Chromaline Gel - Hi-Def Cyan vs Tattoo Eyeliner: which is safer?
Chromaline Gel - Hi-Def Cyan is the clear pick. Maybelline Tattoo Eyeliner carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
MAC
Chromaline Gel - Hi-Def Cyan
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleHeavy metals in colorants (iron oxides, titanium dioxide, mica)
PossibleFormaldehyde releasers (preservative system)
Possible1,4-dioxane (contaminant in polyethylene glycol or emulsifiers)
Maybelline
Tattoo Eyeliner
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFragrance allergens and undisclosed ingredients
PossibleFormaldehyde releasers in preservative systems
Possible1,4-dioxane (contaminant in surfactants/emulsifiers)
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Heavy metals in colorants (iron oxides, titanium dioxide, mica), Formaldehyde releasers (preservative system), 1,4-dioxane (contaminant in polyethylene glycol or emulsifiers) and Eye irritation from film formers or fragrance compounds on the MAC and not on the Maybelline.
- We flag Fragrance allergens and undisclosed ingredients, Formaldehyde releasers in preservative systems, 1,4-dioxane (contaminant in surfactants/emulsifiers) and Polymer film coating degradation and particle shedding on the Maybelline and not on the MAC.
- The MAC is gel pigment formulation (primary ingredients not publicly disclosed for proprietary reasons) where the Maybelline is polymer film coating + pigments (waterproof eyeliner formula), which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the MAC is the one to buy.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More eyeliner: see the full ranking