MAC Wonder Woman: Opulash Mascara

MAC OPULASH MASCARA ($15.00 for 0.38 oz.) is a thickening mascara that also lengths and helps with holding a curl, and it is a “long-wearing formula” designed to work for up to fifteen hours. Wonder Woman sees the release of these shades; Army of Amazons (green), Bad Bad Black (black), Themyscira (blue), and Victorious (purple). The Bad Bad Black shade is available permanently but in permanent packaging.

• Army of Amazons is a muted emerald green.
• Bad Bad Black is a deep black.
• Themyscira is a violet-tinged blue.
• Victorious is a medium purple.

my thoughts on the formula: I liked the soft, feathery look Opulash gave my lashes along with some very nice length! I’m actually surprised I didn’t see length pushed in the marketing write-up for Opulash, because I look at the before/after photos, and I see longer, slightly blacker lashes, but not necessarily a ton of volume. I found two or three quick coats was all you needed to get the feathery lash effect going. More than that resulted in a bit of clumping, but if you don’t load up your lashes with the product, it’s a nice, full and feathery lash that’s clump-free. You can see my full review of Opulash here.

I have only trialed Army of Amazons on my lashes (well, and the black shade, many months ago, when Opulash first released), but I was impressed with the amount of noticeable color it delivered. I did not use any primer, but my lashes definitely have that green tint. Colored mascaras usually look rather dull and muted (if they show at all) on my lashes, wihch are naturally a soft black. As I work through the other shades, if I find that any of the others perform less, I will revise this review at that time.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 27/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

final thoughts: I like the Opulash mascara formula, and it’s a good mascara for those who have decent lashes to begin with.  It lengthens more than it volumizes or thickens for me, though.  So far, it seems like the color actually shows up surprisingly well even over black lashes.

where to buy: MAC Cosmetics

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Army of Amazons Opulash Mascara

MAC Opulash Mascara

MAC Opulash Mascara

MAC Bad, Bad Black Opulash Mascara

MAC Themyscira Opulash Mascara

MAC Victorious Opulash Mascara

Wearing MAC Army of Amazons Opulash Mascara (along with Valiant Eyeshadow Quad)

* Due to the sensitivity of my eyes, I only swatched one of the mascaras. I will certainly work on using the other shades in looks. I didn’t want to end up with eye irritation when I still have lots of work to do for Wonder Woman reviews, so I hope you understand and I apologize if I have disappointed you.

Army of Amazons, Bad Bad Black, Themyscira, Victorious

Army of Amazons, Bad Bad Black

Themyscira, Victorious

Makeup Tutorial: Birthday Makeup in Ice Cream Swirl Cake

Here’s the video tutorial for yesterday’s look!   As always, hope you like it!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Juxt Eyeshadow (pastel green), MAC Aquadisiac Eyeshadow (teal), MAC Stars ‘n Rockets Eyeshadow (fuchsia-purple), MAC Orb Eyeshadow (highlighter), Make Up For Ever #15L Aqua Eyes (blue-purple), MAC Opulash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Le Metier de Beaute Romeo & Juliet Blushing Bronze Duet (pale pink)
• Lips: MAC Capricious Lipstick (red-plum purple), MAC Cultured Lipglass (pinky-lilac)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)

Birthday Makeup:  Ice Cream Swirl Cake

It’s probably just me, but the colors in this look remind me of birthdays and ice cream.  I gotta tell you – I miss all those birthday parties I had (and went to) when I was really young (like 3-10!), those were always fun.  My favorite kind of birthday cake is ICE CREAM CAKE!  I also die for my boyfriend’s mom’s carrot cake, which she makes for everyone’s birthday.  DELISH!  What’s your favorite kind of cake?

I wore this look to my final exam yesterday, and can I just say how freaking excited I am that I am done with school until August?  I can’t remember the last time I took a summer off.  I feel like I’ve been perpetually in school forever.  I’m just SO excited to be able to concentrate more on the blog and hope I can realize some of my big plans for it!  But seriously, the word freedom never meant so much to me until last night at 10pm when I walked out of my final.  (By the by, I hate finals that start so late–my brain just wants to go zzz!)

Oh, and I totally got eyeshadow base on my BROW, which I didn’t notice was so apparent until after photos – blah blah, I fixed it after, you know the drill!

P.S. — Big happy birthday to the lovely Karen @ Makeup and Beauty Blog!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Juxt Eyeshadow (pastel green), MAC Aquadisiac Eyeshadow (teal), MAC Stars ‘n Rockets Eyeshadow (fuchsia-purple), MAC Orb Eyeshadow (highlighter), Make Up For Ever #15L Aqua Eyes (blue-purple), MAC Opulash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Le Metier de Beaute Romeo & Juliet Blushing Bronze Duet (pale pink)
• Lips: MAC Capricious Lipstick (red-plum purple), MAC Cultured Lipglass (pinky-lilac)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes:

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Juxt eyeshadow on the lower two-thirds of the lid. Lightly place Aquadisiac eyeshadow on the crease 239. Next, apply Stars ‘n Rockets eyeshadow above the crease with the 239, lightly blending onto the outer lid. Blend Orb eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying #15 aqua eyes on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Opulash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Romeo & Juliet blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Capricious lipstick first, and then layer Cultured lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Five Minute Looks: Green & Greener

I was in a rush yesterday, but I wanted to play with some new makeup–I was desperate to do a look with YSL’s Slate Green. The nearest to it was MAC’s Sweet & Punchy and my new Make Up Forever Aqua Creams… and thus, this look was created! Lashes are a lil’ funky, because I applied Barelash mascara on ‘em about an hour prior.

