MAC Glamour Daze: Lipglasses

Last Thursday, MAC released a new collection called Glamour Daze, which is this year's holiday colour collection. This launch features a total of 35 products — 24 of which are new and limited edition, nine of which are re-promotes, and two of which are permanent. Glamour Daze sees the release of five shades of Lipglass, three of which are new and limited edition, and two of which are re-promotes. These are packaged in limited edition clear tubes with the MAC logo in white, and come in glossy black cardstock boxes. They are vanilla-scented but taste-free, and come with doe-foot applicators. Each Lipglass comes with 4.8 grams of product, and retails for $20. These are not applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program due to the limited edition packaging.

Pink Fade, Talk Softly to Me, Impossibly Sweet, Deliciously Demure, Flight of Fancy

Pink Fade is a pale cool-toned pink with grey undertones in a cream finish. It is a re-promoted shade from last year's Fall Colour collection, and is limited edition. The texture is creamy, but it goes on a bit unevenly and the milkiness of the shade tends to emphasize lip lines. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is much cooler than Underage, and lighter than Infinitely Likeable Pro Longwear Lipglass.

Talk Softly to Me is a medium warm peachy pink in a cream finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more peach than Partial to Pink Cremesheen Glass, and more pink than Imperial Light Cremesheen Glass.

Impossibly Sweet is a clear base with multi-coloured sparkly micro-glitter. It is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has low pigmentation and sheer colour pay-off. It has a less milky base and more multi-dimensional sparkles than Sugarrimmed Dazzleglass, and much more obvious sparkle than Paper Lantern Cremesheen Glass.

Deliciously Demure is a medium rosy brown with multi-coloured micro-shimmer. It is a new and limited edition shade. The texture creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly cooler and has more multi-dimensional shimmer than Beaux Lustreglass, and less pink than Viva Glam VI.

Flight of Fancy is a dark purple with brown undertones and silver and purple shimmer. It is a re-promoted shade from 2005's Naturally Eccentric collection, and is limited edition. The texture is creamy, but it goes on fairly streaky and unevenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more purple than Decorative Lustreglass, and less red than Desire.

Okay, I know that Impossibly Sweet seems like one of those shades that is super-boring, 'cause like, really, another clear gloss? But the shimmer in it is so multi-dimensional, it just has a stunning reflective effect that is even more impressive in person. I'm not usually one for clear, sparkly glosses, but this one looks beautiful layered on top of a lipstick, giving any shade more dimension and that juicy, wet look. Deliciously Demure is a lovely my-lips-but-better shade and should suit many skintones. Talk Softly to Me isn't a very unique shade, but it is one of those fail-safe colours for fair to medium-dark skintones (if you were getting a gift for someone, for example, this would be an ideal shade if you didn't know what to get). It also works wonderfully to warm up a nude lipstick. Flight of Fancy is a nice vampy shade for fall, but the formula leaves something to be desired and will look patchy if worn alone. Pink Fade will appeal to those who like pale, milky colours, but it does emphasize lip lines, so I do recommend wearing it on top of lipstick or lip pencil. The Lipglass formula is on the stickier side, but they are longer wearing as a result — I would say about four hours before fading.

MAC Glamour Daze: Lipsticks

Last Thursday, MAC released a new collection called Glamour Daze, which is this year's holiday colour collection. This launch features a total of 35 products — 24 of which are new and limited edition, nine of which are re-promotes, and two of which are permanent. Glamour Daze sees the release of five new and limited edition shades of lipstick. They are packaged in limited edition glossy black tubes with the MAC logo in white, and come in matching cardstock boxes. Each lipstick comes with 3 grams of product, and retails for $20. These are not applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program due to the limited edition packaging.

Beauty, Outrageously Fun, Innocence, Glamourdaze, and Dramatic Encounter

Beauty is a pale cool-toned pink with grey undertones in a Glaze finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and less lilac than Pervette, and more pink than Pretty Please. 

Outrageously Fun is a medium blue-toned magenta pink in a Cremesheen finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more cool-toned than Love Forever! Pro Longwear Lipcreme. 

Innocence is a light-medium pinked coral with a golden peach sheen in a Frost finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is more coral than Sandy B, and lighter and more peach than Ramblin' Rose. 

