Budget Beauty, CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil

The CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil is a traditional wooden pencil housing a cream eyeshadow.  Sadly, I have only one lone color as I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the formula.  I love trying new products but I have no desire to collect a drawer full of duds. So I always purchase conservatively.   The packaging is pretty basic, nothing noteworthy here.  The size is between a lipliner and a NYX jumbo pencil.  The wooden pencil requires a larger than liner sharpener which is a bit of a bummer; but, it's not problematic enough to keep me from purchasing it. 

The color of the cap and the bottom indicate the color of the shadow inside the pencil.  The wooden stick contains .08 oz of product.  It's quite a functional pencil with no fancy bells or whistles.  Try as I might to find something witty or intriguing to say about the packaging there isn't any.   It would be nice if they could switch packaging to the twist up version instead of needing a sharpener.  

So, we will move on to the real reason you're reading this post, the shadow.  I must say that this is a mystical, magical shimmery substance used to delight and decorate the eyelids! I was not prepared for the cooling sensation when I first applied the Flamed Out pencil to my lid. I was taken aback for a moment before moving on to enjoy it.  It's quite difficult to describe other than to say that it has a cooling effect.  Crystal Flame works well as an inner corner highlight but I would avoid it as a brow bone highlight as it contains micro fine glitter. 

The camera does not do the swatch justice.  Crystal Flame has a shimmery finish that my camera just isn't capturing.  I found that it glided on fairly smoothly and blended rather well.  For the most part all cream shadows can be a bit streaky and require a bit of blending to receive best results.  The micro fine glitter in the cream which gives it more a metallic feel to the shimmery finish.  You could wear this color alone  to add a shimmer to the eyes or you could build it up to full on opaque color.  

Left to Right: CoverGirl Crystal Flame, Maybelline Too
Cool and NYX Cottage Cheese. 

In comparison with Maybelline Color Tattoo in Too Cool and NYX Jumbo Pencil in Cottage Cheese, the CoverGirl seems to be more matte. However, in person it's actually the one with the most shimmer once the cream has set.  I have found that of the three the CoverGirl formula wears the longest by itself.   As an eyeshadow base all three wear all day without creasing or fading.  Overall, I am impressed with the CoverGirl formula and I'm disappointed it's not permanent.   However, the less than stellar packaging and limited color selection are a bit of a let down.

CoverGirl put a new spin on the cream eyeshadow pencil and they could do well in the marketplace with a couple of minor adjustments.  Ditch the wooden pencil and switch to the twist up version.  Add a few more colors, especially some neutrals and some mattes.  Make them permanent and they could do well. 

These products were purchased by myself with the intend to enjoy them. Please follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for your daily dose of positivity.