I Don’t Like Eyeshadow, But I’ve Been Wearing Saie’s Chic New Drop All Summer

Slip skirts. Scary movies. Being the life of the party. These are all things I love the idea of, but have never really been able to make work for me. Despite my best efforts, they just feel wrong. Eyeshadow tops this list—it’s something I absolutely love on other people, but because of my eye shape and dedication to an “effortless” look, I can never really get it to work on me. It always feels clowny and too “done.”

But if there’s one brand that could change my mind on the category, it would be Saie. The brand’s whole thing is the perfect blend of effortless and polished, all with a cool-girl bent. So of course when I got a sneak peek at their first-ever eyeshadow earlier this summer, I kept an open heart and mind, and it quickly became one of the only eyeshadows I’ve ever liked.

I’ve been keeping it a secret all summer, but starting August 18, you can experience SuperSuede Eyeshadow for yourself. Keep reading for all the details, plus my honest review.

The Product

Inspired both by ‘90s minimalism and founder Laney Crowell’s favorite trick of using bronzer on her eyelids, Saie wanted to take all the guesswork out of eyeshadow with their latest launch. Enter SuperSuede Eyeshadow, cute little eyeshadow singles in a range of 11 wearable shades.

The shadows use the same baked formula as the brand’s fan-favorite blushes and bronzers, giving them a soft suede finish and ultra-blendable texture. The formula is enriched with jojoba esters, ceramides, and squalane for a silky glide that never feels dry or cakey. The brand promises 16 hours of wear, even without primer, and in a consumer test, 100% of participants said it felt lightweight and comfortable on the eyes.

Most intriguing to me is the shade range, 11 neutrals divided into demi-matte and low-lit shimmer finishes (the matte shades are named after warm desserts, while the shimmers are named after cold ones). On the matte side, we have: Panna Cotta, a neutral beige; Cannoli, a neutral brown; Biscotti, a warm tan; Amaretto, a red brown; Dolce, a rich brown; and Tiramisu, a charcoal. As for the shimmers, there’s Sorbetto, a silvery gold; Granita, a true gold; Tartufo, a frosty taupe; Gelato, a soft brown; and Affogato, a warm bronze. Saie also launched the Double Eyeshadow Brush to pair perfectly with the shadows.

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The Campaign

To keep the ‘90s vibes going, Saie tapped iconic supermodel Helena Christensen to star in the SuperSuede campaign. “Helena has always embodied that effortless ‘90s approach to beauty that we love, where one shadow could define your entire look,” Crowell said in a statement.

“We wanted to capture that feeling and make it completely intuitive today. SuperSuede is about bringing eyes into focus in the simplest way. One shade, one swipe, and you are done. It is the kind of product you reach for every day without overthinking it.”

My Review

These eyeshadows were love at first sight. All it took was one glance at the shimmery Tartufo shade to know SuperSuede was going to become a makeup bag staple. Eyeshadow always feels costume-y to me, so I love that these go on like a soft wash of color rather than something heavy or chalky—even the darkest shades in the range have a softness about them that’s so pretty. I love that they’re cute little single shadows, and the elevated shade range has plenty to offer. I’ve mostly been reaching for the aforementioned Tartufo, which is a shimmery mushroom shade, as well as the matte Panna Cotta, which is perfect for adding a little shape and structure to the eye. Both feel elegant and easy to wear, and add just enough “oomph” to my look without feeling heavy. Obsessed.