I’ve been wanting to do this review for the longest time, and finally I have the chance to do it! If you are looking for a cream shadow or a base that is smudge-proof, crease-proof, water-proof, sweat-proof, tear-proof and everything else (you get the idea), this is the products for you! The aqua cream has a great range of colors, which is definitely one of their assets in this era of cream shadow. I’ve been using this line since 2010, and have never looked back.
What is Aqua Cream?
The Aqua Cream is an ultra-pigmented, long-lasting waterproof cream. Highly concentrated in mother-of-pearl pigments, it provides an immediate color intensity with a luminous finish.
Its long-lasting formula will not crease or smudge under the most extreme conditions.
Available in 22 shades, the multipurpose Aqua Cream can be applied on your lips, cheeks and eyes.
Shades #5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are formulated for the Lips & Cheeks.
Shades #1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 22 are formulated for the Eyes & Cheeks.
Formula:
Volatil oil
Filmogen polymer
Synthetic Ester
High concentration of mother-of-pearls and pigments
Kaolin mineral powder
Paraben free
Dermatologist and ophtalmologist tested
Pros
So, I owned 6 different colors (top-bottom, left-right):
- #1 Anthracite – gunmetal with a silver sheen. The color is leaning towards dark grey than black. I love using this as a base for smoky eyes.
- #15 Taupe – metallic medium brown with warm undertone. This will look dark brown on lighter skin tone, and light on darker skin tone.
- #11 Gold – metallic golden yellow.
- #12 Golden Copper – rich copper with red undertones.
- #9 Coral – light coral pink.
- #8 Red (for cheeks and lips only) – red with orange undertone (think fire trucks). I feel that this product has a golden sheen to it.
Don’t mind the crack in some of them. I had to travel with it a few times (Canada-Jakarta-Bali etc).
Longevity
For all of them, I’d say they (all except #8) lasted a good 8 hours on the eyes. I’ve used this mostly on brides and photoshoots. Once it’s on, it stays ON. This product once it’s on the eyes, it will not move. Like I said, it’s crease-proof, water-proof and smudge-proof.
For #8, I used it for 4-hour and it stayed put throughout. However, when I tried to remove it, it stained my lips pretty much the whole day. It has a velvety finish to it when it dried, so if you prefer a glossy finish, you can apply a clear gloss.
Finish
Out of the 6 that I owned, 4 has a metallic finish (#1, #15, #11 and #12). #9 has a gold shimmer and #8 has a golden sheen to it.
Coverage
You can apply this as a wash of color, or you can build it up in layers.
Packaging
Plastic container with a screw on lid. Very light, made it very easy to travel with.
Price
The product cost CAD$28 for 6 gram in Canada (Sephora). In Jakarta, when I bought #9, it cost me Rp. 250,000 for 6 gram. It’s cheaper in Jakarta than in Canada..(that’s a first!). Since it is cheaper in Jakarta, I might go over and buy a few more colors..hehehee *update as of June 2, 2013* MUFE Indonesia is selling their aqua creams at Rp. 300,000 each. Now, for price-wise, it’s similar to the Canadian counterpart.
Cons
Again, I’ve to repeat this: work fast with this product and in thin layers. The product dries very fast and once it dries, there’s no way of blending it. If you apply this product too thick on your first few layers, you might see a build-up of products on the skin. There’s no way of re-blending it once it becomes lumpy.
Also, for that price, you are better off buying Maybelline Color Tattoo 24-hour gel shadow which cost CAD$6.95! However, the color range might not be as much as the Aqua Cream. On top of that, the color tattoo line is not available in Indonesia.
I’m giving the Aqua Cream 4 winks out of 5!
p.s.: for tutorials using the aqua creams, please check the links below:
- #1: Smoldering Smoky and Slytherin Inspired
- #11: Iron Man Inspired and Colour Me Up
- #15: Iron Man Inspired
- #8: Velvet Lips
- #9: Candiliscious, Coral and Blue, and Sunset Inspired
