Why did no one tell me that Maybelline Color Tattoo in Vintage Plum sucks so much?

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I picked this up semi-impulsively at CVS a few weeks ago. By which I mean that I'd thought about buying it before and then once CVS had some kind of sale, I grabbed it without doing any further research. I remembered reading mostly positive reviews of the Leather collection of Color Tattoos, though some reviews mentioned that a couple of the shades were a little streaky. Really, I should have looked up reviews before I bought this, but in this case, I don't think it would have saved me much grief. Most of the reviews I have subsequently found are rather glowing ("must have!"), though if I had encountered this particular review of Vintage Plum, I might have given it a second or third thought. Because this eyeshadow is straight up garbage.

Either there are variations in the quality of Vintage Plum, other people have magic powers, or . . . I won't say, but you can probably guess what I think the real reason for the positive reviews of this crap is. It's so streaky that it's utterly impossible to use. I don't think it would make a lot of difference whether you have a different skin type, because it's almost as streaky swatching on my arm, which is not oily like my eyelids--but I'd be interested to hear if anyone has made this work.

I read some suggestions that Vintage Plum is similar to Tough as Taupe, but it's really not, either in color or in performance. Vintage Plum looks almost pinkish-taupe in the jar, but when you apply it, it's a greyed-out purple that's patchy as fuck. Tough as Taupe, even from my pot that is a couple of years old, is a smoothly-opaque taupe. It may look a little uneven in the swatch, but it's easy to blend out evenly on my eyelid. Vintage Plum, however, is a nightmare. Below is as good as I could get it to look. The photo was taken within minutes of application; it's not that the eyeshadow has worn off like this. This is how it went on.

This eyeshadow has a creamy texture in the pot, but becomes terribly patchy and streaky when I try to apply it. There's no way to make it work. The photo above is applied over primer, but it was the same without. It dries very quickly and then flakes, so it's hard to blend--when I try, it rubs right off. Yet despite setting quickly, it nevertheless disappears in patches after it dries like some overly creamy products do. If I try to just apply a light wash, it's still streaky and it balls up when I blend it out. If I try to add a second layer, it removes the first layer and gets even more patchy. I suppose some people might use this as a base for other colors, but really what's the point? I don't want to cover it up. And I already use primer to intensify my eyeshadow, so an additional layer is unnecessary.

SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING.

It's especially frustrating, because I love love love the color. Many purples are too red for me, but this is very greyed out, while remaining definitely purple, not taupe or pink. If I ignore the mess, the color is really flattering on me. Of course that means I'm searching for dupes and having a hard time finding anything comparable. Urban Decay Cult looks like a real possibility, but it's discontinued. As is MAC Dove Feather. The taupe in my Wet N Wild Silent Treatment trio is not purplish enough. Laura Mercier Plum Smoke is too warm/brown. I guess Kryolan Dusk might work, but I don't know if I am ready to gamble $22 (with shipping) on an eyeshadow single. Help??

Battle of the Bronzes: e.l.f. Smudge Pot in Cruisin' Chic vs. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

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I'm a big fan of Maybelline Color Tattoos (one of my favorite cheap eyeshadows), and perhaps my favorite of those I currently own is Bad to the Bronze. In addition to wearing very well over primer (something not all cream eyeshadows do), I like that I can use it to create a very pretty look very quickly. It applies best with my finger, which takes slightly less time for me than a brush (though, then, I have to clean off my finger). And the shimmer in it is intense enough (without being glittery) that if I blend Bad to the Bronze from my lash line into and slightly above my crease, it creates a complex look that gives the impression that I've used more than one shade. The shimmer reflects on the lower part of my lid, but not in the crease. Almost like a very subtle duochrome effect.

Here is is on my eye. See what I mean about the metallic sheen near my lashes with a warmer, less reflective color in the crease? I think it has more impact in person.

After reading this reddit post raving about the e.l.f. Smudge Pots, I was really curious as to how they would compare to my Color Tattoos. The redditor claims that they are superior to both Color Tattoos and to MAC Paint Pots, and specifically that they do not crease at all. Exciting! So I picked up the shade Cruisin' Chic, which looked like a taupier version of Bad to the Bronze in the photos I found. I reasoned that either it would be a nice alternative to a current favorite, or if it turned out to be really similar, it would make a good (better?) replacement once Bad to the Bronze was finished or dried up.

