NEW Makeup Geek Fall 2016 Eyeshadows – Review & Swatches

Makeup Geek has recently released yet another batch of foiled and signature eyeshadows to coincide with the turn of the season. Being fall/autumn, the colour palette is dominantly warm which of course had me and my knickers in a twist because I absolutely love warm shades. Of the 18 new additions, I picked up more than half; all of the signature shades and two of the foiled. Below you’ll be able to see a description as well as swatches of each of the eyeshadows I picked up, but also a side by side comparison of similar shades within the existing collection (some are quite similar so if you’re not a makeup junkie, you don’t really need every shade).

Signature Eyeshadows

Bake Sale is described as a ‘Nougat Brown’ and is a matte finish. It’s a mid tone neutral to warm tan shade and incredibly soft to the touch, making it a pleaure to work with (as with all Makeup Geek eyeshadows). This makes for a great transitional shade for light to medium skin tones (for fairer skin tones, it would work as a crease shade) to help blend the darker shades out but also to provide a nice gradient from crease to brow bone. It’s darker than MUG Creme Brulee, which is my go-to transition shade, and pulls more neutral in comparison so this is a great alternative for those who want something not quite as warm. Compared to MUG Latte however, it’s definitely more warm but not as red as MUG Frappe.

Tan Lines is described as a ‘Fawn Brown’ and is a matte finish. It’s a beautiful, warm, mid tone tan shade, although darker than Bake Sale and would work as a subtle crease shade on light to medium skin tones. To the touch, it’s not quite as soft as Bake Sale and feels ever so slightly ‘gritty’ although that doesn’t prove as an issue when blending on the skin (blends just as smoothly and easily). It’s warmer and more orange based compared to MUG Frappe, more warm than MUG Latte and more brown yet less red compared to MUG Cocoa Bear.

Sidekick is described as a ‘Cinnamon Brown’ and is a matte finish. For those who love their warm tones, THIS is a MUST! This is a great shade to add both depth and warmth to a look and I’d typically work this into the outer crease area. From the off set I thought it was very similar to Cocoa Bear but after swatching it side by side, Sidekick is has more of a pink/orange undertone whereas Cocoa Bear has a lot more red to it. I like to call it Cocoa Bear’s little sister. Compared to MUG Frappe, it’s definitely more red making Frappe look rather neutral in comparison.

Cabin Fever is described as a ‘Chestnut Brown’ and is a matte finish. It’s a warm, mid to dark tone brown and works as a great shade for adding depth and smokiness, for light to medium skin tones, in the outer v. It’s much darker and more brown than MUG Cocoa Bear but much warmer than MUG Mocha.

Early Bird is described as a ‘Pumpkin Orange’ and is a matte finish. For me, this is the representation of a true orange shade; bright, rich and warm, and would especially compliment those with lighter eyes. Compared to MUG Chickadee, Early Bird is deeper and more orange. I like to use shades like this to add a touch more warmth to a look where I feel it is needed by blending a small amount above the crease and in with the transition shade.

Bandwagon is described as a ‘Dusty Taupe’ and is a matte finish. It’s a light to mid tone neutral brown with a grey undertone and would make a lovely transition shade on light to medium skin tones (a crease shade for fair skin tones) for those who want something cooler or more neutral. It pulls more neutral and slightly mauve-ish when compared to MUG Barcelona (which is cooler in tone).

Faux Fur is described as a ‘Soft, Mink Brown, and is a matte finish. This is the coolest shade out of the nine signature fall eyeshadows released and at an initial glance, I would argue that this is more of a grey than a brown (certainly when compared side by side with the rest of the warmer new shadows). However, when swatching it amongst other true greys, it’s definitely more of a cool tone brown. It’s darker and cooler than Bandwagon.

Pocket Change is described as a ‘Soft bronze’ and is a metallic shadow with a shimmery finish. It’s a warm, mid tone shade that is complimentary to most skin tones and can be worn very easily with it’s matte counterparts or solo as a wash of colour for an everyday look. Looking at the swatches online, it’s less warm compared to MUG Glamorous yet more golden than MUG Homecoming.

Lucky Penny is described as a ‘Medium Rose Brown’ and is a metallic shadow with a shimmery finish. It’s a neutral, mid tone shade that reminds me ever so much of the tones in the Morphe Brushes 35T palette (an absolutely stunning and affordable palette). Again, this is a very easy shade to wear and would suit a lot of skin tones.

Foiled Eyeshadows

Being a neutral tone lover, I decided to be sensible (doesn’t happen often) so I only picked up two of the nine new foiled eyeshadows. I passed on the four green shades and the three purple/pink shades and opted for the Bronze and the Cranberry.

Legend is described as a ‘Warm Bronze’ with a foiled finish. If you have never tried the MUG foiled formulations then I cannot recommend that you stop what you are doing now and go buy it. You need it. Like yesterday. Like with all the foiled shadows, the texture is super smooth, gliding on the skin like butter on hot toast. I would describe is as a mid tone copper rather than a bronze as it is rather orange but hey ho. However, judging by the online swatches, it’s not quite as deep or orange as MUG Flame Thrower.

Curtain Call is descried as a ‘Cranberry Red’ with a foiled finish. This is such a pretty red with a pink undertone although for me, it’s probably not an everyday shade. I thought MUG Showtime was red but when compared to Curtain Call, it’s like the more timid older cousin. Showtime is a burgundy so has a brown undertone making in easier to wear (check out my smokey burgundy eye tutorial featuring MUG Showtime). Curtain Call is more bright and vibrant, and not for the faint hearted.

I can see myself getting plenty of use from the signature shades, particularly the matte shades: Bake Sale, Tan Lines, Side Kick, and Cabin Fever, and the two metallic shades: Pocket Change and Lucky penny. The shades are super versatile and compliments the existing collection nicely. The foiled eyeshadows will be reserved for more specific events/occasions or more realistically, youtube, as the shades are a little bit more bold and outside of my comfort zone. That does not take away from the formula though which is incredible and, I think, one of the best in the market.

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