Eye Shadow -MAC - Pigment in Golden Olive
curlywurly100 2/13/2013 3:09:00 PM
Golden Olive is a medium toned glowy apple/grass green shimmer with a gold duochrome. it is more of a pearly shimmer, so it is a little more of a matte shine than 'Old Gold' pigment. the picture above with the 3 swatches is pretty accurate. when i swatched this on my hand, the MAC girl said it reminded her of a fish. i guess she meant the way their scales can flash blue, green and yellow underwater, under the sun. it's just beautiful. now a little more on the texture; this is extremely condensed and silky - very easy to apply and build up and VERY pigmented. i want to share my experiences with this pigment, and how i went from hating it, to loving it so much. the 1st mistake i made with this, was i applied it straight on to my lid with an eyeshadow brush. this totally blended the colour into a muted, nondescript, bluish green. then the 2nd mistake i made with this was to apply it over other colours and pigments. this way, the green barely showed up, it looked like i had just added a dusting of something greenish to my eye make-up. the way that finally cracked the code for me, was to apply this straight on to primed lids with a flat brush, and kind of foil the pigment on, (but dry) instead of blending it in. this way, it applied gorgeously and 100% true to its colour. i think this works best as a base colour, opposed to as an overlayer. i love to add other colours on top of this. today over Golden Olive, i have Stila's Kitten on the center of the lid, some browns in the crease, 'Humid' on either side of where i applied 'Kitten', to create a 3D kind of effect and of course, some 'Carbon' in the contour, which is for optional added smokiness and a highlight. i find that adding other colours over this, takes advantage of Golden Olive being a little bit pearly, and it adds some dimension, whilst still letting that beautiful golden green pop through. i hoped this helped anyone or gave anyone a few ideas. i feel that every single MAC pigment requires some experimentation before it becomes *yours*. now on to a few more general things about Golden Olive. i think this is an extremely unique pigment to own, because it's such a vibrant fun colour, but it's encompassed in this golden glow, that makes it more wearable and unusual. a little tip for those of you that find it too green, is to add any colours with a hint of pink over this, to counteract the green, and then it will be more of an earthy olive. some perfect examples would be 'Tan' pigment or 'Expensive Pink'. i'm brown-eyed myself, but i have a feeling that this would look jaw-dropping on blue eyed ladies, because i feel it would create a very turquoisey overall look, mixed with the blue. would repurchase!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Rose Gold Pro Pigment
curlywurly100 2/5/2013 6:59:00 PM
Rose Gold pigment is a bronzey, warm gold. it has an extremely metallic, high shine finish but with a much darker base colour that leans towards a dark brown. although this colour is metallic, it isn't a very reflective shine. a previous reviewer described this perfectly as a 'dull metallic'. it is a stunning colour with mind-blowing colour payoff. now on to the texture and consistency; this is VERY finely milled, so much so, that even putting the stopper back on the pigment creates a puff of dust! and this is so messy. also make sure not to drop this, because the pigment will spill over the stopper and make a mess in the lid. i found it that way right after i even bought it. so needless to say, i always leave foundation for last when i use this pigment! this doesn't really bother me, but it's something to keep in mind before purchase. because Rose Gold is a metallic with a dark base, i prefer to wear it in the crease. reason being because on the occasions where i have used this all over the lid, it's so metallic, that after a few hours of application, it really swallows up my gel liner and crease colours. and i find that just applying this all over for me, personally, is a case of having too much of a good thing. what i have started doing is applying colours like 'Ricepaper', and 'Naked' pigment all over the lid, up to the brow, then take a flat brush and pack Rose Gold on to the entire crease area and outer lid and then add my crease colours. this way other colours don't get swallowed up. i add some to the lower lid too. also the dark base of this colour really adds definition to the crease and creates so much dimension to the whole look whilst still integrating that amazing unique golden sheen that Rose Gold has into the whole look too. now that i've shared my own experience with this, i just want to add that Rose Gold is such a beautiful pigment, that there is a way to use this on absolutely everyone and it's worth the money and the mess! it's literally like liquid in powder form! very unique.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pigment in Violet
curlywurly100 1/23/2013 10:35:00 PM
