Hi guys! Today is a long overdue review of six gorgeous Glamour Doll Eyes eyeshadows that the very lovely Vanessa sent to me to try out. I got to choose six colours I thought looked interesting and she sent them internationally for me! I felt so so lucky to be able to get this opportunity, and I wanted to give a really detailed review based on my experiences with them. So let's go!
Before we get to the shadows, I'll give you some background on Glamour Doll Eyes. It's what most people refer to as an "indie" company, or individual, as they are small and often have prices that rival the drugstore, yet quality that matches the mid-range. Their eyeshadows tend to be loose, very pigmented and often come in sample sizes. They also release lots of collections and are generally very exciting! Glamour Doll Eyes started in 2008 and currently sell eyeshadow, primer, blush, glitter, and even lip products, but the eyeshadow is definitely the biggest range.
Moving on, here is what my six sample jars looked like:
The colours I chose were:
- Bittersweet
- Mushroom
- Brown Eyed Girl
- Lethal
- Bella Donna
- Aqua Foil
I decided with this review not to give individual reviews of each colour, as I found them to be very, very consistent in quality, so I will instead give a general review of the eyeshadows I received and my overall thoughts at the bottom.
Here are my arm swatches of each colour. I put them over Jordana 12HR Made to Last Eyeshadow Stick in Continuous Almond to get more even swatches and also to compare how they lasted over the day.
From top to bottom, these are in the same order as above:
The above pictures, as with each below, have natural lighting on the left hand side and flash on the right.
Initially, I was most intrigued by Mushroom as I thought the taupe/silver duochrome (where the colours shift in different light) was absolutely gorgeous. However, I soon realised each of my colours had a very unique colour shift or colour undertone that made them stand out from any other eyeshadow colour I've tried before. These are all super shimmery and highly pigmented.
Here are close-ups of each colour and a description, before I move onto the review:
Bittersweet
Deep taupe base with orange/gold duochrome
Mushroom
Deep taupe base with silver duochrome
Brown Eyed Girl
Shimmery brown with hints of purple undertones
Lethal
Deep taupe base with purple duochrome
Bella Donna
Turquoise with subtle purple undertones
Aqua Foil
Turquoise with hint of gold
I gave myself plenty of time for this review as I really wanted to get a feel for what these eyeshadows are like, considering they were my first indie purchase and my first foray into loose shadows. So what do I think?
Firstly, each of the colours I picked are absolutely gorgeous. I know I keep saying that, but it's true. Each could be used as a single wash of colour over the lid and it would look like finished, due to their colour shifts that add real depth. Aqua Foil works really well as an inner eye pop of colour on an otherwise plain eye, and Bittersweet would have its place in any warm neutral eye look.
The sample jars I was given were very generous, with a little shadow going a very long way. I barely needed to dip my brush into the colour to get enough to cover my lid - they don't shy away from pigment over at Glamour Doll Eyes!
I also like the aesthetic of the brand as a whole - it's a breath of fresh air from other well-known brands, and I like putting these jars on display as they all match and look good together.
However, as with most products, these eyeshadows come with some negative aspects.
Firstly, I really had difficulty getting used to having loose eyeshadows. In general, you have to be a lot more careful as they can be easy to spill, and you have to watch the amount you have on your brush before you apply. However, this is obviously an issue with application I have personally, and is no reflection upon the quality of the product. It is just something for others to consider before purchasing, as I know many people mostly work with pressed eyeshadows. There is definitely a learning curve with these shadows.
Moreover, the packaging slightly bothered me as I would have preferred to have the colour name or some sort of reference to the colour on the lid of the jar, as opposed to underneath, simply so when they are all lined up I can easily grab the colour I'm looking for. I know I could always just store them upside down, but then you don't get the pretty brand name, so neither is perfect. Also, Aqua Foil unfortunately stained my Real Technique Base Shadow Brush - after a few washes it seems to be back to normal but it made me quite sad that the tip was all blue instead of white.
A full size of one of these shadows will set you back $6 USD, and you get the choice of with or without a sifter included. A sample baggie is $1.25, and a sample jar like mine is $2.50. This is seriously good value, especially if you want to try out a whole bunch of shades and you barely ever hit pan on anything (I know I don't...). GDE have free shipping on orders over $50 worldwide, and have plenty of Gifts With Purchase that change often, so you always get a little bonus!
On the whole, I'm really glad I have these shadows in my collection. They are unique, bright and fun, and the colours are very wearable. They don't get reached for as much as, say, a pressed palette, simply due to the fact they take a bit more work and aren't fully appropriate for the morning rush, but their quality cannot be overlooked. I will definitely be making a future order with them!
And that's my review for today! Have any of you tried Glamour Doll Eyes? What do you think?
Thanks for reading.
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