Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow - Review

I use cream shadows everyday. Although I seem to prefer them in stick form (like the Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencils), I'm intrigued by drugstore products that mimic higher end offerings. In this case, Maybelline has formulated cream shadows that are very reminiscent of MAC's Paint Pots. But, are they better?

 Maybelline seems to claim these shadows will last 24 hours. I mean, they printed it on the package, so it must be true, right? Anyway, I have three shades: Tough as Taupe, Painted Purple, and Bad to the Bronze.

Bad to the Bronze is a shimmer brown/bronze. Painted Purple is a bright, shimmery purple. Tough as Taupe is a matte (!!) grey brown. I'm very surprised by Tough as Taupe - matte products seem to be hard to formulate well, and they did a fantastic job with this one! All three of these are creamy, and easy to blend and work with. They do not, however, last all day without creasing. I end up with creasing around hour 8 or so,when set with powder eyeshadow, which is still pretty awesome, but no where near the 24 hour claim. I can't wear them alone, because they crease after an hour.

I find these to be very similar to the best-textured Paint Pots from MAC. Some Paint Pots are hard and require warming, or they feel almost tacky to the touch. None of the Color Tattoo shades I have are like that - they're all very similar feeling, even Tough as Taupe.

Price ranges a bit, due to the nature of drugstore brands. I think the least I've seen them is around $6, and the highest was around $9.

I like these. I like them enough that I'm planning on getting one more (the white one). I think they're an excellent option for anyone who doesn't want to pay $18 for a Paint Pot.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush - Review

I'm a sucker for cream blushes. I love my Stila Convertible Color and Bobbi Brown Pot Rouges. When I heard that Maybelline was releasing a line of cream blushes, I started stalking my Ulta and Fred Meyer, waiting for them to surface. When I finally found a partially filled display, I selected two colors, Candy Coral, and Rose Petal.

The packaging for these is similar to the Dream Matte Powder - a beigey gold plastic with a clear lid. These appear to be small, but they're about the same pan size as a MAC blush. They're domed, as well. Maybelline says:

Freshest flush ever:
• Revolutionary gel formula provides a new bouncy texture.
• Lightweight like a powder, yet melts seamlessly into skin like a cream
• Natural sheer wash of color that is buildable for greater color intensity
• Dermatologist tested, Allergy tested
• Non comedogenic

The formula is unique. It's a dry feeling cream that dries to a powder finish. You can push down on the product in the pan, and make a dent.

From left: Candy Coral, Rose Petal

Ten colors are available, and the average price I've seen in my area for these blushes is $7.50. I think the color range is pretty good, and includes some unusual choices, like a lavender and red.

Swatching these shows how sheer they are. They are super, super sheer to start with. I'm a light NC 15, and Rose Petal, which appears to be a soft pink is essentially a highlighter, if that. Candy Coral has enough pigmentation that I can build it up a bit. I use a Sonia Kashuk cream blush brush to apply these. I have noticed that Candy Coral oxidizes on me, so I've found it can be easy to over apply them - after a few hours, what was a natural flush becomes that "I'm perpetually embarrassed!" flush. They're not sticky at all, though. Other than the oxidation issue, they wear very well.

Do I like these? I'm sort of meh about them. They're okay. I don't believe I'll replace these when (okay, if) I use them up. But, they're relatively inexpensive, and once you get the hang of how much to apply, they last all day.

Maybelline MasterShape Brow Pencil - Review

I don't really have a need for more brow products (don't judge!), but I've never used one of these waxy-crayon things before, and Maybelline's Eyestudio line is, for the most part, pretty great. So, when I found this product a month ago, and on sale, I decided to try it out.

The MasterShape brow pencil comes in several colors: Soft Brown, Deep Brown, Blonde, and Auburn. Despite my redhair, I usually use taupe/brown tones for my brows (since, my brow hair is not red, and red or auburn shades look all kinds of wrong on my brows). Without a taupe to lean on, I picked up Blonde, which suits me perfectly.

I like that the barrel of the pencil is color coded, and the included spooly is a must. Brushing this stuff through your brows really helps tame and shape them, and adds a more polished look. This product couldn't be easier to use if it tried - it glides on fairly effortlessly, and is the perfect balance of pigmented and not pigmented, so you'd have to focus on getting it wrong. The price is decent, about $5 - $7, depending on whether or not it's on sale, or if you have a coupon.

