Whenever I see a brand release a twist up shadow stick I get excited because let's face it, the convenience factor is super enticing. Years ago MAC released their Grease Sticks, which I remember having such high hopes for, only to have them turn into a creasing mess. Fast forward several years and brands have caught on to formulations that are crease-resistant and MAC is at it again with the Pro Longwear Waterproof Colour Sticks! I put 9 shades to the test to see if they lived up to their name and claim, so keep reading to see my thoughts, swatches and how you can win one in the hottest colour for summer!
The MAC Pro Longwear Colour Sticks are marketed as medium-full pigment in a single swipe, with a waterproof formula that lasts up to 24 hours. Given that I am a fan of the Pro Longwear Paint Pots, I hoped these would be a similar formula in a convenient stick form, and they are very similar but do have some differences. Claiming a 24 hour wear time is pretty ridiculous if you ask me: does anyone actually need to wear their makeup that long? I certainly don't need that longevity, but I do want my eyeshadow to last a minimum 8-10 hours and these held up the bargain for the most part with minimal creasing in the inner corners. I find this is the same wear time as the Paint Pots, so I was perfectly happy with wear time. I would say that the pigmentation was medium-full with these as claimed, and they layered up well on top of each other for a variety of looks and completely opacity.
Unlike the pots, the Pro Longwear Colour Sticks aren't quite as emollient in texture, with a slightly drier texture during application. Despite this they still glided on smoothly without skipping or tugging, and blended out beautifully as long as you work fast, because these set within seconds (definitely work one eye at a time!). Once they do set they have a slightly tacky finish, similar to the Paint Pots, which I find makes a fantastic base for powder shadow. While I have worn these layered up on their own, my prefered way to use them is definitely for a soft smudgy look along the lashes, or as a base to give shadows more 'grip' and impact.
Unlike the pots, the Pro Longwear Colour Sticks aren't quite as emollient in texture, with a slightly drier texture during application. Despite this they still glided on smoothly without skipping or tugging, and blended out beautifully as long as you work fast, because these set within seconds (definitely work one eye at a time!). Once they do set they have a slightly tacky finish, similar to the Paint Pots, which I find makes a fantastic base for powder shadow. While I have worn these layered up on their own, my prefered way to use them is definitely for a soft smudgy look along the lashes, or as a base to give shadows more 'grip' and impact.
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| L-R: Cinder Black, Flat White, Sweet Praline, Sand Bar, Ever Evergreen |
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| L-R: Midnight Shadows, Sweet Viola, Toast, Frisky Blue |
There are 20 shades in the Pro Longwear Colour Stick line, in a mix of matte and shimmer finishes. Out of the 20, I have 9 shades:
Cinder Black - true black
Flat White - opaque white
Sweet Praline - pale flesh peach
Sand Bar - mid toned camel
Ever Evergreen - pearly emerald green
Midnight Shadows - eggplant purple
Sweet Viola - pearly mauve
Toast - neutral nude (this would be equivalent to a mix between Soft Ochre and Painterly Paint Pots)
Frisky Blue - powdery cobalt blue
Each Colour Stick houses 1.4 grams of product in a convenient twist up applicator. Something to note is that these come with the product shaped to a point, but there is no sharpener in the packaging, so once worn down they will have a permanent rounded tip. The original Paint Pots have 5 grams of product which is a significant difference, so while they may not be as convenient to travel with the value is definitely better.
Overall I am really impressed with these - I'm thrilled that MAC clearly took the time to formulate these properly to last a decent amount of time and still have significant pigment in the formula. The 20 shade range is impressive with plenty of neutrals which are always undoubtedly the most popular, but also some really fun pops of colour like Frisky Blue (one of the hottest colours for summer!) - which I actually happened to get two of meaning one will be given away to one of you!
The Giveaway
Prize: One MAC Pro Longwear Colour Stick in Frisky Blue
Must be 18+ or older. Open Worldwide.
Thursday July 7th 12am PST- Monday July 18th 11:59pm PST
Winner has 3 business days to respond to winning email notification or the giveaway will be redrawn. All entries will be checked for validity.
