Review: Almay Shadow Softies Eyeshadows in Moss and Smoke

Purchased by Me

I've been fascinated by the new Almay Shadow Softies since I first posted pics of the display back in the beginning of November. Well I finally picked up the two shades I wanted the most (a matte and a shimmer) and today I'd like to share my thoughts with you. There are 12 shades in this range (six "mattes" and six "metallics") and you can see what the display looks like here.

Almay Shadow Softies Eyeshadows in Moss and Smoke

(retail: around $4.49 each, 0.07 oz)

 Yay for safety seals!

So the big question: Are these whipped, mousse-type shadows? Or are they creams? Answer: NEITHER. These have the exact same type of consistency as the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes. If you push your finger into them, they "bounce" back, unless you press too hard (in which case you'll leave a finger imprint on the surface). They're almost like Silly Putty, in a way. So they're definitely not powders, and they're definitely not mousses or creams. They're sort of a hybrid of a mousse and cream, with a firmer, bouncy consistency.

You can really see what I'm talking about when you look at the taupe shade (Smoke) below:

Swatches:

 over bare skin

over primer

Smoke

applied to bare skin (no primer)

The photos above were taken after two applications of the shade Smoke, applied with my fingers. As you can see, this is a sheer color and I definitely had to build for the pigmentation you see above. On the plus side, this shadow went on smoothly with no tugging or pulling. I also didn't find it dry or patchy, and it was quite easy to blend. For the record, this is NOT a true matte color. There is subtle sparkle running throughout this eyeshadow.

Moss

applied to bare skin (no primer)

Moss was a bit more pigmented than Smoke on the first pass (I applied two layers in the pics above), but as you can see, this is still quite sheer. Again, this was very easy to apply--no tugging or pulling, and the consistency is not dry, which means no patchiness. Just like with Smoky, this one was quite easy to blend using my fingertips.

What I like:

These shadows would be ideal for those who prefer a sheer wash of color. I like that I can use my fingers for application (they actually don't work well using a brush--at least they didn't for me--because the brush doesn't seem to pick up color like a fingertip can). I also like that they apply smoothly and are easy to blend. No patchiness, and the best part is that they do not crease for me even after several hours of wear. I like that I can use these as a base for powder eyeshadows--they are nice in that respect because my powder shadows adhere to them easily and, depending on the powder shadow you're using, they could help to intensify color.

What I don't like:

The color payoff isn't quite there for me when these are worn on their own--I just tend to prefer richer, more pigmented colors on my eyes. I also don't like that I can't use a brush if I so choose, because I find that, due to the texture, I just can't pick up color with a brush.  I also don't like that these shadows fad and lose vibrancy after about four hours of wear on my oily lids. Granted, they don't crease on me (which is great) but they do fade. Eyeshadow primer doesn't really help to beef up pigmentation, because once you start blending these with your fingertips, they naturally want to sheer out. Primer does help a tiny bit to prevent them from fading, but not much (for me, at least).

FINAL VERDICT: Those who like a sheer wash of color and the convenience of a product you can quickly apply with fingers might want to consider giving these a shot. On my oily lids, the color stays around for about four hours before I start to see fading, but they do NOT crease for me, even after 6-7 hours of wear. Do I love these? No. Do I hate these? No. I'm sort of indifferent, because I personally like better pigmentation, and I don't really need another "base color for powder eyeshadows." But again, I appreciate that I CAN use them successfully as a base for powder shadows, and I also appreciate how easy they are to apply and blend. To sum it up, I like them, but I don't see myself rushing out to buy more. I really appreciate that Revlon is starting to release new and interesting products under the Almay brand, and I look forward to seeing what else they have in store in the future. I think these are a nice start, but I'd like to see bolder, more pigmented eye colors from Almay down the road.

Do you own any of the new Almay Shadow Softies? What do you think of them?

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.