Ardency Inn MODSTER Manuka Honey Enriched Pigments: Review, Pics, Swatches!

Ardency Inn MODSTER Pigments

MODSTER Mānuka Honey Enriched Pigments ($21) are the newest edition to the Ardency Inn line and come in a beautiful assortment of everyday and editorial shades with finishes ranging from matte to metallic. Each shade was inspired by the lifestyle of music artists who use makeup as a way of expression on stage and look effortlessly beautiful off stage. How cool is that?!!

I have to admit though, I was skeptical. I hear the word “pigments” and my mind instantly thinks of loose glitter in a shaker jar. You know, the craft project kind? I do NOT like those types of pigments (hello MAC) and quit wearing them years ago. I don’t enjoy glitter on my cheeks or all over my bathroom sink and vanity. Actually they remind me of the colored sugar used to decorate cakes. Soooo not my style.

When I saw that these pigments were pressed AND they were by Ardency Inn, a brand my fellow bloggers gush over, I wanted to give them a go. There are twelve colors each offering concentrated levels of color reaching up to 78%, depending on the shade. The difference between pigments and regular eyeshadows lies in the depth of color. Pigments are more color rich thereby you use less. Regular shadows can be chalky at times, but pigments are made with basic compounds with no fillers. I chose these three shades to start my collection: Heaven, Rose Gold and Peacock. I thought these shades would give me a good representation of the quality and dimension of light, medium and deep pigments within the line.

MODSTER Mānuka Honey Enriched Pigments are nothing short of amazing! They are buttery soft and smooth, color dense and last a good loooong time even without primer. This silky texture is no doubt due to the Mānuka Honey, a mono-floral honey produced in New Zealand and Australia from the nectar of the mānuka tree. It was used for the first time in a color cosmetic formulation to provide unmatched creaminess and glide-on application. Color me (with pigments) extremely impressed with my first taste of the line.

Heaven is described as a “metallic champagne with silver and bronze undertones.” To me it’s more of an antique gold with a khaki undertone and a soft metallic finish. It packs a LOT of pigment, so go easy! The texture is…well, heavenly! It’s creamy and soft without being powdery. It blends beautifully and lasts for eight hours easy with absolutely no fading.

Ardency Inn Heaven

Rose Gold is described as a “metallic rose with warm golden reflects.” This is a very beautiful and unique shade; the closest I could find in my stash was NARS Dolomites (review coming soon) and it is much pinker. This complex shade is warm toned with hues of rose, mauve, bronze and gold and is simply stunning! It has a soft metallic finish and blends superbly. This is a rose shade that definitely won’t give you rabbit eyes!

Ardency Inn Rose Gold

Peacock is touted as “deep cool brown with extreme turquoise reflects.” I’d say that’s an apt assessment. It has a cool reddish-brown base with green-blue shimmer on top. I have seen similar shades so it is not as unusual as Rose Gold but still dazzling. The pigment is excellent and the teal blue duochrome adds tons of dimension. I think every woman needs at one duochrome eyeshadow in her collection.

Peacock indoor light

Peacock with flash

Ardency Inn Swatches

Bottom Line: The new Ardency Inn MODSTER Mānuka Honey Enriched Pigments are very impressive. Finely milled, extremely color dense and long wearing, I wish all the eyeshadows I own were this creamy and buttery with this much pigment! They are free from parabens, sulfates and phthalates and can be found at Sephora.com. If these shadows are any indication of the quality of the brand, I want to try everything!!

Ardency Inn MODSTER Manuka Honey Enriched Pigments: Review, Pics, Swatches!