Sultry Smoke, an infallible eyeshadow

          I've seen a number of L'Oreal infallible eyeshadow reviews around the blog block. I wasn't planning on purchasing one, however the makeup aisle lady at Walgreens in Chinatown offered me four dollars worth of coupons when she saw me contemplating the L'Oreal infallible display. I mean, how could I say no? That's how I ended up with L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow in Sultry Smoke.

          People have often compared L'Oreal's infallible eyeshadow line to Armani's Eyes to Kill. This is a pretty high complement since Eyes to Kill is so well loved. Something worth noting is that Armani cosmetics belongs to the L'Oreal conglomerate. I think it's safe to say that the similarities between the two are not a coincidence. If you examine cosmetics company ownership structures, sometimes you can see that different 'brands' within the same company sometimes will release a similar product. It only makes sense to capitalize on good technology. Infallible might not have the same bells and whistles (i.e. packaging and complex color) as Eyes to Kill, but it may deserve its high quality status.

            I'm not exactly sure which side of the packaging is the bottom and which is the top. I am guessing that the lid was meant to be the bottom because it's a lot less pretty. When you open the container, there's a small plastic lid that can protect or pack the product underneath. The texture is a lot drier and more powdery than I was expecting it to be. I was imagining a cream! It is almost like slightly damp powder. Although it has a drier texture, it definitely can dry out. I saw one in the display that was defective or tampered with and the product inside was clearly shrunken and dried out.
   
         I apply using a finger. I haven't tried a brush since it works so well without. I don't use a primer, yet the lasting power is very good. Normally I have to use primers under my powder shadows. This is quite a plus; if I'm in a hurry I can just swipe and go without a primer or complex blending. The Infallible eyeshadow works pretty well as an eyeshadow base too. I'm not sure it holds eyeliner as well as I'd like though.  The color of sultry smoke is almost matte and not very dimensional. I can add a little extra intrigue by layering on shadows on top. The grey base can  intensify grey shadows like NARS Tzarine (see swatch below). I've also layered more brown leaning tones like Urban Decay pistol for a different effect.

          L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow in sultry smoke is a dove grey. It's a medium grey with a hint of blue. There's no overt shimmer, but it's not a pure matte. It's the type of grey I normally like. You can see the swatch of Sultry Smoke compared with NARS Tzarine and MAC Scene below. It's a touch more blue than the other two. You can also see how well it applies in layered and sheer form. It blends out quite well.

          Overall, I am impressed with this my Infallible eyeshadow in Sultry smoke. I like the color, lasting power, and blendability. The quickness and convenience of application on-the-go is a big plus. Despite those things, I don't find myself running to the store to snatch up the whole set. The L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow line offer a nice range of colors, however they don't really strike my fancy. I would prefer lmore basic neutral shades as opposed to colors like purple or ice blue. That said, I'm still considering purchasing Continuous Cocoa. Also, Bronzed Taupe is a shade that many will like.

          Thanks for reading! Have you tried any shades of Infallible eyeshadow? What are your thoughts? Do you prefer this to Maybelline color tattoo? (Incidentally, Maybelline also belongs to L'Oreal).

Love, Dovey.

Note for cruelty-free beauty lovers: It is worth noting that L'Oreal is not cruelty free (what a shame). If it weren't for that, I'd be singing their praises. I really hope that one day this will change.