Battle Of The Brands #1

Another new series for you today, I'm on a roll with these lately aren't I? Battle of the brands will involve me taking two of the same products but from different brands and comparing to see which is best. Today I'm doing creme eye shadow and going from the cheapest on the high street (Calvin Klein) to the most expensive, yep, a MAC paint pot.

Starting with Calvin Klein Creme Eye Shadow in Snakeskin Silver. You don't see these in many places, maybe the pound shop or on the Isle of Man 'Make up 4 Less'. They retail from £1.79 to around £6.00 on Amazon.

The packaging is sleek, a small plastic pot very similar to MAC paint pots and the colour of the lid reflects the colour of the product inside. I say this a lot but I really do like simplistic designs, they remind me of more up-market things and the words sophisticated and elegant always spring to mind. Maybe I'm going too far.. haha!

The eye shadow itself is very creamy and pigmented. You don't need much to get a full sweep of colour. I have two shades, this one and Bare Silk. Both are light colours, the latter a perfect inner corner or brow bone highlight while the former more of a base colour. 
The formula blends nicely and it lasts a good few hours though I wouldn't say all day.

Overall a great high street product for an ever greater price. I would recommend. 

MAC limited edition paint pot Morning Frost

MAC paint pots. Need I really say more? Famous in the beauty industry these little make up bag essentials are good - but are they really worth the hype? I'm not so sure. 

The packaging is typical for MAC - rounded and professional. Sophistication once again springs to mind but even more so this time. The clear glass pot is transparent with nothing but the brand printed on the side. All good so far. 

The formula itself I find to be quite oily and so a no go for those of us with oily lids but this could just be the shimmery shades. Feel free to inform me because I have no experience with any of the mattes. It does still however last all day without fall down or fading and even without a primer! WOW. 

Upon application you get quite light coverage but it is so easily built up and I like this. 

A good product but I struggle to justify spending £15 - FIFTEEN POUNDS - on it when I can pick up a CK creme shadow or Maybelling Colour Tattoo for the same quality but cheaper. I sometimes feel like with MAC, you just pay for the name. 

A swatch comparison. Which looks best?

I'd like to add that both brands chose creative and appropriate names. Good job guys. Also both products are best applied with your fingers (in case you were wondering which you probably weren't). 

So to conclude, for it's lasting power and design I'm going to choose MAC as the winner of the first battle of the brands but that doesn't mean I would personally chose it over other brands in Boots or Superdrug. Do you agree? Let me know in the comments.

I know this wasn't a very structured post, I'm still working on it but come back next Wednesday for more from this series when hopefully I will have improved!

Until next time

xx