MAC - Semi Precious Discussion
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JennsJewelz
Well-known member
Alright, I think my list has completely changed....
Gem of Roses
Natural Flare
Crystal Pink
Golden Gaze
I think that these are the ones that are the most unique to my collection - One of a Kind and Gem of Roses look so close that I really only need one, and I like that Gem of Roses seems to lean slightly more pink - I tend to go for the shades that are a touch more brown/neutral, so this will change things up
I can see Natural Flare being gorgeous over lots of different colours to change them completely - I really want to try it over Hibiscus!!! I agree that the pink in Crystal pink might make it slightly more useful to me than SP pearl... and then I'm picturing some gorgeous looks with Golden Gaze using Sumptuous Olive, The Family Crest, some of the Peacocky Mega Metals... I don't know, it's inspiring me!
That would bring my total to... around 100 CDN with taxes, I think! Not tooooo bad...
Gem of Roses
Natural Flare
Crystal Pink
Golden Gaze
I think that these are the ones that are the most unique to my collection - One of a Kind and Gem of Roses look so close that I really only need one, and I like that Gem of Roses seems to lean slightly more pink - I tend to go for the shades that are a touch more brown/neutral, so this will change things up
I can see Natural Flare being gorgeous over lots of different colours to change them completely - I really want to try it over Hibiscus!!! I agree that the pink in Crystal pink might make it slightly more useful to me than SP pearl... and then I'm picturing some gorgeous looks with Golden Gaze using Sumptuous Olive, The Family Crest, some of the Peacocky Mega Metals... I don't know, it's inspiring me! That would bring my total to... around 100 CDN with taxes, I think! Not tooooo bad...
liba
Well-known member
I'd be very careful about SP- Pink MSF - it has a strong, cool, ashy pink highlight to it - this will do the opposite of warm just about any skin tone. I like the look, but it's not natural or subtle in any way. I'm NC15 and it made me look like a futuristic robot woman. Pearl and Goldstone are the 2 most wearable, all-over colors of the MSFs. Pink is a cool highlight primarily and Rose Quartz is just strictly a blush color or maybe an all-over color if you are dark-skinned.
Buyer Beware!
Buyer Beware!
Mac-Guy
Well-known member
Is this due to the inner or the outer circle?
liba
Well-known member
My prediction is the lippies in Semi-Precious are going to be a lot more wearable than the Glam Glosses, most particularly because they won't be as glossy. Since I tried them, I can't get them out of my mind. Gem of Roses is like a sheerer, lighter Mehr. Amethyst is great for a dark lip that isn't overpowering and daytime appropriate. The nude has great coverage for being sheer and isn't cool or too warm (and is breathtakingly original with Natural Flare CS glass over). My favorite is absolutely One of a Kind, though, since it's rich and subtle and very MLBB without looking average. I'm gonna splurge on them!
Lou, I'm wearing this one now - it is awesome!! I'm in for a couple of the shadows, 2 of the MSFs, and Pressed Amber. And for lips I'm going to get Gem of Roses, One of a Kind and Musky Amethyst. And the brushes. Eek. I need to win the lotto!
Pinkdollface
Well-known member
http://www.theshadesofu.com/2011/06/mac-semi-precious-mineralize-blushes.html another one of Crystal Pink!
I'm wondering how big the differences between Crystal Pink and Pearl are.
liba
Well-known member
You asked this before - i didn't bother to swatch them wet because they all have a serious wet effect even without wetting - they look as wet when applied dry as my other MSFs do when applied with Fix+. This is a good thing, since you can get that look but without the pore magnification a wet MSF tends to give. This is with or without the inner circle too, although that will enhance the effect if you use a lot of it, besides changing the color.
UrbanSweetheart
Well-known member
oppsie..my bad >_< lol
Mac-Guy
Well-known member
Apologies, didn't catch the answer before. It makes sense now, thanks.
liba
Well-known member
Jade's Fortune is much yellower than Unsurpassable.
Unsurpassable can go from pale green to pale grey applied dry and all the way up to intense emerald green and/or periwinkle if applied with a base (I tested with a pan with lots of blue veins, but only on one half of the pan)
Clarity is neutral beige with gorgeous opalescent sparkle applied dry and could go from there (didn't test it with a base since I loved it right then and there dry - I had a pan without much black veining and that's the type I'd suggest you try and find unless you want more grey out of it all the time).
