If you've read any of my other makeup reviews you'll know I'm a full face of makeup girl. As I grew older and more confident with applying makeup I started to experiment more with different brands and colours rather than sticking to the same old same old. Max Factor Earth Spirits Eyeshadow is one that I tried a about 4 years ago now and have continued to use.

~~THE BRAND~~

Max Factor is a cosmetics company founded in 1909 by a Polish cosmetician called Maksymilian Faktorowicz. It is now owned by Procter & Gamble who purchased the company in 1991.

Max factor created many cosmetic innovations which we now use today such as Liquid Nail Enamel the forerunner of today's nail polishes. Lip Gloss which they invented in the 1930's and the first waterproof makeup to name just a few!

In the company's early years notable clients were Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Judy Garland! As a result of this virtually all of Hollywood's major movie actresses became regular clients og the Max Factor beauty salon.

~~EARTH SPIRITS~~

Billed by Max Factor as the "ultimate everyday eyeshadow!" It contains micro colour pigments meaning that colours are resistant to creasing or fading.

It is a single pressed powder eyeshadow that comes in a 5g round plastic container with a black base and a clear screw top lid so you can see the actual colour through the lid. It has MF in gold embossed on the lid. It has a very light and silky texture and is available in 13 shades ranging from soft neutrals to through to strong fashion colours making it ideal to create a subtle day look for the office or a dramatic, sexy look in the evening.

~~SHADES AVAILABLE~~

101 Pale Pebble
102 Almond
107 Burnt Bark
108 Inca Bronze
110 Onyx
112 Stormy Blue
113 Olive Leaf
122 Lush Lilac
124 Modernist Pink
128 Passionate Plum
129 Angel Eyes
131 Ultra Aqua
132 Ultra Blue

~~MY EXPERIENCE~~

I have blue eyes and have always loved purple eyeshadow, I find they really bring out the colour in my eyes. I have this in number 128 Passionate Plum which is a mid purple colour. I just use a cheap sponge applicator to apply this as it doesn't come with anything to put it on with. The texture is very soft and silky as I rub my sponge applicator into the eyeshadow. It glides onto my eyelid and feels lovely and soft, not at all grainy. I do find this a little on the light side pigment wise when it's actually applied. This is great if you want a subtle look but I tend to go over it a few times and build it up to get the deeper colour that I like. I use this on my lid and a sheer white shadow on my brow bone. I blend the two together where they meet so I go form darker purple on my eyelid to lighter purple blending into the sheer white on my brow bone. I can apply this in the morning and it lasts all day too which is what I want from an eyeshadow. I don't find re-touching my face powder or lip gloss but I draw the line at having to re-apply my eyeshadow throughout the day. It's so silky and soft on and it doesn't feel drying on my lids, there is absolutely no caking or creasing with this either. Although a small pot which is quite shallow it does last ages. I've been using it for years now and am very happy with it and have re purchased it many times. In fact the eyeshadow I'm wearing in my profile picture is Max Factor Earth Spirits.

~~APPLICATION TIPS~~

Avoid solid blocks of colour - carefully blended eyeshadow looks professional and will flatter the eyes.
Make sure that you remember the basic rule: dark shadows deepen or hollow an area; light shadows make an area stand out. So light shadows look fresh on lids and browbones, whereas dark shadows make the most of lashlines and contours by adding definition.

~~AVAILABILITY & PRICE~~

Max factor products are available in most high street stores that sell makeup such as Boots and Superdrug. It's also available online from the following retailers:

www.boots.com - £4.49
www.ebay.co.uk - £1.45 with free p&p lowest price to £5.99 with free p&p highest price
www.amazon.co.uk - £1.99 lowest price to £4.81 highest price
www.oneclickpharmacy.co.uk - £5.76

~~FURTHER INFORMATION~~

Full product information and colour swatches can be found online at www.maxfactor.co.uk