A Stila Dupe From Barry M?

I'm sure we all know about those Stila Glitter and Glow Magnificent Metals by now. They were - and I guess still are - all the rage and from what I've heard and seen about them, for good reason too. I've personally never tried any of them out myself (despite definitely wanting to) and whether that changes at any point in the future, as soon as I spotted the new 'Glitter Bomb' Glitter Eyeshadows from Barry M, I had instant suspicions about a possible dupe on our hands. But the proof's in the pudding, so I picked up a shade to try and see for myself what the real deal is about. Let's find out...

These beauties claim to have a 'highly pigmented, lightweight cream formula with lustrous, iridescent sparkle and shimmer with pearl and glitter flecks that gives a 3D effect finish which lasts all day with minimal fall-out' and I mean, what more could you want? Obviously, this is simply what the brand itself supposedly states them to be, but I guess that's what this post is here for, right? As I said, my first thought when seeing this range was the possible similarities between them and the infamous Stila ones so I knew I wanted to see whether there was any truth in that at all. Honestly, pretty much every single shade in the collection I could have easily placed in my basket - they're all very much 'me', yanno? - but eventually, I plumped for 'Bling Bling', a gorgeous, true gold. Seeing as I hadn't tried the formula out before, I only really wanted to choose one for now and figured possibly the most versatile hue would be the best to go for.

First off - the colour is just spot-on too. Such a pretty gold with a lovely, rich yellow undertone - as I thought, I can envisage this working with so many types of eye looks, either alone or as a topper. The glitter applies really strongly and pigmented in one layer, though I have realised that in terms of application, it's best to dab and pat the product on as opposed to swiping, which can instead simply sheer out the glitter you've applying and possibly any eyeshadow underneath. It's no major issue as once you know that, application is pretty quick and easy - especially with the short, slightly-tapered doe foot. It's easy to build up the product in areas you want more coverage and once you're happy, simply leave it to dry and set down and you've got yourself a super glittery finish, without all of the fuss and mess that the loose variety can cause. It lasts all day on the lid without dropping down or flaking off and it doesn't fade or - probably most importantly - creasing either.