I have long been searching for the perfect eye shadow, that stays in place all day, doesn’t smudge in the crease line and does not fade or lose intensity throughout the day so I when I saw No 7’s ‘Stay Perfect’ eye shadow the name immediately caught my attention. I’ve tried many brands of eye shadows, though each of them seem to have their own flaws and although I had never before tried a No 7 eye shadow; I have tried some of their other makeup so expected these eye shadows to be of a high quality.
~~What is it?~~
This is an eye shadow by No 7. It is in the normal ‘powder’ form and seems to be a fairly lose powder, yet is still quite compacted. They are described as eye shadows that ‘boast high colour, blend effortlessly and last all day’; hence the given name. They come in a small, black compact like case that also comes alongside a small sponge applicator.
~~Price and Availability~~
These eye shadows cost £8 and for one eye shadow I do find this to be a little expensive; if it were a trio of colours I think that the price would be more reasonable due to the fact you would be able to blend different colours to create many different looks. Nonetheless, I do find No 7 products to be often on offer, such as the £5 off deal, where these eye shadows would cost just £3. They are also currently on offer at buy one get one half price.As it is a No 7 product, it can only be purchased from Boots and their online store, though can sometimes be picked up on eBay for a little cheaper.
~~The sponge applicator~~
As with many eye shadows, this also came with a small sponge applicator. I was actually pleasantly surprised with the quality; it was very soft to the touch and did not have the same roughness that some of the cheaper ones do. The only thing that I found when using this, rather than my brush, was that it did not seem to transfer the eye shadow to my eyelid very well and it seemed to all get caught in the applicator. I also found that due to the small size of both the applicator and the handle it was quite difficult to use, particularly when trying to blend the eyeshadow. I personally would always pick my eye shadow brush over this applicator, though the quality of it is better than others I have seen and do think it will come in handy when travelling or for touch ups throughout the day.
~~Applying the eye shadow~~
This eye shadow applied very well to my eye and was just as easy to blend. I found that the colour transferred well from my eye shadow brush to my eyelid and felt every so light and soft along my eye. The eye shadow did have a powdery formula, yet I was pleased to see that there was no fallout and applied very cleanly.
I found that the eye shadow was very highly pigmented and although I had chose subtle colours, the shades were still very intense which meant that it took little time to build up the colour on my eye. Due to the lightness of the eye shadow, despite the fact that the colours were very intense, it was still very easy to blend out the eyeshadow or blend colours together to ensure that there were no harsh lines. I found working with the eye shadows extremely easy and found that it was very easy to build up the colours where need be, such as in the crease line or on the outer corners of my eye. Due to the formulation of the eye shadow I did find it at all weighty on my eye (like some heavier eye shadows or mousse eye shadows can do) and instead it felt virtually weightless.
I was very pleased with the ease in which I was able to apply and blend these eyeshadows and although them being quite lose powders, I was also pleased to see there was no fallout. I felt no need to apply with a damp brush or to add a little water a I have done with some eyeshadows in the past and instead was pleasantly surprised with how smooth they were to apply.
~~Results / Did the eye shadow stay perfect?~~
I was really impressed with how the eye shadow looked on my eye, the colours were very intense (which was most likely due to the high pigmentation) yet still seemed subtle enough for every day use. I was pleased to see that the eye shadows had blended very well and there were no harsh lines where the different colours met. I found that many of the colours that I had chosen had this lovely metallic (almost iridescent finish) which although I hadn't expected as I thought they looked quite matte, I actually really liked this as it was done in a subtle way and added some depth to the colour.As far as the 'stay perfect' goes, I have to say I do think this eye shadow lived up to it's name. The eye shadows stayed put all day and did not crease in my eye line and neither did the colours begin to fade or lose intensity. I am not sure whether this was because I chose quite light, subtle colours and therefore I would not have noticed as much if the colour had faded than if I had chosen a darker colour such as a dark grey or a black. I was also pleased to note that the eye shadow had not begun to smudge or feather, which I often find eye shadow can do through the course of the day in the outer and inner corners of the eye.
~~Variations / Colours I would recommend~~
There is quite a wide choice of colours to chose from, from darker colours, through to neutral and very bright colours. I do find that most of the eye shadows have a matte appearance, yet when I applied them they had a metallicness to them, so it is worth testing them in the shop before you buy. I was happy with the colour choices available and do think many people will find a colour or two that they will suit.I have now tried quite a few of their eye shadows and although there were a few that I wasn't quite as keen on, a few that I would recommend are:
Antique Rose
This colour looks a matte, dusky pink colour, which is something I would never normally go for but as it was given to me as a gift I decided to give it a go. I was really pleasantly surprised at this colour as when applied it seemed to be a very pale pink with a gold metallic sheen to it and actually looked very nice once applied. If you were after a matte dusky pink (as this looks) I would not recommend this though as once applied it does not look like this.
Starry Lights
This is one of my favourite eye shadows as I find it the most versatile. It is a pale cream/ beige colour that has a slight shimmer to it. I really love this eye shadow for the inner corner of the eye or as a base. Due to the shade of this eye shadow I have found that you can apply it with almost any colour and almost 'moulds' to the colour you want it to be; such as a cream, or a pale yellow, a nude colour and so on.
Truffle
This is a deep brown colour that looks like it may have some shimmer tones, yet once applied is fairly matte. This eye shadow can be applied lighter in order for a lighter brown and can be built up to the deep brown colour. I find it works well with both a neutral and smoky eye. This colour is one of the darkest and most intense I own, yet I still find it lasts throughout the day and does not fade.
~~Ease of Removal~~
Despite these eye shadows staying on the eyes all day and not fading, I still found them very easy to remove. They are not waterproof so came off simply with a little cleanser and did not leave any form of stain behind.
~~How long will it last/ Is it worth the money?~~
I believe that these eye shadows are worth the money, I have had most of my eye shadows for 4 or so months now and although I do not use them all daily, I do use them often and have only hit pan one of them. This is on the 'Starry Lights' one, which I do use everday for either a base colour or for a neutral smoky eye, nonetheless I have only just hit the bottom of the eyeshadow and can therefore see it lasting me for a while yet.
~~Overall~~
Overall I was really impressed with this eye shadow and the fact that it stayed in place and did not fade meant that I would be happy to be £8 for it, although will be stocking up on a few different colours when the £5 vouchers come out! It is very rare that I find a beauty product that lives up to its name, though I do believe this one does and therefore would definitely recommend it!
Excellent review. John