Temptalia

MAC Scorching Haute and Tropical Nail Lacquers Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Temperature Rising)

Christine — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:52:06 +0000

MAC Scorching Haute Nail Lacquer

MAC Scorching Haute Nail Lacquer ($18.00 for 0.34 fl. oz.) is described as a “super glitter magenta.” It’s multi-sized magenta glitter suspended in a clear base; it has very small sparkle, micro-glitter, and then larger circular glitters. Zoya Carly is darker with a blacker base and less glittery. China Glaze Senorita Bonita is purpler and less glittery. Nubar Petunia Sparkle has a blacker base. Urban Decay Xanadu is not as dense, has darker purple glitter (rather than magenta). SpaRitual Shooting Star has a blacker base and shimmer rather than glitter. It’s opaque and densely-packed with glitter in two coats–and I was a bit surprised, because one coat didn’t inspire confidence it would turn opaque, but it did. That’s actually great news, as it makes it a more versatile polish–you can layer one coat over another polish or wear this alone with two coats. The consistency wasn’t too thick or too thin, and it applied well while the glitter spread evenly across the nail.

MAC Tropical Nail Lacquer ($18.00 for 0.34 fl. oz.) is described as a “super glitter bronze.” It has a chocolate brown-tinted base with copper and bronze small/medium glitter suspended in it. I wasn’t able to think of any dupes for this one, and the only shade that I considered was China Glaze Ick-a-bod-y, which is larger orange glitter in a black base. I didn’t have the same luck with this shade as I did with Scorching Haute, as this one wasn’t opaque in two coats, and the glitter did not spread evenly. It tended to stick wherever the brush first was applied, but if you pulled the brush across the nail, most of the glitter stayed at the other end. I had to push it forward for more even glitter coverage. I applied one thin coat with two thicker coats on top on my middle finger, and I was able to get more opaque color but the result is on the thicker side. The consistency was on the watery side.

The Glossover

	Scorching Haute A
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 5/5

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	Tropical B-
	Product 7.5/10 Pigmentation 8/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5

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MAC Scorching Haute Nail Lacquer

MAC Tropical Nail Lacquer

Chanel Envolee (427) Levres Scintillantes Glossimer Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Chanel Envolee (427) Levres Scintillantes Glossimer

Chanel Envolee (427) Levres Scintillantes Glossimer ($29.50 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is described as a “coral.” In the tube, it appears like a warm coral-red with shimmer, but swatched on the skin, it takes on a much softer, lighter color–more soft orange with gold shimmer than coral. On lips, it adds warmth and maybe tints them to something slightly darker, but it’s very minimal and the shimmer is hard to spot (it is not a very sparkly shade). There is a number of sheer glosses that are similar to this.

Sheer gloss should have a more visible impact than a clear gloss would. On my lips, this shade makes my lips look glossy and adds more pinkness to them (you can see that my lips almost look a bit washed out when they have nothing on them). Because the effect is subtle, it makes this gloss more readily duped–there’s nothing particularly notable about this shade. It wears three hours on me, and the consistency isn’t too thick or too thin, doesn’t get tacky, and is comfortable and lightly hydrating while worn. But I recognize that many readers need some special oomph to merit splashing out this much on a gloss, and if that’s you, keep going and don’t look back on this one.

We will always see and hear the debate between clear, sheer, and opaque gloss and what is or isn’t worth it and what does and doesn’t make it worth it. If you prefer opaque gloss, Glossimers (generally) aren’t going to be your number one go-to. Sometimes they have semi-sheer to semi-opaque color, and more frequently (in the past couple of years), many of them are very sheer. The press release described Envolee as just “coral,” whereas Eden, another shade, is described more aptly as a “translucent raspberry”–so this should be more pigmented than Eden, but it is not.

The Glossover

	Envolee (427) B-
	The press release described Envolee as just "coral," whereas Eden, another shade, is described more aptly as a "translucent raspberry"--so this should be more pigmented than Eden, but it is not.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 7/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 7/10 Application 5/5

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Chanel Envolee (427) Levres Scintillantes Glossimer

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:26:37 +0000

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad ($59.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a new and limited edition palette exclusive to Chanel.com from their summer collection. It features four shades of eyeshadows in varying finishes that can be “applied dry for subtle shading, or dampened for more intense colour, all with long-wearing results.” Outside of the U.S., this quad and its formula will be very familiar, while those within the U.S. will note that the shape, texture, and feel of the formula is different. This is, essentially, the baked formula, compared with the traditional power eyeshadow that we typically see in the quads here in the U.S.

