MAC Magic, Mirth, & Mischief Review: Nail Lacquer & Softsparkle Eye Pencil
MAC launches two metallic finish lacquers: Lucky Number and $$$ Yes (which is a repromote from Heatherette), as well as two repromoted shades of their Softsparkle Eye Pencils — Nightsky and Iris Accents.
Lucky Number is a metallic-finish purplish-berry with a high-shine/sheen. Since it is a metallic finish polish, it does show brush strokes. I don’t know if it’s even feasible to manage to get no brush strokes to show, but I know I don’t have the patience to attempt such a feat. It’s a pretty color, though, and it’s not something I already own.
$$$ Yes is like wearing tin foil on your nails. It’s a bright silver with a metallic finish. Like Lucky Number, brush strokes will show up. I’ve just kind of learned to deal with brush strokes in metallic shades myself.
Nightsky is a medium black with silver microsparkle. This one is opaque and goes on easily.
Iris Accents is a cool-toned, silvery-purple with silver microsparkle. I find this one more of a semi-opaque shade and doesn’t go on as nicely as Nightsky–it will go on opaque, it just requires layering.
I liked Lucky Number a lot, and if you haven’t played around with the Softsparkles, you may find you like the glitz of them. I like them, but I never find myself reaching for them, despite owning all of them, so they’re not must-haves for me.
Overall, MAC Sugarsweet Collection brings back shadesticks and some old favorites, but I don’t feel it has created any new favorites. The shadesticks are creamier this go-round, and they do feel a little softer. While I have always appreciated the original shadesticks for their color pay off, I just never loved the feel of them on my eye lid, so I had to pass them along to friends. I am looking forward to trying out the newer, creamier versions!The packaging on the shadesticks is nicer, too — almost a slick, shiny plastic casing.
What did you think of MAC’s Sugarsweet collection? What are you loving/hating? Tell me in the comments!
Neither the lipsticks or the tricolour lipglasses really grabbed my beauty-strings–there are a few that caught my eye, but nothing that caused my heart to speed up, you know? I am personally not a fan of sheer glosses, which is why the tricolour lipglasses aren’t up my alley either. The eyeshadows are so-so; they all have decent color pay off and texture, but none of limited colors screamed “must have!” I do think the finish of the mineralize skinfinishes is improved over the last few that have come out; there doesn’t seem to be any large, chunky shimmer–much more refined and subtle so it gives you a gentle sheen over a wallop of shimmer.
Temptalia’s Recommendations
Must-Haves: Lollipop Loving, Stars ‘n Rockets, Butternutty, Red Velvet, Peppermint Patti
Nice-to-Haves: Saint Germain, Sweet Thing, Simply Delicious, Tasty, Aquavert, Cakeshop
Skip: Consume Me
Get in-depth reviews on each of the items from this collection! Continue reading »
Saint Germain lipstick came out in Euristocrats, which wasn’t a collection available stateside, so it is a treat to have it come out in a regularly available launch. It’s a pretty cool-toned lipstick; maybe a little pinker than Melrose Mood from Heatherette–the two are comparable if I’m remembering correctly.
Consume Me is a little blah, considering it’s incredibly sheer. It gives lips a glossy finish with a little bit of shimmer. For those curious about the packaging, it is very much (if not exactly like) Couture/Stylistics lipglass packaging. Even the applicator feels the same; which is a skinny doe-foot applicator that doesn’t pick up a whole lotta product. I’d say the formula of this gloss isn’t much like lipglass, because it isn’t thick at all (which may be the result of the applicator…). It also didn’t feel very sticky to me. I did try to mess up the color layers, and I didn’t succeed. You can see the color punch into the next one when you put the wand back, but the color does return to its normal layer pretty quickly. (It was kind of fun trying!)
Many votes were casts, many products nominated, and even more suggested during the voting process, but only few could be winners! Check out the winners for the first six categories of the ballot:
Best Brand of 2008
Best New Beauty Product of 2008
Best MAC Collection of 2008
Worst MAC Collection of 2008
Most Surprisingly Amazing Product of 2008
Most Disappointing Product of 2008
Is it really shocking that MAC won by a total and utter landslide? NARS and Urban Decay were second and third respectively, but they were just nowhere near the level of popularity as MAC for 2008!