Glamourdaze is a medium-dark softened rose-plum with brown undertones in a Cremesheen finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more brown than Party Line, and darker and less pink than Capricious. 

Dramatic Encounter is a dark purple with brown undertones in an Amplified Creme finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and less red than Hang Up, and more brown than Cyber. 

There is a variety of shades and textures in this collection, so it is sure to please a wider range of people (unlike the Marilyn Monroe collection, for example, which was for the red lip lover). Outrageously Fun is by far my favourite shade of the collection, not only because I love bright lips, but also because it seems to be the most unique of the five (and, can I just say, it is so aptly named?). Glamourdaze will sell really well because it suits so many skintones and works well all year round (perfect for those who want something office-friendly but will still give some colour and perk up the face). Dramatic Encounter is a beautiful shade for those with darker skintones, and those who have medium skintones who want a deep, bold lip (those with fair skin may veer into gothic territory, though). I'm not a huge fan of Beauty, which seems to accentuate every line and dry flake on the lip — and let's be honest, it isn't the most flattering shade except for on fair to light skintones. And Innocence seems to be a much more summery shade to me, but is a beautiful option for those who like frosted lipsticks. With matte lipstick being all the rage right now, it's a refreshing change to see some creamier, more shiny lipsticks released for holiday.

MAC Glamour Daze: Fluidlines

Last Thursday, MAC released a new collection called Glamour Daze, which is this year's holiday colour collection. This launch features a total of 35 products — 24 of which are new and limited edition, nine of which are re-promotes, and two of which are permanent. Glamour Daze sees the release of three new and limited edition shades of Fluidline (one of which will not be reviewed here). Fluidline is a cream-gel eye liner formula that "provides the precision of a liquid liner with a silkier, softer finish." They are long-wearing and smudge-proof. Each Fluidline comes in a clear glass pot with a black lid and the MAC logo in white, and comes in a glossy black cardstock box. Each Fluidline comes with 3 grams of product, and retails for $20.

Feminine Edge and Little Black Bow

Feminine Edge is a light-medium sparkly cool-toned pink with a metallic finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft but gritty texture, and goes on fairly patchy as a result. It has low-medium pigmentation and semi-sheer colour pay-off. It can be layered easily before setting. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent range. 

Little Black Bow is a darkened sparkly gunmetal grey with a metallic finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered easily before setting. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent range.

First and foremost, I need to point out that as a Fluidline (that is, a gel eyeliner), it doesn't apply nearly as pigmented or as solid as many of MAC's other Fluidline shades. Granted, if you've ever used Fluidline, they go on semi-opaque to begin with, but these seem to go on even more sheer and uneven due to the sparkly finish. To me, these seem much more useful as a cream eyeshadow or eyeshadow base, like a Paint Pot. I'm surprised that MAC decided to release these shades as Fluidlines instead of Paint Pots, actually, because they make beautiful washes of colour all over the lid and work wonderfully as eyeshadow bases. If you think about these as more of a non-creasing, non-smudging, long-wearing Paint Pot, they seem much more useful. If you were looking for a sheerer, sparkly eyeliner, you might use these for their intended purpose, but otherwise, I would look into something else.

MAC Glamour Daze: Kohl Power Eye Pencils

Last Thursday, MAC released a new collection called Glamour Daze, which is this year's holiday colour collection. This launch features a total of 35 products — 24 of which are new and limited edition, nine of which are re-promotes, and two of which are permanent. Glamour Daze sees the release of four shades of Kohl Power Eye Pencil, one of which is permanent (and will not be reviewed here) and three of which are re-promotes. Kohl Power Eye Pencils have "all the intensity and colour power of ultra-soft carbon" and are "specially formulated to provide deep, fully opaque coverage... and an intense smoked finish with duochrome pearl." They are non-waterproof and safe for use in the waterline. Each pencil has limited edition glossy black packaging, and comes in a matching cardstock box. Each Kohl Power Eye Pencil comes with 1.45 grams of product, and retails for $20.

Mystery, Orpheus, and Raven

Mystery, Orpheus, and Raven

Mystery has a softened black base with darkened teal pearl. It is a re-promoted shade from 2007's Blue Storm collection, and is limited edition. It has a medium-creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and smudged out easily before setting. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent range; Undercurrent Pearlglide Eye Liner is much brighter and more green.

