Stash diving for a MAC Shroom dupe...

My beloved multi-tasker eyeshadow Shroom is rapidly heading towards empty.  It's no surprise to me because I'll wear it every other day, either as a brow highlight, inner eye highlight or a wash all over the lid for a naturally bright eyed look.  I can't remember if this is my second or third emptied pan so that tells you just how much I love it!

For once I've decided to be a little practical and search my overflowing stash for a suitable dupe before I go back to the MAC counter and make the obvious repurchase and - Woo hoo! - I came up with three alternatives.  They're not 100% dupes but close enough to create a very similar look and I think I may just have a winner.  Lined up against Shroom in the picture below they do all look pretty similar...

Left - Right:

Witchery - unlabelled neutral quad (highlight shade)

Wet'n'Wild Coloricon trio - Walking on Eggshells (browbone shade)

Essence shimmer effect - Cappucino, please!

MAC satin - Shroom 

 

 

Of course as 'they say' the proof is in the swatching and these are a bit more telling.  The swatches are in the same order as above:

 Indirect daylight indoors

Direct sunlight

 I can see why I keep repurchasing Shroom because it actually is quite unique in its own neutral way.  It's the subtle pink undertone which sets it apart from the other shimmery beige eyeshadows.  I'd best describe it as a mushroom pink so Shroom is the perfect name for this MAC shadow. 

I'd seen Wet'n'Wild's Walking on Eggshells browbone shade (second from left) presented as a dupe for Shroom on other blogs but of the three shadows I've posted I'd say this is the least similar.  It's more of a heavy gold-toned beige frost in the swatch and lacks any of the pink undertone of Shroom.  I put it to the wear test too and found it looked a lot more stark on my browbone than Shroom.

Going up the scale I think the Witchery shade (on the far left) is a closer dupe than Walking on Eggshells.  It certainly looks like a dupe in the pan although it was still about a shade lighter when swatched.  At a pinch though I would happily go for this as an emergency backup and I think it's about time I showed the anonymous old palette some love anyway.

So, do we have a winner?  Essence's Cappucino, please! (second from right) isn't an exact dupe either but it's pretty darn close in terms of shade and texture and is my pick of the lot.  It's more satiny than the other two dupe contenders and is close to my skintone, much like Shroom.  This is the one I'll be wearing as soon as my old faithful runs out - which is an any day now proposition!  For the bargainistas out there this is a pretty good alternative too as this Essence shadow retails at around $3.25AUD compared to MAC at a relatively whopping $33AUD locally.

So, have you come across any good dupes lately?

I'm all eyes and ears!!!

Until next time.

Vita :)