To put it another way, Unsurpassable has the most variety potential, Clarity is definitely the most sparkly and Jade's Fortune is a very interesting color but also perhaps the weirdest and most specialized color of the three - but it did make my eyes glow and I usually can't wear yellows well, so if you always wanted a yellow but hated how they looked on you, grab it.
Anitacska
Well-known member
UrbanSweetheart
Well-known member
^^^ I believe you can use them either wet or dry
wishonastar
Well-known member
Liba, I bought Trophy Big Bounce today, I tested it on my hand and it stayed put really well in today's humid weather and on the tube. I also washed my hands and rubbed it and it was still there. I haven't tried it on my eyes yet so I hope it works well for me. I mainly bought it for your descriptions of how the MES work on top.
ladyarwen
Well-known member
Good lord, I completely forgot about Quartz Fusion! I don't have any pinks like that. Alright, my heavily edited list is currently at:
Semi-precious Pearl MSF
Geo Pink CSG
Gem of Roses LS
Golden Gaze MES
Blue Sheen MES
Faux Gold MES
Smoked Ruby MES
Quartz Fusion MES
245
235
128
My wallet is SLIGHTLY happier, but since I plan on ordering more stuff from the Bloggers collection, i don't think it will be for long. XD
Semi-precious Pearl MSF
Geo Pink CSG
Gem of Roses LS
Golden Gaze MES
Blue Sheen MES
Faux Gold MES
Smoked Ruby MES
Quartz Fusion MES
245
235
128
My wallet is SLIGHTLY happier, but since I plan on ordering more stuff from the Bloggers collection, i don't think it will be for long. XD
liba
Well-known member
Oh those shadows! It's pretty ridiculous how swatches of these are more confusing than helpful except for the sheen-only colors. I know my posts about them were pretty long-winded so here's my attempt at a Quick Guide version:
Sheen-only texture: Blue Sheen, Golden Glaze, Dark Indulgence, Smoked Ruby, Faux Gold. These will be the easiest to apply and will look the most similar in or out of the pan, wet or dry, no serious need for a base to bring out the color, no fallout.
To order them from best (most unique, wearable and day + night versatile) to least, I'd say Golden Glaze, Dark Indulgence, Faux Gold, Smoked Ruby, Blue Sheen.
Veins + sheen texture: Mineral Mode, Unsurpassable, Jade's Fortune, Rare Find, Hint of Sapphire. These go from muted when dry to subtly colored when wet to really vibrant when used with a Big Bounce shadow as a base or try some other bases and see what happens. The veins are very pigmented so look for a pan with veins on half the pan and you will be able to get a no vein color, a vein color or a mixed color out of them. Rare Find is the least veiny of all of them, but is still in this category instead of the sheen-only. There is some sparkle in all of these - Mineral Mode has the most, Rare Find has the least.
Best to least (most unique, wearable, day + night AND with good color variety in the pan is best): Hint of Sapphire, Unsurpassable, Mineral Mode, Rare Find, Jade's Fortune.
Sparkly texture: Clarity, Quartz Fusion. These have noticeable glitter. Clarity is smaller glitter but also sheer when dry. QF has large white glitter but has good color density when dry, like the sheen-only ones. Mineral Mode has glitter equal to Clarity but only in the vein parts so it goes in the other category. No best or worst - Clarity can look pale or greyer depending on how much black veining you pick. QF is a very nice pink, especially for hazel and green eyes but you may already have a color like this.
My personal favorites from each category are:
Golden Glaze - unique AND easy to apply
Unsurpassable - I got 6 totally different looks and 3 dramatically different colors out of one pan - extremely vibrant and intense with Trophy BB underneath. A brilliant green that will look good on anyone.
Clarity - beautiful sheer sparkly opalescence, like a butterfly wing - perfect when dry as a gorgeous brow highlight (especially in a pan without a lot of black)
My second favorites in each category:
Dark Indulgence - a dark green that doesn't clash with even green eyes and yellower skin, which I've always had a tough time finding. Unique.
Hint of Sapphire - you can get a variety of clear, vibrant and flattering blues, silvers and greys from this, depending on application.
