Effortless Eyes Caviar Stick Eyeshadow Trio (Nordstrom Exclusive) $99 Value

I've tried almost every eye shadow primer and long-wear eye shadow product in a quest to find something that would truly last from 7am - 10pm. Everything else creases, travels, dries out my eyelids, or fades. This product actually stays put, feels comfortable and the creamy formula makes application quick and easy. I use these daily as single-shade, all over color that takes 20 seconds maximum to apply. For dressier occasions, I combine several shades. If you regularly like to blend several shades of shadows, then these might not be for you. You can blend, but not with the same finesse of a powder shadow. If you apply to your eye lids directly with the stick, the color is saturated and slightly shimmery. It is never glittery and it's the sort of shimmer that is wearable and appropriate for ladies from their 20s through 50s. Darker shades are not shimmery, but aren't matte either. Lightest shades have the most shimmer. If you apply with your finger and smudge, it lightens the intensity of the color and dims the shimmer. I wear them both ways to get different looks. Also, you can use a gel eyeliner brush to apply these as eye liners and they stay all day. Shades I own: Amethyst - Absolute must have color for green or brown eyes; it's taupe combined with mauve and it makes my green eyes pop. It is purple based, but doesn't read "purple" on your eyes. Burnished Bronze - Great for green, hazel, or blue eyes; would not recommend for brown eyes because the red-tone will make the whites of your eyes look reddish. This isn't very bronze-like. It's a very attractive, deep, merlot meets copper. Smudge it out for daytime wear or apply directly for an amazing evening color. Copper - Amazing for blue eyes (good for green eyes); would not recommend for brown eyes because the red-tone will make the whites of your eyes look reddish. As the shade name suggests, this looks like a copper penny. This shade has more of a metallic finish. Grey Pearl - Great for blue eyes and is a universal cool-toned shade; this is a purple-based, cool, grey. Usually cool tones don't look good against my skin, but something about this shade of grey works. It's not nearly as dark as the Nordstrom photo suggests. This color is a great shade to wear all over the lid and then pop with a colored eye liner, like navy or plum. Jungle - Great for green, hazel, or brown eyes (not for blue); this is a deep, army green. Not too olive, but definitely not a blue-based green. This is a very dark shade so I can't pull it off as an all-over lid color, but it's amazing worked into the crease. Moonlight - Gorgeous neutral for all eye colors; this is one of those shades that is difficult to describe, but it just works. It's like a shimmery taupe or mushroom. It's not as tan as the photo suggests. Works well with any color eye liner. Great for day or night. Pink Opal - I would not have bought this shade if I hadn't tried in store. In the tube, it's the pink that is pictured, but it goes on as a very pale pink (not baby pink). It's like a pale shimmer. Super flattering on pale to light skin with deep brown or black eye liner. Plum - Works for all eye colors; this shade is very pigmented and is as pictured. A true, deep, eggplant or plum. Very little shimmer, but not matte. I have to smudge this shade out cause it's so dark, but smudged it can be used as an all over color. Works well in the crease. Rosegold - Universal shade; I have been surprised to find that I reach for this shade most often. It's brightening and flattering against my paler skin, but I think this would look amazing against deeper skin tones too. Sand Glow - Universal shade; this is another shade that I reach for often. It's like an antique gold tone, but not overly yellow. This can easily be worn for day or night and works well with different shades of liner. If you're looking to try one shade, then this is probably my recommendation for which shade most people would enjoy and could wear daily. Sugar Frost - Universal shade; this is a very pale, pink-peach shade that is very shimmery. It works really well as an inner corner highlighter or as a shade to blend over other shades to produce a lighter color. As a single shade all over the lids, it brightens and makes me look more awake and slightly ethereal. Probably too shimmery for mature ladies. Notes on some other shades: I tried Gilded Gold in store and it's very yellow-based. I think this could be a great shade to blend over other shadows, but I don't know how flattering it would be on its own. Definitely too yellow for most caucasian skin tones. Orchid is very pretty shade, but it's very vivid (as pictured) and I think would be best for brown eyes. It overpowered my green eyes and pale skin. I realize that the price is expensive, but they last a very long time; I've yet to hit the end of the stick on the ones I bought 2+ years ago. Great for travel because brushes aren't required and they can't crumble like powder shadows can if you drop them.

I was so disappointed with this caviar stick. I had read so many good things about this product, but I ended up hating it! I bought it in the color amethyst and although it was a beautiful color on, the texture was so awful I couldn't wear it! It was glittery and dried to a bumpy texture. It clung to every wrinkle on my eyelid, making me look like I had aged 50 years! Awful. I've never had that problem with an eyeshadow before. Made my eyelids look like wrinkly alligator skin. Deeply regret purchasing!