Sunday, September 15, 2013

Sugarpill Cold Chemistry Collection Palette Review

Um so folks... here is the palette we've been anticipating for a YEAR now. Cold Chemistry :D A beautiful fall-appropriate smoky goodness of a palette featuring signature charcoal and two lovely bursts of color along with a white. Are you excited? I know I am!
Let us first take a look at the exterior packaging:
The mirror is pretty and edgy looking but not particularly functional... I'd rather use another one as I'm applying my makeup. 
Availability: This palette and all the shadow shades have been discontinued. 
Notes: Alright so... this palette was made in collaboration with Amy's friend Amelia Arsenic. It's a bit different in its aesthetic - darker, sultrier, deeper. The rest of the colors we've seen so far in Sugarpill have all been bright and cheery and this is almost like its dark side. On top of that, we've seen a lot of mattes and satins in the pressed shadow formulations whereas all four shades in this palette are pearlized. They're beautiful. However, I wish it contained a matte highlight because the white in it is too intensely pearlized to work well with the other three colors as a brow-bone highlight unless you like a very sparkly brow-bone.

Ok, ok, enough chatter, lemme show you the colors!
Soot & Stars is a rich blackened charcoal (it looks more charcoal-ish when blended out or used with a fluffy brush but darker if packed on) with noticeable silver pearl. It also contains pink and turquoise pearl which isn't so visible.
Diamond Eyes is a very pearly intense white with a hint of a pink - I like it as a highlight for the inner corner but imagine it'd be nice on the lid or below the eye as well.
Elemental Chaos is my favorite color in the palette - which should surprise you because you know how I love my teals. It's a beautiful deep, dark, blue-based violet purple with a blue shift. Have you noticed a trend of me just buying and buying these types of colors this year? Love 'em with brown eyes.
Subterranean is a blackened green-based teal with turquoise pearl. I wish it had more blue in it. Le sigh. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments :)

Disclaimer: I bought this using my own money.

Sugarpill Elektro Cute Sparkling Neon Pigment Review

Alright, if you know me, you know Sugarpill gets me uber excited because the wonderful Amy Doan shares my love of all things girly, frilly, and bright. Thusly I bring you a review of Sugarpill's newest products tonight.

In this particular post I will be featuring the Elektro Cute Sparkling Neon Pigments and my suggestions as to how to wear them and best practices. I bought all the colors sans the pink because the pink was sold out when I ordered them. I don't think I'll be picking it up though. But before that, let's take a look at some of the exterior packaging cuteness. 

Availability: These have all been discontinued.

Notes: Firstly let's start off with packaging talk. These are packaged very similarly to the loose pigments Sugarpill carries - the Chromalusts the main difference being that these are filled to the brim with product. That said, both contain 5g of product. A vast majority of bloggers have suggested NYX's Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk as the ideal base for this. I decided to try these with Too Faced Shadow Insurance - Glitter Glue and yo... the stuff works. I mean look at the swatches - it keeps the pigment and glitter in place. Try it. Ask for a sample. It being a clear base versus a white like Milk means that it won't alter the colors. There will still be fallout though so I suggest doing your eyes before the rest of your face. Speaking of, these are technically not FDA-approved for the eye area so apply at your own risk. I haven't had an issue. In addition to that, I find these work best in applications of patting, rather than anything that requires blending. They don't blend or move around well. They sit in place well provided you pat them on a sticky base. Using them as crease colors has proved to be a poor endeavor for me as they either don't want to blend out properly or fade significantly throughout the day - neither of which I experience on the lid.

Ok, ok, enough chatter, lemme show you the colors! For all color swatches I used lune+aster Dawn to Dusk Gel Eyeliner in Black  for the black base and Sephora Collection Let It Snow Colorful Shadow & Liner for the white, the far right is swatched over Too Faced Glitter Glue Shadow Primer.
Hi-Viz is a bright lemony canary yellow with multi-sized gold glitter with a silver-ish shift.
Supercharged is a coral-kissed orange with the same glitter that Hi-Viz has. It is the least pigmented of the bunch and the one that requires the most work to look nice. I probably would've skipped it if I knew how much work it'd be.
Sparkage is a beautiful grass green with the same kind of golden glitter that the other two contain. It's so pretty - a marriage of chartreuse and grass green. I kind of want to eat it and hope it tastes like green tea powder. But it won't! Don't eat neon pigment folks.
Hellatronic is my favorite of the bunch. It's the most pigmented on its own and is the only one that responds to any sort of blending (although this makes it fade throughout the day... but alas). It's a royal blue with just a kiss of purple and contains magenta and silver glitter that has a bluish shift (or reflects its blue-ness... I'll never know!) 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments :)

Disclaimer: I bought this using my own money.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Moisturizer Review: MAC Oil Control Lotion

Hello folksickles. Today's review will be for MAC Oil Control Lotion
Availability: This has been discontinued.
Would I buy this again?: Yes
What is this product designed to address?
According to maccosmetics.com this is what the product is and what it does:
The ultimate no-shine base for oil control. Natural exfoliants help improve texture and clarity. Lightweight and instantly matte, bonds makeup to the skin for fewer touch-ups. Oil-free hydration with natural colloidal minerals and antioxidants. Formulated to keep skin pH-balanced. Use day or night.

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?
Unfortunately I threw the box from this away and the website doesn't list the ingredients in the product so I can't really speak to any beneficial ingredients this may contain. I apologize. So outside of the colloidal minerals and antioxidants mentioned above I'm not too sure.

What is the texture like?
This is incredibly lightweight and refreshing when applied. It feels moisturizing but in a way that doesn't weigh the skin down at all. It absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. 

Is it scented?
The scent of this is difficult for me to describe. It's kind of a light soapy floral(?) scent.

My overall experience/comments on the product:
Firstly, this is the perfect summertime moisturizer for me. I've tried others and really like this best because of how it feels when it goes on. It's like a splash of water but it moisturizes, albeit lightly. I like pairing it with two drops of face oil. It still feels lightweight that way but is a more moisturizing concoction. It does a good job of keeping the oil at bay also. I don't get particularly greasy or shiny when I use it. Overall it feels really nice and gets the job done without irritating my skin. I love it.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.