OPI The Show Must Go On Dupe for MAC Bad Fairy??



OPI is one of the brands that has teamed up with the upcoming film Burlesque starring Christina Augilera and Cher.  When I first saw the teaser trailer for the movie with all the glitz, glam, sparkly lights and such, I was happy to find the nail polishes seemed to reflect that.  I did not purchase all the nail polishes but when I was in my nearest Ulta, I noticed The Show Must Go On bore a striking resemblence to a color I already owned: MAC Bad Fairy.  Turning the bottle slowly in my hand, I noticed the way the pinky red shimmer seemed similar to the highly coveted Bad Fairy.  Impulsively, I purchased it (along with Tease-y Does It) despite the $8.99 price tag.  Don't judge me, my local salons that carry OPI products have not even gotten these in! 

Tonight I did a couple swatches to  find out if my assumption in the store was correct and in answer the question the title of this post asks--no, The Show Must Go On is not a dupe for Bad Fairy. 

In comparison, The Show Must Go On is much more pinky-red, while (in the lighting that I am in while I write this post) Bad Fairy is more ruby red/red-violet.  Honestly, I don't know why I thought these would be similar.  My memory of Bad Fairy at the time I made the purchase was definitely skewed especially when you look at these two side by side in the bottle and on the nail!  But I'd rather admit my silliness than have someone who missed out on Bad Fairy buy The Show Must Go On only because they shared my thoughts.

Having said all that, I still think The Show Must Go On is a great color.  It's flirty, pretty and the shimmer puts some from fun in the color.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.  Seeya, lovelies!



OPI The Show Must Go On, MAC Bad Fairy (L to R)



MAC Tartan Tale: Chapter 1 Pigments Review

Heya guys!

I wanted to share my thoughts with you, real quick, about the pigments from MAC's Tartan Tale holiday collection.

These are very gorgeous--when applied properly. I applied these with a dry brush and there was quite a bit of fallout. These pigments have a black base and when I tried to clean it up with a quick, gentle sweep of my kabuki, it made a bit of a mess. It reminded me of soot. I have some ideas to counter act the possibilities of mess.

• Apply the pigments to your eyes first then use something like MAC Pro Eye Makeup Remover or MAC Gently Off Eye and Lip Makeup Remover (obviously you can use whatever removers you like, but for those who don't know of a good makeup remover, now you have ideas). You can read about the MAC removers here.
• Use a mixing medium. You can read more about mixing mediums . Mixing mediums are great because with one drop and a bit of pigment (or glitter or loose shadow), the consistency is like a paste and the product will adhere to your lid or where ever you are applying it. And, because the pigment has the mixing medium to hold on to, fallout is reduced or usually eliminated altogether.

I would recommend the mixing medium with these pigments for another reason.  These pigments are best applied wet.  In the pictures, I used MAC Fix+ Spray because I had it readily available when these pictures were taken.  In the pictures, you can see the flash of teal in Moonlight Night, the flash of purple in Later and flash of copper/gold + bits of shimmer in Family Crest.  These are gorgeous colors but if not applied wet, you can miss out on some really nice effects.

I should mention Later is a repromote from Alice + Olivia, but beautiful nonetheless.  I know I missed it the first time around and I'm glad I didn't this time!

The Family Crest (Dry/Wet), Later (Dry/Wet), Moonlight Night (Dry/Wet)

The Family Crest pigment



Later pigment

Alternative angle of Later pigment (last one wasn't the best)

Moonlight Night pigment

Moonlight Night, Later, The Family Crest

(Wet using homemade mixing medium)

Oh my GAWD can you stand the gorgeousness of these with the mixing medium?  And they're even more jaw-dropping in person IMO. 

Additional Products

Here's a quick post about some additional products you can use so your makeup will last longer and/or look more vibrant.  Also some products you can use to fix or remove your looks.

