Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad Taupe Smoke 4g

Talc-free eyeshadow quad with four neutral shades, from sandy beige to deep brown, for a soft smoky eye

Neutral eyeshadow is the foundation of almost every makeup bag: you wear it to work, to a party and everything in between. With a good spread from light to dark, you can create both a natural daytime look and a smoky evening look. Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad Taupe Smoke brings together four pressed mineral eyeshadows in beige, taupe and brown in one compact. The shades are chosen to work together in any order.

The eyeshadows are talc-free and, according to Youngblood, have a silky, velvety texture that glides smoothly over the lid and lasts. Taupe Smoke combines matte shades with a shimmering accent, so you can add depth without the look falling flat. The colour is buildable: start with a soft haze and add more intensity in layers. The compact contains 4 g of eyeshadow.

Shades: Taupe Smoke contains the shades Velvet Sand, Candlelit, Ember and Nightfall. In the photos you can see a light sandy beige, a shimmering taupe, a warm brown and a deep dark brown. That gives you a base shade for the whole lid, a shimmering shade for the centre, a medium shade for the crease and a dark shade to define the lash line or outer corner. Looking for more colour? Take a look at the rosy Garden Party or the warm, coppery Starlit.

Benefits

• Four neutral shades that always work together
• Talc-free, velvety mineral formula
• A mix of matte shades and a shimmering accent
• Buildable from natural definition to a smoky eye
• Blends seamlessly and, according to Youngblood, stays put all day
• With rice starch, jojoba seed oil, vitamin E and honeysuckle extract

Key ingredients

Besides the mineral pigments, the formula contains ingredients that make the eyeshadow smooth and comfortable:

Mica: Ethically sourced, according to Youngblood. It provides a subtle sheen and a silky-smooth texture, and gives the shimmering taupe shade its soft light reflection.

Rice starch: Controls shine and helps make fine texture less visible. This keeps a smoky eye nicely even, so the colour doesn't shift easily.

Jojoba seed oil: Conditions and hydrates the skin. It helps the dark shades blend out evenly, without patches or harsh edges.

Vitamin E: Nourishes and softens the skin. This keeps the eyelid comfortable, even when you wear the eyeshadow from morning to night.

Honeysuckle extract: An antioxidant that, according to Youngblood, helps protect against free radicals and supports the skin barrier.

How to use

1. Apply the lightest shade as a base over the entire lid and under the brow, using the YB9 All-Over Shadow Luxe Brush
2. Blend the warm brown shade through the crease with the YB8 Tapered Blending Luxe Brush
3. Tap the shimmering taupe onto the centre of the lid for light and depth
4. Use the deepest shade to create a "V" at the outer corner with the YB11 Crease Luxe Brush and blend into a soft smoky eye
5. For more intensity, apply the dark shade with a slightly dampened brush, as Youngblood recommends

Suitable for

• All skin types, according to Youngblood
• Anyone who wears neutral eyeshadow every day
• A natural work or daytime look and a smoky eye for the evening
• Anyone who wants eyeshadow to complement eyeliner and mascara

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a smoky eye with Taupe Smoke?

Start with the lightest shade as a base and blend the warm brown shade into the crease. Then apply the deepest shade to the outer corner and blend it towards the crease, so the colour fades gradually. Finish with a sweep of the same dark shade along the lower lash line.

Can I also use this eyeshadow as eyeliner?

Yes, the deepest shade works well as a soft eyeliner. Apply it along the lash line with a fine, slightly dampened brush, in line with Youngblood's advice for wet application. This gives you a more intense line that looks softer than a pencil.

Is Taupe Smoke suitable for a natural look?

Definitely. Apply only the lightest shade across the lid and a thin layer of the warm brown shade in the crease. That gives definition without looking like obvious makeup, ideal for the office or as a base for mascara.

Which brushes do I need?

Youngblood recommends the YB9 for the lid, the YB8 Tapered Blending Brush for the transition in the crease and the YB11 Crease Brush for the outer corner. With these three brushes you can work all four Taupe Smoke shades neatly.