Written Reviews

I purchased the Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in the shade Eye Cheat specifically to use it in my waterline to add a little bit of brightness. Although the color is perfect for my complexion (but it's not a universal nude), the formula of the pencil is simply awful for this purpose. This is a very creamy pencil and no matter what I tried too much product gets in the waterline and it all looks as a mess. It also moves too much in the waterline and doesn't last long. It's definitely not a waterproof formula. I assume the darker colors would be better, especially if you like to smudge eye pencils on the lid. The pencil almost glides silky on the skin. It's also very easy to sharpen.

I had MAC Harmony applied during my first MAC makeup session, after explaining that I never wear blush and I don't like blushed cheeks. The magic of Harmony is that it's subtle on my NC20 skin, but gives shape and dimension. The color makes it such a versatile product, beige enough to be used for contouring, rose enough to be used as blush. It has some warmth, but still gears a little bit more neutral. It's matte, but blends easily. I can even use it in the crease to slightly define the eyes, or all over my eyelids for a simple muted look. It's one of MAC best blush formulas, soft, almost velvety. Pigmented, but easy to sheer out; not too powdery, very buildable. The only reason I don't own Harmony permanently in my collection is that MAC launched Sculpt in the meantime, and that's my perfect contour shade.

This is a great mascara to separate lashes, leaving a natural defined look. There's nothing close to false lashes, this is a mascara for everyday natural looks. It doesn't make my lashes stiff, it doesn't clump or smudge, it dries fast on lashes but not in the tube.. It adds some length and curl, but not too much volume. The color is definitely very black.

MAC Knight Divine is an unique cool tone dark silver grey, that on me also shows some blue tones. I have dark brown eyes, a warm light-medium complexion, and the color looks very pretty on me. I personally like that the eyeshadow comes in the frost formula, it has a nice sheen without being too glittery or metallic. There's some fallout, but not something annoying. I just have to be careful with application, during the day it stays put with a good primer, no fading or fallout. The formula is surprisingly soft and buildable. At first, especially with a less dense brush, it might apply sheer, but the opacity builds up easily. I still prefer applying this more with a flat synthetic packing brush. It's a great eyeshadow for a smokey eye, paired with something like MAC Print and a black eyeliner. But I also love it all over the lid, blended in the crease a little, for a quick and easy rocker chic vibe.

I have tried most of the NYX brow pencils and liked them, but somehow the NYX Tinted Brow Mascara was a miss for me. It had poor performance for setting and filling my eyebrows. I have longer brow hairs so I need them tamed; this brow mascara barely sets them and by the end of day they become unruly. On the plus side, it doesn't make the eyebrows stiff. The tint is very light. When I use before a brow pencil to fill in, I don't mind the poor pigmentation; if I use it alone it barely fill-in the brows, the look is very natural, barely there. I have never imagined I would complain that a brow gel is too natural. My second biggest issue is that it smudges during the day; that tiny pigmentation I manage to get simply moves around if I barely touch my brows. The formula is not foolproof, even in dry cool weather (I don't want to imagine what would happen in humid summer or rain). The brush is fine, just maybe a little too scratchy and a tad too big for my liking, but it brushes well. I didn't liked that the color selection doesn't match the other brow products from NYX. My go-to shade in the brow pencils is `Ash Brown`, since I prefer cooler tones for my brows. The Brunette the Tinted Brow Mascara comes in is described as `Ash Brown`, but it's lighter and warmer toned than the `Ash Brown` in the pencils.

MAC Devotion is a beautiful dark army green, too bad the formula isn't the greatest. The green is neutral, slightly cool, and compliments very well my dark brown eyes. From far it might almost appear black, but overall has hints of olive/brown. It's almost matte, with a very faint pearl finish, barely noticeable, but enough to be a little more flattering than a boring matte. The formula is interesting; it's creamy but dry at the same time. It doesn't tug on the skin, it's a soft pencil, but it doesn't leave traces like a cream formula. It glides easy on the lid/skin for lining, but it's not creamy enough to be applied all over the lid. It's awful on the waterline, in the sense I can get the product to apply... the wetness of the waterline simply makes the formula not work. On the lid it applies sheer from the starters, but it builds up easily. Once dried it stays put all day, I need a good make-up remover to get it off. The pencil sharpens well; the tip usually comes up not that sharp, not the best for thin lines.

