Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pink Gold

The Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pink Gold was one of those products I picked up as part of a 3 for 2 deal on a complete whim. The idea of a pink eyeshadow on paper is something which would usually fill me with dread but this pale pearlised golden pink is surprisingly flattering on my brown eyes. I suppose it fits in quite nicely with the rose gold trend which has emerged over the past couple of years however I think it's subtle enough to fall into the 'eternally chic' shade category.

I apply this product over my NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base either with my finger or a Real Techniques domed eyeshadow brush. I prefer using the brush as it deposits just the right amount of product more precisely. If I use my finger I tend to require a couple of layers to get the same amount of colour. Even without a base I find these don't crease until they reach the 7-8 hour mark - I have pretty oily lids so this is a decent wear time for me. 

All in all, I really enjoy using the Maybelline Color Tattoo shadows I've tried and Pink Gold has become my most used shade over the past six months. I wish we in the UK had access to the same colour range as the US because I've seen some gorgeous neutral shades I'd love to get my hands on.

The Maybelline Colour Tattoo cream shadows are available from Boots and other stockists priced at £4.99. 

Tell me about your favourite throw-on eyeshadows!

Stace xx

The Illamasqua Sale - My Top Picks

Whilst I do love a good bargain. most beauty related sales and offers fail to interest me. This is usually either because the discounts are fairly meagre or because the products offered wouldn't sell at full price in a million years. Puke-coloured nail polish, anyone? Thought not. 

One brand which has impressed me with their current sale is Illasmasqua. They're offering decent range of products with up to 70% off. Okay, there are a few cement-toned lipsticks and lots of base products I'm not interested in, but my current basket includes:

Intense lipgloss in Succubus - £5

This intensely pigmented gloss essentially functions as a liquid lipstick. The shade Succubus looks like the perfect glossy blood red which would suit most skintones. 

Liquid Metal in Surge - £5

I've never tried a Liquid Metal before but this shade reminds me a bit of BeneFit's Skinny Jeans which I loved but found to be a bit too green for me to reach for on an everyday basis. I think this might be a nice alternative shade. 

Precision Ink in Havoc - £5

I've had my eye on this for a while; it's a dark aubergine purple shade which I think I'll love. I was always put off by the £17.50 price tag for such a tiny amount of product but at a fiver, it's a steal!

Nail varnish in Baptise - £5

Most long-term readers of this blog will know that I have a real issue with shimmery nail polishes; I hate 99% of them. This beauty is an exception though; I need it!

Blending Brush 2 - £10

Technically this isn't in my basket; I already own one of these brushes but I wanted to include it in this post because it's an excellent brush. It's a large blending brush so it's not great for precision eyeshadow looks but it's handy for blending in under eye concealer, powdering under the eyes and applying highlighter.

Have you picked anything up from the Illamasqua sale?

Stace xx

*All images from illamasqua.com 

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze

I've already chosen a different product to be my product of the week (watch out for that post tomorrow) but this product comes a very close second. This week was the first time I got the chance to try out the Maybelline Color Tattoo shadows I posted about a while back. I included Bold Gold and Bad to the Bronze in my little tin of make up for the week but honestly, Bold Gold didn't get a look in once I tried this shade.

 This shade looks very warm toned but on my eyelids it's a bit more neutral. It's not a true bronze shade - it's more like a bronzed taupe or something. And I love taupe.

The consistency of this particular shade is very similar to the more shimmery or sheer MAC Paint Pots which have come out in some of the collections over the past year or so but it's a lot more pigmented. It's super easy to sweep this on my lids with my finger and it always looks even. I always found my MAC Indianwood and Rubenesque Paint Pots looked a little patchy on my lids, as well as being a bit more dry in consistency. 

It has a nice sheen but it's not glittery, which I appreciate. It's one of those shades that looks like you've spent a bit of time blending a darker colour into the crease so it's great on its own. I've not tried wearing shadow over it because it's pigmented enough on its own and once it sets, it doesn't crease.

 I did a little comparison between this and MAC Morning Frost Paint Pot. They are a little bit similar but Morning Frost is much cooler toned and it has glitter in it. They don't look too different when swatched, though.

 L-R: Bad to the Bronze, Morning Frost

This is probably a bit of a cruel post as the Maybelline shadows aren't available in the UK yet so if you're a UK reader, I apologise! If/when they do arrive here, I'd recommend picking this shade up first if you're like me and have a thing for warm taupe-y shades and want something that is easy to apply, looks great and doesn't crease.

Stace xx