PRODUCT REVIEW: MAC Opulash Mascara

PRODUCT: 5/5
PACKAGING: 5/5
QUALITY: 5/5
GRADE: A
PRICE: $14 from MAC counters, stores, and maccosmetics.com
WOULD I REPURCHASE? Yes

WHAT MAC SAYS
Superlative style & state-of-the-art science merge. A new formula in a more saturated intense black with extra-volumization, expansion & curl delivered dramatically with our most bodacious brush yet. Lasts 15 hours!

PROS
+ Lengthening
+ Volumizing
+ Really lasts 15 hours!
+ More 'affordable' higher end mascara

CONS
- Brush may be too big for people with smaller lashes
- Can be a little difficult to come off

I've been using this mascara to the very end of its 3 month term and I love it! MAC mascaras get a lot of flack for not working to well but MAC's Plushlash has been my HG ever since I discovered it a few years ago. One of my MAC MUA's described Opulash as "Plushlash on crack" so I had to have it. But like most products, I was really skeptical in the beginning. I feel like a lot of gurus/bloggers say they "love" a product without thoroughly testing it or just saying it because they're sponsored but I feel like I'm the other way. I always dislike it in the beginning, keep using it because I don't wanna waste and discover I like it!

I have longer lashes so I appreciate a bigger brush, but it might be a problem for those of you with shorter, thinner lashes. The brush is pretty dense and I feel like it packs on a lot of mascara without clumping and adds a lot of length to my lashes. The tube itself is pretty big and even after 3 months, I think there's still a ton of product in there. MAC claims that it last 15 hours - and it definitely does for me! Sometimes I fall asleep with this mascara on - I know, it's bad! But don't act like you don't once in a while! - and it's still perfect when I wake up in the morning. In fact, its harder to take off then other mascaras. Usually my MAC wipes will take most of my mascara off, but I have to wash my eyes with baby shampoo to get these off.

I thought this review might be helpful since MAC is releasing their Opulash Optimum Black next month (but for $1 more!). At $14 a piece, it's one of the more affordable "higher end" mascaras which I think is pretty reasonable considering a lot of them are $20+. I think it's worth trying and I'll definitely be repurchasing this again.

FOTD: Sugarpill Hysteric + MAC Crazy Cool

I've been using the Sugarpill make up I hauled from IMATS a lot and I've really been loving the colors and pigmentation of the shadow! I find that the pressed powders are way more pigmented than the loose pigments but all the colors are really pretty! I used Sugarpill's Hysteric on the outer v and it's a nice purple color. I didn't feel the need to smoke it out and it's light enough to be wearable during the day and you can always smoke it out and wear it at night. Sorry again for the picture quality, this is from my iPhone camera!

FACE
+ MAC Studio Fix Foundation in NC43
+ MAC SWEET WILLIAM Cream Blush
+ MAC DAINTY Mineralized Blush

EYES
+ MAC PAINTERLY Paint Pot [primer]
+ MAC SCANT Eyeshadow [highlight]
+ MAC CRAZY COOL Eyeshadow [lid]
+ Sugarpill HYSTERIC pigment [outer v]
+ Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in BLACK
+ MAC Opulash Mascara in BLACK
+ MUFE Aqua Eyes Liner in 0L

LIPS
+ MAC MIMMY Lipglass

FOTD: Sugarpill Midori & MAC Browns + New Hair

It's been ages since I posted a FOTD! I've just had lack of inspiration and I really haven't been in love with the way my make up looks have been coming out lately so I just kinda gave up for a little. But I've been playing with a lot of my goodies from my IMATS haul and I'm sooo in love with my Sugarpill make up! I've been using Midori a lot because it's such a pretty green. (And if you didn't know Midori means "green" in Japanese!) I really liked the way this came out because the green is so vibrant but the browns make it wearable during the day. Sorry if the pictures aren't as clear, I had to use my iPhone since I left my camera in Hawaii! >___<

Aaaand I wanted to show you all my new hair cut! I trim my hair regularly because I've been trying to grow it out but I'm always getting split ends and my hair grows so fast I have to trim my bangs all the time. I wanted to try out the "front bangs" (as I call them) or "fringe bangs" idk what they're officially called? I've had sideswept bangs since my senior year in high school and I wanted something different but I kind of regret it! I'm not really feeling the fringe, idk if I just have to get used to it or what but I'm going back to sideswept ASAP! Oh yeah and I dyed my hair super dark brown. It's so dark it looks black! I wanted to go back natural because I'm having a hard time keeping up my hair color since it grows so fast so I think I'm gonna leave it dark for a while. It was so odd to have my hair dark again! Especially with the bangs! But I guess it's nice to have some change every once in a while.

