Review: ColourPop + CoffeeBreakwithDani Metamorphosis Super Shock Shadow Quad

Press Sample 

Finally, a ColourPop review, right? I swear I have had a wishlist going for over a year now, but every time I think I'm ready to pull the trigger, they release something new and I end up shuffling around my "must-haves" and starting my darn list all over again! I was able to place an order for some of the new Ultra Matte liquid lip colors the day they went live, so expect another review from me for those as soon as I get my order (should be any day now).

But today, I'd like show you the Metamorphosis Super Shock Shadow Quad, which is a collaboration with CoffeeBreakwithDani on YouTube.

Full disclosure: I am friends with Dani of CoffeeBreakwithDani, and she gave this quad to me when it first debuted. She gave this to me as a gift, and she did not request nor expect me to review it. However, I have been using this quad for a few weeks now and I love it so much that I really want to share it with you while it's still available for purchase (in case you might like to order it). I am certainly not the only blogger to love this quad (Temptalia gave it an "A" rating and many others have given it high marks as well), but I thought you might like to know my thoughts since these are the first ColourPop eyeshadows I have ever owned.

ColourPop + CoffeeBreakwithDani Metamorphosis Super Shock Shadow Quad

(retail: $20 on the ColourPop website; 4 x 0.07 oz.)

Keep reading for my full review...

Made in USA

Ingredients

All ColourPop shadows are 0.07 oz. each, so these are not minis. The retail pirce for a single shadow is $5, so $20 for this quad is the standard rate for four shadows.

Clockwise from left (color descriptions from the ColourPop website):

• Strength (Satin finish) - Soft peachy caramel 

• Kindness (Sheer Opal finish) - Warm red brown undertone with a gold, green and blue duo chrome

• Bravery (Matte finish) - True medium brown

• Hope (Sheer Opal finish) - Radiant opal with pink, violet, blue and silver duo chrome

As you can see, you get one Satin finish shadow, one Matte finish shadow and two Sheer Opal finish shadows in this quad. I believe that the Sheer Opal finish is brand new for this particular quad.

A closer look at each shadow (photos taken in bright artificial light and low natural light):

Strength (Satin finish)

(bright artificial light)

Strength (Satin finish)

(low natural light)

Kindness (Sheer Opal finish)(bright artificial light)

Kindness (Sheer Opal finish)
(low natural light)

Bravery (Matte finish)
(bright artificial light)

Bravery (Matte finish)
(low natural light)

Hope (Sheer Opal finish)
(bright artificial light)

Hope (Sheer Opal finish)
(low natural light)

Swatches (all shadows swatched on bare skin - no primer):

Strength, Bravery, Hope, Kindness

(bright light)

Strength, Bravery, Hope, Kindness

(low light)

Strength, Bravery, Hope, Kindness

(low light)

Because Hope and Kindness have a Sheer Opal finish and are not designed to be worn alone (unless you're going for a very sheer look), I took Dani's advice and have been wearing these over a cream base (think Milani Shadow Eyez jumbo pencils and Maybelline Color Tattoos). So here are some swatches of both shades over a Color Tattoo:

Hope and Kindness on top of  Maybelline Color Tattoo in Matte Brown

(Third swatch is Maybelline Color Tattoo in Matte Brown by itself, for reference)

Before I get into my review, I want to address the "Kindness is a dupe for MAC Blue Brown pigment, Wet n Wild Comfort Zone, etc. etc." issue. Yes, on first glance this does look like a dupe for those shadows, but it is not. Not only is the finish different from those shadows (again, the Sheer Opal finish shadows are intentionally sheer and designed to be worn as "transformers" for other shadows), but the base color and duochrome effect are actually different than those other shadows as well. If you'd like proof, check out Dani's Instagram pic HERE for swatch comparisons and you'll see what I mean.

First, I'd like to talk about the texture of ColorPop shadows. If you're new to this brand or don't already own any of their shadows, these are not powder shadows, and they're not really cream shadows. They're basically a hybrid of both.

Here's what the surface looks like after a few uses (I think this gives you better feel for the actual texture):

ColourPop has great instructions on their site about application, so let me share that now:

For maximum coverage: Use fingertip and tap shadow onto eye lid. A flat, fine tip synthetic brush will work fabulously as well and is actually better for a more detailed application close to the lash line. However, your fingertips make for the most intense application. To blend: Use a fluffy brush that has good movement, dip tip of the brush into the shadow and blend with a “wind shield wiper” movement throughout the crease of the eye. This will make your shadow softer and more diffused (like a total pro). When finished, close that sucker up tight! Don’t leave the jar opened for long periods of time, you may lose some of the magic that makes the Super Shock Shadow so amazzzing.

