MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line ($21.00 for 0.06 oz.) contains a white and charcoal gray eyeshadow with a black eyeliner. The Studio Sculpt Shade & Line Eyeshadows can be used wet “for a defined look with super-saturated colour” or dry for “medium buildable coverage.” The eyeshadow shades were somewhat powdery when applied dry, and less so when used with a dampened brush, while the the color coverage noticeably improved with a damp application for the gray eyeshadow and eyeliner shades. The black eyeliner shade was barely-there when applied dry, and the texture was very stiff to work with, even when dampened. You really need to wet the brush to get any sort of blendability with this shade, but once it dries down, it doesn’t blend well. Worn, the colors seemed to wear well for eight hours.

Ebony Blend #1 is described as a “white frost.” It’s a neutral-to-warm-toned white with a frosted finish. It had semi-opaque color coverage applied dry or damp–I really didn’t feel like damp application improved intensity, just minimized the powderiness. It’s a more basic color, so there are plenty of similar shades out there: see comparison swatches / view dupes.

Ebony Blend #2 is described as a “carbon black.” It’s a medium-dark, neutral-to-warm-toned black with a satin finish. It was almost non-existent when applied dry, and with a fairly damp brush, it had semi-opaque pigmentation, but it was a struggle to work with due to a very stiff, dry consistency. I tried using it as an eyeliner as well as an eyeshadow, but performance was the same either way. It was only somewhat manageable once the brush was wet enough. Again, another shade we’ve seen often, so there are many alternative options to consider: see comparison swatches / view dupes.

Ebony Blend #3 is described as a “dirty blue-grey.” It’s a cool-toned, purpled gray taupe with a muted, coppery gold shimmer-sheen. It’s an interesting, complex shade with a lot going on, and what a bummer the whole trio isn’t fantastic. It was semi-sheer when applied dry, and then it was pretty full coverage when applied damp. The texture was a little powdery but blendable. Laura Mercier Twilight (LE, $24.00) is a cream product. MAC Graphic Style (LE, $15.00) is similar. MAC Smokeluxe #4 (P) is darker, grayer. Urban Decay Armor (LE, $18.00) is browner. MAC Dangerous Cuvee (P, $18.50) is lighter, cream product. Giorgio Armani #4 (P, $33.00) is darker, warmer. Chanel Illusoire (P, $36.00) is a cream product, darker. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line

MAC Ebony Blend Studio Sculpt Shade & Line