Wet N Wild Eyeshadow trio: Knock on Wood

Today's post focuses on eyeshadows that don't break the bank.  I'm a recent MAC convert, and I'm enjoying the colors I've purchased immensely, but when you want a lot of different options and variety, buying all those colors in MAC eyeshadows takes a lot of time and money.  Most makeup artists and "beauty gurus" spend years developing their collections/kits.  In today's economic times, it's becoming more and more prudent to pinch pennies and seek cheaper alternatives when available.  So, I bring you the Wet 'N Wild eyeshadow trio in "Knock on Wood"!

This is how it works: the trio comes with three colors (obviously) and two small brushes - one for patting color onto the lid, and one for the crease and blending.  I prefer not to use these brushes, but you may find them useful, especially if you're a beginner and do not have a whole set of brushes.

In this particular trio, we have three warm colors on the neutral side of the red color family.  The eyelid color is almost a berry kind of color, similar to a popular shade of MAC eyeshadow this season called "Cranberry," but more subtle.  The crease is your basic brown, but it is not as dark as something like MAC's Handwritten.  Lastly is the browbone highlight color, which is a light sheer pink color.  These colors don't have a yellow or orange undertone like some reds and pinks do, so I don't find them to wash me out or make me look sickly.

Here they are, swatched on my arm.  After swatching and taking pictures, I proceeded to do some everyday cleaning around the house, and I must say, the staying power was really good!  I even got my arm wet and the colors stayed put.  It took soap and water to get them off.  This indicated to me that not only is the color payoff nice and strong, but the staying power should also be great.

I primed my eyes with NYX's HD eyeshadow primer and applied the shadow as instructed, using my Bare Escentuals shadow brush and MAC 217 crease blending brush.  By the end of the work day, my eye color was still there, not going anywhere.  In fact, I had to scrub at it at the gym to get it off!  This may be a testament to the power of the primer, but the two, in combination, made for a very long-lasting look.  It was a "smokier" or darker look than I am accustomed to, but I liked it overall.  And this combination is great evidence that you don't need high end products to have a nice look with long-lasting wear!