Smashbox

Pros:
Highly pigmented
Lasts a long time

Cons:
Thick and tacky texture

Overall: 4* - this is a dramatic mauve nude with great pigment. It's not a color that I typically go for but it's beautiful.

I wanted to like this foundation, but I honestly can't even review it's wear or it's longevity because I cannot find a match for my NW 15-18 skin. The color .5 is the right undertone but several shades too light. The rest after that have a weird yellow undertone, even if labeled as cool. If you are light and very cool, you might not be able to find a match. I returned it and got Nars sheer glow instead.

This gel eyeliner is very, VERY pigmented. It is one of the richest, matte blacks I've ever used, particularly for a pencil. It is a gel eyeliner, and you are required to sharpen it. Every point of sale based review bashes how much the product needs to be sharpened or how difficult it is. While I do agree that it is troublesome to clean the sharpener after getting the pencil back to a point, it is not a product defect or flaw that the pencil must be sharpened after every use. It is a pencil, and it is very soft and very opaquely black. I cannot fault the product for being both soft and difficult to sharpen. I feel that is a trade-off and kind of the nature of the product being purchased here (soft, pencil) so that would no be reasonable to complain that the product acts as intended.

I have not had any issue while using Essence's brand dual-ended sharpener. I've heard that it is comparable to Urban Decay's Grindhouse sharpener but I have not used that. In some of my more standard sharpeners, this pencil has not fared quite as well.

However, I have noticed that this pencil seems to be nearing the end of its life I am hoping? The product tends to flake off in hard little pigmented bits that irritate my eye. This is not during wear throughout the day; this occurs after I have attempted to remove the product. Leaving it on seems for some 12-18 hours and I find it has almost bonded to my eyelashes and nearly impossible to completely remove. I wanted to purchase a holiday set of 4 that comes with a liquid liner, but I am not sure. I have an additional one (newer, but still the same product) and will adjust my review after I have seen if this is characteristic of the liner or if it is just a sign of the product aging/drying out.

Smashbox "Hang" is not a grey taupe. In the pan and in my skin is a matte medium beige color. For the price and the color I can find better eyeshadows.

Brilliant, just brilliant. Nothing more to say.