Category Archives: Makeup

MAC Pleasure Bomb X CK One Color Wanted

pleasurebombwanted

MAC’s RiRi Hearts MAC lipstick in Pleasure Bomb was difficult for me to get my hands on. Once I did actually get it, I was a bit taken aback because I immediately realized I already owned a similar color.

pleasurebombwanted1

CK One Color Pure Color lipstick in Wanted, MAC RiRi Hearts MAC lipstick in Pleasure Bomb

Pleasurebomb2

Pleasure Bomb(left), Wanted

While the two shades are not identical, on my complexion, they seem very closely related. Wanted is a matte texture but it’s creamy and leaves behind a slight sheen. Pleasure Bomb is a retro matte so it has very little sheen to it. Pleasure Bomb is just a bit lighter in color than Wanted when swatched, but I can’t see much of a difference when I apply them to my lips. I’ve heard that it’s also possible to mix MAC’s Candy Yum Yum lipstick with MAC’s Russian Red lipstick to create Pleasure Bomb but I can’t attest to this as I don’t own both colors. I hope this info helps anyone who wasn’t able to purchase Pleasure Bomb when it was released.

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ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate Medium-Deep Golden and Deep Beige

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate Medium-Deep Golden Deep Beige

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate in Deep Beige and Medium-Deep Golden

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate Medium-Deep Golden Deep Beige

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate in Medium-Deep Golden and Deep Beige

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate is intended to be a versatile complexion perfecter. It can be used as a concealer, foundation or tinted moisturizer. It’s designed to be mixed with a water-based moisturizer of your choice to create the exact amount of coverage desired. It comes in 10 shades which can probably span a fair amount of skin tones. However I think they can stand to add a few more shades. For example based on the shade names, the brand has only one shade for fair complexions that’s pink-toned. While a lot of fair complected people have cool undertones, plenty have warm and neutral undertones as well. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s only 2 shades for people that are deeper toned.

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate Medium-Deep Golden

Medium-Deep Golden

I’m actually in between the 2 deepest shades, Medium-Deep Golden and Deep Beige. Medium-Deep Golden is a good undertone match for me but it’s just a tiny bit too light in shade. I mix a small amount of Deep Beige with it to get a better match shade wise. It’s meant to be used with a moisturizer, but I like to use it with Fresh umbrian clay mattifying serum. The serum is water based, so it mixes well with the AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate and it helps to control my oily skin.

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate Medium-Deep Golden Deep Beige

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate Medium-Deep Golden(left) and Deep Beige in natural light

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate Medium-Deep Golden Deep Beige

ARDENCY INN AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate Medium-Deep Golden(left) and Deep Beige in direct sunlight

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Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope in Private Party

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope in Private Party

The Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope lipstick in Private Party is super luxurious. It comes in a blue velvet-like box with a metallic embossed logo. The case itself has a good amount of weight to it as well as a magnet closure. The lightly pepperment scented formula is wonderfully airy and smooth yet still packed with pigment. It’s billed as a matte texture but it’s more of a satin formula to me. When initially applied it has a definite shine but after about 10 minutes it begins to dry down to a more matte like texture with a small amount of sheen. I wouldn’t say that its particularly long lasting for me but it stays comfortable throughout the wear. I hope to get my hands on more colors soon as I think it’s a lovely lipstick.

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope in Private Party

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope in Private Party

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope in Private Party

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope in Private Party(With Flash)

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope in Private Party

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope in Private Party(Natural Light)

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L’Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder vs Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup

L'Oreal Magic Nude Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup

The L’Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder is described as a ‘revolutionary liquid that transforms on contact, leaving a soft powder like finish.’ The Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup is described as ‘an ultra-lightweight formula that applies easily with an unforgettable sensation, leaving skin moisturized and conditioned for a flawless complexion.’

Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup Shade 10

I first purchased the Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup about a year ago. It was unlike any foundation I’d ever tried; down to the dispenser. The texture was like silk and reminded me of argan oil. Initially I was worried it wouldn’t work with my oily skin type, but much to my surprise, it actually helped keep the oil at bay for a few hours. The coverage in general is sheer, but it can be layered to a medium coverage. Another thing I like about the Maestro formula is it never feels heavy and makes my skin seem near perfect. One downside to this formula is it will accentuate dry patches or texture from things like acne in the process of healing.

L'Oreal Magic Nude Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup

The L’Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder retails for about $13 and is available in most drugstores. The beauty junkie in me is always in search of new products to try so I picked it up on a whim. The bottle design made it a bit difficult to choose a color match but I lucked out and picked the right shade for my skin. When I first applied the foundation I realized the similarities to the Maestro foundation instantly.

L'Oreal Magic Nude Soft Sable 332 Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup #10

L’Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder in shade 332 Soft Sable vs Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup in shade 10.

