About the Facial Moisturizer: "A richly hydrating face cream that helps moisturize and protect facial skin. Provides instant, long-lasting moisture. Leaves skin soft while lush formula helps balance skin's natural barrier and alleviate dry skin. Silky to apply, glides on easily. Helps create an even surface for a smooth, more perfect makeup application."

 

About the Eye Cream: "A richly hydrating eye cream with optical effects. Rejuvenates, reconditions and refreshes. Visibly lifts and firms skin around the eyes: helps reduce early morning/late night puffiness and balance the skin's moisture levels. Provides long-lasting moisture. "

Jen's Experience: I spend a lot of time at make-up counters, trying out the latest foundation or eyeshadows or concealer. Typically, the person helping me whips out a container of their most expensive moisturizers as a base layer and then tell me the importance of, say, a great eye cream underneath their concealer. And then I leave with just the thing I came for, telling myself that my  moisturizers at home are just fine.

Well, I just want to say that I now see the value of a good moisture layer under my make-up, and also, that these two products from M·A·C's new MoistureLush collection are just that. The eye cream in particular does an amazing job of freshening up the skin under my eyes to minimize the tiny little lines that are starting to pop up and the puffiness that comes with not getting enough sleep. Now all of the concealers I have in my repetoire apply like an absolute dream, and I even need less of them to cover. The facial moisturizer does a similar trick, although I wish it would keep my face just a little more moisturized. I also wish that it came with some SPF for day time use. In addition to using it under my make-up, I have found that a little bit of the facial moisturizer on the top of my cheekbones works as a light highlighter, very much like the M·A·C Strobe Cream.

I am absolutely in love with this new collection from M·A·C. I'm not sure if this is going to become a permanent part of the line-up, though, so be sure to pick up some now and try it so that you'll have time to stockpile it if you like it!

Retail Prices:
Facial Moisturizer $32.00
Eye Cream            $30.00 (both available at MACCosmetics.com or your local department store)

Ratings:
Facial Moisturizer
Eye Cream

What They Say: "Formulated with strobe pearl, this luxurious lip conditioner combines sheer soft-light-quenched colour with broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15 protection and moisture."

Melissa Says: I am once again In Love.

These tubes of sheer, pretty color make lips look lush and moist, with a gorgeous kiss of pigment. Even when the shine goes away a bit, the lightly luminescent pigment still tints the lips. These are my VERY favorite new non-lipstick day go-to shades.

Pretty, lustrous, sheer and comfortable...what's not to love? Get them now while the collection is being sold.

Retail Price: $14.50 (at maccosmetics.com to purchase and/or to view the 5 gorgeous shades, or go here to find a retail location near you)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Preening, pouting, posing...the Fafinettes are here! The graphic expression of French graffiti artist Fafi, these chick-a-boom gals come alive in shades sparked with colourful pearl. Très chic!"

Melissa Says: If you're the kind of gal who likes to be just a little bit whimsical, a tiny bit daring or just likes to try a fun shade to mix things up from time to time, you'll love the Fafi Collection.

Many of the cases (lipstick, blush, eyeshadow, powder) in this collection are special - adorned with Fafi illustrations.

The lip glosses and lipstick shades all have a touch of sparkle, and though there are a few brighter colors in the bunch, several are a bit neutral and fitting for anyone. The two eye quads also are catered to appeal to both ends of the spectrum, with one having some pretty, non-typical eye shades (that aren't really too bold) and the other having some lovely, shimmery more neutral colors.

Also included in the Fafi Collection? Gorgeous iridescent powder, pretty pinched-cheeked blush, playful girly nail shades, amazing M·A·C brushes, fun Fafi print-covered makeup bags and more! Check it out here.

About the Eyeliner: "A mechanical pencil-style liner. In formula, soft and creamy, with an intense, rich, colour deposit. Blends on application: dries quickly to a long-wear, non-smudge finish. Versatile. An easy way to line the top and lower lash line of the eye. When applied at a 90 degree angle, provides a thin precision line. For thicker application, apply at a flat angle."

