MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass ($18.50 for 0.06 oz.) is supposed to last up to six hours with lots of shine and color. There are nine shades released as part of the Styledriven collection, and all nine are permanent. This post features these four: Patience, Please (light pink-blue), Ready or Not! (neutral light coral with slight pearlized pigments), Show Me! (mid-tone neutral plum), and Whoops! (bright coral).
Patience, Please is a pale pink-beige with a very creamy, milky look. It does settle a bit into lip lines (but not as bad as some recent lipglasses). It’s lighter than MAC Good Times. It’s more opaque than MAC The Wee Coquette but pinker than MAC Glamour for All.
Ready or Not! is a light-medium peach with soft white micro-shimmer. I couldn’t get this shade to go on evenly (and again, this was just one pass of gloss!). It’s a little bit lighter and less pink compared to MAC Frankly Fresh but more orange than MAC 2N. It is very similar to MAC Illicit.
Show Me! is a medium-dark peach-orange brown. I’m going to have to give a big clueless, “Huh?” because it’s not what I’d call a “neutral plum.” It applies fairly evenly and definitely has opaque color. Paul & Joe #4 is lighter. Korres #33 Nude is a bit similar but not as opaque. It also resembles MAC Temper Tantra.
Whoops! is a coral-orange with a creamy finish. It’s mostly opaque and goes on fairly evenly but settles into lip lines a little. It’s like a shimmer-free version of MAC Geo Pink. MAC Exxhibitionist is brighter. MAC Viva Glam Cyndi is lighter and a touch pinker. Illamasqua Mistress is more intense.
Please see part one for a full review of the formula!
This is a high-maintenance lipgloss; it takes patience and some effort to get the right amount of product to yield (mostly) even color coverage--and it takes a second of carelessness (aka pressing lips together) to erase that hard work.
Product
8/10
Pigmentation
8.5/10
Texture
7/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
3/5
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Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass ($18.50 for 0.06 oz.) is supposed to last up to six hours with lots of shine and color. There are nine shades released as part of the Styledriven collection, and all nine are permanent. This post features these five: Dark as Night (deep mid-tone purple with slight pearlized pigments), Driven by Love (red-blue with slight pearlized pigments), Full Speed Ahead (bright pink-magenta), Infinitely Likeable (light pink), and Lasting Achievement (mid-tone purple with slight pearlized pigments).
Dark as Night is a dark burgundy-wine with subtle gold and burgundy shimmer. It’s semi-opaque but this was one of the more difficult shades to apply evenly (I did not succeed). I can’t think of a dupe for this particular shade though; nothing I think of is dark enough.
Driven by Love is a rich red with gold shimmer. It’s a touch blue-based. This was the best performing shade out of the nine–not only is it intensely pigmented but delivers opaque color evenly. It is similar to several other red lipglosses, though.
Full Speed Ahead is a creamy bright pink with blue undertones. It’s mostly opaque and applies evenly if you’re patient. It is a touch darker than MAC True Babe. It is similar to OCC Pageant.
Infinitely Likeable is a light-medium pink with a good deal of milkiness to it. This one seemed thicker than the others; the swatch as shown is a single pull of gloss. It’s a bit darker than MAC Enchantee.
Lasting Achievement is a deep red with a hint of berry and gold shimmer. It has semi-opaque color coverage, but it goes on evenly. It is similar in color to Dolce & Gabbana Amethyst but more opaque.
These are long-wearing, and I do get a five to six hours of wear out of them–even the lighter shades (like Ready or Not!). The darker shades (like Driven by Love) look really good at six hours, while lighter shades (like Ready or Not!) are still noticeably on and give decent color but look faded compared to when it was first applied. They have a nice dose of shine in the finish, and the shine hangs on for longer than the usual gloss.
They’re thick and almost goopy, and they get sticky very quickly. The texture didn’t seem sticky when I swatched, but on lips, it feels akin to glue (the stickiness is emphasized by the thicker consistency of the gloss). They are more pigmented than your average gloss, but I had some issues getting even color because of the thicker consistency. If you smush your lips together, forget about even color, because the color will pull and drag and you’ll get unevenness.