As you may be able to tell from the photo above, the shade is pretty much the same in both products. They both use Octinoxate 3% as a sunscreen, which seems to work well with photography. Also, the Magic Nude applied and wore just a well as the Maestro formula. Aside from the packaging and a slight difference in the amount of product received, it was impossible for me to tell them apart.

After realizing the two products were nearly identical, I did some investigating. I discovered that Giorgio Armani Beauty and L’Oréal Paris are both owned by the same parent company. With that said, it would stand to reason that the formulas could be so similar. There are however, a couple of differences that are a bit of a big deal.

First is the price. The Maestro Fusion Makeup comes in at $62 for 30ml were as the Magic Nude is about $13 for 27ml. The second is the shade range. The Magic Nude is available in 12 shades where as the Maestro formula has 18 shades. There are 11 shades lighter than mine in the Magic Nude formula, where as there are 15 lighter than my shade in the Maestro foundation. My shade in the Magic Nude is the darkest available but there are two deeper shades available in the Maestro foundation.

I imagine there’s probably some other shades that overlap between the two formulas as well so there’s a chance at a major savings money wise. Unfortunately if your shade falls outside of the 12 L’Oréal offers and you were looking to purchase this type of formula, you may have to shell out the $62 for the Maestro foundation.

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Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner

Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner Pencil

Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner Pencil

The Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner Pencil are apart of the Make Up For Ever Aqua collection. They are very pigmented and can also be worn alone as lip color. They glide on easily and wear for at least 3 hours on me. Even after eating or drinking, there is still a bit of a stain left on the lips. These also work well as bases under lipsticks or glosses and help them to last longer. Some of my favorite shades are below.

Fuschia 16C, Pomegranate Pink 19C, Matte Raspberry 10C, Matte Dark Plum 12C

From left: Fuschia 16C, Pomegranate Pink 19C, Matte Raspberry 10C, Matte Dark Plum 12C (Natural light)

Fuschia 16C, Pomegranate Pink 19C, Matte Raspberry 10C, Matte Dark Plum 12C

From left: Fuschia 16C, Pomegranate Pink 19C, Matte Raspberry 10C, Matte Dark Plum 12C (With flash)

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NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation – Macao

NARS Radiant Cream Compact MacaoNARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation

When I first tried NARS Radiant Touch Creamy Concealer, I hoped for a foundation equivalent to follow. So I was excited to hear the NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation was coming out. While I don’t think it wears quite as well on me as the concealer, I still think it’s a good foundation.

NARS Radiant Cream Foundation Macao

The compact is sold separately which I see is a bone of contention for some. I think the packaging has a lot to do with availability of display space at retailers. I see it as a plus because it allows for multiple purchasing options. Should you tan or lighten up during the winter, you can change the shade without having to purchase another compact. Should you use all of the foundation there’s no need to repurchase a compact, thus allowing for a cheaper price.

NARS Radiant Cream Foundation Macao

You can also just purchase the refill alone. This is a great option for makeup artists as well because they can carry multiple shades without the extra bulk in their kit. Versatility is always a great thing in my opinion.

NARS Radiant Cream Compact Macao

My shade in the NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation is Macao. The NARS website describes it as medium-dark with deep yellow undertone. It’s the same shade I wear in the NARS Sheer Matte. I noticed when I swatched the two together, there seemed to be a difference in shades. However, once applied and dry, they look nearly identical. The Sheer Matte dries a bit darker.

The coverage is medium and the formula is light. The foundation can be applied wet or dry. I prefer to use a brush because I find it provides more coverage. The finish is natural but definitely luminous. After about 2 hours of wear, I start to get oily with this foundation, so I don’t think it’s the best option for oily skin.

NARS Radiant Cream NARS Sheer Matte Macao

Left: Radiant Cream Macao, Right: Sheer Matte Macao (Natural Light)

NARS Radiant Cream NARS Sheer Matte Macao

Left: Radiant Cream Macao, Right: Sheer Matte Macao (Flash)

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Maybelline Great Lash Colored Mascara

Green with Envy, Wink of Pink, Vision in Violet, Teal Appeal, So Very Berry, I See Blue

Maybelline Great Lash Colored Mascara

I came across these at my local drugstore. They were buy 1, get 1 half off so I took advantage of the sale and grabbed them all.  The mascara comes in 6 shades. Green With Envy, Wink Of Pink, Vision In Violet, Teal Appeal, So Very Berry and I See Blue. I have dark lashes so I was afraid the colors wouldn’t show up. I was mostly wrong. The colors actually work well on my lashes, with the exception of Vision of Violet. I wasn’t able to see much of its color once applied. If you’re interested in purchasing, you should as soon as possible as they are limited edition and only available for the month of August.

