Excellent pics from A is for Awesome (colors are so accurate).
This was my first eyeshadow palette, so I have a soft spot for it :D This is the Almay Intense iColor in Trio of Browns, from their series that targets specific eye colors. The one above is the current version of the palette I have and I haven't tried the "new" version so I don't know if there has been any formula changes since.
This is my (crazy old) version :} I still like it a lot though....yah for shadows not having expiration dates :D I forgot about it for awhile but I've dug it up recently and been playing with the lovely peach-beige color on top :D It's really good as a subtle inner eye highlighter for yellow-toned peeps especially. It reminds me strongly of a very shimmery (and slightly more powder-y) version of Rock & Republic Caret actually.
Cost: $6-7 @ drugstores
Packaging: Pretty good, remarkably sturdy. The new packaging looks pretty similar to the old one, except it's a lot prettier with that sweet embossing. I wish it came with another sponge tip though, since there are three colors and only one sponge.
Texture: Very creamy and smooth. Better than Maybelline Quads I'm surprised to say. Essentially no fallout though it clumps if you try to pick up too much at once.
Staying Power: Not good. These colors are so creamy that they fade really fast without primer. Maybe 2-3 hours max if used alone, especially that soft lilac color.
Colors/Pay-Off: Good! Pretty good indeed, especially the brown and beige colors. The lilac is the least pigmented (and fades the soonest) but the other two glide on really nicely. It's too bad they're not long lasting. I really like the strong shimmer on all of them, even though I wish the color had more complexity to them.
Blendability: Excellent. Blends really smoothly. And that little chip of purple was a chunk of shadow my nail left behind -_- not really the shadow's fault.
Good:Overall
- Good color pay off.
- Blends well.
- Really wearable for everyday.
- Sturdy packaging.
- Texture is really creamy and smooth.
- The lilac is light and shimmery enough to ensure you never look like you've been "punched in the face, " which I think is a problem that happens often with purple shadows ^_^
Bad:
- Not long lasting, colors fade fast.
- Among the most dupable colors I've ever seen -_- So common, except for the lilac I suppose.
Price-wise, it's slightly more expensive than Maybelline I think - Maybelline Quads run $6-7 for 4 colors, $4-5 for trios - but I do think the Almay formula is little better and they give more of each color. There's more color payoff in Almay and the texture is distinctly creamier. Yet both Maybelline & Almay are not very long lasting (aka 4-5 hours w/o primer. 6-7 w/ primer). In the end, I think it all comes down to whether you want the colors in the palette or not ^^ Overall, all the weaknesses can be worked with easily enough and as a drugstore brand, this palette is really not bad at all. I recommend these for peeps looking for colors with slight shimmer, no fuss, and want easily wearable colors since it's pretty hard to mess up with such blendable, neutral colors.
However, personally, I wouldn't buy an Almay palette unless I fell in love with a particular color. I happen to like Maybelline shadow palettes better strictly because they are a lot better at putting color mixes together and offer both shimmery and matte shades all in one palette. All the colors in these iColor palettes appear shimmery and the colors are so very basic - great for those looking for everyday slightly shimmery looks (the shimmer mostly blends out), but not for me ^_^ I generally find the Almay colors a little uninspired :P (though I don't really blame them, these palettes are supposed to be for everyday looks) and three colors in one palette isn't enough for me.
* * * *
Also quick OPI Black Shatter alert! Pretty & Cute just stocked the whole OPI Katy Perry collection - most importantly, 20 bottles of Black Shatter for only $7 each (UPDATE 2/10: Price raised to $9/each). I know people are just hankering for this so I just thought I'd let you guys know xD Speaking of shatter nail polishes - if you're just not feeling Black Shatter or keep missing out on it - fear not cuz China Glaze is releasing their own Crackle Collection!
It's been released already in some places but somehow it doesn't seem to be generating as much hype :\ Basically CG Black Mesh is identical to OPI Black Shatter and the other shades are colorful versions of Black Shatter. I personally am poking over Lightening Bolt and Cracked Concrete since I think those neutral shades would go well with lots of colors :}
So yep, I hope that this update makes up for not updating as often these days~