Essence Metal Shock liquid eyeshadow

I am not a huge fan of liquid eyeshadow. Creams I can get down with as they give you a bit of play time. A liquid eyeshadow however, can be difficult to apply as it usually sets and then just won’t budge. Especially, if it’s a super colorful or smokey shade, it is quite difficult to create a pretty diffused look. However, Essence came out with these metal shock liquid eyeshadows some time ago and they make for some of the prettiest affordable glitter eyeshadows I have ever seen. 

Essence Metal Shock eyeshadow 06 Total Eclipse

The metal shock range consists of multiple products. Besides eyeshadow there are lipsticks, nail polishes and nail powders to create a metallic effect all over yourself if you wish to do so. I wasn’t a huge fan of the lipstick as they don’t dry down and slid all over my face. The eyeshadow comes in 6 different shades and they cost €3.59 each.

The Packaging

As many liquid eyeshadows do, this also comes in a lipgloss type tube. The tube itself is clear and simple in its design. You can see the color clearly, but don’t be fooled, because as you will see in the swatch, this is not as purple as it looks. The stopper on this is quite tight, but that is okay as it means the products stays better for longer. At least I hope it does.

The Applicator

The applicator of the eyeshadow is a messy looking doe foot. It definitely looks a bit chunky and not so smooth, but it works precise enough. Here I feel you can definitely see that we are dealing with a budget brand: a more expensive brand has a much more refined looking want for sure. This just looks like a stubby Q-tip with glitter on it. Not the best, but as long as it gets the job done it’s okay.

The Swatch

Remember I said that this wasn’t as purple as it looks? Well as you can see in the swatches here, it starts of being a pretty shimmering plum. But when you sheer it out that base color all but disappears and you’re left with a pretty silver/ blue duochrome shift. The shimmer isn’t too intense in this, but it definitely adds a little something.

Texture wise this is like any other liquid eyeshadow I have tried. This starts as a pretty thick cream. When you sheer it out this very quickly dries down and just won’t budge. Since this has actual glitter particles that is a good thing because it means it locks in the glitter and it won’t fall all over your face and stays on all day. So that is a plus.

The Application

Many people compare these to the Stila Glitter & Glows. Having tried both and can tell you that these are somewhere between the Stila Shimmer and Glitter & Glows. These definitely have glitter, but the glitter is finer and more like a wash than the Stila ones. Those go on as opaque glitter, where these still seem a bit sheer.

In the pictures above you can clearly see what I mean by this having a sheer base color. The plum shade is there, but it only translates as a sheer wash under a silver/ purple/ blue flashing layer of glitter. While it is super pretty, I did feel a bit disappointed with this. Rather than a stand alone eyeshadow like I am wearing it here, this is more of a topper.

The Conclusion

If you are looking for a sheer glitter top coat than the Essence Metal Shock eyeshadow is for you. If you like something more intense then I would splurge and go with a Stila Glitter & Glow as they have a better shade range and those truly pack a punch. However, if you are on a budget and like what this product has to offer you than this is truly a good one to try. For the price, this is definitely a great glitter liquid shadow and one that you can make work in many different ways.

Would you like to try a liquid eyeshadow?