Confession-- I never wear eye shadow. I know, I know some of you are clutching your pearls or gasping at this very moment, but this is the truth, my truth. One reason why I have never worn eye shadow is because I thought it would make me look like a clown. It looks lovely on other people but I just never thought it would look good on me. This feeling was validated the day I attended a makeup party. When I was younger I went to a makeup party and I sat there as the consultant raved about my eyes and how good the eye shadow looked on me. I was excited and couldn't wait to look in the mirror. Before even seeing myself I just knew I wanted to go out that evening to show off my face, then I looked into the mirror. Upon looking at my face I was convinced of two things 1) the makeup consultant was either visually impaired or mentally insane and 2) I would never wear eye shadow again.Janice Tunnell, celebrity makeup artist, and co-owner of Illusions Cosmetics (the other co owner is Janice's twin sister Denise Tunnell) has made me eat my words. Wednesday evening I wore eye shadow and I didn't just like it, I loved it. The shades fit me perfectly and why wouldn't they, Illusions Cosmetics is a product line specifically designed for women of color. The line can complement very light skin tones as well as darker complexions and everyone in between. I put on the shadow and my face was glowing, in that moment I understood why so many women love eye shadow and now I have found one that works for me. I should also mention that my anti makeup sister, a women who refuses to wear tinted lip gloss, saw the eye shadow and said I think I would like to wear that. Yes that is how stunning the shades are, that it was able to single handedly almost convert my sister.
Pictured on the left you have Dolce Vita a brownish eye dust and Delight on the right which is a sandy brown. The eye dust was so soft I had to ask Janice if any natural ingredients were included and it turns out that many of their products include vitamin e., chamomille and other natural ingredients.
Illusions cosmetics also produces a line of lip glosses affectionately named after popular movies such as Brown Sugar, Mahogany, Dreamgirls, and Sparkle (a personal favorite) just to name a few. I tried Dreamgirl which is very close in color to the MAC Viva Glam V. The lip gloss is super light yet very shiny and it only cost $10.00. The aforementioned eye shadow which is referred to as eye dust on their website is priced at $12.00. Items can be purchased through their website http://www.illusionsbeauty.com/ or through two stores that currently sell their products.
After communicating with Janice recently she informed me that new products will hit the website soon and they are revamping their site so you may want to call for more information if you are interested in the product (all information is available through their site)
So now that I have had the best introduction to eye shadow please give me the low down on the eye shadows that you love.
18 comments:
well u know im a MAC addict so i suggest going there to get shadows. i was apprehensive about shadows too until i went to MAC and had an artist teach me how to apply them in a flattering way. i need to go back b/c i've been out of practice and i'm a little rusty.
im anxious to see other people's picks for shadows b/c drugstore brands dont do it for me.
I too used to be anti eyeshadow. I am a darker brown girl and I would be highly upset because none of the shadows suited my color. After a while I understood that there was nothing wrong with my color but I was going to the wrong place for makeup. I went to sephora and another brown girl gave me a lesson on what shades would work for me. That lesson changed my life. I never go to the drug stores for eyeshadow b/c there is nothing there deep enough or with enough pigment. All of my shadows are from bare minerals because they have such pretty colors.
Moon
oh my god I love eyeshadows! I have to admit that I am not an expert like some bloggers, blending 3-4 eyeshadows and creating looks...my skills are basic: 1 or at most 2 eyeshadows...alright my favorite eyeshadows are from MAC!! and also Stila but Stila hasn't been discontinuing so many shades that i love.
For Browns, look into mulch,bronze and romp
for greens, humid is great
for purples: hepcat, cranberry, posthaste, star violet, sketch, nocturnelle
and from Stila, Twig is amazing!!!
you can build up a 4 eyeshadow pan.. and have fun with colors
Oh my goodness Nywele a 4 eyeshadow pan..what is that..LOL
I could only assume you mean blending 4 colors, is that some eye shadow technical term???? I need to know these things..lol
@Antithesis I so excepted a mac pic from you :-)
@Moon some products just won't work well with our skin and it is never our skin that is the problem..it is the product. That is why I like Illusions Cosmetics because it is like fubu (remember the old jeans company) For Us and By Us...that really means so much.
Product Junkie Diva
Illusions cosmetics? Please tell more! And PJD, would you want to start having Q&A with readers? A lot of people have questions about what products to use. We, er, they, are babes in product usage.
Frugalista Illusions Cosmetics is a cosmetics line developed by twin sister, who are women of color. They have beautified the faces of Vivica Fox, Meagan Good and everyone in between. I love that they include natural ingredients and many of their products and they have such beautiful shades that really compliment out skin.
The link to their website can be found in this post.
I am certainly not opposed to having a Q/A section, perhaps I can get that going either this week or next.
Product Junkie Diva
I am like you - I NEVER wear eye shadow. It does look good on other people, but never me. I think it actually makes me look worse, as opposed to enhancing my looks.
Since you finally had a good experience, maybe I'll try it again. :-)
@BGG I think the colors that I mentioned in my post would look great on you! If you decide to try eye shadow again please let me know how it works out.
Product Junkie Diva
my friend loves their stuff. I'll have to check it out as well.
@ Dominican Enigma- it doesn't hurt that the price is right also. They have a gel eye liner on their site that I will purchase asap.
review to follow.
Product Junkie Diva
Years ago I was afraid of eye shadow. But a very "happy" male friend of mine put an end to that. Once taught, I've been layering 3-4shades like nobody's bizness.
I always go to MAC and do the "make your own pan" option. Antihesis, if your love MAC, you know what I'm raving about.
For those who don't know MAC sells empty eye shadow quads, and you can purchase whatever colors you like to fill it.
I'm going to check out this Illusions line though.
Okay was that last comment long enough? Lol
Brown sistas please don't be afraid of color. As long as they're heavily saturated and have depth! Flat/one demeionsal color will have us looking ashy.
This also applies to blush. Once I tried it I couldn't believe I used to walk around w/o it.
Brownee, do you have a blog? I want to check out what you have going on..lol
Blush is something else I don't wear/own.
I like this whole make your own pan from Mac thing...a girl could get used to a customized palette.
*side conversation..I just ordered that new MAC Dazzle lip color..I can't wait to get it.
I checked out a few other Illusion cosmetics reviews, and people are raving about some of the items that I have not tried yet so this is a line I am really interested in.
Product Junkie Diva
hey...sorry i've been MIA..
yes, some people blend and achieve a sophisticated look with 4 and even 5 eyeshadows...i am good with one..
Stila has pans where you can build up your own eye palette or cheek or a combo..I used to have a 8 eye shadows palette until i forgot it in a plane when i went back to Senegal. Can I say that i cried because Stila has been discontinuing so many beautiful shades...
anyways, i always tell myself that i need to re-build one...so right now, i want a 4 eye shadow pan with Twig, barefoot contessa,cassis and go lightly
You sound like a pro Nywele..
I like watching makeup tutorials, if you ever do one please let me know.
Product Junkie Diva
Nywele does sound like a PRO!
And no ProductDiva, I don't have a blog. I don't have that much to say. I know you can't tell from my long winded responses. Lol
I'm enjoying urs though, glad I found it while perusing Black Hair Forum.
Lol, again the last comment was from me.
SMH @ my own forgetfulness.
@Brownee awww I was so hoping you had a blog I think you would have tons to say. I know some people who read this blog or those who email me are naturals and they would probably love to know what you are using on your hair....ok well at least keep us posted in the comments section of this blog. lol
Thanks
Product Junkie Diva
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