Temptalia

Video Review: MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots + Mattenes

Christine — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:00:18 +0000

Video Review: MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots + Mattenes

First impressions/overview of the new shades of Paint Pots and Mattenes! I filmed a portion of this prior to going to NYC and the rest when I got back, and inadvertently (I was operating on about three hours of sleep!) did not film an intro. By the time I realized it, I discovered how many shades had sold out already and wanted to get the video up ASAP, so I hope you understand.

MAC Rain of Flowers Nail Lacquer Swatches, Photos, Reviews

Christine — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:54:46 +0000

MAC Rain of Flowers Nail Lacquer

MAC Rain of Flowers Nail Lacquer Swatches, Photos, Reviews

MAC Rain of Flowers Nail Lacquer ($15.00 for 0.34 oz.) is described as a “blackened violet with violet pearlized pigments” with a frost finish. It is a repromote, but it has been a year since it originally launched (and it was limited edition then, too).

It’s a rich, deep dark violet purple with flecks of violet and ruby shimmer — very lovely and has lots of depth. I loved this shade when it first came out, but I had some application issues with the formula from this launch. Before, it was opaque in two coats, and it flowed well, but this time I had rather streaky and slightly patchy results in two coats so I had to do a third to give it a better end result. It seems like it would be rather opaque in two coats if it weren’t for the rather uneven appearance overall. The formula is on the thinner side but doesn’t seem sheer. I generally have good luck with MAC polishes (I haven’t had a bad experience with wear that I can remember) – they wear a solid week on me with minor tip wear but no chipping.

I wish it had more dupes, but China Glaze First Class Ticket was the best bet, but it’s not as dark.

The Glossover

	Rain of Flowers C+
	Such a shame! It's a gorgeous color and one that I don't have lots of dupes of, but the formula is difficult to work with. At this price point, it really shouldn't be an issue.
	Product 7/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 2/5

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MAC Rain of Flowers Nail Lacquer

MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Reviews

Christine — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:06:47 +0000

MAC Fresh Amour Mattene

MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Reviews

MAC Mattenes ($14.50 for 0.08 oz.) see the limited introduction of ten new and limited edition shades with Posh Paradise (which debuts tomorrow in-stores). The six featured in this post are: Fresh Amour (light lavender), Naked Bliss (neutral light pink), Potent Fig (deep blue grape), Rare Exotic (bright mid-tone blue pink), Seeds of Desire (deep brown plum), and Unknown Pleasures (deep red blue).

Delectable is reviewed here.
Deliciously Forbidden is reviewed here.
Eden Rouge is reviewed here.
Fresh Amour is a pink-tinted lavender with a semi-matte finish and opaque color coverage. It’s very slightly less pink compared to shades like MAC Lavender Whip, Fashion Mews, Blooming Lovely, and Quite Cute. It does tend to pull the yellowness out of teeth, though.
Legendary is reviewed here.
Naked Bliss is a pinky-beige nude with a semi-matte finish and mostly opaque coverage. It’s darker and pinker compared to MAC Innocence, Beware! and MAC Naturally Eccentric. Maybelline Born With It is similar though glossier. It’s a more pigmented verison of MAC Nude Rose. It’s not as pale as MAC Playing Koi.
Potent Fig is a dark grape purple with a slightly glossy finish. The texture is different from the others, as this had a lot of slip, more shine, and went on uneven/streaky because of the additional creaminess. I can’t think of a dupe for it, as a lot of the previous purplish shades I’ve reviewed are either much darker (and more burgundy) or lighter.
Rare Exotic It is cooler-toned compared to Guerlain Shalimar and Bobbi Brown Cosmic Raspberry. It is a touch bluer than NARS Carthage. OCC Pretty Boy is a little more magenta. It seems a little darker and bluer-based than MAC Girl About Town.
Seeds of Desire is a luxurious brown tinted with red and has ruby red shimmer with a semi-matte finish. The color payoff is good with mostly opaque coverage. CoverGirl Smokyis similar but a little lighter and browner. MAC Underworld is lighter.
Unknown Pleasures is a dark brown-tinted red with mostly opaque color coverage and a slightly shiny finish. The shine with this shade seems higher than the majority, so it’s not quite as semi-matte. It’s redder than Illamasqua Growl. It’s a touch darker than MAC Good to Be Bad. It’s similar to Bobbi Brown Blackberry, MAC Dark Side, and MAC Dark Deed.