MAC Mehr is one of those cult lipstick colors, and I clearly understand why. First of all, it's the MAC Matte formula that I like, comfortable, quite hydrating, staining the lips and fading out nicely during the day, long wearing. Mehr maybe was a little more creamy than other MAC Mattes, while the finish is more satin than matte. For reference, I'm NC20 with naturally pigmented lips, with a mauvish hint. Mehr looks darker on me than on Christine (I'm an NC20), it's not a subtle my-lips-but-better, but it's still wearable for everyday. The color looks even more mauve on me, but my warm yellow tone complexion makes it look more cool than warm; I guess it matches the description on MAC website "dirty blue pink".

MAC Naked Lunch is a great eyeshdows in terms of formula, too bad that it's a super sheer color even on my light medium complexion. I'm usually not a fan of frost finishes, but the formula is soft, almost creamy, not powdery... the perfect frost / slight shimmer from my end. It's easy to pick with a brush and to apply with different techniques (packing, blending) and tools (different types of brushes, fingers). I don't see the color as a light peach, I see some hint of pink beige, but it's definitely towards a warm (pink) champagne. Applied as a highlighter under the brow or in the inner corner it's barely visible. Packed on the lid over a darker color it's visible, but otherwise this shade is very sheer. Weirdly, it has more staying power than many more opaque shades.

I personally really like the MAC matte powder blush formula, and Mocha is no exception. The texture is soft, not at all powdery. The formula is easy to pick with all brushes, easy to blend, buildable, easy to sheer out. Like most blushes it eventually fade towards the end of day, but the lasting power is one of the best. The color is a natural dusty mauve-pink, somehow looking almost neutral on my yellow warm complexion. It looks quite natural on my cheeks, with the caveat that I really have to sheer it out. I'm light-medium (NC20) and Mocha is slightly too dark for me; on a medium or medium-tan complexion it would be a better match.

MAC Star Violet is one of the few frost finish eyeshadows I actually liked in terms of look and performance. For a frost / shimmery shade Star Violet had minimal fallout, but it's still easy to apply both with a soft blending brush and a stiff packing brush. In the pan it's almost like a creamy almost buttery consistency. I wouldn't describe the color as plum, it's more like a `violet` with some browness. In the pan is quite a dark violet, but it looks lighter applied on the lids. The color can be sheared out or build up easily, so that it's an amazingly versatile eye shadow. Don't expect it to be a bold, vibrant color; it's more like a subtle violet that blends seamless into more natural looks. I usually don't like shimmery eyeshadow, but the pearlescent effect of Start Violet is subtle (but still visible), not chunky or heavy. I never had issues with creasing or fading with this shade, but I always use a good eye primer.

Although MAC Haux proved to be totally different than I expected, it's to this date one of the best matte eyeshadows I have tried both in terms of quality and color. The shade is a unique and flattering mauve (on my it looks more plum than the pictures online, with a touch of rosey hint). The color is more intense on my light-medium complexion than in the pan, and it's an incredibly pigmented eye shadow. I purchased it thinking it would be a great medium-transition color; it would work better as a transition for medium or more tanned complexions. Performance wise, it's simply amazing: easy to work with any brush, very blendable and buildable. I can use it as a transition shade if I sheer it out and apply with a fluffy brush and light touch; but I like it better as an one-eyeshadow look. It's an outstanding base color for medium complexions, I love to pair it with shimmers like MAC Cranberry or Star Violet. It' not stiff matte, it's a little powdery when I pick it with a brush, but it doesn't have fallout.

