Maybelline Color Tattoo Inked in Pink and Tough as Taupe Swatches, Photos and Review

I am writing this post in full recognition and awareness that I am possibly the last person on the planet to try Maybelline's Eye Studio Color Tattoo cream shadows. Now that we've acknowledged that little fact I can move on to what you're here for - swatches and my two cents!

Maybelline's Color Tattoo ($5.99) cream gel shadows promise 24 hour staying power that won't crease or fade all day. They can be used as a base, a shadow, or a liner. They have multiple lines in this collection; the permanent line consists of nine shades, both shimmers and a few mattes; the Metal collection has five metallic colors. They also release seasonal lines and do have a line of summer 2013 shades out right now. I purchased Inked in Pink from the Metal collection, and Tough as Taupe from the original line.

Both Inked in Pink (left) and Tough as Taupe (right) swatch pretty true to how they look in the pot. However, I don't find the color translates as well on my lids for whatever reason. The consistency of the two shades varies; Tough as Taupe is definitely drier than Inked in Pink. Inked in Pink feels slippery and wet in comparison. In the photo below I am wearing Inked in Pink on my inner-to-mid lid, with Tough as Taupe in the outer lid and crease with a light hand. I also smudged a bit of Tough as Taupe under my lower lashes.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Inked in Pink and Tough as Taupe Review

 

I thought I would photograph for you guys not quite the 24 hour claim, but a 12 hour test for fading and creasing. This is the same as the above look, taken twelve hours apart:

As you can see, there is significant fading and creasing after twelve hours, especially in the Inked in Pink area. I did not use a primer and it was a warm but not hot day. I'm sorry the lighting is different.. due to the time of day I had to take the "after" photo in a different area with florescent lighting.

 For reference, I have worn Tough as Taupe by itself a few times and also experienced creasing and fading but not as bad as Inked in Pink. I would guess this is partially due to the wetter, more slippery formula that Inked in Pink has compared to Tough as taupe.

Overall, I am not terribly impressed with either of these shadows. If I had to pick, I would say Tough as Taupe is definitely better quality and staying power. I generally don't like cream shadows but was hoping these would convert me since they have so many followers out there. I find applying them to be clumsy with fingers and not much better with brushes. I often have to go back and add more shadow after it dries because it looks patchy right away.

I really wanted to love these and have them be my go-to shadows during the coming summer months, but unfortunately they aren't working out so great for me!

Are you a big Color Tattoo fan, or has your experience been closer to mine??

XO
Beauty Cents
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New HG Mascara Combo for Incredibly Awesome Plush & Long Lashes!

I recently posted about my new favorite drugstore mascara, Essence's I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara (view original post here). It gives me incredibly thick lashes without any clumping or spidery situations going on. While I really do love it for everyday, I don't find it gives me as much length as I would like. I recently picked up Maybelline's Illegal Length fiber extension mascara, so I thought to myself.... would these two products work well together?

See for yourself!

 

TwoBeautyCents' Holy Grail Mascara Combo:

I mean... come on!!! That's some awesome results right there. My lashes are nothing to write home about but I feel like this mascara combo gives them serious oomph in the volume and lengthening departments. My routine has been about two coats of I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume mascara, let it dry a bit, then top the tips off with Illegal Lengths. Some days I build them longer than others. In these shots it's pretty tame (workday!) but I think you can still tell the difference in length between the two photos.

That's all I've got for you today! Do you ever double up on mascaras to get a certain look? What's your favorite combination?

XO
Beauty Cents

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extension Mascara Photos & Review!

Hi everyone! Is there anything better than long, flirty lashes for Spring? I love drama for my lashes, in terms of length and volume. I picked up Maybelline's Illegal Length Fiber Extension Mascara to see if it would do the trick.

 Maybelline's Illegal Length Fiber Extension Mascara ($8.95) has fiber extensions to add up to 4 millimeters onto the tips of your lashes. The fibers are supposed to build upon your existing lashes for crazy length. This formula comes in three washable shades - Brown Black, Very Black, and Blackest Black. I chose Blackest Black. Maybelline advertises this formula as having the longest extensions ever sold in a mascara.

