Fyrinnae is a well-known company in the blogging world. In the real world, possibly not so much, but I'm going to try to change some of that today by telling you about how awesome they are. I love spotlighting small indie cosmetics companies, and I don't do nearly enough of it--mainly because I tend to prefer making my purchases in person, where I can look at the colors, feel the textures, possibly try on the goods. Shopping online makes me a little nervous, since online swatches are notoriously inaccurate.
However, I've been reading about Fyrinnae forever, and even tried some samples a few years ago before I began this blog. I hadn't gone back for more (even though I was absolutely thrilled with my purchase), primarily for the above-stated reasons and my overwhelming need for immediate gratification. But when I started reading Fyrinnae reviews on the lovely Christa's
Perilously Pale blog, my interest was piqued once again and I decided to revisit them. Boy, am I glad I did!
As with many indie companies, Fyrinnae offers generous, low-priced samples. For $2, you get approximately 1/3 teaspoon of shadow...enough to last at least a couple of weeks, even if you wear the color every day. They do ask that you limit your samples to a maximum of 20 per order, which I think is extremely generous as well. I purchased quite a few samples, including Newcastle, Moon Child, Orangutan, Evocation, Sake & Sashimi, Fire Opal, Steampunk, Shenanigans, Lucky Charmed, Pumpkinfire, and Knickers in a Twist. They're all spectacular, and will be reviewed in groups over the next couple of weeks. However, today's post is about just one color, a shadow that has amazed and excited me like no other. In fact, it may very well become my go-to everyday color for the rest of my life. Dramatic, you say? Well, check out the pictures below and you'll understand my reasons.
Te Amo is that magical eye shadow. Described on the Fyrinnae website as "a glowing iridescent copper highlight, almost ghostly," Te Amo is actually just so much more than that. It is definitely iridescent, especially when applied heavily--yet on the eyes it settles down a bit and becomes the perfect shimmer shadow. The color is almost impossible to describe. It's a rose-gold mixed with copper-penny shade that glows on the skin, and it's gorgeous. But beyond being gorgeous, it's transformational. When applied, it becomes a duochrome on my eyes, appearing as a taupe base with a glowing copper highlight on the higher planes of my eyes.
First, I'll show you the flat swatches, which are beautiful in and of themselves:
You can see the taupe undertones, with the rosy gold shimmers overlaying it.
This shot shows the copper-penny quality of the shimmer.
As pretty as Te Amo is in swatches, it's on the eyes that it truly comes alive. It literally contours the eye all by itself due to the natural shadows and concave nature of the eye socket. The taupe becomes naturally darker in the creases and at the corners where you would normally use darker colors anyway, while the coppery rose gold shines on the lid:
See how it appears as if I have at least two colors on my eyes in the above shot? My creases appear darker, as do the outer corners of my eyes, while my lids are highlighted copper.
This effect is even more pronounced when I close my eyes. The above shot shows Te Amo, and only Te Amo, on my lids.
From the side, you can again see the natural contouring provided by the shape of my eye and the way the higher planes automatically bring out the coppery rose, while the deeper-set areas reflect the taupe base.
Essentially, this shadow is like a miracle. I no longer need two shades (or the time it takes to apply them) to achieve depth and dimension in my eye area. Te Amo does the work for me! It does require some slightly specialized application techniques, though. At Fyrinnae, they recommend that the shadows be patted on instead of swiped, as swiping will lead to a muddy result...something I tested and found to be true. It's also best to use Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy shadow base (or another sticky base) to prevent fallout and provide excellent adherence of the shadow and increased sheen. It took me a time or two to get accustomed to this technique, but once I mastered it I found it to be easier than my regular blending.
Bottom Line: I have worn Te Amo every single day since I received it, which is unheard-of for me. I never,
ever wear the same eye colors twice in a row. But now, with Te Amo, I get the contoured effect I love with an absolute minimum of effort, and the colors are so gorgeous I love to look at them. This is not the kind of color that jumps out at people, but it is the kind of color that looks absolutely perfect on the eyes. It also applies easily and wears incredibly well--the above shots were taken about 10 hours after application. So I'm re-ordering not one, but several backups, for a couple of reasons: One, they're only $5.90 apiece (yes, you read that right!). Second, it would be just my luck that they'd discontinue it now that I've found it, and I do
not want to be without it...
ever. I highly recommend you hightail it over to the
Fyrinnae website and order some shadows yourself. Don't forget the Pixie Epoxy, either...it makes a world of difference in the finished product!