Green with Envy, Wink of Pink, Vision in Violet, Teal Appeal, So Very Berry, I See Blue

From top: Green With Envy, Wink Of Pink, Vision In Violet, Teal Appeal, So Very Berry and I See Blue (Natural light)

Maybelline Great Lash Green With Envy Wink Of Pink Vision In Violet Teal Appeal So Very Berry I See Blue

From top: Green With Envy, Wink Of Pink, Vision In Violet, Teal Appeal, So Very Berry and I See Blue (With Flash)

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MAC Retro Matte

Shock Value, Fashion Boost, Dynamo, High Energy, Flat Out Fabulous, Relentlessly Red, All Fired Up, Dangerous

This new collection was released online September 3rd and will be in stores September 12th. MAC says the collection is inspired by the popularity of one of its cult favorites, Ruby Woo, which was re-released with the collection. There is a total 8 lipsticks and 8 lip pencils. I purchased 4 of each. There’s conflicting information as to the permanence of the products, but from what I can tell, everything is permanent except for three of the lipsticks; Fixed On Drama, Steady Going and Runway Hit.

I greatly appreciate matte lip colors and Ruby Woo has been one of my favorites for years. So it’s easy to see why news of this collection piqued my interest. I don’t usually like to order things sight unseen, but I took a chance as I didn’t want to miss out on anything in the instance that they all sold out. With all said, I’m happy with the items I purchased, with the exception of Relentlessly Red and All Fired Up. Relentlessly Red is like a coral toned deep pink and All Fired Up is like a pink toned red. While both colors are beautiful, on my skin tone, they look nearly identical. I’m somewhere in between a 7.0 and a 7.5 in MAC Matchmaster Foundation for reference purposes.

MAC Retro Matte

From Left: Flat Out Fabulous, All Fired Up, Relentlessly Red, Dangerous

MAC Retro Matte Pro Longwear Lip Pencil

From Top to Bottom: Shock Value, Fashion Boost, Dynamo, High Energy

Flat Out Fabulous, Relentlessly Red, All Fired Up, Dangerous, Shock Value, Fashion Boost, Dynamo, High Energy

From Left: Flat Out Fabulous, All Fired Up, Relentlessly Red, Dangerous, Shock Value, Fashion Boost, High Energy, Dynamo(Natural Light)

Flat Out Fabulous, Relentlessly Red, All Fired Up, Dangerous, Shock Value, Fashion Boost, Dynamo, High Energy

From Left: Flat Out Fabulous, All Fired Up, Relentlessly Red, Dangerous, Shock Value, Fashion Boost, Dynamo, High Energy(With Flash)

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OCC Lip Tar – Anime, Pretty Boy, Queen

OCC Lip Tar Anime Queen Pretty Boy

From the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Website:

Our original innovation in lip color, OCC Lip Tar combines the longevity of lipstick with the ease of application of a gloss, applying slick and moist, before drying down to a matte finish. Lip Tar contains an unprecedented amount of pigment for ultra-saturated color – a little goes a very, very long way! Whether worn alone or meant to be mixed, Lip Tar presents a limitless selection of shades to artists, enthusiasts and everyday wearers alike!

  • Contains Organic Hemp Oil & Soy-Derived Vitamin E, for a finish that feels as good as it looks!
  • Paraben-Free courtesy of refreshing Peppermint Oil.
  • 100% Vegan & Gluten-Free

OCC Lip Tar Anime Queen Pretty Boy

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Anime

When they say a little goes a long way, it’s the absolute truth. You only need the smallest amount to cover your lips entirely. Once it dries, it’s very matte. OCC sells a clear version as well, which can be applied to add shine after the color dries. The Lip Tar is definitely an innovative product and it comes in a multitude of colors, so you’re never short on options. The one issue I have with it is its shelf life. I have never been able to use an entire tube before it went bad. Its shelf life seems to be about 12-18 months.

OCC Lip Tar Anime Queen Pretty Boy

From Left: Anime(Vibrant Neon Pink), Queen(Bright Coral Pink), Pretty Boy(Super-Rich Fuchsia)

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Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream – Sherry And Port

Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Creme Sherry Port

Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream is described as a cream-to-powder matte lip color that delivers an unprecedented 50 percent pigment dispersion. The colors are intense, the formula is like velvet, and it feels buttery soft on the lips. The formula is matte but not drying.

Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream Sherry Port

As I’ve stated previously, I love bold lip color. Bite Beauty, as usual, rises to the occasion with beautiful, pigmented, opaque color. Once dry, you’re left with long lasting color.

Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream Sherry Port

It comes with a doe foot applicator, which took me some time to get used to. I like to apply it with a lip brush in general, but if I’m in a rush, which is often, I just use the applicator.

Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream Port Sherry

Left: Sherry, Right: Port (Natural Light)

Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream in Port Sherry

Left: Sherry, Right: Port (With Flash)

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