Thursday, March 9, 2017

Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palettes Review

On Tuesday I wrote a very flattering review of Smashbox's Always On lipstick. I found that this product delivered intense colour, stayed in place and, most importantly of all, improved my appearance. But while Smashbox wowed me that lipstick, I'm unfortunately not finding the same feelings for its new eyeshadow collections.

The promo card that came with my Cover Shot Eye Palettes sample uses the tag line "fierce finish, powerful pigment, beyond blendable." Given my very recent experience with the brand's Always On lipstick, I believed every claim Smashbox was selling me.

Then I applied this eye shadow. And then I applied it some more and then even more, sometimes with my finger, other times with different brushes. But no matter how I applied it, nor no matter how much powder I used, I did not experience the promised "intense pigment payoff." With results that were more "blah" than "wow," this shadow reminded me a lot of a certain drugstore brand palette that I have yet to review because applying it is such a pain. I should be able to see colour with one swipe of a brush and two swipes should get me results that are pretty much what I see in the palette. Instead, I had to layer this shadow and even then, the colour was subtile.

Smashbox doesn't make any claims about the product's staying power and for good reason: This is one of those eye shadows that seemed to begin to fade within an hour of application. I'm not really sure where the bulk of it went; while a bit of product ended up under my eyes and in their creases, most of the shadow just seemed to disappear. I did try wearing the shadows over a primer (including one made by Smashbox) and while that helped a bit, the end-of-day result was still the same: I looked like I had never even applied eye makeup that day.

I will though agree with Smashbox's claim that these shadows have "Superior blendability" as it was a breeze to smudge one shade into the next.

Cover Shot Eye Palettes comes in seven different "high-impact" colour combinations. My sample was for the one called Golden Hour, which is described as "Creamy, lit-from-within shades." While it wouldn't have been my first choice, the included "to-die-for bronzes and cabernets" are attractive colours that look like they should work together nicely to highlight and flatter one's eyes. Unfortunately, the pigmentation is so light that they don't have the opportunity to shine.

Each palette features "two double-sized wearable bases and six expertly curated tones to mix and match." Other palette options include metallics, mattes and one called Bold that covers the whole rainbow. On paper, these palettes sound and look great, which just makes the results all that more disappointing.

While I'm not a fan of this eyeshadow, I do like the packaging, which Smashbox describes as "slimline" and "portable." It seems sturdy without being bulky and I like the simplicity of its black-and-white colour scheme. However, nice packaging alone is not worth $29, which is how much this product retails for at Sephora.

Would I buy this product: No.

Should you buy this product: I can't recommend getting it in Golden Hour; you just won't get your money's worth.

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