Pantone names Radiant Orchid Color of the Year 2014

The color authority Pantone has chosen Radiant Orchid as the successor to this year's color of the year, Emerald. I personally love jewel-inspired colors, especially in a nail polish, but when I saw Radiant Orchid, I gave a squeal. You can probably understand why when you see this!

How unbelievably gorgeous is Radiant Orchid?!  Here's how Pantone describe it on their website: 'Radiant Orchid blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination. It is an expressive, creative and embracing purple—one that draws you in with its beguiling charm. A captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid emanates great joy, love and health.' 

What does this mean for us makeup and beauty junkies? Well, you can expect to see Pantone's Color of the Year influencing our makeup bags quite heavily in the upcoming months, with the imminent arrival of Benefit's latest tint; aptly named Lollitint, and in the new Dior Trianon Spring makeup collection.

I personally cannot wait to see what Sephora and Pantone create together, if they team up like in previous years! Radiant Orchid has already got me longing for Spring!

MAC Electric Cool Eyeshadow

MAC have recently released a collection of eyeshadows that have the most unusual texture! The Electric Cool range has a consistency that is somewhere between a foam and a gel. Not dissimilar to L'Oreal's Color Infallible eyeshadows, but slightly more moist. Kinda bouncy. There were 12 different colours in the range and I plumped for Fashion Circuit, a bright shimmery teal green colour.

Without flash

With Flash

To show just how bright and shimmery Fashion Circuit is, I took some pictures in direct sunlight.

Other products I used are: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden, Urban Decay 24:7 eyeliner pencil in Zero, Benefit Magic Ink Liquid Liner, and two shades from Urban Decay's Naked Palette (the first palette) in Virgin and Creep. My lashes are some Girls Aloud Festival Lashes that I've had for a while but not used. Brows are done with Benefit Browzings in Medium.

I really enjoyed using this shadow, the texture is out of this world and is loaded with pigment. I have read some reviews in which other bloggers have found the more neutral Electric Cool shades to be quite poor in pigment, but Fashion Circuit was nice and bold. I think the way these shadows are applied make all the difference: try packing the colour on with a stiff bristled brush as opposed to a fluff brush, and use in a patting motion, as opposed to sweeping the colour on.

Have you tried the Electric Cool shadows? Are you loving or leaving them?