Metamorphose (44) #1 is a medium-dark, cool-toned green with a hint of blue/teal and a frosted sheen. It had semi-sheer color payoff applied dry, and it was more opaque applied damp, but it could have applied more evenly and smoothly. Tom Ford Emerald Lust is a touch darker. MAC Sweet & Sour is greener. Dior Garden Pastels #5 is very slightly warmer/greener. Tarina Tarantino Violet Storm is cooler-toned.

Metamorphose (44) #2 is a cool-toned, green-tinged, pale gray. It looks more like a mint green in the pan, but it comes off rather grayish when I applied it. The color payoff is very sheer when used dry, and then it is decent to good in opacity when applied damp. Giorgio Armani #10 is more metallic. Dior Cruise is similar. is a bit darker (and a cream product).

Metamorphose (44) #3 is a lightly warmed-over yellowy-green with a frosted sheen. It was sheer to semi-sheer when applied dry, and it was more opaque when applied damp. Too Faced Fantasy Island #2 is more metallic but very close in color. bareMinerals Wicked is more intense, greener. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone #6 is much darker, greener. MAC Juxt is brighter and much warmer. MAC Valiant is very similar.

Metamorphose (44) #4 is a deep navy blue with cool undertones and a satiny finish. It had decent pigmentation when applied dry, but it was much more intense when applied damp. Urban Decay Evidence is a more pearled sheen. MAC Naval Blue is more frosted. MAC Lunar is darker. bareMinerals Climax is more pearled. Guerlain Les Ombres de Nuit #3 is darker–more blackened. Make Up For Ever #81 is darker.

Generally, the baked eyeshadow quads are less intense and pigmented than the regular powder eyeshadow quads. To an extent, I would agree. These really have to used damp to see decent color payoff, as when they are applied dry, they are subtle and on the powdery side. From my own experiences, I tend to prefer the powder eyeshadows over baked ones as well for both blending, wear, and color payoff. Metamorphose had faded noticeably when I checked at the eight-hour mark. The texture was always on the drier, powdery side, and when applied damp, it didn’t blend out as easily as Chane’s best eyeshadows do.

P.S. — 0.04 oz.? Ouchhh! I know that baked eyeshadows tend to weigh less, but whoa does that seem crazy small. They look like a normal-sized eyeshadow, all domed and the like, but the weight is (somewhat) concerning.

The Glossover

	Metamorphose (44) B-
	From my own experiences, I tend to prefer the powder eyeshadows over baked ones as well for both blending, wear, and color payoff. Metamorphose doesn't make a strong case for the baked formula.
	Product 8/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 7/10 Application 4/5

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Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Chanel Metamorphose (44) #1 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) #2 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) #3 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) #4 Eyeshadow

Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad

Revlon Rose Gold Chroma Chameleon Nail Enamel Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Revlon Rose Gold Chroma Chameleon Nail Enamel

Revlon Rose Gold Chroma Chameleon Nail Enamel ($8.49 for 0.29 fl. oz.) is a gold to pink duochrome with a metallic finish. I felt like it was rather similar to China Glaze Swanky Silk–both in terms of color and even to a degree, formula.

The duochrome is noticeable but not strong, and it’s probably one that would be best over black or layered than on its own. The formula was thin and a bit watery, and two coats definitely wasn’t opaque–I’d recommend at least three. The drying time was average, and the brush strokes didn’t disappear after it dried down, so if you aren’t a fan of visible brush strokes, you won’t like this formula. I have to admit that I had some sticker shock over the price per ounce ($29.27/oz. vs. $19.97/oz. for Colorstay vs. $9.98/oz. for regular), because the bottles were rather small! The quality of the formula and the subtlety of the duochrome were not worth the major increase in cost. The good news is that it wore for seven days with minor tip wear but no chipping (which is par for the course for me).

The Glossover

	Rose Gold B
	The quality of the formula and the subtlety of the duochrome were not worth the major increase in cost.
	Product 7.5/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5

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Revlon Rose Gold Chroma Chameleon Nail Enamel

NARS Sharks Nail Lacquer Pair Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:00:21 +0000

NARS Sharks Nail Lacquer Pair

NARS Sharks Nail Lacquer Pair ($29.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is described as a “yellow” and “lavender.” Each nail lacquer duo comes in a “shoebox” with a NARS dustbag. The individual polishes don’t have names, but one is labeled as “Left” and the other as “Right” (building off the inspiration, which was Pierre Hardy’s spring shoe collection). However, each bottle is a full-sized bottle (0.50 fl. oz.), like regular NARS’ polishes, which retail for $19.00 normally–so the set is priced at $29.00 but has a value of $38.00. I typically get a week of wear out with very minor tip wear and no chipping with NARS’ formula.

