MAC - Semi Precious Discussion

[LittleMaryJane]

My counter was empty when I went too... There was just one girl who was new to MAC checking out the perm. shadows. It was nice because I've noticed rude customers more than once at this counter--they just knock you out of their way if they want something and so I didn't have to be on the defensive today, haha, "don't come between me and my mac!"

 

[elegant-one]

Liba -

Exactly on your description of GOR

 

[UrbanSweetheart]

yea I heard about that too! It's pretty interesting & very cool, I think

I read that they are baked on tiles in Italy for 24 h. Here is a blog on a depotted MSF which says "Made in Italy since 1982" on the bottom: http://thoughtsandotherfloatythings.blogspot.com/2011/05/depotting-my-mac-mineralize-skin-finish.html

 

[katred]

Well, I sauntered out to make my purchases today. I got three of the lipsticks, because I had a bunch of trades. I don't know if I would have paid full price for them, with the exception of One of a Kind, which is really underrated. I agree with Liba's comment that MA is mostly indistinguishable from Cunning. Great for me, since I wear shades like that all the time, so now I have a kind of a backup (or a lighter/ sheerer version). After swatching and re-swatching the shadows, I ended up with two:

Smoked Ruby, which I swore I wasn't going to get because it would be a dupe of Armani's Lust Red. Turns out, it isn't. Lust Red looks almost magenta next to Smoked Ruby and I'm confident I'll be able to give them both some love. It's like Twinks' ebony-encrusted cousin. Very beautiful.

Unsurpassable- I really haven't seen a green like this before and I'm quite enchanted.

There's certainly lots for people to check out and the quality seems pretty good on everything. My big qualm with the shadows is that, since I've now checked out four different sets of testers, the differences between individual units of some of the shades (Clarity, I'm looking at you) are HUGE. They can be different enough that they wouldn't come close to passing as dupes for each other. Generally, the more colours that go into a single shadow, the bigger this issue becomes. The black-based shades all seem very consistent and the busier the final product, the more uniformity becomes an issue.

I feel like I might have hit burnout level with this collection. Even the products that I find really nice don't excite me tremendously. (Then again, I think I had the same reaction to In the Groove last year, so maybe it's a mineral collection thing.) I'm happy with what I got and I'm content to sit back and wait for the Fall collections.

I'll upload swatches into the appropriate thread shortly. I've also reviewed everything on my blog:

http://morelikespace.blogspot.com/2011/07/making-faces-product-review-mac-semi.html

Happy hauling everyone!

 

[LittleMaryJane]

Unsurpassable- I really haven't seen a green like this before and I'm quite enchanted.

I felt the same way. I had never, at any point, had Unsurpassable on my list but when I swatched it in person it looked so pretty and special I had to have it!

 

[Icecaramellatte]

I totally agree with you. If I keep coming back, I usually end up buying more stuff. I like your strategy of going straight back and then complete the haul. Buying in bits and pieces comes always more expensive - at least in my case.
I was surprised, too, that I was the only customer at the (f/s) store. I stayed for an hour and I was the only one! I went there right when they opened as I anticipated more crowds - like it was the case for other releases - but it was extremely quiet. This was good for me as I had the whole collection to myself, including the MUA who patiently helped me to find my perfect veining.

I was so nervous about having to go in the afternoon but as I was getting ready to leave, it got really crowded. Except for a party, I've never seen that many people in this particular store before.

 

[mousygiggles]

I went to 3 counters today and ran into the same issues with the variance in colors in the MES. I finally settled on a Hint of Sapphire and a Clarity that I loved. In all I got a Quartz Fusion, Hint of Sapphire, Clarity, Pearl MSF, Gem of Roses, Rose Quartz, and Gem of Roses. I am trying to decide on the brushes...and a return trip. For the bad, the black can seriously overpower the MES and Crystal Pink is just meh. It was a glitter bomb and the testers I saw swatched similar to Rose Quartz when they were swirled so I passed. I love this collection way more than I thought I would and the online swatches are nothing compared to in person.

 

[luvlydee]

i got my stuff today. i actually want golden gaze now but i dont have the money to be spending right now so im wondering how close the color is to Laura Mercier Baked eyeshadow in Black Karat because at least i would have time to get my money together and there is no rush

 

[dxgirly]

I want to get like two more MES, but I don't know which ones to get? What is everyone feeling as their favorite? I already picked up Dark Indulgence and Golden Gaze.... but I want more!

 

[Teggy]

I was pleasantly surprised today. SP made me very skeptical because the cheek stuff looked too warm for me and the MESes that interested me were ones I already had dupes of.

Feeling Flush: I wasn't sure if I needed ANOTHER pink blush, but what separated it from my beloved Hang Loose and Sakura is that this has a matte finish. It reminds me of the flush I get from wearing BOA, but just a different color. It shows up on my NC15/20 skin very easily. As long as I don't overdo it, it looks very feminine and pretty. Of course, the first thing I did was overdo it. I didn't mean to! Also, like a lot of other mineralize blushes, you will have a lot of fallout in the pot, but hey, it's not like you can't still use that stuff.

Rose Quartz MSF: I wanted to love this one, but I was skeptical...however I was pleasantly surprised. I was hoping for something cool-toned, even though I knew I wouldn't get it. Bronzers look silly on me, but RQ is a very sheer, warm-toned pink with lots of fine gold sparkle! I can have a summer shimmer! What I'm really interested in doing is trying this over Feeling Flush as a highlight.