FACE
+ MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC43
+ MAC Cream Blush in SWEET WILLIAM
+ MAC Mineralized Blush in DAINTY
+ MAC Blush in STRADA [contour]

EYES
+ MAC PAINTERLY Paint Pot
+ MAC SCANT Eyeshadow [highlight]
+ Sugarpill MIDORI Eyeshadow [lid]
+ MAC SMUT Eyeshadow [outer v/crease]
+ MAC COPPERPLATE Eyeshadow [crease]
+ Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in BLACK
+ MUFE Aqua Eyes Liner in 0L [waterline]
+ MAC Opulash Mascara

LIPS
+ NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in STOCKHOLM

MAC "MAC Me Over" Collection

I remember a few months back MAC had the "MAC Me Over" contest where anyone could enter to be one of the 6 faces for their Fall 2011 make up line and the collection is finally here! (or almost here!) The collection debuts August 25, 2011 in the US and September 2011 internationally and I think I'm actually excited for this collection! The collections lately haven't got me really interested, I thought I'd love the Semi-Precious collection that came out last month, but when I saw it in person, none of it really stood out to me so I completely passed. Hopefully this one doesn't disappoint because there's a few fluidlines and shadesticks I'm eyeing out!

Fluidlines: Dark Envy, Dark Diversion, Midnight Blues, Avenue$15.00


Shadesticks: Butternutty, Heirloom, Tundra, Cakeshop, Street Cool
$17.50


Lipglass: Curvaceous, Illicit, Plum Fun, Social Light
$14.50


Lipglass: Wee Coquette, Good Times, Spite
$14.50


Lipsticks: Runway Red, Rebel, Prince Noir, Smoked Purple
$14.50


Polish: Purple Majesty, Deep Sea, Fatigues, Quiet Time
Brushes: 226, 214, 211
Polish $15.00/226 $24.50/214 $24.50/211 $18.00


Seaside CCB, Take Root CCB, Stunner Blush, Equilibrium Blush, Studio Fix PowderCCB $17/Blush $19.50


Eyeshadows: Creamy Bisque, Moleskin, Outre, Satin Taupe, Mythical, Carbonized
$15.00


Evil Eye Quad: (clockwise) Palace Pedigreed, Spellcaster, Moody, Evil Eye
$38.00


Lady Grey Eyeshadow Quad: (clockwise) Tendersmoke, Lady Grey, Hazy Day, All Races
$38.00

I'm eyeing out all the fluidlines (except Dark Diversion since I already have it) but Dark Envy and Midnight Blues look really similar to Ivy and Siahi but I'll have to see it in person to decide. Heirloom and Tundra Shadesticks look like pretty colors. Curvaceous is probably the only lipglass I'm interested in and maybe Runway Red lipstick. I think I'm missing 3 lipstick colors I couldn't find the promo pics for it. Definitely passing on the polishes because I'm not a fan of MAC nail polishes. Seaside CCB looks like a nice base color but I barely use the CCBs I already own. I kinda want Stunner Blush but I don't know how different the color is compared to the blushes I already own so we'll see. None of the eyeshadows really stick out to me but maybe when I see it in person I'll change my mind. Are you eyeing anything out from this collection?

MAC Fluidline Collection + Swatches

I posted my MAC Fluidline collection video on my YouTube channel and I took picture swatches too because sometimes it's just easier looking at the pictures! I've been meaning to post my entire MAC collection but break it down in sections so this is the first part of that little series. I always meant to do it before but my collection was constantly growing and now that I've slowed down buying MAC (even make up in general!) significantly, I thought it'd be the perfect time to start swatching everything! My shadows and lippies are going to be the hardest to swatch so I'll probably have to break those up into groups too! These swatch pictures didn't come out as nice as I'd like them to but I think it's the best I could do with my camera!

