Review: MAC Shale Eyeshadow

MAC describes Shale as a satin shadow that's 'mauve-plum with subtle shimmer.' I wouldn't call it mauve-plum, though. To me, it's more of a dirty lavender with a bit of gold shimmer. It's really much prettier than it sounds. The shadow is very finely milled (it is MAC), and the shimmer particles are very, very small, and haven't given me any problems with fallout. It applies evenly, and lasts all day with primer.

I definitely didn't think that I would be wearing this often when I bought it. It just looked pretty, I had some extra cash, and I made an impulse buy. I make lots of those. But this actually turned out to be a good investment. Shale doesn't look entirely wearable in the pan, but on my eyelids it turns a light, smoky purple that really brings out the green in my eyes. It's subtle enough to not scream purple eyeshadow all the way across the room, but it's got enough pigment to be noticeable (and admired). It layers well, so you can get anywhere from a light wash to a medium-dark tone. My favorite way to wear this is concentrated on the outer corners of my eyelids and then fading towards the middle, sort of a very, very soft take on a smoky eye.

It retails for $14.50 at maccosmetics.com