Mmm-Hmm: Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadows

The reason the shadows in the pic above look rather ... battered ... is because they are. I picked both up in Japan in 2007 as basic neutrals for my kit, and pretty much immediately decided I didn't like 'em - I'd bought pearl finishes, y'see, and I was firmly in the midst of a matte moment. So they got neglected. They got dropped, the lid fell off one and they got damaged.

Fast forward to 2010, and I find that I absolutely bloody adore them.  I dug them out recently to see how they'd stood the test of time and hey, I find they're ageing really well. The two shades above are P Brown and P Beige - Shu shadows come in four finishes, matte, pearl, iridescent and metallic, so why I didn't buy mattes to begin with I am not sure, but the story has a happy ending.

Because these contain some silicone, they feel velvety-smooth. Pigmentation is deep, they apply like a dream, blending is like spreading butter and longevity is fantastic. I have dry lids anyway but despite that shadow does crease on me. Not with these. P Beige as a base and P Brown in the crease stays put and colour-true all day. Paired with a strong lip (yeah, coral most likely) and strong brows, the smooth sheen of the shadows is a nice counter-point for a matte mouth.

Wanna see a swatch?

Not a great swatch and it doesn't really capture the finish and depth of pigment in either, sorry!

Obviously, we can't get Shu Uemura makeup here (yet) but Strawberrynet do have a selection of pressed eye shadows, mostly in mattes, if you wanted to check them out. Right now they're €17.50 a pop, but as always with the 'net, be aware that if you spend over €22, you could be liable for a customs charge.