Ego
Auric Ego Smoke Reflect Eye Shadow Duo ($39.00 for 0.23 oz.) includes a sparking, warmer pewter powder eyeshadow paired with a dark, grayish-taupe cream eyeshadow. Both may appeal to those who like high-shine, high-sparkle eyeshadows, and cream eyeshadow with more extended playtime. If you tend to wear your cream eyeshadows more sheered out, this darker base doesn’t lend itself to sheering out as readily as other shades.
Ego
permanent. $39.00.
Ego (Powder)
Ego (Powder) is a light, golden pewter with warmer undertones and a sparkling, high-shine finish. The texture was smooth and thin but not too dry, and while it was more firmly pressed, it wasn’t as prone to fallout as something with a loose press but was best used with moderate hand/pressure. I did find that I preferred application with a dampened brush when trying to use it as a standalone product, while a dry brush or fingertip worked well for using it as more of a layering shade (it seemed intended for both functions).
It had semi-opaque, buildable coverage, though the base itself was more translucent, as described by the brand. The product was applied evenly to bare skin, had very little fallout, and was even used dry, as it adhered well. It stayed on nicely for eight hours but had light fallout over time.
- Clionadh Elixir (P, $5.25) is darker (90% similar).
- Dior Party in Colour #3 (LE) is darker (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty TFX1 (LE, $36.00) is less shimmery and darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Glam (328M) (PiP, $29.00) is warmer (90% identical).
- Sydney Grace John (PiP, $6.00) is darker and cooler (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics No Regrets (LE) is darker (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Fire-Butts (LE, $6.00) is brighter (90% identical).
- Make Up For Ever D552 Crystalline Gray Beige (P, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter, and warmer (90% similar).
- JD Glow White Gold (P, $7.50) is darker (90% similar).
- Dominique Cosmetics Wanderlust (LE) is darker and warmer (85% identical).
They had a moderate dry downtime; they did dry down to a more powder-like finish that wasn’t budge-proof–I could still soften the edges a bit–but had a tendency to settle into my fine lines on the inner lid area as it was drying down, so I had to buff the product back out to even the product out. Once I did this, it didn’t keep creasing after the dry-down. If I applied and buffed out the product as a sheerer layer of development, this wasn’t an issue, as less product was more apt to dry down relatively quickly than a more opaque product layer.
The consistency dried down but wasn’t thick, heavy, or inflexible, so it paired well with other powder eyeshadows (not just the one included). It could be used as an eyeshadow base or eyeliner as well. Aside from the initial creasing (which I could blend/buff out) as it was drying down, once it dried down, I didn’t get creasing until the eight to the nine-hour mark.
