L'Oreal HiP review

The thing about drugstore makeup, especially powdery stuff like eye shadows and blush, is that it used to be so sheer. When trying it on, it rarely looked like the color in the case. L'Oreal HiP (High Intensity Pigments) changed all that by giving us "intense color payoff" in a drugstore brand and it has been immensely popular with regular folks and beauty editors alike. I decided to compare a few HiP versions of some of my favorite products, starting with MAC pigments (color shown: melon). A staple in every pro's kit, MAC pigments ($20) are moist (see how it clumps up from the moisture), velevety smooth, and made to adhere to the skin - unlike most shimmers that blow away or fall off without pressing them or mixing them into another product. I found the HiP Shocking Shadow Pigments (color shown: visionary) to be only slightly grainier than MAC's but adhered fairly well and looked almost the same on the skin. HiP Pigments ($12) come in a much smaller jar but it is PLENTY for individual use and it also comes with a nice little brush to apply it with. I have gotten a lot of compliments on this golden color which works great to brighten the eyelid and inner corner of the eye.

The HiP Cream Shadow Paints ($12) are almost exact replicas of the MAC paints ($16) (note: I think MAC stopped making new paint colors and changed the format to Paint Pots). You can use the little brush it comes with to apply the cream but you need to act VERY fast. Once it dries it is literally budge proof and there is no turning back. There is probably a better margin of error if you use a color that is close to your skin tone but with a dark one like steely (shown above), you need above average blending skills to use it on its own. A better idea is to use steely as a base for a super smoky eye then go over it with a dark shadow and use a fluffy brush to blend away any edges.

Several cosmetics lines are coming out with their versions of the immensely popular Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils ($17). These are very creamy and blendable (for a short time only - about 30 seconds) and once set they do not budge. They are even waterproof and come in fun chrome metallic colors. I have been enjoying HiP's Color Chrome Eyeliner in violet volt ($10) - even though the color looks closer to navy blue in some lighting. The package says "liquid pencil" (huh?) but it goes on very smoothly like a gel. In fact it's so smooth that it's almost slippery as it glides across the eye and it's so soft that you can easily put a lot on with just a touch (slightly softer and creamier than Urban Decay's). It therefore needs constant sharpening. I almost always need a little brush or smudger to blend it just a tad so it doesn't look so much like a clear line. Also like the Urban Decay ones, you need to act fast before it sets. It claims to be smudge-resistant and I would agree with that for the most part. There are liners that last longer than this but not many in a pencil form.