Orpheus has a softened black base with darkened antique gold pearl. It is a re-promoted shade from 2007's Smoke Signals collection, and is limited edition. It has a medium-creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and smudged out easily before setting. It is less black than Black Line Pearlglide Eye Liner, and less olive than Uniform Technakohl Liner. 

Raven has a dark brown base with darkened burgundy pearl. It is a re-promoted shade from 2007's Smoke Signals collection, and is limited edition. It has a medium-creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and smudged out easily before setting. It is more red than Photogravure Technakohl Liner, and less purple than Prunella Eye Kohl.

These seem to be less creamy and less pigmented than the Kohl Power pencils that were released in previous years, which felt more like MAC's Pearlglide pencils or the Feline Kohl Power Eye Pencil, which is permanent (and also released with this collection). These ones still glide on smoothly, but they feel more like the regular Kohl liners from MAC. However, these shades are gorgeous, and make great liners and lovely bases for smoky eyes. If you missed your chance to grab these before, make sure you get them now because we don't know when they'll be released again!

MAC Glamour Daze: Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in A Natural Flirt, Ready to Party, Stylishly Merry, Round Midnight, Divine Blue, Evening Grey, Tall, Dark & Handsome, and Stolen Moment

Last Thursday, MAC released a new collection called Glamour Daze, which is this year's holiday colour collection. This launch features a total of 35 products — 24 of which are new and limited edition, nine of which are re-promotes, and two of which are permanent. Glamour Daze sees the release of eight new and limited edition shades of Extra Dimension Eyeshadow, which has a "liquid-powder hybrid formula with prismatic reflections" that creates a "luminous, visually arresting, well-defined finish." Each Extra Dimension Eyeshadow features a wave design embossed on the surface with the MAC logo imprinted around it. They are packaged in limited edition glossy black pots with clear lids and the MAC logo in white, and come in matching cardstock boxes. Each Extra Dimension Eyeshadow comes with 1.3 grams of product, and retails for $22.50.

Clockwise from left: A Natural Flirt, Ready to Party, Stylishly Merry, and Round Midnight

A Natural Flirt, Ready to Party, Stylishly Merry, and Round Midnight

A Natural Flirt is a light peach-toned cream with golden shimmer-sheen. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, lightweight texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. When used wet, the colour becomes more intense with a stronger metallic finish. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach than Dazzlelight, and less pink than Phloof!. 

Ready to Party is a pale lilac pink with a brightened metallic finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, lightweight texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. When used wet, the colour becomes more intense with a stronger metallic finish. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more whitened than Pink Freeze, and more pinked than Crystal Avalanche. 

Stylishly Merry is a medium cool-toned fuchsia pink with silvered shimmer-sheen. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, lightweight texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. When used wet, the colour becomes more intense with a stronger metallic finish. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more pink than Stars N' Rockets. 

Round Midnight is a dark plum-brown with a frosted finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, lightweight texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. When used wet, the colour becomes more intense with a stronger metallic finish. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is less red than Sketch, and darker and more frosted than Blackberry.

Clockwise from left: Divine Blue, Evening Grey, Tall, Dark & Handsome, and Stolen Moment

Divine Blue, Evening Grey, Tall, Dark & Handsome, and Stolen Moment

Divine Blue is a light-medium aqua blue with a frosted finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, lightweight texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. When used wet, the colour becomes more intense with a stronger metallic finish. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more blue than Aquadisiac, and more aqua than Styledriven Pro Longwear Eyeshadow. 

Evening Grey is a medium silvered grey with a frosted finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, lightweight texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. When used wet, the colour becomes more intense with a stronger metallic finish. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly darker than Electra. 

Tall, Dark & Handsome is a softened black with gunmetal shimmer-sheen. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, lightweight texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. When used wet, the colour becomes more intense with a stronger metallic finish. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is much more pigmented than Black Tied. 

Stolen Moment is a medium-dark warm plum-taupe with a silvered shimmer-sheen. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky, lightweight texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. When used wet, the colour becomes more intense with a stronger metallic finish. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly lighter than Satin Taupe.