About the Glitter: "M·A·C Glitter can be applied directly to the skin or combined with products to create high-level glitter and sparkle effects on all areas of the face, skin and hair."

Jen's Experience: I have been a fan of Clinique's Quickliner in the past, and the Technakohl eyeliner reminded me of Quickliner in a lot of ways. It is a dream to apply, SO easy to get a nice, even line that's close to the lashes. I tested with both of the colors in the N Collection, Brownborder and Graphblack, and found both to to be nice and color-dense. So here's what I didn't like: the colors creased very easily, even minutes after application. Plus, both seemed to slip under my eyes over the course of the day. With the brown, it was less of an issue, but the amount of color under my eyes with the black was quite substantial and was a serious deterrent to wearing it on a regular basis despite its easy application. I wanted so much to like this one, but I think I'm going to stick to my gel eyeliners for now.

I wanted to like the glitter as well. Actually, I would be happy with an opportunity to wear glitter where I didn't look more than a little out of place. Unlike the MAC Pigments, which can be applied lightly to be worn in the daytime, it's really hard to make the glitter wearable for most looks. I don't necessarily think that was the goal, though. Sure, it's pretty fun and dramatic for a formal or girl's night out, but what also makes it difficult is that it is hard to apply to a limited area. Maybe it's just that I'm impatient and try to apply too much at once, which allows it to float all over the place. If you have plenty of time, a steady hand, and the right occasion, this might be worth a splurge, but I might suggest just going my the MAC counter and having them apply my make-up in such a situation to avoid the issues with application.

Retail Prices:
Technakohl Eyeliner    $14.50
Glitter      $16.50  (both available at MACCosmetics.com or your local department store) 

Ratings:
Technakohl Eyeliner   
Glitter   

What They Say: "Seductive and ripe for scandal. A colour collection daringly stripped-down, voluptuously finished, with everything you could possibly need to play up the nakedness of your look. Think of it as naked - with coverage."

(about the shadows): "Highly-pigmented powder. Applies evenly, blends well."

(about the lacquers): "Revolutionary new high gloss formula. Three long-wearing finishes - Cream, Sheer, and Frosted. Visibly different. Provides no-streak/no-chip finish. Contains conditioners and UV protection. Go hi-lacquer!"

Melissa Says:
(about the shadows): As usual, M·A·C's shadows are beautiful and long-wearing. Now, here is also a collection that would look gorgeous on practically any woman. They're so neutral and have just a hint of sheen (Rich Flesh is more matte), that they provide amazing all-purpose looks from the deeper brown to the perfect brow highlight.

(about the lacquers): I've reviewed these lacquers before as well, and though they tend to wear off the tips of my nails pretty quickly without a nice topcoat, these shades are very nice for this current nude trend. My favorite shade right now is Naturally Rich, but I can see myself falling more in love with the two lighter shades as the days grow warmer and my skin gets a little less pale! All are fairly sheer.

Retail Price:
(shadows): $14.00
(lacquer): $10.00
(online at maccosmetics.com or at a retail location near you)

DeLush Ratings:
(shadows):
(lacquer):

"Seductive and ripe for scandal. A colour collection daringly stripped-down, voluptuously finished, with everything you could possibly need to play up the nakedness of your look. Think of it as naked - with coverage."

About the Lip Glass: "A unique lip gloss available in a wide variety of colours that can create a high gloss, glass-like finish or a subtle sheen. Designed to be worn on its own, over Lip Pencil or Lipstick, Tinted Lipglass is the perfect product for creating shine that lasts. It's pigmented, very shiny and can impart subtle or dramatic colour. It contains Jojoba Oil to help soften and condition the lips. Tinted Lipglass is packaged in a convenient bottle with a sponge tip applicator that provides a quick, smooth, even application."

