Anyone who has ever been fascinated by the mercurial hues of oil swirling in a puddle, or mesmerized by a mood ring, knows the power of color-shifting. Shades that seem to change based on the way the light hits them are, predictably, a total makeup slam dunk. Eyeshadows, nail polishes, and even lipsticks are incorporating duo-chrome pigments into their formulations, and the results are some of the coolest colors this side of the Northern Lights.So what is duo-chrome? In the makeup world, it refers to products that appear to change color when viewed from different angles. The products do not, in fact, change color — they just look like different shades or layered hues depending on where the light hits.
Sound cool? It is. As a self-proclaimed lazy girl, I love anything that makes it look like I put more effort into my look than I actually did. And after extensive road-testing, I've found that duo-chrome is legitimately the easiest and fastest way to make your eyes (and lips, and nails) look rad AF.
Ahead, I've rounded up some of my fave color-shifting makeup picks. Each one is a guaranteed swipe-and-go situation. No brushes, no blotting, no smudging, no complicated crap. Get on it.
This was my first real foray into legit duo-chrome, and I am so glad I gave it a go. It's a gold-and-peach situation with a rose-gold, luminescent effect. Who knew sunset tones could be so wearable? And I mean that with all of my heart — I wear this so much that my coworkers see it on me and remark, "Oh, it's that gold-y thingie you love." Indeed, I do love my gold-y thingie.
Topshop Chameleon Glow in Shuffle the Cards, $12, available at Topshop.
Troy Surratt went above and beyond with this launch — it's a duo-chrome shade within a double-decker compact. It's the inception of eyeshadows.
You can wear the violet-and-blue prismatic powder alone, or layer it over the deep-plum matte cream. The powder also makes for a great highlight or intriguing undereye liner.
Surratt Beauty Prismatique Eyes in Glamour Eyes, $38, available at Barneys New York.
Periwinkle on its own is an interesting liner hue, but add a silvery iridescence and an earthy-brown undertone and it's impactful enough to let your lids go naked.
MAC Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner in Industrial, $16.50, available at MAC.
I've seen the wonders of this powder up close and personal, on the lids of UD founder Wende Zomnir. While interviewing her for a story, I kept getting distracted and would catch myself gazing at her eyes, head tilted and mouth agape, looking like a vacant makeup zombie. I couldn't tell you what we talked about, but I distinctly remember the magical twinkle this violet-and-blue stunner created.
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Tonic, $19, available at Urban Decay.
Duo-chrome lips tend to be a bit more subtle, and usually fall into the light-pink or Champagne families. This gloss has just the subtlest of sheen, thanks to some fine particles of platinum-gold shimmer.
Nyx Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Baby Rose, $4.99, available at Ulta.
There's something about a jewel tone layered with chocolate brown that just slays it. While it looks kooky in the pan, on the eyes it reads as a rich neutral accented by intriguing flashes of green.
Ardency Inn Modster Manuka Honey in Peacock, $21, available at Sephora.
If an oil puddle was funneled into a nail-polish bottle and had a metric butt-ton of glitter dumped inside, this is what it would look like. And you know what? I'm not mad at it.
KB Shimmer Take the Punny and Run, $7, available at KB Shimmer.
This frosty hue is the palest of pinks, enhanced by Champagne and violet — it's opalescent in the truest form of the word.
NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow in Cassiopeia, $29, available at NARS.
This limited-edition Lip Tar from OCC is duo-chrome gone rogue. Highly pigmented (as all Lip Tars are), it's actually an opalescent gray with pink shimmer. It's definitely a unique take on the concept — it sounds really off-the-wall and it is, but it also happens to look really sick in the process.
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Indrid, $16, available at Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics.
The prism power on this one is strong. Geek Chic is notorious for creating some unique shimmer combinations that bring serious dimension to the lids. Case in point: This taupe-and-blue combo. Also, it's part of a Doctor Who-themed collection, so there's that.
Geek Chic Cosmetics Sexy In Suspenders Eyeshadow, $5.99, available at Geek Chic Cosmetics.
The minds behind this R29-fave polish brand describe this shifting hue as "the chameleon," and we couldn't agree with that moniker more. Gunmetal shot through with green, gold, and a hint of silver will make it impossible for you to concentrate on anything other than your fingertips. So maybe wear gloves at work?
RGB Cosmetics Nail Color in Dusk, $18, available at RGB Cosmetics.
I really don't know why I'm so drawn to this golden-orange-pink color, but whenever I come across it, I can't help but snatch it up. Perhaps because the rose-gold shade it creates truly is universally flattering. Tom Ford's version is a creamy, silky wonder that drops an intense amount of pigment. While it doesn't crease anywhere near as badly as most creams, I still recommend layering some primer underneath (Urban Decay's Primer Potion is my go-to eyeshadow Super Glue) to lock that prettiness in place.
Tom Ford Beauty Cream Color for Eyes in Sphinx, $45, available at Tom Ford Beauty.
Metallic lipstick in general is pretty rad, but this one from lipstick legend Poppy King is the best thanks to the light-catching fuchsia pearls embedded in the creamy formula.
Lipstick Queen All That Jazz Lipstick in Paint the Town, $30, available at Nordstrom.
While it reads equally gold and purple in the package, when swiped on the eyes, this not-quite-cream, not-quite-powder shadow is actually a shimmering plum with a subtle golden sheen.
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow in Purpura, $30, available at Giorgio Armani.
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