I have a terribly sad piece of news to impart to you good people of Dooyooville. The perfect relationship has hit the rocks.

No, not Mr Rarr and I, but the ongoing love affair I have been embarking on this year with Max Factor beauty products has hit a major impasse and I'm not sure things will ever be the same again.

Let me elaborate. Months ago, some of you may remember my extolling the many virtues of a Max Factor mascara, an opinion I stand by to this day. I love that product, but with it at the time of purchase came a freebie that I was really happy to lay my greedy paws on, specifically a free full-size version of the then-new Smoky Effect eyeshadow duo tubes that the range had just started promoting. The idea? Two complementary shades to build up dazzling, high-impact eye make up, at one end of the twist-up tube a rounded velvety cream to fill the whole eye socket and the other a tapered, equally velvety cream-based pencil to emphasise contours, provide contrast and build up either a bold colour or a great smoky eye for nights out. I was delighted as I wanted to try the product anyway and happily picked up mind in Silver Storm.

Sadly, whilst the mascara and I got on very well, this product was a big let down. Here's why...

***THE PRODUCT***
You receive, for a retail price of around £7.99, a tube with clear plastic clip-on lids at each end. In one twist-up end you receive "Stage 1" of you product (in the Silver Storm instance, this is a round-tipped grey / silver shade, and in the other you receive (go on, guess) "Stage 2" - Again in the case of my combination choice, this is a dusky mid-purple, in a tapered-edge stick. In the middle of the tube is the black-backed Max Factor product information.

The idea behind these duo eyeshadows is you can achieve professional smoky-eye effects without a make-up artist (yeah, yeah). You use one shade all over the eye and then build up your personally preferred level of drama angling the complementary second shade into the contours of your eyes - or hey, if you haven't got any contours, invent them.

On the positives, I would say that you can actually build these colours - you don't instantly get clobbered with shades that look like you've just put your face on in a coalmine. Also, the texture is pleasant and the product is non-drying. I was able to use the product for a suitably day-time eyeshadow effect, even though it was one of the "smokier" colour combinations available, as they are actually fundamentally quite subtle. Also, I like both the initial colour of the grey and the purple individually, and have worn them as such. However...

...I say wear, because this wears off so quickly you'd easily forget you ever put it on!

Going on creamily, initially this product can look really nice, although I am glad that I used it for a lighter look and never went the whole hog with full-on eyes with this stuff for a night out, because frankly I wouldn't trust it to end up everywhere except where you put it if used heavily.

I started using this lightly to add a little definition and colour and generally smarten up my look before work. Ok, so my commute may take over two hours but this basically wasn't in evidence when I actually got there! I was shocked to look in a mirror on the train as I neared the office to find that the only trace of either colour was in an untidy, hideous line creased up in the top of my eyelid. Did things get better? Did they hell. I've tried using powder to set it, I've tried not using powder, less moisturiser (not something I'd be happy with anyway), everything I can think of to extend the life of this product but it just does not work. So would I be brave and stick a full Hollywood smoky eye style on and go to a busy, warm bar or club? Would I hell!

I have a further complaint about this, unfortunately. Clearly smoky eyes usually have their place in nights out, the products thrown in bags for top-ups and maintenance. Unfortunately, being kept in my make up bag has seen the plastic lids to both ends of this product crack and then consequently not be able to hold on securely, then crack further and snap off chunks all together - the lids just cannot stay on now. My other make up products can cope so this is clearly a big fragility issue and not good enough on a product which people will expect to take out with them. I now have the problem that when I DO use this - and that's when I know I'm going out of the house for two hours or less, unfortunately - I end up with one colour on my eyes and one on the hand I use to apply it, as both lids will fall off. I couldn't take this out now even if I did want to, so basically it's a big failure all around and I'm just relieved I paid sweet sod all for it, because it has had barely any use and probably won't get much more either. As both ends of the product are unprotected without the lid, I just have to leave this out on its side on my dressing table, where it sits, a beaten, broken, forlorn reminder that it is both a poor eyeshadow and is housed in cheap packaging that is not fit to get it anywhere near through its expected lifespan. It promised so much, but delivered so very, very little, so as I can't offer a half-star (and that would be my benevolent side coming out because I hate to kick someone when they're down), it's just going to have to be an overly generous one star, which is wholeheartedly undeserved.