Naya

Kaja Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio, Review

Summer may come and go, but shimmer is here to stay

Foreword

It was only a matter of time before I gave in and tried the oh-so-raved-about KAJA eye-trios. If you are a friend to the blog (welcome back!), then you already know my soft spot for all things sparkly; after repeatedly bumping into these little guys at every Sephora around Manhattan, I thought to myself that it was time to try something new. If you want to know how this story unfolds, then please keep on scrolling.

About the Product

KAJA Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio (21 USD; Made in Korea) are trio-sets of color-complementing shimmery eyeshadows that come in a variety of undertones. Recently, the brand introduced four new mixed shimmer/matte eyeshadow stacks as well. While I enjoy the idea of having a few mattes in a trio like this, frankly I find that true show stoppers here are all of the high-shine shimmery shadows (which is exactly why I did not buy any of the new stacks).

For this review I purchased Orange Blossom (golden tones) and Toasted Caramel (gilded bronze tones).

Packaging: speaking of KAJA as a whole – most of their products have this uber cute, girly and dainty packaging. I feel like this vibe would mostly appeal to a younger crowd, but hey! I love it just as much as every other teen in the city. Trios come in this petite compact packaging, including a cute little mirror. Outer packaging will always correspond to each individual color story. I think it is a very neat idea. These compacts are nice to look at, especially if you decide to display them on your vanity table. Portable, easy to travel with.

Formula, Texture: this formula is cruelty-, sulphate-, parabens-, phthalates-, SLS- & SLES-free (which is amazing). Shimmers feel buttery smooth and are milled to the extreme. Yes, they are that fine. Some have a stronger color base to them and you might experience a touch more kick-up with those. Overall, nothing to complain about and both of my stacks feel and perform exactly the same.

Application: now, this is when I have to warn you. Since KAJA Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio is practically a fairy-dust in a pressed form, it has a higher chance of fluffing out and landing pretty much all over your face. I would recommend avoiding brushes altogether, since fingertips are your BFFs here.

I have discovered two best ways to apply these shimmers: a. pat the colour on top of a creamy eyeshadow stick/base while it is still tacky; b. pick up the colour with your fingertip and spritz it with a makeup setting spray, before gently patting it onto the primed eyelid. The latter technique will actually give you the most blinding “on steroids” glow of life. You can also use a glitter glue if you desire.

My point is – these shadows won’t last without some sort of a base underneath them and I would highly recommend using something like Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour (review here) or MAC Prep & Prime Fix+ to achieve best results. You can always alter the glow level by picking up more or less product.

Please click on images to zoom in

As always, all of my swatches are unedited and raw (no added saturation, primers or other tricks here, baby)

Wear: with a smart application strategy, KAJA Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio will not only look foiled and gorgeous, but also last much longer (compared to when you use it dry). I find that some shades appear more sparkly than others though; they last for at least 5-6 hours before starting to fade a little. If your eyelids are on an oilier side or you generally experience a lot of creasing, definitely use your favorite eye primer first to get good mileage out of your trios.

Verdict

If only all shimmery shadows looked just as pretty as KAJA Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trios. With a good base, these bad boys are unstoppable. There is an infinite amount of looks you can create with these and for the price – I think they are a total steal. I would definitely recommend sticking with a color story that is most appealing to you (in my case gold/bronze), so that you can easily spice up even the most simple everyday look. These shimmers are great for those of you, who want to try something sparkly, yet without going the glitter route. At this point I hope that the brand decides to introduce some daring new colors, like duochromes or even glitter pigments. All in all, rumors are true and these are 100% worth the hype. B+ from moi.