Review: MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

This review is for something that I'm absolutely in love with! The Groundwork Paint Pot from MAC. This is a permanent product that was repromoted with the Pret-a-Papier collection a while back. I had bought Coral Crepe because it was limited edition, but kept kicking myself cause this color is one I would get more wear out of, as it is a neutral. I ended up going back a few months ago and finally getting it. I did go back and forth between Groundwork and Constructivist, but ended up picking Groundwork because for me it's the more versatile choice. And I love it!

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

Groundwork is described on MAC's website as a "mid-tone neutral taupe" that has a satin finish. That's pretty much it. I know a lot of people prefer Painterly for their neutral base, but think that this color does a bit better job if you're going to be working with browns, unless of course you are very very pale. I'm NC15-20, and this color works well for me. On me it shows up slightly darker than my skin tone, but on someone who is deeper than 30 in MAC, this may look a lot more natural than Painterly or Ochre, which may look too ashy or yellow.

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

It looks a bit dark in the pot, but it really does go on a lot lighter. And if you open the full size pic you can see quite a bit of very fine shimmer as well, but it doesn't translate when you actually use it, which you can see on the swatch below. It looks matte, but not dry like Painterly sometimes makes the skin around my eyes look. It just catches the light a bit, which I really like.

A swatch:

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

I love this color. Not because it's a new unique shade, but rather because it is very functional. I can use this with just about any look and it simplifies my daily makeup. When I do a neutral eye all I have to do is use this color, a deeper shade along the lash line and in the crease, some mascara and I'm done. Very quick, simple, and easy, and I don't have to worry all day about my eye makeup going anywhere. This stuff doesn't budge.

As a primer, this shadow works very well. I use it under club makeup going out and by the end of the night, my eyeshadows looks neat and fresh. I have very oily eyelids, so eyeshadow sans primer doesn't work for me, even just day to day. This stuff grips and shadow and keeps it there till you take it off with a makeup remover. That being said, when applying you have to work quick. I do one eye at a time because if I wait to blend the shadow will have already set and then getting the edges to soften is next to impossible. Also, sometimes blending shadows over primers like UDPP can be difficult, but I found no such problem with this shadow. Anything I apply over does not look patchy at all.

My only complaint with the actual product is drying. I've never used a cream shadow that didn't start drying in the pot from first use, but it's still disappointing. I've been using it for several months and I can sense a slight change in the formula. It's not as creamy as it first was, and it's starting to separate from the glass. Not a big deal now, but I think a year from now I might not feel the same. In addition, the price when up a full dollar. These used to be $16.50, they are now $17.50. It's still cheaper than cream shadows from Estee Lauder or Shiseido, but now that drugstore brands are finally starting to sell decent cream shadows (Maybelline has their Tattoo shadows--so exited to try them!!) I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep buying them from high end brands. Other than that the shade is great, very versatile and lasting, and I highly recommend, especially if you have deeper skin and find Painterly too light for a base!

Info:

Price: $17.50

Ingredients: Isodocecane, dimethicone, polyethylene, hydrogenated polyisobutene, quaternium-90 bentonite, dimethicone silylate, octyldodecanol, silica, trihydroxystearin, retinyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate, lecithin, carnauba wax, propylene carbonate, triethoxycaprylylsilane. May contain: mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, bismuth oxychloride, blue 1 lake, carmine, chromium hydroxide green, chromium oxide greens ferric ferroxyanide, manganese violet, ultramarines, yellow 5 lake

{Favorites} January 2011 (VERY Pic Heavy)

So I've decided to post my monthly favorites. I know that some bloggers have been doing this for years, but I just haven't had the time till now. Be prepared, though, this is a very long post. I've got my favorite makeup, skin/hair stuff, and this month I do have a few perfumes I've been wearing obsessively! Enjoy!

1. Makeup:

Kinda clockwise from the shadow: Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent, Benefit Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit, Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R, Sally Hansen Carmindy Sheerest Cream Bronzer in Rio Glow.

Kinda clockwise from the shadow: Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent, Benefit Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit, Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R, Sally Hansen Carmindy Sheerest Cream Bronzer in Rio Glow.

Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage ($16)

Tis is a great color for when I don't feel like wearing a lot of eyeshadow. I'e just been putting this all over my lid, slightly above the crease, and then using my Lancome Artliner in Plum. It's such a pretty combo!

Benefit Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit ($19)

I looked at my Benefit cream shadows just lately for the first time in months and noticed that Birthday Suit was starting to crease, so I figured that I'd really start using it so that it doesn't got to waste. I love the color! I'ver really been into metallics lately and this color is the perfect in between for people who like silver and gold.

