I feel like I never get done swatching Wet n Wild palettes! They put out so many that it can be hard to keep track of (especially the limited edition ones!). This one, Petal Pusher, is one of their permanent eyeshadow palettes that you can pick up at any time.
Guys… this is pretty exciting! Several months ago, we all found out that there was going to be a MAC x Star Trek collection, but details were (and still are) a bit scarce. The whole collection was premiered at San Diego Comic Con, but it doesn’t launch online till August 25th and in stores on September 1st.
The timing of this collection coincides not only with the movie that was just released, but also with Star Trek‘s 50th anniversary (which is the “50” you see emblazoned on the insignia). My husband and I have also been watching/rewatching all of the movies over from the beginning over the last year, so my interest in this collection is piqued even more than normal for a MAC collection!
All items in the collection feature the usual matte black MAC packaging, but they’re also layered with the silver insignia.
Even the interior design of the packaging matches!
On to the products! I’ve got a pressed pigment in Bird of Prey. At first glance, I thought this was a black with gold sparkle (the lighting in my office is bad, okay?) – but it is not! It’s a very, VERY deep green with a black base and some gold sparkle.
I’ve only used a few other pressed pigments by MAC before and they were ALL a disaster. We’re talking Fallout City, crumbling everywhere, etc. I can thankfully report that this pressed pigment behaved like none of the others. It felt smooth when I stuck my brush in it and applied to the lid nicely as well. Pigmentation is good, but you will need to apply a few layers to get full opacity.
The item that intrigued me the most was the lipstick in LLAP (Live Long and Prosper).
LLAP is a frost which is a finish I haven’t worn in years (I’m thinking back to the 90s and wearing MAC‘s Gel…).
As I was photographing this product, it finally clicked for me what this shade was. LLAP is a true rose gold FOR YOUR LIPS.
Swatching it confirmed the rose gold hues and I was so, so curious to see how it would look on my lips.
There are full shots of my face later in the post, but I was astonished with how oddly flattering I found this shade. I never thought I needed or wanted to wear a rose gold hue on my lips and certainly not in a frost finish lipstick… but you know what? I’m sold. I love this. I cannot wait to show LLAP some love and wear that bullet down!
That beautiful pair of lashes you see right there are called Wink of an Eye. I can’t seem to find these lashes on MAC‘s site, so they don’t seem to be a permanent product repackaged. These lashes have a thick band and are swept sideways which gives a bit of a cartoon-like slow lash wink to the outer corners of your eyes. I especially love how there are bright blue lashes in the mix with the usual black. It adds for quite a bit of intrigue when I looked back on my photos.
Sadly, I found the last band too thick and firm. It was causing the lashes to want to straighten out no matter how much (or how little) glue I used. I did wrap them around my makeup brush for a few minutes before applying them, but I would suggest that if you want to wear these for a long period of time, wrap them around your makeup brush handle, clamp it in place and let it stay that way overnight to put some solid curve into that stiff band.
MAC‘s usual Super Slick Liquid Eye Liner in On The Hunt has been repackaged for this collection.
I was unfamiliar with this formula, but I’m telling you now… this thing can last through anything. MAC‘s site says it’s a water-based, water-resistant liquid liner that’s quick and precise to apply. Yes to all of the above, but I have to say, this thing is MORE than water-resistant. I had one heck of an impressive time getting this off my eyes when I was done my look. Even rubbing the swatch off my arm proved its impressive longevity. Need something bulletproof for your eyes? Give this one a shot!
On The Hunt does have a bit of a sheen, so if you’re looking for something purely matte, this isn’t the one you’d want to pick up.
This makeup look will be coming to my YouTube channel tomorrow – here it is! but for now, I hope the pictures will suffice! For those curious, I have Bird of Prey all over my lid, I created the wing with On The Hunt, I’m wearing the Wink of an Eye false lashes, and the LLAP lipstick is on my lips. 🙂
I also have an additional post on the Trip the Light Fantastic Powder in Strange New Worlds that’s just been posted!
So how about you? Are you excited for this MAC Star Trek collection? Let me know!
The products featured in this post were sent to me by PR for review.
tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea collection was a huuuuge hit online and in stores. So much so, that I can’t seem to find this palette available any longer on Sephora’s site, neither in Canada nor the US!
The sad fact is that I had planned to do a full face makeup look using several products from the limited edition collection… but this palette never came back in stock so I was never really sure if there was a point in doing a look if no one could actually get their hands on this product. It’s still on Sephora’s site… but it’s been out of stock for over a month now. 🙁
So instead I’ll leave you with pretty pictures and swatches. (And if they ever do restock it, get it quickly, because this thing sold out FAST!)
The product featured in this post was sent to me for consideration.
Was there anyone out there that didn’t have their breath stolen by the tarte Rainforest of the Sea collection? I mean the packaging alone was enough to make me weak in the dang knees!
And the Drench Lip Splash Lipsticks are no exception! These lipsticks “saturate lips with creamy, full-coverage color and hydration with this long-wearing satin-matte lipstick. Featuring an array of bold and everyday shades, it’s powered by tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea™ antioxidant complex and natural, lip-loving oils and butters. This vibrant lip formula helps firm, treat, and protect your lips while providing intense hydration and hiding the appearance of fine lines.”
These feel HEAVENLY on the lips. I think I can actually say that these are the most comfortable matte lipsticks I have ever worn. They feel pillowy and soft. The colour blends into your lips without feeling stiff or dry. Since these are very, very soft in terms of formula, go very, very gently while applying them to your lips – sadly, I’ve already broken Mai Tai in half. 🙁 (Although this isn’t unexpected for me since I’m a lipstick murderer.)