Love, love, love Extra Dimension Eyeshadows! I'm so glad MAC decided to release them again, because the formula is absolutely gorgeous. It somehow has that really smooth, ultra-pigmented look of a Veluxe Pearl eyeshadow while being super-lightweight like a Mineralize eyeshadow. And you can use these both wet and dry, so you can play around with the intensity and colour pay-off. The only thing I'm not too pleased about is the fact that these guys are quite a bit smaller than the original ones that came out (1.3 grams vs. 2 grams), but they are not that much cheaper ($22.50 vs. $24). However, if you're like me, and you calculate things as cost per use, it'll be about the same (I rarely ever hit pan on an eyeshadow). If you missed out on the Extra Dimension Eyeshadows in April, be sure to check these out now!

MAC Glamour Daze: Powder Blushes

Last Thursday, MAC released a new collection called Glamour Daze, which is this year's holiday colour collection. This launch features a total of 35 products — 24 of which are new and limited edition, nine of which are re-promotes, and two of which are permanent. Glamour Daze sees the release of three new and limited edition shades of Powder Blush. They are packaged in limited edition glossy black compacts with clear lids and the MAC logo in white, and come in matching cardstock boxes. Each Powder Blush comes with 6 grams of product, and retails for $26.50.

Clockwise from right: Easy Manner, I'm the One, and Small Vanity

Easy Manner, I'm the One, and Small Vanity

Easy Manner is a medium peachy pink with coral undertones and a subtle sheen in a Satin finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is much more pink than Melba, and similar to Peachykeen but without the shimmer. 

I'm the One is a medium cool-toned bubblegum pink in a Satin finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. There is nothing really similar to this in MAC's permanent range; it is darker and much brighter than Pink Swoon. 

Small Vanity is a medium-dark dusty rose tan with a subtle sheen in a Satin finish. It is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more brown than Mocha, and more pink than Coppertone.

All three blushes applied beautifully — smoothly and evenly, with good pigmentation. Easy Manner does turn darker on the skin, so don't be fooled by the lightness of the shade in the pan. That having been said, Easy Manner and I'm the One will be more suited to fair to medium-dark skintones; those with darker skintones may find these two shades on the ashy side. Small Vanity is more suited to medium to dark skintones; those with fair skintones may find it looking ruddy on the skin. Those who missed out on Peony Petal from Très Cheek in April will want to check out I'm the One, as they are almost identical. All three are nice to have, but we have seen shades like these released by MAC before (and recently!), so be sure to check your stash to see if you already have dupes.

OPI Skyfall Nail Lacquer in Live and Let Die

I've pretty much been obsessed with OPI's new Skyfall collection the moment I saw the swatches online, which was about two weeks before it started rolling out in stores and online. If you've been living under a rock, Skyfall is the latest James Bond film that will be released on November 9 (in North America) and OPI has collaborated with the franchise to release 12 shades (plus three magnetic shades and one real 18-karat gold top coat). The 12 shades are each named after a James Bond film. I was over-the-top impressed by the first shade I tried from this collection, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, so I was super excited to try the other three shades I had picked up. The next one I tried? Live and Let Die.

Live and Let Die (natural lighting)

Live and Let Die (under flash)

Live and Let Die is a blackened forest green with ultra-fine olive, antique gold, and bronze glitter. It is named after the 1973 film of the same name. In natural lighting, it looks more like a true forest green, and in indoor lighting, it takes on a more peacock blue undertone. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation, and will go opaque in one medium-thick coat (a one-coater!). It is comparable to A-England's Tess D'Urbervilles, which has more of a blackened base and emerald green glitter. The glitter in this formula is actually quite subtle — it will "glow" more so in brighter lighting, and look more like a cream polish in dim lighting, so it is potentially office-friendly, too (assuming your office allows dark nail polish). It reminds me of fireflies dancing in the woods at night.

Sunday Video Love: Ride

When I first heard this song a couple weeks ago, I didn't instantly fall in love with it the way I did with her other songs. But the more I listened to it, the more it grew on me, and now I'm obsessed with it and can't wait until her new album comes out. Whether you like Lana Del Rey or this song, though, this video is beautifully directed with amazing visuals and a poignant narrative. 