Lancome Artliner in Plum ($29)

If you've been reading my blog you know how much I love my Lancome Artliners! They're the perfect liquid liners. The tip is just different from most other liquid liners and makes it really easy to line. It isn't normally as wet as it looks above. I accidentally left it upside down overnight :( When I finish this one, I want to try the L'Oreal version of it.

NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent ($3)

This is just a great no frills cheap powder. It doesn't add anything in terms of coverage, but just sets my makeup and makes my face matte. It's a really great value. The sifter is a bit large, but I just dump some out into the cap, swirly, and apply, just like a mineral foundation. It's definitely not a travel item, though.

Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer ($8)

This stuff isn't as good as UDPP because it does crease by the end of the day. Not as much as if I didn't wear a primer, but I never have any creasing with UDPP at the end of the day. If you are looking for a decent cheaper alternative, this is currently on sale at Sephora for $8.

Prescriptives Camolflage Concealer in Light B/R ($20)

I've been breaking out a bit lately so I've been using this concealer. I'm almost done with it. I lost my Smashbox HD Concealer, which is my fave, so I've been using this. It covers really well and stays put all day. I like the dispenser a bit better than the one for Smashbox concealer (which is like a squeeze tube lip gloss) because I waste less with this fine tip.

Some swatches:

Swathces top to bottom: Sally Hansen Carmindy Bronzer, Benefit Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit, Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, and Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R.

2. Skin/Hair:

L to R: Pssssst Dry Shampoo, DDF Aloe Toning Complex, Philosophy Hope in a Jar, and Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream.

Pssssst Instant Dry Shampoo ($6.99)

When I got my hair cut, I had some bangs cut in and since I've got oily skin they tend to get oily faster because the lay against my forehead all day. I just use this to refresh my bangs. Since I don't use this all over my head, I don't really deal with the gray cast people sometimes complain about. I've heard that Suave is coming out with a really great dry shampoo for $2, so I am really interested in trying it out after I finish this one.

DDF Aloe Toning Complex ($32 for 8oz)

I bought this on sale at TJ Maxx for $3. you can't get the 4.5 oz size anymore, but you can get the 8 oz size at Sephora. I like this for spraying on my face when I feel like my makeup looks heavy. It just makes everything sink into my skin really nice and it gives a bit of hydration also. I feel like it calms my skin so I also use it on my face before applying my makeup. I keep it in my bag (that's why it looks so beat up, lol!) to spray throughout the day.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar ($38 for 2oz)

You can't buy this in the 1 oz jar anymore, but I'm kinda glad I bought the smaller jar because a little of this goes a long long way. I've been using this on small dry patches all over. I have oily skin so I don't use this all over my face, but it's great for around my chin and the tip of my nose where I get rally dry and rough in the winter. I also use it on super dry patches on my neck, hands, elbows, and feet. You need the tiniest amount and it works miracles!

I've had it for almost a hear and I'm not even half way through yet.

Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream ($19.99)

Ever since I've started to wear my contacts on a daily basis my eyes have been pretty sore. I guess my eyes just don't like contacts. Or the other way around, lol! My eyes have been getting sore and puffy and this is great for getting rid of the puff in the morn before I apply my makeup. I don't really need anything anti-wirnk, so I can't speak for it's effectiveness in that area, but from the reviews I've read online I've heard great things. And $20 for an eye cream really isn't that much, even for 1/2 an oz.

The fine tip makes it super easy to get the smallest amount out so that I minimize waste. I really dislike eye creams that come in little pots.

Some swatches:

Top: Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream. Bottom: Philosophy Hope in a Jar.

Top: Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream. Bottom: Philosophy Hope in a Jar.

Protect and Perfect is a thin eye cream. I don't like the super thick ones because I feel like they're too rich and seep down my face and make my cheeks and nose oily. Hope in a Jar is a thicker balm like cream. It really is great anywhere where you need some deep moisture quick!

I'm almost done with it!!!

3. Perfumes:

L to R: Calvin Klein Eternity, Bodycology Pick Me, Calvin Klein Eternity Moment.

I've really been into the more floral perfumes lately, maybe cause I'm pining for spring, haha! I've been using one of these three daily for the past month. Sometimes I mix them. They smell soooo delicious!!!

L to R: Calvin Klein Eternity, Bodycology Pick Me, Calvin Klein Eternity Moment.

Some pretty pictures:

I've got Eternity in a purse size from Marshalls for $10. Such a bargain!

I love the simple, yet sophisticated and elegant packaging of Eternity Moment! Soooo pretty!

