My Goodies: Cult of Cherry & Overrich

So of course I made it out to my nearest MAC counter/store to get my hands on Cult of Cherry and Overrich.

Here is a quick rundown:

Cult of Cherry

Generally I found the collection to be sultry and wearable. The lip colors are the real stars. I didn't care for any of the quads except the Spiced Chocolate Quad, which is dupable (details further down)

The Mattens are the bomb. I have only tried Mattens once before and didn't care for them, but I do like the color and feel of the Cult of Cherry ones. And the dark lip really isn't all that dark. Kirsh is a nice dark plum, but it isn't terribly dark.

I am a sucker for blushes, so of course I liked Plum du Bois, even though it isn't mind blowing. I am still waiting on the blush version of Patina. Oh well.

The lipsticks didn't do a whole lot for me. I didn't bother with O or Russian Red, but I did try and love So Scarlet. Go out and get it ladies! I'm considering a back up, although I really have to stop doing that...

As you know, I don't do Lipglass, but I do like the looked of Jampacked and Liqueur. I might have to do back for those two.

And now for the main event, the duping of Spiced Chocolate Quad. First let me say that Sweet Chestnut is not Cranberry, it's its deeper darker cousin. It is however very very very similar to Heritage Rouge pigment (Overrich). That being said, the quad can be duped by using Seedy Pearl for Nanagold (on my skin, the pink and not the white is what shows), Coppering for Brash, Embark for Spiced Chocolate and Heritage Rouge for Sweet Chestnut. When I figured this all out, I simply returned the quad for the pigments and picked up Seedy Pearl and saved myself some money. Now if you don't have any of these colors, go ahead and get the quad, it is pretty after all, but if you do, well...

And now on to Overrich

These pigments are so gorgeous! I got 6 of the eight because I already own Mauvement, and I didn't like Blonde's Gold (and of course the ladies on Specktra are raving about it. I don't see what the fuss is about) although I may be taking Vintage Gold back because it is nearly identical to Copperized pigment, although the former is the prettier of the two.

I don't know what else to say other than run out and get them all!

So that's the quick rundown. Ask me if you'd like further insights about anything.

My list of goodies includes:
- So Scarlet l/s
- Kirsh m/t
- Bing m/t
- Chock-ful m/t
- Plum du Bois blush
- Heritage Rouge pigment
- Copperbeam pigment
- Vintage Gold pigment
- Antique Green pigment
- Museum Bronze pigment
- Mega-Rich pigment
- Seedy Pearl e/s
- Woodwinked e/s

Cool Heat-ish Look Part Deux

And Another One:







Products Used

Eyes:
- UDPP
- Greenstroke Paint Pot
- Warm Chill e/s
- Gulf Stream e/s
- Antiqued e/s
- Cranberry e/s
- Vanilla Pigment

Face:
- MAC Select SPF 15 - NW47
- MSFN - Deep Dark
- Blunt Blush (contour)
- Love Joy MSB
- Devil Blush (MAC Pro)

let me know what you think!

I'm Baaaacckkkk!

After I a long hiatus, I am returning to the blogosphere a Vanderbilt Graduate!!! I am definitely excited and relieved, more relieved than excited really.

Now on to makeup!

No reviews here, because it would be late, and I really don't feel like going through all of that, but I will give you a quick rundown of my latest cosmetic purchases:

Cool Heat
- Climate Blue
- Gulf Stream
- Warm Chill

Sonic Chic
- Love Joy
- Love Thing

Electroflash
- Fresh Green Mix
- Hot Contrast
- Sea & Sky

Starflash
- Bold & Brazen
- Glamour Check
- Go!

Now I can give you my thoughts on the products I've purchased and used so far, so here goes.

Cool Heat: The color palette in the collection has really inspired me. I love the idea of teals and greens and mixing them with bronzes, reds, and oranges. I have been doing some Cool Heat inspired looks, but unltimatley the shadows are difficult to work with. The color payoff isn't great, and they kind of dust off the brush and lid. It's weird, I don't like it, but I am pulling a Tim Gunn and in order to "Make It Work"

Sonic Chic: I love these blushes. Perfect combination of a nice wash of color, shimmer, and smooth application. Nuff said.

Electroflash: I've only used Hot Contrast, and so far, so good. The black side especially went on like butter.

Starflash: Again, I've only used Bold & Brazen from this collection. It went it's a nice color that went on well. I will say though, that the colors in this collection are nice, and if you don't have anything like them, give them a try. As for me, I have a lot of colors in some of the color families represented in the collection, so I didn't feel the need to go all out. And yes, Stila's Diamond Lil' and Starflash's Smoke & Diamonds are exactly the same.

Cool Heat-ish Look

I know I haven't posted in a while, but I wanted to share I look I did recently. Here's a loot inspired by Cool Heat using no Cool Heat shadows.