Julep Maven Box: October 2012

For October, Julep released some new fall- and Halloween-inspired shades. I typically get the "It Girl" style Julep Maven Box, but thought the shades included in that box were hideous, so opted for the "Bombshell" style this month. It included a bottle of their new Quick Dry Polish Drops and two nail polish shades. And, of course, I opted to add two more nail polish shades for $4.99 each because I'm a polish fiend like that. The shades that were included in my box this month were:

Ursula, Keira, Eloise, and Lisa

Ursula, Keira, Eloise, and Lisa

Ursula is a carbon black in a matte cream finish with a crackle texture. It has a fluid consistency, though it is on the thinner side. It dries very, very fast, so efficient application is necessary. The splintering effect is on the more subtle side; that is, it doesn't create many "cracks," so any shade that is applied underneath it will not show through very well. It is similar to many black crackle shades out there: China Glaze's Black Mesh, OPI's Black Shatter, Sally Hansen's Ink Splatter, Color Club's Smash Hit, etc. 

Keira is a deepened wine red in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in two medium coats. It is lighter and more red than Chanel's Rouge Noir, deeper and less brown than OPI's Skyfall, and darker than Essie's Bordeaux. 

Eloise is a deepened smoky peacock blue in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in one medium-thick coat. It is lighter than Julep's Michelle and Chanel's Blue Satin, less purple-toned than OPI's Road House Blues, and smokier than China Glaze's First Mate. 

Lisa is a medium warm pebble grey in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency, but is on the thicker side. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in one medium-thick coat. It is more grey than Essie's Chinchilly, lighter and less brown than Butter London's Fash Pack and OPI's You Don't Know Jacques, and darker and more grey than MAC's Quiet Time.

Overall, the three cream shades are beautiful and classic, but really kind of boring — these are all colours we have seen time and time again. Nothing new here, though they are shades that virtually everyone can wear and should own an iteration of. I love these shades as a base for glitter polishes, and these ones have good formulas across the board. And you know I've never been into crackle nail polishes to begin with, so I was not impressed whatsoever with the inclusion of Ursula in my box. I thought the whole crackle/shatter trend was over, but I guess not. I guess I can see the appeal of such an effect for Halloween, but it really should be put to rest. For good. The drying drops are also nice, but I didn't find it to work any better than other drops I've tried. I don't tend to even use them regularly since I opt for a fast-drying top coat like Seche Vite instead, but it's a good value in the box. There are, however, drops that are just as good that are cheaper (Nicole by OPI, for example). This month's Julep Maven Box was decent, but the selection didn't impress me.

Friday Five: Exertion

This week's Friday Five:

1. What was the cause of your last working up a sweat? I was at the Ellie Goulding concert at The Sound Academy a couple weeks ago. Definitely worked up a sweat there!
2. What routine part of your life seems to take more mental effort for you than for most others? Blogging, maybe? A lot of mental effort goes into doing reviews, for example. My brain is seriously a catalogue of tens of thousands of different products...
3. What's something many others consider labourious but you consider rather easy? Make-up; applying it on myself and applying it on others. Then again, it's my profession, so it's not really fair... 
4. What's something you're going to have to do really soon but have been putting off just because it's going to be a lot of work? Laundry, I guess. I mean, it's not a lot of work, it's just tedious. And I've been letting it pile up, so I've got about three loads to do. And I haven't even folded the last load I did. It's literally sitting in my laundry basket, waiting to be folded. 
5. Where's the steepest hill in your neighbourhood? You know, now that I think about it, I don't there are actually any steep hills in my area. Like, at all. 

MAC Fabulousness: Smoky Eyes Palette

Today, MAC is launching the first part of their holiday sets collection called Fabulousness. There is a total of 19 product sets in this collection, all of which are new and limited edition, and in special edition packaging for holiday. Fabulousness sees the release of three eyeshadow palettes, each containing five shades and a mini 213SE brush. Each palette is housed in a boudoir-inspired, satin-tufted, mirrored compact with a black patent bow accent that surrounds the compact. They all come in matching secondary card stock packaging, and each of the three palettes come in different packaging colours. The 5 Smoky Eyes compact comes in pale pink packaging. Each palette contains a total of 4 grams of product, and retails for $47.50.

Taupeless, Satin Taupe, Love Spice, Spellcaster, and Black Slip

Taupeless, Satin Taupe, Love Spice, Spellcaster, and Black Slip

Taupeless is a pale cool-toned pink with lavender undertones in a Lustre finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2005's Lingerie collection. It has a slightly gritty texture so there is some fall-out, but goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is less white than Pink Freeze, and lighter and more frosted than Seedy Pearl.

