Sunday Video Love: Breaking Bad

Played with meth lab equipment, of course.

Saturday Nine: California Nights (1967)

This week's Saturday Nine:

1. Lesley Gore premiered this song on an episode of Batman. She played Pussycat, the protégé of Catwoman. (That explains her outfit in the video.) How many of Batman's nemeses can you name? The Joker, Penguin, The Riddler, The Scarecrow, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Bane, Harley Quinn... And that's all I can think of.
   
   
2. At least five actors have played The Caped Crusader already (Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale) and Ben Affleck will play him in 2016's Batman vs. Superman. Who is your favourite Batman? Christian Bale, no contest. And I am not excited whatsoever about Ben Affleck playing Batman. Did they not learn from Daredevil?
   
   
3. Unlike most superheroes, Batman doesn't have any superpowers. This Saturday, you're more fortunate. We're bestowing any superpower on you that you want. Which would you like? It's a tie between flight or telekinesis.
   
   
4. Though she's singing of warm California nights, Lesley Gore was a New Yorker, born in Brooklyn and, in February of this year, dying in Manhattan. Which coast have you spent more time on, the West Coast or the East Coast? East.
   
   
5. Not many people know that while she was making records, Lesley was also a student at Sarah Lawrence and graduated with her BA in 1968. What's something we would be surprised to know about you? Without bending my knees, I can touch the floor with the palm of my hands.
   
   
6. In 1967, when this song was popular, the best selling new camera in the United States was the new Polaroid Swinger. Think about the most recent photo you took. Did you use a camera, a tablet, or a phone? My phone. What can I say, I have an Instagram addiction.
   
   
7. The big fashion trend of 1967 was bright tights, in shades like Hot Pink, Shock Orange and Grass Green. Tell us about something you wore when it was trendy but now you look back and think, "Oh, God, that was awful!"? Low-rise jeans. Can we say "muffin top"?
   
   
8. In 1967, drivers complained about "gas wars." The price  was unpredictable and would rise and fall, day by day, as much as 30¢ per gallon. How much does it cost you to fill up your tank today? If my tank is completely empty, then approximately $55 with the current prices (an average of about $1.10 to $1.15 per litre).
   
   
9. Random question: Are there dishes in your kitchen sink right now? No dishes, but I did drink some orange juice about ten minutes ago, so now there's a glass in there.

Blu Ristorante

After afternoon tea last week, Cynthia and I wandered around Bloor Street for a bit (during which I succumbed to a Laura Mercier highlighter at Sephora... but didn't buy a single thing at Holt Renfrew!), and then met up with her husband later on in the evening for dinner. We were deciding on where to go and Blu Ristorante consistently came up on my Google searches for "Best Restaurants in Yorkville," so we went to check it out. It wasn't too busy when we got there (around 7:00 on a Wednesday), so we got seated immediately but it got pretty filled within half an hour of getting there, so it seems like it's a pretty popular place to go. As we perused the menu, we noticed that they offer a five-course Tasting Menu for $65. We didn't even have to think twice about it.

Amuse-bouche: Prosciutto-wrapped roasted pepper with balsamic reduction
Ahi tuna tartar, leek fonduta pistachios, truffle aioli, sweet potato chips, and sesame vinaigrette
Truffled beef carpaccio, crispy capers, parmigiano, and crostini
Tomato braised lamb and ricotta meatball, spaghettini, and fried basil
Sage & prosciutto veal saltimbocca, smoked sweet potato gnocchi, asparagus, and marsala sauce
Spiced red wine poached pear, crème anglaise, and black sesame tuille
I'm not going to go into detail with each course, but I will say that this is by far the best deal I've ever had for a tasting menu. $65 for five courses is a serious steal for the quality and quantity you get at Blu. Each course was very different, but the flavours and textures in each dish worked so beautifully together that the three of us just couldn't find fault in any of them. The ahi tuna tartar was probably my favourite course of the evening (I'd go so far as to say it's sublime), though the truffled beef carpaccio runs a close second (the crispy capers are addictive and the pickled cauliflower salad compliments the saltiness of the meat perfectly). I even thoroughly enjoyed the dessert; I don't typically like cooked fruit, but the pear somehow maintained its crispness, and the cinnamon/nutmeg flavour mingles beautifully with the mellow sweetness of the cream. What's great about the tasting menu is that all the featured dishes are available on their regular menu, too, so if you don't want to get the full tasting menu, you can order any dish on its own.
The service is nice and polite, informative, and ultra-efficient. Dishes arrived and were cleared out at a relaxed but steady pace, and our server was attentive and made sure all our needs were met, but never hovered or interrupted conversation. The environment is spacious, though dimmed lighting, candlelit tables, and gauzy curtains separating each table makes it cozy and intimate. If you find yourself in Yorkville and craving some fantastic Italian food, definitely check out Blu Ristorante and indulge in the tasting menu (and if you want booze, there's wine pairings available for an extra $50). You won't regret it.

