MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Shadow review + swatches - OE, 4E, 6E, 8E, 20E, 22E, 30E

           Whether you fancy synchronized swiming or just lounging by the pool this summer, MAKE UP FOR EVER has you covered with their new MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Shadows. According to Make Up For Ever lore, Dany Sanz created the line to have the vivid colors and lasting power suited for performers in ballet, opera, theatrer, and even synchronized swimmers. Waterproof is taken pretty seriously! You may be familiar with MAKE UP FOR EVERs Aqua Eyes eyeliners and Aqua Cream eyeshadows. Aqua Shadow is MAKE UP FOR EVER's newest waterproof offering, this time in eye shadow pencil form.

          MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Shadow functionality seems to fill a niche between the eyeliner and cream shadow lines. The Aqua Shadows are chubby pencils that can have the convenience of, but can cover much more area than an Aqua Eyes eyeliner pencil. As a fan of Aqua Eyes eyeliners, I can only imagine this to be a good thing. Because Aqua Shadows are in pencil form, you'll find that the formula to be less creamy and blendable than the MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Creams. I do prefer the Aqua Shadows to the Aqua Creams. The Aqua Creams, though well loved by many,  were a little dry and flaked on my lids. I find the Aqua Shadows to be more comfortable and a better formula on me.

          Eyeshadow pencils straddle a line between creamy blendability and the need to maintain structural integrity of a tip. If the shadow is creamy it is easy to blend and work with, but runs a higher risk of creasing since it may not dry down effectively on the eye. I think MAKE UP FOR EVER must have placed more emphasized lasting power. The Aqua Eyes eyeshadow glides on relatively easily, however they're not as slippery as some other eye pencils I've come across. As you can see, this is probably because of the high wax content. This is likely what keeps your eyeshadow to be long lasting and waterproof. That said, the warmer your pencil is, the more easily it will glide on. The color deposition is rich and vibrant, as one would expect of a MAKE UP FOR EVER product. They formula is difficult to blend with fingers or brushes, however this is why the product is long lasting. If you want to blend in different colors, I find that layering with different Aqua Shadow pencils works to achieve a blended effect.

         After a test drive, I think the colors can last a few hours before some creasing. I didn't use primer, which usually is a must for me with powder shadows. Additionally, the creasing wasn't the immediate white-line-like crease that has happened to me before with NYX and NARS eyeshadow pencils. The creasing isn't devoid of color, it's more like the color was present but weakened at those spots. In that sense, I'm impressed at the lasting power of this eyeshadow pencil when compared to other eyeshadow pencils. The formula does seem to be waterproof. I don't have a pool on hand, but I did notice it was a pan to scrub off my arm swatches under running water! The eyeshadow also survived a non-soapy facewash.

Ingredients (based on 20E) - Cyclopentasiloxane, Synthetic Beeswax, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Magnesium Silicate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Myristyl Lactate, Stearoyl Inulin, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Myristyl Alcohol, Silica, Propylene Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Stearic Acid, Tin Oxide, [+/- Mica, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77000 (Aluminum Powder), CI 75470 (Carmine), CI 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), CI 77400 (Bronze Powder), CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide)]. Made in Germany

         In terms of  colors, MAKE UP FOR EVER treats makeup like art. Instead of generating most excitement from limited edition seasonal colors, they focus on a comprehensive set of basic colors for you to work with. I was lucky to have the chance to try several colors from the new MAKE UP FOR EVER's Aqua Shadow line.The collection is divided into matte colors and pearl colors. As you can see from the swatches below, the matte colors I have are 0E a matte black, 4E a matte taupe grey, 6E a matte navy blue, 8E a matte green, 20E a pearly taupe, 22E a pearly copper, and 30E a pearly pink beige. All the colors are quite rich and opaque. I've noticed that the pearly shades have a slightly smoother formula than the mattes.

          Needless to say, I'm going to have some fun with the MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Shadows this summer. I'm especially thrilled with the pearly shades, and would recommend starting there if you're interested in trying Aqua Shadows. The formula is slightly nicer and the colors are easy to wear. I can see 20E, the taupe, being a favorite. Thanks for reading! Have you tried the MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Shadows? What are your favorite waterproof makeup products?

Love, Dovey.

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.