Things Only Get Worse After You Get it Open
Written: Aug 14 '02 (Updated Aug 14 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It's pretty cheap.
Cons: It's pretty cheap!
The Bottom Line: This set of four eyeshadows is nearly impossible to apply, does not cling to skin and is all around messy.
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| altairastar's Full Review: Cover Girl Professional Eye Enhancers 4-Kit Shadow... |
I was feeling adventurous in my local SuperTarget the other day and in need of a vain indulgence. So what's a girl to do but buy lipstick and eyeshadow? I stumbled upon a CoverGirl Quad set in "Country Woods" (the one pictured above.) The colors looked compatible, I had $4.87 in my pocket and the will to try something different.
Oops, oops and OOPS.
The Claim
covergirl.com says "The shadow collection with the most selection lets you create a range of diverse, beautiful looks. And every shadow has Eye Enhancer's exclusive easy-blend formula so you can be confident your look enhances eyes without over-shadowing." (They're right about that--there's no WAY you'll EVER "over-shadow" with this nearly invisible product!)
Packaging
You get a utilitarian plastic flip-open case with four colors lined up next to a doubled-sided sponge-tip applicator. The applicator is very cheap and makeup artists recommend using a brush instead to sweep the highlight color over your brow bone. This set's colors include a basic brown, a medium taupe, a pale matte cream and a rosy peanut shade.
My Experience
I certainly didn't get off to a smooth start. I sat down with my brand new toy in my bathroom, adrenaline surging through my veins like a shot of Starbucks double espresso on a Monday morning. And......the darn thing wouldn't open! Apparently Cover Girl did not design this particular case to be opened with mere human hands! I took a pen and tried to pry it open with the tip. It only slipped. I knocked it against the edge of my counter. That made the plastic casing crack. Finally I swiped my father's needle-nosed pliers from his basement workbench and pried that sucker open.
So far, I was not impressed. Things got worse.
I am by nature a rather dramatic person. Nothing can just happen to me, it has to be a life-changing, monolithic event. This includes eyeshadow. I like dark, seething plums and browns on my lids (though JUST on my lids...I won't ever pull the Tammy Faye Bakker look.) That is why I chose this particular shade, Country Woods. Although the name conjures images of a flannel-shirted lumberjack roaming the Minnesota woods instead of high-fashion designer makeup, I liked the darker shades. Boy was I wrong!
I took that little sponge application and tried my hardest to get the base shade, a very basic brown, to show up my medium-olive skin. No such luck. I really fought. I even prepped my eyelids with stick concealer, which helps color cling better. But Cover Girl Professional Eye Enhancers ARE really good at making a professional mess. Powder surrounded my eyes and cheekbones like a series of brown halos. Perhaps it was because all these shades were shimmery, but for whatever reason I just could not get any color depth from this product.
How it Wears
Considering I didn't get much on from the get-go, these Cover Girl shadows didn't last long. The color faded to a state of invisibility after two hours. I was not happy. To make matters worse, when I closed the plastic case I had to pry it open all over again.
So I did what any disappointed consumer would do: I sent an email to Cover Girl customer service.
This was the one redeeming moment in my Professional Eye Enhancers experience. "Judy" apologized for the substandard packaging and quality of this product and asked for my mailing address. Three weeks later I had in my hands a coupon good for one free CG item. Anything. So I went and got the same good ol' pressed powder compact I've been using since I was 16. No way was I ever going to hazard the Eye Enhancers again.
HINTS ON COLOR
You'll find this product at covergirl.com and in all mass retailers and drug/grocery stores. Eight shades are available, ranging from the teeny-bopper disgusting (Kilowatts, a bizzare mix of fuschia and olive green) to the bland (Tranquil Browns are the exact same shades as the Country Woods I tried, only with a matte finish.)
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
altairastar
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Location: Somewhere not very glamorous, USA
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 19 members
About Me:
I love figure skating!
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