L'Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Eyeliner - Defining Cocoa

This eyeliner is one of the fun finds that relieved me of my Monday blues, even though I didn't actually buy it yesterday. This morning, San informed that she indeed couldn't find any information about it online, so I just HAD to pick it up on my way to work (oh, the miracles of Penn Station). Actually, I picked up two - one in Defining Cocoa and one in Defining Slate.

I was mostly interested in testing these out because of the nice range of available colors - in addition to Cocoa and Slate, there are also black, olive, and bronze shades. Well, we know me and eyeliners, particularly my quest to find pretty colors other than basic black, so this was a must-try for me.

Because I felt confident enough today, I decided to test the Cocoa over the eyeliner I already have on. For starters, if you apply makeup during your commute or even in the office bathroom, this may not be the liner for you. Like most mineral makeup out there today, the packaging of this product is a little funky and annoying, and is definitely an invitation for messes galore. That said, if you are careful and put a little bit more time into your makeup routine than I do, this could work. There is a little pot of powder color whose cap is an upside-down angled brush. There's a separate, clear, plastic cover for the brush.

Basically, you unscrew the clear plastic cap, then unscrew the brush, then shake the pot to get some color into the little sifter tray (which actually wasn't so easy to do), then dip the brush into the tray, and THEN apply. Phew. I'm not experienced with mineral makeup, so I found this process to be a just tad bit cumbersome. Luckily, the powder doesn't spill easily out of the tray because it's actually a little difficult to get it in there in the first place. Also, it doesn't seem like much color is actually needed so perhaps this is a good thing.

I tested the color first on my hand and - loved it. These colors are supposed to be natural, so they are not very intense or pigmented. On my hand, Cocoa was a muddy gray/brown with a slight sheen. It was definitely very "naturale." I layered a little bit over my eyeliner with the angled brush, which I think is a little too big.

What can I say - pretty! It gave some definition and probably set my eyeliner, too. Since this is a powder, a little smudging upon application is expected, and this one gave a very simple and natural smoky look for day. In this color, not overwhelming or evening at all. Next time, I'll try this with a smaller eyeliner brush. I might also try it wet to see if it gives a more precise line and definition. After trying the Cocoa, I'm definitely eager to see how Slate plays out.

I haven't experimented much with non-pencil eyeliners, but I think the effect of this product was similar to using regular shadow as liner, although it probably wouldn't last nearly as long. Shadows are also definitely much easier to carry. For a drugstore product and an for an eyeliner, it's also a little pricey, but I guess that can't be avoided with any kind of mineral makeup.

I think this would be nice to have on hand for perhaps special occasions, or if you like mineral makeup. What I like best are the color options. I might just make a little more of an effort in the mornings and try smudging this into my lash line, or just try using it as a shadow (I have been meaning to use darker ones). Stay tuned for further experimentation with this product. $9.95 @ Drugstores