I have two problems, though:

1. I've used up a lot of this in the short time I've been using it -This sort of makes sense, coming from using brow powders (which last an eternity), that I would notice how short the pencil was getting.
2. Sharpening this thing sucks. It's coated in plastic. Not the same kind of plastic MAC uses for their Powerpoint pencils, which is fairly easy to sharpen. No, this is full-on, real, plastic. You must have a really nice sharpener, to make this work. I use UD's Grindhouse (yes, a $10 sharpener for a $5 product.

Overall, I like this brow product. I really do. But, powders seem to be a better value. Remember that Brow Tech Trio review I did? I've been using it daily for the past 8 months, and no pan in sight. I have a feeling I'll run out of Mastershape about 2 months from now. My previous brow powder, MAC's discontinued Brow Shader, is literally 5 years old, and still going strong. So, you may keep that in mind when considering this product.

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner - Review

I love the concept of a gel liner, I just don't reach for them terribly often, because my technique is pretty terrible. I'm usually saved by using a pencil brush when I'm in hurry, because they smudge things so nicely. Anyway, I've been curious to try Maybelline's new-ish gel liners, which were recently on sale at my local Fred Meyer as a buy-one-get-one half price. I decided to try two of the limited edition colors, Forrest and Sapphire.

These liners seem to be priced around $10, which isn't all that much less than MAC Fluidlines, which come in at $15. They're packaged in glass pots, with black lids and the brand name, and product, printed in silver. They have a sticker on the bottom with the color name, batch information, and the normal company information. The glass jars and the lids do not have the same outer radius, which in some ways is annoying, but what're you going to do? Maybelline has included a brush with these, and has favorable reviews. I sort of wish the product was less expensive, and that the brush was sold separately - now I have two of the darn things, and I don't really need two (not that I needed one to begin with... brushes are about the last thing I need). 

Anyway, the two colors I have are from the Fashion Week Fall 2011 collection. Forrest is a blackened/blued green (not quite teal, but headed towards teal-country). Sapphire is a blackened blue. Both are reasonably pigmented, and shimmery. I do find that I need go over each of them at least once to get enough opacity for my taste, more if I wish to smudge them a bit. I was really hoping that Forrest would be an evergreen type color, but it's not. There's enough blue in it to make it not very wearable for me. Sapphire is gorgeous, and makes me think of MAC's Siahi from Mickey Contractor. 


The wear time on these is excellent, in fact, it's almost too good. I have trouble removing them, honestly. Either Lancome's Bi-Facil isn't strong enough, or these things are made of steel. I'm not sure which it is. They don't seem to migrate at all, or smudge on their own.


Overall, I'm very impressed. I would be willing to buy future colors, should they be unique in my collection. Other colors available include black, brown, eggplant (a purple shade), and charcoal (a gray). 

Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Flared Mascara - Review

Whew! What a long name! I was pleased with the One-by-One mascara, and was extremely excited to try the The Falsies Flared mascara, since Maybelline appears to be on a roll with their last several mascara releases. I picked this up at the same time I got the Master Drama liner, and have had a chance to use this for a while.

According to Ulta.com (since Maybelline doesn't have this mascara mentioned on their site):

False lash glam goes flared! Up, out & over the top, instantly! Maybelline's exclusive spoon brush loads lashes with massive volume and presses them into a flared arch while the flexible-hold formula with pro-ker fiber provides a lasting curve.

I have to hand it to the copywriter here. This description makes me think of leaving my husband and kid to run away with The Falsies Flared, since it will do everything my little heart desires. Common sense, however, demands that I stay where I am... how can a mascara make my lashes do something they don't already do?

In all honesty, to get your lashes to "flare" out, you may wish to take your favorite mascara, and apply it in such a way as to direct your lash in the direction you want them to be. I seriously doubt you have to buy a drugstore mascara to have this happen. Regardless, I like this mascara.It give me volume, and length (in that order). I chose "Blackest Black," since my lashes are light in color naturally, and I love drama. It covers my lashes fairly well. The only issue really I have with The Falsies Flared is, well, it's TOO volumizing. I mean, with one coat, my lashes are near perfect. With 2 or more coats, however, my lashes end up clumpy, and beginning to clump together, which is not a look I like. I have to use a spoolie, or a lash brush to fix things.

The "exclusive spoon brush" is really a curved wand (which I think we've all see before), with a little flexible bit connecting it to the handle. It does move fairly easily, but I don't think it's cause for celebration. Even though the brush is huge, I don't seem to have the issues I normally have with over-sized brushes. I don't end up with mascara on my lids or under my eyes, which I'm grateful for.

