I picked up two of the Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Cat Eyes to Hypnotise Eyeshadow and Eye Pencil Duos ($39) from Nordstrom as soon as they arrived. It’s taken me a while to get the swatches and comparisons edited but this gave me a few weeks to put these to the test. There are four shades in total, all limited edition. When I saw these at the counter they didn’t have testers yet, but my heart skipped a beat when I saw The Huntress/Amber Moon (bronze) and On the Prowl/Supernova (plums).
The Nocturnal Eyeshadows are shimmering luminous eyeshadows that have a multi-dimensional effect. A brush or finger will pick up a lot of pigment, but they apply medium-sheer in pigment on first swipe. What’s nice about these is that they are easy to build for a smokey eye. Over a base or applied wet the color intensifies. Dry, you get a softer shimmering effect on the lids. The shadows come in a small mirrored compact that is pretty sturdy for the size. The mirror is so so tiny though, it’s hard to see anything with it.
- The Huntress is a bronzey taupe with a slight khaki sheen on my skin, there’s a bit of silver and gold flecks mixed in so you can see it’s pretty complex
- Amber Moon is a deep metallic bronze eyeliner, but the shimmer is very fine and the color is deep
- On The Prowl looks similar to The Huntress in the compact, but if the light hits it at the right angle you can see more of a plum base, below you can see the shimmer particles are different in color
- Supernova is a bright but deep sparkling plum, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite as pretty
Each duo comes with a mini Rock ‘n’ Kohl Eye Pencil, both of which have a subtle luminosity and have seriously impressive lasting power. I really like the formula and plan on checking out the other shades that come in full sizes. Right now the colors in the duos are only available in the duos. I hope that changes and that Charlotte Tilbury will add them to the permanent lineup.
The two colors I picked with close ups, swatches and comparisons:
On the Prowl + Supernova: an antique Byzantium aubergine flecked with pearl and partnered with a smoky plum liner.
Swatches of the shadow three ways, first is dry (no base), second is over Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base in Suede (this is my holy grail eye base), third is applied wet. Because there is so much shimmer in these it’s a bit hard to tell in photos, but the intensity does increase dramatically when applied over a base or with a damp brush. Supernova Eyeliner is just stunning. It’s bright but deep at the same time.
Comparisons below to:
Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Illusoire
Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Fatal (discontinued, swatched)
Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Rouge Noir (swatched here)
Armani Eyes to Kill 27 (discontinued)
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Amethyst (swatches)
Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color in Spirit (swatches)
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Mona Lisa (review)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Rockstar (also swatched here)
Aerin Cool Gel Eyeliner in Effortless Brown
The Huntress + Amber Moon: a smoky golden bronze partnered with a rich brown amber kohl.
Swatch comparisons below:
Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Mirage
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Veruschka (reviewed)
NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Telesto (reviewed)
Armani Eyes to Kill #15 and #24 (discontinued)
NARS Eye Paint in Baalbek
By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Brown Perfection
Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil in Underground
NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliner Via Appia
Tarte Skinny SmolderEYESTM Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner Sunstone Bronze
I’m thrilled with both. I love dark smokey shimmers that aren’t the traditional black or grey color for a smokey eye look. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say I have a very slight preference towards the plum colors which surprises me. The combination is just so so pretty. If you are the kind to try before you buy, definitely visit your closest Charlotte Tilbury counter soon. These are both perfect to add a bit of glow and dimension to your beauty look for the upcoming holiday events but still neutral enough to wear for everyday.
The Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Cat Eyes to Hypnotise Duos are limited-edition. I bought mine at Nordstrom. You can also find them at Bergdorf Goodman, Beautylish, Net-a-Porter, Selfridges and Charlotte Tilbury.
