MAC Chromaline Black Black Eyeshadow Review

Hi beautiful ladies,

Hope the festive season is keeping all of you busy and engrossed. Today I have got for you another MAC product – this one is from their Professional series available only in MAC Pro shops. In Mumbai, MAC Pro is located at Juhu Road. I had wanted to try MAC Chromalines since ages. Once, I even bought the purple shade, only to realize later upon reading the leaflet inside the box, that the shade Purple was not suitable for the eye area. So, obviously it went back untouched.

I used to apply the L’Oreal Paris Super Liner 24 Hour Waterproof Gel Eyeliner earlier which is available in a pot. However, mine was kept unused for a fairly long time and I didn’t want to try using it. So was on the look out for an alternate. And since I always wanted to try MAC Chromaline, I waited patiently. Why waited? Because it was invariably sold out.

Strangely, I realized that it had not been reviewed on IMBB. So here is my review on the same.

Product Description:

A waterproof gel/cream that offers long wear and intense color with matte coverage.

Full Description:

A waterproof gel/cream liner that provides all the smooth graphic benefits of a liquid liner.Creates precise, long-lasting lines of intense color with dense matte coverage.Versatile palette offers both vibrantly bright and blackened shades. Applies smoothly, sets quickly. Waterproof and smudge-proof. Best when used with professional tools and brushes.

Key Claims and Benefits:

• Long-wearing
• Waterproof
• Sweat- and humidity-resistant
• Smudge-proof
• Transfer-resistant
• Dermatologist tested
• Ophthalmologist tested

Price and Quantity: $20 for 5gms i.e INR 1800 (While Fluidline MAC Fluidline Eye Liner Gel retails for $16.50 for 3 grams of product)

Packaging:

It comes in a typical glass pot with a black screw cap quite similar to the MAC paint pot MAC Painterly Paint Pot packaging. The glass pot comes packaged in a cardboard box which has the shade name printed on it. Strangely, the pot does not have a sticker with shade name etc on the bottom. Also, this does not come with a brush.

My Experience with MAC Chromaline Black Black:

Colour: The colour “Black Black” true to its name,is an amazing deep intense black. It does not contain any shimmer or sheen. When freshly applied it looks creamy. However, it soon settles into a deep matte finish.

If you have been looking for an intensely rich deep black shade – look no further.

Texture:The texture is creamy and smooth – ah, so so smooth. It glides on beautifully. I have been using it for a month or so and there is no evidence of dryness. I guess it’s anyway too soon to tell. One swipe of the brush, you get full opaque colour. Even though it settles to a matte finish, it does not crack or get flaky. I am on the wrong side of 30, so I have my fair share of wrinkles, or laugh lines, if you must, around the eyes. This one still manages to glide smoothly and not flake post drying.

Pigmentation: As I mentioned earlier, the colour is fully opaque in one swipe – you don’t need to go over and over to get colour or to make it deep. The colour in the pan is the colour on the lids. Not a greyish black! Not an almost black! But jet black in a single swipe.

Staying power: I have super oily lids. However, I test my liners without primer on my lids. Because everyone who buys a liner shouldn’t need to first go out and buy an eye primer. This one stays intact for the entire day. Even towards the end of the day, this one remains strong. It doesn’t fade. It doesn’t smudges. It truly is water resistant. You will need to take this off with an eye makeup remover or oil based cleanser.

To sum this up for you:

Pros of MAC Chromaline Black Black:

• Intense Jet black shade.
• Insanely pigmented – you don’t need to go over and over with the brush to apply it. One swipe is enough.
• Creamy texture which glides on smoothly – easy to apply
• Smudge proof and waterproof – stays intact till you decide to take it off!
• Can be used to create thin line or smudged smokey eye effect.
• I have had this for about 1 month and it does not show any signs of dryness.
• It has no fragrance; I don’t like fragrance in eye products!
• Did not cause any irrirtaion to my sensitive eyes
• Lives up to its claim of being long wearing.

Cons of MAC Chromaline Black Black:

• Availability of the product is restricted to MAC Pro Stores only.

IMBB Rating: 5/5

Before I end this review, an extremely important information:

Chromaline is a product designed for professional make-up artists. They have some gorgeous colours, though very basic in their selection. However, please do note that all colours are not safe for the eyes. They are predominantly used for body art etc. The shade Black Black reviewed here, is safe to be used around the eyes.

Do I Recommend/Repurchase MAC Chromaline Black Black Eyeshadow?

Yes, I highly recommend and in a nutshell, this one’s an absolute winner for me. I love the ease of a simple black liner. It’s classic and timeless. I know that drugstore brand like Loreal gives a brush free while upmarket brand like MAC does not. However, I feel that once you get the hang of it, you could even use a thin Camlin brush as it is cheap, easy to wash and easily replaceable.

I know I’m going to get flak for saying this instead of suggesting that you go out and buy a MAC eye liner brush, but I am still going out on a limb and saying it. I have a MUFE, MAC and Inglot 30T Eyeliner Brush. And I have about 5 Camlin brushes (worth about Rs 20-25 each). But honestly, at this point, I don’t even care which one my hand picks up in the morning. I have even gone ahead and bent the Camlin ones a little to mimic my Inglot bent eyeliner brush!! And they work like a charm.

So, the next time while passing a stationary shop or Hobby Ideas, pick one up. What have you got to lose? Just Rs 25 🙂

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