In my local Sainsburys (that’s a supermarket by the way, my international pals), I spied a Cargo counter, but never bought anything even though I like the look of the range.
Something about buying Sainsbury’s Value Baked Beans for 20p alongside a £20 foundation just didn’t seem to match up for me. Then one day – TA DA! 50% sale. I made a killing – will review what I got bit by bit.
One of the big things I picked up was this SmokyEye (I prefer the spelling Smokey, don’t you?) which I think I paid about £14 for at half price.
The kit includes a the Smoky Eye Eye Liner Duo in Budapest (steel grey), the SmokyEye Brush, and SupersEyes Mascara in Black. It comes in a pointless tin which no doubt I will keep and never put anything of any use into it, and a booklet with instructions on how to do a quick, easy smoky eye.
The contents:
See the contents and my application step by step guide after the jump:
So here is the liner/shadow duo in Budapest. It looks black but its official description says grey. But I think it looks black, which therefore leads to disappointment when it swatches lighter than it looks:
Swatches – left is the cream base, then the shadow, then the two layered:
Here is the brush – I thought the reason of the stubby handle was that it had some powder in it, but no, its just a daft brush*:
*Sephora says that the brush is shaped this way so that it can sit horizontally when the bush is drying. Isn’t this a bad idea? You don’t want any of the water seeping down the ferrule surely, this can loosen the hair?
Anyway, so I followed the guide, as far as I tend to follow guides, applying the cream base first:
Brush is nice and very firm – this is my favourite kind of brush – for the eyes, with a firm short bristle. Its not very soft though.
Apply all over the lower lid. Take it to under the eye:
Get the powder (which is sparkly in the pan, not so much when applied, even when pressed on) and apply on top. I always do this – I never ever apply shadow without a wet base first (can be primer, creme shadow, liner, gel liner, concealer, foundation – don’t care but there has to be some kind of base in my book).
The kind of shape I was going for:
Curl lashes, add mascara. Blend away the edges.
Finished:
Verdict
Yes, in a sense this set does demystify the smoky eye but I would have choosen a more traditional range of products in my kit – probably an eyeshadow trio with light, medium and dark shades, a black pencil liner and a volume boosting mascara.
The products in this kit are to be completely honest, pretty lame. The brush is fine, but I don’t like the design of it and I don’t like the cream smokey eye liner duo AT ALL.
The cream side is almost like a sheer gel – its not pigmented enough to be a liner, its not very nice as a cream shadow (and it creases). The powder shade should be creamy-pigment heaven, a la Nars Galapagos, but its not – its hard, its scratchy, its not that pigmented.
Even on top of each other I think the duo missing that ‘something’.
I used the mascara on my lashes above, once again, not very impressed.
Even at half price I feel a bit cheated – I should have stocked up on value baked beans for the rest of the year instead, although I’d say this under performing eye set is less damaging to my relationship with Mr Candy than a year’s worth of intenstinal gas build up caused by value beans.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I kinda like the shape of the brush…It reminds me of a screwdriver. Does seem a bit impractical for applying eye makeup though…
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Hi Diskogal
Yeah its a bit pointless!
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how can i do smokey eyes like the one in your post?
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Hi Rhiania
All you need is a dark eyeshadow and a lighter one! Blend together1
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hmmm.. darker shade of eyeshadow below and highlight at the top.. am i right? hee hee thanks
btw the brush was unique i like it =)
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Dont read this…totally time waste……………Such a pathetic eye make up
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I bought this a long time ago and don’t use blue shadows that often (mine is Skye) so finally I started wondering hmmm is this a liner or shadow? When I found out they were both liners I wondered if something was wrong because my cream liner really does NOT apply properly. My guess is it might be old but it’s kinda hard and not very creamy. What is the consistency of yours?
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My gel lined is fine quite creamy has your started to dry out?
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That must have been what has happened. Maybe I can put some Vaseline on it to try to make it more spreadable. Thanks!
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Watch enkores latest vid he shows you how to revive gel liners, use a glycerin base basically and melt it down x
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Hello,
I bougth this, I hope I like it because I want it to a ligther effect.
Regars.
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