I used to be a huge fan of the Marlena and the Makeup Geek. I loved the looks done and I even hung out on the forums on occasion. It was definitely a positive forum in my experience and I liked it. When I saw that Marlena had released eye shadows, I decided to pick up a few to try out. I love the fact that the shadows are cruelty free!
I went for a matte shade named Vanilla Bean, a taupe (thanks to JoeyBunny and Elvira) named Moondust, and due to my love of all things teal, a metallic deep blue, Ocean Breeze.
Price:
$5.99 per shadow 1.8G / 0.064 oz
Shipping for the 3 shades was $3.82. They came well packaged in a sturdy box with peanuts. As you can see in the first image, the individual shadows come packaged like the MAC refills.
All Makeup Geek eyeshadows are Talc & Paraben-Free except Manderine and Fuji.
Ingredients:
Mica, Isoeicosane, Polyisobutene
May Contain:
Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Oron Nitride, Kaolin, Polyethylene, Ptfe, Nylon-12, Magnesium, Stearate, Zinc Oxide, Silica, Synthetic Wax, Lauroyl Lysine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Methicone, Dimethicone, Iron Oxides Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499, Chromium Hydroxide Green Ci 77289, Ultramarines Ci 77007, Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Bismuth Oxychloride Ci 77163, Manganese Violet Ci 77742dc Black No. 2 Ci 77266, C13-16 Isoparaffin, C12-C14 Isoparaffin, C13-C15 Alkane, Carmine Ci 75470, Chromium Oxide Greens Ci 77288, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide Ci 77510, Ferric Ferrocyanide Ci 77510, Blue 1 Lake Ci 42090, Yellow 5 Lake Ci 19140, Red 6 Lake Ci 15850, Tin Oxide
Shade Descriptions:
Vanilla Bean – creamy vanilla, matte finish with a slight sheen
Moondust – metallic silver taupe
Ocean Breeze – metallic deep blue
I was disappointed with Ocean Breeze. From the description, I thought it would be a blue-based teal. It’s a pretty shade, but it doesn’t appear to lean teal to me at all.
Moondust and Vanilla Bean are nice. The texture and color payoff are good for all three shades. I swatched them over Meow’s Light Primer. The shadows lasted all day on TFSI, including through tears! I was impressed.
You can expect to see a look with them soon.
In fact, here it is! I used Vanilla Bean on the inner 3/4 of the lid and crease. Moondust was used on the outer 1/4 of the lid and crease, as well as the inner lower lash line. I used a bit of Silk Naturals Bareback on the upper crease, as well as Silk Naturals Spurs on the browbone and inner corners of the eye. I used Ocean Breeze along the outer lower lash line.
What do you think of Marlena and Makeup Geek? What do you think of her line of shadows? Have you tried them? If so, what are your favorite shades?
Products purchased by me. All opinions are my own.
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Hello Cotton
this looks amazing and the prize is almost to good to be true! can’t wait to see a look with it!
theartismakeup recently shared..Tutorial! : Solar Eclipse
I’ll post it tonight
I’ve tried the “starter set” and just ordered three more. Good value and the colors I have had a good payoff. I’m looking forward to more swatches as people post about them. I think you might like “Mermaid.”
What shades did you like the best? And yes, definitely Mermaid!
Shadows are gorgeous! I like the blue one, but I agree with you, it isn’t teal at all. More like a dark blue. I can kind of see in the first photo how it *might* have some teal-ishness if you look at it in the right angle…. Still, doesn’t take away from how pretty it is, just kind of mislabeled.
I had not heard of Makeup Geek, but now I see them going on my wishlist. Ugh, just what I need, more shadows to collect!
Oh! I just reread the description for Ocean Breeze, definitely metallic dark blue. I’m off to check out the website now and see what other colors they have. I’m obsessed with teals too, despite not wearing them often.
Yeah the official description says ‘deep metallic blue’ but I did assume it would be a bit teal. It’s gorgeous, even if it’s not teal.
True! I wish I could pull off dark/metallic blues. They’re one of my most purchased eyeshadow shades (along with metallic dark green), yet I wear it the least. It just doesn’t seem to go with my face the way the it does you. Must the blue eyes. Seems like you blue-eyed gals can pull off anything!
Oh nice, nice. I actually haven’t had a chance to try her shadows, but they’re definitely on my to-do list. Must make a quick TKB order first, for some freestyle palettes, hehe.
Bekka recently shared..Madd Style Cosmetix Swatchfest
Yay
For the price those shadows look like a good value.
I definitely think they are!
i really like how marlena uses a mixture of drugstore and high end in her videos. i never felt like i had to run out and buy something expensive after watching her. her eyeshadows look really nice. i’m glad she has them at a reasonable price, i’m hoping she keeps in that way.
femputer recently shared..FOTD: I got Naked 2!
I think it’s really nice, too.
I really enjoy her videos and I would love to try these shadows. I have a cart ready to go.
I do like her videos, too
Thanks for this post — I’ve been wondering about the MUG shadows and I was glad to see someone reviewing them. I like Marlena (as much as you can like someone you only know from watching them in videos, I guess!). She seems genuine, she explains things really well, and she’s so positive. I think I’m going to have to try the shadows out.
Maia recently shared..If not Naked, consider Nude
They last through crying with Too Faced Shadow Insurance primer. They’re nice shadows!
The shadows are pretty, But she uses carmine in some, which is not cruelty free.
Oh no
I assumed that when they said cruelty free on their site, they were cruelty free. but you’re right, carmine = bugs
They all look pretty, bummer that Ocean Breeze isn’t teal though! It’s certainly a lovely blue.
SilhouetteScreams recently shared..Blogger Weirdness & Country Specific URL
Yeah it’s definitely a nice color, but in the swatches on the MUG site it looked like it was slightly teal.
I like that these come as solid shades – not as blendable as loose, maybe, but certainly quicker to just swish on of a morning.
Seph recently shared..On Failure
I like both options
Wearing Moondust today (with Pretentious, Taupe Notch and Bada Bing) and it’s gorgeous! Love the texture, too!
Musing on Beauty recently shared..Rouge Bunny Rouge Seas of Illuminations liquid highlighter – Sea of Clouds
Yay! Very cool!
I haven’t seen all of her videos like other youtube “gurus” but I really, really like her personality. She seems very genuine, unlike other ones on there, I will definitely support her business, I am sure she would not put out products that were anything less than fantastic
I love the vanilla bean and moondust! Ordering them today along with others! She has a youtube video with her top 10 favorite MakeupGeek eyeshadows, I will be ordering off of that list as well 
Very cool!
I like Marlena and I used to like the forums a lot as well. Always like to see different options for shadows – it’s nice to be able to buy loose pans – and I was really interested to see what these were like! Moondust looks lovely.
Robyn recently shared..MAC Red and Orange Matte Lipsticks Swatches
I think it is! Hope you like them Robyn
I am definately going to try out her shadows! I was just watching a video of hers yesterday (the smoky eye one) making a list of shadows to order. They look like great quality! Love her channel too!
Pammy recently shared..Happy 1 Year Birchbox Anniversary to me! January 2012 Birchbox (Box Opening)
Glad you are going to give them a go
I really like the MUG shadows. I have the starter kit and then Moondust, Burlesque, and Twilight. The shadow I’m most impressed with is Corrupt, its the most amazing potent black, I’ve never come across anything like it.
Lauren recently shared..88 Ultra Shimmer Eye Shadow Palette Look
Have you tried Sugarpill Bulletproof? It’s the deepest matte black I’ve ever used.