Maybelline Color Tattoo Gives a Few Hours of Fun

I truly cannot resist anything tattooed, and Maybelline's new Color Tattoo 24 Hour Gel Shadow is no exception. Did I need it? No. Did I really, really want it? Yes. And so I indulged in two, and then another after that, and another. Now I have six (they multiplied like bunnies!). Here are the shades:

Left to right: 10- Fierce and Tangy, 35- Tough as Taupe, 15- Audacious Asphalt, 25- Bad to the Bronze, 45- Bold Gold, 30-Pomegranate Punk

What I like: FINGERPAINT! Really though, I adore my Benefit creaseless creams and Buxom Stay-There shadows, and while these won't replace them any time soon, they come dangerously close. I really like tactile makeup and always enjoy applying, blending, and just generally smudging cream shadows all up on my lids. These are not as creamy or slippery as other cream shadows I've tried, and while they don't tug at my lids, they just have more stick, if that makes any sense. The tacky feel doesn't overwhelm though and they dry down quickly.

I also like that Maybelline took some risks with the colors. The four variations in the middle are pretty comfort-zone for me, but those two on either end are spicy! Which brings me to my next "like":

These are great color-boosters. I don't wear Fierce and Tangy on it's own; I wear it under NARS Mediteranee. It makes that sucker GLOW.

Fierce and Tangy on it's own. Not the look I'm going for...yet. But you know you were curious.

Fierce and Tangy with NARS Mediteranee duo on top. So pretty.

Gratuitous shot. Enjoy.

I foresee these in heavy rotation come springtime to make my sunshine and coral shades brighter. It's also nice having a pretty gold base when I really want a metallic sheen. 

What I don't like: These are definitely NOT 24 hour shadows, at least for me. I have oily lids, and the only way I can get things to stay most of the day is with a good primer and a dusting of powder on top. If I do the whole works with these, I can coax about 10-12 hours of wear out of them before they start noticeably creasing. Without primer I get about half that. 

Bottom line: I enjoy playing with these shadows and I'm glad I bought them. If I had to choose them for one reason alone it would be to use as a pigmented base, which is where they really stand out from other products for me. If you prefer more neutral shades and already have other long-wearing cream shadows, these may not be necessary for your collection.