Sharks (Left) is a pale yellow–butter yellow, really–with a cream finish. It was opaque in two coats, but it was on the thicker side and was really streaky to work with. I ended up redoing the swatches three times and the best results were with two thick coats, but it resulted in pooling along the edges, so some clean-up was required. MAC Near Beth Experience is similar, perhaps a touch darker. NARS 15 Minutes is a darker yellow. China Glaze Lemon Fizz is also similar but a little darker.

Sharks (Right) is a creamy, lavender purple. Two coats yielded opaque color coverage, but there was a little bit of streakiness on the initial coat that a second coat was able to cover. It had a slightly thicker consistency, too, but I didn’t experience any pooling with this shade. This shade’s cooler undertones made it harder for me to come up with similar shades to share with you. Essie Bangle Jangle is pinker. Essie Nice is Nice is also pinker. MAC Little Girl Type is pinker-toned and lighter. NARS Pokerface is darker, more red-toned. Zoya Marley is lighter.

The Glossover

	NARS Sharks Nail Lacquer Pair Review, Photos, Swatches B-
	Yellow is a tough color to perfect when it comes to polish, and a pastel yellow just adds another layer of complexity. NARS' yellow falls short like other yellows do because of a streaky application. The lavender shade was easier to deal with, but you have to be willing to deal with streaky applications to consider this duo.
	Product 7/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 7/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 3/5

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NARS Sharks Nail Lacquer Pair

NARS Sharks (Left) Nail Lacquer

NARS Sharks (Right) Nail Lacquer

MAC Cheery Cherry & Sweet Tooth Mineralize Lip Balms Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 03:06:16 +0000

MAC Cheery Cherry Mineralize Tinted Lip Balm

MAC Cheery Cherry Mineralize Tinted Lip Balm ($19.50 for 0.34 fl. oz.) is described as a “creamy mid-tone blue pink.” In the tube, it looks like a light-medium pink with subtle, cool undertones and an iridescent pink pearl. It doesn’t impart much color–it adds a slight pinker tinge to my lips and a glossy shine. There is only a hint of shimmer, so it looks like a glossy balm or clear gloss (so dupes abound).

MAC Sweet Tooth Mineralize Tinted Lip Balm ($19.50 for 0.34 fl. oz.) is described as a “creamy lilac.” In the tube, it’s a cool-toned pink-lavender with subtle gold pearl. It has a slightly milky pink appearance on lips, so it emphasizes the natural pink coloring found in my lips but doesn’t impart much color. Instead, it’s mostly a glossy sheen and product that evens out my lips while keeping lips somewhat hydrating.

MAC’s Mineralize Tinted Lip Balm formula is just so-so for a lip balm–it’s nowhere near as hydrating as many other well-known lip balms (and not as good as MAC’s own Tinted Lip Conditioner). I could hardly tell the difference between the two of them applied, so I don’t think having both is necessary–unless you’re a huge fan of the formula! If it were as moisturizing as it was made out to be, I’d like it a lot more, but it’s just so hard to get excited over a product that’s this sheer and only a lightly hydrating when worn (but gave me no lasting moisture). The wear time on these two shades was around two hours, but I have no problem admitting that it was very hard to tell, since there was a lot of color to track–I mostly went on sheen and shimmer and a magnifying mirror.

The Glossover

	MAC Cheery Cherry & Sweet Tooth Mineralize Lip Balms Reviews, Photos, Swatches B-
	It isn't as hydrating as other lip balms I've tried, and it wears away really quickly, so it needs to be frequently reapplied.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 6/10 Application 4.5/5

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MAC Cheery Cherry Mineralize Tinted Lip Balm

MAC Sweet Tooth Mineralize Tinted Lip Balm

Temptalia

MAC Scorching Haute and Tropical Nail Lacquers Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Temperature Rising)

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Scorching Haute

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Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

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Tropical

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Chanel Envolee (427) Levres Scintillantes Glossimer Review, Photos, Swatches

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Envolee (427)

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Chanel Metamorphose (44) Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad Review, Photos, Swatches

The Glossover

Metamorphose (44)

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Texture

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Revlon Rose Gold Chroma Chameleon Nail Enamel Review, Photos, Swatches

The Glossover

Rose Gold

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Texture

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NARS Sharks Nail Lacquer Pair Review, Photos, Swatches

The Glossover

NARS Sharks Nail Lacquer Pair Review, Photos, Swatches

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Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

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MAC Cheery Cherry & Sweet Tooth Mineralize Lip Balms Reviews, Photos, Swatches

The Glossover

MAC Cheery Cherry & Sweet Tooth Mineralize Lip Balms Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

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