See the rest of the winners! Don’t forget… DISCUSS, DISCUSS, DISCUSS!! the results. Surprised? Disgusted? Joyous? Continue reading »
OVERALL, Dame Edna’s lipsticks stand out the most for me, because they are ultra-pigmented and extremely creamy in texture. They almost have a matte-look, but because of their sheen, not quite so. The lipglasses are not as pigmented as the lipsticks, but on the other hand, they complement the lipsticks well. The eye trios disappointed me, mostly because I felt that too many of the shadows had a chalky texture, which I just can’t jive with. Another downside to this launch is the fact that MAC has, yet again, used stickers on their packaging. On the eyeshadow trios, the stickers are covered with plastic/something so they shouldn’t come off (at least not easily), but everything else is just a flat sticker. It’s nothing special, and you can certainly peel it off if you desire. The high-light powders, while pretty to look at, are not nearly as special once you get past the shimmer overspray–I felt duped with these; it reminded me of lipsticks that had a gold overspray and then regular lipstick underneath. The collection is definitely worth a look or two, but I wouldn’t say you have to rush out on the 26th–not worth skipping out on your holidays and festivities and family fun yet!
Here’s your chance to get a larger glimpse of the MAC & Hello Kitty collaboration that hits stores next February. I think the engraved Hello Kitty into the lipsticks is a nice touch. The colors themselves don’t quite excite me… we’ll have to see how everything swatches. Am I the only one who preferred the regular quads with the clear lids over the new trio/quartet packaging (as seen in Heatherette and the upcoming Dame Edna, and now HK)?
Check out some product photos of Hello Kitty products from Kiss & Makeup! Continue reading »
Happy Monday, all! We are just a few days from the end of October, and I’d like to take this time to remind you of our fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness. Every bit helps the fight against breast cancer! Thank you for all those who have donated. :) I added a couple new prizes to the package, too!
Please join us and make a contribution as part of the Temptalia Community! As a thank you for your donation, for every $5 you donate, you are eligible for a chance to win an amazing thank you package valued at $350. (Example: if you donate $10, you have two chances to win.)
Thank You Package Includes:
MAC for Fafi Belightful Iridescent Powder
MAC 2N Lipstick
MAC Lotusland Eyeshadow
MAC for Heatherette Style Minx Lipglass
MAC Fresh Green Mix Mineralize Eyeshadow
MAC Reflects Very Pink Glitter
MAC Sunsonic Lipstick
MAC Energy 3D Glass
MAC Red Flame/Orange Flicker Pro Lustre Longwear
MAC Scatterrays Solar Bits
MAC Utter Pervette Lipstick
MAC Parrot Eyeshadow
MAC for Ungaro Mineral Eyeshadow
MAC for Ungaro Fresh Morning CCB
MAC Golden Olive Pigment
MAC for Fafi Squeeze It Lipglass
MAC 3N Lipglass
MAC Pink Air/White Top Pro Longwear Lustre Lipcolour
MAC Dark/Natural Shimmer Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
MAC Reflects Antique Gold Glitter
To donate, please use our ChipIn widget below, or you can also find it on right sidebar and track our progress.
We’re halfway through the month, so I wanted to post a reminder about Temptalia’s fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness! To help get us closer to our goal, for every $5 you donate, you will be entered to win our thank you prize package, valued at $200 $300, of MAC goodies. (This policy is retroactive–so it will apply to those who have already donated!)
Temptalia is committed to raising awareness about Breast Cancer. With October being the official Breast Cancer Awareness month, please join us in raising money for The Breast Cancer Research Fund. Please join us and make a contribution as part of the Temptalia Community! As a thank you for your donation, for every $5 you donate, you are eligible for a chance to win an amazing thank you package valued at $300. Our goal is to raise $1,000–because I know we can do it.
Thank You Package Includes:
MAC for Fafi Belightful Iridescent Powder
MAC 2N Lipstick
MAC Lotusland Eyeshadow
MAC for Heatherette Style Minx Lipglass
MAC Fresh Green Mix Mineralize Eyeshadow
MAC Reflects Very Pink Glitter
MAC Sunsonic Lipstick
MAC Energy 3D Glass
MAC Red Flame/Orange Flicker Pro Lustre Longwear
MAC Scatterrays Solar Bits
MAC Utter Pervette Lipstick
MAC Parrot Eyeshadow
MAC for Ungaro Mineral Eyeshadow
MAC for Ungaro Fresh Morning CCB
MAC Golden Olive Pigment
MAC for Fafi Squeeze It Lipglass
MAC 3N Lipglass
MAC Pink Air/White Top Pro Longwear Lustre Lipcolour
To donate, please use our ChipIn widget below, or you can also find it on right sidebar and track our progress.
