Almay Shadow Squad: My Honest Review
Hello hello everyone. I hope you have been having a safe and dry week. The rain here in Dallas is relentless. But, it has given me the perfect excuse to stay in at home and read in bed, which is my idea of a perfect afternoon. The grey skies have affected my wardrobe, that's for sure. I pulled out all of my sweaters again and my rain boots finally got some good use. But I wanted a little color in my makeup game to add some zing to my otherwise monotonous week.
In comes Almay's newest eyeshadow launch. I mentioned this product in my previous post, and how I wanted to try this little shadow quad. I went out to Ulta and snatched one up. Now, instead of going for a subdued neutral shade, I wanted to branch out and grab one of the more striking color options. I finally landed on the purple quad, called 'Making A Statement'.
As I've said before, this launch is every minimalist's dream. The palette highlights one solitary shade, done four ways. Each finish is different, creating a dynamic, monochromatic statement.
Upon first glance, I noticed that this purple shades appeared a tad darker in real life than it does on Almay's website, so that was a little disappointing. Most purple eyeshadows tend to have a sullen effect once applied to the eyes, so that is why I was so excited when I saw the bright pigments staring at me from my computer screen. Nevertheless, I didn't let that small difference make me any less enthusiastic about trying out this new product. Once I got to the checkout counter, my spirits elevated once more; it's under $10. Four shadows for $6 is something to smile about.
Now, onto swatches and application. Here, I have labeled which shade is what in the compact. Then down below, I swatched it out on my arm to see how they apply on the skin. Upon first swipe, I noticed that each shadow felt very soft, but there is some fallout. So be aware when first applying this to the lid, you need to kick off the excess on your brush beforehand. Keep in mind, most shadows have some fallout, so this wasn't that dramatic for me to hate this product.
They all blended really well with each other once they were applied to my eyelid. Unfortunately, the shadows did translate a little dark on my lid, but it definitely did make my green eyes appear brighter. And that was my desired affect.
I laid down the satin shadow all across the lid, adding a nice soft wash of color. Then, I packed on the matte shade in the outer corner, slightly dragging it up into the outer crease, to add some definition. Then, I used a flat brush to swipe on the metallic shade on the inner corner of the lid. This added some illumination and some glisten to brighten up that area. Last, I used my finger to pick up some of the glitter shade, and pressed in directly in the center of my eyelid, to create a pop of shimmer, and to make my eye appear bigger. This was the star of the show for me. I loved how it added some texture to the look, and some much sought-after sparkle.
Overall, this little shadow quad is a great staple to have in your makeup bag. You can create either a simple, daytime look, or a dolled-up nighttime look, just with one product. But, the colors weren't as vibrant as I thought they would be, and they have a little fallout. It's a good product, with a good price, in my opinion. But there's nothing about it that has me jumping up and down and so inspired to use it all the time, you know?
I think these are a great option for the girls who are wanting to branch out and try more colorful makeup. You're not spending a ton of cash, you get 4 separate finishes to try out, and it's an affordable way to venture out in your daily makeup routine. And, if you decide that you don't like it, you won't feel too guilty about spending $6 on a shadow you won't use again.
I will keep this quad, and will use it again. But, I'll probably save it for those days when I'm traveling, and don't want to pack 5 eyeshadow palettes. It is small and won't take up much room.
What do y'all think of the Shadow Squad eyeshadow from Almay? Have any other products you want me to try out and give my honest review? Comment down below, or email me here with your recommendations.
Thank you for reading along, and for continuing on with me on my ever-evolving love affair with makeup.
-Emily
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