Review: Maybelline Eye Studio® Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow

OVERALL RATING: 6/10

PROS:  Easy to apply, nice color selection, stays on all day, very pigmented color

CONS:  Feels a bit gritty after a while, difficult to remove, hard to get it to look exactly right


As you can probably tell by some of my previous posts, I'm a little bit of a Maybelline addict.  I've been really happy with the new products that they've been coming out with lately, so it was only natural that I would try to go out and find their newest cosmetic item.  The Eye Studio® Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow (which is quite the mouth full) was out of stock for a while at my local drugstores, but on a recent shopping trip--which, if you're like me, is originally intended for food and other necessities, but ends up turning into a makeup haul--the display was fully stocked.  I couldn't resist, and grabbed some of the Color Tattoo shadow in Pomegranate Punk.  I went home and put it on right away.  Sadly, I have to say that this product didn't quite live up to the recent Maybelline hype.



This is a cream/gel eyeshadow, so you apply it with your fingertips.  This is something I'm definitely not used to yet, since all of my eyeshadow application skills involve brushes as tools.  I had a hard time getting it exactly even, which I'm sure will improve with practice.  I also was a little bit irritated at how long it took me to wash the product off of my finger, but then again, maybe cream eyeshadow just isn't for me.

Keep in mind, once this product is on, it is ON.  It's not going anywhere.  It really lives up to it's "tattoo" namesake.  This made blending a little difficult, but also assured me that I wouldn't have to worry about reapplying any time soon.

The cream/gel texture is nice when you first apply it, but here's where this product lost major points with me--after a while, the shadow sets and starts to dry, leaving behind a gritty, stiff texture that I didn't appreciate at all.  Eventually when I removed it, it felt like I was trying to scrape caked-on mud and sand from my eyelids, which I imagine would be just as unpleasant as this was.

The reason I had to rate this product above average, though, is because of how pretty the color is.  For any other green-eyed ladies like me, Pomegranate Punk is a perfect compliment to the color and will really make your eyes pop.

So, for the bottom line... Will I buy this product again?  Honestly, I probably won't.  I don't think it's worth it to buy a product that is just so-so in many categories, even if it looks really nice.  For cream eyeshadow fanatics, this is probably a really great product, but it's just not for me.

If you want to pick some up to try for yourself, the Maybelline Eye Studio® Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow can be found at most drugstores in the U.S. (Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, etc.)  and at some specialty stores such as Ulta, and retails for about $7.

Have you tried any of the Color Tattoo eyeshadows?  What was your experience with this product?  Let me know in the comments!