Spoiler: I was disappointed by the e.l.f. Smudge Pot for a variety of reasons, most of which probably come down to personal preference. Let's start with comparison swatches (not over primer):

Swatches of e.l.f. Smudge Pot in Cruisin' Chic (left) and Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze (right)

In the swatches (and in the pot), I think they look pretty similar. Cruisin' Chic, rather than being more of a taupe like I had expected, turns out to be a bit warmer and redder. The shimmer in Cruisin' Chic is about the same color as its base, while the shimmer in Bad to the Bronze looks a bit more silvery to me (though I'm not sure that comes out in this photo--it somehow looks gold here). In swatches on my arm, the pigmentation is about the same. The e.l.f. Smudge Pot feels a lot softer and slipperier, but then this Maybelline Color Tattoo is over a year old (maybe almost two?) so it's stiffer than it was when it was brand new.

Applied to my eyelids, however, the e.l.f. product is less pigmented, perhaps because it's softer. It sheers out really easily when it's blended, though it is possible to build it up a bit. The shimmer is also more subtle and overall I think this shade looks less striking than Bad to the Bronze when I wear it. Here is is on my eye, applied in the same way as the Color Tattoo (i.e. with my finger, over primer):

It's a nice enough eyeshadow, but there's nothing particularly interesting about it. I probably have about a half dozen extremely similar powder shadows. But if it does indeed wear like iron, it might edge those other shadows out.

Sadly . . .

While I haven't noticed an unusual amount of creasing, it wears off in my crease very quickly. It's almost as if it sticks to itself wherever one part of my lid touches another part and removes itself. Without primer, it will do this in seconds. With primer, as in the photo, it may take several minutes or up to an hour. The photo above was taken about 45 minutes after application (again, over primer) and that light patch in the middle is not a reflection, it's a bald spot. It only gets worse the longer I wear it.

Maybelline Color Tattoos aren't perfect in this respect, either. Over primer, I'll get some creasing after a few hours, though nothing dire. But because I think Bad to the Bronze is so much more interesting, I'm more tolerant. Cruisin' Chic just doesn't have a lot going for it, in my view, either in terms of appearance or performance.

On me, the formula of this e.l.f. Smudge Pot works very similarly to most eyeshadow crayons (like this NYX crayon I reviewed ages ago). They're too slick and they just don't last, even with primer. My oily eyelids eat makeup for breakfast, that's true, but I was hoping that this stuff would be better than average, not worse. If you can get eyeshadow crayons to work for you, however, you might have great luck with the Smudge Pots.

With all other things equal, the e.l.f. product certainly does have an edge when it comes to price. As I've discussed before, the Maybelline Color Tattoos have heavy, solid glass bases that make them seem bigger but don't contain any product. All of the product is just inside the height of the lid (more visible in the photo in this post).

While it's true that the e.l.f. pot is made of very thick plastic that also makes it appear larger than it is (more visible in the first photo in this post), it contains 0.19 oz., while the Maybelline contains slightly less at 0.14 oz. Since the e.l.f. Smudge Pot costs $3, and the Color Tattoo costs around $7 (or $5.60 on Amazon), I don't have to do any calculations to demonstrate which is a better value per ounce. So if the Smudge Pot appeals to you, the price is right. Though I much prefer the glitz of the e.l.f. Long Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadows (reviewed here), if you're looking for a cheap thrill. (And Wayne Goss said in a video that they are nearly identical to Chanel Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadows.)

It's possible that the other colors of Smudge Pots are more exciting, but I'm not really inclined to try them. $3 is still too much for a product that doesn't work for me. I'll stick with my Color Tattoo.

No-Makeup Makeup: Comparison of eye brightening cream shadows (Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded vs. Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color in Kitten)

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I'm going to get all the SEOs with that headline, right? Is that how this works? Really, though, I think the "no-makeup makeup" trend, as the epitome of manufactured "natural" beauty, is super iffy. "Here, just layer on these fifteen exquisitely-formulated prestige cosmetics and you too can look like a fresh-faced teenager in excellent lighting." Auxiliary Beauty wrote a great post on the subject of natural beauty not too long ago, which you should check out. As I commented there, I think a lot of what's driving the trend is conservative, elitist, and reactionary.