Satin Taupe is a medium warm taupe with silver-taupe shimmer-sheen in a Frost finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler and less brown than Sable, and much cooler and more grey than Mulch.

Love Spice is a medium cool-toned rose pink with a silvered pink shimmer-sheen in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and cooler than Shale, and darker and dustier than Swish.

Spellcaster is a dark cool purple in a Matte finish. This is a re-promoted shade from last year's MAC Me Over collection. It has a drier, stiffer texture, and can go on patchy and unevenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. Due to the texture, it can be difficult to blend out, though it is easier to layer on the eye than in a swatch. It is darker and cooler than Fig. 1, and less black and more purple than Shadowy Lady.

Black Slip is a blackened plum with pearlized pigments in a Veluxe Pearl finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is like the smooth, pigmented, and frosted version of Shadowy Lady.

Overall, this is a great palette for those who like cooler pink and purple shades, and there is enough variety to create lighter, more natural looks to heavier, more dramatic looks. The eyeshadow textures were fairly good across the board, with the exception of Spellcaster, which is hard to blend out because of it's drier texture. I was testing it out today, and I find that it's much easier to reach opaque colour pay-off using a stiffer, denser brush rather than a fluffy blending brush with Spellcaster. On that note, of the three palettes, this one has the least permanent shades included, so if you like the palette as a whole, it might be worth getting. This is great for someone who is maybe just starting to get into eyeshadow, or someone who is just getting into MAC products. Either way, the packaging is too adorable to resist.

MAC Fabulousness: Neutral Eyes Palette

Today, MAC is launching the first part of their holiday sets collection called Fabulousness. There is a total of 19 product sets in this collection, all of which are new and limited edition, and in special edition packaging for holiday. Fabulousness sees the release of three eyeshadow palettes, each containing five shades and a mini 213SE brush. Each palette is housed in a boudoir-inspired, satin-tufted, mirrored compact with a black patent bow accent that surrounds the compact. They all come in matching secondary card stock packaging, and each of the three palettes come in different packaging colours. The 5 Neutral Eyes compact comes in mint green packaging. Each palette contains a total of 4 grams of product, and retails for $47.50.

Blonde Mink, Magical Mist, Brun, Enviable, and Smut

Blonde Mink, Magical Mist, Brun, Enviable, and Smut

Blonde Mink is a pale cool-toned grey with silver shimmer-sheen in a Lustre finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a slightly gritty texture so there is some fall-out, but goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is softer than Filament, and much lighter than Idol Eyes.

Magical Mist is a medium taupe-brown with taupe shimmer-sheen in a Lustre finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2010's A Tartan Tale collection. It has a slightly gritty texture so there is some fall-out, but goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more grey than Era, and darker and cooler than Omega.

Brun is a dark cool-toned brown in a Satin finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a slightly drier texture, but it goes on smoothly and evenly. This shade performs much better on the eye than in a swatch. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is much cooler than Espresso, and less blackened than Mystery.

Enviable is a medium mint green with blue undertones in a Veluxe Pearl finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. There is nothing really similar to this in MAC's permanent range; the green shade in the Sweet & Sour Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo is much warmer.

Smut is a blackened cool-toned charcoal brown with subtle red shimmer in a Velvet finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. This shade performs much better on the eye than in a swatch. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more reddened than Mystery, and darker than Brun.

Overall, this is a great palette for those who like cool-toned neutral shades, and there is enough variety to create lighter, more natural looks to heavier, more dramatic looks. The eyeshadow textures were fairly good across the board; Blonde Mink has a sheerer pigmentation and Magical Mist is on the grittier side (Lustres are known for this), but neither of them are difficult to work with. This palette contains two permanent shades, so if you already own them, you may want to consider if the other three shades are worth getting an entire palette. This is great for someone who is maybe just starting to get into eyeshadow, or someone who is just getting into MAC products. But, seriously, the compact is the cutest thing, ever.

MAC Fabulousness: Warm Eyes Palette

Today, MAC is launching the first part of their holiday sets collection called Fabulousness. There is a total of 19 product sets in this collection, all of which are new and limited edition, and in special edition packaging for holiday. Fabulousness sees the release of three eyeshadow palettes, each containing five shades and a mini 213SE brush. Each palette is housed in a boudoir-inspired, satin-tufted, mirrored compact with a black patent bow accent that surrounds the compact. They all come in matching secondary card stock packaging, and each of the three palettes come in different packaging colours. The 5 Warm Eyes compact comes in peach packaging. Each palette contains a total of 4 grams of product, and retails for $47.50.