Overall, the formula needs improvement. Some shades apply well and deliver both opaque and even color, but others have major issues with evenness. The ones that do apply evenly are rather high-maintenance; you don’t want to be pressing and sliding your lips together, because the gloss will move and look uneven.
I’m also frustrated at how little these tubes contain–0.06 oz. (which is as much as Dazzleglass–I’ve regularly complained about the amount in those, too) and yet how large they seem. They’re long, thick tubes with a pinched sponge-tipped applicator that doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t hinder or really help application. I can see it being too large and hindering application for those who have naturally thin lips.
This is a high-maintenance lipgloss; it takes patience and some effort to get the right amount of product to yield (mostly) even color coverage--and it takes a second of carelessness (aka pressing lips together) to erase that hard work.
Product
8/10
Pigmentation
8.5/10
Texture
7/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
3/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
MAC Immortal Gold Nail Lacquer Swatches, Photos, Reviews
MAC Immortal Gold Nail Lacquer ($15.00 for 0.34 oz.) is described as a “pale gold” with a frost finish. Honestly, nothing about this screams “pale gold!” This is more like liquid, molten gold. It’s full-on gold to me with a rather metallic finish. It’s a yellowed gold with a burnt antique gold base color. It has depth, because it’s not all yellowy, but the formula was less impressive. I couldn’t think of a dupe for this shade, except China Glaze Tarnished Gold, which is a crackle polish, so it’s not much of a dupe at all. Would love to hear from you if you have a dupe!
The formula is thick, almost goopy, so it’s easy to get far too much polish on the nail than is appropriate for one coat. I only needed two coats for opaque color, which was great, but the thickness of the coats acted to emphasize the brush strokes in the finish. I really tried to even them out, but this shade also has a rather quick drying time (reminded me of how glitters dry so quickly). When you get it just right, it’s great (my ring finger looked the best, while my middle finger looked terrible). 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.
The color is more unique than not, so for some, that alone may be worth the more troublesome application. At least it has a quick drying time!
Product
7.5/10
Pigmentation
9.5/10
Texture
6/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
2.5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
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.
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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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit ($39.00) is a limited edition set that features four eyeshadows, one lipgloss, and one travel-sized brush. It will be available at ULTA and select Macy’s in-store and online at ulta.com and urbandecay.com. The four eyeshadows included are: Midnight Cowboy (champagne with silver glitter), Midnight Rodeo (brown pearl with silver glitter), Midnight 15 (pearly oyster with silver glitter), and AC/DC (smoky grey/purple with shimmer).
It is all housed in a champagne-colored pleather case with a zipper enclosure wrapped around it. It’s fairly heavy (feels heavier than it looks) and definitely sturdy–it’s not easily crushed by any means–but the heft of it is not something I’d want to stash in my bag. The overall size is nice, and I’m sure some will have no problem stashing it in their bag.
Midnight Cowboy is a pale champagne pink with a frosted finish and chunky silver sparkle. The underlying base color has good color payoff, but the sparkles cause major fall out. I wish I knew of a dupe for the color, but the only thing I could think of was Safe Bet Annette which is still a bit pinker.
Midnight Rodeo is a sparkly taupe brown. It does have glitter, but it’s subtle and doesn’t seem as large as Urban Decay’s other glitter-finished eyeshadows but may still have some fall out. The color payoff is good, and the texture is fairly smooth. I thought Urban Decay Toasted might be similar, but it’s not–much browner, less of a taupe. theBalm Insane Jane is grayer (more cool-toned), while Inglot #402 is nearly indistinguishable from Midnight Rodeo. This shade is a repromote from the 15th Anniversary Palette and BoS 4.
Midnight 15 is a soft champagne with a hint of gray and frosted finish. There is a subtle amount of glitter which has a touch of fall out. Initially, I thought it might be similar to Urban Decay Virgin, but it’s grayer–looks taupe in comparison. It’s a little darker compared to the beige in Chanel Prelude and less yellow compared to Urban Decay Ruthless (this is the closest).
