Drugstore make-up haven't been one of the things I focused since I started blogging. The reason for it was not because I was not buying any but because I didn't find them very exciting to show or write about. Each post requires various hours from shopping to photography, trying out products to writing. Be it drug store or high end, some of the products I purchased out of curiosity have never made it to blog posts because I was not convinced that I would like to put so much effort in them, just to write that they don't work for me.
Two weeks ago something happened. A new drug store product knocked me off my feet. So today it is about them, Max Factor Excess Shimmer cream eye shadows.
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| Max Factor Excess Shimmer #15 Pink Opal, #20 Copper, #25 Bronze |
I have rushed to the store to check these out after seeing a couple of swatches and photos in Instagram. I was wondering how they compare to Tom Ford Cream Eyeshadows and they looked very similar in the pot. There are six shades of Max Factor Excess Shimmers. Upon swatching I have decided on three of them:
Pink Opal: Light cool pink with a lovely duo chromish lavender sheen which I unfortunately couldn't capture by camera. This one apples a little sheered than the other two I have picked up but effect is so lovely, I couldn't resist it.
Bronze: Bronze is a mid-toned bronzy copper with golden shimmer. It is the most pigmented and dense out of three, hence my favorite. I have been searching for a nice coppery eye shadow which is not too red nor too yellow and here it is, big love!
Copper: The name of this one is very misleading to me. The shade is more of a light natural white gold. It is a lovely swipe and go shade for the day time, especially flattering on blue eyes. It is very pigmented, not as dense as Bronze but close.
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| Swatch: Max Factor Excess Shimmer #15 Pink Opal, #20 Copper, #25 Bronze |
Max Factor promises for a 12 hour longevity. I have tried Bronze over Nars Pro Prime and at 12 hour it was intact without any signs of fading or creasing. I don't have oily lids so I would love to hear your thoughts if you have tried that.
Formula is very close to Tom Ford. With a small amount it glides and covers the whole lid without much effort. It has a metallic finish but subtle enough to be worn during the day. The only difference I can point out once compared to Tom Ford is that the consistency is not the same throughout the shades. I have four of Tom Ford's cream eye shadows and all of them have the same consistency. With Max Factor Excess Shimmers, Pink Opal seems to be less pigmented.In terms of shimmer, they are close but Tom Ford is a tad more complex. Max Factor's formula is not very linear or cheap looking either but there is some difference.
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| In-action: Max Factor Excess Shimmer #25 Bronze |
Once it is applied on the lids, there is around one minute to blend and make sure it is places right until it eventually sets and doesn't move. It can be build up for intensity without getting too heavy or can be sheered out. It looks good in both ways. I have also tried to apply powder to intensify the crease just a little after it sets. It works without any problem.
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| FOTD with Max Factor Excess Shimmer #25 Bronze |
Two of the shades in the range are suspiciously close to holiday re-releases of Tom Ford Cream Eye Shadows so I would like to show them to you side by side. They are not exact dupes but give a similar effect once worn on the eyes.
Max Factor Copper is lighter and more golden, less brown compared to Tom Ford Platinum (reviewed here). I prefer Tom Ford Platinum on my eyes but I believe blue eyed ladies may like Copper even more.
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| Max Factor Excess Shimmer Copper vs. Tom Ford Platin |
Tom Ford Spice and Max Factor Bronze are close, Tom Ford Spice is warmer, with more golden shimmer. Max Factor Bronze has a tad more red. I have tried these one after another and came to the conclusion that I prefer Max Factor Bronze. MF Bronze compliments my eye color much better. Since Bronze has the best consistency out of the three Max Factor Excess Shimmers I own and it is so affordable, I would say Bronze is a must-have/must-try!
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| Max Factor Excess Shimmer Bronze vs. Tom Ford Spice |
I have heard that Max Factor is unfortunately not available at many countries, yet another reason why I don't present drug store products. Nevertheless these are worth tracking. Also check out Copper on Schminknerd (in German) in action.
Final thoughts: A rare moment for me when a product which is so affordable performs so well. My only critic would be the names, which don't match the shades, but who cares... Very much recommended if you have Max Factor available in your country. My favourite is Bronze. Now I have my eyes on the black shade called Onyx!
What is your latest drug store find?
