MAC Wonder Woman Penultimate Eyeliner
MAC Wonder Woman: Penultimate Eyeliner
MAC RAPIDBLACK PENULTIMATE EYELINER ($18.50 for 0.08 oz.) is super-sized for Wonder Woman–the original (and permanently available) Rapidblack is $16.50/0.03 oz.–making this over twice as much for $2 more. This feels and looks a lot like a marker; even holding it feels like I’m getting to write a note rather than line my eyes. Personally, I think it may be too large to be of great use for most people, and if you have smaller eyes–forget it!
my thoughts on the formula: I really like the original Penultimate eyeliner for something quick and easy that doesn’t dry out and gives you a medium black eyeliner (though it photographs brown with flash–it is definitely black). The tip is thin enough and flexible enough to glide across the eye without skipping. It wears all day for me, and I like that you can do thin or thick eyeliner with it. You can see photos of the permanent Rapidblack here.
Also worth noting, but the outside packaging felt and seemed like a sticker to me. I couldn’t exactly get it to peel or slip off, but it was something that caught my eye.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! 
- Product: 27/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 3/5
- Packaging: 1/5
final thoughts: Way too large. This is probably the least useful jumbo-sized product of the launch; it’s not just an increase in overall product quantity, but it really changes the effectiveness of the product itself. I’d recommend their Superslick eyeliners over Penultimate in general (better overall), and certainly over this shade. The formula itself is nice, but the packaging gets a major thumbs down for me–fine, be jumbo, but at least work as well as the original.
where to buy: MAC Cosmetics
Rimmel Metallic Seduction Lipstick
A Metallic Red by Rimmel
Rimmel Metallic Seduction Lasting Finish Lipstick
($5.19 for 0.14 oz.) is a darkened metallic red with ruby and berry shimmer. It’s nearly opaque and has a semi-frost finish–it’s not super frosty, but it definitely has that frost/metallic cross that gives it a fair amount of shine and reflection.
I like this lipstick, and I really have no issues with the formula itself except that it is supposed to be a long-wearing lipstick. Rimmel says it “locks colour to lips for up to 8 hours of wear.” Though in the past, lighter shades from this Rimmel line have only given me two, this darker shade gave me four, which is my average lipstick wear time–better than before but still short of their long-wearing claim. Please note that because this product is supposed to be long-wearing and it is not, in my experience, I have to take points from quality.
I evaluate products based on what they’re supposed to do, not what I want it to do or what’s “good enough.” I recognize that this is a remarkably pigmented lipstick formula with an affordable price tag, but it’s not enough: it does not do what it’s supposed to do.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 23/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: I like the shade, and for some, I think they don’t mind trading off wear time with the price tag, but I think it’s important to judge products on what they’re supposed to do. We shouldn’t expect less from less expensive products–but we can accept less if that is our perogative.
WHERE TO BUY: ULTA
Dolce & Gabbana Desert Lipstick
Dolce & Gabbana Desert Lipstick
Dolce & Gabbana Desert Classic Cream Lipstick ($30.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a burnt caramel sugar bronze with golden bronze sheen and shimmer. It’s semi-opaque, and it doesn’t apply as evenly as I’d like. I’m also surprised that this is a Classic Cream finish, because it has the shinier finish found in their Shine Lipsticks.
I get an average of four hours of wear with Dolce & Gabbana’s Classic Cream Lipsticks, and I find them comfortable to wear, but I would not describe them as moisturizing (but not drying either). All Dolce & Gabbana’s lipsticks are heavily rose-scented, and I do consider them some of the heaviest scented products I’ve come across. If you aren’t keen on roses, you may find these too strong.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 24/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: I wish it applied more evenly, because then it could be a really nice shade. This is a shade actually works well on both cooler and warmer skin tones; cooler skin tones will appreciate the more neutral tone of it (the traditional warmth accompany bronze and copper is lessened in this shade), while warmer skin tones will find their warmer under tones pull out the copper in the lipstick itself.
WHERE TO BUY: Saks
Chanel Promesse Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Promesse Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Promesse Eyeshadow Quad ($56.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a [relatively] new and limited edition pastel palette, which is exclusive to Chanel.com. For those of us in the U.S., the palette is in the “international style,” where the eyeshadows have more of a baked appearance and texture; they are noticeably different from the texture and design of most U.S. eyeshadow quads. I’m generally not a fan of Chanel’s quads in this formula, because the shades are often very sheer and nowhere near as soft–typically, the only way to use them is wet–this is based on my experience with three or four of this kind of quad.
Promesse delivers decent pigmentation across all four shades, both wet and dry, which I was really happy to see. These also didn’t seem to skip or drag at all when used dry. The palette includes a pale white with a blue tinge in a frosted metallic finish; pink-tinged champagne beige; warm bronze with a frosted finish; and pale, pastel green with a pearly finish. The beige shade was the sheerest when used dry, but the others were fine. When used wet, all four performed well. The texture also seemed softer and silkier than usual.
