The eye shadow stick round up

Eye shadow in a stick. To me, it’s one of the best inventions of the beauty world. These creamy eye shadows in pencil form, are quick, easy, handy and come in a variety of shades. I love using these during spring/ summer most, but I use them year round. As a base to intensify other shadows, but mostly on their own. A good eye shadow pencil is budge proof and will last all day, especially with a primer underneath. I gathered quite a few eye shadow sticks, but never got round to reviewing them somehow. So that is why, today, I am reviewing a bunch for you in one go. Because there is only so much you can say about an eyeshadow stick to be honest.

Catrice Stylo Eyeshadow Pen
Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Colour Morphing Eyeshadow Pencil
Essence Stays No Matter What Eyeshadow Pencil & Shadow
Make Up Forever Waterproof Glide-On Eyeshadow

On review for you today are 2 budget alternatives and 2 high end versions. The Catrice Stylo Eyeshadow Pens retail for €3.99 a piece. Essence cost around €2.50 each. Charlotte Tilbury’s Colour Chameleon pencil retails for €25, while the Make Up Forever shadow stick is a little bit cheaper at around €22. So which one performs best?

Catrice Stylo Eyeshadow Pen 030 Copper and Paste & 060 In the Taupe Ten

For some reason when I buy eye shadow pencils I am drawn towards bronze and coppers mostly. So bare with me as these may all look fairly similar. Catrice’s pencils are my latest eye shadow stick purchase. They were released with one of their more recent changes to the line and when I saw them I had to pick them up. These are creamy and shiny and go on nicely. These definitely need a primer underneath to make them last.

I am wearing Copper and Paste on my upper lid and I applied In the Taupe Ten on my lower lash line. The sticks aren’t too big nor too narrow. However, a very precise line with these is quite difficult. This was smudge free on my lower lash line, but the colors did fade and became less intense after a few hours.

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Dark Pearl

An eye shadow stick that I have had for a much longer time is this Charlotte Tilbury Color Chameleon. I purchased this at the same time as the Dolce Vita palette, but I just hadn’t gotten round to reviewing this yet. This is a traditional pencil that you can sharpen, but it is a tad thicker. The formula is very creamy and the color is absolutely stunning. It is a very warm toned brown with a golden pearl running through it.

Lasting power with a primer underneath is excellent. I find this does not fade or smudge at all. Once this sets, this pencil is budge proof. In these pictures I am wearing it as is, but I also love pairing this with the palette I bought this with. It makes the shadows far more intense and smokey looking and I love how the shade just works with the warm tones of that palette.

Essence Stays No Matter What Eyeshadow Pencil & Shadow Green Garden, Cute Copper & Chocolate Brownie

Essence’s version of the eye shadow stick came and went. I cannot find these on the website anymore, but I could swear I still saw these around the last time I was in my local drugstore. These come in some pretty decent colors. I picked up my standard bronze and copper from this range, but also a nice vibrant green. I love the brighter shades for adding a pop of color on my lower lash line.

Like the Catrice pencils, the Essence ones do tend to smudge and fade a bit over time. They stay put with a primer underneath, but the colors become less intense throughout the day. In the make up look above, I am wearing all three shades, though I found that especially the copper shade blends away a little too easily. These are pencils you should apply and leave be, because blending and layering to build up intensity is not something these shadows are good at.

Make Up Forever Waterproof Glide-On Eyeshadow Metallic Golden Taupe ME-50

I believe it was this pencil that got the bronze love started. I spotted these when they first launched and decided to pick one up. This shade stood out to me as it seemed wearable and perfect for summer. I love a good bronze eye in the summer time, hence my love for this eye shadow stick. It comes up less warm on my eye than it does in the swatch. The color description ‘golden taupe’ is far more apparent on the eye than on the swatch and doesn’t come about until you blend this out.

However, this color can be build up and you can get it to be as intense as in the swatch. You just have to layer, apply, layer apply and blend well and quickly in between. This eye shadow pencil sets so quickly that you have little time to work with it. So I suggest to only go one eye at the time with this. But the result? A waterproof, completely bulletproof eye shadow that needs straight up oil for it to be removed. Best staying power out of the bunch.

Clockwise from top left: Catrice, Charlotte Tilbury, Make Up Forever, Essence

Let’s end this post with a round up of the four products shall we? And a bit of a close up at that. I use all these eye shadow pencils quite regularly. Like I said, mostly I use these on their own and in summer, when I cannot be bother slapping on a full smokey eye, I am especially in love with these types of products. They are quick, they are easy and they last all day. The quickest and easiest way to create a quick eye look. You simply slap on some of this, add a touch of liner if you’d like, finish off with mascara and you’re out the door. Now, what’s not to love?

What eye shadow sticks are your favorite?