Reviews and Comparison | Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Color & L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow

Flower Beauty Endless Wear Ultimate Eye Color in 'Sheer Sands,' L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in 'Blinged & Brilliant'

Hello there! Most of us are somewhat familiar with that cream/powder hybrid eyeshadow formula that has been pretty popular, right? Lancome did the introductions with this hybrid formula, then L'Oreal jumped on, and now brands like ColourPop (which, what's wrong with me? I still have not tried these yet!) and Flower Beauty have their own versions of the formula, ranging from a more cushion-y and creamy base setting to a powder finish, to some brands having a more powder-based pigment formula at the onset, with just a wee bit more move-ability that still makes it feel somewhat creamy.

In today's post, I will be reviewing and comparing two similarly toned peachy neutral eyeshadows from two drugstore formulas with similar price points: the Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Color in 'Sheer Sands,' and the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in 'Blinged & Brilliant.' Let's begin! 

Price & Availability

• L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows range from $7-$9 for 0.12 oz/3.5 grams of product, available at various drugstores
• Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Colors are $8 for 0.14 oz/4 grams of product, and these along with the rest of the brand are available exclusively at Wal-Mart

Packaging

L'Oreal packaging is a lightweight acrylic, and though it's sturdy and functional, for the premium drugstore price I'm paying (lol if there is such a thing), I just wish it was a bit more substantial and solid. It comes with a stopper in the product as it should, so ultimately, I have no qualms with the packaging, as it functions the way it needs to. The round top silver ribbon that sports the lettering 'L'Oreal Paris' wears away after a while, though, so some of my pots aren't as camera-ready as they could be. 😮

Flower packaging is similar in that, like the L'Oreal, it's shaped with a squared-off clear base and the domed space containing the product inside is cylindrical. Flower packaging, however, is much more substantial, weighty, and it's so aesthetically pleasing! Feels a bit high-end. I'm fairly certain that it's not glass packaging - it feels like a very weighty plastic, and the rose gold detailing around the center between the black lid and the heavy plastic base containing the product gives the packaging a beautiful touch. This, like the L'Oreal, contains a stopper for the product as well.

Here's a closer look at the packaging.

L-R: Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Color, L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow

Formula & Color

Here, I will be comparing the formulas and textures, as well as the color intensity and pigmentation! 

Left: Flower Beauty 'Sheer Sands' | Right: L'Oreal 'Blinged & Brilliant'

Left Swatch: Flower Beauty 'Sheer Sands' | Right Swatch: L'Oreal 'Blinged & Brilliant'

Flower Beauty has a much creamier, cushion-y formula and is very soft and silky in texture, never clumpy or flaky, and not mousse-like in the slightest, and I can still see that the product applies dry, exactly like a powder would. I haven't tried any other shades in this line (I got this a week ago for $4 on rollback and almost picked up one more, but they were cleaned out when I went back!) so I can't compare formula differences between shades, however this particular shade in 'Sheer Sands' is exactly what the name suggests: it gives sheer, soft coverage on the eyes and the finish is a low-shimmer. Not quite satin, though - this has a little bit more shimmer than your average satin finish. Perfect for everyday wear, and it's a beautiful rose gold shade!

L'Oreal Infallible Shadows are a velvety powder formula that has been loosely packed. These feel a bit more like a pressed pigment that was originally a loose powder, but very lightweight - it reminds me a bit of finely-milled wet sand that's been pressed. I have found though, from my vast collection of these Infallible Shadows, that the formula can vary from shade to shade, especially from finish to finish. Some are creamier than others and have more of that true hybrid lightweight formula, and produce little to no fallout, while other of the more sparkling foiled shades can have a bit more gritty and chunky of a texture, and are quite fallout-prone. The one I'm featuring here in 'Blinged & Brilliant' is a limited edition shade, and is a gorgeously pigmented peachy beige with a beautiful high shine and a foiled metallic finish.

Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Color in 'Sheer Sands'

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in 'Blinged & Brilliant'

Comparing the Wear-Time!

Flower Beauty claims their Ultimate Eye Colors to be crease-proof, with 12-hour wear and lightweight, sheer color. The last claim proves to be accurate, however the 12-hour claim is a very far reach. I've worn this three times with three different primers, and it surprisingly faded and creased substantially within the 3-hour mark each individual time! So sad, because it's such a gorgeous wearable color and finish. As far as longevity, Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Color gets a two thumbs down from me, sadly. 

L'Oreal claims their Infallible Eyeshadows to be intense maximized color, with 24-hour wear, and further claim them to be waterproof, crease-proof, and fade-proof! I have to say, although I have never worn makeup for 24 hours straight, these have always lasted on my lids for as long as I had them on without fading, creasing, or breaking down, and I think the longest I wore them has been around 14 hours. Sometimes I even wear them without primer, and they never let me down. I will even conditionally agree with the waterproof claim. A couple of the lighter shades I own have been worn on outside pool-days, indeed, without fading. 

Overall Thoughts & Ratings

It's without question or hesitation that I would instantly recommend the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows over the Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Colors, as I find the L'Oreal far superior considering wear-time and overall performance and quality! I so wish that the Flower lasted longer on my eyes, because it's a cruelty-free brand (not vegan though), while L'Oreal has never been a cruelty-free brand or even close to being vegan, nor do I think it will change its practices anytime soon.

Flower Beauty Ultimate Eye Color in 'Shimmering Sands': 4/10

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in 'Blinged & Brilliant': 9/10

Have you tried either of these eyeshadow formulas? Let me know in the comments section! Have a lovely day, everyone! 

💋xoxo-Cailee