Blu Ristorante 17 Yorkville Avenue Toronto, ON M4W 1L1 (416) 921-1471

Windsor Arms Hotel: Afternoon Tea

Last Wednesday, my friend Cynthia and I went for Afternoon Tea at the Windsor Arms hotel. Groupon featured a promotion on it sometime in December, and neither of us had ever experienced an afternoon tea service, so we thought we'd try it since it was a discounted deal. The coupon expires in June, so we finally decided to go last week when we both had the day off. We got seated in the Purple Room, which is gorgeous. It's called so because of the deep plum colour of the walls and the matching plush velvet seating, but it's trimmed in white with cream marble floors and has plenty of sunlight coming in with a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a beautiful fireplace, so it looks chic and classy rather than drab or gothic. Tables of all sizes are lined with crisp white table cloths and set with adorable floral motif tea sets, and there's plenty of cheerful framed paintings on the walls. Almost all the tables were filled, which is pretty impressive given that it was a Wednesday at 3:00.

Dainty tea cup sets
A tea pot each
We started off with choosing our teas. Windsor Arms serves loose leaf teas only, so each person gets a strainer along with their tea cup. I decided on the Private Windsor Arms Breakfast Blend because I prefer black ceylon teas. I just think it pairs well with all foods; to me, it almost acts like a palate cleanser and makes the flavour of whatever I'm eating brighter and cleaner. No regrets on my choice with their Breakfast Blend; they describe it as "robust, hearty, and malty" and it tasted great both black and with milk and sugar. Cynthia wanted something fruity, so she picked their Passion & Envy tea, which is a passion fruit green tea. We each got our own tea pot; the Victorian-style one in cream and black is adorable, but we weren't so impressed with that white and blue Chinese patterned one. It looks like those basic tea pots you get at dim sum. 
Strawberry rhubarb and mixed berry preserves, and Devon cream
Three-tiered stand
Fresh scones and goat cheese and caramelized shallot tarts
Scone with Devon cream, mixed berry preserves, and raspberry preserves
And then the food came! As with all afternoon teas, it was presented over three tiers. The bottom tier featured their fresh scones, two per person (one plain, one raisin), and goat cheese and caramelized shallot tarts. The goat cheese tart was good, with the tang of the goat cheese working well with the sweetness of the onions, but it could have been warmer, and the shell could've been flakier. I don't think they were freshly baked at that point; it seemed like they were made earlier in the day and left to sit on the counter. The scones, on the other hand, are by far the star of the show. Warm, freshly baked, crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, with just a hint of lemon. A smear of Devon cream and a dollop of their housemade preserves just make them sing. I would come back just for those scones.

A selection of fresh sandwiches
The second tier featured a selection of sandwiches: potato blinis with smoked salmon rosette, pinwheel egg salad, vegetarian with sundried tomato paste and dill cream cheese, and Croque Monsieur. The sandwiches were a little underwhelming, to be honest. Not terrible, but not great. All the flavour combinations were wonderful, but they just weren't that fresh. The sundried tomato ones and the egg salad ones are rolled, which made the bread (like, typical Wonder bread) a little too soft, almost soggy. They both would've worked better if they were styled in a typical sandwich fashion (like filling in between two slices of bread). The Croque Monsieur was good, too, ('cause, really, you can't go wrong with a grilled cheese with ham) but they were totally cold and somewhat hardened by the time we got to them. I wish they had put the Croque Monsieur with the goat cheese tarts on a single tier, made them piping hot in the oven before bringing it out, and eaten those first while they were warm. There's so much potential there. The smoked salmon ones were by far my favourite; the salmon was fresh (well, I guess raw fish has to be, otherwise food poisoning) and the potato blinis were substantial enough to hold everything on top without getting soft or mushy. Honestly, I could've just done with a whole plate of those.