Mineral Mode - since this is almost in the glittery category, but much better control, it's my 2nd pick for this category
Special mentions:
Rare Find - harder to get a variety of color out of this one and there's sparkle, but as someone else said, it's a great near-dupe for Adzuki Bean
Jade's Fortune - if you can never find a yellow that looks good on you, you'll love JF as finally a flattering solution, but you'll need care in application or it might look too grey or muddy.
Quartz Fusion - I love this color, but be aware of the big, rough white glitter - this is the one I had noticeable fallout with out of all of them.
Skippable:
Smoked Ruby - you don't need this if you have one of the brown Mega Metals
Blue Sheen - really gorgeous and might be some people's HG shimmering blue, but you might already have something good enough
Faux Gold - very pretty peachy muted copper and easy to apply, but you might have something like this already - similar in color and effect to Trophy BBshadow.
My 100% top 3 favorites are Clarity, Golden Glaze and Unsurpassable.
Good luck with these - best to go into a store and play!!!
Sheen-only texture: Blue Sheen, Golden Glaze, Dark Indulgence, Smoked Ruby, Faux Gold. These will be the easiest to apply and will look the most similar in or out of the pan, wet or dry, no serious need for a base to bring out the color, no fallout.
To order them from best (most unique, wearable and day + night versatile) to least, I'd say Golden Glaze, Dark Indulgence, Faux Gold, Smoked Ruby, Blue Sheen.
Veins + sheen texture: Mineral Mode, Unsurpassable, Jade's Fortune, Rare Find, Hint of Sapphire. These go from muted when dry to subtly colored when wet to really vibrant when used with a Big Bounce shadow as a base or try some other bases and see what happens. The veins are very pigmented so look for a pan with veins on half the pan and you will be able to get a no vein color, a vein color or a mixed color out of them. Rare Find is the least veiny of all of them, but is still in this category instead of the sheen-only. There is some sparkle in all of these - Mineral Mode has the most, Rare Find has the least.
Best to least (most unique, wearable, day + night AND with good color variety in the pan is best): Hint of Sapphire, Unsurpassable, Mineral Mode, Rare Find, Jade's Fortune.
Sparkly texture: Clarity, Quartz Fusion. These have noticeable glitter. Clarity is smaller glitter but also sheer when dry. QF has large white glitter but has good color density when dry, like the sheen-only ones. Mineral Mode has glitter equal to Clarity but only in the vein parts so it goes in the other category. No best or worst - Clarity can look pale or greyer depending on how much black veining you pick. QF is a very nice pink, especially for hazel and green eyes but you may already have a color like this.
My personal favorites from each category are:
Golden Glaze - unique AND easy to apply
Unsurpassable - I got 6 totally different looks and 3 dramatically different colors out of one pan - extremely vibrant and intense with Trophy BB underneath. A brilliant green that will look good on anyone.
Clarity - beautiful sheer sparkly opalescence, like a butterfly wing - perfect when dry as a gorgeous brow highlight (especially in a pan without a lot of black)
My second favorites in each category:
Dark Indulgence - a dark green that doesn't clash with even green eyes and yellower skin, which I've always had a tough time finding. Unique.
Hint of Sapphire - you can get a variety of clear, vibrant and flattering blues, silvers and greys from this, depending on application.
Mineral Mode - since this is almost in the glittery category, but much better control, it's my 2nd pick for this category
Special mentions:
Rare Find - harder to get a variety of color out of this one and there's sparkle, but as someone else said, it's a great near-dupe for Adzuki Bean
Jade's Fortune - if you can never find a yellow that looks good on you, you'll love JF as finally a flattering solution, but you'll need care in application or it might look too grey or muddy.
Quartz Fusion - I love this color, but be aware of the big, rough white glitter - this is the one I had noticeable fallout with out of all of them.
Skippable:
Smoked Ruby - you don't need this if you have one of the brown Mega Metals
Blue Sheen - really gorgeous and might be some people's HG shimmering blue, but you might already have something good enough
Faux Gold - very pretty peachy muted copper and easy to apply, but you might have something like this already - similar in color and effect to Trophy BBshadow.
My 100% top 3 favorites are Clarity, Golden Glaze and Unsurpassable.
Good luck with these - best to go into a store and play!!!
