MAC Pro Longwear Eyeliners Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Apres Chic)
MAC Black Ice Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Apres Chic: Pro Longwear Eyeliners
MAC Pro Longwear Eyeliner ($19.50 for 0.04 oz.) is a new formula that has launched with Apres Chic, which is limited edition as far as I know–but they are not marked as limited edition on MAC’s website. The new formula is available five shades: Black Ice (rich black), Mountain Air (vibrant teal), Night Trail (deep navy blue), Rich Experience (true brown), and Snow Shadow (purple violet).
- Black Ice is a dark black with a modern matte finish. It had good color payoff in a single pass.
- Mountain Air is a medium-dark blue with a very tiny hint of green/teal. It had good color payoff in one stroke. It is similar to Stila Peacock.
- Night Trail is a blackened navy blue with a subtle sheen. It had so-so pigmentation in a single pass, but it was noticeably sheer. There are several navy blues that are similar.
- Rich Experience is a medium-dark brown with neutral undertones. It was surprisingly not that pigmented in one stroke, and it wasn’t as buildable for full opacity.
- Snow Shadow is a dark purple with subtle cool undertones. This shade had the weakest color payoff–it was very sheer in one pass, and it was difficult to layer/build the color. It always just looked jagged in color. The color is similar to MAC Rich Purple, which is a bit lighter.
MAC made some lofty claims for their new eyeliners: “creamy, dense colour that glides on smoothly” along with a “12-hour waterproof formula [that] stays put and [is] smudge-free.” I tried Black Ice, Mountain Air, Rich Experience, and Snow Shadow for wear over the past two days. I tried Black Ice and Rich Experience yesterday, and I tried Mountain Air and Snow Shadow today, all four on my lower lash line.
I’m sad to report that these don’t last 12 hours nor are they waterproof. After eight hours of wear, all four shades were still mostly there, but it was clear they had faded slightly–you know, where the line is thinner but you don’t see bits of it in your outer corner? (Kind of like your eye ate the eyeliner…) Yesterday, I took a late shower after eight hours of wear, and both Black Ice and Rich Experience were quick to run. I had the same thing happen just moments ago with Mountain Air and Snow Shadow. I splash water on my eyes, let it sit there, and I don’t rub anything away, instead I try to see if the droplets (like tears) will cause any eyeliner to bleed or smudge, and then I pat dry to see how much lifts off. And if it’s still there after that–then that’s when I try to rub a little.
The consistency is lightly creamy but more waxy than anything else, so they glide across well enough, but some colors are better than others. Snow Shadow was the worst performer; it actually dragged and applied unevenly. I tried to go back and forth to build the color coverage up, but it was fairly pitiful–you could see it bunching up in places. Black Ice was the best performer, as it was most pigmented and didn’t require layering to achieve full color coverage on the lash line. These wear around eight hours without smudging, but there is some fading at the eight/nine hour mark. I definitely don’t get to 12 hours with these. My eyes watered while wearing two today, and the eye that watered a lot, was missing about half a centimeter of eyeliner entirely.
I have good luck with MAC’s Powerpoints, Chromagraphic Eyeliners, Kohl Powers, and Pearlglide Eyeliners–so I was definitely very surprised to see these fall so short.
MAC Pro Longwear Eyeliners Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Apres Chic)
MAC Black Ice Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Black Ice Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Black Ice Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Black Ice Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Mountain Air Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Mountain Air Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Mountain Air Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Mountain Air Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Night Trail Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Night Trail Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Night Trail Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Night Trail Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Rich Experience Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Rich Experience Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Rich Experience Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Rich Experience Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Snow Shadow Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Snow Shadow Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Snow Shadow Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Snow Shadow Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Mountain Air Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Snow Shadow Pro Longwear Eyeliner
MAC Black Ice Pro Longwear Eyeliner
It’s so sad that it’s an icky formula because if Snow Shadow had more pigmentation, it would be so gorgeous.
Oh i wanted these to be good too! I bought the black one because I have been looking everywhere for a black liner pencil that stays in the waterline. I have tried everything from Urban Decay to Dior to Maybelline and Mac and nothing stays! I just use gel liner mostly now. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Two words. Tarina Tarantino. Any color. They do not move no matter where you put them. I have very oily eyelids and they just stay put forever!!!
Thank you so much for the recommendation! Do you know where to find these? I know they aren’t at Sephora anymore and I’m having trouble locating them! 🙂
I’ve had a bit of luck (more than an hour or two) with L’Oreal Le Grande Kohl pencil liners. I typically get a solid 3-4 hours with these, while I’m lucky to get out the door with other brands, whether HE or DS. I’ve tried more liners than I can begin to count, but I’ve come back to these several times.
Make Up For Ever aqua liners! Don’t budge!
Blah. There are too many good eyeliner formulas out there to bother with a sub-par one, especially when the colors aren’t even unique!
