Worth the hype? Review | Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo

Hey everyone!

This review is something I have been meaning to do for awhile now. Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadows have been raved about since their release onto the market. Will they replace MAC paintpots? Who knows! One things for sure, there is a huge gap in the market for these type of eyeshdow products.. so what's not to like?

Maybelline describes this product on their website as a gel-cream eyeshadow with intense, long-lasting colour and a creamy formula which glides on without any creasing. I must admit, when I first tried out these eyeshadows I wasn't that impressed and couldn't understand what all the hype was about. So after picking up a second shade in the range I was determined to make them work! 

The very first colour I picked up when these were released was 'Permanent Taupe'. To be honest, I think this was the particular reason I didn't get on well with these eyeshadows at first. I really don't like this colour. When I picked it up I thought it was a nice neutral brown shade which could be used everyday.. and at the time Maybelline had only released a few colours over here and this shade was the best out of a bad bunch! So I brought it home and to my horror when I swatched it on my hand, it looked very dark. So much darker than in the glass container. I would describe this colour as a dark greyish-brown and when reflected under light I can see an almost mauve type of colour! Not very nice at all. Also, I did not get on well with the consistency.. A matte finish which was very stiff and once on my eyes I felt it just caked on and would hardly blend out! Overall, I was very disappointed by this shade in the range. Their are 9 shades in the collection at present and this for me, my least favourite!

So Maybelline got there act together and finally released some more wearable shades. Let's face it, the range of colours isn't great! I decided to pick up the shade 'On and on Bronze' on a whim, when I found it for only €4 in my local chemist. Deciding I couldn't pass the offer up, I gave the Color Tattoos one more try! I had seen quite a few good reviews about this particular shade so I was hopeful to say the least. Alas, my opinion has completely changed! I LOVE this shade and the formula is great too. A super golden bronze which is a great base for a smokey eye. This shade has just the right amount of shimmer, not too much that you look like a disco ball and it's really blendable so it becomes hardly noticeable. Maybelline must of changed the formula in these new shades because On and on Bronze feels so much creamier and smoother to blend out than Permanent Taupe was. I had minimal creasing with this eyeshadow and it stayed put on my eyes all day. The colour payoff was also extremely pigmented and opaque. The best part? You don't need a primer! All in all, very impressed with the formula of these after trying out the second shade. If at first you don't succeed - try and try again! 

So above I have a swatch on my arm showing both, On and on Bronze on the left and Permanent Taupe on the right. You can see just how pretty On and on Bronze is compared to the other shade! With regards to them being similar to MAC paintpots, I'm not so sure. To be honest they are a great cream eyeshadow and perfect as a base/primer for doing smokey eye looks but I don't think I would wear this eyeshadow on it's own. The range of colours isn't exactly vast either and what they do have would be a lot more bright and vibrant and not as wearable as say MAC's Painterly and Soft Ochre paintpots. Overall, I am impressed with these cream eyeshadows from Maybelline but I think they need to bring out a few more wearable shades for me to repurchase them again.

What is your opinion on the Color Tattoo eyeshdows from Maybelline?