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Make Up For Ever #13 Aqua Cream (warm beige base), MAC Sweet & Punchy Eyeshadow (chartreuse), YSL #5 Slate Green Eyeshadow (dark forest green), MAC Grain Eyeshadow (highlight), MAC Black Black Chromagraphic Pencil (black), MAC Opulash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Make Up For Ever #5 Aqua Cream (peachy-pink)
• Lips: Make Up For Ever #5 Aqua Cream (peachy-pink), Dior Satin Peach Ultra Gloss (peach)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 130  (dense stippling brush)
• Substitutes: Sweet & Punchy = Sour Lemon

For eyes, start by applying #13 aqua cream as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Sweet & Punchy eyeshadow on the lower lid. Next, apply #5 Slate Green eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending outwards and onto the outer lid. Blend Grain eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Black Black pencil on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Opulash mascara.

For cheeks, apply #5 aqua cream to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 130.

For lips, apply #5 aqua cream first, and then layer Satin Peach ultra gloss for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

MAC To the Beach Look: Clarins + Neon Orange

This is the look I ended up wearing to attend my local MAC’s To the Beach event.  I had originally planned to do something bolder and brighter on the eyes, but I ran out of time, so I just went with the look I started the day with!

I’m happy to say I snagged the one item that really had me smile — the MAC To the Beach Bag ($49.95).  It’s huge and cute and the perfect beach bag.  It makes me want to go to the beach ASAP!  Some photos of its loveliness and size comparisons included in this post!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Benefit Stay Don’t Stray (neutral base), Clarins Instant Sun Light Eyeshadow Palette, MAC Opulash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: MAC Marine Life High Light Powder (coral-red)
• Lips: MAC Temperature Rising Lip Pencil (neon orange), MAC Easy Lounger Lipglass (sheer pink)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Marine Life = NARS Deep Throat; Temperature Rising = Neon Orange lipstick; Easy Lounger = Prr

For eyes, start by applying Stay Don’t Stray as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. With the 239, apply the light peach eyeshadow on the inner half of the lid. Next, apply the medium brown eyeshadow on the outer half of the lid, softly into the crease. To define the crease, apply the dark chocolate brown eyeshadow with the 226. Blend the lightest shade above the crease and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying the dark brown eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Opulash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Marine Life high light powder to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Temperature Rising lip pencil first, and then layer Easy Lounger lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Coral on one side, conch shell on the other; canvas

I originally tried to put Mellan *in* the bag. I got his butt in there, but I couldn’t quite manage the get the two front feet in… but hey, his big butt fit!   He threatened to eat the bag if I took a photo… he wanted to hold onto his dignity.  In all honesty, this bag is the perfect size for a beach bag, but I’ll probably use it more as a doggy bag myself.  Mellan doesn’t travel light!

See, it’s HUGE! Mellan is a purebred labrador — 70 pounds, lanky and lean and mean.

He’s totally thinking those handles look like his tug ropes…

He’s two seconds away from getting his snack on, I swear!

Unpleased dog is unpleased!

See, isn’t the bag HUGE?

Make Up For Ever Look: #21 Turquoise Aqua Cream

You know what’s frustrating? When you do your makeup, think it’s rockin’, and then you see it in close-up photos and can’t figure out why it didn’t translate!  But anyway, it’s all part of the journey–the learning, that is–so why not share it with you despite some imperfections?

How’s your Monday going? I really love Mondays, but today feels a little slow–normally so many things are happening on Monday for me!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Benefit Stay Don’t Stray (neutral base), Make Up For Ever #21 Turquoise Aqua Cream (turquoise), Make Up For Ever #101 Eyeshadow (white-gold), Make Up For Ever #171 Eyeshadow (shimmery chartreuse), Make Up For Ever #93 Eyeshadow (green-turquoise), Make Up For Ever #159 Eyeshadow (dark blue), Make Up For Ever #7L Aqua Eyes Liner (electric blue), Lancome Noir Artliner (black), MAC Opulash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Make Up For Ever #5 Peach Aqua Cream (peach-pink)
• Lips: MAC Beachbound Lipstick (sheer melon), MAC Flurry of Fun Lipglass (sheer tangerine)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush)
• Substitutes: Beachbound = Melon pigment; Flurry of Fun = Love Nectar + Reflects Transparent Teal

For eyes, start by applying Stay Don’t Stray as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. With the 249, apply #21 Turquoise aqua cream all over the lid area. Using the 239, apply #101 eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid. Next, apply #171 eyeshadow on the middle third of the lid. With the 239, apply #93 eyeshadow to the outer third of the lid and brush into outer crease. Define the crease by applying #159 eyeshadow with the 226, lightly blending outwards and upwards to fade to the brow bone. With the 239, apply #93 eyeshadow into the crease directly and then blended towards the outer corner and lid. Blend #101 eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone, then light overlay the edge of the faded crease area with #171 eyeshadow. Bring everything together by applying #7L eyeliner on the lower lash line and #171 eyeshadow lightly patted below the lower lash line with the 219 brush. Finish by sweeping lashes with Opulash mascara.

For cheeks, apply #5 Peach aqua cream on the apples and upper cheekbones with a stippling brush.

For lips, apply Beachbound lipstick first, and then layer Flurry of Fun lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!