Shiro overload! So a few months ago...actually probably less than 2 months ago, I ordered 4 of the Seven Kingdoms shadows from Shiro. Once they arrived and I had a play around I pretty much ordered the rest of the collection immediately. I'm a big A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones fan so these shadows are cool as each colour is inspired by one of the characters. While you can get smaller size jars of the shades, full-size was the only conceivable option for me as the full-size feature drawings by Robert Hendrickson of the show's characters.
I'm so obsessed with these shadows at the moment that I don't really want to use anything else right now and couldn't concentrate on other posts until this one was done. The collection features mainly neutrals that wouldn't be out of place in the ASoIaF/GoT world but that doesn't mean they are boring. Quite a few of them are duochromes and, as I've mentioned before, duochromes get me really excited!
Shiro's shadows are loose ones, so if you aren't used to using them there can be a bit of a learning curve, especially when it comes bringing out the sparkle in them. As well as doing a '5 Looks with the Seven Kingdoms collection' post soon, I also plan on writing a guide on using loose shadows so hopefully that will help anyone new to the world of loose shadows.
Read on for swatches of all 15 shades in the Seven Kingdoms collection!
Climbing Chaos
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| Shiro Cosmetics Climbing Chaos |
Climbing Chaos is inspired by Little Finger/Petyr Baelish and is described as "rich velvety brown with a warm metallic copper-bronze shine". It's quite a money-ish colour so appropriate for the Master of Coin! It's a really pretty bronze that makes a great all-over shade and looks amazing foiled.
Gift of Mercy
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| Shiro Cosmetics Gift of Mercy |
Gift of Mercy is the colour of The Hound, one of my favourite characters. Shiro describe it as "blackened plate-steel grey shot through with hints of orange fire" but I think I see blue and red shimmer rather than just orange. When you use only a small amount dry, most of the shimmer brushes off and so I've been able to use this to deepen the outer V of my eyes. I also like it as an eyeliner mixed with Illamasqua Sealing Gel.
Here I Stand
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| Shiro Cosmetics Here I Stand |
Jorah Mormont's colour is Here I Stand, a "rich earthy brown-black shimmering with the green of House Mormont". Think along the lines of MAC Blue Brown pigment or Urban Decay Lounge. In real life the duochrome comes through a lot stronger than in the photos, the green is more prominent and very striking.
Hodor
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| Shiro Cosmetics Hodor |
Seriously, who would have thought that Hodor would be The One. Ugh. It makes the best transition shade ever on my pale skin! I've tried it with so many colours and it really does blend out anything. It is a "medium, near-matte taupe" which can lean pinkish in some lights. It is more of a satin in my opinion but this aids the blending and looks really natural. Love, love, love. Also really pleased that Hodor gets a shade after him as he's a fairly small character, though not physically of course.
I Loved A Maid
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| Shiro Cosmetics I Loved A Maid |
Another of my favourite characters is Tyrion Lannister. His colour is another duochrome and unlike anything else I have. They describe I Loved A Maid as "green-shifting gold shining out over a base of softened Lannister crimson". Basically, it's a deep orange with a gold and green shift. So beautiful! It's looks great paired with matte warm browns. I also want to try it with some contrasting colours.
Little Bird
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| Shiro Cosmetics Little Bird |
I think that Sansa is one of the most annoying characters, but nevertheless, her colour is really pretty. Little Bird is a "delicate matte mauve/beige pink" which can look quite peachy. Another good blending-out colour (although not The One).
Maiden Queen
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| Shiro Cosmetics Maiden Queen |
Another character I don't particularly like is Margaery Tyrell, the Maiden Queen, on a mission to marry as many kings as possible it would seem. Teals and aquas are a weakness of mine however and this one is no exception. "Brilliant emerald of Highgarden with bright aqua shimmer and golden-rose sparks" though on the lids I pretty much get straight-up aqua. It's a colour she wears a lot in the show and is the only colour in the collection that is totally non-neutral, but it is still in keeping with the palette I think.
Master of Whispers
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| Shiro Cosmetics Master of Whispers |
Not a colour you'd usually associate with a Spider eh?! Varys' colour is "soft golden shimmer shining through pale lilac silk" and is beautiful. Master of Whispers is one of the shades that benefits from a base like a Color Tattoo or a pencil liner rather than being foiled as the base colour is quite matte so can go patchy when used damp. I like this as an inner corner highlight and in the centre of a halo/spotlight look.
Mother of Dragons
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| Shiro Cosmetics Mother of Dragons |
Obviously the colour representing Daenerys Targaryen is inspired by her dragons and the result is amazing. Mother of Dragons is a "silvered royal purple over a blood-red base" and can look really different depending on the light and what it is paired with. It looks just as good when used with a neutral look as it does paired with other purples or reds and is one the colours in the collection I have used the most so far. She started off being one of my favourite characters in the books but any one else feel like Danny is loosing her way a bit?
No Men Like Me
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| Shiro Cosmetics No Men Like Me |
No Men Like Me is Jaime Lannister's colour and is a "gold-burnished plate cloaked in ashy white". It's a matte sandy colour with gold shimmer; another of those tricky ones with a matte base but can look amazing when used right.
Queensguard
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| Shiro Cosmetics Queensguard |
Barristan Selmy, what a cool guy. His shade is pretty awesome, a "matte orange-brown of House Selmy, softened with gentle cream shimmer", great with a warm neutral look. If you like MUG's Cocoa Bear you'll probably like this one.
Salt and Stone
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| Shiro Cosmetics Salt and Stone |
Salt and Stone was one of those first 4 colours I bought and I did an individual review of it here which shows the colour better when used in a look. Stannis' colour, it is a "blackened green of House Baratheon, shining with the red light of R'hllor". Again, has a matte base so you can use it dry perfectly fine but to really bring out the red in it a thicker base is ideal.
Valar Morghulis
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| Shiro Cosmetics Valar Morghulis |
Arya Stark has inspired the shade Valar Morghulis and I think it's the perfect colour for her, a "pure black shining with metallic white overlay". The paler shimmer in the black makes it looks more charcoal-grey. I've mainly used this as liner so far.
Women's Weapons
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| Shiro Cosmetics Women's Weapons |
Boo! Hiss! Women's Weapons is the colour of Cersei Lannister and is a "strong red wine with soft golden shimmer". In my swatches it looks very warm, almost brown, but sometimes it looks a lot cooler, check Shiro's swatch here. Great paired with Queensguard or Mother of Dragons.
You Know Nothing
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| Shiro Cosmetics You Know Nothing |
I can't read those words in any other accent! I reckon Kit Harington, the actor who plays Jon Snow, must be sooo fed up of hearing that quote. Anyhow, You Know Nothing fits the character perfectly, "cold wintery grey-white with bright icy shimmer". Again it has a matte base so can go patchy if foiled so best used dry, on a thick base. I love this on its own or layered over a pink, purple or blue; definitely one of my favourites.
I am well and truly head-over-heals for Shiro Cosmetics. As I've said before, they're totally vegan and everything is blended by hand in small batches. I love the personal touches and the quirky collections. You can see the Seven Kingdoms collection here, the full-size pots are only $6 each though you can get smaller sizes for either $1 or $3.50. I think the price is amazing, the shadows are really high quality and as a collection they just look amazing!
After that epic swatching I'd love to know what you think of the collection. What are your favourites and how would you use them? Do you think any particularly suit its character? Or doesn't?
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