About the Paint Pots: "A highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish. The next generation of a popular M·A·C formula, Paint Pots maintains all the intense traits of its inspiration. Long-wearing, colourfast. Creates seamless coverage without weight or caking. Blends smoothly over the lids. Cream-based, can be mixed with M·A·C shadows and liners. Available in matte and pearl formulas. "

Jen's Experience: We've reviewed both of these products before, so it should be no surprise that we love them. What is new are the fabulous N Collection's perfect range of nude shades. For the paint pots, I tested the Soft Ochre and Quite Natural shades, which are subtle and great for work. Not only do they last all day and into the evening, but they also are blendable and buildable to give just the right level of color to even out the skin tone on my lids. I tested all four Lip Glass shades from 1N to 4N and I find myself reaching for them now reflexively in the morning. They just work with every look. If I am going for a very nude look and I want to minimize the lips completely, I wear 1N or 2N over the N Collection Lipstick in 1N. On the other hand, 3N and 4N both look pretty even worn alone and have just enough pink to work with my fair skin. I am mightily impressed with this collection, and I feel like these are colors every woman should have in their make-up drawer.

Retail Prices:
Lip Glass: $14.00
Paint Pots: $16.50 (Both available at MACCosmetics.com or your local department store)

Ratings:
Lip Glass:
Paint Pots:

What They Say: "Mascara X builds dramatically longer, thicker and glossier looking lashes. The softer fiber of the football-shaped brush delivers maximum payoff on the lashes. Mascara X doesn't clump or smudge, is ophthalmologist tested and designed to be long-wearing. It builds and strengthens lashes with a vegetable derived protein and contains Panthenol to condition the lashes. Easily removed with Pro Eye Makeup Remover, it's available in Black and Dark Brown."

Melissa Says: Aha - another fantastic mascara found! Part of the M·A·C Originals Collection (a grouping of the products that have stood the "test of time"), this formula goes on without clumping, creating nice separation and fullness with the heavily-bristled brush. I've been incredibly pleased with the clean look yet moderate amount of drama that can be produced with only a couple of coats. Also, I noticed no flaking or smudging, either. This one gets a definite seal of approval from me. If you want some fullness, length, and separation in a non-clumping and mess-free formula, give this one a try.

Retail Price: $12.50 (at maccosmetics.com or go here to find a retail location near you)

DeLush Raing:

What They Say: "Ultra-smooth, Fluidline's gel formula provides the precision of a liquid liner with a silkier, softer finish. Goes on "foolproof" with a brush in an easy dip-and-stroke action. Long-wearing. Smudge-proof. Lines up in a rich array of colours and finishes. Brush sold separately."

Jen's Experience: I love gel eyeliners. Ever since I tried the Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner, I have started wearing eyeliner nearly daily, when prior I would wear it only on important occasions. I had great expectations for this liner from M.A.C, and while the colors are more intense and the application is incredibly smooth, the thinner texture of this product leaves me feeling less in control than with the similar Bobbi Brown product. It may be something that just takes a while to get used to; I've seen make-up artists at the M.A.C. counter sporting some pretty fantastic wingtips with this product. I didn't think it wears quite as long as the Bobbi Brown eyeliner either, although it doesn't smudge at all, and for me that's a big deal. Overall, I have this feeling that I would like this so much better if I hadn't tried Bobbi Brown's gel eyeliner first, but when it comes down to it, this isn't my favorite when I am getting ready every morning.

Tip: When applying this or any other gel eyeliner, the right brush is a MUST. I highly recommend this one from Vincent Longo.

Retail Price: $15.00 (MACCosmetics.com or your local M.A.C. cosmetics counter)

Rating:

What They Say: "Every Antiquitease adores her finery, including this petite purse of woven cream fabric with metallic thread and an ivory crown motif on the handle. Each contains three lipcolours of one colour scheme. Fabulously authentic in look and feel." 

Jen's Experience: Here's another fabulous collection from M•A•C this holiday season. Each gift set contains two lipsticks and a lip gloss in an antique-inspired clutch. The sets come in four color families: pink, coral, tan and plum. I tested the plum and coral shades, and I am absolutely thrilled with the shades; I wear them pretty much every day. The lipsticks look great on their own, as do the lip glosses, but I really adore wearing the two together. I think the clutches don't really do the products justice -- they'd be nicer if the handle was metal like some of the other Antiquitiease items -- but this would make a great gift for friends (although I'd be more inclined to keep this one for myself!).