Bodycology's Pick Me is $10 retail, but I found it at Kmart for $2! It smells really fruity, but also fresh, not sickly sweet like candy. My only complaint about it is that the packaging is a bit flimsy. The little plastic cap came off and the tip tends to leak a little bit w/out it, so I never cary it in my purse anymore.

I've been using them so much that I'm almost done with all 3!!! I always get compliments when I mix and match them, too! Something you might want to try at home with your perfumes.

That's it for now! I really look forward to doing more monthly favorites in the future!

Quick EOTD!

I know, it's been a while since I've been here. Just got the laptop back and will try to post as much as possible in between classes. Sorry for the funky lighting in the pic. Idk what happened, but all the other pcis were blurry so it was this or nothing :( Anyway, I used three shadows: Nars Nepal, Urban Decay YDK and Electric. An odd combo, brown/bronze and matte blue, but they look gorgeous together! Oh, and ignore the bit of mascara on the inside. I didn't notice until I'd already taken the pics.

Here are the shadows:

CW from top: UD YDK, Nars Nepal, UD Electric


CW from top: UD YDK, Nars Nepal, UD Electric

Swatches:

L to R: Nars Nepal, UD YDK, UD Electric.

I'm really loving Nepal specifically because it's very multipurpose. I use it as a shadow, a highlighter all over my face, or a bronzer even. It looks very natural because it's not a garish white like many of the lighter highlighters on the market. And if I use it in the inner corners I get this pretty sultry look. Electric I've been using when I'm in a hurry but want some color. I usually just line my upper lash line, but I wanted to try something different this time so I diffused it around.

More coming soon!

Review: CoverGirl Shadow Blast Cream Eyeshadows

Shades from top to bottom: Citrus Flair (my fave!!!), Bronze Fire, Silver Sky, Onyx Smoke, Tempest Blue, and Purple Plum.

A few weeks ago I received the full set of six CoverGirl Shadow Blasts to review. I know, late in coming, but better late than never, haha! Anyway, if you haven't seen them yet, these are cream eyeshadows. One end is a rounded stick meant for all over color, and the other end is a pointed stick meant for precision contouring but you can use them just about any way that you want. This really does make it easy to apply as all you need are your fingers to blend.

Here are the swatches:

Top to bottom: Citrus Flair, Purple Plum, Bronze Fire.


Top to bottom: Tempest Blue, Onyx Smoke, Silver Sky.

The actual product:

This is step one, the rounded side.


And this one's the pointed one. I suppose that sooner or late it will dull down and you'll either have another rounded one or you can sharpen it yourself to a point, but I suppose that would mean wasting product.

First off, I was very pleasantly surprised with the shade selection. CoverGirl really delivered there with a good selection of brights and wearable shades. My personal favorite shade is Citrus Flair, which is this gorgeous combo of lime green and this absolutely stunning burnt orange, which is all the rage this summer. I'm also really liking Bronze Fire for everyday. I smudge the darker side along the lash line and then highlight my inner corner with the lighter shade. I was really excited about Silver Sky, but it less wearable than I thought it would be. While the purple side is gorgeous, the lighter silver side doesn't apply that well as it is very sheer and glittery so it comes of looking a bit patchy. The purple shade makes up for the silver however, and looks really good as a liner. The one shade that I wouldn't recommend is Onyx Smoke. At first I thought that it could be a good smoky eye shade, but the black is on the sheer side so when you apply it is very difficult to get an even application and it looks messy, like you've had it on all night and didn't bother to wash your face in the morn. Plus, the white and the black seem very stark compared to the other shades.

As much as I really wanted to like these, they have a couple of major faults that make them unsuitable for every day easy use. First off, the cream sticks are a bit on the thin side and have a tendency to break off (sorta like a lipstick can) at the slightest pressure.

Exhibit A:


Exhibit B:

I'm not talking putting it up all the way and then using it. I used these very carefully, only putting them up slightly so that the plastic wouldn't hit my eye, and they just kept breaking. I'd say that after the first few tests nearly half of them had at least one side that had broken off. Now, I just shoved them back into the container, but sooner of later they will pop out again or will push to the side as you can see with the purple one above. CoverGirl can easily fix this by making the sticks thicker, but I suppose then they'd have to give you a lot more product as well.

