In reality I can't say I suit those colours when it comes to make-up, but I get excited nonetheless. I didn't have time yesterday to see what I needed and I knew Debenhams were getting the collection today (10% off when you purchase 2 or more items remember, until 3rd April). So I spent 2.5 hours this morning browsing swatches, reviews, images, videos and generally procrastinating like I said! During that time I had to pee twice, take delivery of 4 huuuge parcels (not for me unfortunately), eat coco pops and drink tea while trying not to cough my guts up (cannot shift this cold/cough). In the end, I realised my excitement for these colours didn't really reflect in a massive haul. I got a very reserved 4 pieces, because I have to be completely honest with myself and admit most of these colours won't work on me. So here's what I've bought and learned this morning...
So, the Mineralize Blush £18 is super cute and the only item in this collection that varies from the regular packaging, because it has a heart centre. The heart goes all the way through the blush, it's not an over-spray (yay for that). There are 3 colours and my initial reaction was to get Miss Behave, a gorgeous soft peach-my favourite blush colour. It also has a mint green heart, which I thought was a nice touch, veering away from the usual cheek colours. The word on the street though (yo!) is that this is probably the biggest 'miss' of the collection. Pigmentation is poor on the peach (MAC call it 'beige', but it looks warmer to me) and the green only aids that lack of colour, making this more of a highlighter than blush and a poor one at that. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement, because that was the stand-out piece for me, but there's no way (even with my pale skin) I'm wasting £18 on a blush that doesn't give out any colour. So it was a toss between Giggly which is a warm pink or Sakura the lilac one. I've also heard Giggly can easily be duped (just a regular pink blush) whereas Sakura is more unique and the bright magenta heart actually adds interest to the cool lilac blush, so I bought this. FYI, it's near impossible to solely pick out the heart or background colour alone (unless you're using an eyeshadow brush/finger and using that shade as an eyeshadow), so don't be tempted with falling in love with only one of the colours in each compact. 
The Cutie eyeshadow quad £33 is another 'miss' mostly. Most of the shades are difficult to get colour from and the dirty purple (darkest shade) called Azuki Bean is the only one that called to me and looked unique. It's supposedly the best in the palette. I actually really want it, on it's own! £33 is a lot for this quad, I just can't afford to splash out on that for eyeshadows nowadays (especially if it isn't reflected in the quality), plus it makes me sick that it's only US $36-exactly which currency converter are MAC using because I want to avoid it!
The lipsticks in this collection are gorgeous. I just love looking at pictures of them all in the tube, such a pretty combination. However being honest, most wouldn't look right on me. Quite Cute is the palest lavender, whitey/grey toned and apparently again, it's quite difficult to work with (surprising as it's a cremesheen, my fave formula) and over applying can make it look really frosty, scary white looking and nobody wants that I don't think. Gorgeous in the tube though! Saint Germain is re-released yet again, although is it not permanent here anyway? I always want to get this, but I think it would make my teeth look yellow and just look cheap on me. Candy Yum Yum is the one everyone is going gaga for (aside from me). It's bright pink, like really, really neon bright. I just don't feel comfortable in pink lipstick and you'd think with my hair I would, but every time I buy one I regret it and banish it to the bottom of my collection where it's rarely, if ever, used. I've already got Girl About Town and Gladiola for example and I think I look terrible in them. However if it is your thing, go for it (kinda wish I could), it's a matte formula fyi. Play Time is another favourite (of most peoples), but again not really for me. It's kinda scary purple in the tube (although still pretty), more violet on the lips, quite sheer although it's a cremesheen. I have Purple Rite and a few other purpley ones that I can't remember and again I just don't suit them. Unless it's dark, deepest goth purple, I look crap. Finally, the one I bought, a satin, is Playing Koi, probably the one you'd expect me to go for, as it's a peachy nude (described by MAC as creamy white peach pink-gee), emphasis is definitely on the peach I think. Some people say it's unflattering, concealer like, not for dark skins and most didn't like it on Temptalia, it definitely seems to be (as most of this collection is) geared more towards pale skintones-I'm hoping it works for me because it looks really pretty. 
For this collection there are no tinted lipglasses, but Plushglass instead, a new formulation of MAC's plumping lipgloss. I don't think I've tried one of these before, may be mistaken, but I do have a weakness for tingling, burning or cooling glosses (although I prefer the latter). Again, these colours presented together in their tubes look gorgeous! Most of them are weak in pigmentation though or at least very sheer, so I decided straight away I didn't need many, especially as they are £16 each (hello almost Lancome prices)! Fashion Fanatic is pale pink, I ♥ You is your lavender, lilac and Girl ♥ Boy is a brighter blue pink. I got Bubble Tea which was harder to find decent reviews on, but seemed to have the most colour pay off, it's a browny nude (not peachy like the lipstick I got). I'm quite interested to see how I get on with this. 
Then they re-released or re-promoted or whatever some lip liner pencils. Now I'm the type that hates 'wasting money' on eye and lip pencils. I have dozens, but I always feel like my money is better spent on lipsticks, blushes and glosses than pencils (even although I always use eyeliner and lipliner). That said, I own one MAC lip pencil 'Test Pattern' that I managed to find for around £3 years ago and I don't know what I'd do without it. I loooove it to bits and will cry when it's finished! So I've always wanted to invest (we've gone from 'waste' to 'invest' in one sentence, wooh) in a MAC nude lipliner because the quality is outstanding and nudes are what I mostly wear. There are 3 in the Quite Cute collection, Boldly Bare which is a darker reddish brown, In Synch (Bye, Bye, Bye..sorry) which is a pale-ish bright peachy pink suitable for those coral-pinks in your collection. Finally, the one I got, Naked Liner it's a light neutral nude and I'm sure it's going to 'fabulise' all of my nude lippies!! The lip pencils are £10.50 but are very long-lasting, so I don't think that's too much to pay and this is a classic, must-have item right? I'm still quite tempted with In Synch too. 
I didn't buy any nail colours, but they're gorgeous. I just can't justify splashing out £9 per bottle when I have hundreds of nail polishes. Mischievous Mint is your blue toned mint, Ice Cream Cake is a blue pink and Little Girl Type is pale lavender, all cream finishes. All beautiful but I would reckon dupable (if that's a word). 
There's other re-promotes, like lashes, mascara etc but nothing specific to this collection. My only regret is that MAC didn't release limited edition packaging for this range. They absolutely could've gone to town with crazy, kawaii details and didn't. That would've totally sold this collection to me. Maybe they were saving that for the forthcoming Surf Baby (see, I'm not totally clueless about new releases). For UK peeps, the MAC website is down for now as they are doing something to their warehouse, but you can sign up on the website to be notified when it's back up and running. You can still browse and add items to your basket, you just can't checkout. You will also be emailed a code to get a free Haught & Naughty Mascara (worth £17.50) when you place your order. Yes, you heard right, a free gift from MAC-are they running scared of Debenhams already? It's good news for customers anyway, they need a little competition, even if it is the same brand, you know what I mean. So anything catch your eye or going to pass and wait for something better? 
Dang! I ordered mine on Wed as they had a free delivery code for anyone who ordered before the website maitenance. :( I woulda totally waited for the free mascara instead if I had known.
ReplyDelete