I’m always taken aback when I see how little is supposed to be in here, just 0.04 oz. (less than most single eyeshadows, and U.S. Chanel quads are typically 0.21 oz.), and I can say that it certainly doesn’t look like there isn’t enough product in it. From a weight perspective, it seems ridiculously low, but when I look at the product itself and the way they seem to fill the pan, it’s hard to align those two images.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 26/30
- Value: 6/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: I like this quad best on paler skin tones, because two of the four shades are very, very pale and almost white, which may look too stark and almost ashy on medium to dark skin tones.
WHERE TO BUY: Chanel
MAC Marvel Eyeshadow
MAC Mickey Contractor: Eyeshadows
There are four new and limited edition Eyeshadows ($14.50 for 0.05 oz.) in MAC’s Mickey Contractor Collection. They include: Marvel (deep purple with soft pink pearl), Oomph (forest green with soft gold pearl), Rani (bright fuchsia with soft pink pearl), and Saffron (deep coral caramel).
- Marvel is a grape purple with soft purple micro-shimmer. I had some pigmentation issues with this shade; it seemed a little sheer–really couldn’t get it to build up as nicely as I’d like to see. This is a frost finish. It is a brighter version of Top Hat (Starflash ’08), less intense version of Push the Edge pigment (Make Up Art Cosmetics ’09), less pigmented version of Grape pigment, similar to Violet pigment, and more purple than Fertile (Strange Hybrid ’08). I’d also say it’s a mix of Satellite Dreams and Purple Haze as far as permanent shades go.
- Oomph is a blackened forest green with subtle gold shimmer-sheen. This is a veluxe pearl finish. Given the veluxe pearl finish, it seems less pigmented and not nearly as buttery as other shades in the same finish. It’s slightly greener than Greensmoke (discontinued), darker and blacker than Humid. NARS Night Porter is closest but more pigmented.
- Rani is a brightened medium fuchsia pink with subtle white micro-shimmer. It’s a little sheerer than I’d like to see. This is a frost finish. It’s a less iridescent version of Romping (C-Shock ’07, Hello Kitty’ 09), significantly pinker than Passionate, and pinker (less fuchsia) than Madly Personal (Stylishly Yours ’10). I’d opt for Make Up For Ever #75 if you want something really pink. NARS Divine (pink side) also seems quite similar.
- Saffron is a softened, burnt orange with subtle micro-shimmer. This is a satin finish. It was smooth, pigmented, and easy to blend out. It’s a less orange, rustier version of Rule. Maybe like a combination of Red Brick and Rule but with a satin finish.
Oddly enough, it is the neutral shade (Saffron) which has the best pigmentation and smoothest texture. The other shades were a little disappointing in pigmentation, and I think they are easier to dupe. Also, noteworthy, Oomph only has 0.04 oz., while the other three are the typical 0.05 oz. size. I wonder why that is!
MAC Mickey Contractor will be available on January 6th at select North American stores and January 2011 for select international stores. It will be available online on approximately January 4th but may not be available until the 6th.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I would skip Marvel, consider Oomph and Rani, while Saffron would be my top pick. I’m not keen on handing out an overall rating across four eyeshadows with varying pigmentation issues. Saffron certainly does not deserve a lower rating because Marvel suffers from pigmentation and textural issues! Saffron lies in the B+/A- range, while Marvel is at the bottom at a C/C+ range. Oomph and Rani hover around a B/B-.
WHERE TO BUY: maccosmetics.com
Chanel Black Pearl Le Vernis
Chanel Spring 2011: Black Pearl
Chanel Black Pearl Le Vernis Nail Colour ($23.00 for 0.4 fl. oz.) is a stormy teal-tinged blackened base with threads of metallic silvered green running through it, then topped off with green, blue, and teal micro-shimmer. This has a rather metallic finish, so brush strokes are apparent, but the formula works well enough that with some patience and steady hand, the brush strokes can be pulled out evenly and made to look like brushed metal. (I, on the other hand, lack steady hands–or patience–and wobbled a bit.)
LE VERNIS is a pricey product that often comes out with more unique shades (that are later replicated by other brands). The originality or amount of depth in their shades is what often pulls me towards them. Overall, I’ve had good luck with the formula and wear. The formula tends to be on the thicker side but not so thick it’s gloppy, while I typically get a full week’s worth of wear (and just minor tip wear).
Black Pearl seemed a little thicker than normal for Chanel, but each coat was pigmented, and I only needed two coats for opaque color. The only similar shades I could think of were China Glaze’s Rodeo Fanatic (way too blue to be similar) and NARS’ Full Metal Jacket (which is similar in the finish and look/feel, but not the color).
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
- Product: 26/30
- Value: 6/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: I couldn’t come up with any dead-on dupes, so perhaps Chanel has another unique shade on their hands. The formula applied fine, but I’ve never been a big fan of brush strokes. I could see this being a must-have for Chanel lacquer fans, but it might not hold the same appeal to others.
WHERE TO BUY: Nordstrom