The next greatest fault of these products is lasting power, or rather the lack of it. I was very disappointed with how quickly these smudged, smeared, and creased. Not cool. I would say that these start to crease after 15-30 minutes depending on your eye shape, skin type, and primer. If you have a monolid, very inset eyes, or oily skin beware!!! Now, there are ways to wear this to avoid creasing. The way I've been wearing Bronze Fire is by smudging the darker side along my lash lines and then placing the lighter shade just under my eyebrow and into the inner corner of my eye. This way, there isn't much product in the areas that typically crease, but anything you put on the lower lash line will smudge. I don't recommend these for everyday use. I've been using them when I'm in a hurry and will not be out long. They're perfect for quickly running errands when you'll only be out for a couple of yours and don't want to spend half an hour applying a full makeup.

All is not lost with these. If you're new to makeup and just want to experiment with shades these are great. I love layering eye shadows over the brighter shades or just mixing them on my lid. While I don't wear brighter shades out, I love to experiment and these shadows make it easy. My favorite combination is Citrus Flair and Tempest Blue. The lighter shade in tempest blue goes amazingly well with the lime shade in Citrus Flair, almost giving your eye this mermaid sea green effect, which is stunning!

Overall, I cannot recommend these shadows. While they're fun to experiment with, they are not practical for every day use, which is what they are marketed for. I really wish that a drugstore brand could come out with something like MAC's Paint Pots. A cream shadow that actually has some decent lasting power. Until then, I'd stay away from drugstore cream shadows as almost all of them (from all the many many brands I've tried) crease like crazy:(

Info:

Price: $8.49 (retail for one)

Ingredients: Isostearyl Neopentanoate, C12 15 Alkyl Lactate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Tribehenin, Silica, Ozokerite, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax (Carnauba), Nylon 12, Propylparaben, Tocopherol, May Contain (+/-): Alumina, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Carmine (CI 75470), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 1 (CI 42090)

Disclosure: This product was provided for consideration. This blog is not compensated for writing reviews. All opinions presented stem from personal experience. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.

Review: MAC Coral Crepe Paint Pot (Pret-A-Papier)

When I first went to MAC my intention was to pick up a the Constructivist Paint Pot. However, when I got there I saw this baby and was just hooked. Coral Crepe is from the Pret-A-Papier collection which features a lot of warm neutrals for the most part. It is a soft coral paint pot that is absolutely gorgeous!!! At first, I was a bit wary. I mean, come on, orange on my face? Not likely. Until now. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it translated on my face and I've been using it all over, not just on my lids.



Here's a couple of swatches:

It's actually a bit of an odd shade. In the container it looks almost cool toned. You can see in the first picture that it looks like its predominately filled with silver shimmer. However, when swatched the gold really comes through and it almost looks a bit like a darker version of Nars Orgasm. Don't be intimidated by this shade. It is entirely wearable. I've been wearing it smudged just past my crease wit a bit of brown liner along my lash line and Shroom in the inner half of the eye and highlight. I'll post pics when I get my laptop back.

I really like how versatile this Paint Pot is. I've been using it as a shadow, blusher, and lip color. If you want to use it on your face I would advise you to work quickly. The shadow sets in I'd guess about 30 seconds and then it's almost impossible to blend it. Do one cheek/lid at a time and work quickly. It sets to a powder finish and DOES NOT BUDGE for the day. I put this on without any other base and it held up against my super oily lids until I took it off before going to bed. That's amazing in my book because no cream eyeshadow I've tried has lasted this well, and I've tried the ones from Bobbi Brown, Benefit, and MUFE. If you're planning on wearing this color on the lips, which looks really pretty and bronzy, it can be drying. I first put on a lip balm, then the paint pot, and then another layer of lip balm because if you don't it will set and the finish will feel dry and crinkly, almost. As a blusher and lip color it works best on lighter skin tones. If you're really dark it may was your lips out, so be careful.

WARNING: do not wear this color if you have red eyes or haven't gotten enough sleep. Seriously. You will look like you've spent the night crying. It's a great color, but I think everyone knows that when you've got irritated/tired eyes to avoid any reds because that will only make it look worse. Also, I'd advise that you apply this with a brush, because I've noticed that it looks a bit patchy when I apply with my fingers.

Other than that, I highly recommend this to anyone with blue eyes. It makes my eyes look like I'm wearing contacts, no joke! And it's a great base of neutrals. I'll post a couple of looks later on.

Info:

Price: $16.50 (for 5g/.17 oz)

Ingredients: Isodocecane, dimethicone, polyethylene, hydrogenated polyisobutene, quaternium-90 bentonite, dimethicone silylate, octyldodecanol, silica, trihydroxystearin, retinyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate, lecithin, carnauba wax, propylene carbonate, triethoxycaprylylsilane. May contain: mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, bismuth oxychloride, blue 1 lake, carmine, chromium hydroxide green, chromium oxide greens ferric ferroxyanide, manganese violet, ultramarines, yellow 5 lake.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.