A professional look with one sweep of an applicator... too good to be true?

I grabbed myself a compact of L'oreal Paris The One Sweep Eye Shadow Studio Secrets Professional 809 Natural for Brown Eyes.  This product totes the professional look made easy claim... introducing their first ever eye shadow trio that gives you a multi-shade shadow with one sweep.

How does it do this? you ask.  Well, here's the skinny, ladies


This shadow trio features and innovative "eyelid" shaped palette and a contoured brush in the same shape.  It is designed to pick up enough shadow to give you that, multi-tonal define and color look... in one easy motion.  This compact features a soft, creamy, Vitamin E enriched powder, meant for all day wear without creasing or fading.  It's available in four natural and four "playful" palette, all correspond with your eyes to maximize color, except for the universal shade meant for all colors.



It's a funny little applicator...

The light shade blends towards the top of your crease to highlight the area, the middle shade is applies color your lid, and the darkest shade is supposed to act as a liner to define.

A complete, professional look with a sweep of the applicator from the inner crease of your eye, out from lash line to brow bone.

Forget the trouble of your typical trio, right?

Hm.  In theory, it's a pretty cool idea... if not a little gimmicky.  L'oreal is definitely trying to appeal to a market that is a little overwhelmed by the whole... multi-eyeshadow thing.  I was a little less than impressed with my results, however...  My trio had a golden brown beige, a chocolate brown, a darker brown, it all just came out BROWN.  I've practiced a couple times now thinking it was just my approach but I can't seem to create the beautiful multi-tonal look I expected.  The applicator is a bit... awkward at best, and frankly I don't like using the same applicator over and over again.  (The whole... bacteria build up gives me the heebie-jeebies.)  Anyways, I would imagine that over time the build up of the product would compromise the distinct 3 shades.

I'll admit I was a bit disappointed.  I had purchased a whole bunch of new STUFF in anticipation of the warmer months and had this vision that this would pull together my "bronzed-beauty" look.  FAIL.  I mean, it didn't look horrendous... but it wasn't worth the 10 bucks I paid for it.

Also... I simply don't have the time, or patience, for this.  This simple concept is just too much work for this girl.

BUT!!  The shadow itself is nice.  Silky and smooth with just a hint of shimmer.  I'm probably going to hold onto the quad and use my own applicator to mix and match the shades.  At least it wasn't a complete loss.