CARGO Smoky Eye Kit

CARGO's products are often featured in magazines like "Allure," "Marie Claire," and "Lucky," and they also end up in the "goody bags" handed out at major Hollywood award shows. They are often innovative, rarely dull, and usually make beauty looks easier for those of us who don't have "hair and make-up" people to achieve.

I recently purchased CARGO's SmokyEye kit; its original price was $39, but it was on sale for $9.80 so I figured that wasn't much to risk. It comes in a great container that includes three pieces: a shadow duo, mascara, and an interesting little brush. And perhaps most importantly for the make-up challenged, instructions complete with pictures.

The shadow duo, called "Budapest" for reasons only known to CARGO's marketing people, contains a matte black cream liner shadow and a sparkly charcoal powder shadow. The instructions say to "dab" the cream liner along the upper lash line (and the lower one for the "full smoky eye") then smudge it out using a back and forth movement. You can make the line thin, by just using the tip of the brush, or thicken it by holding the brush at an angle or even flat. Then add the powder on top of the cream, and blend it onto the lid and into the crease, focusing mainly on the outer corner.

The brush is quite small, and according to CARGO, is "ergonomically designed." I like the fact that it's short, because if I don't have my glasses on or contacts in, I have to have my face very close to the mirror. The end you hold has a curved side that says "CARGO" and a flat side that reminds you, in case you forgot, that this is the SmokyEye brush. I found it worked best for me if I held it with my thumb on the flat side and my forefinger along the top of the handle. The brush is good quality; the nice tight bristles work well for dabbing the cream liner shadow along the lash line, and at an angle, for smudging it out - although personally I prefer a brush specifically designed for smudging.

Overall, it works well to make a basic smoky look, but I don't want to have only black shadows on my eyes. I think that's great for Goth and a few other looks, but I prefer a little color on the lid and something light between the crease and browbone. Of course I have other shadows I can use, but this is described as a "kit" for the smoky eye look. The CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast comes in a multitude of colors, for just $8.49 at www.drugstore.com. If you want to step "up" from CoverGirl, Too Faced makes a Smoky Eye Palette containing several colors and two double-ended brushes, for $34 on www.sephora.com. For $9.80, the CARGO product is a good buy, but if I'd spent $39 on it, I'd be disappointed.