Violet is a mid-tone true purple with a little sheerness to it, to still preserve that glowiness that a previous reviewer mentioned. it's pearly and frosty with an iridescence to it, and it's a kind of ghostly colour, not in the sense that it's pale, but in the sense that it's sheer and delicate looking once you scoop your brush in, but then packs a hell of a punch! it shows up beautifully. it's a very unique colour to own in my opinion, because this is so versatile. i wore it today over MAC's 'Tan' pigment and then put some darker browns and purples in the crease, and it all showed up this metallicey, warm glimmering lilac that you couldn't quite place your finger on. i think this pigment is perfect for layering over other colours because of it's translucency. here are some ideas: *(worn alone of course for a beautiful purple in all its glory) *over golds and coppers *over champagnes (like Stila's Kitten) or silvers *mixed with shimmery browns and bronzes *mixed with colours like MAC's Cranberry/Star Violet *mixed with blues the combinations are endless! that's why this pigment is a must-have. because it's not a block of purple. they are easy to come by, it's a TOUCH of purple that still has phenomenal pigmentation, and because it's a loose pigment, you are freer to really tailor the colour to your needs. hope that all made sense! now on to some other things. there is a little fallout with this, but because this pigment is so fine, unlike some others, it's really easy to just grab a fluffy face brush and gently sweep any mess away. i always do my foundation and concealer last anyway. i recommend this to you if you are a fan of purple eyeshadows and if you are after a product that adds purple to any eye look very effortlessly. i would repurchase!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pigment in Melon
curlywurly100 1/19/2013 12:28:00 PM
Melon is a gold colour with an obvious rosy peach hue to it. it initially applies in lots of little specks, but once blended onto the lid with a flat brush over primed lids, and built up a little, eventually becomes a much more condensed, opaque pearlescent colour, with dare i say, a little gold/pink duochrome and some extra speckles left over. so it's this beautiful, unique, subtly stunning colour. it warms up the face wonderfully and i enjoy wearing it most with pinks, reds, browns and purples in the crease. MAC's 'Red Brick' eyeshadow especially, is also a sneaky way to really quickly warm up the colour in seconds! now onto some other things about Melon. when i first bought this, it was actually a regret for me, because i was expecting an intense metallic kind of pigment that would wow at first swipe. but as i have discovered with MAC pigments in general, each pigment is so unique in how it can look its best on you. once i started experimenting with Melon and applying more of it on the lid, inner corners, lower lashline etc. i just fell in love. FYI i also tried applying this wet, which i found went on much less shimmery, but made it more of a block of colour. i personally favour this applied dry on me. this also has quite a minimal amount of fallout compared to some other pigments. i always lean my head back whilst applying pigments anyway, so any fallout will just fall back on the lid if that makes sense. obviously with a hand-held mirror lol. not just aim and hope for the best ;) also, if you dislike warmer colours on your eyes then this is perhaps one to avoid. i definitely recommend trying this! it might just become your favourite.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Folie
curlywurly100 1/1/2013 1:04:00 PM
Folie is a matte brown eyeshadow with an obvious red base. it's a Satin finish which means that it's not completely matte, but has a hint of a little something else to it too. i bought Folie because i have a love for warm eyeshadows and this seemed to perfectly fit the bill as a gorgeous red milk chocolate brown. i love to wear this very often especially with pinks, golds and other browns to add some warmth and definition in the crease and lower lashline. it's a really gorgeous brown to own but there are a few things to keep in mind before purchasing this. a previous reviewer hit the nail on the head when they mentioned that this is only worth the purchase, if you already have a decent selection of browns. Folie is beautiful but its warmth and limited colour payoff don't make it a must-have if you're building a starter kit. the colour payoff isn't bad, but isn't stunning. it's exactly the same payoff as 'Swiss Chocolate', if you own or have ever tried that. so it's basically average to good pigmentation. if you want crazy colour payoff and a more basic and universal dark/matte brown, then 'Brown Down' is the one to go for. this is more like one to add to your collection if you have a love for warm browns. this colour gets a lot of use from me and although i don't think it is a must-have, i still think it's beautiful, unique and one to try if you're curious! i would repurchase.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Sketch eye shadow
curlywurly100 1/1/2013 12:34:00 PM
Sketch is a dark brown with an obvious warm burgundy running through it. it also has some rainbow sparkle in the pan which translates to a textured slight shimmer on the lids. the consistency of this delivers like a DREAM, and though i first bought this initially out of curiosity and to just combine with pinks and purples, now i use it almost every day with everything and anything! Sketch is such an effortless, versatile colour. it glides on so buttery and intense, and adds instant POW and definition to any look, fast. that's why i use it so much! the colour payoff is excellent. and because it's still primarily a brown in my opinion, it goes with everything. one of my all time favourite crease colours! although i think it looks good with everything, my favourite colours to wear it with are golds and coppers. like 'Woodwinked', 'Amber Lights' 'Tan' pigment and so on. this is because they preserve the warmth in Sketch, which is what i think makes the shade so unique. wearing it with cooler colours turns it into more of a cooler dark purpley grey. this is a must-have colour, especially for brown-eyed girls. it's one that you'll reach for every day because it's so easy and effective. would definitely repurchase.