Petit fours
The third and top tier featured a selection of petit fours: hazelnut mousse in a dark chocolate cup, a red velvet cupcake, chocolate and hazelnut ganache, and a lemon meringue tart. None of these were anything to write home about, to be frank. They seemed like the kind of desserts you could buy in bulk at Costco. According to their website, they're "exquisitely hand-crafted on site," but it seemed like they bought them elsewhere and just added some adornments on top. The red velvet cupcake was particularly bland, and the cake was hardened. I don't know if this quality is typical for afternoon tea services, but I've definitely eaten way more impressive petit fours (haha, I sound like such a snob). Mostly, I just wished they had a wider variety of petit fours. Three of them were chocolate-based, and I felt like they could've incorporated different flavours, maybe more fruity or more mellow like vanilla.
Weirdly enough, a lot of reviews about the Windsor Arms afternoon tea complain about the service, but I thought the girl who was serving us was polite and pleasant, and as efficient as she could have been (she was actually the only server there, so she had eight tables to attend to). She stopped by at least three to four times to clear things away and ask us how our tea was going and to see if we needed hot water refills. All in all, it was a good experience and I'm glad I tried it out. It was my first afternoon tea, so I have nothing to really compare it to, but I think I'd want to try some other ones before making any conclusions. I probably wouldn't return to Windsor Arms just because there's just so many other hotels that offer afternoon tea service for the same price (I mean, even with our Groupon, it's still over $40 per person after tax and tip, which is pretty standard), but I don't regret trying it. 

Windsor Arms Hotel Tea Room 18 St. Thomas Street Toronto, ON M5S 3E7 (416) 971-9666

Sunday Video Love: Doo-Wop (That Thing)

Since watching Pitch Perfect 2 a couple weeks ago, I've been in a "'90s Hip Hop Jamz" kind of mood. I only own one hip hop record, and that is Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (and I still think it's a damn shame that that is the only record she's ever released as a solo artist), and as far as I'm concerned, it's the only one that's relevant. To me, it will always be the quintessential female hip hop album, and this song its anthem.

Friday Five: Mail Order

This week's Friday Five:

1. What is your most recently mail-ordered item? Do people (under the age of 80) mail-order anything anymore? I don't think I've ever mail-ordered anything. I do, however, order a ton of things online that's shipped to me via mail. In fact, I received two packages in the mail today! One is my order from Bobbi Brown (they had their Friends & Family sale last weekend and was offering 20% plus free shipping; I couldn't resist), and the other is my order from Nail Polish Canada (I had a nice cash back cheque from Ebates so, naturally, I spent it on nail polish).
   
   
2. What's a catalog you've always wanted to order from but never have? Ikea. But I never do because I just cannot bring myself to order furniture or home accessories without actually seeing it in person first. How about if all my make-up doesn't fit into that chest, you know? Or is one Billy bookcase enough for my surplus of books? It doesn't even matter if they list all the dimensions; I need to actually see it.
   
   
3. What is physically the largest item you ever mail-ordered? Again, I don't mail-order, but the biggest items I've ever ordered online are winter coats. The biggest one is probably a knee-length Mackage wool and cashmere coat I got a couple years ago. Or possibly my Miss Sixty down parka (that I got for 80% off on Hautelook — one of the best steals I've ever gotten!).
   
   
4. What catalogs do you still receive in the actual mail? None. Everything's digital now, so I just receive tons of promotional e-mails. I do, however, get some awesome fast food coupons in the mail! I quite frequently use the Taco Bell ones.
   
   
5. What are some obscure or unusual catalogs you've received? None. I think my mom used to get some for like, decorative plates or something. But she doesn't get those anymore.

