BEAUTY bourjois

The Low-Down On The Best Eyeshadow Sticks (Excluding By Terry)

20:23Alice Grace

best cream eyeshadow sticks review swatches nars laura mercier charlotte tilbury clinique marc jacobs bourjois rimmel

Please don't think I'm throwing shade at By Terry from the title of this post. On the contrary. Everyone knows that the Ombre Blackstars are the creme de la creme when it comes to eyeshadow sticks and I concur, but, frankly, I'm rather bored of hearing about them. There's only so many times you can read the words 'holy-grail' before your interest wanes, purely because one particular product is overdone. There's a plethora of eye crayons I rate that hit the high-end, mid-range and affordable markets, so I thought I'd plunge them into the limelight for a change.


Nars Velvet Shadow Sticks (£21)

First up, we have the relatively new Nars Velvet Shadow Sticks. As the name suggests, these shadows start off as a cream, but dry down to a velvety, satin finish. As a result, you do have to work quickly with them and it's best to apply them onto bare skin one eye at a time, rather than over concealer. But, once blended out, the shadow is super long-lasting and resistant. I can literally rub at my eye and the colour will stick firmly in place and only oily makeup removers can completely take it off. Nars are usually one of the best brands for vast shade ranges, but there's currently only eight colours available of these shadow sticks. Each one is rich in pigment and there's some really exciting, unique colours in the line, though.

best cream eyeshadow sticks review swatches nars laura mercier charlotte tilbury clinique marc jacobs bourjois rimmel

Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop Eye Sticks (£23)

Aside from the cutesy name which makes me cringe, I adore the unique formula of the Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pops. Being infused with 'pure alpine snow water from the Swiss Alps' (fancy schmancy), these shadows have a very slick, gel texture that feels instantly cooling and hydrating. Despite looking thick and creamy, they feel light and provide a water-like sensation. Creating a metallic, chrome-effect, the finish also has a wet-look shine. Perfect for special occasions, they look dazzling on the eyes and the more you blend the colour, the more prominent the finely-milled shimmer becomes. One of the most long-wearing formulas in my collection, these shadows set fairly quickly and do not budge all day/night.

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleons (£19)

In my eyes, makeup-maestro Charlotte Tilbury can do no wrong. Her whole makeup line not only looks dreamy, but the quality is top notch too, with the Colour Chameleons being another triumph. Designed to accentuate different eye colours and make them really pop, Tilbury's creations are split into pairs to cater for both day and evening looks. The range of colours is stunning and all create the look of crushed gemstones on the eyes, thanks to the addition of synthetic sapphire within the formula. The pigmentation of these eyeshadows sticks is insane, without needing to use lots of pressure when applying. Gliding onto the skin easily, the pencil doesn't drag the delicate eye area at all and the colour stays looking bold until I remove my makeup. My only gripe about these sticks is that they need sharpening, which makes them a little less convenient to travel with.

best cream eyeshadow sticks review swatches nars laura mercier charlotte tilbury clinique marc jacobs bourjois rimmel

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colours (£22)

I discovered the beautiful Caviar Sticks after picking up a gift set one Christmas and I've been hooked on them since, which I shared in my full review. To get the ball rolling with my compliments, I'll start with their gorgeous texture. Very soft and creamy, the shadows feel almost mousse-like and simply glide on like a dream with no fuss. Easy to smudge and blend, you have lots of time to work with the product before it sets. I find these best for creating more of an effortless, smokey effect rather than a completely perfected look. A little product goes a very long way - even with just one swipe of the stick, the colour is opaque. In my experience, once set they don't crease, fade or smudge, but if your lids are very oily you may want to prep with a primer underneath, as they're so creamy.  Of all the brands in my line-up, Laura Mercier offer the most shades, but they're also the most expensive. To get the best value for money, I recommend picking up a set that will inevitably appear at Christmas time. If you can wait that long, that is!

Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tints (£17)

For a change in consistency, we have the Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tints. Having a firmer formula and sheerer pigmentation, these shadows are totally fool-proof. Thanks to the drier texture, they aren't at all messy to use and blend really quickly to give a smooth, soft finish that feels weightless. As the crayons are quite fat, hence the name, they allow for a speedy application. You may not be able to be as precise with them, but they're perfect for a simple wash of colour over the whole lid. Creating more of a haze of colour, they're ideal for prettier, daytime looks, but the coverage is buildable and layering the shadow does amp up the intensity. The shadow can start to cake if you wait too long before adding more, though. After setting, the shadow doesn't move, but I find some of the lighter shades do start to fade slightly after around seven hours of wear on me. If you want the complete low-down on these beauties, take a peek at my full review.

cream eyeshadow sticks swatches nars goddess laura mercier khaki charlotte tilbury bronzed garnet clinique lots o latte marc jacobs three shakes bourjois brun dadaiste rimmel bulletproof beige
Swatches L-R: Boujois 'Brun Dadaiste', Laura Mercier 'Khaki', Clinique Lots O' Latte', Marc Jacobs 'Three Shakes', Charlotte Tilbury 'Bronzed Garnet', Nars 'Goddess' & Rimmel 'Bulletproof Beige'

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Sticks (£4.49)

For a real budget buy, we have the Rimmel Scandaleyes pencils. Boasting 24hr wear and a waterproof formula, these shadows are impressive for the affordable price. Although I can't quite vouch for those bold claims, the wear-time of these shadows is pretty decent, only creasing slightly after 5/6 hours. Nothing that a layer of primer underneath can't remedy, though! The semi-opaque colour simply melts onto the skin, making them gentle on the eyes during application. On the lid, the product doesn't feel heavy and the colour doesn't go patchy as you blend it out. But, I do find it difficult to build a strong intensity with this pencil, compared to the others, no matter how much I layer it. With eight colours available, including both mattes and shimmers, Rimmel offer a solid range of shades that are mostly wearable.

Bourjois Colorband Eyeshadow & Liners (£5.99)

There was quite a lot of hype surrounding the Colorbands when they were first released and, again, I've done a full review on them already. Supposedly, they're a 2-in-1 product that doubles up as a shadow and liner, but I personally find them too large to line my eyes with. Another high-street brand with big claims, Bourjois state that these pencils are both water and smudge-proof, whilst offering 24hr comfortable wear. I may not have tested them for a full 24 hours, but I can well believe that their claims are realistic, as they're certainly one of the longest-lasting shadows I've tried from the high-street and are on par with the Maybelline Color Tattoos. With a smooth, weightless, gel-like texture, they're a joy to wear. Pigmentation-wise, they require some patience to build up the intensity (the lighter shades especially), but the colour can be layered without a messy, smudgy result. These are another affordable option, but there's only six shades to choose from.


What are your favourite eyeshadow crayons?

AGB X

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44 comments

  1. Ooh these look lovely, I love the sound of the NARS formula and the Bourjois shade is beautiful! I really like GOSH's cream shadow sticks :)

    Jess xo | The Indigo Hours

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    1. Oooo, I'll have to give them a try! Thanks for the recommendation :) x

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  2. I bought the Marc Jacobs eyeshadow stick when I was in Barcelona, I adore it. It's very cooling when you apply it and it blends wonderfully.
    Kathryn /Cherries in the Snow

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    1. Definitely, it's such a lovely formula to apply and takes the fuss out of applying eyeshadow, for sure :) x

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  3. Only ones I used are the Rimmel eyeshadow sticks these are all so pretty


    Candice | Beauty Candy Loves

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    1. Well let me know if you try any of the others :) x

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  4. wow thanx for sharing

    http://carrieslifestyle.com

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  5. As much as I love my By Terry Ombre blackstars eyeshadow sticks, I was quite disappointed ( after hearing so many great things about them) to see that they weren't that long-lasting! I definitely prefer my Bourjois ones when it comes to longevity! The Laura Mercier Caviar stick eye colours sound lovely!

    http://fannyanddailybeauty.com

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    1. I find them to last really well on me, but my lids aren't oily whatsoever so maybe that helps! x

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  6. I love the Nars Velvet Shadow Stick and the Laura Mercier, they all look so stunning in the swatches. Aaarghhh the swatch made me want them alllllllll. Laura Mercier sounds like value for money too x

    Elese | elesedowden.com

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    1. Sorryyyy haha! Yeah, definitely get one of these sets to save some money! x

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  7. All of those swatches are totally swoon worthy! How did I not know about the Nars Velvet Shadow Sticks?! They look gorgeous!! KIKO have some great drugstore/cheaper alternatives as well as I don't feel obligated to ever purchase the By Terry ones (even though they are stunning) just because of the price! Such a gorgeous collection! xx

    www.iridescentplaces.com

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    1. I have a few bits from KIKO, but none of their eyeshadow sticks, so I'll have to check them out next time I'm in there! :) x