And here's what I used:

Face:
- MAC Select Tint (NW45)
- MAC Studio Lights & Px Custom Blend Concealer
- Bobbi Brown bronzers in Dark & Deep
- MAC Pinch Me & Spaced Out blushes

Eyes:
- UDPP
- MAC Prep & Prime For Eyes
- Delft Paint Pot
- Fab Orhid/Dash Lily Duo Edge Eye Pencil (Heatherette)
- Foxy Lady Eye Kohl
- Dahlia Eye Shadow (Stila)
- Parrot Eye Shadow
- Mango Mix Shadestick
- Firespot Eye Shadow (Moonbathe)
- Mi'Lady Mineralize Eye Shadow (Antiquitease Color)
- Orange Eye Shadow

Bobbi Brown in Town!

Bobbi Brown's Bronzing Powder is the newest addition to my ever growing (although it's needs to stop growing) bronzer collection.


When I tried it on in the store, I liked what I saw. The Sales Associate matched me to Dark. I thought I would have been Deep. Apparently the difference isn't in the depth of the color, but instead the undertones. Dark is more red, and Deep more golden; the yellow in Deep could have come off as ashy.

When I got home I tried it on half of my face over my MAC Select Tint. I like it if there is a bronzyness, it is very subtle. I should add that this is a matte product, without any shimmer. I love the finish of the product however. I'd like to keep it as a option for a finishing powder, because I don't always like to use my Prescriptives Magic powder, especially now that I've gotten toasty. I haven't noticed a problem with it per say but I am very cautious with it. And I have backed off of my Px Custom Blend Bronzer for the time being because it is probably the lightest of my bronzers and I don't want to look ashy. It's on the Disabled List until September.

Anyway, as I was saying, I like the finish of the powder. I think the bronze factor may be more evident with my tan fades sometime later this summer. I decided to compare this bronzer to my all time favorite Stila Sun #3. I applied it all over to the other side of my face, and realized that it is really subtle as well. It has a slight shimmer and you could see that, but it had the lightest touch of a glow. I love it, and it gives you the option to layer more prominent, shimmery bronzers over it. So I think I will keep this one, and layer other bronzers with it. What do you all think?

Satisfaction

I went to MAC today expecting to drop a ton on products, but as I paced back and forth from counter to counter I realized, "Damn, I am bored". So I am not buying anymore permanant collection eye shadows or blushes. I am getting two more Paint Pots (Constructivist and Mosscape) and then I'm calling it a day. There are still a lot of MAC Pro blushes that I want, a few pigments that I am on the fence about, and MAC Pro eye shadows/pigments that I have my eyes on, but for the most part, I'm done. And it feels good. Now I can just focus my attention on LE Collections and various Sephora brands. There are still some Urban Decay and NARS products on my mind. It may take till August or September before I can purchase all of the MAC that I want from the Pro collection, and I will probably pick up a lip gloss, lip stick, lip pencil, or eye pencil from time to time, but the overwhelming majority of my MAC non-necessary necessities are already bought and paid for. Basically, if it's not wowing me, I'm not buying it. No more, "I'll take ALL of the Mineralize Eye Shadows!" or "Well, I don't have this color or a color like it..." So what! If it's not a color you would actually get some use out of, then why bother. I am sure I am preaching to the choir. Sermon over. Amen. We'll be meeting in the fellowship hall for refreshments.

Cool Heat

Another collection, another review. Well, not quite a review really, more of an overview And I am actually going to keep this short and sweet. I walked away with Climate Blue, The End. Others have said it's hard to get the pay off that's reflected in the pot. I didn't have that problem in the store. And now for a quick review:

Slimshines - Skipped them. Wasn't interested

Warming Trend- A brighter, more golden Patina, but in the end, Patina looks better.
Warm Chill - A watered down Golder's Green Pigment (She Shines) or a more golden Aquavert (Lure), whichever you choose. It doesn't have much color pay off. From other swatches that I've seen, it has a tendency to disappear on lighter skintones. It's pretty but it's weak.
Solar White - Bright ,white gold highlighter. Too light and bright for my tastes as a highlighter. I don't like the super loud, "Look at my eyebrow arch" effect. It's pretty for what it is.
Gulf Stream - On me GS is just a more intense Shimmermoss. I can get the same effect by just using a slightly heavier hand.
Blue Flame - A prettier version of Deep Truth (it has more purply-blue tones) with better color payoff, but if you already have DT or if you have Blue Storm (from Blue Storm) then you can skip it.
Cool Heat - The not so long lost twin cousin of Big-T (C-Shock). There may be the minutest difference in the two, but again, if you have one, you don't need the other.

This collection is the perfect example of why you shouldn't necessarily freak if you miss items from a long gone collection. Give it a year, maybe a bit more, and something just like it will come along. I don't blame MAC, there are only so many colors you can make.

*** I'd also like to add that I swatched all of the shades with a brush, which gives you a less intense swatch, but a more realistic idea of how it is going to look on, unless of course you apply eye shadows with your fingers, and sincerely hope that you don't, but hey, to each her own.

-paix