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Makeup Brushes -MAC - 224 Tapered Blending (Windshield Wiper) Brush
curlywurly100 1/1/2013 12:16:00 PM
where has this brush been all my make-up wearing life?! i absolutely love this brush! it blends all my eye make-up like a dream. i want to start this review by first mentioning that i have a lot of lid and brow bone space. if you also do, this is perfect for you too. if you don't have a lot of space, then you need a more condensed blending brush like MAC's 217, or any dense blending brush or even just a dense crease brush would work. this is a big, fluffy tapered brush that blends EVERYTHING in a few swirls. it makes my make-up look a hundred times more professional and saves me so much time in the morning, because i like to combine a lot of colours on my lid and crease, and i always need a lot of time to make them all look blended and transitioned. not anymore! this also is really useful when i haven't done that great a job actually applying the colours as well because of how well it just blends them. it's great for blending as you go along, blending the finished result and using this with colours that you want 'blended in' to the whole finished look. so now we've established that it works, i want to discuss a bit about the packaging and cost. this brush is very expensive! though i do believe it's worth the money, it still is something you have to think about before you buy. i would suggest testing this brush at MAC first. go and apply some colours and then do your own before and after! because it may be that it splays colour too much for your eye shape. i removed one point for packaging quality, because it sheds. i have also noticed a piece of a bristle too, which means it not only sheds, but its bristles also break. my advice to minimise this as much as possible, is to be gentle when you clean and spot clean, and store it somewhere safe. so i don't think this brush is durable enough to just throw it solo in your make-up bag. store it in a brush roll, cup or just somewhere by itself. so that's one con. for the price it shouldn't shed or break. otherwise no complaints. i would definitely repurchase. it's my staple blending brush now!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Pigment in Copper Sparkle
curlywurly100 1/1/2013 11:54:00 AM
Copper Sparkle is a true copper shimmer pigment with plenty of glitter and sparkle. i first want to talk about the texture and awkwardness of this product and how i tackle that. this pigment is an extremely chunky consistency. it's almost like glitter in a jar. in fact, when i first used this, i excitedly ripped open the box and just applied this over the make-up i already had on. fail. it just fell everywhere and didn't stay on my lids. then i tried it wet! this completely obliterated the sparkles and it went on this condensed metallic copper. but i didn't like the way it dried and i generally dislike using products wet personally. so then i removed all my make-up, reapplied foundation and primer on my eyelids, and then i applied this straight away with a flat brush and SUCCESS. the chunks blended into a gorgeous shimmer and just a few remained to keep it sparkly, but it really delivered, with minimal fall out too. so that's how i now use this. i believe that as long as you have a tacky sticky base and apply this with a flat brush, you can't go wrong. i make sure to apply my foundation after my eye make-up and it also helps to remove any fall out, if any, from my cheeks with make-up remover and a cotton bud. i also recommend trying this with TFSI in 'Glitter Glue' if you can get your hands on it. or MAC's mixing medium which i've heard is very useful. now a bit more on the shade. this is a true mid-tone burnt copper. if you also love MAC's Coppering, then this is for you! i feel that the way i apply this blends in enough of the sparkle for it to be more than just a special, once in a while pigment that i can wear more often. but it still really is special. i'm wearing it today with MAC's Tan pigment applied in the center and 'Brown Down' and 'Sketch' in the crease and 'Carbon' in the outer corner. don't forget to blend it all! i have also uploaded a picture above with details for anyone interested. it has my username on it. overall, i think this is a wonderful pigment to own and experiment with, especially if you have blue eyes! i think pigments require a lot of patience and experimentation, which is why i think it's easy to get frustrated with them, but they are worth it! especially this one.