MAC Wash & Dry: Lipsticks

Today, MAC will be releasing their first major summer colour collection, Wash & Dry, in stores. It is inspired by retro laundromats and old-school detergent packaging: "The suds are rising and the gossip is flowing with this breezy bronzing collection inspired by bright, fresh hues perfect for a full spin or just a quick tumble." The collection includes a total of 44 products, of which 20 are new and limited edition, three are re-promotes, 15 are existing permanent, and six are new and will be added to the permanent range. Wash & Dry will see the launch of four shades of lipstick. They come in a special edition tubes featuring a "gradated colour wave that shifts from crisp turquoise through vivid orange to lemon yellow," as well as matching secondary cardstock packaging. Each lipstick contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $21. Due to the special edition packaging, these are not applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program.

Creme d'Nude, Tumble Dry, Morange, and Steam Heat
Creme d'Nude, Tumble Dry, Morange, and Steam Heat

Creme d'Nude is a light pinked beige nude in a Cremesheen finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly but due to the nature of the shade and the finish, it can emphasize lip texture. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is more pinked than Japanese Maple, lighter than Pure Zen, and lighter and more pink than Shy Girl.

Tumble Dry is a light muted warm peach-orange in a Lustre finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, but goes on somewhat patchy and can emphasize lip texture. It has light-medium pigmentation and semi-sheer colour pay-off. It is sheerer than Sweet & Sour, slightly more orange than Shy Girl, and lighter and more orange than Coral Bliss.

Morange is a medium-dark vibrant warm orange with red undertones in an Amplified finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to Neon Orange, brighter and more reddened than Vegas Volt, and less red and shinier than Lady Danger. 

Steam Heat is a medium-dark vibrant warm red in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is warmer than MAC Red, brighter and warmer than Russian Red, and darker and more vibrant than Lady Bug.

The two best performing shades here are Morange and Steam Heat, but Morange is permanent (so you can get it all year round) and MAC has launched so many reds like Steam Heat that it ends up being totally skippable (also, after so many collections with red lips, couldn't they do something different for summer?!). On that note, if you love Satin finish lipsticks (and many people do), and are looking for a warm-toned red (MAC Red is the only red shade in the Satin range, and it's so blue-toned, it's almost pink), Steam Heat will be entirely worth getting because it does look stunning. Creme d'Nude (permanent) and Tumble Dry are actually pretty nice shades if you like softer, more translucent nudes (Tumble Dry looks orange in the tube, but it really looks like a soft, sheer peach on the lips), but they don't apply very evenly and they emphasize lip texture, so I do recommend exfoliating the lips beforehand. I actually love the colour story to this collection and think the lipsticks had so much potential to be new and unique (if not in colour, then in the finish?)... but, alas, none of these are must-haves in my books.

MAC Wash & Dry: Powder Blushes

Tomorrow, MAC will release their first major summer colour collection, Wash & Dry, in stores. It is inspired by retro laundromats and old-school detergent packaging: "The suds are rising and the gossip is flowing with this breezy bronzing collection inspired by bright, fresh hues perfect for a full spin or just a quick tumble." The collection includes a total of 44 products, of which 20 are new and limited edition, three are re-promotes, 15 are existing permanent, and six are new and will be added to the permanent range. Wash & Dry will see the launch of two shades of powder blush. They come in special edition round clear-lidded compacts featuring a "gradated colour wave that shifts from crisp turquoise through vivid orange to lemon yellow," as well as matching secondary cardstock packaging. Each blush contains 6 grams of product, and retails for $29.

Crisp Whites and Hipness
Crisp Whites and Hipness

Crisp Whites is a light-medium muted peach-orange with a soft sheen 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 lighter and more muted than Peaches, much lighter and less brown than Sincere, lighter and more yellow than Melba, more orange than Tenderling and Stay By Me Pro Longwear Blush, and more orange and less shimmery than New Romance Mineralize Blush.

Hipness is a medium vibrant warm pink-coral with a soft sheen in a Frost finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2008's Fafi for MAC collection, and is limited edition. 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 warmer than Fleur Power, more pink than Pinch Me, brighter and less frosted than Peachykeen, lighter and more pink than Fleeting Romance Pro Longwear Blush.

