Makeup Geek Eyeshadows: Review and Swatches

If you saw my Beauty Bay Haul, then you'll know this post has been coming. Of course it had to be my Makeup Geek review! 

Most of the shades I bought were recommended by Jasmine. She's got a fantastic selection of shades and her swatches and descriptions are brilliant. I definitely recommend checking her post out if you want even more Makeup Geek goodness!

Let's start with a quick run down of the palette housing my six MUG shadows since they only come packed individually. I decided to get the small black Z Palette (although I think I'll be moving to the large one soon) as it fits the pans nicely and is a good size for day to day. It's small, compact and very sturdy. The palette also comes with a pack of sticky magnetic backs in case whatever product you buy doesn't have one. I don't have a bad thing to say except it could do with a mirror. Onto the eyeshadows!

Frappe:

A warm mid toned matte brown that's ideal for the crease. It's creamy and easy to blend and is a really good staple shadow that I know I'll use all the time. 

Cocoa Bear:

A warm toned dark brown perfect for the outer corner to smoke out a look. It's another creamy matte shade that is a good staple in my collection. You can't have too many of these shades because there so versatile and suit practically every skin tone. Like Frappe, it's incredibly easy to blend.

Bitten:

I love this dark purple matte shadow. It's creamy and is the perfect way to subtly add colour to your day to day routine without it looking garish. This is the perfect winter eyeshadow and I think it would pair nicely with Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in Metallic Pomegranate. 

Swatches L-R: Frappe, Cocoa Bear, Bitten, Cosmopoliatan, Grandstand and Flamethrower

Cosmopolitan:

This is one of Makeup Geek's traditional shimmer shadows. It's a rose gold that's lovely and sheeny applied all over the lid. It's pigmented yet wearable for the day time. You can amp it up with a flat brush and Fix Plus for a more dramatic look, or apply it with  fluffy brush for a pretty sheer wash. It also pairs well with Frappe and Cocoa Bear in the crease and Bitten softly blended into the outer corner. 

Grandstand:

A bronzey taupe eyeshadow that's from the foiled eyeshadow line. The foiled eyeshadows offer a more intense pigment and sheen without being chunky or glittery. They're also the creamiest eyeshadow's I've ever worked with. Grandstand is gorgeous for an almost wet look to the lids. It's fairly neutral in tone, perhaps leaning slightly warm. I think it's quite a unique colour because taupe shades tend to lean cool and don't flatter my skin tone. This shade strikes the perfect balance of warm and cool tones. 

Flamethrower:

I've saved the best until last. Flamethrower is another foiled eyeshadow but this is a truly stunning fiery rusty orange. It's vibrant and so pigmented that a light dab with a finger is all you need to cover the entire lid. This shade is not for the faint hearted and there's nothing subtle about it which is why I love it. I haven't come across a colour like this and I coo over it every time I look at my Z palette. It looks amazing all over the lid with Frappe and Cocoa Bear in the crease and lashings of mascara. 

The lasting power of the regular eyeshadows is pretty much all day with a primer. They don't fade awkwardly or crease on me. The foiled eyeshadows don't last as long but are easy to touch up because you only need fingers. I do want to mention that if you're working with the foiled shadows, apply them at the very end before mascara and liner. It just gets a bit messy if you apply it to the lid first and then work on the crease. Do your crease work and smoke out the eyes first, then apply the foiled shades at the end. Aside from that, they're a pleasure to work with. I've never felt an eyeshadow as buttery as the MUG foiled ones. As Jasmine says, they offer a dewy effect that's hard to find at this price point. The standard eyeshadows cost £4.95 and the foiled shadows cost £7.95. 

I can't wait to get more shades. Already on my list are Burlesque, Latte, Shimma Shimma, In the Spotlight, Starry Eyed and practically every other eyeshadow available. I definitely recommend checking out Makeup Geek eyeshadows for an affordable way of building your own palette. I've also spotted the new contour powders online, I feel another haul coming on...

You can find Makeup Geek online at Beauty Bay.

What are your top Makeup Geek eyeshadows and what should I get next?

Thanks for reading,
Avani
xoxo