That doesn't mean that I think there is anything wrong with not wearing much/any makeup, or wearing minimal makeup, or wearing makeup that is intended to subtly enhance your features, if that's what you want to do. But like most other forms of minimalism that are being promoted in recent years, "no-makeup makeup" is especially attainable for people who didn't need a lot of makeup to begin with or who have the means (or time) to choose to look like they are wearing no makeup while slathering on a lot of makeup. (I posted about Amy Schumer's take on no makeup earlier this week.) It's worth thinking about critically, at least, whether you want to rage against the machine (yeah, I'm old) or you just find cultural patterns interesting.

My "minimalist" makeup days are mostly born out of laziness and/or a lack of time - I suspect the latter (or a lack of interest) is the case for most small-m minimalists. On those days I still tend to slather on a bit of makeup, but that's what I like to do. Lately, my simplest routine consists of some combination of the following: eyebrow pencil, concealer, cream eyeshadow, mascara, powder blush, face powder, and lip balm. I might leave one or more of those out (but never the mascara and almost never the eyebrow pencil, because blonde face hair). As I've mentioned before, these products are chosen because they are the simplest to apply. Powder blush is less finicky than cream blush, but cream eyeshadow is easier for me than powder eyeshadow. I need primer to make most powder shadows stick and last more than an hour, whereas cream stays put a bit better. Even cream will always crease on me eventually without primer, but if I use a pale enough shade or only apply it fairly close to the lash line, I can get away with it.

If I'm going to do eyeshadow on one of these days, I usually use Maybelline Color Tattoos. One of my favorite things to do is just smear a pale champagne shade all over my lid, from lashes to brow bone, and in the inner corner. I use Barely Branded, but I think Barely Beige is almost the same. Because this is close to my skin tone, just slightly paler and shimmery, it works well to brighten my eyes a bit and make me look more awake. I always think it also makes me look a bit younger then darker eye makeup does, and for that reason, I usually avoid this look at work when I want to exude maturity and authority (cough).

Because I wondered if that was just my imagination, here's a photo with Barely Branded on one eye and darker eyeliner and eyeshadow on the other. In the mirror, the darker made-up eye looked SO DARK and dramatic and shit, but in this photo, the difference seems not-so noticeable. Interesting.

I'm not sure what this photo proves, but there it is.

Since I use this Color Tattoo so frequently, it's starting to run low (though honestly I probably have almost a year's worth left). In a fit of shopping boredom a while ago, I decided to use a HauteLook credit to buy a Stila crayon shadow in Kitten as a backup. I know this is one of Stila's most popular shades, and it seemed like a good alternative to Barely Branded.

Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color in Kitten and Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded

Usually you can get Color Tattoos for about $5-8 (Barely Branded is $5.60 on Amazon), though of course there are always drugstore sales, so you likely don't need to pay full price. The Stila crayon usually goes for $22, though it was $8 on HauteLook when I bought it. I think Stila may be discontinuing this product, since it's $8 and final sale on their site right now. The Color Tattoo, even with its tricky packaging, holds 0.14 oz., while the Stila crayon is 0.04 oz. - quite a fucking difference there in terms of price per ounce, even at the lowest price for the crayon.

The colors are not identical. Definitely not dupes. The Color Tattoo is more of a pale golden champagne, while Kitten is peachier. Kitten is a little too dark to blend into my skin well, so it would be ideal for someone who is not the palest of the pale like I am.

Swatches of Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded and Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color in Kitten 

Swatched on my hand, the Stila crayon looks more even, but I find that on my eyelids, the Color Tattoo blends more smoothly and just looks better. The Stila shadow highlights the texture of my eyelid in a way that I don't love, while the Color Tattoo smoothes it over. I also find it easier and quicker to apply the Color Tattoo, because I can just smear it on and blend it with my finger. The Stila crayon is a little stiffer (though not bad), and it takes slightly longer to scribble all over my lid and then blend it with my finger tip. It's a minor difference, but if I am in a rush, it matters. The crayon can be applied more precisely, when needed, at least.

Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color in Kitten (left) and Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded (right)

Without primer, the Stila crayon wears slightly better than the Color Tattoo, but they both crease and fade to a certain extent after a few hours on my oily eyelids. I haven't tested the waterproof claim of the Stila crayon, because that's not usually something I look for in an eyeshadow. I wouldn't say that it works as a primer as well as an eyeshadow, like it claims to. But I'm not one of those lucky people for whom Color Tattoos work as a primer, either.

Because of the difference in shade and texture, Barely Branded works better as an all-over brightening eyeshadow for me (and can even double as a highlighter). Kitten isn't as subtle and natural looking - it's more in the makeup makeup category than no-makeup makeup. It's not a bad product, but I think I am going to have to find a different use for it. Maybe I'll just use it on my lower lid with something darker blended in the crease on days that I'm doing a more elaborate eyeshadow look.

Remember the pretty duochrome LE Maybelline Color Tattoos from last year? They're back. (Well, two of them.)

If you missed out on the pretty Color Tattoos from last year, two of them are back and renamed - and limited edition again - this year. They're in the "Bleached Neons" display. The Dark Side of Beauty has good comparison swatches to confirm that these are definitely the same as last year's.

I do recommend Shimmering Sea, née Seashore Frosts, if you can find it. I actually went on a wild goose chase to find Seashore Frosts last year, and then Harley Quinn saved my life and sent it to me. I hope you have an easier time finding it, if you try. I tried to take a photo of Seashore Frosts on my eyelid, because it looks really pretty and ethereal in person, but unfortunately I couldn't get a decent photo. Sorry. It's subtle, but nice.

(I know this blog has been pretty defunct lately, but I've finished some things up in the real world, and I'm looking forward to getting back to it. It's fun. I have a bunch of shit lined up.)

Tricky tricky! Which package contains more product? (Eye makeup edition)

Okay, I've got another one for you. This is probably easy to guess, because I have only two products to show you. But let's take a closer look to see how makeup companies use packaging tricks to make you think you're getting more than you are.

Which one of these containers holds more product?

Left: Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow; Right: NYX Eyeshadow base

I'm sure you guessed that the NYX pot holds more, because it looks smaller, and you know I'm talking about tricky packaging. If you have ever held these two products in your hands, you will know that not only does the Maybelline pot look larger, it feels much, much heavier. I wish I had a postal scale to weight these, but it's at least twice as heavy. That's because the Maybelline pot is glass and the NYX one is plastic. So by looking at the top of the containers and even picking them up, the Maybelline product seems bigger. That's why you really have to look at the label to understand the amount of product you're getting and its value.

The Maybelline product contains 4 g and the NYX one contains 7 g. It's not just the material the pots are made from that makes you think the first one is more generous - it's also the design of the package. The Maybelline pot has a wider diameter, and both pots are about the same height. But check this out:

Again, Maybelline on the left, NYX on the right.

While the well that the NYX product is in goes halfway to the base of the pot, the Maybelline product only starts at the bottom of the lid. If you look at the Maybelline pot from the side, you can't see any product at all. That's just a big chunk of glass with some shit sitting on top of it! This is a big, bulky pot that is not convenient to store or carry around, designed that way simply to make you feel like you're getting your money's worth. If you stick a pin into each product, it goes down about 3 mm into the Maybelline shadow and at least 11 mm into the NYX base.

These are different types of product, sure, but they both cost $7. I'm not saying you shouldn't buy the Color Tattoo (I happen to like it), but just be aware of how the packaging is designed to fool you, and how much product you're actually getting for your $7. They are nice little eyeshadows, but they are not generous portions. Tricky tricky!

(See the last installment of this series, on nail polish, here.)

What do you think? Would you have been fooled/surprised by these pots?

A failed quest

In what I'm sure was an excellent use of my time, yesterday alone I went to three CVSs, two ULTAs, one Walgreens, one Bed Bath and Beyond and one Meijer looking for that fucking limited edition Maybelline Color Tattoo (Seashore Frosts). Nothing. I mean I found a bunch of the displays and all of the other colors, but not that one. Boo. So I guess that's not happening.

Anyone so lucky as to find it? Is it worth it? I'm not searching any more, because I have better things to do. And no car. It's mostly the car thing, let's face it.