Maybelline is pulling out all the stops this month.

The drugstore beauty brand is releasing basically every product you can think of as part of their spring 2016 collection.  In addition, they are also coming out with new items to add to the Maybelline family as well, such as a makeup primer spray, eyeshadow primer, contour kit, and liquid matte lipsticks.

I received a full box of new Maybelline goodies before Christmas, and with all the items here, there was enough products to do a full face of makeup (well everything except for a concealer).  New to the lineup is new formulations on fan favourites, as well as popular products that are now making their way into the drugstore scene.

Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation is their first gel-whipped foundation. Dream Velvet whips a fresh gel into a velvet-soft texture. Complexion is perfected and smoothed with a soft-matte finish, while skin stays hydrated for 12 hours. Available in 12 shades.

Maybelline also released a Dream Blender, which is a sponge similar to the Beauty Blender. Unfortunately I didn’t receive that guy to try out with the foundation, but this product does blend quite nicely.  Definitely a daytime foundation.

Master Contour Palette by FaceStudio includes a blush, bronzer, and highlight. I believe this is Maybelline’s first contouring kit, which adds structure to your cheekbones with a matte bronzer, a blush to add some colour to the cheeks, and a highlight to add value to pronounced points on the face. This kit (available in two shades) retails for SRP C$15.99.

Master Fix by FaceStudio Wear-Boosting Setting Spray is a weightless translucent formula that locks in makeup with an invisible layer that guarantees no melt-down or colour fade, with no retouching. This is the second drugstore makeup setting spray that I know of and I’m so glad that brands are finally coming out with their own affordable versions. This retails for SRP C$15.99.

The Rock Nudes palette is the newest palette in their nude eyeshadow collection. This one delivers the same versatile range of shades perfected by the original and Blushed Nudes favourites, with 12 new hues from matte to glitters. Retails for SRP C$17.99.

Brow Drama Pomade Crayon is a unique product that delivers a creamy, waterproof formula in a portable, easy-to-use chubby stick. This innovative crayon shapes, fills, and fixes all at once. Available in three shades for C$11.99.

Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara has a fanned reservoir brush that captures every lash and fans them to extremity. The conditioning formula has a blend of saffron, rose hip, and argan oil to offer unexpected care to your smokey eye. Retails for an SRP of C$10.99.

Master Precise Skinny 1.8 MM Gel Liner Pencil is the first precise-tip liner pencil featuring a long-wear gel formula. The automatic tip provides an intense glide and smooth colour payoff with waterproof wear. Available in three shades, Defining Black, Sharp Brown, and Refined Charcoal for SRP C$11.99 each.

Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Pencil in Nude is the sixth shade in the range, promising the same easy glide and long wear as its sisters. This shade is a must, as it’s perfect for the waterline, opening up the eye area. Retails for SRP C$11.99.

EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24HR Concentrated Crayon is a fan favourite in a new formulation! This chubby stick is portable and practical, but packs a punch of colour with tattoo-like tenacity. Available in 10 shades with double-coated pigments in every swipe to provide an intense result with a smooth cream base for application. SRP of C$8.99.

Master Prime 24Hour Shadow Maximizing Base contains a colour-grip formula to hold pigments in place, making any shadow a 24-hour formula. Retails for SRP C$10.99 and is the first eyeshadow primer that I know of that brand has released.

Vivid Matte Liquid Lipsticks is a line of 10 liquid lipsticks that dry matte.  You may have seen these already all over Instagram; they pack a punch of colour and stay on for hours. They also aren’t as dry as other liquid lipsticks on the market.

As you can see, there is no shortage of new products in the Maybelline spring 2016 line. In fact, there’s enough products to create a whole face. I couldn’t wait to dive in and start playing so I put a number of these to the test. Keep reading..

1. Starting with foundation, I applied the Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation in Porcelain Ivory with a foundation brush, making sure to buff it into my skin.

2. Next, with the Colour Tattoo 24Hour Concentrated Crayon in Creamy Chocolate, apply that all over the lid area, and then with your fingers, blend it out.

3. Technically I did this step before, but I forgot to take a photo (I pulled a different photo). To fill in the brows I used Brow Drama Crayon Pomade in Light Brown.

4. With the Rock Nudes palette, I grabbed the sparkly greyish gold colour on the bottom row with a flat shader brush and applied it on the lid area,

5. With a fluffy crease brush, I grabbed the matte dark grey colour right above it and blended it in the crease to smoke it out.

6. With the matte white, I applied this to my brow bone.

7. For liner, I used the Master Precise Skinny Liner in brown to my upper lash line.

8. Curl your lashes and then apply a couple coats of Lash Sensational Luscious Full Fan Effect mascara. Then, grab that dark matte grey colour and apply it to the lower lash line. Using the Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Liner in Soft Nude, apply this to your waterline and then apply mascara to your lower lashes.

9. Next I applied my concealer, which isn’t new, but I kept it in the family with the Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Concealer. To finish up the face, I used the Master Contour Kit in Light to Medium to contour, add blush and highlight.

10. For the lips I kept it light and nude with the Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick in Nude Flush.

11. To complete the look, I sprayed the Master Fix by Face Studio Wear-Boosting Setting Spray.

With so many new releases, I think that Maybelline was very ambitious this season.  There are a few products I love and a few I just don’t get.  The brow pomade being one of them.  The product is nice and creamy, but the crayon is so thick. When I do my brows, I like using something that is thin and precise, basically the opposite of a crayon.  Plus, the crayon is only good when it’s sharp, and since it’s a twist up, it will get dull quite fast. I think you would be better off using it with an angled liner that you swipe on the product, as opposed to just applying it directly from the stick.

Another product I would skip is the MasterPrecise Skinny Liner. When I first opened this product and twisted it up, the end actually ended up breaking off. This does give you amazing colour payoff and is smooth, but it’s just so small, this would be the ideal size for a brow pencil, not so much as a liner.

Other than those two, I was impressed with a number of products. I have always been a huge fan of their Color Tattoos, so when I saw the crayon formulas, I got very excited, as I found the pots to dry out quite fast, plus I hate getting product on my fingers. These you can just apply directly onto the eyes, no brush is needed.

I also really enjoyed the new Master Prime 24Hour Shadow Maximizing Base, which I didn’t use in this post, but I have used it for days when I’m just applying my makeup. This is coloured in the tube, but applies as a sheer neutral colour, perfect for any shade.  I can’t think of too many drugstore eyeshadow primers, so this one is a must.

As for products that are part of existing collections, the foundation is alright. It’s definitely more of a daytime foundation as it has a medium-to-light coverage. It felt nice on the face and although it looks quite light in the photos, that colour did suit my skin nicely in real life.  The new Lash Sensational mascara is another hit. I’ve always liked this line in general and this new one really does give you long, luscious lashes.

As for the other new products, like the contour kits and the makeup setting spray, I think these are both great products for the drugstore. I’m not picky about setting sprays in general, but at this price point, you really can’t go wrong.  The contour kit was nice to use, I feel like the bronzer could be a bit more pigmented, as well, I would have liked a banana powder thrown in to add light to the face (in addition to the highlight).

There are a number of products in here that I definitely think are worth picking up.  As I mentioned earlier, the Vivid Matte Liquid Lipsticks have been all over social media, and with good reason. These give you incredible colour in one swipe, and they really do last a long time.  Also, they are quite comfortable on the lips and not as drying as other brands.

If you need new makeup for spring, now is the time to hit the drugstore cause Maybelline has you covered.

Will you be picking up any new Maybelline products?

Please note, products provided by PR. All opinions are my own.

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