Gemma was opaque in two coats, and it applied evenly and smoothly without bubbling or streaking. The consistency wasn’t too thick or too thin, so it spread out well. It has an almost metallic-like shimmer, but it’s not a strong metallic. You can see faint threads of the shimmer in the polish, and I noticed very, very faint brush strokes that were visible at certain angles with a lot of light, and only if I held my nails close to my face could I actually see them. It dried to a high gloss finish, and you could skip a top coat as a result. I’ve been getting a week of wear out of Guerlain’s formula without chipping and only very minor tip wear.
It's one of the better-applying metallic finished polishes I've come across, as the brush strokes are very, very faint. I think the wider brush helps the application, as you can get better one-pass color so you maneuver the brush less across the nail.
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9.5/10
Longevity
9.5/10
Application
4.5/5
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Where to Buy
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Big Blue was a big pain, because it had a tendency to clump during application–it didn’t smooth out evenly and created thicker, chunky patches on the lid, which only made my lid look wrinkled. The texture was on the drier side, and it did tug and pull at the lid while I tried to lay down the color. I didn’t see creasing really, but it wasn’t readily apparent given it already looked patchy from the initial application. This one skipped while applying, too!
Massively Midnight was much better; it was creamier and less dry, so it applied more smoothly and evenly. It had mostly opaque color in a single pass, so getting a sheer wash of color was actually more difficult than I expected, as it’s just not very blendable. While it wears like iron (twelve hours no creasing or fading, no primer!), it doesn’t budge from the get-go; it’s difficult to fade the edges, blend to sheer it out, and the like as a result. If I heated up the pencil with a blow dryer, it became more blendable.
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
MAC 167SE Face Blender Brush ($34.00) is a limited edition brush designed to help blend out products used on the face. It is gently curved along the edges but has a rather flat, only slightly domed, shape overall. It’s fairly dense with bristles with some give, so it is movable but not floppy. The bristles felt soft against the skin. I liked it best for use for all-over face powders or bronzers, as well as blending and fading out blush and the like.
I reviewed it here previously (which I recommend reading for a more in-depth review). My original review stands and is the same for this one. Despite the fact that my original brush has the designation “SH” (for short-handled) and this one is marked as “SE” (for special edition), I didn’t notice any differences in bristle density, shape, cut, or texture. The biggest difference is how they look, as this has black bristles and a bronze-hued handle.
The texture of Morale is very soft but, as a result, somewhat powdery. Luckily, the powderiness did not translate on the skin as dry-looking or chalky. The high frost content of the finish did emphasize the texture of the skin and pores. Morale blends out beautifully on the skin and can be worn as a subtle pink or layered for a more intense look, as it is incredibly pigmented but still buildable and blendable, so a sheerer application is possible. There was minor fading after eight hours of wear.
The high frost content of the finish did emphasize the texture of the skin and pores, which is the biggest drawback of this product. It had great color payoff and was blendable and buildable.
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
8.5/10
Longevity
8.5/10
Application
4.5/5
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This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Applied damp, Surfin’ USA had good color payoff and went on smoothly but wasn’t quite as vibrant as when applied damp; then, it became even smoother, bolder, and fully pigmented. The texture is soft, buttery, and blendable on the lid. I had no trouble with it wearing all day long without fading or creasing (no primer) either. It’s definitely one of the best shades I’ve come across in Sephora’s Colorful range. This shade did lightly stain my skin after wearing it all day long.
The color payoff was the same whether applied dry or damp, but the finish changed from satiny to pearly–it’s more shimmery and reflective when applied damp. Both applications resulted in smooth, even color, and it was easy to blend out on the lid. Midnight Swim had a lovely soft, silky-smooth texture that made it easy to work with and yielded fantastic pigmentation. It lasted ten hours without creasing or fading when I tested it (no primer).
The texture is soft, buttery, and blendable on the lid. I had no trouble with it wearing all day long without fading or creasing (no primer) either. It's definitely one of the best shades I've come across in Sephora's Colorful range.
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
9.5/10
Texture
9.5/10
Longevity
9.5/10
Application
5/5
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Where to Buy
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Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Midnight Swim had a lovely soft, silky-smooth texture that made it easy to work with and yielded fantastic pigmentation. It lasted ten hours without creasing or fading when I tested it (no primer).
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9.5/10
Longevity
10/10
Application
5/5
Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
shu uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil
shu uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil ($67.00 for 15.2 fl. oz.) is designed for combination to oily skin types as a cleansing oil that “effectively remove[s] make-up and ipurities … while maintaining the skin’s necessary moisture level.” It is “empowered with Sakura Complex” to “[minimize] pores by eliminating excess sebum and visibly [smoothe] the skin’s surface.” According to shu uemura, sakura leaf extract is “known to reduce inflammatory mediators that can cause skin redness” and “improve skin texture.” It also contains salicyclic acid and cherry extract. It is available year-round in a regularly pink-tinted bottle but has been relased in special packaging for the ob collection. It’s sold out (in this packaging) online, but if you are located where shu uemura is still sold in stores, you may find it locally.
I’m a big fan of shu uemura’s Cleansing Oils, and I hadn’t tried the Fresh Pore Clarifying formula yet. The last bottle I used was a limited edition bottle released with last holiday season’s wkw collection, which was the “White Recovery EX+ Brightening Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula” (which doesn’t seem to be available in regular packaging on the U.S. website). One giant bottle lasts me anywhere from four to six months. I didn’t love this one as much as the other formulas I’ve tried, because it is very thin–almost water-like in texture. The others were slightly thicker but not so thick that they felt oily or heavy, but this one is so thin that it took some getting used to. I needed to pump it into my hands over the sink, as it would leak through my fingers or pump beyond my hands and get onto the counter/in the sink. I just never noticed this as an issue with the two or three bottles I’ve used previously (different formulas, all cleansing oils). The formula has a very light floral scent that’s pretty muted.
Aside from the consistency/packaging issue, the formula worked well to break down and remove makeup, dirt, and whatever else happened to be on my face. I take two to three pumps and then massage and work it into my skin, and then I rinse my hands under water and then work the oil into a small lather. After that, I rinse my face with lukewarm water and pat dry. I never experience any oily residue, no squeaky clean/tight feeling, or have issues with my eyes clouding during the rinsing process. shu’s cleansing oils are definitely a go-to for me when I’m wearing a full face of makeup, because it gets it all off and I don’t need to follow-up with another cleanser.
