This post has been a long time coming & is probably crazy detailed. I’ve been wanting to review these for some time but when I do a review I was to be CERTAIN about my convictions. I wanted to use each of these numerous times in different ways so I could fully answer any questions & explain my experiences. Basically, I like to not be full of…well full of it in general.
Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows are probably one of the most buzzed about products I’ve seen in a long time. Will it replace MAC paint pots? Does it really last? Can it be a new primer? The buzz is warranted, these types of products are indeed hard to find.
Here are the Color Tattoos I have from left to right: Bold Gold, Bad to the Bronze, Pomegranate Punk, Painted Purple, Tough as Taupe, & Too Cool.
What Maybelline Says: Dare to wear our longest-lasting shadow. Our ink technology creates super-saturated color. Cream gel smoothes on for vibrant color that does not fade.
My Experience:I was enthralled with these from the color to the claims. But honestly, I figured they were too good to be true because I own quite a few of the Maybelline cream shadows that used to come in quads. They aren’t great but I use them as bases sometimes. These are nothing like those.
I first picked up Tough as Taupe & Bold Gold because I figured those would both be easy bases. Tough as Taupe is a gorgeous grey toned shade that goes great with other shades as well as on its own because the shimmer you see doesn’t really come up- it is matte on the eye. It translates as more of a slight glow & I think likely makes it easier to spread out than a true matte. Bold Gold is a gorgeous gold shimmer that is very buildable. I especially like this in my crease & use under my eyes with a liner brush.
Next came Bad to the Bronze & Pomegranate Punk. Bad to the Bronze is one of the 2 shades from this line I think everyone needs. Its a gorgeous base for any natural toned look & impressive on its own. It really is even more gorgeous in person! Pomegranate Punk is a lovely cranberry shade that yelled out to me. I love this for Fall & Winter but I’m not sure how I’m going to translate it into these next few months.
Lastly were the 2 shades I ordered from Ulta which were Painted Purple & Too Cool. I am a true purple lover so Painted Purple was a natural choice for me. Unfortunately I’m not nearly as excited or impressed by this one. Although buildable & a perfect shade, I wish it had the texture of some of the others. Too Cool is my second shade must have out of this line. At first, I thought I could pass on it. I have a lot (I mean A LOT) of highlight shades & although I love them all I figured I didn’t need another one. Nope, its necessary. I use it as an inner corner highlight and love it but on top of that it will make every other shade POP.
Do they last 24 hours? Honestly, I can’t say no. What I can say is that they last at least 16 with little to no fading as a base for other shadows. With a texture very similar to a paint pot it sits comfortably on the eye & does its job. On its own, however, there is some visible fading that occurs. Another issue is blending quickly. This dries rather quick so if you don’t blend in time you are likely unable to get the desired effect.
I think these are for you if you want something long lasting, something to replace your MAC Paint Pot but with shimmer, a creme product, or just a gorgeous shade in general at a drugstore price. I’ll be very interested to see how long these last in the pots & how they dry out. I recommend applying with your finger, a liner brush, or a stiff brush to the eyes.
Where to Get Them: You can pick these up at Drugstores & Megastores. I picked 4 of mine up at CVS & 2 from Ulta. They usually retail around $6.99.
Swatches:
Swatches Left to Right: Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows in Bad to the Bronze, Pomegranate Punk, Too Cool, Tough as Taupe, Bold Gold, & Painted Purple.
Painted Purple didn’t really swatch well with one swipe but I didn’t want to work with it. I mean, its a swatch not an ad. I want you guys to see it as is.The rest are pretty clear representatives of both color & opaqueness.
