Revlon ColorStay ShadowLinks (with Swatches!)

Emma Stone, wearing Revlon Shadow Links

I recently had the opportunity to try out Revlon’s new Shadow Links individual eyeshadows. The advertisements are all over my television, so I was really excited to get a chance. The ones that I tried are all neutral shades, which I think is a good baseline for deciding whether these are right for you.

The four colors that I have are Bone, Taupe, Java, and Onyx.

L-R: Bone, Taupe, Java, Onyx. Press photo

Bone, Taupe, Java, Onyx. In person.

The packaging on these is a little bit gimmicky, but they are travel friendly. Once you click them together, you do have to work to slide them apart. They wouldn’t accidently come uncoupled. As well, the pan is almost entirely eyeshadow, so there isn’t that spot for the crappy sponge applicator that ends up thrown away.

Unfortunately, the color payoff is a little hit and miss. Bone is virtually non-existent. Seriously. It doesn’t show up at all. You definitely cannot see it on the swatch. Onyx is the best, but smudges the most. Java and Taupe are both middling. All four are just okay. They’re very chalky, and apply in a patchy way. These are part of the Colorstay line, so I am really expecting the color to stay, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask. In terms of wear, these are also middling in quality. I get about three hours of wear before Onyx starts smudging, and probably five to six before the Java and Taupe start to go.The colors also tend to blend together over the course of the evening.

Dry

I tried these a second time with a damp brush, and the results I had were a lot better. They stayed on longer and better. I think that I got a full day out of them without touchups, with a primer. That’s more effort than I usually go to every day for running errands, so it’s a little impractical for me. Taupe really pops when you use it wet though. It becomes almost duochrome and is really lovely.  

Wet

In good news, these are very inexpensive. You can get them for less than $3 in Canada, and I’ve seen them for much less in several stores. Overall, I will probably keep and use the three darker shades. Bone is a complete waste to me though. If you’re still interested in this after all that, I highly recommend swatching them in store on the back of your hand or your arm (not just your fingertip) to make sure that you know what you’re getting into.

Disclaimer: The products seen in this review were provided free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.