Retail Price: $32.00 (MACCosmetics.com or your local M•A•C counter)

What They Say: "Stately in look, fabulously collectible: our gilded antique-inspired compacts for lips and eyes. With their magnificent assortment of shades and distinctly royal colour waves, who wouldn't regard these as an asset?"

Jen's Experience: The packaging for the Royal Assets collection is absolutely gorgeous. These are not palettes to leave hidden away in your bathroom drawers -- they need to be out on display. And as far as gifts go, these palettes are sure to be appreciated by any of the cosmetic lovers in your life.

The eyeshadow palettes each contain 6 fabulous colors. I tried the warm and cool palettes, but they're also available in smoky and metallics. My favorite of the one I tested is the cool palette. The six colors can be mixed and matched for various effects, and whatever the combination, I never fail to get compliments when I'm wearing these shades. Besides the previously mentioned luxe packaging, I am also impressed that they contain a real (although miniature) eyeshadow brush inside, rather than a cheap, throwaway applicator.

The lip palettes are also available in several combinations: Tan, Coral, Red and Pink, as well as one in the Viva Glam collection. I tried three of the palettes, which each contain three shades in the color range. Like the eyeshadow palettes, they contain a miniaturized version of the real brush, rather than requiring you to apply with your finger. I had a difficult time getting deep colors out of these palettes, but they have great staying power and a nice shine.

Eyeshadow palettes: $36.00
Lip Palettes: $22.50
Available at MACCosmetics.com or your local department store

What They Say: "A mascara formulated to instantly plump up lashes for extreme voluptuous effect. Works fast. Builds volume smoothly and evenly from root to tip. Delivers a silky, flexible, full fan of lashes. Fluid formula lightly coats lashes one layer at a time without smearing, smudging or clumping. Goes on via an innovative, specially patented wand with a v-shaped groove that prunes the bristles on one side while leaving the other side full and lush. The short bristles coax the lashes upward to an extraordinarily sophisticated yet flirtatious curl, while the other side separates and combs the lashes root-to-tip creating a long, well-defined glamour lash. Volumizing, lengthening, curling, lifting. This mascara features everything you want, with all the top mascara no's: no clumping, spiking, smudging or flaking. "

Jen's Experience: I have tremendous trouble finding the right mascara, and in general I only have one criteria: it needs to stay on my lashes. Well, the M.A.C. folks were definitely on the mark when they said "no clumping, spiking, smudging or flaking". This mascara really does a remarkable job staying put and for that it earns it's place in my make-up drawer. On the other hand, I was not impressed with the dramatic effect created by this mascara. Perhaps it was just that I tested it in their brown shade, Brownette, and not in the black that I would normally wear, but I really couldn't tell much of a difference between using this mascara and my natural lashes. Normally, I'd just be excited that I had a mascara that actually didn't end up underneath my eyes, so I can't really complain too much. Overall, this is a great mascara (at a great price!) that really does what it claims.

Retail Price: $11.00 (MACCosmetics.com or your local department store)

Rating:

What They Say: "A modern take on M·A·C's famed matte texture: new Mattene Lipstick. Creamier, softer, moister yet still long-wearing, velvety and matte - with no compromise. Diehard M·A·C fans will think of this as vintage matte yet more wearable.

With its streamlined design, this new slimline lipcolour, features the traditional glamour properties of a matte lipstick - intense colour and semi-matte velvety finish - while offering a creamier, softer, more glide-on application. Non-caking, non drying. Moisturizing and incredibly wearable yet absolutely matte. "

Jen's Experience: I remember that years ago, it took me a long time to make the transition from wearing mostly matte lipsticks to the glosses that have ruled the make-up counters for years. Now that the pendulum is swinging back towards the matte lipsticks, I have to admit that I had a terrible compulsion to layer a swath of my glossiest gloss on top of these to give it the shine I had gotten used to.