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Brows -Smashbox - Brow tech
curlywurly100 12/12/2012 4:33:00 PM
i am reviewing the Brow Tech in 'Dark Brown'. my one also has half a segment with two browns, a taupey one and a dark chocolatey one, and a half segment with wax. it's the 3rd picture in the images at the moment. this is my 1st ever Smashbox product, and so far, i am very impressed! the way i use this at the moment, is i dip an angled brush (i like the ecotools one or the Real Techniques one if anyone's curious) into the wax, then i dip the brush into the darker brown to create basically a DIY dark mixture. i fill in the bulk thickness of my eyebrows with this, then i go into the lighter brown powder and just use this to fill in my eyebrows completely. so this is where i would fill in more the start of my eyebrows and any curves. this way it all looks more dimensional and more bled out and shaped. i also like finishing off with powder because it sets the wax. this way, my eyebrows stay perfect all day long. so now that i've shared that, i want to get on to why i really love this a lot. for years i always used a dark eyebrow pencil, and brushed it out with a built in brush, cleaned up around the eyebrows with concealer, then applied clear mascara. this product saves me ALL of those steps, and makes my eyebrows look a million times more shapely and defined. my whole face and my make-up looks more polished now. i underestimated the importance of brows. i think what makes this such a great product is the great colour pigmentation, the handy effectiveness of the wax and the variety of the two colours to give you a more personally tailored combination. now on to some cons: this is nearly £20! and it's ABSOLUTELY tiny. this lost a point in packaging for me. i think personally, that's very poor value for money. i would only repurchase this item if i find nothing that outperforms this, and i would definitely keep repurchasing this if it was a more reasonable size. i chose 'Yes'. overall an excellent product!
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Lotions/ Creams -Burt's Bees - Milk & Honey Body Lotion
curlywurly100 12/9/2012 1:56:00 PM
i am reviewing the version of this in the squeezy tube! my skin is very dry in the winter and i really wanted to try this. hydration for me, is excellent. this makes my skin so soft. this definitely does its job and sinks in very fast! i now want to cover the scent. by reading the reviews on here, it seems as though it has changed along with the packaging. i can detect milk, honey, vanilla, mint and something else. that's what i get. actually when i first bought this and tried it, i found the smell quite aggressive and a little bit 'pungent', but in the wrong way. but as i kept using it, the scent really really grew on me. to me, it smells like something that's been freshly mixed in a bowl and that is very natural and organic. maybe even a little dairy? (it does have non-fat dry milk powder in it) i think initially, it's a bit of a shock, because it's smells so different to the mainstream lotions and butters that are designed to smell sweet and dessert-like. but now to me, this is very comforting. i think smells are very personal. i would repurchase.
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Tools -Boots - No7 Eyeshadow Blend & Contour
curlywurly100 12/9/2012 1:33:00 PM
this brush is marketed to apply colour to the contour of the outer eye socket and to blend. for a long LONG time, i've been eyeing this but never actually bought it because it looked like it wasn't tightly packed enough to really do anything, but was always curious. this brush is made from natural hair and is very soft, a tiny bit loose (as in not dense), and has a shape that is a little flat, so when you wash or wet it and flatten it back into its original shape, if you look at it from top you will see it taper into a flat edge if that makes sense. what this does, is apply colour EXACTLY in the contour of the outer socket, but applies it so lightly so that you can build it and blend it. i use this to add black into my outer eye socket as a finishing touch and then blend it. you can also turn the brush horizontally, to then blend it 'out' towards your temples for a more cat-eye shape. it works a charm and i never want to be without this now. on to the quality of the brush, i have spot-cleaned this brush about 6 times since owning it, and the black eyeshadow hasn't really stained the bristles a lot. maybe in the densest area of the brush it looks a bit grey. i think deep cleaning will solve this problem if that's an issue for you. also, the brush has retained its original quality and performance after each spot-clean. an important tip is to flatten the brush back into its original shape while its still damp/wet, so it actually dries back into its original shape, otherwise it will eventually splay. lastly, this has only shed ONCE, a few hairs. on a sidenote; i have also seen this compared to the MAC 217, which i don't own by the way. i think this is an excellent brush and highly recommend it, it's changed the way i apply my make-up, saves me time, and really gives my eye make-up a more high quality and blended look!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Shadowy Lady
curlywurly100 11/18/2012 5:45:00 PM
Shadowy Lady is a beautiful squid ink purpley black with a hint of navy blue. if this had better pigmentation, it would be a top pick for me. this is a Matte finish, which usually means that it takes a little effort to really get that great pigmentation. but you can always achieve a brilliant result. a lot of my MAC colours are Matte and many of them are my favourite colours. the problem with Shadowy Lady is that you can't really build the shade up to its full potential. it's as if i could go in with my brush over and over again and am not be able to add any more colour past a certain point! when i do manage to build it up to look alright, the end result is always patchy. i even noticed it in photographs. i have never been happy with a look when i've used this colour. i personally just didn't have a good experience with this one so i wouldn't recommend it.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Retrospeck (Lustre)