These felt creamier, with better slip and comfort, than previous iterations of Mattenes (I think the last time we saw them was with Style Black). I wore Delectable on half of my lips (half of the upper/half of the lower) with Eden Rouge on the other side, because I like to test shades from both the lighter and darker ends of the spectrum to get a handle on the length of wear. Delectable wore off within three hours, while Eden Rouge wore about five. I think the increased slip and creaminess of the formula has reduced the wear time by a bit–at least in these shades.

I didn’t see anything in the marketing/press release on these about them being long-wearing but did glean that they are supposed to be soft enough to glide-on with semi-matte finishes, intense color, and moisturizing. They’re far more moisturizing than the average matte lipstick. After wearing the two I tested for wear, I did want balm, but I didn’t feel like my lips were cracking or dry. These are packaged in slim tubes with matte black on the outside and a shiny rim around the middle. They only contain 0.08 oz., which is less than their regular lipsticks, which are 0.10 oz.

Honestly, this collection has “permanent” written all over it yet everything is limited edition. The shades of the Mattenes seem so core and basic (which is not a criticism) that they would make for an excellent permanent selection of colors in the Mattene formula, which I think many readers have enjoyed over time. I really do feel some improvement went into these new shades. The only one that I had major issues with was Potent Fig.

The Glossover

	MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Reviews A-
	Honestly, this collection has "permanent" written all over it yet everything is limited edition. The shades of the Mattenes seem so core and basic (which is not a criticism) that they would make for an excellent permanent selection of colors in the Mattene formula, which I think many readers have enjoyed over time. I really do feel some improvement went into these new shades. The only one that I had major issues with was Potent Fig.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5

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MAC Fresh Amour Mattene

MAC Naked Bliss Mattene

MAC Potent Fig Mattene

MAC Rare Exotic Mattene

MAC Seeds of Desire Mattene

MAC Unknown Pleasures Mattene

MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots Swatches, Photos, Reviews

Christine — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:43:10 +0000

MAC Genuine Treasure Paint Pot

MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots Swatches, Photos, Reviews

MAC Paint Pots ($17.50 for 0.17 oz.) are included in the Posh Paradise collection which hits stores tomorrow. I’m not sure how some shades sold out so quickly on maccosmetics.com, but all but Half-Wild are in stock at Nordstrom (free shipping). It doesn’t look like it’s launched at Bloomingdales, Dillard’s, or Macy’s (free shipping over $50), but all of these retailers should also launch the collection today or tomorrow.

There are six shades featured in this post: Genuine Treasure (reflects antique gold), Half-Wild (mid-tone purple), Idyllic (mid-tone copper bronze), Nubile (light peachy nude), Pure Creation (mid-tone frosty blue), and Treasure Hunt (light pearled yellow). All products and shades from this collection are limited edition.

