Sundara Cosmetics Review: Eyeshadows (Some Bright Shades, And A Few Smokeys, Neutrals and Pastels)

1st Row, LtR: Amla, Cucumber Melon, Hasti, Coal & Diamonds, Mint Mojito
2nd Row, LtR: It's a Boy, Metal Princess, Rich Soil, Mocha Taupe
3rd Row, LtR: Lotus, Brinjal, Siahi

The picture above is clickable so that you can look a little closer at the labelling if you want. As promised, here are some swatches and a review of the Sundara Cosmetics colors that I've tried. I have to admit, this review took me a long time because I couldn't figure out how to arrange these items. I just decided to go with what looks best together. Also, the swept out swatches looked near identical to the dry, patted-on swatches, so I decided to skip posting them for this review, as it's quite long to begin with. However there will be a surprise for you guys at the end of the post *winkwinknudgenudge*.

I always like to start with texture, but the texture of these guys varies a bit. Generally speaking, the 'Bright' colors are a bit on the drier side--well, I suppose they are mattes.

Some bright shades are a bit drier than others. In this review the Brights I'll be talking about are Amla, Hasti, Mint Mojito, Lotus, Brinjal and Siahi. Mint Mojito is the driest by quite a bit. Amla, Lotus and Siahi are a teeny bit dry, but apply quite smoothly. The Hasti and Brinjal fall in between. Mint Mojito cakes a bit on top of my primer, but it's nothing a good blending brush can't solve. The bright shades are all incredibly pigmented, though.

The 'Neutral' colors (Mocha Taupe and Rich Soil) are silky smooth, as are the 'Pastel' shades (It's A Boy and Cucumber Melon) and the 'Smokey' shades (Coal & Diamonds and Metal Princess). Coal & Diamonds is very glittery. I experienced some migration and fallout from the glitter when I was just using primer, but a stickier product solved the problem nicely.

Left to Right: Amla, Cucumber Melon, Hasti, Coal & Diamonds, Mint Mojito

Here are the green shades (and Coal & Diamonds) patted on. Amla is so amazing! Mint Mojito does better blended out than patted on.

Left to Right: Amla, Cucumber Melon, Hasti, Coal & Diamonds, Mint Mojito

These look incredible when foiled. Coal & Diamonds is really cool, because when it looks when and shiny, it looks a little tar (in a good way!)

Left to Right: It's a Boy, Metal Princess, Rich Soil, Mocha Taupe

These swatches are a blue, a silver and some browns patted on. Mocha Taupe is my third favorite color that I have (after Lotus and Amla!)

Left to Right: It's a Boy, Metal Princess, Rich Soil, Mocha Taupe

I feel like Metal Princess was just made to be foiled. So hot! It's a Boy starts looking quite grey: since it's not exactly the nicest shade on my skin tone when dry (pastel blues are pretty in general, but they're never easy for me to wear, and I just don't seem to learn my lesson), I've been using it this way. Rich Soil looks so chocolatey when applied wet!

Left to Right: Lotus, Brinjal, Siahi

Siahi is such a true pigmented blue. It reminds me of the blue screen of death, actually! I love purples, so Lotus is right up my alley.

Left to Right: Lotus, Brinjal, Siahi

Lotus and Brinjal don't really foil well in my experience. Siahi definitely does though!

On to the colors:

1st Row of samples, Left to Right: Cucumber Melon, Hasti, Coal & Diamonds, Brinjal
2nd Row of Samples, Left to Right: It's a Boy, Rich Soil, Metal Princess, Lotus
Row of Jars, Top to Bottom: Amla, Mocha Taupe, Siahi, Mint Mojito

Cucumber Melon is a lovely pastel green. It's a pastel, and very smooth.
Hasti is a hunter green (Hunter Green was one of my most used Crayolas as a child... I think this looks a lot like it!) It borders on teal, but is not quite there. This is a little dry, nothing major.
Coal & Diamonds is black with silver sparkle. I love everything that's black and sparkly! This is smooth (the glitter doesn't feel gritty). The glitter tends to migrate on me, so I'd go with a sticky base or foiling medium.
Brinjal is a deep plum. Bit dry. Does better in application than it does in swatching.
It's A Boy is a pastel, baby, sort-of-grey, blue (as it's name would suggest). This is lovely and smooth.
Rich Soil is a brown with a nice sheen. It looks very rich when foiled. This, along with Mocha Taupe, is downright silky.
Metal Princess is a lovely grey, metallic silver. I really love this shade. I'm trying to decide if I have enough silvers yet. If the answer is no, this'll be an inevitable addition to my collection. This is very smooth.
Lotus is pretty much the red-pinky purple of my dreams. This applies quite smoothly. It's about as dry as you'd expect a good quality matte to be: a bit, but not too much!
Amla is a lovely electric looking green that matches its namesake (it's the Hindi word for a species of gooseberry found in India, for those of you not in the know). It's a lot like Lotus. Bit dry to the touch, but no application issues.
Mocha Taupe is a shimmery taupe that's browner than most. This, like Rich Soil, is like silk. I adore the formula.
Siahi is bit dry, but it's an ultra rich, blue-screen-of-death sort of blue. Love this one!
Mint Mojito is another one that reminds me of a specific Crayola. It looks just like Jungle Green, if I remember correctly. It's a lovely shade, but it's the one I had the most trouble with. It doesn't pat on smoothly, so you probably want to sweep it out. It wasn't too bad, but it was more trouble than the others, and noticeably so. It was the first one I cracked open, so I was a little scared all of them would be this way.

 

The Good:

• The neutral, pastel and smokey shades were very smooth. Some of the brights were quite smooth as well.
• The shades are all quite pigmented.
• A lot of the shades really suit my taste. OMG, Lotus!

The Bad:

• Mint Mojito was quite troublesome. Not the worst in the world, but I'm glad nothing else I tried was quite like this. Hasti and Brinjal were a bit dry, but nothing that stops me from wanting a mini size of Hasti once my sample runs out!

The Neutral:
Nothing here!

Overall, my recommendation would vary with the bright shades (I think everything else is consistently very nice). I really like and would recommend Lotus, Amla and Siahi. Hasti and Brinjal are fine if a bit dry (nothing major). Mint Mojito has some application quirks you should consider. I definitely want to try more of the neutral and smokey shades, and most of the bright shades were very nice, but because of Mint Mojito, I think I might sample first, personally. I've been told she's working on some more shimmery bright shades that will have formulas more similar to the neutrals she currently has, which is exciting!

Sundara Cosmetics eyeshadows are currently available in $5.00 full sizes, $3.00 minis and samples through Etsy.

And (dun-dun-dun) time for the surprise! I was just contacted and told that Sundara Cosmetics wants to offer a 10% discount to you guys! Yay! Just use the coupon code 'FIERCENERDITUDE2011' (no quotes, of course) before you check out. My own wishlist of things I haven't reviewed includes Halo, Impassive, Ebony, Saint, Raja, Lavender and Limeade, so if any of you reviews/swatches a few of those shades (or any of them, really), please let me know!

This review contains a sample/s sent by a company for evaluation purposes. All opinions expressed are my own, and fully honest based on my own experience/s.