Max Factor Max Effect Dip in Eyeshadows Review + Swatch

The colour-blocked looks showcased at SS11 shows by designers like Dior and Jil Sander totally float my boat. But yes, I can see how this might not be Quite The Thing to wear to work of a Tuesday morning.

Generally, catwalk beauty can be used as a starting point for inspiration and there'll always be something you've already got or you can easily pick up to channel a trend in a normal-girl way.

Like these little Max Effect Dip in Eyeshadows from Max Factor, €7.99,  for example. Not a bad bet at all for a little sheered-out colour blocking, I reckon. You've seen this sort of shadow before from brands like Bare Minerals - it's a little pot with a spongey applicator in the lid that dips down into the well of shadow and makes application really easy.

There are eight shades in total, from green to blue and white to chartreuse.  I was sent Ultra Violet by the brand, and so, being the curious sort that I am, I gave it a go.

This is clearly quite a bright shade and is more lilac in the flesh, but it's also fairly sheer and the fact it's shimmery - there are micro particles of blue reflects in here - means it's more wearable and less in yer face than the sharp matte shadow we saw on the catwalks. This applicator makes it easy to draw a quick stripe of colour across the lashline or you can apply all over the lid and smudge out for more of a wash.

I wore it the former way and paired it with that coral coloured Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipstick we checked out last week.  That gave me two pops of fairly sheer colour. Ok, perhaps I looked like Bosco but I reckoned it looked candy cute, and no one asked me what was wrong with me either, so I presume I got away with it.

Longevity was crap though and most of the colour I'd swiped on had gone by lunchtime. If you want this to look a little more intense and stay put for longer, then I think a primer is necessary. But still, for €7.99, there are several shades in the Max Effect Dip in Eyeshadow range that will offer an extremely easy way to try SS11's brights trend.

Jil Sander pic via WWD.com