Glamour Light, Retrospeck, Honesty, Cognac, and Sketch

Glamour Light, Retrospeck, Honesty, Cognac, and Sketch

Glamour Light is a pale eggshell cream in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Vanilla, and less peach than Orb. 

Retrospeck is a light gilded gold with gold shimmer-sheen in a Lustre finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a slightly gritty texture so there is some fall-out, but goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and much more gold than Filament, and much less yellow than Ricepaper. 

Honesty is a medium pinked bronze with bronze shimmer-sheen in a Lustre finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a slightly drier texture, so it tends to go on somewhat patchy. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more bronze than All That Glitters, and less gold than Honey Lust. 

Cognac is a medium-dark gilded bronze in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Tempting, and more gold than Bronze. 

Sketch is a dark burgundy brown in a Velvet finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly less reddened than Deep Damson (PRO shade), and more burgundy than Embark.

Overall, this is a great palette for those who like warmer shades, and there is enough variety to create lighter, more natural looks to heavier, more dramatic looks. The eyeshadow textures were fairly good across the board; Honesty has a drier consistency and Retrospeck is on the grittier side (Lustres are known for this), but neither of them are difficult to work with. This palette contains three permanent shades, so if you already own them, I would skip this. This is great for someone who is maybe just starting to get into eyeshadow, or someone who is just getting into MAC products. But, seriously, the compact is the cutest thing, ever.

I ♥ Fall Tag

There's a new meme that's been making its way around on various YouTube beauty channels aptly named the "I ♥ Fall Tag." I don't do beauty videos, but I decided to do the tag, anyway, 'cause it seemed fun. So, here we go:

1. Favourite fall lip colour? 


Okay, this was really, really hard, because as someone who has over 400 lipsticks, it's difficult to pick just one favourite. But, ultimately, I have to pick Viva Glam I. I wear this all year round, but I definitely bust this out the most in the fall and winter. It's the most classic matte crimson red, and it is absolutely beautiful. And it's definitely one of the most universally flattering reds I've ever come across. It's not too bright, it's not too dark, and it's not too warm or cool. It's elegant and timeless, and the best part is every cent of every Viva Glam sale goes to the MAC AIDS Fund. I don't think I really ever appreciated the beauty of a red lipstick until Viva Glam I. Come to think of it, this might be my favourite lipstick of all time, not just for fall!

2. Favourite fall nail polish?

A-England's Saint George, OPI's On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Butter London's Wallis, Chanel's Graphite, and Deborah Lippmann's Across the Universe

This one was just too hard to narrow down to one, even harder than lip colour. Like, it would seriously be easier for me to pick a favourite child (you know, if I had one). So I cheated and picked five.

• A-England —Saint George: Dark green-teal with holographic shimmer
• OPI — On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Dark pewter grey with multi-coloured micro-glitter 
• Butter London — Wallis: Dark antiqued olive green with tarnished gold shimmer-sheen
• Chanel — Graphite: Medium-dark graphite grey with silver and tarnished gold micro-glitter
• Deborah Lippmann — Across the Universe: Dark navy blue jelly base with blue and green hexagonal and round glitter

3. Favourite Starbucks fall drink?

If we're talking about limited edition drinks from Starbucks, then probably the Salted Caramel Mocha, but I typically opt for the Cinnamon Dolce Latte this time of year (but it is available all year 'round). I don't go to Starbucks nearly as often as Second Cup, though, and I pretty much get their Pumpkin Spice Latte every single day (and their version is way better than Starbucks').

4. Favourite fall candle?

No, folks, it is not the Leaves candle (I'm not even sure why it's so popular, 'cause it smells too sickly sweet and is cloying to me... and really, it smells nothing like leaves). It is, however, also from Bath & Body Works, and it is the Lavender Vanilla candle. Guys, I don't even particularly like lavender or vanilla, but this candle? I'm obsessed. There's a hint of cedarwood and jasmine in there that keeps it from being too sweet. But it is warm and calming, and it's just amazing on a cold night. I love it so much, I bought four of them.

