Private Eyes

LORAC Private Affair Eye Shadow Palette
A review by Jessica M

Truth be told, I don't have expert makeup skills, the way Annie and some of our other friends do. My makeup collection is relatively small, and I tend to stick with the same neutral shades and basic techniques.

So, when LORAC’s Private Affair eye shadow palette came my way, I decided that I’d use it to experiment a bit. I really could use a little more drama and sophistication in my fall-winter look, especially for evenings. Private Affair looks sophisticated even at first glance: it’s boxed in burgundy faux-crocodile, and there’s something 1930s-40s about its design. The palette includes six shades under its lid (which has a magnetic closure), plus a mini Behind the Scenes Eye Primer and a dual-ended brush in a pull-out compartment.

Private Affair’s six shadows don’t have specific names, but they’re described in the product listing. The first, “creamy beige with pearl,” has a satiny sheen and works beautifully as a highlighter on the browbone or the inner corners of the eyes. The second, “champagne rose with shimmer,” looks soft in the pan, but it needs to be handled with care because it leaves an almost frosty finish.

The next two shadows, “soft taupe with pearl” and “platinum grey with pearl,” are the most versatile. The taupe is very well pigmented, and it works nicely in the crease of the lid or as a medium-intensity shade on the lid itself. Annie would particularly love the grey shade, which is a rich slate with very fine shimmer and just a hint of iridescent plum. Both shadows are smoothly textured and easy to manipulate, and they can be applied lightly or built into deeper layers, depending on your mood. They grey is particularly urban-romantic, and I found it very flattering to brown eyes and pale skin.

The fifth shadow, a “deep wine with shimmer,” made me a little nervous. However, it turned out to have a slight brownish hue when I applied it over the taupe, and it gave a mysterious effect when I blended it into the eyelid creases with a slanted brush. And the “black with sparkle” shade is spiked with maroon and purple, plus lots of “shimmer fire,” as Annie would say. I’m going to try it as a liner, applied with a wet brush, this weekend.

Speaking of brushes, the one included in Private Affair isn’t very effective as an eye shadow brush, but it’s still useful to have around for concealer. The Behind the Scenes primer worked as well as my usual Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. The only thing I’d add, if I could, would be a matte base shade like an ivory or a dove gray, to apply as a first step. I’m using an ivory shadow from my own stash, and mixing and matching the Private Affair colors over it.

Overall, this was more of a cosmetics risk than I’ve taken in a while! Private Affair will add a little sparkle and intrigue to my look this season.

LORAC Private Affair retails for $38 at Sephora stores and the Sephora website.

Disclaimer: Press samples were provided by LORAC
Image: Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in “The Big Sleep” (1946)
Product Photos from Jessica M

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Lancome's Holiday Eye & Cheek Palette.

This palette features six silky Color Design shadows plus a Blush Subtil, encased in an elegant and colorful compact.

Available in four limited edition color families: Plum Irresistible, Nude Seduction, Alluringly Bronze and Evening Splendor, pictured here.

These palettes retail for $39.50 each. All are available on lancome-usa.com.