all 10 shades of Maybelline Color Strike Cream-to-Powder Shadow Pen at Ulta for $8.99 a pop.
Full speed ahead to the holidays
There are two types of people (not really, but hear me out) — those who go full speed ahead in early November and put up their Christmas decorations right after Halloween, and those who wait to decorate until after Thanksgiving. Before 2020, I fell into the latter camp because I didn’t want to rush through Thanksgiving. It’s such a beautiful holiday in its own right and a wonderful bridge between Halloween and Christmas…but 2020 has been different, and I kinda need to feel the holiday spirit like RIGHT NOW, so I’m skipping my usual wait time and starting early.
This is the only time of year I wish I had a fireplace, because I’d love having the space to decorate! Our house has the remnants of a former fireplace, but it was covered over years ago. A previous owner removed it for reasons unknown, and now it’s hidden somewhere behind a wall…
If we had one, I’d do this to it…
For the past few years I’ve been into decorating classic Christmas colors (red, green, gold and silver), but this year I need all the colors!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict
Karen
Flash, Hustle and Chase are speaking to me. I need to make a drugstore run sometime soon, I’ll keep my eye out for these.
I hear you on the holiday decorations. I’ve been begging Dear Husband to make a trip to storage to get our Christmas decorations. It usually takes him two trips anyway because the tree box (artificial) is so huge. Something about this entire year and the sudden early darkness makes me want to put up all the twinkling holiday lights right now!
I usually wait until Remembrance Day has passed before I start decorating. I took down my Halloween stuff and still kept my fall favourites out. I also rearranged my books on my book shelves and have made room for more (ha!)
Unfortunately we’re going on a second lock down (something they should have done a month and a half ago, the cases kept going up and the government wasn’t doing anything, so I figured they would continue to do nothing about it). They gave very little warning this time and it’s screwed up an appointment I had and lots of plans (small dinner gatherings that would have been within guidelines anyways) … I spent the night at my parents because after today I won’t be able to see them for a month, and I miss my fathers birthday as well. I’m very sad.
Oh no! Not again! Where are you located Savannah?
So sorry, Savannah. 🙁 I hope you’ll be able to spend Christmas/the Holidays with your family.
Thrust device, huh? HAHA! I’m all about the one-and-done for shadow but if you have some challenges using these, I can’t imagine the trouble I’d have! As an adult, I’ve always been a traditional color decorator but as a kid, my best friend’s family used to have these bubble lights in all colors and then they’d wrap their tree in angel hair after it was decorated so it was like this giant white triangle with pulsing spots of color everywhere. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Whenever I slept over, I’d wake up in the night and go to the living room and just sit and watch the tree. HAHA! Go for whatever brings you joy!!! 🙂
Now you got me thinking about Xmas decor. I don’t put up a lot anymore because I HATE taking it all down. I think next day off from work, I may put the 2 small trees up and a few other small things. I also do like the shadows. Flare was also my fave in the bunch.
I have a few of these in my collection, and I really like them! Very quick to use and easy to blend, I’ve found, and like you said the price is right!