Makeup Forever Aqua Shadow - Review

I like shadow pencils. In all honesty, I actually like eyeshadows in general, but I really like shadow pencils, because they're awesome color bases and seem to be more creamy than potted cream shadows. When I discovered MUFE's Aqua Shadow pencils, I had to have one. After much internal debate, I decided upon an easy to wear neutral, 20E.

Aqua Shadows are a chubby pencil cream shadow. They are cased in black plastic, with a color coded cap and end, so you can easily tell which color you're reaching for. They retail for $20 on Sephora's website, and contain 0.14 ounces of shadow. Urban Decay's version is also $20, and contains only 0.1 ounces. From Sephora's website:

Aqua Shadow’s intensely pigmented, waterproof formula provides immediate, rich color that will not smudge, crease, or fade. Created with silica powder, its ultra creamy texture glides effortlessly on the eyelid and blends easily for an even result. Incredibly simple to use, Aqua Shadow quickly creates a multitude of dynamic and colorful looks.

I'm not totally convinced the shade I selected, 20E, is "intensely pigmented." It is pigmented, but no more or less than the UD 24/7 shadows I have. 20E is described as a "pearly taupe." It's a bit deeper than UD Sin, but lighter than Juju or Rehab. It's shimmery, rather than pearly to me. As a base, it's a great substitute for Sin, but they are different.

20E performs almost identically to Sin - it lasts a long time on my lids, blends well enough with my finger, and enhances the color of the powder shadow I put over it. The shadows appear a touch more rich and saturated, without any creasing after an 8 - 10 hour day.

Overall, I really like this pencil. They're a better value than the Urban Decay, and have a pretty good color range. If only there were multiple sources for them (as Sephora is the exclusive U.S. retailer for MUFE, where Urban Decay can be found in a multitude of stores). I also wish they'd give their colors names rather than numbers only, but I can live without, I suppose.