The brush is called a Fiber Fix brush. You can see from the close up below that it is a nice full brush with bristles of varying lengths to catch onto. The brush makes me feel like it will add a solid amount of volume in addition to length.

So, does it live up to the hype? Let's have a look:

My Two Cents on Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extension Mascara:

Claims Met?: This mascara does add a solid amount of length to my modest lashes! The pictures are from two coats and using a lash curler. Close up, you can see the fiber extensions sticking out a little oddly from the tops of my lashes.

Smudging: It really doesn't smudge, not even when the great length has my lashes hitting my eye lid! This is great for me, because my current HG mascara does leave some black marks up top. Bravo, Maybelline. 

Flaking: Illegal Length does flake slightly, mostly when I apply it. I feel like some of the fibers fall off of the brush when I take it out of the bottle, leaving some black flakes on my cheeks. After application, I haven't experienced any flaking.

Clumping: Clumps slightly after a few coats. Nothing major.

Staying Power: Lasts all day (10 hours).

Ease of Removal: Quite easy with a baby wipe, my makeup removal method of choice. You can see the fibers on the wipe, which is pretty interesting!

Overall: This mascara totally lives up to what it is said to do - give great length. What it lacks for in the volume department, it makes up for with length - but hey, it never promised to add volume! I appreciate that it doesn't smudge, is buildable, and comes off very easily. I have been experimenting with this on top of a new volumizing mascara I picked up, and I have been very pleased with the results (will post soon!). While the fiber extensions look a little weird to me in close up pictures, during a normal day I think they just look like long lashes. 

I would definitely reccomend this mascara if you are all about length!

XO

Beauty Cents

Golden FOTD and Maybelline Illegal Lengths First Impression

Happy Friday! Today I am sharing a golden eye look I played around with and my first impressions of Maybelline's Illegal Lengths mascara.

In a previous post I wrote about Tarte's Smoldereyes jumbo liners and how I just am not a fan. I keep playing around with them to try and make them work for me, and I did have some success with them in this look. After running Laura Mercier Cafe Au Lait through the crease, I placed the Gold Smoldereyes jumbo liner in the outer and inner third of the lid, as well as under the lower lashline. In the center of the lid I placed NYX  Yellow Pearl and ran Antique Gold, a green-gold color, in the crease as well.

Since I was having a good Smoldereyes day I thought I would try my luck with the skinny black Smoldereyes liner and lined my top lid and waterline with it.

For mascara, I used Maybelline's Illegal Lengths for the first time. Let's talk about that, shall we?

Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara First Impressions

Maybelline Illegal Lengths is a fiber extension mascara. Some people experience irritation or severe flaking of the fibers as they fall off from your regular lashes. As a lover of bold lashes, I am always looking for something give me a false-lash effect, and wanted to try this out. It did apply easily and this was only two coats.

 Once concern I have so far is that you can see the fibers sticking out at odd angles from my regular lashes...they look like they've gone haywire! I'll have to see if a lash comb helps with this, but if it just removes the fiber, what is the point? Granted, most people are not as up close to my lashes as these photos, but it is a bit annoying.

In comparing to my other mascaras, it does seem to give me more length and a good amount of volume. So far I am very interested to see how this mascara ends up working out and will be wearing it for another week or so before I give a full review.

FOTD Products Used:
Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer
NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Dark  Brown/Brown
Tarte Smoldereyes Jumbo Liner in Gold
 Tarte Smoldereyes Skinny Liner in Black
NYX Eyeshadows in Antique Gold and Yellow Pearl (round trio)
Laura Mercier shadow in Cafe au Lait (crease), Vanilla Nuts (browbone and inner corner)
Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara in Blackest Black (top)
Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof in Black (bottom lashes)

What products have you tried lately?

XO
Beauty Cents