Dear Models Own Colour Chrome Eyeshadow Palette, Where Did Ya Go?

Clearly, “someone,” a.k.a. yours truly :), needs to do some deep breathing in child’s pose, because “someone” spent the last five minutes obsessing over the name of this British makeup brand: Models Own.

Models Own. Hmm…

What does it mean?? What does it stand for?? Do models own the company?? Is it a metaphorical reference to models figuratively owning the runway? Does it mean that you have to be a professional model to rock the brand’s products?? GOOD GRIEF, KAREN, CHILL.

Models Own hails from the UK but recently touched down on U.S. shores. They’re available exclusively at Ulta stores and online, with eye, face and lip products.

They’ve got some eye-catching colorful things, like the Colour Chrome Eyeshadow Palette (which we’ll get to in a sec), and some neutral items, that range from $7.99-$19.99 each, placing them in the higher-end drugstore price echelon, up there with Sonia Kashuk and Pixi.

The Models and I… Well, we’re off to a rocky start.

My makeup-loving heart wanted to adore the $19.99 Colour Chrome Eyeshadow Palette, because the cream shadows — oh, gosh — they feel fabulously dense and creamy like the MAC Paint Pots, which I love, but are thinner, which I normally take as a good thing, because it usually implies easy to blend and layer.

I always want to bring my Paint Pots with me wherever I go, but the clunky glass packaging discourages me. I had visions of gleefully scootin’ around town with this palette of 10 cream shadows and basically ruling the land. Since the creams feel similar to MAC’s, I’d hoped they would dry down completely, also like the Paint Pots, but alas… ‘Twas not meant to be. They don’t dry down at all.

They stay creamy and wet. Normally, this is a look I’d be down for in a hot second, because I don’t mind cream shadows that move a little. I really don’t! I like it when creamy lids look sorta rock ‘n’ roll, like you’ve been wearing your eye makeup for three days straight and have been having such a good time with the band that you can’t even bother. I think it looks kinda cool. But this… It’s just too messy.

The creams shift almost immediately on my lids and grab some areas more than others. And don’t even think about layering multiple creams (which is what I did in this eye look here), because within five minutes, everything is sloshed together into a big, hot mess.

After wearing this eye look for two hours, the shadow had all but disappeared. It was gone in what felt like the blink of an eye! So, yeah. Not my favorite.

Even though things didn’t go well for me and this palette, I still have high hopes for the brand’s other products. Gonna keep my toes and fingers crossed that their neutral palette, Barely There, fares better. It gets very good reviews.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen