Ardency Inn Modster Manuka Honey Enriched Pigments in Rose Gold, Disco, Sunday and Heaven - review and swatches

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This is one of those reviews that I should have written two years ago, but I've kept putting it off for various reasons.

One of those reasons was that I knew I needed to try these with a glitter glue before I reviewed them, and late last year I finally bought one so now I've got no excuse.

But still, I dawdled. Why? Because I don't love them as much as everyone else seems to, so I've kept waiting for angels to sing. They haven't. Time to accept they never will and move on ; )


You learn lessons over the years as a makeup lover. One of the things I've learned is to avoid falling for hype surrounding how amazing some products are: I need to test things on my face before I buy them (unless of course it's Hourglass, in which case I know that angels will always sing).

But from brands I haven't tried before? I need to test them. On my face. I learnt that from my Burberry experience (don't even start me) and I also learned it with these. Yes they're pigmented and two of them are beautifully creamy in texture (Rose Gold and Sunday), but the thing is, the two creamy ones are so metallic that they emphasise texture on my lids and make me look 1,000 years older. And then there's the creasing and the fall-out...

Ach. This is why all four shades are in my Pan that Palette challenge this year: I want them gone.

Moving on.

The pans are magnetised and you can pop them out very easily and put them in a custom palette (see below). Centre top we have Sunday, next to that is Heaven, with Rose Gold below it and Disco at the bottom:


Ardency Inn claims/product details:
  • Formulated with manuka honey for incredible colour payoff and a staying power to match
  • The mono floral honey, manuka, is produced in New Zealand and Australia from the nectar of the manuka tree and when used in colour cosmetics, it provides intense creaminess and staying power
  • These organic, mineral pressed powders are formulated with high-grade silicone waxes that allow for extra long-lasting wear, taking time out of your beauty routine: an eye primer is not essential
  • With colours ranging from matte to metallic, there's a pigment for everyone
  • RRP $30 AUD for 1.7g

Now for swatches. Below I've done finger swatches (left) and then brush swatches (right) for every shade.

Weak sunlight:


Strong sunlight:


Indirect sunlight:


Natural light:


Verdict

Let's talk about these individually first and then together.

Sunday is described as a 'beige pearl with gold and pink undertones'. I'd say that's about right: it's a warm gold that pulls a little orange on me and it has a beautifully soft, creamy texture. Problem is, it's so metallic that it emphasises texture something chronic so it's very ageing on me (I'm 37 and have dry skin), plus it creases on me very quickly - perhaps due to my hooded eyes - but no eye primer or glitter glue can change that.

Heaven is described as a 'metallic champagne with bronze undertones'. It's one of those dirty, antique golds that I really love and while the colour suits my brown eyes beautifully, it also makes the whites look yellow (not ideal). This one is drier and harder in texture than Sunday so it doesn't feel as nice to the touch, but it also doesn't emphasise texture in the same way so it has that going for it. It lasts better on the eye than Sunday but the wear-time still isn't great (a few hours at best), even with a primer or glitter glue.

Rose Gold is described as 'metallic rose with warm golden reflects'. This is the one that every man and his dog raves about, and I can see why: the pigment is insane and it's incredibly soft and creamy to the touch. Problem is, it's easily the most unflattering shadow I've ever put on my eyes. The finish gives me creased, crinkly eyelids and I look bloody awful when I wear this. So sad. It also doesn't last well on me, again, perhaps because my eyes are hooded - although I've certainly used plenty of shadows that last a lot longer on me than this does.

Disco is described as a 'sparkly smoky grape with a silver reflect'. This is the driest and hardest of the four I own (it's more like Heaven in texture) and it also has the worst pigment of the four, although it's still pigmented enough. This is the only one of the four that doesn't emphasise texture, so it's the most flattering. Problem is, it also has the worst fall-out - whether or not I wear a glitter glue - so unfortunately I find it to be unwearable. I not only get tonnes of glitter all over my face when I apply this, but it keeps weeping throughout the day so even if I do my eyes first, it's still all over my face within a couple of hours.

Overall

I don't recommend these if lid-texture is an issue for you. I'm not the first person to have said that super metallic shades tend to be very ageing for those of us with older eyelids, and I certainly won't be the last.

None of these last well on me, although I've seen others say that they last a long time (with or without a primer) so perhaps it's just that they're not made for hooded eyes.

I also get fall-out with all of these, both during application and throughout the day, but Disco is the worst on that front. Again, perhaps this has something to do with my hooded eyes.

Overall I can't give these a good review, although I can see how you might love them if you're younger than I am and/or don't have dry eyelids, and if you don't have hooded eyes (in which case they mightn't crease so quickly or give you so much fall-out), but in any event, don't do what I did and buy them blind: test them on your face first.

Not for me.


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