You can also Google "How to apply ColourPop eyeshadows" for lots of additional tips but for me personally, applying with my finger and using a fluffy blending brush to blend from there has been the best method. I feel that applying these shadows with a brush diminishes the pigmentation and leaves me with patchy application, so I definitely recommend applying with your finger and then using a blush for blending.

I have heard that you can depot ColourPop shadows, but I would not recommend that since ColourPop suggests that you store these with the lids tightly sealed to prevent them from drying out. If you depot, you need to make sure you are keeping these in a seriously air-tight container, so I just wouldn't recommend doing that (better safe than sorry).

Now for my review of this particular quad:

Strength (Satin finish) - Soft peachy caramel 

Strength is a great lid color and transition color for me, and it also works well on light makeup days when I just want to quickly apply one shadow from lashline to crease, throw on a bit of liquid liner and mascara and head out the door. There is a tiny bit of sparkle to this shadow, but I don't really see it on my eye after blending. I think it's true to its name--it has a satin finish. Very smooth application with no patchiness when applied with your finger. I can even skip using a brush for blending with this shadow and it still looks great.

Bravery (Matte finish) - True medium brown

Bravery looks darker in the pot, but I find that it is a nice "one color" shadow that looks great applied from lashline to crease. I've been wearing it a lot like that lately because I find the color is perfect for my NC20 skintone--it's not too dark and it's not too light. After blending, it gives a nice, put-together look to the eye without being over the top. I've heard that some people have had issues with ColourPop's matte shadows in terms of patchy application, but I did not find that to be the case at all with this color. I can easily apply and blend with my finger and the color is smooth and consistent.

Kindness (Sheer Opal finish) - Warm red brown undertone with a gold, green and blue duo chrome
Since this is a transforming shade designed to be worn on top of a base color, it is quite sheer on its own. You can definitely wear it on its own for a more ethereal look, but I do prefer to wear it over a brown-based Maybelline Color Tattoo such as Matte Brown as I showed you above. I think it brings out the dimension of the shadow that way, and it really is stunning with its teal color shift. I've worn it both ways though, and I do want to mention that the sparkle/glitter in this shadow does not migrate for me when worn alone or over another shadow. 

Hope (Sheer Opal finish) - Radiant opal with pink, violet, blue and silver duo chrome
At first glance, Hope reminded me of the Urban Decay shade Road Stripe (which was my first ever purchase from UD back in the 90s) but it's different than Road Stripe on the eye. Since this is a Sheer Opal finish and designed to be a transforming shade worn on top of another shadow, it is sheer by itself but, just as with Kindness, you can achieve an ethereal look when worn alone. I prefer to wear it on top of a cream shadow, and I love the way it looks both over dark browns (as I showed you above) and also over navy, purple and black. The lovely violet-pink shift really comes through when worn over a dark shadow. As with Kindness, the glitter/sparkle in this shadow does not transfer or migrate whether I'm wearing it alone or over a cream shadow.

To prime or not to prime? That is truly the question! I have read a zillion different reviews about ColourPop shadows and their staying power. Some people prefer to wear them over primer, while others say that they perform better without primer. You know I have oily lids and I almost always wear primer before I apply any color to my eyes, but I find that the formula of ColourPop shadows actually performs better for me WITHOUT primer. I can get a full 10+ hours of wear with just very minimal creasing/fading after ten hours when I wear these without primer. For some weird reason, when it comes to my skin's chemistry, primer doesn't help these shadows stay on for me, and I actually get better wear without primer. I also find that the color is very vibrant without primer, and primer doesn't really intensify things too much for me. This could be completely opposite for YOU though, so I suggest trying these with and without primer to find out which way is better for your own chemistry. I also want to add that when I wear the Sheer Opal finish shades over a Color Tattoo, they wear like iron for me. I even have to use eye makeup remover to completely remove them.

FINAL VERDICT: I couldn't be more pleased with my first ColourPop eyeshadows. From color to pigmentation to staying power, the shadows in the Metamorphosis quad are a joy to wear. I think that Dani did a thoughtful job with color creation here, since there is really something for everyone in this quad. You get a variety of finishes, easy-to-wear colors, plus a bit of fun with the Sheer Opal finish shades. If you're new to ColourPop and want to sample the types of things they have to offer, I think that starting with this quad would be a nice choice.

Do you already own the Metamorphosis quad? If so, I would absolutely love to hear from you! Have you found some great combos for the Sheer Opal shadows? Please comment below and fill us in!

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. For more information, click here.