First Impressions: L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Eye Shadow

For whatever reason, a large part of makeup marketing is focused on excessive duration: A product is touted for lasting not the normal 10 or 12 hours, but 18 hours or more. Perhaps cosmetic brands think we're all doing the walk-of-shame, or they think we want to wear second-day makeup?  L'Oreal is no exception with its Infallible line, which promises to have exceptional resiliency and wear.

When they recently released the Infallible 24 Hour Eye Shadow line in the States, it had some buzz as a dupe for the Armani Eyes to Kill line. What got me most was the name: They had pushed the envelope and promised a shadow would wear overnight and well into the following day. Honestly, skepticism is what got me to try this product.

Because I like to test products like I'm in a vehicle safety inspection, I actually did wear these shadows for a full 24 hours. The truth? It actually does what it promises. Yes, I slept in my makeup and kept it on through the next day. Without primer, the shadow applies smoothly, gives amazing color payoff, and lasts without creasing, smudging, or fading. In an age where we're now being told primer is a necessary step in eye makeup application, this is a big step for a drugstore product. The shadows feel like a hybrid of a cream and a powder, making them creamy and blendable.

Downside is the color selection is also fairly small, and the shades are mostly neutral tones. The shadows come as .12 ounces of product and retail for around $8 each, which is a little pricey for a drugstore product. However, a little goes a long way and, as promised, lasts even longer.