Genuine Treasure is a glittery bronze with flecks of antique gold, pewter, and a silvery-gray cast. It’s a very complex color, but the texture is less-than-desirable, because of the glittery finish, it’s gritty and rough. It’s harder to blend out and difficult to get a solid, opaque result in color. I also experienced some fall out after a couple of hours. It is a warmer, browner version of Benefit Skinny Jeans (and obviously, it has a glitter finish compared to a cream one!). I didn’t think it compared well with any of MUFE’s Aqua Creams, though. The finish is similar to those from Cham-pale. It seems a bit similar to Inglot #403 for an eyeshadow version.
Half-Wild is a red-toned medium-dark purple with subtle shimmer. It’s a grape-esque purple, but it’s not too bright and has significant red undertones. The closest cream shadow dupe I could think of was Benefit Purple Snap, which is lighter and less red-based. For powder eyeshadow dupes, it seems similar to Inglot #386.
Hyperviolet is reviewed here.
Idyllic is a burnished reddish-brown. It’s an interesting color, because it incorporates brown, burgundy, red, and copper together. It’s not copper, but it’s also not so dark or red that it’s burgundy. It seems like it would be comparable to MAC Artifact but with a frosted finish as well as Benefit stiletto. Illamasqua Resolute is a bit redder.
Imaginary is reviewed here.
Nubile is a lightly frosted peachy-beige. It’s a lovely shade that would work well as a general purpose eyeshadow base but also as a wash of color on the lid to brighten the eyes. It’s in the family of Painterly and Soft Ochre–not similar in color but in use–and it’s the most versatile of the eight. It’s lighter and less metallic compared to Benefit RSVP. It seems similar to theBalm Luscious Lani as far as a pressed eyeshadow version goes.
Pure Creation is a muted medium blue. It’s like a darkened sky blue to me; it doesn’t have the same lightness as a traditional sky blue would have but similar qualities. It’s not navy blue nor is it ocean blue. It’s much more muted compared to Make Up For Ever #20. It reminded me more of theBalm Sensational. It’s not as as silvered as MAC Moon’s Reflection.
Treasure Hunt is a pale yellow gold–but it’s not too gold. It’s not like Goldmine, which has a stronger orange tinge to it. This is so yellow that it almost reads like a cool-toned yellow; more comparable to Gorgeous Gold without the duochrome. It has the most metallic finish of the eight.

With the exception of Genuine Treasure, the texture of these was creamy with just the right amount of glide and slip to make for easy blending but not a long dry down time. Paint Pots wear well on me (twelve hours without budging, creasing, or fading) whether as an eyeshadow base or worn alone as a wash of color. They can be sheered out for softer color or applied heavily; the color payoff is more dependent on your application than the product, as the majority went opaque when applied and only sheered out with actual blending. Again, Genuine Treasure was the one that had the sheerest color overall; it reads more like a glittery layering shade.

Paint Pots come in heavy glass jars with a black, rubberized screw-top lid. I haven’t had issues with Paint Pots drying out over time, and I’ve had some for more than two years. The only one that has ever dried out was when I left the lid off for two or three days (aka my fault), and I microwaved it for about 10 seconds, stirred, and let it reset–and it was good as new (just make sure to remove the top before microwaving). Each jar contains a good amount of product; you certainly won’t run through a jar in a month or two, even if you use it everyday. I like the 242 or 249 to apply these best. A fluffy brush like the 217 works well to blend out the edges if you are looking to wear it as a wash.

The Glossover

	MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots Swatches, Photos, Reviews A
	This is a really solid release--they work well overall, and Genuine Treasure is the only finicky one that has a certain appeal but may take more patience and trial/error to get just right. These have a nice consistency and texture so they apply and wear well.
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4/5

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MAC Genuine Treasure Paint Pot

MAC Half-Wild Paint Pot

MAC Idyllic Paint Pot

MAC Nubile Paint Pot

MAC Pure Creation Paint Pot

MAC Treasure Hunt Paint Pot

MAC Paint Pot

MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Review (Sneak Peek)

Christine — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:00:57 +0000

MAC Mattenes

MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes (Sneak Peek)

Debuting on September 15th (for North America), Posh Paradise also features ten new and limited edition hues of Mattene Lipsticks ($14.50 for 0.08 oz. each). I have four of them to share with you today. They are: Delectable (orange-beige), Deliciously Forbidden (mid-tone berry), Eden Rouge (bright blue-red), and Legendary (mid-tone brick red).

Delectable is a darkened peach with a healthy dose of orange, but it’s surprisingly not too warm or orange. It has a semi-matte finish with a light sheen. The lighter coloring does make it so it emphasizes any imperfections of the natural lip. It is similar to Cle de Peau Calliope, MAC Imagine This (which is touch darker), and MAC Peachstock (which is a tough lighter).
Deliciously Forbidden is a pinky-red berry with a semi-matte finish. It has opaque color coverage. It’s similar to Milani Sexy Rose, MAC Rebel (which is darker, redder, more vibrant),
Eden Rouge is a vibrant blue-based red with nearly opaque color coverage (you can still see my lip freckle peeking through) and a semi-matte finish. It is similar to so many reds. It’s a nice red, but keep an eye out on the reds you already own, because it is a more dupeable shade.
Legendary is a brownish red with subtle gold micro-shimmer and a satiny shine. I found this one to have a more pronounced sheen compared to the other three shades I tried. This was also the most opaque. It is similar to Shiseido Mystery, MAC Underworld (which is several shades darker and browner), Bobbi Brown Blackberry, MAC Dark Deed (which is redder), and MAC Kittenish (which is lighter, less brown).