Both of these shades have soft, silky textures that go on incredibly smoothly and with full colour pay-off. Crisp Whites does look light in the pan and in swatches, but it does oxidize on the skin to make it appear darker and brighter, so it will show up well on fair to medium skintones, but start to look ashy on medium-dark complexions. Hipness will work beautifully on everyone as a cheerful pop of colour (brighter on lighter skintones, softer on darker skintones), though it has to be noted that this variation of Hipness is darker and pinker than previous versions (Fafi in 2008 and To The Beach in 2010). So if you have the older versions of Hipness, you might wanna check this one out anyway because it's actually quite different. (Though on that note, if you were after the original variation of Hipness because you missed out previously, you might be disappointed.) Both shades have a soft, satiny sheen that will keep the skin from looking too matte or powdery, but it's not shimmery or illuminating by any means, so they won't emphasize skin texture (or make you look sweaty or oily in the summer heat). After last year's incredible Alluring Aquatic collection, there's not a whole lot from this anniversary launch that really excites me, but these blushes and the High-Light Powder (so, basically, the cheek products) are definitely worth checking out.

MAC Wash & Dry: Freshen Up High-Light Powder

Tomorrow, MAC will release their first major summer colour collection, Wash & Dry, in stores. It is inspired by retro laundromats and old-school detergent packaging: "The suds are rising and the gossip is flowing with this breezy bronzing collection inspired by bright, fresh hues perfect for a full spin or just a quick tumble." The collection includes a total of 44 products, of which 20 are new and limited edition, three are re-promotes, 15 are existing permanent, and six are new and will be added to the permanent range. Wash & Dry will see the launch of one new and limited edition High-Light Powder, which "features a unique gradation of three shades in one pan" to provide a "well polished [look] with a sheer veil of colour that blends effortlessly into the skin." Each High-Light Powder comes in a special edition round clear-lidded compact featuring a "gradated colour wave that shifts from crisp turquoise through vivid orange to lemon yellow," as well as matching secondary cardstock packaging. It contains 9 grams of product, and retails for $41.

Freshen Up
Freshen Up

Freshen Up is made up of a gradation of three shades: a light soft butter yellow to a medium Creamsicle peach to a medium-dark vibrant persimmon in a satin finish with a soft shimmer-sheen. It has a golden overspray that will fade with use. When blended together, it creates a medium soft peachy tangerine with a soft golden sheen. This is a new and limited edition product. It has a lightweight, 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 brighter than Peaches, more orange than Style, brighter and more orange than Tenderling, darker and brighter than Stay By Me Pro Longwear Blush, and darker and more orange than New Romance Mineralize Blush.

Freshen Up will undoubtedly be the star of this collection. It has a beautiful soft, silky, finely-milled texture and great pigmentation. It's not on the same epic status level as the Marine Life High-Light Powder (a.k.a. the seahorse powder) from 2010's To The Beach collection, but it has the same idea. On fair to medium skintones, it will add a glowy wash of soft peach to the cheeks that can be built up to blush status or blended out to be a highlight or skin finisher, but it will be used more as a soft highlight on dark to deep dark skintones. Sadly, as with Marine Life, the gold on top is just an overspray so it will fade with a few uses, but the powder itself still leaves a soft shimmer-sheen that leaves the skin looking softly illuminated (versus high-metallic shine). If there's one must-have item from this collection, it is this. So if you had your eyes on it, you better be stalking counters first thing in the morning because it will be sold out fast.

MAC In Extreme Dimension (2015): Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in Silver Dawn, Sea Worship, Silver Sun, Legendary Lure, Evening Grey, Fathoms Deep, Grand Galaxy, and Lunar

This past Thursday, MAC released a collection called In Extreme Dimension, which features the comeback of Extra Dimension Eyeshadow. It is described as "a modern hybrid formula that combines the smoothness of a cream, the blendability of a liquid, and the finish of a powder with long-wearing colour and prismatic reflections. Its creamy, silky, near-fluid formula creates luminous, well-defined eyes in finishes from sheer crystallized light to stunning metallic." The collection includes 18 shades of Extra Dimension Eyeshadow (two of which, Ready to Party and Dark Dare, will not be reviewed here), all of which are re-promotes and will be added to the permanent range. Each Extra Dimension Shadow comes in regular black packaging, contains 1.3 grams of product, and retails for $24. Due to a higher price point, these are not applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program.

