Monday, July 4th, 2011
Zoya Nail Lacquer in Anja, Cynthia, Dree
Zoya Mirrors Collection Swatches, Photos, Reviews, Dupes
Zoya Mirrors Collection contains metallic nail lacquers, including: Jem (sparkly fandango pink metallic), Yara (sparkly olive green metallic), Neeka (sparkly amethyst purple metallic), Marina (smoky steel blue metallic), Tao (smoky slate gray metallic), and Nimue (smoky rich thistle metallic).
- Jem is a rich, jewel-esque pink-shimmered purple-red. It has both pink and gold shimmer. I used two coats for opaque color coverage. It’s similar to Zoya Valerie but the base is less black.
- Yara is an olive green base with green-gold and green flecks of sparkle. I used two coats for opaque color coverage.The sparkle portion is similar to the type in China Glaze Zombie Zest, but the base of that polish is very murky and dark olive in comparison. The base of Yara is similar to Dree (but greener) of the Smoke collection.
- Neeka is a slightly dusted grape purple with flecks of gold shimmer and sparkle. I used two coats for opaque color coverage. I couldn’t think of similar shades for this one.
- Marina is a steely blue with silver micro-shimmer. This one read the most metallic to me, because the shimmer threads through the color base. I used two coats for opaque color coverage. Butter London Lady Muck came to me first, but it’s much lighter.
- Tao is a silver-shimmered medium gray. I needed three coats with this shade to get opaque color. NARS Full Metal Jacket is similar but darker.
- Nimue is a silver-shimmered purple-mauve. I used two coats for opaque color coverage. Nubar Vaso is similar but more metallic and pinker.
Overall, the formula on these was on the thinner side but not difficult to use. I needed three coats on Tao, but I felt two coats were appropriate for opaque color on the other five shades. Marina, Tao, and Nimue have a stronger metallic finish than Jem, Yara, and Neeka, but they definitely all look more metallic in brighter light. I wore Jem for a week to test out the wear, and I had only minor tip wear, which is consistent with my past experience with Zoya’s metallic formula. The darker shades (like Jem) are very pigmented and almost opaque in one coat. The metallic finish does result in brush strokes, which were easy enough to control but may be a turn-off for some. I used Zoya’s Anchor + Armor for base/top coats.
Where to Buy: Zoya, $8 each
Besides noticeable brush strokes, it's a nice collection of metallics for fall. Only Tao needed three coats, while the rest were opaque in two, and the formula flowed evenly and the shimmer/sparkle distributed well.
Friday, July 1st, 2011
MAC Sketch Eyeshadow
MAC Eyeshadow Swatches – Burgundy & Brown
I’m trying to get these up sooner rather than later so that I can be sure to include permanent MAC dupes when and where possible, as it’s the most requested brand when someone is looking for a dupe. MAC Eyeshadows ($14.50 for 0.05 oz.) are so numerous, and the amount of browns and neutrals the brand has is insane.
- Sketch is a dark burgundy brown with a velvet finish.
- Deep Damson is a dark burgundy brown with red undertones and a matte finish. It’s slightly richer in color with a stronger red undertone than Sketch, but ultimately, it’s a much better formula to work with. This is a PRO shade.
- Star Violet is a frosted, medium-dark burgundy brown with a veluxe pearl finish.
- Embark is a rich, intense brown with a red undertone. It has a matte finish.
- Shale is a dirty plum-gray with a satin finish (though it feels more like a frost or veluxe pearl than it does a satin–the sheen is too frosted).
- Brown Down is a dark, chocolate brown with subtle warm undertones and a veluxe finish. It has this grayish cast to it that makes it not quite your typical brown.
- Twinks is a medium-dark, golden brown with bronzed shimmer. It has a veluxe pearl finish. MAC describes it as a deep plum with pearl, but it’s very brown on me–at most, a hint of plum.
- Sable is a medium-dark, bronzy brown with a tinge of plum. It’s very similar in color to Twinks, but their finishes make them look different.
- Antiqued is a rich, coppery brown with a veluxe pearl finish.
- Swiss Chocolate is a warm, medium-dark brown with a matte finish.
- Brown Script is a warm, red-toned, medium brown with a Matte2 finish.
- Texture is a warmed-up, light-medium brown with a yellowness and a velvet finish. It is a bit like Inglot #357.
A lot of the shades featured in this post are really lovely to work with. Sketch is the only so-so shade; it can be temperamental and not always blend out with ease, which makes Deep Damson a much better choice if one has access to a PRO store/willingness to purchase via phone. Shale is a shade that often looks just a bit different, because skin tone often shifts it to gray, plum, mauve, or even brown. I’m a big fan of Twinks, Sable, Antiqued, and Brown Script–all rich and smooth formulas.
Monday, June 27th, 2011
Chanel Etole Rouge Coco Lipstick
Chanel Fall 2011: Etole Rouge Coco Lipstick
Chanel Etole Rouge Coco Lipstick ($32.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a medium-dark berry red with a hint of plum. When worn, it is dark without being overwhelmingly so; it’s a softened dark, if that makes any sense! There is a hint of shine, and the lip color really seems to melt into the natural lip and ends up looking rather natural. It’s a very fitting shade for fall, and I think it is incredibly easy to wear, particularly for thsoe who tend to stay away from darker lip colors. This is dark without being dominating.
