Finding Your Perfect Eyeshadow Finish

Choosing the best eyeshadow

There are a few factors to consider when picking out your perfect eyeshadow. Needless to say, you want to choose a shade that enhances your natural eye color. But do you know whether you prefer powder, cream, or liquid eyeshadow? Have you found the finish that looks most flattering on your face?

Loose powder eyeshadow

Loose powder eyeshadows work exceptionally well for professionals with the technique to achieve more advanced makeup looks. These highly-pigmented powders have a very fine texture and look best applied atop an eyeshadow primer.

Pros

●     Highly pigmented

●     Perfect for dramatic looks

Cons

●     Sometimes messy to apply

●     Stay best when paired with a primer

●     May crease on dry skin

Pressed powder eyeshadow

Pressed powder shadows are those that you see used in popular palettes or single pans. Pressed powder eyeshadows are great for beginners, as they’re buildable, easy to blend, and come in every finish under the sun.

Pros

●     Available in a wide range of shades

●     Suitable for most skin types

●     Buildable for more intense color

Cons

●     Not as long-lasting as loose powder or other types of eyeshadow

●     Powder palettes can break easily during travel

Cream eyeshadow

Cream eyeshadow formulas have given loose and pressed powders some stiff competition. Known for its ease of application, cream eyeshadow is best blended with the tip of your fingers. When it comes to choosing a cream shadow, color, consistency, texture, and vibrance are all important to consider. The most crucial factor, however, is wearability. Cream shadows don’t wear well on oily skin as they’re more prone to smudging. Instead, opt for cream formulas when you have normal, dry, or combination skin.

Pros

●     Provides long-lasting wear

●     Layer easily with other types of eyeshadows

●     Can double as lip or cheek color

Cons

●     Creases easily, especially on oily lids

●     Not as precise and sharp as other types of shadow

Types of eyeshadow finishes

Matte finish

Matte eyeshadow finishes are simple to spot, as they are devoid of any sparkling or reflective fragments. This means that matte shadows have a flat finish, and are unable to retract light. Without the shimmer typical of other eyeshadows, matte makeup is best suited for daytime or occasions that call for a more natural look. Because of their inability to reflect light, matte eyeshadows tend to appear flatter than other popular finishes.

Matte eye shadows are best for natural or subtle looks or as a mid tone or contouring to naturally shape the eye.

Satin finish

Satin eyeshadows are a fan favorite, as they offer the best of both a matte and shimmer finish. Eyeshadows with a satin finish have just the slightest bit of sheen to them, so they’re not quite flat like a matte but not quite as splashy as a shimmer shadow. Matte makeup tends to have a drying effect on the skin, so satin finishes provide an option with a little more moisture. Satins are subtle enough for everyday wear and can be found in every shade imaginable.

Because satin shadows blend better than some other finishes, they’re the perfect texture to use for transition colors. Moody Sisters’ Peach & Pink Eyeshadow Set includes some of our best-selling satin finish eyeshadows, including Arwen, Jellyfish, Princess, and Rebellion.

Satin eye shadows are best for all ages, great for aged skin and used as all over or transitional shades.

Shimmer finish

Shimmer eyeshadows are characterized by their ability to catch and reflect light. Though not quite pearlescent, shimmer shadows are highly pigmented with an ever-so-slight sheen. Rocking a shimmer eyeshadow will artfully draw attention to your eyes without being overly ostentatious. For gals who love a little glitz and glamour, eyeshadows with a shimmer finish are the ideal happy medium. You’ll feel just as confident commanding the board room as you will grabbing a drink with your girls.

Shimmer eye shadows are best for younger eyes all over or on any age as highlighter shades.

Metallic finish

Metallic eyeshadows have what’s known to makeup artists as a “foiled” finish. In other words, these shadows are highly reflective and deliver a dramatic effect. You’ll catch glints of gold and silver sparkles hence why we call it a metallic finish. Need a classy champagne-colored shadow to give you a natural doe-eyed look? Try Moody Sister's metallic Pressed Natural Shadow in shade Infinity. Or maybe you’d like to highlight your sun-kissed skin with a glistening gold shadow, like our popular shade Tatooine.

Metallic eye shadows are best for bold looks and young eyes.

Glitter finish

In our personal opinion, you can never get enough glitter (unless it’s invaded your home or vehicle, of course). Glitter eyeshadows are designed to dazzle and are fabulous to wear for a flirty night out with friends, a music festival, or even a costume party. Turn heads and spark up a conversation or two with your go-to glitter shadow shade.

Glitter eye shadows are best to use on top of colors to create a more bold and dramatic look.

Duochrome & Multichrome finish

Have you ever seen an eyeshadow that creates a color-changing effect when viewed in various lights? Eyeshadows with this enchanting ability have what’s known as a duo-chrome finish. The most common color transitions include blue to green, green to gold, purple to teal, peach to pink, and many more.

Arguably the most versatile of eyeshadow finishes, multi-chrome shadows can shift colors several times. Gone are the days of applying four or more shades with every shape brush in your makeup bag. Instead, you can apply a single color-shifting shadow with harmonious hues hand-picked by a beauty professional. All of your girlfriends will be begging you to spill your secret once they get a good look at your lids.

Duochrome and Multichrome eyeshadows are best for most ages and can have a satin or shimmer base. They best used for all over eye color. The satin multi-chrome eye shadows are bolder while the shimmer duo-chromes are used for more subtle looks.

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