Clockwise from left: Silver Dawn, Sea Worship, Silver Sun, and Legendary Lure
Silver Dawn, Sea Worship, Silver Sun, and Legendary Lure

Silver Dawn is a medium-dark dirty taupe-brown with a soft satin sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2013's In Extra Dimension collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 grey than Patina, and much more metallic than Coquette.

Sea Worship is a medium muted warm golden khaki-olive with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2014's Alluring Aquatic collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 more golden than Sumptuous Olive, and more green than Woodwinked.

Silver Sun is a light-medium seafoam green with a golden shimmer-sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2014's Alluring Aquatic collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 much lighter and more muted than Steamy, and more green and more muted than Aquadisiac.

Legendary Lure is a dark blue-toned forest green with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2014's Alluring Aquatic collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 eyeshadow range; it is cooler and less green than Smutty Green Mineralize Eyeshadow, and darker and more blue-toned than Humid.

Clockwise from left: Evening Grey, Fathoms Deep, Grand Galaxy, and Lunar
Evening Grey, Fathoms Deep, Grand Galaxy, and Lunar

Evening Grey is a medium silvered grey with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's Glamour Daze collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 darker than Electra, and lighter than Silver Ring.

Fathoms Deep is a dark muted cool-toned purple with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2014's Alluring Aquatic collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 cooler than Nocturnelle, and lighter and more muted than Young Punk Mineralize Eyeshadow.

Grand Galaxy is a medium red-toned purple with a silvery purple metallic shimmer-sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's In Extra Dimension collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 more silvered than Nocturnelle, and darker and more muted than Violet Pigment.

Lunar is a dark navy blue with a violet-blue metallic shimmer-sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's In Extra Dimension collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 more violet than Deep Truth, and lighter and more metallic than Contrast.

Can I get a "huzzah!" because MAC finally, finally, finally decided to make these permanent? After five separate launches over three years, MAC finally listened to us and added these best-sellers to their eyeshadow range. The Extra Dimension Eyeshadow is very similar to their Veluxe Pearl finish eyeshadows in the more frosted, metallic finish and fantastic pigmentation and colour pay-off, except silkier and more lightweight rather than dense and buttery. You can use these wet or dry, of course (similar to NARS' Dual Intensity Eyeshadows), but I find that they give full colour pay-off just used dry and over a shadow base. There's no need to rush to get these now as with last year's limited edition version from Alluring Aquatic (which sold out in a matter of hours), but if you don't have these already, you need to take a look at them immediately because they are seriously one of MAC's most stand-out formulas in recent years and my favourite MAC eyeshadow formulation to date.

MAC In Extreme Dimension (2015): Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in A Natural Flirt, Sweet Heat, Havana, Amorous Alloy, Stolen Moment, Smoky Mauve, Stylishly Merry, and Rich Core

This past Thursday, MAC released a collection called In Extreme Dimension, which features the comeback of Extra Dimension Eyeshadow. It is described as "a modern hybrid formula that combines the smoothness of a cream, the blendability of a liquid, and the finish of a powder with long-wearing colour and prismatic reflections. Its creamy, silky, near-fluid formula creates luminous, well-defined eyes in finishes from sheer crystallized light to stunning metallic." The collection includes 18 shades of Extra Dimension Eyeshadow (two of which, Ready to Party and Dark Dare, will not be reviewed here), all of which are re-promotes and will be added to the permanent range. Each Extra Dimension Shadow comes in regular black packaging, contains 1.3 grams of product, and retails for $24. Due to a higher price point, these are not applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program.

Clockwise from left: A Natural Flirt, Sweet Heat, Havana, and Amorous Alloy
A Natural Flirt, Sweet Heat, Havana, and Amorous Alloy

A Natural Flirt is a light peachy beige with gold shimmer and a soft satin sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's Glamour Daze collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 darker and more shimmery than Orb, and more peach than Dazzlelight.

Sweet Heat is a light-medium bronzed peachy pink with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's In Extra Dimension collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 more bronze than All That Glitters, and more pink than Honey Lust. 

