Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Eyeshadow

Rouge Bunny Rouge is one of those brands that has emerged out of left field, and has achieved a small, but extremely devoted, cult following. I wasn't even aware of them until a few months ago. After reading a review on a blog (can't recall which one now), I located the website and became infatuated with the pretty, feminine aesthetic and the whimsical names. I had to have these.

Luckily I became aware of www.zuneta.com shortly after discovering RBR. (They are a UK online store that features high end and niche cosmetics, and they ship internationally.) When they had a 20% off promotion, I jumped right in with my first order of five RBR eyeshadows and a blush.

Today I'll be giving you a look at the eyeshadows, called Long-Lasting Eyeshadows When Birds Are Singing. (Yes, really. All the shadows are named after bird species.)

I have to say that for approximately 34$ CAD, I was expecting a little more from the packaging. 

The design is lovely, both on the box and the item itself, but the quality of the actual materials is nothing to write home about. Basic black plastic, indistinguishable from, say, Too Faced. I would expect something weightier and more refined, like similarly-valued items from Burberry, Guerlain and Dior. For 34$, I want some bling, and enough heft to take out an eye.

I like the inclusion of a mirror on the inside of the lid.

top row: Unforgettable Oriole, Abyssinian Catbird, Whispering Ibis
bottom row: Delicate Hummingbird, Bejeweled Skylark

However, it's what's inside that really counts, and here RBR does not disappoint. These shadows are outstanding. They have an incredibly smooth, dense texture, very finely-milled and with fantastic color payoff. Something like a cross between Le Métier de Beauté and Stila eyeshadows. They are all shimmery.

They pick up really easily, to the point where you have to tap off the excess or you risk some fall-out. They actually do better with softer brushes, as my usual laydown brush (the MAC 239) was almost too stiff, creating a little divot on the pan with just one dip. Better to use a softer brush and layer for intensity.

Brush mark on the right.

I was deeply impressed with their longevity as well. I almost always wear primer, because there are few powder eyeshadows that will last longer than a couple of hours on my eyes. These wore perfectly for 6 hours when I tested them on bare lids, with some fading (but no creasing) after that. (So not quite the 8 hours they claim, but on my lids, that's a minor miracle.) Over primer, they wore like iron for a full workday and well into the evening.

Unforgettable Oriole - Stunning champagne cream with fine golden shimmer. Amazing for the inner corner, but also makes a lovely highlighter over the cheekbones when applied lightly.

The sheerest out of the five I tested.

Abyssinian Catbird - Antique bronze with a distinct olive undertone. I'm a sucker for shades like this, and this one is exemplary.

The texture on this is even more buttery, and intensely pigmented.

Bejeweled Skylark - Deep, luscious red-brown with copper shimmer, much like Catbird in terms of texture and pigmentation level.

This is beautiful with my brown eyes, and would be stunning with blue ones.

Whispering Ibis - Slightly smoky green with a very faint blue undertone and gold duochrome shimmer. Gorgeous when it catches the light.

This has a slightly sheerer pigmentation, but nothing to cry home about.

Delicate Hummingbird - Lavender-mauve-taupe with fine red-violet shimmer, this is the sleeper hit. It's the perfect non-beige, non-boring neutral.

Used as a wash, it's ideal for adding just a bit of polish during those rushed mornings.

Swatches on bare skin, from left to right: 

Bejeweled Skylark, Delicate Hummingbird, Unforgettable Oriole, Abyssinian Catbird, Whispering Ibis.

Indirect natural light.

Sunlight.

Artificial light.

Availability: A bit hard to track down in North America, the best place to get them so far is www.zuneta.com. (They have fantastic customer service, fast shipping and the occasional sales that are worth stalking. I suggest making a wishlist and jumping when they do post a promo, as RBR sells out fast.) They are roughly 34$ CAD with the current exchange rate.

Pros: Dense, buttery texture, long-lasting, silky finish, amazing colors and good pigmentation. Overall aesthetics are delightfully whimsical.

Cons: Packaging could be better for the price, some fallout upon application that requires a gentle hand and/or a soft brush for best results.

(I purchased these from Zuneta.)

Rouge Bunny Rouge promo code

Everyone and their mother probably knows this by now, but I am so excited I need to post it too: 20% off all Rouge Bunny Rouge products on the Zuneta site with code ROUGEXMAS .

There's a also a free shipping code (FREESHIPXMAS), but unfortunately they don't stack together. On the other hand, you do get free international shipping with orders over 65GBP (about 103$).

I am RIDICULOUSLY excited about this, as I've been lemming this brand for several months.