Almay Intense I-Color Review

*Press Sample*

Hello Friends! Sorry for the silence on the blogging front…I’ve been pretty under the weather, but I do want to share a little product that arrived at my doorstep unexpectedly. I never feel obligated to test/review press samples, but I was actually curious about these Almay Intense I-Color trios. The packaging is cool and actually stores well, and I did have a decent time with their Softies that came out a while ago.

These retail for about $7.99 but unfortunately I received the trio meant to enhance blue eyes. Since the last time I checked I have brown eyes, I can’t comment on whether or not these enhanced my eye color.

I will get my biggest complaint out of the way first — that brush/sponge? Completely useless. Even more useless than the straight handled sponges. I actually tried to use it and let me tell you, trying to maneuver a tiny curved piece of plastic around my eye was not working. In the trash it went and I used my normal brushes.

These are very pretty colors, but nothing revolutionary. In fact, you probably have a dupe for one or all of them already in your stash. However, the texture is great. Very buttery, easy to blend, and lasts all day on my lids with no creasing. I’ve reached for this trio a handful of times since I received it and I particularly like the gold color to incorporate with other shadows from other brands.

Here is a look I did with the trio. It was very quick and simple and turned out very soft. The darker crease color gets a little muddy — I really just wish there was a little more contrast between the shades.

Overall, I am impressed with the formula of the shadows and I am curious about some of the trios in the smokey eye collection. Considering I’ve voluntarily reached for this a number of times, that says something, even though the colors aren’t the most fun. If you are just getting into makeup or want a very soft, neutral look (as this trio claims–can’t fault them there), this is a great pick. It also looks like a little thought bubble, which is cute!

Can you tell I am still a little undecided here? I’d go for one of these again when Almay is on BOGO 1/2 at Ulta, but I think a few things could have been nixed (don’t even bother creating the brush) and tweaked. But I think it is important to review to show the lesser-known/less-popular options out there!

Happy Sunday! I hope you all had a restful weekend.