Review of Laura Mercier Plum Smoke Matte Eye Color

I love versatile eye colors. If it can be used in two or more ways, I'm all in. I also love Laura Mercier. Regardless of the finish, her shadows truly can't be beat for quality, color, or ease of use. They're incredibly versatile, blend easily, and work for virtually any eye color. They typically run neutral, yet the colors themselves are lovely and anything but ordinary.

Plum Smoke is one such color. From the Matte Eye Color line, Plum smoke is a dusty, muted purple that gives a bit of color while remaining completely neutral on the eye. It's impossible to overdo this color, and it's impossible to mess it up.

The texture is almost creamy, as the powder is extremely finely milled. However, it is firm in the pan, not soft and prone to flyaways the way many of the finely-milled shadows on the market tend to be. It's very easy to pick up just the right amount of pigment without going overboard or having to return to the pan for another swipe.

Despite its matte classification, Plum Smoke still has the tiniest bit of sheen to it. The sheen doesn't really show up on the skin...rather, it prevents the shadow from becoming chalky. It's a fresh and natural effect. The color itself comes alive on the skin, with just enough depth and opacity to create some contrast. That contrast is subtle enough to allow for use on the lid, but strong enough to work as a crease color. It's a perfect everyday shade, especially for brown and green eyes, which do very well with purples and plums.

Bottom Line: Plum Smoke is a fantastic everyday color. It's versatile and suitable for both lid and crease work. It's definitely a purple shade, yet it's muted enough that it comes off as a neutral on the eye while simultaneously giving the benefits of wearing color. Another winner from Laura Mercier.