TR: Blacktrack, Dipdown, Dark Diversion, Frostlite, Blue Peep
BR: Nightfish, Rich Ground, Macroviolet, Ivy, Siahi


TR: Blacktrack, Dipdown, Dark Diversion, Frostlite, Blue Peep
BR: Nightfish, Rich Ground, Macroviolet, Ivy, Siahi

Like I said in my video, I LOVE MAC Fluidlines! I'm still open to trying out other brands but I've yet to come across one that makes me completely forget about fluidline. It's so smooth and for the price, it's reasonable to me. I like paying more for higher end make up brands because I think it does make a difference most of the time but I'm not willing to shell out $20+ all the time! MAC Fluidline retails for $15 at MAC and the great thing about it is you can B2M (Back 2 MAC) the packaging after you're all done!

Blacktrack

My Blacktrack is really drying out now because it's practically gone already! But this was my first Fluidline and definitely most used. I honestly didn't experience drying until the glass bottom started to show a lot. This color is permanent at MAC.

Dipdown

I've heard a few women use this to fill in their brows but I've never tried it since I don't need that much filling in but I do like using this on lazy make up days when I feel like wearing liner but want a more natural look. This brown is darker and more matte than Rich Ground. This is also a permanent color.

Dark Diversion

Dark Diversion is an LE and came out with the Stylishly Yours Collection at the end of last year. It's a dark plum-y brown and in brighter lighting, the plum shows more. In this swatch it looks dark purply, brown.

Frostlite

I believe this came out with the Holiday 2007 collection but I'm not entirely sure. It's white with a gold sheen to it and I like to use it in the inner corner of my eyes to brighten it up. This was LE.

Blue Peep

I think Blue Peep used to be a permanent color, but like I said in my video they discontinued all the colorful fluidlines and just kept the basic dark colors. This one applies smooth but definitely dries matte. It's super bright and I actually haven't used it yet, but it's so pretty!

Nightfish

Nightfish came out with the Lure Collection I think back in 2006? It's black with a sheen to it and can read slightly lighter than Blacktrack. I use this whenever I can't find my Blacktrack.

Rich Ground

Rich Ground is a permanent color and is described on the website as "reddened coco with frost. It definitely looks frosty but to me the color looks a tad bronzey compared to Dip Down.

Macroviolet

Macroviolet is also a permanent color and shows more purple than Dark Devotion. I love the way this looks when I'm wearing a DARK smokey purple eye.

Ivy

Ivy came out with the Mickey Contractor collection at the beginning of this year. The collection only came out to a few MAC stores and online and I almost missed out on this! The collection was based off of Bollywood make up and had a lot of bright colors. It was described as "bright green" and to me it looks grass green.

Siahi

Siahi was also LE from the Mickey Contractor collection and is a deep turquoise color. The shade reminds me of peacock feathers and has a slight tinge of glitter in it.

Viva Glam Gaga II Swatch Review for WOC / Women of Color

Welcome back loves!

This review is on MACs Viva Glam Gaga 2 lipstick and lustre glass.

Getting right into it, I very much like this lipstick, however, it isn't a "must have". Why? Because MAC has comparable nude toned lipsticks in their regular collection.

Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lustre Glass, Fashion Whim and Overindulgence Cremesheen's

Below are a few lipstick colors that are in the "nude" family including Gaga 2 ( some with beige undertones and some wiht pink).

 In looking at the swatches you can see that Viva Glam Gaga 2 isn't like any of the other colors. This is good! Of all the colors I swatched above, Gaga 2, a neutral beige, is most comparable to Siss, a golden beige.
As with most of my nude toned lipsticks (aside from Touch), I have to work with Gaga 2 to make it look appealing. For ladies within my color range ( NW45/ Bobbi Brown Almond 7/ Revlon Photoready in Cappuccino) and darker, we definitely cannot wear this color by itself. It needs to be toned down. I use a brown lip liner (often times MACs Chestnut or Sephora's Chic Choco lip liner) 

MACs Chestnut Lip liner andViva Glam Gaga II (no lustre glass) 

MACs Chestnut lip liner and Viva Glam Gaga II Lipstick partnered with its Lustre Glass

The Lustre glass partners very well with the lipstick. I only apply it sparingly as too much of this color will not be flattering (with the lipstick).

