Reasons why eyeshadows aren’t as popular as eyeliner: They’re tougher to apply – glitter falls on your cheeks and eye makeup brushes aren’t as intuitive to use – they take up too much time, and often end up shelved and forgotten.
Image: Korean beauty blogger @iamchocolat
Now, liquid eyeshadows – or eye tints, as the Koreans call them – that have gained popularity in recent months are different, and they’ve found a permanent place in our makeup routines.
Here are five reasons why, and why you should consider making it a beauty staple, too:
#1 THEY ARE EASY TO APPLY
Not quite sure what each eyeshadow brush does? Doesn’t matter. These liquid eyeshadows can be easily applied with your fingers. Just deposit some product onto the back of your hand with the applicator, pick up a little of the creamy eye tint with your finger and apply it on your eyelid. For a quick, sheer wash of colour, spread the eye tint all over your eye socket; dab the product on if you want better colour pay off – easy peasy.
Dior Addict Fluid Shadow in 875 and 025, $53 each, available at all Dior Beauty stores and counters.
#2 THEY SAVE TIME
Unlike powder foundation, the eye tints we’ve tested, like Etude House’s Bling Me Prism Eyes have no fall out. So there’s no need to spend extra time dusting away bits of powder, or worse still, hard-to-remove glitter, from the cheeks when you’re done.
Etude House Bling Me Prism Eyes in Bling Bolt, Darling Heart and Sunny Carrot, $11.50 each, available exclusively at the Etude House flagship store in Wisma Atria.
#3 THEY CAN BE WORN ALONE
So can powder eyeshadows, yes. But liquid eyeshadows fit better in your makeup pouch than powder ones which sometimes shatter and make a mess of things. Apply a sheer wash of colour on your lids with an eye tint after work and it’ll take your makeup from day to night in a minute.
Korean beauty blogger @iamchocolat uses Etude House’s Bling Me Prism Eyes in Sunny Carrot to create an ombre effect on her eyelid. She finishes the look with a dark brown eyeliner and mascara.
#4 THEY WORK AS MULTI-PURPOSE PRODUCTS
Want to go with a simple eyeliner for a day? Just use the sharp end of the doe-foot or brush applicator that comes with your eye tint to draw it. (Though of course, an angled brush will be better.) Liquid eyeshadows also come in several colours, so don’t rule out a bright purple or blue.
YSL Full Metal Shadow in Misty Green and Wet Blue, $45, available at all YSL Beaute stores and counters.
But if you’re buying an eye tint for the first time, or have never really worn much eye makeup in the past, choose formulas with a satin, pearly finish, so if it really doesn’t work out, it’s still good as a cream highlighter. (Or even an under eye brightener, if it doesn’t have too much shimmer.)
Moonshot Jelly Pot in Hawaiian Sand, $34, available at all Sephora stores.
#5 THEY’RE LONG-LASTING
Like cream eyeshadows, the liquid eyeshadows we’ve tested can last a longer time than powder ones, too. You only need a tiny bit for every application, so expect a single tube or pot to last for a long time.
