MAC Big Bounce eye cream - a positive review

The first new product in ages from MAC that has made me go 'ooh I want that', so purchase I did. I bought Rich Thrills, which is a silvery taupe colour, the sort of colour I'd been looking for to fill a gap in my eyeshadow collection.

The description of the Big Bounce eye creams is:

"Eyes are fresh and luminescent with beautiful sheen washes of vibrant color using new Flighty Eye Shadows. This spongy, mousse-like eye shadow is lightweight, lasts for hours, and imparts a cooling sensation upon application."

In between ordering and receiving my purchase, I read a couple of less than favourable reviews of the product by US Bloggers who have had it for a couple of weeks. I have to say, I have been pleasantly surprised to find that it isn't as bad as I feared.


The consistency: The product is not mousse like. Not in the slightest, especially when compared to products such as Maybelline Dream Mousse eye colour. Nope, this is much more like a mousse that you've knocked all the air out of, you know when it goes that slightly runny consistency? Hence why I refer to it as a cream – I feel it is a much more accurate description. It is cool though. It is the weirdest sensation, and feels wet long after it dries.


The application: When I read Temptalia's review of this product I was apprehensive, she talks about the long dry down time and the creasing. And true, it takes a few more seconds to dry down than I might be used to, and yes, it creases, but for me, that is only the halfway point of the application process. I think the trick with these is to apply roughly with a brush, working quickly because as soon as it starts to become tacky you can't touch it or it spoils, then leave for 30 seconds to a minute (go wash your hands, comb your hair, put your tshirt on, clean your teeth...). When you come back to it it will have creased, but never fear: blend into the right shape with something like a 217 brush. Voila, a light wash of beautiful colour. 

The colour: Rich Thrills is described on the MAC site as "dirty silver with multi coloured pearl" and it doesn't disappoint. It has a hint of taupe and just the right amount of shimmer to give the illusion of a glossy eye, similar to the finish on Dark Soul pigment. I only ordered this colour because I wanted to see what the others would be like in the flesh before buying. I hope that they still have some left when I get to Cardiff in a few weeks, as I think I'd like a couple of the other colours!  

The verdict: Perfect for quick and easy eye that is awesome for work/day time, and could easily be built up for a night time look. Although the application is a little more complex than one might hope, once you've got the hang of it this is a great product. 

Have you tried Big Bounce? What did you think?