Once I was used to them, I really started liking these lipsticks, not just for the nice moist texture and long wear that they provide, but also for the great color selection. While some colors just didn't work for me (Immodest and Night Violet were just a bit much for my pale skin color), but the selection includes a few great pinky-browns that are good with just about any outfit. For those looking for a great matte lipstick that has a great feel that lasts, these are worth checking out. My personal faves? Flattering and Composure.

Retail Price: $14.50 (MACCosmetics.com or your local department store)

Rating:

What They Say: "Our new Eye Shadow. Silky-smooth, non-creasing. The sum of its parts: Matte x Matte = Matte². Factor in five shades of Liquidlast Liner, and the result of this rich colour x high opacity equation isn't only matte squared - it's beautiful."

What Melissa Says: This shadow is incredibly smooth and feels fabulous going on. Not only is the color amazing (not all shades are so bright - check out the other colors here), but the wear truly is beautiful and lasts all day without losing intensity. I actually did have some slight creasing after several hours, but other than that, these pretty pops of matte color are a great addition to your shadow options.

Retail Price: $14.00 (at maccosmetics.com or go here to find a retail location near you)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "On Fall's horizon, a storm of hues: stratus blues, overcast greys...a thunderclap of shades so intense, your eye becomes the heart of the storm. Highly-pigmented powder. Applies evenly, blends well."

Melissa Says: Are you getting the hint that a touch of blue (the new blues, they are WEARABLE!) is very hot for this season? Well, these shadows from M•A•C give you even more pretty options with these pots filled with varied shades of blue, teal, frosty grey, black with blue pearl and blue laced with pretty purple sheen that allow you to choose a shade that follows this trend which looks flattering on you and that you feel comfortable with (I know some of you still resist the blue idea...yes, you there, I see you). They also blend beautifully together and last fairly well, but do crease a bit after several hours.

Retail Price: $14.00 (at maccosmetics.com or go here to find a retail location near you)

DeLush Rating:

About the Mineralize Eyeshadows: "A sheer, pearled, mineralized powder Eye Shadow with up to four shades baked together in one pan. Superfine, lightweight: provides a softly tinted, reflective shimmer on the skin with a delicate sense of dimension. Subtly builds colour and shine. Can be worn on face, eyes or body. "

Jen's Experience: I've seen so many gorgeous, lush colors on the shelves this fall, but honestly, these aren't something I would have fallen in love with at first site. However, after using them these past few weeks, I found them very easy to use despite the swirling, bright, pearlescent colors. Each of the shades apply evenly and build to produce shades that range from the subtle to the statement-making. My favorite shades of the collection are Techtonic, a gorgeous bright green, and By Jupiter, a brown that sparkles with at least half my wardrobe.

Retail Price: $16.50 (MACCosmetics.com or your local department store counter)

 

 

About the SkinFinish: "A luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish. Smoothes on: adds buffed-up highlights to cheeks and brows, or an overall ultra-deluxe polish to the face."

Jen's Experience: The Mineralize SkinFinish has a similar swirling, pearlescent quality, although in much more subtle shades to make it suitable for a powder or bronzer. For my pale skin, the Northern Lights shade was the perfect highlighter to really make my skin glow. Another shade, Gold Spill (shown), worked as a light bronzer, and could also be built up for a little sculpting effect. While those shades made a great powder finish, the final shade, Global Glow, was quite a bit too dark for my light skin, but I'm sure it would work similarly to the others in the collection for those with darker skin tones. Both of these products are available for a limited time, so be sure to hit the counter this weekend if you want to pick up items from this collection.

