US beauty lovers rejoice - Max Factor is back! I've been sitting by jealously as my favorite UK bloggers rave about product after product from this brand, and now we can all finally get our hands on some. Max Factor has come out with a small collection (curated by none other than Pat McGrath) that is now available at drugstore.com, amazon.com, Walgreens, and Target. Their idea when selecting the products to release was to fuse modern and classic - a cat eye with a nude or a rose lip. The products now available in America are the Masterpiece Max Mascara*, Masterpiece High Precision Liquid Eyeliner*, and two shades of the Colour Elixir Lipstick*.
Let me just say I'm already in love with the mascara. I've been using it every single day since I got it, and although I got sent the product for free, I'm going to be going out and buying a few backups. It gives me the perfect amount of volume, definition, and length, and it holds a curl really well throughout the day. What's sold me, though, is the fact that it isn't waterproof and still manages to last all day long on me. The shade available is Velvet Black which is just as it sounds - a rich, opaque black that really adds drama to the lashes. I've had to wear my glasses for the past couple weeks, so I've been really glad to have this to still add some definition to my eyes.
I was a bit confused when I opened the liner - instead of the typical pointed nib you get on felt tip liquid eyeliners, this one has more of a paddle shape. I'm terrible at doing liquid eyeliner, so I kept an open mind and hoped this shape would help. It certainly helps when lining my actual eye, but I'm still getting to grips with using it to draw a wing. Keep in mind that I'm horrible at doing winged liner with any eyeliner pen, so I don't fault this product at all. The shape works well to make sure you get down as close as possible to your lashes, so you're not left with a weird gap of skin. It therefore makes the lashes look so thick. The color is a rich black that doesn't have any sheen when it dries down, which I'm always looking for in a liquid liner. Again, I'm impressed!
Left to right: Charlotte Tilbury Kim KW, Max Factor Simply Nude, Charlotte Tilbury Super Cindy, Max Factor Maroon Dust
The lipsticks are also quite lovely. They're creamy and have a nice sheen, but I don't feel like they're going to be slipping and sliding all over the place if I want to eat or drink something. Because of their more moisturizing texture they won't last through eating, but they do fade evenly and are easy to touch up. The shades available are Simply Nude, a beautiful true pinky nude, and Maroon Dust, what I think I would call a terracotta rose. Upon swatching them I instantly thought they reminded me of the two shades of the Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipsticks I recently got, and lo and behold they're quite similar! So if you wanted to get your hands on Kim KW or Super Cindy, definitely check these out instead.
Overall I'm so impressed with these products, and I'm hoping more products from Max Factor will be available in the US in the future! Until then, my list of things to buy if I ever go to the UK has just gotten significantly longer. Have you tried any of these products yet?
*Products mentioned have been sent to me for review, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.