5. Favourite fall scarf or accessory?

My favourite scarf for fall is the Wilfred leopard-print sheer wool scarf from Aritzia, which I have in tan and grey. I don't really love one more than the other; I tend to switch between them depending on my make-up. I also love black leather ankle booties with a stacked heel for this time of year, and recently bought two new pairs.

6. Favourite Halloween movie?

The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I'm not sure if it's technically a Halloween movie, but it's always celebrated during Halloween!

7. Haunted house, haunted hay ride, or haunted corn maze?

I've never actually been into a haunted hay ride or haunted corn maze, so it's a haunted house by default. Of course, the only ones I've ever been to are the ones at Disney World (Orlando) and Disney Land (Los Angeles and Tokyo), and they're not the truly, ridiculously, horrifyingly scary ones. I am way too chicken for those.

8. Favourite candy to eat on Halloween?

Coffee Crisp, hands down. Seriously, those were worth a lot when it came to Halloween candy bartering back in the day. I'd have to trade two Reese's Cups for one of those. But Coffee Crisp is my favourite chocolate bar of all time, not just for Halloween.

9. What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

Honestly, I've never been huge into dressing up for Halloween past my trick-or-treating years. I might do more of a Halloween make-up than a full-on Halloween costume this year. I'm thinking Cleopatra right now, 'cause she had fierce make-up. Or maybe Marilyn Monroe, who had very classic and elegant make-up. But I also found my bottle of fake blood when I was cleaning out my kit from make-up school, and I kind of want to use it... I don't want to be a vampire, though, 'cause it's so over-done. Any ideas?

10. Favourite thing about fall?

What don't I love about fall? Perfect temperatures, insects dying (no more mosquito bites!), beautiful scenery, fall fashion and accessories (yay to layering!), gorgeous outerwear, rich jewel-toned make-up, Thanksgiving (which I am now a huge fan of), new seasons of television shows, my birthday... Fall is by far my favourite season.

I tag Liz, Mary, Janetta, Fieran, and anyone else reading this! If you do the tag, please leave the URL in the comments!

China Cottage

Jack took us to China Cottage for some Indian Chinese food this evening:

Chef's Special Shrimp

Manchurian Chicken

Okay, you see that shrimp up there? It is ridiculous. I could easily have eaten the entire plate by myself, but you know how considerate I am (and 'sharing is caring' and whatever). Perfectly plump shrimp, lightly battered and deep-fried until crispy and golden, and then tossed with lots of garlic, chili peppers, and green onions. So goddamn addictive. I would eat this any day over whatever shrimp dishes they offer at Red Lobster. The chicken was tender and juicy, coated in a garlicky brown sauce that was just spicy enough and perfect to mix in with fluffy white rice. I'm not sure what makes it Manchurian, but it is positively delightful. And the restaurant is surprisingly clean with modern decor — definitely one of the nicest Hakka restaurants I've been to. The service is fast and efficient, polite and informative. Next time I go there (and, trust me, there will be a next time), I'm going to bring like, four more people just so we can order more dishes. China Cottage will definitely be my go-to Hakka restaurant from now on.


China Cottage
80 Ellesmere Road, Unit 11
Scarborough, ON M1R 4C2
(416) 445-6721

OPI Skyfall Nail Lacquer in On Her Majesty's Secret Service

I've pretty much been obsessed with OPI's new Skyfall collection the moment I saw the swatches online, which was about two weeks before it started rolling out in stores and online. If you've been living under a rock, Skyfall is the latest James Bond film that will be released on November 9 (in North America) and OPI has collaborated with the franchise to release 12 shades (plus three magnetic shades and one real 18-karat gold top coat). The 12 shades are each named after a James Bond film. In a rare act of self control, I ended up buying only four of the eight shades I wanted.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (natural lighting)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (under flash)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a dark metallic blue-based pewter grey with multi-coloured ultra-fine glitter. It is named after the 1963 film of the same name. It's a really complex shade, giving off a subtle holographic effect in certain lighting, and flashing green to blue in certain angles and then gunmetal or pewter in others. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has medium-high pigmentation, and will go opaque in two medium coats, though a thin third coat will make it perfect. I cannot think of any dupes at this time. This is a shade that is really deceiving in the bottle, because it looks so much more majestic and multi-faceted when applied to the nails. This is a truly magnificent shade, and has become one of my favourite releases this fall, if not this year.