MAC Fluidlines – The thin line between crisp and too soft

Being fair, blonde and light in eye color, I sometimes feel like my face lacks definition. Blonde lashes and grey-green eyes blend in with my face until all I see is a blur.

It did get better when I realized I needed glasses six years ago, but the ultimate solution is wearing liner.

So I wear liner every single day.

MAC Fluidline
MAC Fluidlines

 

And while the crisp line the liquid ones give me is my all time favorite, there are days when I want a softer look. Pencils or smudged eyeshadow are too soft already, I needed something in between.

This is where the MAC Fluidlines come in.

 

What MAC claims:

Ultra smooth, Fluidlines gel formula provides the precision of a liquid liner with a softer, silkier finish. Goes on foolproof with a brush in an easy dip-and-stroke action. Long wearing, smudge proof.

 

Facts:

One pot contains 3 g of product and is available in stores and online for 21€ (shop here) or 16,50 $ (shop here).

Many colors are available in the permanent line, the exact amount depending on the country you live in. The websites list 12 permanent for Germany and 15 for the US, with a variety of shades added on top through the different Limited Editions.

I own three colors, one being available permanently: Macroviolet, a deep smoked purple. The website claims it contains red pearl but I fail to notice that in pan as well as after application (shop here).

MAC Fluidline in "Macroviolet"
MAC Fluidline in “Macroviolet”

 

The two limited edition shades I own are Avenue, a dark brown with golden shimmer, and Midnight Blues, a deep blue with a hint of teal.

MAC Fluidline in "Avenue"
MAC Fluidline in “Avenue”

 

MAC Fluidline in "Midnight Blues"
MAC Fluidline in “Midnight Blues”

 

All of them are more than three years old without any signs of drying or going off. I make sure to close the lid very tight after using them, but don’t take any other precaution (like storing them upside down etc.)

As you can see in the pictures, the line they draw is precise, but appears a little smoked out at the edges, not as crisp as a liquid liner would. They set very quickly and are smudge proof after that, so if you want to use them as a liquid eyeshadow (entirely possible), you have to work fast to get a good blend.

Left to right: Midnight Blues, Avenue, Macroviolet
Left to right: Midnight Blues, Avenue, Macroviolet

 

The colors are opaque in one swipe, stay vibrant all day long and come off with your regular eye makeup remover. I haven’t tried wearing them on my waterline, as all of them contain some kind of shimmer that I don’t want to get in there, but they do survive crying.

 

Does it live up to its claims?

Yes.

It is precise, it is softer than a liquid liner, it is smudge proof and long wearing. And of course applying it is a dip-and-stroke action. How on earth would you apply gel liner otherwise?

The fool proof claim? Well, if I am completely honest, liner application is never fool proof as far as I am concerned, but I give them that they are easy to work with.

 

Will I rebuy?

Yes.

If I do run out or if another color sparks my interest, I would buy another one for my collection.

 

Who do I recommend it to?

If liquid liner looks too harsh, try the MAC Fluidlines.

If pencil liner looks too soft, try the MAC Fluidlines.

If you are curious, try the MAC Fluidlines. They will not disappoint.

 

Do you feel like your face is a blur some days?

And what is your preferred way of wearing liner?

 

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This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are honest and my own.
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