AC/DC is a smoky purple with a very subtle red undertone; it’s more of a neutral purple. It was in the BoS 2. Am I the only one who expected to see another Midnight-themed shadow here? Don’t get me wrong–I’m so glad at least one shade isn’t fall out city. Urban Decay Gravity is a little purpler but similar. theBalm Kissy, Kissy is a touch darker. Bare Escentuals Encore has a stronger red undertone.
Midnight Cowboy Lip Junkie is a sheer champagne-tinted gloss with lots of champagne shimmer. It’s mint-scented and virtually colorless on the lips but imparts shine and shimmer. You can check out my full review of the formula in my original review.
Each eyeshadow is 0.04 oz., which is just shy of full-size (0.05 oz.), while the gloss is full-sized (0.34 fl. oz.)–plus the travel-sized Shadow brush ($26 for the full-sized version). The value is at least $73.40 (the value of the eyeshadows and gloss) but likely closer to $85 or so because of the brush.
Urban Decay’s eyeshadows with “sparkle” are problem children. Sometimes they’re sweet and you can get them behave, but most often, they’re unruly, frustrating, and wreak havoc upon your eye/face because of the glittery fall out. Of the three sparkly shades here, Midnight Cowboy is the worst offender. The other two are lesser offenders but still have some issues with fall out.
My advice for working with eyeshadows prone to fall out is to use a stiffer brush and pat on, rather than sweep. You might also want to lightly tap the brush against your forearm after you’ve picked up the eyeshadow to loosen any excess product (and glitter). It’s best to apply eye makeup first in this instance, so you can easily remove any residual fall out without removing foundation and the like. A stickier base (mixing mediums, sealers, etc.) can also help the glitter to adhere rather than to fall away or generally disappear. I just don’t think you should have to work that hard. I’m also surprised that–given how much Urban Decay enjoys themselves glitter eyeshadow–they haven’t come out with their own adhesive base/sealer.
There is a lot of fall out, and three of the five color products in this kit require some trial and error to find a method that works. Unless you're using an adhesive base, there is glitter fall out both during application as well as throughout the day. The packaging seems heavy for how little is inside it, so it's not as purse-friendly as it seems.
Product
8/10
Pigmentation
9/10
Texture
8/10
Longevity
7.5/10
Application
3/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Sinful Colors HD Nails (926) Nail Lacquer ($2.50 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is a grassy green with a subtle cool undertone and silver shimmer. It’s still on the sheer side after three coats–you can definitely see the nail line. The finish has a slight metallic feel to it, so there are noticeable brush strokes (but they’re “as expected” for a more metallic finish). Zoya’s Apple seemed to be the closest shade I had to compare to, but Apple is a yellower green with lots of gold sparkle.
The consistency wasn’t really thin, but it seemed watery, which I imagine accounted for the low color payoff per coat. For swatches, I don’t like to go beyond three coats, as most polishes should be opaque (or reach the opacity level they’re supposed to have) by two coats, so three is being generous and more to show you what can be achieved. The biggest drawback with this particular shade was the post-manicure staining, which was a yellowy-green (I’d refer to it as the color of fungus, really), and this was over a base coat. I know that green pigments have a tendency to stain, but this was rather unappetizing and it took both buffing and a few soaks in lemon juice to minimize the staining aftermath. The good news there was it did last a week when worn!
Sinful Colors’ bottles have a slick cap (no rubberized cap), so use some care opening (especially when they’re new and very tightly screwed on), or else you might fling your polish across the room–which I totally did the first time I opened one. Luckily, it hadn’t opened, and it was over carpet, so it landed with a soft thud as opposed to a loud shattering!
It's not my favorite shade by Sinful Colors, and the brand is definitely better (overall) than this shade indicates. If it didn't stain, it'd be more likable, but unfortunately, the sheer color and yellow staining make this a no-go for me/
Product
6.5/10
Pigmentation
6.5/10
Texture
8.5/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
4/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
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