Havana is a medium-dark warm amber brown with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's In Extra Dimension collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 warmer than Bronze, and less reddened than Mulch.

Amorous Alloy is a medium-dark warm terracotta copper with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2013's Magnetic Nude collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 more reddened than Antiqued, and darker and more brown than Coppering.

Clockwise from left: Stolen Moment, Smoky Mauve, Stylishly Merry, and Rich Core
Stolen Moment, Smoky Mauve, Stylishly Merry, and Rich Core

Stolen Moment is a medium-dark warm plum-taupe with a silvered shimmer-sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's Glamour Daze collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 more plum than Satin Taupe, and darker and more grey than Sable.

Smoky Mauve is a medium pink-mauve with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2013's In Extra Dimension collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 more silver than Star Violet, and more pink than Shale.

Stylishly Merry is a medium cool-toned fuchsia pink with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's Glamour Daze collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 pink than Stars 'n' Rockets, and lighter and more pink than Plum Dressing.

Rich Core is a medium-dark aubergine-brown with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's In Extra Dimension collection, and is now permanent. It has a lightweight, 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 Star Violet, and lighter and more plum than Twinks.

Can I get a "huzzah!" because MAC finally, finally, finally decided to make these permanent? After five separate launches over three years, MAC finally listened to us and added these best-sellers to their eyeshadow range. The Extra Dimension Eyeshadow is very similar to their Veluxe Pearl finish eyeshadows in the more frosted, metallic finish and fantastic pigmentation and colour pay-off, except silkier and more lightweight rather than dense and buttery. You can use these wet or dry, of course (similar to NARS' Dual Intensity Eyeshadows), but I find that they give full colour pay-off just used dry and over a shadow base. There's no need to rush to get these now as with last year's limited edition version from Alluring Aquatic (which sold out in a matter of hours), but if you don't have these already, you need to take a look at them immediately because they are seriously one of MAC's most stand-out formulas in recent years and my favourite MAC eyeshadow formulation to date.

Sunday Video Love: Bad Blood

I usually only post one video on Sundays, but this was released just tonight after the Billboard Music Awards, and I had to. After all the teasing through social media with Sin City-style pin-ups, people have been waiting with bated breath for the release of Taylor Swift's video for "Bad Blood." I mean, say what you will about T. Swift, but getting Hayley Williams, Lena Dunham, Ellie Goulding, Ellen Pompeo, Cara Delevingne, and Cindy Crawford to play leather-clad assassins in your video? It's pretty fucking bad-ass.

Sunday Video Love: The Bellas vs. Das Sound Machine

Automatically my favourite movie of the year.

MAC Huggable Lipcolour (2015): Huggable Lipcolour in I'm Game, Glamorized, Dramatical, and Love Feeling

Yesterday, MAC released a collection called Huggable Lipcolour, which features the comeback of the limited edition lip formula of the same name that was originally launched last January. It is described as a "comforting, creamy formula" that "remains luminous for up to six hours. This lasting lipstick with juicy, bouncy shine also boosts collagen, leaving lips looking smooth, supple, and sculpted. The unique gel base melts into lips upon contact, allowing each shade to glide on effortlessly with a feather-light moisturizing finish." The entire collection features a total of ten shades of Huggable Lipcolour (two of which will not be reviewed here), nine of which are new and limited edition, and one of which is a re-promote. Each Huggable Lipcolour comes in gunmetal cylindrical tubes, contains 3.2 grams of product, and retails for $24. These are not applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program.

I'm Game, Glamorized, Dramatical, and Love Feeling
I'm Game, Glamorized, Dramatical, and Love Feeling

I'm Game is a medium-dark muted strawberry pink with a luminous shine. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smooth and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter than Speak Louder, lighter and more muted than Fusion Pink, and slightly warmer than Lustering.

Glamorized is a medium blue-toned fuchsia-magenta with a luminous shine. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smooth and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more muted than Show Orchid, brighter than Milan Mode, and sheerer and more blue-toned than Pink Nouveau.

Dramatical is a medium-dark vibrant orange-red with a luminous shine. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smooth and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more red than Korean Candy Sheen Supreme, more shiny than So Chaud, and more orange and more shiny than Lady Danger.

