Review: Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Singles and Trios

As I work my way through the new Wet n Wild products I was recently sent for review, I am discovering more and more favorites and of course I want to share those with you!

Let's start with the new eyeshadow singles:

L to R: Wet n Wild Color Icon Eye Shadow Singles in Lagoon, Envy, Kitten (retail: $1.99 each)

without flash

The colors in these pics are pretty accurate EXCEPT for Lagoon, which, in real life, is much more of a royal blue and not as teal as it looks in these photos (it's actually much prettier in person).

I like the embossed swirled design on these new singles, and one thing I REALLY like is how the package opens. Take a look at this pic:

I really like that the clear lid extends all the way back, making the eyeshadow itself sit at an angle. It just makes it a nicer experience when you're using this shadow (in my opinion) and I think it's a great little detail.

Now, the real surprise came when I swatched these shadows:

with flash

As you can see, not all of these singles are created equal! Envy and Lagoon are deep, rich shimmers with intense pigmentation, while Kitten (in the middle) is a sheer purple matte with gold micro-glitter. Also, I wasn't fond of the texture of Kitten because the powder is quite hard and it took a lot of effort to get enough on my brush in order to get the swatch you see above. But Envy and Lagoon were effortless to apply and the colors are just as intense and vivid as you see in these pics.

without flash (note: this is a much truer representation of what Lagoon looks like in person but in real life it's got a beautiful, subtle violet shimmer to it which makes it an electric blue--it's gorgeous.)

Next, here are two of the new Color Icon Eyeshadow Trios:

L to R: Wet n Wild Color Icon Eye Shadow Trios in
Don't Steal My Thunder and Sweet as Candy (retail: $2.99)

without flash

with flash

As just like the eyeshadow singles, the lid on these trios extends back so that the palette can be at a slight angle when you're using it, which I love:

And here are are some swatches:

without flash

with flash

With the exception of the black shade in Don't Steal My Thunder, which is a matte with silver micro-glitter, all of the shadows in both of these trios are shimmers and they very much remind me of the texture and look of the old WnW Ultimate Expressions palettes (which I love). They are smooth, buttery shimmers that apply effortlessly and guess what? The staying power of these trios is better than the Ultimate Expressions palettes (for me, at least). They last all day for me even without a primer. If you love the Ultimate Expressions palettes and you were sad to see them go, I think these trios are going to be your best bet at a substitute.

I did an eye look using Envy (the green eyeshadow single) and the browbone and crease colors in the Sweet as Candy trio:

Excuse my red eyes but I took this at the end of the day just so you could see that the colors really do last even without a primer. Also, I used Envy to line my eyes (using my trusty e.l.f. smudge brush and a bit of water).

Final Analysis: The new Wet n Wild Color Icon Eye Shadow Singles in Lagoon and Envy are enough to turn even the most high-end eyeshadow lover into a WnW fan. Seriously, I could not believe I was using a $1.99 eyeshadow when I applied these shades to my eyes. The color, the intensity of the pigmentation, and the smooth application make these pretty darn unbeatable. As for Kitten, I wish that it worked better for me, but I'm just not a fan of texture. If you are sad about the departure of our beloved WnW Ultimate Expressions eyeshadow palettes, I think you will be very happy with the new WnW trios. The shimmers in these trios are at the same level of quality as the U.E. palettes but, in my opinion, the staying power is even better. Also, the brown crease shade in Sweet as Candy is worth the price of the entire trio. It is an incredibly versatile shade that applies like a dream and can be worn in a zillion different ways. I HIGHLY recommend Sweet as Candy if you're a medium-brown eyeshadow lover like myself.

Do you own any of the new Color Icon singles or trios? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.