Retail Price: $24.50 (MACCosmetics.com or your local department store)

 

Ratings:
Mineralize Eyeshadow
SkinFinish

What They Say: "A lipcolour that fuses a high gloss wet-look finish with balm-style emolliency and conditioning. Delivers 3D-style dimension to the lips through an innovative combo-blend of extreme pearl and multi-reflective shine. Non-sticky, smooth to apply. Instantly moisturizing and comfortable to wear. The unique high-fashion look and finish lasts for hours. "

Jen's Experience: I am a long time fan of M.A.C. Lip Glass products, but let me tell you right off the bat, these limited edition lip glasses may be my favorites of the whole product line. The colors are universally flattering, and I found that even the brighter shades looked good -- on me as well as my friends. These 3D Lip Glasses are even more moisturizing than the original product, and I have found that they do more to moisturize my lips than most of my lip balms. And the wear is longer than pretty much any of the other lip glosses that are currently floating around in my purse. If you have an ongoing love for lip glass, or are just looking for a great, super-shiny gloss, visit your M.A.C. counter while they're still available!

Retail Price: $14.00 (MACCosmetics.com or your local department store M.A.C. Counter)

Rating:

What They Say: "Her smoke signals: intense blue, grey and aubergine shadows wafted over the eyes, bound by rings of creamy Eye Kohl..."

Gentle Fume Eyes: Eye Shadow x4 - "A monochromatic quad of four modern cool-toned Eye Shadows in the sultry spirit of Smoke Signals. Features three limited edition shades: Waft, Gentle Fume and Rondelle, matched-up with Carbon. Texturally: an intense mix of matte and velvet."

Smoking Eyes: Eye Shadow x4 - "A smoking quad of four warmed-over neutrals that at its deepest starts with a rich, dark black. Features three limited edition shades: Next to Nothing, Smoking, and Showstopper, complemented by Satin Taupe."

Kohl Power Eye Pencil (in Orpheus, a gold-flecked black and Raven, an intense black with red pearl that looks sort of like deep plum on the eye) - "A kohl pencil that has all the intensity and colour power of ultra-soft carbon. Specially formulated to provide deep, fully opaque coverage, provides an intense, smoked finish with duo-chrome pearl. Versatile in application: blend or smudge."

Melissa Says:
about the Eye Shadow x4 - These quad shades are really well put together in terms of compatibility with each other. My personal favorite is the Smoking Eyes set, but both include very pretty and of-the-moment colors that don't go over the top, but are in fact quite wearable. This was my first introduction to wearing M•A•C quad shadows, and I have been impressed. The pigments are always true and the formula is quite smooth, with pretty respectable staying power.

about the Kohl Power Eye Pencils - I also had not previously worn M•A•C's Kohl Power Eye Pencils, and honestly I always associate kohl liners with lots of smudging. While I found that these created a gorgeous line on my upper lids and remained unsmudged much longer than with other kohl liners I've tried in the past (several hours), on my usually more moisturized lower lids they did not fare so well. Obviously I typically wouldn't line both upper and lower with a bold pencil like this anyway, but I wanted to try it out for the sake of getting a feel for all aspects of wear. On upper lids, these two shades create a little extra drama and sexiness, but use caution when considering using them underneath.

Retail Prices:
Eye Shadow x4 $36.00
Kohl Power Eye Pencil $13.50
(both available at maccosmetics.com or go here to find a retail location near you)

DeLush Ratings:
Eye Shadow x4
Kohl Power Eye Liners

The alchemy of gold transformed and the manipulated by M.A.C. artistry into the next wave. Metallic glam as eight limited edition pigments radiate the power, glory and versatility of this key element. Playing their part in this new gold rush, four lipstocls and finished to reflect the trace-colour of each gold-tinged pigment...applied with the 249 large shader and 239 eye shader brushes that accompany this collection, this is metal as it should be worn. Feel the rush."

Jen Says: The perfect complement to this season's metallic accents, this line from M.A.C. is an excellent way to transition to your fall look. I tried the lipsticks and the pigments from this collection, and am excited to present my results. This gorgeous collection is nearly finished its run at M.A.C. counters, so if you're in the market for these products and shades, run to your nearest department store this weekend!

 

 

Pigment

What They Say: "Pigment is a highly concentrated loose colour powder that contains ingredients to help it adhere to the skin. Pigment comes in an excellent range of colours. Use to create a subtle wash of colour or an intense effect. Pigment does not streak or cake, is easy to blend and long-lasting."