curlywurly100 11/15/2012 4:47:00 AM
Retrospeck is a sparkly white gold with a beige gold colour base. when you apply it, you can only really see the sparkly gold colour, but when you clean your brush off, you can see that its noticeably a caramel gold colour. it really is beautiful. this acts to me, exactly the same way as 'Tempting' (also a Lustre) in the sense that they both have darker colour bases than their sparkly overlayer. before i purchased this, i asked the MAC girl if this was worth getting and if it had good colour payoff or not. she hesitated and said because it's a Lustre, it's not so much a block of colour, but a gold sparkle. she also said that this was one of the best selling colours. so i tried it. i want to share how i wear this colour, but first i want to get to one big con about this colour. it's very hard to get any on the brush! you have to spend a significant amount of time going back and forth with your brush from colour to lid, colour to lid, but the most important thing is, that you can eventually build it up and get a decent layer! you just have to be patient. i personally think this shade is worth the hassle. just make sure you use a bit of a dense brush, like a flat shader brush, or a crease brush. just nothing too fluffy otherwise it will pick up nothing! so now on to how i use this! i have fair mediterranean skintone and this is a shade i find i have to apply from lid to brow to get the best result. it looks great with darker colours in the crease and outer corner, but what i love to do most at the moment is to use this as a base colour for my usual lid colour. so with colours like 'Tempting', 'Mulch', and 'Satin Taupe', it provides a base that allows me to pack these colours more freely on to my lid, because it breaks up a lot of darkness that they might have worn alone as lid colours. it also provides a hint of sparkle which is always nice! THEN i like to add my crease colours! this for me at the moment serves the purpose of Bare Study paint pot. this also looks really beautiful with 'Tempting' packed over it, because they both really sparkle together and create this golden brown glimmer. i definitely think this is worth the awkwardness! i have reached for it everyday since buying it!
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Candles -Yankee Candles - Blissful Autumn
curlywurly100 11/13/2012 10:02:00 PM
Blissful Autumn first attracted me with its combination of dusky blue wax and an orange themed sticker because it reminded me of the perfect autumn scene with a cloudy silver sky and fallen leaves. the scent also sounded very appealing. i have the medium jar. this is also from the 2012 autumn line, and like its sibling 'Honey and Spice' it's a beautiful scent, but has a mild throw. i won't buy anymore from this line because i really like a strong throw that instantly hits me. the throw is very slow and progressive and is a quite watered down from its initial lid-opening scent. the scent of this one is gorgeous. it's like a spiced orange muffin with a hint of brown sugar and clove and a touch of crisp fresh air. that's exactly how it smells to me. if you enjoy subtle scents, definitely check out this line. otherwise i recommend hunting this one down especially, in the 2 wick tumbler for a stronger throw. wouldn't repurchase.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Passionate
curlywurly100 11/1/2012 8:23:00 AM
i delayed buying this due to fear of there being no colour payoff. during this review, i'm going to share how i use this to get the best colour payoff, and a tip as well. firstly, the colour is beautiful! it's a hot pink, but it's that juicy true kind of hot pink that doesn't ever look red or purple. the way i wear it right now is with 'Naked Lunch' from lid to brow, 'Carbon' in the outer corner, 'Handwritten blended over 'Carbon' a little, and i take a flat shader brush, go into Passionate and literally pack that over the entire crease area. the flat shader brush packs the colour on wonderfully if you build it up just a little, and the end result always looks so vibrant! i think that wearing this colour over darker shades helps it look its best. i have never found a colour like Passionate. i do find however, that this can fade a tiny bit as i reach the end of the day, so i recommend loading a brush with colour and just sticking it in your make-up bag, or taking it with you if you have it in pot form to touch up if you have an extremely long day ahead of you. now i want to share a tip. when i swatched this at MAC, the colour payoff was horrible, so i asked one of the girls if she had any advice to get the best colour payoff, because i still loved the colour. she said that because people swatched it so much with their fingers, the eyeshadow hardened and made a top layer. she took a tissue paper, and took Passionate and scratched off the hard layer with her finger nail through the tissue, and i could see that the colour had freshened up. i will do this in the future to other colours i own that have hardened due to being over swatched or just for whatever reason. (another tip, if an eyeshadow is ever too hardened up beyond repair, just scratch it all up until it's loose powder again with a knife, and repress it with alcohol, a coin that fits the pan and some fabric). i absolutely recommend this colour! i also love to match it with hot pink clothing to really enjoy it fully :)
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