MAC Photo is an amazing lipstick, from the formula to the color. While the shade it's a wonderful medium-dark brown, with a golden red undertone (in the bullet), it's not for everyone; I highly recommend trying this in a store, it's not a good blind buy. On my light-medium complexion it looks quite dark, but I like the contrast. Because my skin is quite warm and yellow tone, on my lips it actually looks slightly greyinsh, cool toned, there's no golden/orange peaking through; I just love the color, the grungy vibes I get, but with the wrong eye make-up this shade can definitely make me look sick / tired. Formula wise, I love MAC Mate lipstick, I find them very long-lasting, but still comfortable. Photo is one of the best shades I have ever had from MAC, it's incredibly comfortable, it never feels drying. I barely have to re-apply during the day, mostly after a big meal.

This mascara is a good basic mascara for defining my lashes, but it never gives me high impact. I like it for everyday, the slightly wet formula applies and build easily, defines and lengthens lashes, doesn't clump or become `spidery`. It barely gives volume. I have very sensitive eyes that sometimes tear because of allergies or wind, this mascara lasts all day without smudging or flaking; but it's still easy to remove at the end of day.

Ground Down is one of those MAC matte eyeshadows that are a little harder to work with, but perform amazingly once you get the proper technique. It's one of the stiff and dry MAC matte eyeshadows, that with the wrong brush and blending techniques can look very patchy. But with the right brush and blending, it's one of those versatile buildable colors that allow you to apply a sheer blended wash or pack a dark smoky color. I personally like to blend it with a fluffy but medium-stiff brush like #217, while building opacity with a more stiff and flat brush. The color would be better described as a warm-neutral dark taupe brown, which is quite unique considering most dark warm browns tend to have a redish undertone (don't be fooled by the fact is looks red in the pan, the color looks differently swatched or applied on the eye). On my light-medium complexion it's multipurpose, as I can apply a sheer wash in the crease to sculpt the eyes, smudge it on the lashline to create a lined look, deepen my outer V, packed it on the lid and blend it in the crease for a single-shadow eye look. Ground Down is also one of those shades that lasts all day without fading no matter the primer used. Since it's so stiff in the pan, I never get any fallout from it.

Why Clinique associates words like `Beyond Perfecting`, `Super` and `Camouflage` with this product makes me wonder... this is just a very lightweight concealer. To be honest, it's not necessarily a bad one (it actually has some advantages), but it's not what it's claimed. The consistency is quite liquid, water like; the squeeze tube is the perfect packaging for dispensing it. The product is very lightweight and blends (too) easily, but it simply blends into the skin providing minimal coverage. I actually need to let it sit a minute under my eye before blending, because the extra tackiness helps concentrating the product better; even so, the coverage I get with this concealer is barely a light-medium. I can't see how you could get full coverage with this, the formula simply doesn't build-up. The finish is very natural, it doesn't crease as much as most concealers and doesn't look cakey after setting with powder. Due to the `spreadability`, it also can double as foundation in a pinch. Finger application is highly recommended, a sponge will simply soak all the product in, while a brush would move it too much to get coverage. I have combination skin, but dry under eyes; while this concealer is not drying, I wouldn't call it hydrating either. Shade range for me (light-medium, yellow warm undertone) is OK, 08 is perfect for my under eyes (slightly lighter), but 10 and 12 are not that far off; Clinique does well yellow warm undertones without going too orange/unnatural. As a reference, I'm a MAC NC16-20, Estee Lauder Sand (1W2), Becca Buff/Buttercup, Lancome Buff Warm, Too Faced Vanilla.

MAC Cockney is an amazing and unique red, but since I dislike the MAC Lustre formula I can't give it more than 3-stars. Bright reds usually don't look flattering on me, but MAC Cockney is definitely an exception. On me it doesn't look warm or yellow; it's actually translating to a pink-red, with neutral tones (but with some yellowness); it's such a unique color because the pink vibes are not `Barbie-pink`. The sheen is very beautiful, quite subtle. My issue is that personally I dislike the MAC Lustre formula. The coverage is very sheer, almost stain like (which is not bad); the moment you try to build up coverage it all gets gloopy and messy. The Lustre lipsticks move around as you speak and transfer to anything, worse even than a gloss. I can barely get 1-2 of wear if I don't eat and I only drink from a straw. To be worse, the formula is as drying at the Retro-Mattes; the MAC Matte and Satin lipsticks are way more comfortable (and lightly more hydrating) than Lustre. If I could find a dupe for Cockney in the Matte or Satin finish, it would become a staple in my collection.

