Test Mode: The New Violette_FR Shadows Create the Perfect Holiday Eye Look

Beauty is a playful and personal mode of expression. There's no wrong way to explore it as long as you're having fun. Enter: Test Mode, a series in which InStyle puts the latest buzzy makeup, nails, skin care, and hair care launches to the test.

Eyeshadow has always been one of my favorite makeup items to play with. I feel most like an artist when I'm tapping, swiping, and buffing my lids to create a high-impact look. This process is especially delightful around the holidays when shimmery beauty looks become requisite instead of optional.

So when I saw the latest Yeux Paint shades from Violette_FR—Paris La Nuit (a shimmery red) and Café Serré (a warm deep brown)—I knew I had to get my hands on them. To say they didn't disappoint would be an understatement. These liquid eye shadows are incredibly creamy. They glide on like a dream and can be smudged, blended, and layered to make a stunning look.

"I designed Yeux Paint to be as effortless as possible," says brand founder Violette Serrat. "It’s richly pigmented in stunning couture colors, but the beauty of it is that you really can't mess it up. The applicator and formula make it easy to create a smoky eye, a bold liner, or a subtle, washed-out look—without smudging, creasing, or fading."

All About The New Shades

"For these two shades—Paris la Nuit and Café Serré—I returned to Paris, both physically to shoot our campaign and nostalgically to my formative teenage years," says Serrat, who has nearly two decades of experience as a makeup artist. To me, every night in Paris is an unspoken story, ready to be told. Inspired by the shimmering city lights and the quiet embrace of dawn, I found a canvas for self-expression and freedom."

Violette_FR Yeux Paint Paris la Nuit $32

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"While Paris la Nuit is definitely a more daring hue, it’s truly the most effortless red," says Serrat. "This shade features a rich red base, enhanced with shimmering red and gold pearls."

Violette_FR Yeux Paint Café Serré $32

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"I think of Café Serré as a new neutral, a deep brown with subtle purple and yellow undertones," says Serrat. "Brown is such a chic update for everyday eye color, and you can wear it either softly washed out or as a bold alternative to black eyeliner."

Putting Them to the Test

I used these new shades to create the above cut crease. To start, I applied Paris la Nuit to my upper lid, stopping just shy of where I wanted the eye look to end. I was super impressed by how easy it was to get a clean line using just the wand.

Next, I put a glob of Café Serré on the back of my hand and dipped an angled shadow brush in it. I used the brush to line the outer third of my bottom lash line, extending the line out into a wing. Then, I used the brush to outline the top of the red shadow on my upper lid, connecting it to the tip of the wing. As I painted on the outline, I focused on making the top line super clean; then, I used the Paris la Nuit with the included wand to clean up the bottom of the outline.

I finished off the look with mascara and a set of fluffy lashes. I wore the look to go see Mariah Carey's Christmas concert, and everyone I spoke to was so impressed with the look. Although I had applied it five hours earlier, everyone said it looked like it had been freshly done.

I'm madly in love with these liquid eyeshadows, and I can't wait to try them in more shades.

Read the original article on InStyle