Thursday, May 12th, 2011
Milani Mix It Up Baked Eyeshadow
Milani Baked Metallic Eyeshadow: Mix It Up
Milani Mix It Up Baked Metallic Eyeshadow ($7.49 for 0.05 oz.) is a blackened base with iridescent teal and silver shimmer. When used wet, it’s absolutely gorgeous–really rich and luxuriously deep in color. Used dry, less of the iridescent and sheen is visible and has a slightly powdery finish. Milani notes that these should be used dry for a softer look and wet for something more intense, which is why I think the pigmentation is as expected based on Milani’s claims.
I do wish they’d ditch the sponge/brush applicator, though, because the bristles are splayed and scratchy, while the sponge is thin and surprisingly scratchy. I did like the switch to a black interior, over the champagne gold from the Runway Eyeshadows. The lid is also quite secure, and I had to pry it open with my nails.
Where to Buy: Milani, $7.49
For something that's not quite black but still has plenty of drama, Mix It Up is a great affordable option.
Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
NARS Kismet Nail Lacquer
NARS Summer 2011: Kismet Nail Lacquer
NARS Kismet Nail Lacquer ($17.00 for 0.5 fl. oz.) is described as a “metallic sunflower.” It’s a very deep marigold kind of color–warm, yellow, orange, and gold all wrapped into one. It has a slightly metallic finish, so there are some brush strokes in the final result. I was able to get nearly opaque color in two coats (which is what is shown in the swatches). I usually get a week of wear out of NARS’ lacquer formula, and Kismet is a thicker polish, but it applies evenly.
Where to Buy: NARS, $17
The color of Kismet is really deep and luxurious, which makes the fingertips look like they're dripping in molten gold. I see it working well on those with slightly warmer complexions.
Friday, May 6th, 2011
Gilded White, Blue Noon
MAC Surf Baby: Blue Moon, Gilded White Powerpoint Pencils
MAC Surf Baby Powerpoint Pencils ($15.50 for 0.04 oz.) come in two shades: Blue Noon (teal with gold pearl) and Gilded White (yellow white frost).
- Blue Noon is a medium-dark, bluish teal. It’s a touch sheer–it’s hard to see in the swatch, but I saw it immediately and felt it translated in application, too. It is tealer than Float on By, which looks rather blue in comparison.
- Gilded White is a warm white gold with a metallic sheen.
I like MAC’s Powerpoint Pencil formula quite a bit; the pencil is soft without being crumbly or near-melting, so it retains its shape but glides across the lash line with effortless ease. It deposits enough color in one pass, which means you don’t have to build up the color in layers. Powerpoints last all day on my lash line, and make it to four to six hours on my water line. They’re also waterproof, and I find that they don’t smudge or budge, even during hot days.
Where to Buy: MAC Cosmetics, in-stores on May 26th
The Powerpoint Pencil formula glides on really easily, so they're gentle on the eyes and apply with a good amount of color without having to layer on the product--but it could be a touch more pigmented.
Thursday, May 5th, 2011
Chanel Monte Carlo Rouge Coco Shine
Chanel Monte Carlo Rouge Coco Shine
Chanel Monte Carlo Rouge Coco Shine ($32.00 for 0.10 oz.) is a semi-sheer, pinked red with subtle pink shimmer. The Rouge Coco formula is designed to be a lightweight lipstick with high shine and a moisturizing base. Based on the description of the color range, it is expected to be sheerer rather than opaque. (If you’re looking for something more opaque, Rouge Allures will be more up your alley.)
It’s a lightweight, nearly scent-free (I couldn’t distinguish what it was, but it was very faint), and has an emollient base. It applies evenly and smoothly, because it has that balm-like quality. Unfortunately, it only lasts two to three hours on me, but I would say it is on the moisturizing side, though not as moisturizing as my favorite lip balms.
I do wish these were the same size as other lipsticks in Chanel’s line (like 0.12 oz.), because of the emollient base, it’s easy to over-apply the product–and the need for reapplication being every couple of hours means you’ll go through a tube much faster than other lipsticks in Chanel’s range.
Where to Buy: Nordstrom, $32
Monte Carlo is much more in line with what I expected based on Chanel's description - soft but noticeable color with translucence and shine. The color is soft and natural but still visible enough that it enhances the natural lip color across skin tones.
Monday, May 2nd, 2011
NARS Dogon Eyeshadow Duo
NARS Summer 2011: Dogon Eyeshadow Duo
NARS Dogon Eyeshadow Duo ($33.00 for 0.14 oz.) was named for Mali-based culture and features a metallic taupe with icy green sheen and charcoal black. It is a limited edition duo. I found the lighter shade to apply really smoothly and evenly, while the darker shade was smooth but slightly dusty and pigmentation was good–though it seemed to fade too easily when blended.
In the pan, the darker shade looks rather blue–almost like a really sooty, deep dark blue, but when swatched, it does have a tendency to look much blacker. It still reads a smidgen blue, though, and part of that is owed to the flecks of midnight blue shimmer running through the matte color base.
The lighter shade is a rosy taupe with a subtle green sheen. It’s like a softer, subtler version of MAC Club or Blue Brown pigment. I can see the duochrome nature of the lighter shade really catching peoples’ eyes, though, and of all the products for summer, this is likely to be one of the more coveted pieces.
As far as NARS eyeshadows go, their duos are your best bang for your buck. Most individual eyeshadows from high-end brands are 0.05 oz. on average, while these almost equal out to three of those for $33. NARS’ eyeshadows are supposed to be long-wearing and crease-resistant. When I wear them alone, I tend to get around seven to eight hours of wear before there is a faint amount of creasing, so it isn’t a huge mess, but I’d recommend a primer for all-day wear (especially for those with oilier lids).
Where to Buy: NARS, $33
This duo has smoky eye written all over it! It is a cooler-toned set of shades, but I think both of them are workable across both skin tones because of their depth.
Sunday, May 1st, 2011
Milani Teal the Truth Baked Eyeshadow
Milani Baked Metallic Eyeshadow: Teal the Truth
Milani Teal the Truth Baked Metallic Eyeshadow ($7.49 for 0.05 oz.) is a medium-dark teal with soft bluish-teal shimmer. This is a teal that leans bluer, but it’s really well balanced on the edge of green and blue. In some light, it almost looks like there is more of an aqua color to it, but in other light, it seems bluer. For a color that is, essentially, just teal, it is more nuanced than it appears. It applied better wet than dry, as it applied smoother and the color was denser and more opaque.
I do wish they’d ditch the sponge/brush applicator, though, because the bristles are splayed and scratchy, while the sponge is thin and surprisingly scratchy. I did like the switch to a black interior, over the champagne gold from the Runway Eyeshadows. The lid is also quite secure, and I had to pry it open with my nails.
Where to Buy: Milani, $7.49
It's a particularly gorgeous and well-made shade when used wet, but when used dry, there are some pigmentation issues (and resulting uneven color) that resulted in a lower score.
