Project Pan, For Real! + MAC Fluidline: Blacktrack

MAC Fluidline

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

I have completely disregarded Project Pan all year long, but I want to try for real this time. I'm finally at a point where I feel like there's nothing I can get that I don't already have. I also have a whole lot of products that have only ever been swatched and never yet worn! It's awful, I know.

My goal is to hit pan on 20 products. Here are the rules:

1. Hit pan (not necessarily use up) on 20 items before making any further beauty purchases.
2. Cosmetics and skincare count, but not bath and body products.
3. Exceptions may be made for limited edition or discontinued items.
4. Exceptions may be made to repurchase staple items (like skincare products) while still counting the item that was used up.

I will have several posts coming up reviewing products that I have already hit pan on/used up. These will not count toward my 20.

To start things off, I have included a photo of my nearly-finished MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack! This is a staple item in many people's collections, and for good reason. It is the best eyeliner I have ever used. It has the perfect consistency, somewhere between the creaminess of a pencil and the fluidity of a liquid liner. It glides on nicely, dries quickly, and is very long-lasting. It is also resistant to smudging after it dries. The opacity is good but requires some build-up. The color loses intensity as you blend it out, and I think also as it dries. I often end up going over the line with a pencil liner.

Fluidline does have its faults. It can be a bit fickle to work with. Sometimes it will smudge to places that I don't want it to go, and ruin what I've already done. I know that has a lot to do with my technique, but that goes to show that this is definitely not a foolproof product. I've been using this product for about two years now, and I still feel like my technique has yet to be perfected. It can get flaky if you go over the line repetitively. The consistency also changes as the product dries out, which it tends to do because the cap does not provide a perfect seal.

Despite these weaknesses, I still love Fluidline and will continue to use it. I like it better than pencil liners because those fade, smudge, and crease on my lids. I prefer it to liquid liners because I feel that it is more opaque and I like its creaminess. Finally, it avoids the fallout issues I have with mineral eyeliners, while again offering much better opacity and longevity. I've also used one up in Blitz & Glitz, which is a very dark brown with subtle golden shimmer. That one is great too!