Monday, January 31, 2011

MAC Peacocky Eyeshadows: Dandizette, Peek-At-You and Unflappable Review and Swatches


This post is late, and I apologize for that! MAC's Peacocky collection (see B2's preview post here) was released weeks ago but many locations still have the Mega Metal Shadows still available - so if you like what you see, you may still be able to get them!

Jill went and bought ALL of the 15 Peacocky eyeshadows but I only splurged on three. I'm very, very, very (too) good at talking myself out of buying things sometimes. I only intended to get two, but I accidentally discovered I needed three. More on that later. Now, photos!


I bought Peek-At-You, Dandizette and Unflappable.


L-R: Peek-At-You, Dandizette and Unflappable


L-R: Unflappable, Dandizette and Peek-At-You


Peek-At-You
Peek-At-You is a frosted yellow-white, although it reads slightly peachier than yellow, in my opinion. It's a very soft, natural shade on my skintone (NC15-NC20) and its metallic creaminess helps make it a great highlight shade for the browbone, inner eye and top of cheekbone.

Dandizette
Dandizette is a navy with silver pearl. I think it looks quite denim-y. I'm a sucker for metallic blue shadows and really, the collection is called Peacocky - I can't NOT buy a blue or green shadow, right? My favourite way to wear this shade is on the outside half of my eyelids, messily applied up to the crease.

Unflappable
Unflappable is a frosted black with purple pearl and my favourite of the three. It's a great smudgable shadow for the lashline, and gives an instant smokiness to any eye look.

L-R: Peek-At-You, Dandizette and Unflappable swatched
The Mega Metal eyeshadows are all very creamy in texture and quite metallic. Dandizette and Unflappable aren't necessarily the best shadows to wear for a professional daytime look, but that doesn't stop me. Obviously their shine make them better suited to an evening look. Peek-At-You or one of the other lighter shades obviously work well as highlighters so they can be worn easily for day or night.

So the reason I opted to buy three, rather than just two Mega Metal shadows was because the MAC location I was at happened to be out of Q-tips (I know) so one of the MUAs handed me a brush to use to swatch the Peacocky shadows instead. This was not ideal as I couldn't clean the brush in between each swatch so only the first swatch would be true to its colour. I did the best I could with a tissue to clean off the brush but then I happened to swatch Unflappable and then Peek-At-You right after and I got the prettiest neutral metallic. I fell in love right there on the spot. See below. That's Unflappable topped with Peek-At-You. The sheen of Peek-At-You minimizes the intensity and darkness of Unflappable making it much more wearable and creating a whole new shade!

Peek-At-You on top of Unflappable
So there you have it! My three Peacocky Mega Metal eyeshadows. What do you think? Did you pick up any of the Mega Metal eyeshadows? Do you love metallic eyeshadows as much as B2 does? 

Tell us! 

C.

Friday, January 28, 2011

LUSTING: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils 15 Year Anniversary Collection


I loooooooooove Urban Decay eye pencils and they've come out with a 15 year anniversary collection. 15 gorgeous, shimmery eye pencils and a wide range of wearable to wild colours.


Includes: Stray Dog (shimmering taupe brown), Corrupt (dark metallic brown with silver glitter), Bourbon (medium brown with sparkle), Midnight Cowboy (beige sparkle), Baked (bronze), Stash (mossy gold-green), Mildew (deep mossy green), Perversion (blackest carbon black), Electric (bright blue), Binge (deep metallic blue), Ransom (bright purple), Asphyxia (pinky iridescent purple), Rockstar (deep reddish purple), Zero (black), Uzi (sparkling gunmetal gray)

Looking at these swatches by Karla Sugar, I'm tempted to rush out to Sephora right now! Look at those shimmery lovely swatches! How can you not want to wear them on your eyes? And they go on like a dream (I have Ransom, used here) and add all kinds of oomph to any look.

The price is right too, these are full-size eye pencils, and they come with a sharpener. For this 15 Year Anniversary set, the cost is $92. For each pencil on its own, the cost is $17. You don't need a calculator to tell you this set is a deal.

WANT!