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  8. Wow such gorgeous shades, I especially love the CT version but would be annoying having to sharpen it all the time. I also really like the look & sound of the Laura Mercier options. You should probably try the KIKO ones next, they are amazing and so affordable too x

    Beauty with charm

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    1. A couple of people have mentioned KIKO, so I'll have to go and have a swatch of them soon! :) x

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  9. I really like the Clinique ones, they're nice and sheer! I love the Nars Goddess, pale gold/champagne colors are my favorite.

    www.beautyfromkatie.blogspot.com

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    1. They're so easy to wear, aren't they? :) x

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  10. Those swatches are stunning! And I feel like I'm not allowed to say this as a beauty blogger... but I don't own a single eyeshadow stick! I'll probably have to remedy that this weekend. :) And I couldn't agree more - Charlotte Tilbury can do no wrong! xo

    Kelsey | www.abalancingpeach.com

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  11. Ooh I love eyeshadow sticks, and these are just gorgeous! Laura Mercier ones are my favourite xx

    Gemma ♥ | Miss Makeup Magpie

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    1. Me too, they're one of my favourite makeup products to buy! x

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  12. The Rimmel eyeshadow crayons are really fab, as are the Seventeen ones!

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  13. i definitely need to get more shadow sticks, dying to try charlotte tilbury!

    danielle | avec danielle / giveaway

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    1. Get to a CT counter and have a swatch ASAP, you won't regret it! x

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  14. I haven't really had too much experience with cream eyeshadow sticks, minus the NYX cream shadows but I bought them so long ago I barely ever use them. I'm a big fan of Nars products in general so I might give their shadow sticks a go :)

    www.thesundaymode.blogspot.com.au

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    1. I've heard quite a bit about the NYX ones, but I haven't had a chance to get any until recently, as NYX has only just become more available here x

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  15. I love a good shadow stick! Have you tried any by Kiko? The ones in their permanent line are pretty good, and sometimes they have amazing limited edition formulas (the one included in the recent Midnight Siren collection was fantastic). There are many I've been wanting to try for a while in your selection, especially the Laura Mercie!

    Beaumiroir

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    1. Everybody has been suggesting I try the ones from KIKO, so they're now top of my beauty wish-list! x

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  16. This is a really useful post! I actually don't like the By Terry Ombre Blackstar I have (controversial) it just didn't work for me for so many reasons :( I like the CT Colour Chameleon though so I don't think it's just cream eyeshadows I don't like. I want to try the NARS ones now!

    The Makeup Directory

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    1. What a shame, especially as they're so pricey! x

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  17. Fab post lovely, such gorgeous picks! Lots O’Latte and Bronzed Garnet look so stunning! I really love the Kiko eyeshadow sticks also the range of shades and formula is amazing! :)

    Charlee XO | CharmedCharlee

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    1. Thanks for the recommendation! I'll have to head to a KIKO store soon and swatch them all! x

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  18. These all sound gorgeous and the shades look so pigmented! Mmmm I just love the sound of velvet shadow sticks! :D xx

    elizabeth ♡ ”Ice Cream” whispers Clara | (doing follow for follow on bloglovin or instagram)

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  19. Omg those swatches! They are all just my sort of shades haha - I would also add the KIKO ones in there as they're amazing. Nice to hear the Laura Mercier ones getting some love as it's one of my favourite formulas xx

    Jasmine Talks Beauty

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    1. So many people have recommended the KIKO ones, so I can't wait to purchase a few and try them for myself! x

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  20. Absolutely love the Charlotte Tilbury colour chameleon sticks. They just look so beautiful on and they are so easy to wear.
    Alicia x
    http://bambidreaming.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. I know, right? the shade range is just so stunning and the formula just glides onto the skin, blending like a dream! x

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  21. Eyeshadow sticks are so easy to use, no idea why I don't own more!


    Parie x
    classandglitter.com

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    1. They're just so quick and the effect is always much more dramatic and beautiful than a quick wash of a single, powder eyeshadow, isn't it? You need to get more ;) x

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  22. I have a chanel eye stylo that I love. It's in beige dore. I've tried so many but that is definately my favorite!


    http://thebookwormbeauty.com

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    1. I've only swatched the Chanel Stylos in-store, but never come home with any! They did feel lovely and the shades are gorgeous, so I'll have to pick some up when I next fancy a splurge :) x

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  23. Nars Velvet Shadow Sticks is my favourite, thanks for sharing this. It works for me hope it works for you all.

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Thanks for taking the time to read this post and leave a comment! I try to reply to each and every one of them within 24 hours! x

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