Cult Nails Faded Nail Lacquer ($12.00 for 0.50 fl. 0z.) is described as a “light grey with subtle blue undertones.” It’s a pale, cement gray with a subtle cool undertone (read more neutral on me, but it looked more cool-toned in the bottle) and a cream finish. MAC Inert is warmer, more taupe-like. Nubar Earthen is very comparable (but needs a top coat to have similar shine). China Glaze Pelican Grey is darker and has shimmer.
Faded was fully opaque after two coats of polish. It had a fantastic formula that flowed fluidly across the nail without streaking, bubbling, or pooling along the edges of the nail. It dried down to a glossy finish (you could skip a top coat). I liked that it didn’t get too dark or cool-toned, so it appeared as a lighter, airy kind of gray, rather than a stormy color. I typically get a week of wear out of Cult Nails’ formula with very minor tip wear but no chipping.
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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Make Up For Ever #25L Aqua Eyes Eyeliner ($19.00 for 0.04 oz.) is described as a “dark chocolate brown.” It’s a medium-dark chocolate brown with warm, reddish undertones and a matte finish. If it looks familiar, you may be familiar with it when it was launched as a limited edition shade named Gypsy. Now, it’s part of the permanent range of Aqua Eyes. Chanel Brun-Teak is similar but less red-toned. MAC Brownborder is also similar. Urban Decay Corrupt is browner with less red. Tarina Tarantino Locket Book is warmer, more golden, less red. Tarina Tarantino Puppeteer is closer but shimmery and not as dark.
It felt, looked, and wore the same as Gypsy did, so if that was a favorite for you (or you missed out), you can have the same experience with #25L. It’s fairly opaque in one stroke, and it’s very buildable without getting patchy or looking uneven. The pencil has a slightly waxy and creamy consistency that allows it to glide on evenly and easily without pulling or tugging on the lash line. I recently tested this, and it lasted for ten hours without smudging or migrating; there was some faint thinning of the lie, but it seemed fully intact at the eight-hour mark.
This is a gorgeous, rich red-toned brown that's an excellent alternative to black eyeliner for everyday eyeliner. It works well on its own with a neutral eye or anchor a more intense look.
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
9.5/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
10/10
Application
4.5/5
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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.
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Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Ripley Nail Lacquer
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Ripley Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. 0z.) is described as a “blackened, antique olive-gold [with a metallic finish].” At a glance, it’s exactly what comes to my mind when I think of “black gold.” More descriptively, it’s a blackened olive base with golden olive green shimmer with a metallic finish. China Glaze Agro is slightly greener, not as metallic (smaller shimmer). Cult Nails in a Trance is less blackened, more shimmered than metallic. NARS Mash is much greener.
This polish had flawless, opaque color coverage with two coats, but it was nearly opaque in a single coat! The consistency was on the thicker side, but it didn’t have an impact on the application, as I didn’t have any issues with the polish streaking, bubbling, or pooling along the edges of the nail. It dried down rather quickly, and it had a slightly shiny finish but a top coat would give it a really glossy look–it’s more foil-like without a top coat. Despite the very metallic finish, brush strokes were just barely noticeable, and at a distance, not distinguishable. I normally get a week of wear out of OCC’s formula with no chipping and only minor tip wear.
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, it adds warmth, shimmer, glossy shine, and lightens my natural lip color just slightly. The color itself appears semi-sheer, so it’s the kind of shade that will look different applied depending on your natural lip color. I could see this complementing a lot of the richer coral lipsticks on the market. The formula is supposed to feel featherweight, contain Hyaluronic spheres that “keep lips smooth and moisturized,” and also has “mirror-like micropearls [that] reflect light.” It is very comfortable to wear with a thin, lightweight consistency that is lightly hydrating and never feels gritty. The shimmer doesn’t travel during wear, though the wear time could be improved upon–I was only able to get wear of a mere two and a half hours with this particular shade.
The color itself appears semi-sheer, so it's the kind of shade that will look different applied depending on your natural lip color. I could see this complementing a lot of the richer coral lipsticks on the market.
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
9.5/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
6.5/10
Application
4.5/5
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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!
Dry shampoo — it is a must for any beach day or vacation spent on the beach! 