Makeup Removers
You can use whatever you like.  Some people use baby wipes, some use drugstore brands and some use expensive department store brands.  I'm going to be purchasing MAC Pro Eye Makeup Remover and MAC Gently Off Eye & Lip Makeup Remover.  I'll do a full review of each when I do.  The reviews I've read have definitely recommended both.  For those of you who are considering purchasing either of these (or both), below is a comparison.

• An MUA at MAC told me if you need a quick fix while you're creating your look at the beginning of the day, dip a q-tip into the MAC Pro Eye Makeup Remover and fix your mistake.  It's water-based so it won't leave behind a residue that will not allow you to apply more makeup.  MAC Gently Off Eye and Lip Makeup Remover is a two-part solution that removes everything, including waterproof formulas.  This is something you can use at the end of the day to completely demolish your look.  The MUA said it does leave a slight residue on your skin that will cause applying additional makeup a little difficult (which is why it was recommended to me as an "end of the day" remover).

Mixing Mediums

• You can purchase a mixing medium (like the ever-popular MAC Mixing Medium $18.00) or you can view numerous Youtube videos on how to make your own Mixing Medium. The jist is 1 part glycerine + 3 parts water = homemade mixing medium! Keep in mind the homemade mixing medium shelf life is pretty short. I've heard 2-3 weeks max. This is because homemade mixing mediums do not contain preservatives. I have heard MAC Mixing Medium can last a year or two.

Eye Shadow Primers

• I use Too Faced Shadow Insurance (TFSI).  I used to use Urban Decay Primer Potion (UDPP).  Those are the ones I hear the most.  I switched because I noticed UDPP creased quite a bit after about four hours.  I'm guessing because I'm obviously not staring at my eye shadow every second.  By the end of the day, my shadow was seriously faded and creased to an awful mess.  I've been using TFSI for about a week and it seems to be lasting like it is supposed to.  I'll update this as I go if anything changes.

UPDATE:  I definitely prefer Too Faced Shadow Insurance to Urban Decay Primer Potion.  The shadow definitely adheres to my lids better.  I do still notice the shadow seems less vibrant after it's been on for 8 hours.  It's like it's rubbed off although the eyeshadow itself doesn't really migrate and I don't rub my eyes so I'm not sure what's happening.  At the end of my 8 hour day, the eye shadow can just look a little worn.  I do notice a little bit of product gathering in the deeper line on my eyelids.

Tartan Tale: Chapter 1 Swatches

Hiya Lovelies!
Below is a list of what I've purchased from Chapter 1.  I may be buying more from Chapter 1 but I have a bit of a short list for Chapter 2.  I'll do reviews of each product in separate posts.  For now, I'll say I really love all these products so far!

Reminder: Chapter 2 is coming to stores (and I've also heard online) November 11th!
 
 
 

Baron's Rose Lipstick

Dazzle the Lads Lip Bag box

Check out this cool MAC crest.  Festive!

Dazzle the Lads Lip Bag (with lip pencil to show size)

Moth to Flame dazzleglass, Draw Me Close lip pencil, Baron's Rose lipstick

Reelers & Rockers Palette box

Reelers & Rockers Palette



White Rabbit, Melt My Heart, Carbon,
Family Treasures, Gaelic Gold, Crown & Scepter



The reason I did the penny was to show size.  When I finally saw this palette, I was disappointed by the size of these.  I don't know what I expected, there are six shadows--how big can they be?

Undercurrent, Petrol Blue, Black Swan, Lord It Up, Black Line

(L to R)



Family Crest pigment, Later pigment, Moonlight Night pigment
(Dry/Wet with MAC Fix+spray)



Family Crest pigment (top 2-Dry/Wet) Later pigment (bottom-Dry)

Family Crest (Wet), Later (Dry/Wet), Moonlight Night (Dry)

Later (Wet), Moonlight Night (Dry/Wet)

Moonlight Night pigment, Later pigment, The Family Crest pigment
(Wet with homemade mixing medium)

MAC Fabulous Felines Superslick Liner Review

I have to say I usually do not like liquid liners. They are so easy to mess up and smear into my crease when I open my eye too soon after applying that I honestly haven't bothered to use any in years. After seeing the quick view for Pure Show on Makeup Geek and the fantastically detailed swatches for Defiantly Feline, Signature Blue and Smoky Heir on Temptalia, I knew I had to try them if not only for the colors.


