Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo Leather in Deep Forest

Purchased by Me 

I know that many of us (many, many) have been wanting Maybelline to come out with more matte options in their Color Tattoo line. Well I'm sure you know by now that the Maybelline Color Tattoo Leathers are part of the permanent collection. About a month ago I picked up the most intriguing shade in the range (to me, at least!), called Deep Forest.

Since I know that many of you said you wanted to see more products reviews from me during the holiday season (again, thank you SO much for voting in my poll earlier this week), I thought I'd dig in and start tackling the backlog of products that I really, really want to review for you. So let's get to it:

Maybelline Color Tattoo Leather in 85 Deep Forest

(retail: around $6.99, 0.14 oz)

Ingredients (from the Drugstore.com website):

Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Ceresin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Alumina, Cyclomethicone, Propylene Carbonate, Candelilla Cera (Candelilla Wax), Caprylyl Glycol, C30 45 Alkyl Dimethylsilyl Polypropylsilesquioxane, Magnesium Silicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Silica, Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Acrylates Copolymer, Paraffin, May Contain (+/-):, Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Carmine (CI 75470), Bronze Powder (CI 77400), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI 77289), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (CI 77510)

In terms of how this shade compares to other matte Color Tattoos I own, I find it to be creamier and easier to work with than some of the other matte shades in this range, and I also think this shadow allows for a little more play-time for blending before it sets (love that!).

And can we just talk about the color for a moment? It's not quite khaki, it's not quite taupe, it's not quite olive, it's not quite gray, it's not quite brown. But it's a little bit of all of those colors. I can honestly say I have nothing like this in my (ridiculously large) eyeshadow stash. For that reason alone, I love it. But I also love it because it really brings out the green in my hazel eyes.

Another thing I love is that you can control the pigmentation depending on how you apply it. Using your finger (first swatch above), you get a softer, more sheered-out look. Using a brush  (I love my Real Techniques Shading Brush for applying Color Tattoos) allows for richer pigmentation--especially if you "dab" the color on and then lightly blend. Either way, this color doesn't go on patchy once blended--you can just control the pigmentation by how much (or how little) you blend.

Wear-time is excellent for me, as is the case with all of the Color Tattoos I own (I can get a full eight hours, no problem). I find that these wear better for me without primer (weird, since I have super oily lids, but I swear these work better for me without primer), and I love wearing this color both alone and as a base for powder shadows in the same color family. I also love Deep Forest for lining my eyes--it creates a lovely, soft, smoky eye look without being too dramatic.

FINAL VERDICT: If you're tired of matte browns and taupes (tired of taupes? Hey, it can happen...) and you're looking for something a bit different yet still "safe" and work-friendly, I think you cannot go wrong with Deep Forest. It's perfect for an all-over lid color on days when you're in a hurry, and you can control the pigmentation depending on how you apply it, as I mentioned above. But definitely don't forget to try it as liner--it creates a soft, smoky eye that's not as intense as black liner, but still quite beautiful. I'm already thinking about buying a back-up, and I'm so grateful that this is permanent (not limited edition).

Do you own any of the Color Tattoo Leather shades? Do you have any favorites?

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.