Love Feeling is a medium-dark vibrant warm tangerine orange with a luminous shine. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smooth and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and less reddened than Neon Orange and Morange, and more yellow-toned than Vegas Volt.

For those who missed out on Huggable Lipcolour last year, here's your chance to check them out now. Huggable was a total sleeper hit when it first came out because it's one of those formulas that you have to actually try on and see what it feels and looks like before becoming converted. (And you will be converted. That's why MAC brought these back to begin with. People went nuts for them after they figured out what they do for your lips.) The Huggable Lipcolours have a kind of strange consistency, where they tug a little bit at first because there's very little slip; it really feels like they are clinging on the lips (not in an uncomfortable way), which I found actually helps these colours from bleeding. I didn't really get what MAC meant by "lip-sculpting collagen" until I saw what these looked like on my lips about five minutes after applying them (once my lips warmed up the lip colour). Aside from making lips look juicier and more plump overall (they have a more gel-like look than creamy), I found that these have an almost "blurring" effect, smoothing out the texture of my lips completely so they look... perfect. These aren't immediately hydrating like the Sheen Supreme Lipsticks or Mineralize Rich Lipsticks, but I did find that they were hydrating over time. There's ten shades to check out this time around; something for everyone, and all totally appropriate for the Spring and Summer seasons. Also, they're limited edition (again), so check them out fast.

MAC Huggable Lipcolour (2015): Huggable Lipcolour in Soft Talkin', I'm In, Bare Hug, and Play It Soft

Today, MAC released a collection called Huggable Lipcolour, which features the comeback of the limited edition lip formula of the same name that was originally launched last January. It is described as a "comforting, creamy formula" that "remains luminous for up to six hours. This lasting lipstick with juicy, bouncy shine also boosts collagen, leaving lips looking smooth, supple, and sculpted. The unique gel base melts into lips upon contact, allowing each shade to glide on effortlessly with a feather-light moisturizing finish." The entire collection features a total of ten shades of Huggable Lipcolour (two of which will not be reviewed here), nine of which are new and limited edition, and one of which is a re-promote. Each Huggable Lipcolour comes in gunmetal cylindrical tubes, contains 3.2 grams of product, and retails for $24. These are not applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program.

Soft Talkin', I'm In, Bare Hug, and Play It Soft
Soft Talkin', I'm In, Bare Hug, and Play It Soft

Soft Talkin' is a light warm peachy nude with a luminous shine. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smooth and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is darker than Creme d'Nude, lighter than Shy Girl, and more peach than Pure Zen.

I'm In is a light-medium warm rosy pink with a luminous shine. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smooth and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to Peach Blossom, more pink than Shy Girl, and lighter and more pink than Bare Again Sheen Supreme.

Bare Hug is a light-medium warm peachy coral with a luminous shine. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smooth and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more muted than Fanfare, and more muted than Flamingo and Coral Bliss.

Play It Soft is a medium warm brightened pink-coral with a luminous shine. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smooth and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is sheerer than Fanfare, similar to Lipblossum, and more coral than Giddy.

For those who missed out on Huggable Lipcolour last year, here's your chance to check them out now. Huggable was a total sleeper hit when it first came out because it's one of those formulas that you have to actually try on and see what it feels and looks like before becoming converted. (And you will be converted. That's why MAC brought these back to begin with. People went nuts for them after they figured out what they do for your lips.) The Huggable Lipcolours have a kind of strange consistency, where they tug a little bit at first because there's very little slip; it really feels like they are clinging on the lips (not in an uncomfortable way), which I found actually helps these colours from bleeding. I didn't really get what MAC meant by "lip-sculpting collagen" until I saw what these looked like on my lips about five minutes after applying them (once my lips warmed up the lip colour). Aside from making lips look juicier and more plump overall (they have a more gel-like look than creamy), I found that these have an almost "blurring" effect, smoothing out the texture of my lips completely so they look... perfect. These aren't immediately hydrating like the Sheen Supreme Lipsticks or Mineralize Rich Lipsticks, but I did find that they were hydrating over time. There's ten shades to check out this time around; something for everyone, and all totally appropriate for the Spring and Summer seasons. Also, they're limited edition (again), so check them out fast.