The colours I have (Skinny Dip, Happy & Mai Tai) do a good job of showing you some of the colour range in this collection (12 shades total). There are more brights and even some vampy shades in the mix too!
Although I have nothing bad to say about the formula of these lipsticks (seriously – nothing! I’m in love with it!), I need to point out the one rather large flaw in this product: the packaging is absolute fucking garbage. Sure, the outside is gorgeous – I’m sooo down with that absolutely STUNNING purple to gold gradient effect happening on the case, but it feels really, REALLY flimsy. Out of the three lipsticks I tried, two of them fell apart as I was opening them for the first time! The lids are not glued to their inside packaging very well, so, as you can see in the shot above, the top popped off of Mai Tai, and the bottom half fell off of Happy. Sure, I can put them back together without much issue, but EVERY TIME I go to use the lipstick, I end up pulling off an end. So aggravating.
Also worth noting: these contain 0.085 ounces of product which is about 40% less than your average lipstick (for transparency, I compared this to NARS and Bite Beauty which are more expensive brands).
Skinny Dip is described as a white nude, but comes off as a soft pinky-peach on my lips. I found this one oddly flattering and has matched a lot of eye looks I’ve done over the last month or so. If you want to see it in action, I wore it during my recent Empties video on YouTube.
Happy is described a rose that shows up quite deep on my lips. Another really, really gorgeous shade.
But, the one that absolutely stole my heart is Mai Tai which is the orange of the lot. On me, it comes out as an orange with a hint of red and it is absolutely jawdropping. (This is also the bullet I broke… *sobs*)
Overall, I do *really* recommend this the tarte Drench Lip Splashes. I think the packaging is terrible and should definitely be revamped, but that’s not enough for me say that this product isn’t worth your money because the formula is unbelievably astounding. I think I can actually say that these are the most comfortable matte lipsticks I own. Period. As I’m typing this out I’m trying to think of something I own that’s more comfortable and I’m really drawing a blank. These actually *feel* hydrating and that’s something that can be a real struggle to say about matte lipsticks.
I like that the colour range is diverse enough to have a bunch of nudes, some brights and some vampy shades – there should be enough in there for everyone to find a shade they’re happy with. And yes, I do really want more of these now! I’m currently eyeing Bikini because it’s a pink coral… oh and Bonfire… and… and… 😉
The tarte Rainforest of the Sea Drench Lip Splash Lipsticks can be purchased on sephora.ca for $26 CAD or on sephora.com for $22 USD.
The products featured in this review were sent to me for consideration.
I have suddenly found several of the Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencils in my posession, so I thought it was time to do a review! (I ended up with a couple from Gen Beauty, a few more a Make Up For Ever Backstage Workshop that Samantha Jane invited me out to and then a couple more that she gifted me!)
So, a few months ago, Make Up For Ever launched their Aqua XL Eye Pencils in a wide of array of shades (20, to be precise). They cover the bulk of the rainbow and to me they look like they’re rivaling the Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayons which has always been my go-to product for my waterline since it just doesn’t budge.
The “Aqua XL Eye Pencil Waterproof Liner‘s superior, long-lasting formula will not smudge, crease, or fade until you remove it. Its innovative formula blends intense, rich color with a super-gliding texture. This versatile liner’s smooth texture effortlessly glides onto lids without skipping or tugging while delivering intense, one-swipe color that lasts all day. Perfect for creating a tight line or smudging for a shadow effect, it features shades that range from everyday neutrals to bright pastel pops.”
The shades come in a variety of finishes, although I would say the bulk of them are matte although they do also have diamond, satiny, iridescent and metallic finishes just like their eyeshadow range.
You can see that aside from I-32, all of the shades are matte, which is definitely my preference in a liner! I’m particularly enamoured by the vibrant pastel shades in the center since it’s refreshing to see those shades in eye pencil format instead of just as eyeshadow.
At the MUFE Backstage Workshop, we were instructed to produce a festival look that involved layering shades in order to produce a graphic liner look. It’s not supposed to be totally cohesive – more abstract and frivolous (for lack of a better term). I felt a little silly applying my liner this way, but when I took the shot above, I was astounded with just how neat it looked. I especially felt that the white really helped to pull it together.
Although the Backstage Workshop look was fun, the way I’ve mostly been wearing the Make Up For Ever Aqua XL liners is by applying them to my waterline. In the shot above I have I-32 on the outer half of my water line, and then M-92 on the inner half and I’ve blended them together to create a gradient. I was really, really surprised and impressed by how well this stayed on my waterline all day. I wore the aqua shade (M-30) in the office and it stayed put all day. I did touch up a tad at the outer corner since that’s where my eyes water, but really, that’s to be expected with any pencil for me (including the Marc Jacobs Highliner).
If you need a rock solid waterproof eyeliner, look no further than the Make Up For Ever Aqua XL. By industry standards, when something is labelled “waterproof”, it has to last THREE HOURS underwater (without any rubbing) and this one fits the bill! I love the shade range (although I would really like a red) and I’ve been having a lot of fun using these on my water line. They dry really solidly onto my water line – almost like it locks on and shellacs the area (I didn’t know how else to describe it) because if you touch the area with your finger it ends up feeling totally dry and yet it’s not irritating which is a huge blessing.
Also, removing these from your skin is no easy feat unless you’re using something oil based. Think that’s annoying? Think again, my friend! Cuz this means they are BUDGEPROOF! So in short… these are absolute winners. 🙂
The Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencils can be purchased on sephora.ca for $25 CAD each or on sephora.com for $21 USD.