When it comes to makeup I'm not especially loyal to any particular brand although I do of course have my favourites! I tend to buy most of my make up from Boots and I am generally drawn in by the displays and marketing ploys that they have! There are certain makeup items that I have multiples of whether its mascara, lip glosses and eyeshadows. The latter, are something I buy on a regular basis as I tend to get quite bored when using just one shade after a few days and like to have a good variety of shades to hand. Most eyeshadows I tend to have are all from a particular brand or two but on a trip to Boots I was drawn to their Natural Collection display.

Natural Collection is a brand owned by Boots and it is only available in Boots stores (and from their website). They offer a cheaper range of makeup products and since I can remember they have an offer on all their products where you can buy 3 for £5.00 which is hard to resist really! After browsing the display in my local Boots I was drawn to their selection of eyeshadows as they had a wonderful range of pastel coloured shades and after finally making my mind up I put three into my basket feeling very pleased I'd got a bargain!

The eyeshadows are solo pots and come in a white plastic pot with a clear screw on top with the very basic Natural Collection logo. The eyeshadow pots do not come with an eyeshadow applicator so you will need to make sure you have your own. Also, one thing to point out is that there is no security tape around the pot so just make sure when you take yours off the display that it hasn't been tampered with as I know when I was checking mine someone had clearly used/tried one! The overall look at the eyeshadow pot to me look very simple compared to others such as Bourjois, MAC etc.

Applying the eyeshadow isn't hard whatsoever. I tend to use a primer underneath as I like my eyeshadow to last rather than wear off during the day or even to crease and form lines across the eyelid. I tend to apply with a sponge applicator and then smudge and blend slightly with my finger tip as I find this gives a lovely result. Now I bought three different shades (Willow, Soft Pink and Soft Walnut) and they all had varying results which I found odd considering they were made by the same manufacturer. Now I tried all three with and without using a primer to see whether it would make any difference. The results are as follows:-

Willow - a lovely metallic beige colour with a subtle hint of gold. Was easy to apply and it didn't take long for a good colour to show on the eyelid. Was easy applied over the primer and lasted for a good 8 hours with noticeable colour and didn't crease at all. Without a primer it managed well but the colour faded a little but didn't crease although it did seem to go slightly golder in colour when not using a primer.

Soft Pink - a very delicate pastel pink which I thought would compliment a subtle pink lip gloss a treat and of course it makes a change from the more natural eyeshadows which I tend to wear. I found that with and without the primer it took quite a while for the pinkness to come through once applied and even then the pink was so subtle it did look like I was wearing a very pale silver eyeshadow which wasn't the look I was going for. It's lasting time too was very disappointing and it did have to be reapplied throughout the day and even then the pinkness really didn't show that well.

Soft Walnut - a lovely matt brown colour which is actually quite pale but without any metallic tones to it. Again, I found like 'Willow' it lasted a lot longer with the use of a primer but like so many brown eyeshadows I do find that after a few hours of wear it starts to look a little dull and almost as if you've had a black eye which is not the look I was going for at all. Once re-applied it looks fresh but it's overall lasting ability isn't great and on my skin the 'Soft Walnut' shade looks better in the pot than on my eyelids.

The only thing all three had in common was that the eyeshadow doesn't crumble when your applying it and when you are using an applicator you don't get a small dust cloud of eyeshadow powder which is obviously a good thing. Removing the eyeshadows is really simple as the colour really doesn't stick to the eyelids regardless of whether you have applied a primer, a gentle wipe with a cloth or wipe will easily and quickly remove any trace of the eyeshadow. Despite its problems the eyeshadow is easy to apply and is easily blended to give an even look on the eyelid.

Overall, I am slightly disappointed with the Natural Collection Eyeshadows but then for the price I haven't lost much! The only one out of the three which I use on a regular basis is the shade called 'Willow' as I find it lasts longer than the other two and provides a much better colour. Despite its incredibly cheap price whether bought on its own or in conjunction with the 3 for £5 offer I won't personally be buying it again simply because it just doesn't last long enough for me and that the colours seem to end up varying throughout the day giving some not so nice effects either that or the colour just isn't bright enough especially the 'Soft Pink' shade as you couldn't even tell it was pink! Definitely not a recommendation by myself and I can only give it 2 stars.

~ Useful Info ~

Brand: Natural Collection (Boots)
Availability: In Boots store or via www.boots.com
Price: £1.79 each
Shades available: Sea Shell, Soft Pink, Sky, Milk Chocolate and Soft Walnut (taken from Boots.com)
Misc: Fragrance free