Overall, I like this mascara, except for the clumping. I could do without that. Do I look like I have flared false lashes on with this mascara? No. I look like I have thick black mascara on. But, that's okay with me (oddly). If you're looking for a false-lash look, you may be better off layering this mascara, using a completely different product, or wearing falsies. Just a thought. ;)

Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Cream Pencil - Review

I'm beginning to hate the word "dupe," as applied to a less expensive product when it may be similar to a higher end product. Hate. Such a strong word, but I've found that Youtube "Gurus" seem to love to over use the mere concept of a dupe.
But, I've found one. Sort of. Because I can't help myself, and my local Fred Meyer (which still has a full display of Golden Age trios!) seems to get new makeup collections before anyone else, I found a few new things from Maybelline I had to try, and this review is for one of them. 

 Maybelline's been very busy with their new Eye Studio line. Not only do they have a new selection of palettes (which I probably won't be getting one of), but they have a new creamy-mechanical-pencil type eyeliner, called Master Drama. Maybelline says:

Experience the new generation of liner: 

• Oil-free cream formula holds the highest concentration of pigments for more intense eye drama

• Smudge-proof and waterproof for 24 hours

• Most intense line for lasting drama

• Safe for sensitive eyes and ophthalmologist-tested

• Contact lens safe

I had to try one, after being so please with the Stila Smudgestick, and I can't bear to pay $22 for an eyeliner, no matter how good. I chose Bold Brown (# 415), since brown liner is something I use every day. At first swatch, I was impressed by how similar the color was to Lionfish. At the end of the first day, I wondered if I'd ever think of buying a Stila Smudgestick again (which, I may, but... we'll get to my eyeliner problem another day). 

Color-wise, Bold Brown is very, very, very similar to Lionfish. In person, they're almost identical. Of course, on the eye, they look dead on. There is a slightly difference, which leads me to my only real problem with this liner. Lionfish is creamy, pigmented, and lovely. Master Drama is drier, potentially less pigmented (due to the dryness), and lovely, even with the other two attributes being less than stellar. I can't tell if the Maybelline liner is less pigmented, or if the consistency makes it appear to be less pigmented. It certainly doesn't glide easily on the lid like the Stila liner, but I don't have to stab myself in the eye to get the color to show up. 

Wear time on this is excellent. Really, I could cut and paste my poetic waxings about the Smudgestick here, because I found this liner to wear just as well. Does it really last 24 hours? I don't know, but I can say it looked the same after 12 hours of wear as it did immediately after I applied it. It doesn't smudge quite as well as the Stila liner, which is probably because of the drier texture, which is a slight annoyance, but for $7 or whatever it was, I can deal with that.

Overall, I'm super impressed with this liner. I wish it was a bit creamier, but that's probably the only thing I would change. If you think Stila's Smudgesticks are amazing, or you really want to try them but can't swallow the price, I think you'll like these just as much!

Maybelline Volum' ExpressOne by One Mascara - Review

Despite being on a mascara no-buy for the last 18 months as I used all of the sample tubes I'd accumulated, I had been having so much luck with Maybelline products over the last 3 months or so, that I was excited to try their newest mascara, One by One. I picked up a tube in "Blackest Black."

From the Maybelline website:

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT
Finally, bold volume without any of the bulk.
• Patented Lash Catcher™ brush has 3 bristles per lash to make every lash count
• Catches, coats and de-clumps each lash to make them all fatter and flirtier
• Instant clump-free volume
• Contact lens safe and ophthalmologist-tested
• Washable, also available in Waterproof formula
FOR BEST RESULTS
Sweep brush upwards from root to tip to add volume to each lash. Continue building lashes until you reach your desired look. Do not let dry between coats. Removes easily with soap and water or Expert Eyes® 100% Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover.

The brush, like many brushes, seems massive, and has those rubbery bristles which I tend to dislike. I've been using this mascara for 3 weeks now, and have finally figured out how to best apply this to get the application down in a way to make the formula do what I like. I don't follow the well-meaning "For Best Results" information above, rather, I have found if I "roll" the mascara on to my lashes, I get great results. I prefer volumizing mascaras, that offer a little boost to definition and length. I recall liking MAC Plushlash and Dazzlelash (but, it's been almost 2 years since I last used either of these mascaras), as a reference point. If I don't roll the mascara wand, this mascara looks and acts like any other "regular" mascara, ie, "my lashes but black." This sort of defeats the purpose of a volumizing mascara, no?


I liked that the bristles at the tip of the wand taper, so I don't end up with mascara in the inner corner of my eye after getting those lashes. In all honesty, I found this mascara pretty easy to apply cleanly, meaning, I didn't have to clean up after applying it.