The MAC website claims the liners dry in 15 seconds—completely true! Quick drying time and the sponge cone tipped wand makes these easy enough even for me to use. Normally liquid liners have a horribly flimsy, thin brush that with an accidental flick of your hand will cause disaster. Not to say that won't happen, but I definitely feel I have a lot more control with the sturdier-by-comparison sponge applicator. I can also hold the wand at an angle as I line my upper lid so the line will go from fine to thick without having to go back over the same area five or six times like I would have to with a thin brush. Another great feature about this product: the water-resistance is awesome. I did a swatch on my hand when I was home on my lunch break, went back to the office and even after washing my hands several times throughout the day, the liner (Pure Show) refused to come off until the next morning when I noticed it had rubbed off from sleeping.

I have received Defiantly Feline—brown with almost a bronze tone, Signature Blue—a lovely deep blue that borders on navy and Pure Show which is gold with a metallic sheen. I ordered Smoky Heir which is a deep purple that dries slightly shiny but it is backordered so I'll be receiving it in a few weeks (I hope!). I'll also be ordering On the Hunt black shortly and I am a little tempted to go for the metallic silver shade Nocturnal and the lovely shimmery green liner Treat Me Nice.*

*Update: I received Smoky Heir and On the Hunt but I have not ordered Nocturnal or Treat Me Nice as of yet. But I still really want to!

Anyway…these are so great! I do not know how long these last (I’ll update the post when I run out of these or if they dry up suddenly) but so far I like them. I apply them to my upper lash line (after primer and usually eye shadow), I wait less than a minute and I’m good for the day. I notice if I rub them with a dry finger—I mean, really rub, the liner will break apart into little bits. I can remove these with my regular makeup remover despite it being water-resistant and so smudge-proof. All the liners I purchased dried to a shiny (opposed to matte) finish except for Pure Show which is more metallic.

Temptalia’s swatches of these are my favorite swatches.

For Nocturnal, Signature Blue, Smoky Heir click here.

For Pure Show and On the Hunt click here.

For Defiantly Feline and Treat Me Nice click here.

Collection Tips!

So I am all about stalking all the beauty blogs for swatches and more info on upcoming collections.  Here are some tips that I find help me choose what products to get in a collection.

Research!

This can include looking for swatches, color/product descriptions, etc. Check to see if these colors are similar to a product you already own.

Temptalia’s Dupe List I think this is a wonderfully, genius idea. This list covers high end brands to the common drugstore so you can find something in your price range, ideas of color, consistency etc.

Review swatches--scour websites for someone close to your skin color. Many swatches I have seen are on the hand/arm but some can be on the place you normally put the product. I prefer to see both, especially for lip products.

Company’s website—go here to verify if the products you’re thinking of buying is a permanent part of the company’s catalog or if it’s limited edition. For example: MAC Tartan Tale’s Lash & Line Kits are full of products MAC has all year round. You get more for your dollar buying the kit, but if you miss out you don’t necessarily need to throw a fit because you can buy any those items separately. For me, this will allow me to focus my spending to another part of the collection.

Make your list, and refine it several times—this helps me so much! I can be a bit “particular” but my Wish List goes through several stages starting usually 2-3 weeks before the collection comes out. First is the note-taking stage. While I leisurely peruse the collection details online, I make notes in Notepad on product name, type and cost. A week after, more details of the collection are usually available like color breakdown and finishes. I transfer the notes to Word and flesh out vague spots in my list. When I want to see how much damage this collection will do to my bank account, I put all the information in Excel. I like Excel because it will automatically calculate how much my total cost will be. Finally, I have two totals: the grand total of every product on the list and the other is what I absolutely “need” to get.

