The Quest for Purple Eyeshadow

Ever since I anti-hauled the Coloured Raine (CR) Queen of Hearts palette, I concluded that the allure of the palette could be boiled down to one shadow, which was not not sold by CR as a single. This single shadow is called Noblewoman, described by CR as a "Metallic Burgundy with Purple Undertones." 

It is the purple shimmer in the middle of the second column. And I wanted it. I've wanted a mid-tone metallic purple for some reason for the longest time, but I was not going to buy a palette to get it. I've been through a lot of purple shadows since, and today I am going to review them for you. 

Before I explain to you my findings, I want to agree with the consensus about purple eyeshadow. It is notoriously difficult to get right. Please see here for a more thorough explanation. 

This is Inglot #445. I am going to keep this shadow, but I do want to say that I was incredibly disappointed. It seemed to be what I wanted- a midtoned purple, not too red and not too blue, from a brand known for its excellent quality. You do see the hard pan, right? Hard pan- though not as extensive as shown in the picture- began with the first moment I swatched it. It performs better on the eye, but I do have to load up the brush and use a sticky base. Furthermore, it is simply not pigmented enough. 

This lovely shade is Rosette, by ABH. It is reported by Temptalia as a dupe for CR Noblewoman, and I am enjoying it so far. It has a strong red base, and the shadow is very long lasting on the eyes. It is not exactly what I hoped for as it is a tad too red, but I do enjoy it. I know I am being too picky. 

These three pictures of my arm are the rest of the purple shadows I own. From left-right:

1) Nepenthe by Fyrinnae, 2) Rosette by ABH 3) 445 Pearl from Inglot 4) BH Cosmetics Foil Palette 1 single 5) Dose of Colors Lavender Honey 6) Dose of Colors Blueberry Swirl 7-8) Two shades from the Floriculture Palette by Tarina Tarantino. 

After seeing my swatches, I do think that my favorite is Nepenthe, by Fyrinnae. I have swatched it without primer or Pixie Epoxy, but it still looks beautiful. I do wish that there was a pressed single version of it out there, because I think it strikes a perfect balance between blue and red.

To wrap up, I've been having a bit of a hang-up with purple shadows, and something about the pressed formula makes it tricky. Loose and/or wet formulas seem to have a better time with it.

Thanks for reading!