Rouge Cocos are described as hydrating, though I find them only somewhat moisturizing overall. Etole has less frost and shimmer, and it wears better for it–it’s more moisturizing and applies evenly to lips without catching on any imperfections as a drier frost might. I was able to get about four hours of good wear with this particular shade. The color of this shade is nearly opaque (just a hint of my lip freckle peeks through). I do see it pulling red on those with more naturally red lips.
I thought it was most similar to Cle de Peau #117 Extra Silky Lipstick, which is perhaps a touch pinker, less berry. Dior Raspberry Serum is a bit redder and darker. MAC Capricious is similar but less opaque and on the pinker side.
Where to Buy: Chanel, $32
As one of the first products I tested from Chanel's fall collection, it raised the bar! The color is perfect for fall, with its soft vampy feel, but still very wearable.
Sunday, June 26th, 2011
Inglot Matte Eyeshadow Palette #3
Inglot Matte Eyeshadows in #341, 354, 327, 342, 360, 357 (Browns)
This next look at Inglot’s Matte Eyeshadows ($4.50 to $7.00 each for 0.09 oz.) revolves around some of their warmer brown shades.
- 341 is a soft peach-beige with a matte finish.
- 354 is a really pale white-peach with a matte finish. It was a little on the powdery side.
- 327 is a warmer, medium-dark brown with subtle yellow undertones and a matte finish.
- 342 is a dusty taupe-brown with subtle warmth and a matte finish. This is a really good shade for the crease.
- 360 is a dusty, grayed taupe brown with a matte finish.
- 357 is a warm medium brown with a matte finish.
Overall, this was another good batch of mattes from Inglot; smooth, easy to work with, and nice color payoff. #354 had a powdery texture compared to the other five, but it wasn’t too bad, and it was surprising how it did not look chalky on me despite its pale color and matte finish.
Where to Buy: Inglot
I see both #348 and #360 working really well for neutral looks in the crease. A shade like #357 will suit warmer complexions best, as it may look more orange on cooler skin tones.
Sunday, June 26th, 2011
Inglot Matte Eyeshadow Palette #3
Inglot Matte Eyeshadows in #329, 378, 326, 363, 358 (Browns & Neutrals)
This next look at Inglot’s Matte Eyeshadows ($4.50 to $7.00 each for 0.09 oz.) is all about some neutrals–these were cooler browns and slightly odd shades that seemed to belong more to neutrals than a particular color.
- 329 is a chocolate brown with a matte finish. It’s not warm, more of a neutral brown.
- 378 is a dark, cool-toned brown with a hint of burgundy. It has a matte finish.
- 326 is a dark, cool-toned brown with an even subtler hint of burgundy than #378. It also has a matte finish. Both #378 and #326 are extremely similar, and it is hard to distinguish which is which.
- 363 is a taupe brown with a matte finish.
- 358 is a subdued mauve-gray with a matte finish. This just seemed so neutral when I was arranging the palettes, but it swatches rather purple.
- 344 is a pink-plum brown with a matte finish. It’s totally the definition of a neutral, though – soft, natural.
Overall, these are true to Inglot’s matte formula and are easy to work with. I had a touch of sheerness with #378, but the other four had nice color payoffs and smooth applications.
Where to Buy: Inglot
I'm so glad that these applied much better than the purples within the same palette--or else I would have thought the whole palette was cursed!
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
Inglot Matte Eyeshadow Palette #2
Inglot Matte Eyeshadows in #332, 336, 322, 371, 367, 388, 369 (Blues)
To finish off this palette of Inglot’s Matte Eyeshadows ($4.50 to $7.00 each for 0.09 oz.), we look at enough blue to paint a sky.
- 332 is a deep navy blue with a hint of indigo and a matte finish. I detected the faintest bit of blue micro-shimmer.
- 336 is a cornflower blue with a matte finish. I found it a smidgen on the sheer side, but it seems like it is buildable. It’s a bit like MAC’s Winkle.
- 322 is a bright, medium cyan blue with a matte finish.
- 371 is a bright cyan blue with a matte finish–it is just slightly lighter than #322.
- 367 is a pale, whitened sky blue with a matte finish. This was a little sheer and blended out too quickly (and ended up looking sheer).
- 388 is a vibrant, dark blue-purple with a matte finish. It seems comparable to MAC’s Atlantic Blue.
- 369 is a soft, paled periwinkle blue with a matte finish. Like #336, it was a touch sheer.
These are really soft mattes; they have a really buttery feel to them, where you can feel the powder loosening as you swatch. They aren’t particularly powdery, though they’ll kick up a little dust if you are heavy handed with your brush. A little product goes a long way, so there’s no reason to jab at the eyeshadow with a brush (something you might have done with past matte eyeshadows). The softness and give allow these to apply smoothly and evenly; there is no patchiness or drag with these. The only downside to these is if you really pack on the color, you might find that it fades (ever-so-marginally) after eight hours; it’s a very minimal drawback, resulting in 0.5 point reduction in longevity.
#367 was the one I had the most trouble with; I think the lightness alone emphasizes any shortcomings it has–it’s a little sheer, slightly powdery, and the end result is something patchy. #336 and #369 were more buildable in color but still had some noticeable sheerness.
Where to Buy: Inglot
#367 was the one I had the most trouble with; I think the lightness alone emphasizes any shortcomings it has--it's a little sheer, slightly powdery, and the end result is something patchy. #336 and #369 were more buildable in color but still had some noticeable sheerness.
