MAC's Hypnotizing: Do That Voodoo That You Do So Well

I was mighty blue,
thought my life was through,
till the heavens opened,
and I gazed at you.
Won't you tell me, dear,
Why, when you appear,
something happens to me
and the strangest feeling
goes through me?
You do something to me,
something that simply mystifies me.
Tell me, why should it be
you have the power to hypnotize me?
Let me live 'neath your spell,
Do do that voodoo
that you do so well. (Cole Porter)

Another sleeper from the MAC Love Lace Collection.
This is a mauve taupe, shroom shade in the frost formula. Kinda gray. Kinda murky. Kinda smitten.

Run to your counters and grab it for $14.50. It was sold out at my local Nordstorm counter. I found it at Saks. It is also still available at MAC online.

http://www.maccosmetics.com/

Gilt Complex


Thoughts on MAC's Mineralized Baked Eyeshadow Assemblage
From the ColourCraft Collection

I have an annoying habit of linking MAC shadows to songs. It is a quirky thing I do in private. My friends have incredible patience with my "odd egg" tendencies.
I am hoping that my readers will extend the same courtesy and humor me.
My personal soundtrack to the MAC shadow Assemblage is a song from Sons and Daughters. It is called Gilt Complex.

This a baked mineralized eye shadow with four shades. There is a shimmery charcoal, an icy snow white, a sunny gold and a mushroom cloud of taupe. All four have great shimmery fire. The sooty coal shade has tiny shimmer flecks that have great staying power. I tested and photographed the shades both wet and dry. Intensity or staying power did not vary much. The gold shade was more vibrant with a wet application. The taupe shade is pretty fabulous and worthy of smitten "Pink Sith" status.

This is currently at your MAC counter and retails for $19.50.



Credit: Blogdorf Goodman, MAC and Youtube.
Disclaimer: A press sample of this product was provided by MAC cosmetics

Makeup Porn: Christian Dior Palette

This is Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Sky Glow. It is a handy palette with an icy teal blue, bronze taupe, pearl, gunmetal taupe, and a mousey silver. The taupes are what make this palette. They appear to be dipped in silver and the texture is out of this world. The palettes retail for around $54. I balked at the price but it averages out to $13.50-ish for each shadow. I might be caving soon!

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

Disclosure: I did not purchase this product. I tested it at my local Dior counter.

Romancing The Stone

Bobbi Brown's Metallic Eye Shadow in Brown Stone

Danny Ocean: "Why do they always paint hallways that color?".
Rusty Ryan: "They say taupe is very soothing."

This is a pale taupe shade with just a tinge of gray. This can be accurately described as mouse-like. The metallic eye shadows have respectable crease proof powers and are pigmented. The texture varies with the shades. Brown Stone feels cashmere-like while Rockstar feels a bit more crumbly.
The shimmer is on a low volume and is work friendly.
It is available at your local Bobbi Brown counter and it retails for $20.

http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/home.tmpl

Disclaimer: A press sample of this product was provided by Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 38, Lancome's Erika F

I feel that I might have said all that can be said on the merits of Lancome's Erika F.
How much more can the readers take of the swooning and gushing over this eyeshadow?
But there is no way I can ignore this shadow in the cult series.
It is a cult classic in every sense of the word.
It is discontinued in the states but available in Europe under the number G40 Erika F-133.
It sells for serious money on Ebay.
It is heartbreakingly lovely and creates the most spectacular smoky eyes you will ever witness.
Erika F is a dirty olive/mushroom shade. One moment Erika F is a mouse brown and then it evaporates into a green tinged smoke.
The effect is unique and quite breathtaking.

The texture is cashmere like. It feels like no other formula.
It glides on like silk and lasts for hours.
Erika F is a must have in any beauty junkie's arsenal.
It is damn perfect.

Tell us what you think of Erika F in the comments.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman
Disclosure: Beauty Addict gifted me this Lancome gem.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 16, Stila's Diamond Lil Eye Shadow

This is an eyeshadow that I had to hunt down. For a solid year it eluded me until one day by sheer luck or fluke it appeared in a drawer at my local Nordstorm. I did a little jig and created a palette around it.

Diamond Lil is a mushroom taupe that has the added bonus of green and gold shimmer. How does it differ from Lancome Erika F?
Erika F has more shimmer and less of a gold base. Diamond Lil has more slate.
Stila has an incredible velvety smooth texture that feels like you are applying cashmere to your eyelids.

Disclosure: I purchased this shadow along with this palette at my local Nordstorm store.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics....
Day 3, Shu Uemura's Pressed Eye Shadow ME Brown 850

Hunting Down a Shu Silver ME 945 was an impossible task. My hands almost scored one at Takashimaya in NYC. The last one slipped through my fingers by mere minutes. Those type of beauty moments can be almost painful. Every gush on Makeupalley delivered a painful stab in my wounded heart. I felt like I had missed the boat on this cult classic.

Then Shu launched ME Brown 850. This was rumored to be an exact replica.
It is not.
The difference is the depth and oomph factor.
However...I was willing to take what I could get.
Once again it was a challenge to score one. At first glance it looks fairly innocent. Not the kind of shadow that would cause a brouhaha. On the eyes it transforms into something special. This is not your ordinary taupe.
This is a mushroom shade with pewter flashes.
Shu shadows are superior in pigment and texture. They feel and apply like velvet.
Lasting power is outstanding. There is no fading or turning.
The color stays true even without a primer product.

Shu can be found at Takashimaya in NYC, Bergdorf Goodman, and Barneys. I love the Shu staff at Barneys(they give fast and fab makeovers) but Bergdorf's area is so well stocked and lovely.
Visit the Shu site for some lovely spring MU porn....
The pressed shadows retail for $20.
http://www.shuuemura-usa.com/

Let us know in the comments what you think of this eye shadow and if it is worth cult classic status.

I would love if owners of the original Silver ME 945 would weigh in.....

Credits: Blogdorf Goodman

Graphic: Melanie Parker

Disclosure: I purchased my Shu at Barneys.