Mine lasted almost 14 hours (I had a really long day)on top and bottom corners, but in my waterline was just under 6 hours. The MAC rep told me waterline was only rated to 6-8 hours.
I couldn’t get even a full 8 hours on my lower lash line – as in, not the water line, but below that 🙂 Water line only lasted four hours or so for me. I’m glad they’re working for you!
What a bummer. I love most of MAC’s Pro Longwear line (especially the foundation and lipstick). The swatches are really disappointing, although you did a good job making them work for your “looks.”
Night Trail is lovely, it’s a shame about the pigmentation. Honestly, I can never get eyeliner of any kind to last on me for more than eight hours (two if it’s on my waterline!), so longevity is something I usually don’t even bother fretting about. Still, I appreciate that you hold them to their claims. 😀
It may fade even faster on you – since a lot of eyeliners last eight hours on me without trouble (including the majority of MAC’s formulas), but if you try it, let us know how it works for you! 🙂
With all the great eyeliner formulas out there I don’t plan on ever buying a Mac eyeliner again and I regret those that I have purchased (with the exception of fluidlines)
It’s surprising to me that MAC released some of these… I mean, we know they have the technology and resources to create great eye pencil formulas, why release a product that’s sheer and uneven like Snow Shadow? Also – why claim something lasts 12 hours (so subjective) and is waterproof when it’s not (they have to know it’s not…)
OMG! I really love eyeshadows you used with MAC Mountain Air Pro Longwear Eyeliner! Can you tell me brand and color names please?
MAC Ice, Silver Birch, Frost at Midnight Mineralize Eyeshadows
So sad. I was really looking forward to these – long-wearing eyeliners in beautiful wintry colors? Yes please. But the swatches are downright pathetic 🙁
That’s too bad about these–and I was really curious too. I have always heard good things about the MAC pencils but I never tried them because none of them were marketed as being long-wearing/waterproof and EVERYTHING runs on my eyes. So when I heard about these, I thought maybe MAC had finally released something comparable to MUFE’s Aqua Eyes or UD’s 24/7 liners. Oh well…
what is the eyeshadow you’re wearing in the 2nd pic? it’s really pretty.
MAC Blonde Streak, Smoky, and Jet Couture Pressed Pigments
I love the rest of your eye look in the “Snow Shadow” pic. Have you listed elsewhere what you’re wearing? I don’t understand why, instead of these, MAC didn’t repromote beauties like Wolf and a few other of their really stellar, special pencils (they could slap a “Pro Longwear” on them and, if they were just plain good, none of us would care a whole lot one way or the other).
Snow Shadow pic is using Pressed Pigments! I will be posting a breakdown + review later today!
Thanks! It is a lovely, really beautiful look, so I’ll be glad to see the components and method.
Molly have you tried makeup forever aqua liners? Those eyeliners are the only ones that work for me
I haven’t! I will give them a try thank you!!
I was disappointed to hear about the Pro eyeliners as well. I had high hopes. I bought Rich Experience as they were selling out at my local MAC counter and I was waiting on Christine’s review before using it. I am really looking for a rich true brown eyeliner for my NC20/NW20 skin tone. Does anyone have a suggestion or a dupe color to this Rich Brown eyeliner?
Here are some – http://www.temptalia.com/brown-eyeliner-comparisons
MAC eyeliners used to be my favourites but I haven’t bought a new one in quite some time because of your reviews (and thank you for those)! I will be trying Tarina Tarantino next, I think (and continuing to use Urban Decay’s, which have never let me down!).
They should’ve just released Pearlglides. Those are my fave!
Totally agree!
Honestly, I’ve been getting better wear from my new Maybelline 24hr then my MAC, Urban Decay and Too Faced. (and it’s cheaper) 😉
MAC themselves are really “cheapening” the Pro Longwear line. For me, foundation, concealer and original line of eye shadows all rate really highly with me in terms of quality. But these latest products with the “Pro Longwear” name stuck on them are all so sub-par, based on Christine’s reviews (and I have great faith in her reviews!). When I heard that a new collection of Pro Longwear shadows was launching, I was so excited and then I read the reviews and saw the colours and that seemed to be the start of this line’s quality being diminished. Now they’ve stuck the name on a collection of pencil liners that don’t measure up either – not to the Pearlglides, not to most of the liners in the permanent line and not to the reputation that the Pro Longwear designation had for me.
Do you know the country of origin for these pencils? I’ve noticed that most of my favorite eye pencils say Made in Germany. For some reason I thought the pearlglide pencils were made in Germany.
Germany
“Or if I mimic crying…” Oh, the lengths you go for us! Haha!
Weird! I came to read your review because I bought one and thought you’d rave about it! I bought black ice yesterday and found it to be incredibly long-wearing! I searched it instore and there’s still a bit of it on the back of my hand today, some 30 odd hours later! I wore it out last night as well and there are still traces of it on the lash line. Guess there’s just no telling these things