Product Review -- ColourPop Pressed Shadows

I've been a huge fan of ColourPop since I first tried their Super Shock Shadows and Lippie Stix several years back.

In particular, I love the Super Shock Shadows because they combine all the best things about powder shadows and cream shadows in a single product.

Still, there are some issues that arise with these shadows, such as sometimes having trouble finding brushes that work with them (particularly in the crease), and I'm a certifiable makeup junkie, so I was very excited when I heard that ColourPop was coming out with Pressed Powder Shadows.

The shadows are available as both singles and a couple of pre-made palettes (and currently, as part of the Valentine's Day collection, some duos are available as well). Right now, you can get a free cardboard palette -- with a pretty white and silver star design -- to place the shadows in if you purchase 4 singles.

I purchased one of the pre-made palettes and 5 of the single shadows.

The pre-made palette I purchased, Hi-Maintenance, comes in the same white cardboard packaging with silver metallic stars. There is a small window with clear plastic that allows you to see the shades inside.

ColourPop Hi-Maintenace Pressed Shadow Palette

ColourPop Hi-Maintenace Pressed Shadow Palette

The four shadows in the palette are Just in Time, a shimmery soft gold; High Strung, a metallic rose gold; Get Out, a cool matte cranberry; and Cute Alert, a matte deep burgundy.

(You can also purchase all of these shades as singles.)

ColourPop Hi-Maintenace Pressed Shadow Palette

From l. to r.: Just in Time, High Strung, Get Out, Cute Alert

The single shadow shades I purchased include Liar, Liar, a metallic pale pink; Made to Last, a matte mauve; Top Notch, a matte rosy brown; Popular Demand, a matte red brown, and Take the Lead, a matte cool gray brown.

From l. to r.: Liar, Liar, Made to Last, Top Notch, Popular Demand; in front: Take the Lead

From l. to r.: Liar, Liar, Made to Last, Top Notch, Popular Demand, and Take the Lead

After trying these shadows, I have to say that I'm very impressed -- they're not perfect, mind you, but I think they're a pretty great value for $5 a piece and $18 for the palette with four shades.

The shadows are all nicely pigmented -- in fact, I find that a little of the shadows goes a long way, especially with my fair skin. They also have a nice, smooth texture and blend very easily on the skin.

While the matte shadows are easy to work with like the metallic and shimmer shades, they are powdery so there can be significant fallout. It's very important to lightly press your brush into the shadows and tap it off well before applying to your eyes.

I've seen some complaints about the shadows not lasting long or fading over the course of the day, but I haven't had an issue with that. I apply one of my usual primers first, and the shadows last the usual 8 to 10 hours for me.

All in all, I think these are really nice shadows and they come in a fairly wide range of colors so there should be an option to fit most people's preferences.

As I mentioned previously, the individual shadows are $5 each and the pre-made palettes are $18 each. You can find them on the ColourPop website.

Have you tried any of the ColourPop Pressed Shadows? Which shades are your favorites?