Cream to Powder Eyeshadows: Tarina Tarantino Magic Hour Review

Without a doubt, Tarina Tarantino's Magic Hour is the best value cream eyeshadows that I've found. It's $19 for a whopping 10.5 grams of product (as opposed to Shiseido's $25 for 6 grams), and it's several dollars cheaper than the other cream shadows that I've tried. The packaging is adorable and the glass pot is huge and very classy.

In terms of the cream's consistency, it's quite similar to MAC paint pots. It warms up you rub your pinky into it, and I find it easier to apply with my little finger. Of course, if you're determined to blend it with something else, it's best to use a brush. Just be prepared to use a stiffer one than usual so you can properly pick up the product.

It's not particularly difficult to blend and it's absolutely budge-proof and crease-proof after it sets, and I really like it a lot. Its only drawback is that it only has a handful of colors to choose from (and by a handful, I mean six-- black, purple, gold, silver, pink, and blue-violet), but if you can find the color you want, you're all good.

Here's what the black looks like when worn. I actually used a brush to dab it gently on because I just wanted a tiny smidgen of the smokey eye for a sunny Saturday. It didn't crease, smudge, or smear, and I was pretty happy with how lightly it came on. You can layer it on for a true smokey eye, but  I prefer a lighter touch.

The purple shade was a bit disappointing for me, as I didn't expect how dark it came out on my skin. It made me look like I had a black eye when worn alone, and though the product itself was fine, I didn't really like the color. In a an effort to make it work, I used another brand's cream eyeshadow in white as a base (see picture on the left in the above photo) and brushed the TT purple across my lids. The resulting effect was pretty good, and I'm pleased to say that I can now use this shade without looking beat up.

All in all, I'd recommend checking Tarina Tarantino's Magic Hour first if you're looking to buy some cream shadows. They're the best value for money among the lot that I've tried, and you're in luck if they've got the color you want. Then you can hit MAC next (again, their only problem is the limited shades that they have), and finally Shiseido and/or Make Up For Ever. The last two are the more expensive brands but they've also got a wider range of colors, so if you can't find your color in either Tarina Tarantino or MAC, it's best to head to those.

International readers can buy Tarina Tarantino products over at Sephora.com. For local ladies, the only way to get Tarina Tarantino is to buy through Sephora on Amazon.com and have it shipped through Johnny Air. You can't buy from Sephora directly because they don't accept credit cards from the Philippines, but if you purchase through Amazon and send it to the Johnny Air address in New York, you're all good.

Stay beautiful, ladies~!