REVIEW - Dark Heart Designs

REVIEW - Dark Heart Designs

A little while ago Dark Heart Designs contacted me via Twitter to see if I would like to review their products. I'm alsways curious about indie brands and know a lot of you good folk are, too - so of course I said yes. A while later I received an envelope containing twelve eyeshadow samples and a leaflet...

[[ Dark Heart Designs eyeshadow samples ]]

Sample baggies hold enough for approximately 2 - 3 applications. Enough to test an eyeshadow to see whether or not you would like to buy a full size eyeshadow (1g of product in a jar). At present, you can buy samples of all 40 eyeshadow colours (although only 34 are listed on Etsy/ in the leaflet) for $10 through Etsy, though I can't see samples mentioned on their stand alone site.

[[ Dark Heart Designs eyeshadow swatch/ information leaflet ]]

The leaflet is a really unique touch and contains shade descriptions and eyelid swatches of every eyeshadow. There is also information on how much each jar of eyeshadow contains, ingredients and whether eyeshadows are vegan or otherwise.

[[ Dark Heart Design Swatches - Starstruck, Beautiful Nightmare, Surrender, Catalyst, Shudder, Purple Haze ]]

[[ Dark Heart Designs Swatches - Crash Love, Absinthe, Halestorm,  Siren's Song, Killing Moon, Twisted Metal ]]

Each colour is simple, but pretty, fine for filling any colour gaps in your eyeshadow wardrobe but I'd look elsewhere if you were after depth and complexity. The eyeshadows have a fine, light, soft texture which makes them easy to blend, though the patting method and a decent primer base is essential to achieve a true colour payoff. 

I find it quite bizarre that Dark Heart Designs also list their graphics/ photography/ website design portfolios alongside the make-up items for sale on their site. Especially since some of the links are broken or have expired...Generally when buying make-up, I look for a site where I get a sense of identity and purpose, not a  mish mash of a few totally different businesses. True, the site is described as a 'personal playground', but if you want your business to take off it's better that it doesn't come across as a weekend hobby. My advice would be to completely separate the graphics and web design from the make-up, they are not in any way related are in all honesty it looks unprofessional and half hearted.

Over all, a company I could recommend for basic shades, but personally I wont be buying until the 'weekend hobby' feeling is shaken off.