Kat Von D Shade Shifter eyeshadow - On The Road

I've been eyeing the Kat Von D Shade Shifter eyeshadows for a while now, and courtesy of the VIB 20% off sale, I recently succumbed to their lure. These are billed as multi-dimensional shades that are "activated" by water. The duochrome nature is however quite evident when used dry as well. If you've tried Club from MAC, you might expect something along those lines - only MUCH better. (More on that in a bit.)

The packaging is the usual KVD affair, though the sticker of the eye on the outer packaging feels a bit cheesetastic.

The duochrome is already very obvious in the pan, going from brilliant emerald green to a murky reddened brown at different angles. It's equally apparent when applied.

For comparison's sake, I dug out the other green/red-brown duochromes in my collection to see how they compared: Club by MAC, Lounge by Urban Decay, and the definer shade from the Comfort Zone palette from Wet'n'Wild.

Clockwise from top left: KVD On The Road, Urban Decay Lounge, MAC Club, Wet'n'Wild Comfort Zone palette.

Left to right: KVD On The Road, MAC Club, Urban Decay Lounge, Wet'n'Wild Comfort Zone 

Left to right: KVD On The Road, MAC Club, Urban Decay Lounge, Wet'n'Wild Comfort Zone

As you can see from the swatches, Club has the murkiest coloring and the subtlest shift. Lounge pulls more teal than green, and the comparable shade from Comfort Zone is also a touch more blue, and the pigmentation is the thinest out of all three. Out of the four, I have to say that On The Road has the most vibrant duochrome effect. The value for the money is also something to consider, as the KVD version contains 2.76 grams of product, while Club and Lounge are both 1.5 grams.

Like most of the KVD shadows I have tried, the texture is wonderful. Dense, buttery, smooth, it is a pleasure to apply and blends very well. If you have oilier lids like me, I would recommend a primer as it can begin to crease and fade after 4-5 hours when worn on bare lids.

Availability: Exclusive to Sephora stores and online. Price is 19$ CAD.

Pros: Very strong duochrome effect, soft and smooth, blendable texture, terrific pigmentation.

Cons: May require a primer to prevent creasing midday.

(I purchased this item at Sephora.)