Friday, May 13, 2011

Fyrinnae Arcane Magic Swatches - Round 1

Finals season is a busy time to be a law student and as such I've barely had time to even throw on concealer much less experiment. Once you add in the fact I've been more broke than usual it's been a slow time for makeup. On the upside, this is a great opportunity to swatch things I had before I started this blog. My first project is swatching all the Fyrinnae eyeshadows I've collected. First a little about Fyrinnae in general and my impressions.

Overall: One of my favorite indie makeup companies. Fyrinnae was one of the first places I ordered from and it's one I'll keep coming back to. They offer a wide range of eyeshadow in addition to other face and lip products. Shipping is free for orders over $40 but very low otherwise. The downside would be the long turn around time. This is not a place to order from if you're in a hurry or impatient but it's always been well worth the wait. 

Eyeshadow: I've ordered from both their regular and Arcane Magic collections. Everything I've gotten has been highly pigmented and easy to apply. One caveat would be that for the more complex or sparkly shadows, their Pixie Epoxy is essential in order to get the best result (at least in my experience). The Arcane Magic collection is my absolute favorite out of all the collections I've bought from anywhere. I have yet to come across any other collection with the same complexity. Another strong selling point for me is that the eyeshadows (and most other products) can be purchased in a mini-size. First off, I hate dealing with sample bags. Secondly, I like having a wide range of colors but it's cost-prohibitive to buy full size jars of things I know I will only use occasionally. The mini size eyeshadows are perfect since they are inexpensive but still respectably sized.

Pixie Epoxy: More of a glue than an eyeshadow primer, Pixie Epoxy has excellent staying power and is the answer to problems with glitter fallout. My only real complaint is that it can make blending a little challenging but it's indispensable when using some of the more complex or glittery shades. It's not my everyday primer but I always use it for swatching or if I want to make sure my eyeshadow isn't going anywhere. There is a learning curve since a little goes a long way but I would recommend this to everyone.

Other Products: I don't have any experiences with the blushes or other primers though I've only heard positive things. I like the Fluff finishing powder and its a lot cheaper than other comparable powders from brand names. I have mixed feelings about the lip lustres but that's mostly because I'm picky about the stickiness of my lipgloss. The few that I have are nicely pigmented and go on smoothly.

And now for swatches. I haven't crosschecked my stash against the site recently but I believe that I have most if not all the Arcane Magic shades currently available. I'll be swatching these in batches, in alphabetical order. These are swatched over Pixie Epoxy and photographed under a natural light bulb with no flash.