When I ordered these two eyeshadow compacts a while back, I had ZERO idea what I'd be getting. I hoped for the best and was pleasantly surprised by the colors (vs. the swatches on the website, which are always a gamble). So let's take a closer look!
Yves Rocher Matte Tri-Tone Eyeshadow in 12031 Ash Blonde Mauve
(retail: $19, 0.1 oz)
Yves Rocher Instense Color Duo Eyeshadow in 52832 Prune & Powdery Taupe
(retail: $16, 0.1 oz)
Now before you go saying, "G, why are you reviewing eyeshadows that are almost $20? Have you lost your mind??" let me explain to those new to Yves Rocher. Products on the Yves Rocher website are almost always on sale. And if they're not currently on sale, you literally only have to wait a few weeks and they will be. For instance, the Intense Color Duo Eyeshadows are currently on sale for $9 each (44% off). And I'm betting that the Matte Tri-Tones will be on sale again soon as well. I bought both of these a few months ago when they were on sale and paid half price (or less--I forget exactly how much I paid but I know they were both under $10).
Let's start with the Matte Tri-Tone Eyeshadow:
12031 Ash Blonde Mauve
As you can see, without primer these go on pretty sheer and the darkest shade is spotty as well. Over Milani Eyeshadow Primer, things become much smoother and more intense. The lightest shade is actually a shimmer (Yves Rocher calls it an "illuminator").
Here's a quick look at all three shades on my eye (over Milani Eyeshadow Primer):
In the above photos, I used the sponge-tip applicator to apply the medium shades from lashline to crease. Then with an eyeshadow brush, I applied the deeper shade to my crease. And finally I used a blender brush to apply the lightest shade to my brow-bone area. I'm very pleased with how smoothly these shadows applied and also the level of vibrancy over primer.
Next up, the Intense Color Duo Eyeshadow:
52832 Prune & Powdery Taupe
As you can see, these shadows are very nicely pigmented even without the help of Milani Eyeshadow Primer. There's barely a difference over primer, but of course primer does help to keep them vibrant and locked into place all day.
Here's what both shades look like over Milani Eyeshadow Primer:
Please ignore the spotty blending above my crease area. This was due to user error and NOT the shadows (I applied my primer and then got distracted--when I came back to apply my shadow, the primer was already set and so it caused some dragging when I tried to blend). Anyway, for these pics I applied the taupe shade from lashline to crease and then the deeper plum shade just to my outer "V". I used a shadow brush for both shades.
FINAL VERDICT: I'm very, very happy with both of these eyeshadow compacts. The mattes work best over primer and, like many mattes I own, I have the best luck applying my base shade with a sponge-tip applicator for maximum vibrancy and smoothness. Once I lay down a good foundation, I have no problems using a brush to apply the crease and highlight shades. For the shimmery duo, I can use either a sponge tip or brush for application--both work equally well. All of the shadows I'm reviewing here today lasted all day and into the night over Milani Eyeshadow Primer, and I only experienced some light fading/creasing after the seven hour mark. All of these shadows are finely milled and they've very smooth and silky to the touch, while also very easy to blend (just don't let your primer set for too long like I did!). Overall, I'd say that if you're placing an Yves Rocher order and you spot these on sale, they'd be a nice thing to put into your cart if you're trying to hit a free shipping minimum or something like that. I don't think I'd pay $16 or $19 for either of these but as I mentioned earlier, these go on sale all the time so you'll really never have to wait long to get them for less than retail.
Do you own any Yves Rocher cosmetics? If so, I'd love to know what you have and how it's working for you!
The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.
I recently ordered the YR Comfort Cream Foundation on a whim, since, like you, I had very little success finding reviews of YR cosmetic products online. For reference, I have very dry, extremely fair, olive-toned skin. I bought the lightest yellow-toned shade, "Beige 100."
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I was very impressed. It is a perfect color match for my skin. It blends beautifully and easily, even if I just use my fingers. It's a very thick formula, but it doesn't highlight any dry patches on my face or settle into my pores (you wouldn't think I'd have both problems, would you? The skin gods hate me). I would call it a medium coverage--definitely heavier than Neutrogena Healthy Skin, but also definitely NOT a full-coverage. It just looks gorgeous and natural, as though I had perfect skin (which I certainly do not). Also, if you can pick it up at a discount, it's a really great value, because it's a 400 ml container instead of the standard 300 ml.
There are, however, two things I'm not crazy about. The first is the packaging. It comes in a kind of wonky-shaped jar which makes it kind of difficult to get to the product. I wish more inexpensive foundations came with pumps: they are so much more convenient and hygienic. The other thing is the smell. It's very strong, and on my skin, it doesn't dissipate for a long time. To me, it smells like honey combined with a kind of floral/botanical scent. It's not unpleasant, but it is quite noticeable, so for people who dislike scented face products, I suspect it would be a deal-breaker.
Oh I've been curious about this! Thank you so very much for the detailed, and thoughtful, review!! :)
DeleteI recently ordered from yr (thanks G, im totally addicted to all things monoi!!) ..so I ordered a new bottle of monoi perfume, tried out an "organic " oat body cream (boo, hidden in the ingredients are parabens!! A big bottle of the coconut body splash (love) and I got a free makeup bag w/ 2 eyeliners: emerald green & teal.. I opened the teal, and I have to say I'm happy with the texture (smooth) color pigmentation, the fact it's waterproof and the item itself is great! Idk how much they are full price, but free is good for me!!
ReplyDeleteSooo glad you like the monoi!! :D
DeleteAnd thanks for the great tip about the liners... great to know!!!
ooh yes, the primer does seem to enhace these shades! very nice :)
ReplyDeleteIt really does take the mattes to a whole other level! :)
DeleteHow does the ordering process at Yves Rocher usually work? I ordered from them almost a week ago and other than the confirmation email, I haven't gotten an email about anything. I've tried to track my order via their website, but there was no "customer number" on my emails. How long does it typically take to receive your items after ordering them?
ReplyDeleteI almost always get my orders about a week after I place them, but I have heard from other readers that it's taken longer for them...it probably has to do with how far away you are from their distribution center. If you don't get it after 2 wks I would send their CS an email just to see what's going on. Hope that helps!
DeleteTheir kohl pencils are amazing and their lipsticks are also pretty fantastic for the price!
ReplyDeleteI always buy from Yves Rocher! (I'm from Canada, Québec.) So glad to see a review from their products, reviews are really hard to find!
ReplyDeleteNice to see Yves Rocher reviews here, I'm lucky that I get access to it in Canada so I can play around in the store. I have the same duo as you reviewed and it's stunning. I also have the duo in #11 Nude Pink & Brown which is a very useful one. Recs: Couleurs nature Metalglow Cream Eyeshadows - I believe these are being reformulated but they're fantastic. I also like a few of their liquid foundations especially the lightweight formulas. And their High Concentration Nail Lacquers are also great (the shade #106 Taupe is HG for me).
ReplyDelete