MAC Carbon Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches (Year of the Snake)
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow ($21.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as an “intense black.” It’s a medium black with a matte finish. NARS Night Clubbing has a soft micro-shimmer. Urban Decay Crave is similar in color. Carbon is part of the permanent range, as well as come out in various palettes over the years, so you may find you have it at least once in your collection already.
This is one of the better limited releases of Carbon I’ve come across, because it’s one of those shades that seems to get worse each time it’s put into a quad/palette. It’s not the best black eyeshadow on the market, but the color payoff was better and reminded me more of the original Carbon (which, by today’s standards for blackest blacks, doesn’t compare). It has a slightly stiff, almost dry texture that requires extra blending and use of soft, fluffy brushes to really diffuse and blend out the color. It wears fairly well on the lid; there was some very minor fading after nine hours (no primer). This color applies best over a primer, though, because it needs the extra oomph to help in color payoff and blendability.
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches (Year of the Snake)
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
$21 for an eyeshadow from the permanent range with a snake print that will fade after a few uses…If at least the products were new and LE I might have given it a go but it is definitely not worth it at all 🙁
Hi Christine, just curious…you mentioned in the post, that there are better black eyeshadows out there…I would love if you could recommend the blackest (pigmented) eyeshadow…been looking for a while…
Thanks..
I’ve heard that bulletproff from sugarpill is one of the best.
Wet n Wild black single…amazing. And only 1.99!
I compared several matte black eyeshadows a while back, and Makeup Geek Corrupt had the best pigmentation, but it has some almost-invisible sparkles. Wet n Wild Panther also did really well.
It wasn’t part of my comparison, but I’d also recommend the matte black Milani – the new one that’s round.
If you want to see my comparison, clicking my name will go straight to it (I linked to it in the website field). I really want to redo it though, I have a bunch more black eyeshadows now!
I second Milani.. that was the first that came to my mind. I tried many blacks, high end to mid range to drugstore and that is hands down my personal favorite.
Blackout from Urban Decay!
would you prefer carbon or blackout for lining your eyes? 🙂
As black eyeshadows go, Carbon is a disappointment. As MAC shadows go, Carbon is a disappointment. If I need something to darken a crease or a look or to make a smokey eye, Typographic is so much better to work with or I’ll turn to blacks from other companies if I need a true black (which is rare for me but still, there are way better black shadows than Carbon).
Considering that I’ve yet to finish a single MAC shadow of the regular size, I sort of resent having to pay extra to buy a larger shadow that I’ll never finish either. It’s just a waste to me.
I agree – I turn to Typographic far more than Carbon. As for black eyeshadows, my hands down fave at the moment is Urban Decay’s Blackout.
Urban decay blackout is great.
This is hands down, my favorite product for tight lining. So tempted to get the large size but I only tight line with it. this would last me 15 years.
This seems like a decent version of carbon. However, not worth the money, imo, as there are way better black eyeshadows out there.
MAC: Here’s a permanent shade, we put a cool little design on it and made a little bigger, $21 please. Oh, and this is LE so you should get some backups while you’re at it.
General public: ….
I can’t believe, with the amount of MAC makeup I own, that I don’t have Carbon! Not that I need it – I have plenty of better black shadows.
Carbon was the first black eyeshadow I ever bought and is it just me, or is it the most disappointing black ever? Now I’ve been collecting make-up for several years and I reach least for Carbon. Simply because it isn’t the blackest black I own and not the easiest shade to work with.
This looks like a good black. Not as good as some of the other ones I’ve been seeing lately (LMdB black from the Nouvelle Vague palette, I’m talkin to you!!) but it doesn’t look dry or patchy! And it looks really nice on your eyes! 🙂
The look you created with this is beautiful!
I actually find these softer blacks work better on my pale skin and hooded eyes, but I think I have enough in my collection to pass this up. Glad to see some of the quality returned, though. (Seriously, I don’t get it the poor quality of the palettes. If you can do it well in a single, what the heck are they doing to the formula that makes it so bad in the palettes?)
is this the same quality as the single carbon eyeshadow? or this is even better? I’m thinking of buying a matte eyeshadow for tight lining/lining my eyes. i’m stuck between carbon and urban decay’s blackout. Advice anyone? 🙂
Better than the Carbons I’ve come across in recent releases, but I haven’t bought a permanent one in forever. Blackout is way blacker, though.