CoverGirl's Smoky ShadowBlast; a Knockout or Up in Smoke?

My eyes are usually behind a pair of frames, my glasses and I are inseparable, I even forget that I am wearing them. The point is that when I apply eye makeup it is usually very subtle so as not to compete with my quirky plastic frames. When I learned that the Shine Guru's were going to be testing CoverGirl's Smoky Shadow Blast I was super excited. I had never invested in dramatic eye makeup, my routine is usually neutral shadow and some eyeliner. Here was my opportunity to test drive the smoky eye look that is constantly heating up red-carpets and runways.

CoverGirl touts ShadowBlast as the "quick and easy for anyone to get the dramatic smoky eye look that professional make-up artists create". ShadowBlast comes in a compact two-sided lipstick shaped tube. The sides of the tube are clearly labeled Step 1 and Step 2. The Step 1 side has a rounded tip stick and is designed to be the all over color or base to the smoky look. Step 2 has a more tapered stick for lining and defining the eye. The ShadowBlast package comes with makeup artists tips on the back for achieving the perfect smoky eye and other looks to try.

I received the Smoky ShadowBlast shade Silver Sky, which has a shimmery light gray for Step 1 and a deeper charcoal grey for Step 2. I followed the directions given on the package to create my smoky eye look. I started by applying Step 1 from the lash line to just above the crease and used my finger to blend the color up and out. The tube was easy to maneuver, but the creme color when applied was very faint. I ended up going over Step 1 a couple times to get the desired depth. After achieving the desired effect from Step 1 I moved on to Step 2. I used the tapered tip to apply the charcoal color along my lash line and half way across the crease, making a > shape on the outer corner of my eye. I then used my finger to blend the shade up and out. Again I felt that the color was not dramatic enough so I went back to the Step 2 side to add more color. The completed look was a soft and pretty charcoal shimmer, nice, but not really smoky. I wanted more drama on my smoky eye so I turned to my own makeup case for the remedy. I used a black eyeliner to draw a thick line across my lash line. Next I applied Step 2 over the eyeliner and blended until the hard line of the eyeliner disappeared. The liner added the much needed definition and really made the look more dramatic. To complete my smoky eye I applied a couple of coats of black mascara.

CoverGirl's Smoky Shadow Blast is a great concept, but there are a few flaws that need to be worked out in the execution of the product. As I mentioned above, the pigments in each step were not very strong so several applications of each color is needed, even then it was hard to achieve a smoky dramatic look. Another thing to take note of is that while you may be tempted to be heavy handed when applying, don't, the sticks will break off at the base. I was applying Step 1 when the stick came free of the base, it didn't fall fortunately and I just pressed it back into the tube. Next the creamy shadow has a very limited wear time, there was noticeable creasing in the color after an hour of wear. I would be hesitant to recommend ShadowBlast given the above issues. It is a fun product, neatly package and user friendly, if only CoverGirl would work out the kinks.

CoverGirl Smoky Shadow Blast comes in six shades and retails for about $8.