This is only part of a larger selection of new shade varieties of the Mattene formula, but these felt creamier, with better slip and comfort, than previous iterations of Mattenes (I think the last time we saw them was with Style Black). I wore Delectable on half of my lips (half of the upper/half of the lower) with Eden Rouge on the other side, because I like to test shades from both the lighter and darker ends of the spectrum to get a handle on the length of wear. Delectable wore off within three hours, while Eden Rouge wore about five. I think the increased slip and creaminess of the formula has reduced the wear time by a bit–at least in these shades.

The Glossover

	MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Review (Sneak Peek) A-
	I'm surprised the Mattenes aren't being added the permanent range, just because from the four I've seen, it's a rather basic, core range of colors that you would likely see added to a permanent line rather than made limited edition.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5

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MAC Mattenes

MAC Delectable Mattene

MAC Deliciously Forbidden Mattene

MAC Eden Rouge Mattene

MAC Legendary Mattene

MAC Hyperviolet & Imaginary Paint Pots Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:00:33 +0000

MAC Hyperviolet Paint Pot

MAC Hyperviolet & Imaginary Paint Pots

Debuting on September 15th (for North America), Posh Paradise contains eight new and limited edition (but of course!) paint pots. Each paint pot retails for $17.50. I wish I had more to share with you, but these are the only two paint pots I received! I’m flying to NYC this AM and as soon as I have a free moment, I hope to stop by the PRO store to pick up all of the remaining products but please, please be patient – I would really appreciate it! The two I have to show you are: Hyperviolet (deep violet) and Imaginary (blackened navy).

Hyperviolet is a purpled eggplant with red-burgundy undertones. It’s not as brown as Dark Diversion. Going by memory, it’s a deeper, cream version of Nice Vice but purpler than Artifact. It seems redder than Macroviolet.
Imaginary is a blackened violet purple. This is supposed to be a blackened navy blue, and it looks purple in the pot, purple under most lighting, but occasionally, in just the right lighting (particularly low/poor lighting), it looks more navy than it does purple. I don’t have it to compare but by memory, Non-conormist seems similar though not as blackened, bluer, and has a cream finish.

I tested Imaginary on the lid for eight hours, and it worked quite well. It applied well, blended out with little difficulty, and it stayed on without creasing for those eight hours (and no signs that it would crease either). Unlike the paint pots from Cham-pale, the shimmer in Imaginary is subtle and more shimmer-sheen than pure shimmer. It is also much finer, so it doesn’t give it a rougher feel or result in fall out.

The Glossover

	MAC Hyperviolet & Imaginary Paint Pots Review, Photos, Swatches A
	The first two I've tried of the eight seem promising, so I look forward to checking out the rest. I've had good luck with Paint Pots over the years, except when they get too glittery (which neither of these are)!
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4/5

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MAC Hyperviolet Paint Pot

MAC Imaginary Paint Pot

Temptalia

Video Review: MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots + Mattenes

Video Review: MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots + Mattenes

MAC Rain of Flowers Nail Lacquer Swatches, Photos, Reviews

MAC Rain of Flowers Nail Lacquer Swatches, Photos, Reviews

The Glossover

Rain of Flowers

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Texture

Longevity

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MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Reviews

MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Reviews

The Glossover

MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Reviews

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MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots Swatches, Photos, Reviews

MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots Swatches, Photos, Reviews

The Glossover

MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots Swatches, Photos, Reviews

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MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Review (Sneak Peek)

MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes (Sneak Peek)

The Glossover

MAC Posh Paradise Mattenes Swatches, Photos, Review (Sneak Peek)

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MAC Hyperviolet & Imaginary Paint Pots Review, Photos, Swatches

MAC Hyperviolet & Imaginary Paint Pots

The Glossover

MAC Hyperviolet & Imaginary Paint Pots Review, Photos, Swatches

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

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