I know these new Maybelline cream eyeshadows / bases have been talked about a lot, but I just wanted to add my piece! I discovered these over Christmas when I went shopping in the States, determined to hunt them down as everyone was raving about them. Back then I picked up 2 colors: Tough as Taupe, and Pomagranate Punk. Today I finally spotted them in a Swiss drugstore, so I picked up two more: On and On Bronze and Timeless Black.
Please note that the European market names differ from North America, and I think the black one is unique to Europe at the moment since I didn't see it in the States or Canada when I was there. The black one is
not the same as the Asphalt one available in North America, which is a shimmery dark grey. On and On Bronze
may be the same color as the bronze colored one in North America, I'm not sure.
Top row L to R: Pomegranate Punk, Timeless Black
Bottom row L to R: On and On Bronze, Tough as Taupe
Tough as Taupe (bought in USA)
Pomegranate Punk (bought in USA)
On and On Bronze (bought in Europe)
Timeless Black (bought in Europe)
L to R: Tough as Taupe, On and On Bronze, Pomegranate Punk, Timeless Black
Here's how I would describe the colors and finish of each of these.
Tough as Taupe: True medium colored taupe, dries to a matte finish
On and On Bronze: Medium golden bronze, dries to a strong metallic finish
Pomegranate Punk: Warm auburn shade with a slightly golden shimmer, slightly metallic finish
Timeless Black: True black with blue micro pigments, dries to a matte black finish
These products can be applied with an eyeshadow brush (I prefer the MAC 217) or with your fingers. They work as stand-alone cream eyeshadows, or can be used as a base for layering powder shadows on top. They are very comparable to the MAC Paintpots. While I've heard some not-so-great things about the brightly colored ones (especially the purple one), the darker and neutral colors I have here are very pigmented, apply smoothly, don't crease and last a really long time on my eye. The color is buildable, and can be applied lightly with a brush for a wash of color, or more intensely for an opaque pay-off.
The black one is really interesting to me, as it is comparable to the limited edition MAC Greasepaint Stick in Slick Black, although the MAC product is a stick form (which can also be applied with a brush) and is slightly stronger in pigmentation and longevity. Here a quick comparison swatch.
Left: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Timeless Black
Right: MAC Greasepaint Stick in Slick Black
Overall I think these are a great drugstore product and definitely recommend them, at least the colors I own! I've heard some hit-and-miss things about the colorful ones.
Do you own any of the Maybelline Color Tattoos? Do you like them? Share in the comments!