Clarity: Wait, what? How did this get in my bag? This shadow didn't catch my eye until I swatched it on my hand. It's...um...taupe-green-pink-sparkle something? Just really...unusual. But it's one of those colors that is neutral enough to go with anything. I may change my mind about this though....

 

[clslvr6spd]

I might have my bf add Faux Gold MES to my haul when he picks up my pre-order! All this talk & me going over the swatches of it again, just looks & sounds amazing!

Elegant/Momma, what was your haul?

 

[tismama]

@mrsb- thank you!!

 

[liba]

My big qualm with the shadows is that, since I've now checked out four different sets of testers, the differences between individual units of some of the shades (Clarity, I'm looking at you) are HUGE. They can be different enough that they wouldn't come close to passing as dupes for each other. Generally, the more colours that go into a single shadow, the bigger this issue becomes. The black-based shades all seem very consistent and the busier the final product, the more uniformity becomes an issue.


Happy hauling everyone!

This is so true - Jade's Fortune was the biggest culprit - Some were mostly black and the one I picked up was mostly bright yellow with a giant blob of lapis blue, some lime and no black in sight on the top layer ( it seemed like deeper down there was going to be some, though). Clarity was the other perpetrator - if I hadn't looked at 10 of them lined up in a row, I would have never known some have brilliant teal veins. Some were mostly copper and then some were mostly black.

I guess you have to not care about a single, consistent color with the heavily veined ones, because I'm sure as you use them, the entire color palette of your pan is going to change drastically - like Willy Wonka candy that changes into different tastes the longer you suck it.

If you want to know that what you are buying is what you will always have to the bottom of the pan, I'd steer clear of half of these MES or more. If you love the surprise, though, this shit is bananas.

 

[emarie]

I decided to pick up the other two MSFs.
So my final haul for this collection is
-Gem of Roses
-Rose Quartz MSF
-Pearl MSF
-Crystal Pink MSF
-Goldstone MSF

Now I'm ready for fall collections.

 

[clslvr6spd]

Is Faux Gold pretty close to the copper color in the Spiced Chocolate quad? Now that I am looking at swatches it reminds me of it, please help! lol.

 

[sss215]

I saw the collection today and it was ok to me. Clarity was a beautiful color, but its so glittery, so I had to pass. On my lids it ended up being this light green teal blue grey color, really pretty, but the glitter just attaches to my oily/glowy skin and i just can't. I need this color glitter free! Blue Sheen is hot and on my list, but taking a back seat to the restock of the bloggers collection... that is priority first.

The brushes, for the most part meh. The 234 is flat, i get the 217 comparison, but it is not round where the bristles meet the ferruls like a 217. Its also not as densely packed like the 217. Its a total pass, soft, but no weight to it, i couldn't really get my blend on with it. The 235 is a great shape, great for a all over wash of color, which is what i love my 227 for. I like the 235 more because my lid space is smaller and the 235 is great. My only concern is that the split fiber thing is not really doing anything special. I am not sure what its suppose to deliver, but like i've read online, its all about the shape. Again, for 30 bucks it can stay in the store a bit longer for me. The 128 is the same shape as a loew cornell brush I have, so there is nothing special there.

A thought about the veining. What you see on the top is not completly throughout the entire pan. The MA told me the colors are very unique, as she rubbed the color off with her fingers (gasp!) you could instantly see that the color combinations vary and change throughout the product, especially with colors like Clarity, Jade's Fortune, and Unsurpassable. Colors like Blue Sheen and Smoked Ruby are more true throughout. Blue Sheen and Smoked Ruby are also a little more glitter free, a plus for me.

Musky Amethyst is alot more red than Cunning. Cunning is more purple.

 

[clslvr6spd]

I am debating on Clarity & Golden Gaze as well. Clarity seems to be hit or miss for people, but I already got Jades Fortune, so do I really need them both since they kinda seem similar?
Golden Gaze does look AMAZING, I already have Gilt by Association...from pictures GG has a stronger gold sheen to it than GBA & I only use it has a crease definer. I just don't know if I would GG all that much...

 

[Allura Beauty]

Spiced Chocolate is more orange and vibrant than Faux Gold.

Is Faux Gold pretty close to the copper color in the Spiced Chocolate quad? Now that I am looking at swatches it reminds me of it, please help! lol.

 

[Allura Beauty]

My Jade's Fortune and Clarity are nothing alike. My Jade's has a bunch of lime green; Clarity has no green.

I am debating on Clarity & Golden Gaze as well. Clarity seems to be hit or miss for people, but I already got Jades Fortune, so do I really need them both since they kinda seem similar?
Golden Gaze does look AMAZING, I already have Gilt by Association...from pictures GG has a stronger gold sheen to it than GBA & I only use it has a crease definer. I just don't know if I would GG all that much...

 

[OctoberViolet]

I received my order this evening when I got home. I only bought Hint of Sapphire e/s which is beautiful!!!! I also bought Gem of Roses & One of a Kind l/s. Both are very pretty, but very neutral. Which is fine with me. They will be my daily wear lipsticks for the summer. I wanted to play with my e/s, but my apt. is sweltering and I'm a sweaty mess. Sorry guys. I didn't mean to make you go eew this evening. Hopefully, I'll be able to wear them tomorrow for work.