MAC Blanc Type is a one of those staple shades (at least for people with fair to medium complexions) in a great quality formula. It's so bad it's discontinued (Blanc Type and many others Matte2 eyeshadows really need a comeback). The color is a very light beige that more flattering and versatile than a pure white. On my light-medium warm yellow undertone complexion (NC16-20) it can look a little bit chalky, on someone with lighter complexion it would made a great setting powder/eyeshadow. I use it to add a little bit of matte illumination under my eyebrow. The color can be sheered out with a fluffy brush, but it's a pigmented beige with some opacity. The formula is one of the best mattes I have ever tried, even better compared to other MAC Matte shadows. It applies and blends so smoothly that it's a pleasure to work with. If I have other eyeshadows that don't blend well and are patchy, I'll apply first Blanc Type all over the lid and it really helps. The caveat is that this eyeshadow had tone of kick-back even when I use the softest brush; for a darker color the fact that the shadow is so powdery would probably annoy me, but for this type of shade it's almost a good thing.

A pomade in a gel form is the most accurate description of this product. The formula is incredibly pigmented and even applied lightly it gives almost color-block eyebrows; this is product for full on glam, not natural brows. As all ABH brow products it stays put all day, even when lightly sweating or under a drizzle. The pomade does require a good make-up remover like one special for eyes or waterproof make-up, otherwise it's quite difficult to get off. I like than the wand is on the smaller size, perfect for precise work. The product tends to be a little clumpy and it dries out faster then the brow gel. I would recommend people choosing a lighter shade than what they usually get from ABH, since the pigment is so strong. Overall, it's a good product, but just not my cup of tea; I'll stick to the classic brow gel.

MAC Scene is quite an unique grey shade, I was surprised how well this color compliments me (light-medium warn yellow undertone with dark brown eyes and hair, usually cool eyeshadows and brow products look better on me). In the pan or swatched Scene looks more grey, with subtle purple/mauvish tones; on my eyelids is somehow translates to a soft blue grey, more cool than neutral. I personally found MAC Scene to be a good quality eyeshadow. It's easy to pick both with soft and stiff brushes; I didn't find it too dry and stiff, it actually has a bit of kick-off (but no issues with fallout). Applied with a soft blending brush the payoff is quite sheer, but the formula is buildable (especially if using a stiffer brush to pack the color). It's quite easy to blend, but the softer the brush the better (a very dense or packed blending brush might apply a little patchy, but I don't have the best make-up skills). I personally prefer an eyeshadow formula that applies sheer at first, but it's easy to build up; I can use it very blended, almost like a light transition/crease color, or I can pack it on the lid as a grungy all over grey look. The eye shadows stays put all day, not creasing or fading, but I do use very good eye primers (I have oily lids and hooded eyes). Note: The review is for a pro palette refill pan eyeshadow purchased in 2018, batch code traces back manufacturing date to December 2016.

I originally purchased MAC Margin to use it more as a shimmer bronzer, but on me it's definitely more of a blush shade. On my light-medium warm yellow toned complexion, the color matches the brand description (it peachy with a golden shimmer), it doesn't have anything copper or bronze. It's a beautiful color, maybe not the most flattering on me; I can see it being an amazing sunburned shade for some other complexions. Like most MAC shimmer blushes it's a very buildable and workable formula, easy to sheer out or bring to full pigmentation / opacity. The powder is soft, easy to pick up, but with minimal fall-out. It's as long wearing as my foundation; with a dewy light coverage foundation it fades during the day, with a matte long wearing foundation is lasts 8+ hours. The shimmer is not very strong, just the right amount for a healthy glow; but as most shimmer blushes it has the slight tendency to emphasize pores. I prefer to wear this shade in winter, spring and fall; it's a little too dewy and luminous on my complexion skin in the summer when I'm more oily.