Shades of Taupe

I first heard about Maybelline EyeStudio Mono in Silken Taupe from Cherie, who pointed out that it's been compared to MAC Satin Taupe, notwithstanding the almost identical name. (I recently also came across this post which swatches it alongside Burberry Pale Barley, and the two look remarkably similar.) Being on a perpetual quest for the perfect taupe eyeshadow (if it exists), when I saw Silken Taupe on sale at Priceline, naturally I found myself hastily bringing it to the counter while ignoring the sane protestations of my friend who questioned whether I really needed more makeup.

When I first swatched it on my hand, I was a little alarmed at how much it looked like a sheer sandy beige and not the purple-grey-tan concoction I was after. It took several swipes to achieve something resembling the colour in the pan, but I was fairly pleased that it was buildable and therefore not completely a lost cause, as so many light taupes turn out to be in my experience. I've worn it a couple of times now, first applying a cream base and using my Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush to apply a wash over the lid, then adding some more depth and definition with the dark purple in my Electrified L'Oréal HiP Metallic Shadow Duo closer to the upper lashline. Although Silken Taupe is on the light side and takes several layers to build up (and even then, it's still relatively sheer on my lids), it's much more wearable than some other lighter taupes in my collection. I thought to compare it with some possible dupes, steering clear of darker tan/brown shades (like NYX Iced Mocha or Revlon Polished Bronze), instead concentrating on more purpleish, light grey taupes like it.

The colour at the top right hand corner (the "crease colour") in Maybelline ExpertWear eyeshadow quad in Exotic Earth is probably the most similar to Silken Taupe, the main difference being it has a lot more silver shimmer. Although I really do like the colour, it's nearly impossible to wear because the pigmentation is non-existent and extremely difficult to build up.

The second colour in Revlon ColorStay 16 Hour eyeshadow quad in Attitude (previously reviewed here) is noticeably lighter and cooler than Silken Taupe, which appears to be more tan and warmer in comparison. I really wanted to love the taupe in Attitude, but it didn't work for me. It's very sheer, cool-toned and light, and lacked pigmentation compared to the other shades in the quad.

Pillow Talk from the Too Faced Naked Eye palette was very much the same story as the Revlon Attitude. I've already bemoaned the fact Pillow Talk is too sheer to work as a wash of colour over the lid, though I was hoping to use it specifically for that purpose. Swatching it alongside Silken Taupe, it does look much lighter, less pigmented, cooler and more grey.

l-r: Silken Taupe, #2 in Attitude, Pillow Talk, crease colour in Exotic Earth

Swatching the four together, it's apparent that Silken Taupe is quite a bit darker than the two middle colours and a lot more brown. The shade from the Exotic Earth palette is the closest (perhaps a touch warmer), but the silver shimmer is too obvious and it's a laborious task to get it to a decent level of pigmentation. Even though it appears to be more of a tan in the swatch, Silken Taupe still applies like a cool, purplish light grey to my lids. This is a good everyday shadow if you're looking for something that's soft and silvery, with a hint of purple and satin finish, but not too cool that it's jarring against warmer skin tones. A quality primer/base and eyeshadow brush can overcome issues with pigmentation.