Jen's Experience: For the most part, I haven't had good luck with loose eyeshadow, especially when it shimmers. No matter how careful I am with the brush, even applied with a little water, if it doesn't end up making my entire face sparkly during application, it ends up that way by the end of the evening. Well, this eyeshadow from M.A.C. completely exceeded all my expectations. Not only are the colors vivid but wearable, they apply so evenly and last an incredibly long time. I most commonly reach for Quick Frost, a creamy white with a soft green pearl, and Revved-up, an icy rose. But the more metallic shades -- Rushmetal, Gold Mode, Mauvement, Off the Radar, Copperized, and Cocomotion -- are also fun and not out of place even for work.

If you purchase these, be sure to invest in at least one of the M.A.C. shader brushes. I used #239 for detail work and #249 for the overall area. These brushes do an excellent job of holding the pigment so that it's delivered to the eye, rather than all over your face (and the bathroom counter). These pigments and the brushes are a combination that is truly the star of this collection.

Retail Price: $19.50 (MACCosmetics.com or your local department store)

 

 

Lipstick

What They Say: "Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made M·A·C famous. "

Jen's Experience: The lipstick colors in this collection are all fantastic, from rose-tinged coffee shades to a light gold shade. All of the colors have a bit of gold in them, but not so much that it looks to overdone for everyday use. Since the eyeshadows can be pretty intense when they're layered, it's nice to have such pretty shades that aren't too overwhelming. My favorite of the bunch is Fast Lane, the mauve with silver pearl lustre, which is perfect with my favorite Pigment shades, but also works well with charcoals. The other colors (Thrills, Frenzy, and Soft Lust) are more brown and gold and are a little out of my comfort zone, but it turns out they look great with a dewy foundation and a oood bronzer. Believe it or not, this is my first experience with M.A.C. lipstick, and while I like the shades, I am not as excited about the wear. I got one to two hours tops out of each. Still, I like them well enough to recommend picking up one of these coordinating shades when you're looking for the RushMetal Eyeshadow Pigments.

Retail Price: $14.00

 

Ratings:

Pigment
Lipstick

What They Say: "A highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish. The next generation of a popular M·A·C formula, Paint Pots maintains all the intense traits of its inspiration. Long-wearing, colourfast. Creates seamless coverage without weight or caking. Blends smoothly over the lids. Cream-based, can be mixed with M·A·C shadows and liners. Available in matte and pearl formulas."

Melissa Says: I swear, I want to get one of these for every woman I know. First of all, the pots have a very substantial amount of the product in them, enough to last months, and what's inside can only be described as FANTASTIC. Very creamy and soft, these colors go on beautifully and stay on beautifully. This stuff glides on silky-smooth and you can layer it to your preference of intensity. With some slightly bold shades as well as several very usable neutral ones, there's a good chance you could find at least one that you could get an awful lot of use out of. Right now I love using the beige- and rose-hued shades as bases for the entire lid, with the frost finish of Bare Study typically for highlighting, and then choosing my main lid shade. I've also used a liner brush on a few of these to create gorgeous, lasting eyeliner in interesting shades that lasts impressively well throughout the day without fading.

Love. This. Stuff.

Retail Price: $16.00 (at maccosmetics.com or go here to find a retail location near you)

DeLush Rating:

Smoke Signals: "Erotic, yes. Feminie, surely. Sexy, no doubt... This is the beauty, craft and subtle unfiltered sizzle of the modern bombshell. ...The match that ignites this new look: three NEW sensually shine-filled shades of lipglass. There is no smoke without fire. She's cool, and dangerous."

Melissa tried out the lip shades in this collection.

"In a way that made me very happy, the lip shades included in the Smoke Signals collection seem to be ready to make any woman feel prettier, with a touch of sultry. One wonderful thing is the subtleness of most of the shades, with the boldest colors being a match of deep yet wearable pouty burgundies. Like all of M•A•C's lip products, you can easily layer Lipglass on top of the lipstick shades for even more drama, or use either alone, depending on your coverage and texture preference. Below, you can see what each shade looks like on real lips! Enjoy Smoke Signals 2007."

Click to enlarge.