Phytosurgence's Glittery Cream Shadows Last All Day on my Oily Monolids

While I like to call myself a makeup minimalist, my camera roll tells no lies: I have an unabiding fascination with glitter. Any time I can throw on glitter, I will. Not just any kind of glitter; the bold, in-your-face, ultra-fine sparkle kind. I imagine myself in this glitter flying around on a private jet, sipping champagne from a dainty coupe glass, and wearing expensive lingerie. But we all know how frustrating it can be to apply glitter to our lids: Ultra-flashy glitter eyeshadows have a reputation for messy fallout. Meanwhile, most cream shadows tend to err more on the side of pearlescent.

Enter, indie brand Phytosurgence’s latest Flash Fluorescence Cream Shadows In Bloom Collection. Somehow, founder, owner, and formulator Jason Lau managed to marry twinkling sparkle with a creamy, no-fallout formula even in the face of high heat, humidity, and oily monolids. Read on for my full review.

About My Eyes: Oily Monolids

When it comes to my monolids, most eye makeup formulas don’t hold up very well. Between the rubbing of the epicanthic fold against the lid and naturally occurring sebum, liquid and creamy formulas usually end up half-dissolved and faded—even when I prime my eyes. My eyes also tend to water up whenever I yawn. In short: My lids are oily and I'm especially cautious while shopping for eye products. But when I saw Lau and his fiancé both modeling the shadows, looking nothing less than incredible, I knew I had to try them (which also led to a deep existential crisis as they had sold out within the first four hours of release). 

About The Product: Incredibly Pigmented

The brand itself suggests using your fingers as opposed to a brush. The product feels firm (like a cold balm) in the packaging but picked up easily with just a few light swirls of my finger. While the brand also suggests using a primer to avoid fall out, many of the anecdotal Instagram stories I had seen proved otherwise. So, I went in without a primer and it worked.

The Results: Lightweight, Lasting Pigment

It's perfect. Go buy it—end of the review.

Kidding! (But not really). I don't know what sorcery was done with this product, but it has unprecedented staying power and a delightful texture. In a rush to meet someone for a work lunch, I applied a few thin swipes of the shade Fractal Freesia on my lids before pounding down the humid New York pavement and waiting in stuffy subway stations.

It applied like an airy balm and built up easily without any distracting pilling, smudging, or drifting: You can easily go from just a dash of sparkle to bold and lustrous with just a few more swipes. And while I was sweating through one of my favorite dresses, my eyelids were ever-bright and glittery, with nary a flake on my cheeks. Because it is so lightweight, I completely forgot I was wearing it until at least six hours after applying it (and my boyfriend even exclaimed how pretty my eyes looked).

Similar Products: You Have Options

Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow: Hourglass’s Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow ($29) is similarly twinkling and brilliant. However, I feel that the glitter flakes in Hourglass’s formula look just a tad bit smaller.

Dear Dahlia Paradise Shine Eye Sequins: While Phytosurgence’s texture is more of a lightweight and airy balm, Dear Dahlia’s Paradise Shine Eye Sequins ($31) has a more whipped and creamy texture. The glitter flakes seem slightly larger compared to the Flash Fluorescence Cream Shadows, but the Paradise Shine Eye Sequins are more than a match in terms of sparkle.

The Value: Worth It

The Flash Fluorescence Cream Shadows are priced at $21 CAD (the brand is based in Canada), which retails for about $17 USD. For that price, you get four grams of product. Frankly, considering the staying power and how gorgeous the shadows are, I’d say this product is absolutely worth it. My oily, sweaty face didn’t need a primer for this to stay put, and I didn’t need a brush to buff anything out. And you won't hit pan for a while, as you don’t need much product to get great payoff. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.