I don't curl my lashes, and I can't speak to how well this mascara holds a curl. I can say it doesn't melt or flake off my lashes, and it coats very well. It also removes very easily with a makeup remover, like Lancome's Bifacil or Clinique's Take off the Day, which I greatly appreciate. 


Overall, I've been very pleased with this purchase. Drugstore mascaras have really stepped up their game over the last several years. I always had a bad taste in my mouth regarding Maybelline's mascaras since using Great Lash in high school, but this formula is pretty good, provided I apply it using my rolling method. 

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - Review

I really shouldn't be purchasing any more concealers. I have one that works, and that should be enough, right? Apparently not, because when Fred Meyer had all of their cosmetics on sale as buy-one-get-one 50% off, I picked up the Fit Me Concealer as one of my little treasures.

The packaging, like the rest of the Fit Me line, is sleek and simple. I sort of prefer a short, fatter tube to the long and slender variety, like this is, but I can live. The tube is identical to the Colorsensational Lipglosses (which probably saved Maybelline from having to design a new tube). After some careful thought, I ended up with shade 15, which according to the little chart included on the displays, went with the liquid and powder foundation shade 115. Typically, I try to use a slightly lighter shade for my concealer, since I usually only use concealer under my eyes, but for what ever reason, shade 10 looked darker in the tube (what's up with that?). 15 is actually a great match.

This concealer stays all day, however, I've noticed it can encourage my foundation to cake a bit over it. It provides surprisingly awesome coverage, though. I didn't really find it necessary to use my Bobbi Brown Corrector under my eyes with this concealer, and it covered the few blemishes I have easily. I'm very impressed by this.

It has a matte-ish finish. Not what I'd call glowy, but it's not a flat matte finish either. I don't find it necessary to set with powder, which is nice. I usually use the doe-foot applicator to deposit a small amount on the back of my hand, and use my MAC 224 to actually apply this to my face. It blends in fairly easily. The formula isn't super thin, nor thick. It's in the middle, and can tend to drag if too much is on the brush.

Would I purchase this again? I think so. I really do like it, and I've been holding a candle for MAC's Moisturecover Select concealer for a while. I need to use up some things, but I think I'll buy this once I run out.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation - Review

When I was a teenager (13), I always loved Maybelline. I have no real reason, other than it was slightly more expensive than Cover Girl, and my mother almost always refused to buy Maybelline stuff for me. And their products always seemed cooler. That trend seems to have carried through the past several years, and now, as I keep moving closer to 30 years old, I still am always intrigued by Maybelline.

When I heard of their new line, Fit Me, I had to laugh a bit. I mean really, it's a great marketing ploy - "Hey! Look at us! We promise you'll find a foundation match! This will be the best foundation for you!" Sure, but those who usually can't find one in Maybelline may still not find one in this range. Maybelline also says: "Flawless; Lets the real you come through beyond matching; Fresh, breathing, natural skin." *sigh* Don't they all say that?

I picked up my bottle of Fit Me at Target for $6.99. After looking at the lightest range of colors, I selected Ivory 115. For reference, I'm a light NC15, Chanel Porcelain, basically fairly pale and warm - weirdly enough, Make Up For Ever's HD foundation in 110 is a smidge pale for me, but color-wise is pretty good. 115 is a very good match for me.I really like the packaging. It looks sleek, more higher-end than most. I also like that they printed, in fairly large print, the shade number on the bottle. It'll be hard for me to not see what shade I wear, and it's not printed on any shrink wrap that I'd throw away.

The foundation is a true liquid foundation, it flows easily from the bottle. I'd love to have a pump top, but I guess since it's easy enough to pour, I'll live without. It applies well, I use my Sephora Platinum Professional Airbrush (#55) and get a good, solid, medium coverage look. This does have a "natural finish," which usually means "oil-slick" for me, having oily skin. I was pleasantly surprised to find, however, this foundation wears well for me. It doesn't oxidize, stays all day, and doesn't get extremely shiny. I use Murad's Oil Control Lotion and MAC's Prep + Prime finishing powder as a base and to set with this foundation.
I like seeing pictures of a foundation next to others I've tried, so I can get a sense of color. Fit Me is a bit less yellow and darker than Revlon's Photo Ready in Vanilla, and is very similar to MUFE HD in 110.

Fit me was a pleasant surprise. This has become my daily foundation, which was rather unexpected - I've used high end foundations for the last 3 or 4 years straight. My only issue is the lack of a pump. This is a win in my book!