Mid Week Treat: The Essential £1 Eyeshadow

Let me tell you a little secret - I am 21 years old, and the thought of using eyeshadow terrifies me. For good reason too: in my early teens I had quite the collection of eyeshadows, and if I remember rightly, my absolute favourite was a pastel green one. Why my mother ever let me leave the house wearing it is beyond me. Good taste somewhere intervened along the way, and now I generally stay clear of eyeshadow altogether. Recently though, I've been wanting to add more makeup looks into my arsenal, and I decided I would try to conquer my fear of eyeshadow.

When it comes to shopping for my absolute essential make up items, I'm more likely to splash out a little. If it's something I'm going to wear a lot, I want it to be perfect. However, when experimenting with a new product or colour, there's nothing better than hitting up the bargain section in Poundland. All items only cost £1 (well, duh), and they have some pretty good brands up for grabs too. After trying a few eyeshadows that didn't quite do it for me, I unexpectedly found this one in Poundland, and decided to give it a go. I think it probably had something to do with the rather lovely autumnal feel to the colour palette.

I don't remember seeing Maybelline's Hypercosmos in shops, but this one seems to have come from the Japanese version of the brand. Shade WN1 is a lovely mix of a marbled gold and brown side, and a deep purple side on the other, and can be layered to create a subtle smoky eye. I like to apply the marbled side first, all over my eyelid, and it seems to apply best when used with a brush. It has just the right amount of shimmer to it, and makes your eyelids glow without being in your face glittery. I love this side so much that I sometimes wear it on its own.

Now, I'll admit that the other side scared me somewhat. Purple? Should I really wear purple eyeshadow? I am thrilled to report that actually, when applied, the left hand side of the palette is instead a really wearable brown shade. I like to apply this side with my fingers, and just tend to smudge a little of it on the outside, and in the crease, if my eyelid. It blends super easily for that perfect everyday subtle smoky eye that I have been aiming towards for so long.

I am useless when it comes to picking out which colours suit my colouration (blue eyes + dark brown hair + pale skin, if you've got any tips), but this is such a neutral, wearable shade that I can't think of a colouration it wouldn't work with. I love how it's a look by itself which is super quick (hoorah for extra sleeping time), but can also be worn with a lipstick when you want to push the boat out. In fact, I love it so much, I am heading back to Poundland for a rummage to hopefully buy another Maybelline Hypercosmos in the same shade, to use when this one inevitably runs out.

So, that's me converted to eyeshadow. I'd love to hear your tips for wearing eyeshadow, or how you experiment with new looks.