Senna Cosmetics Emerald Isle Collection – swatches and review
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Summer is fading, but this collection keeps the fire bright
As these last weeks of summer fade into fall there comes that annual desire to hold onto the late sunsets and bright, effortless beauty before the cool, rigid autumn steals it all away. If there is a collection to bridge that gap between fiery summer days and crisp, cool fall nights, Senna Cosmetics Emerald Isle collection is it.
Senna Cosmetics was created back in 1976 by Emmy nominated artist Eugenia Weston who wanted to create a professional makeup line with more natural colors for everyday women, as well as celebrities and film and television pros. As summer meets fall, fire meets ice, and starlet meets me.
From the blazing Bonfire Lip Lacquer in a hot red-orange gloss to the icy coolness of the shimmery Emerald Glow Eye Color, Senna Cosmetics’ Emerald Isle Collection sets you smoldering – then puts the fire out. Other embers in the collection that I’ve warmed up to are the gorgeous Sunset Brilliant Bronze bronzer/highlighter and the Ultra Black Ultra Last Eyeliner.
Once upon a time I hid from any tinge of orange in lip color, thinking that it brought out any hint of yellowness in my teeth. Imagine a world without coral lipgloss? I lived there. I had an epiphany once when I saw how gloriously coral played against my skin tone and I’ve never looked back.
Bonfire Lip Lacquer ($20) is such a perfectly pigmented, amped up pure orangey-red high gloss that I am so thankful we weren’t introduced in my pre-coral days. The gloss is smooth; sticky enough to stay put, but smooth enough to not feel gloppy. The color is divine, especially next to that bronze.
Brilliant Bronze in Sunset ($42) is a highlighter and bronzer that comes in a generously sized (.20 oz), easy-to-open compact with a large mirror. The baked mineral bronze is divided with nearly two-thirds of the pan devoted to the dark, shimmery bronze color and one-third devoted to the pale shimmery gold.
A swirl of a large brush across the whole pan gives a naturally warm all-over color while a smaller brush can pick up the individual colors for contouring or highlighting if desired. The fine mill of the powder smoothes skin for a poreless finish. This is a flawless bronzer.
Brilliant Bronze in Sunset: highlighter, bronzer, highlighter and bronzer combined
What greater complement to glowy skin and fiery orange lips than cool green eyes? Emerald Glow Eye Color ($18) is also spot on for this fall, seeing as how it just happens to be Pantone’s color of the year. Emerald everything was all over fashion runways for fall but all you need to stay in the fashion loop is this eyeshadow.
Emerald Glow Eye Color is richly pigmented with a soft shimmer that truly does glow softly, reigning in the heat. With primer, this shadow wore well, without creasing, until I took it off.
Finally, I used the Ultra Last Eyeliner in Ultra Black ($20) to make those emerald eyes pop. This retractable pencil is a great option for making thin lines on the lash or water line areas.
The pencil itself is waterproof with a fourteen-hour wear time. While waterproof is great for the beach, weddings or sappy movie watching, it does make for a less-than-smooth application. The pencil drags a bit and to get a true black line you’ve got to make several passes. All in all, I’d definitely use this for a pool party but might pack it up with my swimsuit when Indian summer has passed us by.
Emerald Glow Eye Color, Bonfire Lip Lacquer, Ultra Last Eyeliner in Ultra Black
Brilliant Bronze in Sunset: highlighter, bronzer, highlighter and bronzer combined: Emerald Glow Eye Color, Bonfire Lip Lacquer, Ultra Last Eyeliner in Ultra Black
I’d feel remiss not mentioning Senna Cosmetics adorable paisley/lacey/tattoo-like logo that adorns all their products. At once theatrical (a nod to the creator’s theatrical beginnings) and girly, it’s a bit of specialness on every package.
Senna Cosmetics’ Emerald Isle collection is a jewel for many seasons. Autumn, catch me if you can.
Ladies – how do you keep summer going in your makeup routine?
photos: we heart this, swatches shown on NC25/30 skin tone
Whoa, the Emerald Glow Eye Color stopped me in my tracks. The whole collection is intriguing, but that shadow is beyond beautiful!
You are quite right @turboterp! I think I may have worn this emerald eyeshadow every day since I received it. It’s that pretty (and surprisingly flexible) a color to wear.
@sherrishera, you write the best reviews! This Senna Cosmetics’ Emerald Isle collection is beautiful. I love Bonfire Lip Lacquer and the Brilliant Bronze in Sunset. They do remind me of summer days. Both are really intense, especially the lip lacquer! WOW!
Oh, love of my life, Summer never leave us.. I’m already sad thinking about it.. Here’s hoping for an Indian Summer.. Peace out!
Aw, thanks @irene! The more I love what I’m reviewing, the better the review. I have a lot of love to give with these. The quality and the colors are to die for. Funnier still, I may not have ever chosen an emerald eyeshadow on my own. This one is at once muted and saturated…it works almost as a neutral for me! And the lip gloss is so gorgeous on slightly bronzed skin.
Such a pretty collection, love that pretty design on the packaging. Sometimes I question the cohesiveness within makeup collections and exactly how wearable the products are with each other…but this one seems like a one stop shop! Great review :)
Cohesive, indeed! Sometimes I think that collections with fewer products have an even more difficult time pinning down the perfect look but, for my tastes, Senna nailed Emerald Isle.
Wow, that’s a great eyeshadow color, it’s a really pretty green. I love the pairing with the orange lipgloss too, very chic!
I’m loving that green shadow. The one I tested was nonexistent on me, but that green—DAMN–it wants to be mine :)
…Best….green…evah!
One thing that I neglected to mention in the review is that I also used the colors in the bronzer as an eyeshadow. At first not something I’d think to do necessarily, I was persuaded when I saw Eugenia Weston’s tutorial for Emerald Isle on Senna’s website. The bronze is nice as a lid or crease color and the gold is a lovely highlighter!