C.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Retro MAC Collector Cards - RuPaul and KD Lang for Viva Glam


Another retro MAC card for you to feast your retro-starved eyes on! This one is another Viva Glam card, featuring KD Lang and RuPaul. The blonde fellow who represents the I above is, I believe MAC co-founder Frank Toskan. If anyone can confirm this, please let me know!

I'm not sure which Viva Glam this card was released for, but perhaps it was a combination of the first two, since it features both KD Lang and RuPaul?

More to come! Stay tuned...

C.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

LUSTING No More: NARS Cruising Lipstick vs MAC Mellow Mood


Around this time last year, I was lusting after the lipstick in NARS' spring collection, inspired by Catherine Deneuve in La Chamade. I'd tried it on and swatched it a few times but I'd never bought it. I'm very, very good at deciding I don't need to buy things. To a fault. Cruising always beckoned to me for some reason even though it was very natural on me, almost the exact shade of my lips. But there I was at Sephora a few days ago, swatching it once again. I had it in my head that it was time to own the darn thing when it occurred to me that I might already own a nearly identical shade.


Before Christmas, I bought one of the MAC A Tartan Tale lip bags - Vain and Glorious - and the lipstick it came with, Mellow Mood, was a very natural pink, almost the same colour as my lips. I wore it quite a bit and had it in my bag, so I swatched it next to Cruising. Lo and behold they were nearly the same colour, with Mellow Mood being slightly more pigmented. 


And with that, my lusting over Cruising came to an end. Problem solved!



I still should see La Chamade though.

C.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Retro MAC Collector Cards - KD Lang Viva Glam II



MAC used to release these collectible cards for each of their collections and product releases. I uncovered my collection of them recently and thought I might share them with you.


Remember KD Lang? She was MAC's spokesperson for Viva Glam II way back in 1997. She wasn't known for wearing makeup or being particularly girly but that's not MAC's thing at all. Note how she's both wearing the lipstick on her lips and she's been kissed by someone wearing the lipstick. Naughty!


Stay tuned for more retro MAC cards.


C.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

MAC Wonder Woman Preview



Just when the fate of the world is careening toward disaster, cue theme music! It’s Wonder Woman! She Kicks Sass! Her mission: Collaborate with M∙A∙C to fight the supervillains of the world – criminally outdated colour, evil, un-dimensional skin finish, the disasters that drain drama – with that famous spin, a double-cuff of her wicked wrist bracelets and shazam! M∙A∙C Spring Colour 2011is the feminine force (with a dash of comic fun) that saves the day! No nemesis can match the stamina, agility and speed of her SUPER-SIZEDMineralize Skinfinish, bold Eye Shadow quads, Pigment, Opulash, Lipsticks and OVERSIZED Lipglass, JUMBO-BIG Powder Blush and Penultimate Eye Liner, Nail Lacquer and Lash for this larger-than-life transformation! Our Artists work wonders every day – now with the help of one of entertainment history’s most exciting feminist figures…Since 1944, Wonder Woman is the original incarnation of what makes women forever wonderful!  

No one understands the importance of a bag of tricks quite like our M∙A∙C Spring 2010 heroine! Her legendary bracelets were made from remnants of the Goddess Athena’s all-powerful shield, to award her The Sign of the Champion…In that same spirit of fantasy and wonder, M∙A∙C creates a vivid collection of accessories that are sure to bring you a sense of feminine infallibility, totally peerless power – you ARE Wonder Woman if you want to be. Bright, bold, superhuman designs in Makeup Bags – from raging Red to Bulletproof Blue, Utility Belt Brush Sets that Superman secretly covets, and exclusively online, the WW T-shirt and Invincible Mirror to make your mission – kaboom! – complete.


Available in North American MAC stores on February 10, 2011!