Here are some examples of my crazily categorized lists.

Venomous Villains Excel List
(More Coming!)
Researching before your trip to the store could save you money to buy something you truly love.
 
Please note I do NOT NOT NOT own Temptalia's Dupe List or have any affliation with Temptalia.  My mentioning them is only a way to expand the reader's resources and knowledge base!

Veet Suprem’ Essence Spray on Hair Removal Cream Review

Total Project Time: 25 minutes

Application
First thing I noticed during application was that it was more of a foam than a cream and one thing I was concerned about was getting an even application. The can says to press on the nozzle completely to ensure an EVEN (yes, it was stressed like that on can) application. I pressed the nozzle all the way down and used a continuous up and down motion. I used a moderate speed but I had to go over sparse areas for a second coat. I was sitting on a stool alternating between bending over while spraying and angling my leg up on my bathtub. When my feet were planted on the floor and I was bending over, I noticed the spray came out of the opening in a triangle shape and some of my tub and tile was very lightly coated with the foam. It was so slight the foam couldn’t be seen, only felt when I put my foot in the area. This product is seriously slippery—soap and body wash aren’t even this slippery! I tried wiping it up with a cotton towel but the product was just moved around. I realized quickly I’d have to use water and maybe even soap to get the slick film off my tub and bathroom floor. This may sound strange but during my six minutes, my skin kind of…hummed. It didn’t sting or tingle and it wasn’t painful or unpleasant. I don’t know if that’s normal with Veet or if I was just imagining it. If anyone uses this product, let me know if you felt something similar.

Removal
The can came with a wide wavy piece of plastic that was used to scrap the hair and the foam off the leg. This was easy enough to use however when I put my leg on the edge of my bathtub and used the scraper at a side angle, the foam flopped to one side of the scraper then slipped onto the area I was about to work on. Now I have two layers of foam stacked on each other. It was pretty messy. The other two depilatory creams I have used in the past had an actual cream texture with more structure so there was no flopping or slipping top of itself. After trouble with the removal while on the stool, I got into my shower/bathtub. It was a little difficult and awkward to remove the product with the water on. When I held the scraper under the water the foam slipped off onto the bathtub bottom making the bathtub extremely slick. If it weren’t for the handle bar the last owners of the house installed, I would have fallen several times. It took longer to remove the greasy film off my legs than the other depilatory creams I’ve tried. Then I had to let my shower run for several minutes afterwards to get the bathtub bottom foam free.

Afterwards
I noticed my skin felt particularly soft and smooth before I used my lotion. A few minutes after putting on my lotion, I noticed my right leg had a couple red bumps of irritation and was very mildly stinging. I used Nar Hair Remover Lotion a few weeks ago and I’m pretty sure my skin was a little stingy/tingly and slightly irritated right after. With Nair, this clears up by the next morning (and I tend to do this stuff pretty late at night. At the time I was getting into bed after using Veet, it was 2:30 am).

Regrowth
The next morning when I ran my hands down my legs, I definitely felt pricklies (which is unusual for me). Literally five days later I had noticeable hair regrowth on my legs. I was pretty disappointed with this because I know the product I usually use (Nair Hair Removal Lotion) can give me about 10 days or so before the hair on my legs are back to normal.

Verdict
I will probably not be using VEET Spray on Hair Removal Cream again. Putting the product on can be messy. The can said to apply it while you’re in a shower stall or something but with the slippery-ness of the foam, anyone could easily fall. Second issue was the wavy plastic remover and the way the product flopped onto the next area I was about to remove. And the most important issue was the short timeframe I would have smooth legs.
Please note this was not sent for consideration. I bought this product with my own money and by my own choice. I’m always on the lookout for products that may work better and will always give my frank and honest opinion.