Gaga 2 Lustre Glass Swatched next to the lipstick

Of my lip gloss collection, the Gaga 2 Lustreglass is most comparable to MACs Fashion Whim Cremesheen. Being that it's a cremesheen it has a different formula than the Lustreglass.

Final Thoughts:

If you are willing to work with it, Viva Glam Gaga 2 is a very nice lipstick. The lustre glass nicely compliments the lipstick as well.

Because MAC has so many nude toned lipstick colors, owning Viva Glam Gaga 2 isn't a must! It just isn't.  You can create very similar looks with Siss.

Siss pared with MACs Chestnut Lipliner and Fashion Whim Cremesheen

The main advantage in purchasing this lipstick is that 100% of your money will be invested in a good cause. If you own this or have any commentary in general, please share your thoughts with me!


Thank you for stickin' with me, till next time, TAKE CARE! =D

MAC Mini Wonder Woman Haul

The MAC Wonder Woman Collection came out last week and when I went to look at the products in person, I was overall disappointed. Even though some of the products were extra huge (like the lipglasses and powders) they didn't WOW me and I just opted to get two of the lip products. I did get a mailer from Dillard's sent to my house, which was kind of cool because I rarely get mailers from them other than their holiday collection!

mailer opened up

Obviously, they went with the whole comic book theme, which was kind of cool. But I really didn't like how cheap the packaging of the mineral powders/blushes felt. They were EXTRA HUGE like bigger than the palm of my hand huge, but the cover felt like the plastic that kid's toys are made out of. They did supersize the lipglasses and MSFs, but they upped the price significantly, too!! The lipglasses are $20 and MSFs are $35 which is kind of what turned me off to buying more from this collection. I don't know if you fellow MAC addicts noticed, but MAC upped the price of their lipsticks permanently from $14.50 to $15.50. =( Even 4-palette eyeshadows which are normally $36 went up to $40!!! Higher end brand are pretty slick with their price increases - most people barely notice, but damn as a college student on a budget I notice! I saw the make up bags in person, too, and they didn't look that great quality to me for $30. They ARE cute though! I didn't see the brushes or the mirror but they were probably sold out by the time I went.

outer packaging


without the sleeves

I ended up getting the lipglass in Emancipation and the lipstick in Russian Red. I know, I know, Russian Red is a permanent color! But it was between that or Spitfire, and even though Spitfire is gorgeous I just couldn't see myself wearing it that much. Red is way more in your face than hot pink, but I've always wanted it and I really don't have too many reds in my collection. Plus I'm a sucker for the LE packaging! But check out how big the lipgloss is!

WW Lipglass next to WW Lipstick


WW Lipglass next to regular sized lipglass!


standing up


doefoot comparison

It's SO HUGE! Can you imagine whipping one of these out to touch up your lipgloss?! It looks like a toy!! lol There's 10g of lipgloss in this baby which is more than 2 times more than the regular size (4.8g)! So I guess the $6 increase is justified.. I guess.. I picked Emancipation over Athena's Kiss because I thought I'd get more use out of it and I really do like this color! It's pretty nude for me and the pigmentation is just enough that it doesn't look like I'm wearing too much. I couldn't get a good lip swatch of it though, my lighting just sucks!

Russian Red [see how weird my lighting is?]


Russian Red L/S & Emancipation L/G


Russian Red lip swatch

That's not a very good lip swatch either, but in person it looks AMAZING! I've never owned any of the matte lipsticks from MAC and it only amplifies the red! It's a total pin-up girl red and I wish I had more places to wear it out! Overall I'm pretty happy with my haul. I thought about getting the pink palette because the darkest color in that palette is SO pretty, but I decided against it. I probably won't get it but who knows. I'm so proud of myself for really cutting back on my MAC purchases! I'm gonna try to not buy anything MAC until Summer, but who knows - I'm going to Vegas this weekend so you know what that means - CCO!!! =P