Bulletproof Blue Makeup Bag ($36 CDN/$30 US)
Red Makeup Bag ($36 CDN/$30 US)


Invincible Mirror ($24 CDN/$20 US)



Eye Quad in Valiant ($48 CDN/$40 US)
Valiant (light lime with yellow pearl (frost))
Spinning Transformation (deep olive bronze with yellow pearl (frost))
Diana Undercover (dark forest green (satin))
Manila Paper (pale frost white gold (veluxe pearl))


Eye Quad in Lady Justice ($48 CDN/$40 US)
Lady Justice (bright silver with white pearl (frost))
Insurmountable (dirty blue grey (veluxe pearl))
Bold Babe (deep metal blue with white pearl (frost))
Deep Truth (true dark blue (frost)


Lipglass in Athena's Kiss ($23.50 CDN/$19.50 US)
Bright blue fuchsia


Lipglass in Emancipation ($23.50 CDN/$19.50 US)
Pale neutral pink


Lipglass in Secret Identity ($23.50 CDN/$19.50 US)
Mid-tone copper with soft pearl




Lipglass in Wonder Woman ($23.50 CDN/$19.50 US)
Bright red with soft pearl


Lipstick in Heroine ($18.50 CDN/$15.50 US)
Brown bronze (frost)


Lipstick in Marquise d' ($18.50 CDN/$15.50 US)
Sandy cream peach (lustre)


Lipstick in Russian Red ($18.50 CDN/$15.50 US)
Intense blueish-red


Lipstick in Spitfire ($18.50 CDN/$15.50 US)
Bright creamy magenta (satin)


Mineralize Skinfinish in Golden Lariat ($42 CDN/$35 US)
True coral with fine gold shimmer/Soft suntanned bronze/Soft gold with fine shimmer




Mineralize Skinfinish in Pink Power ($42 CDN/$35 US)
Peachy rose with pink shimmer/Soft rosy bronze/Soft shell pink with fine shimmer




Nail lacquer in Obey Me ($16.50 CDN/$14 US)
True red


Nail Lacquer in Spirit of Truth ($16.50 CDN/$14 US)
Navy blue


Opulash Mascara in Army of Amazons ($18 CDN/$15 US)
Green




Opulash Mascara in Black ($18 CDN/$15 US)
Black


Opulash Mascara in Themyscira ($18 CDN/$15 US)
Blue


Opulash Mascara in Victorious ($18 CDN/$15 US)
Purple


Penultimate Eyeliner in Rapidblack ($22 CDN/$18.50 US)
Black


Pigment in Bright Fuchsia ($25 CDN/$21 US)
Bright magenta


Pigment in Marine Ultra ($25 CDN/$21 US)
Vivid marine blue


Powder Blush Duo in Amazon Princess ($29 CDN/$24 US)
Bright yellow pink/Deep blue pink with gold pearl (satin)


Powder Blush Duo in Mighty Aphrodite ($29 CDN/$24 US)
Warm peach coral with gold pearl/Bright coral pink with gold pearl (satin/frost)




Reflects Glitter in Reflects Bronze ($25 CDN/$21 US)
Sparkling rich gold


Reflects Glitter in Reflects Pearl ($25 CDN/$21 US)
White glitter with a pearl shine


Utility Belt Eye Brush Set ($59.50 CDN/$49.50 US)


Utility Belt Face Brush Set ($59.50 CDN/$49.50 US)

C.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Agent Provocateur Titillation - Lip and Nipple Balm Review


I found this on sale at Winners and since I'm a huge Agent Provocateur fangirl I snatched this up as quickly as possible. It's no longer sold on the Agent Provocateur website but you can find it online for about $40. I paid $19.99!

What it is is a lip balm and a nipple balm. Yes, you read that correctly, nipple balm. It's Agent Provocateur so it's got to be racy!





All you need to know!




L-R: Nipple Balm, Lip Balm


L-R: Lip Balm, Nipple Balm



L-R: Nipple Balm, Lip Balm


I have to say that I love this lip balm. It's wonderfully moisturizing, smells delicious and has just enough intense tingle to give my lips a pinky glow. I love a tingly lip product. The little mirror in the lid of the ball is handy too although applying lip balm with your figners while you're out and about isn't ideal, germ-wise. I recommend keeping your potted lip products at home or the office or school and use them there (with clean hands) rather than carrying them in your purse. Keep your tubes of lip balm in your purse for on the go touch ups.

Lip Balm
I'll spare you from a review of the nipple balm, but I will say that my review of the lip balm applies. It smells lovely too and comes in the same cute little ball with the mirror in the lid. Don't ask me what the mirror is for in the case of the nipple balm. It also appears to have a shimmery element to it.

Nipple Balm

Close-up of the nipple balm


So much fun and a great little lip balm. What do you think? Any Agent Provocateur fans out there?

C.