Finally got to test TT. But they didn't have Lust in or the lip pencils or the new 159 brush. And i couldn't find my camera, so no photos. Sorry. It's Saturday and so my local MAC was jumpin'. Someone was getting their makeup done in "the back room", so they kindly put all the TT products they had in a basket and let me test them by some showcase shelves on the main floor. It was a little awkward so i didn't get to do the kind of test i would have liked, but at least i got to see them.
First, let me say:
--- Blushes and MSFs are not glittery - shiney, a little sparkly even, but NO glitter, so if you do not like glitter, these are well worth testing.
--- Eyeshadows, on the other hand arm, are varied, some quite glittery, although fall-out levels vary, and some are only minimally glittery.
BLUSHES
You can definitely get the colors out individually or blend; while they are not exactly halfsies, the colors are pretty well separated with a few curls of each extending into the other.
Exotic Ember is at its essence orange and brown. The orange looks pretty matte to me, while the brown has a lovely bronze-y sheen. On my pale skin it does look a bit muddy, but i suspect on olive or darker skin it won't look so muddy. You may be able to wear one half as an orange-y blush or the other as a bronze-y blush.
Simmer is rosey-peachy, probably wearable on many skin tones, depending on how much you put on. At one angle both colors look matte and at another angle they have a lovely sheen. On my arm, at least, the sheen is close to the color of the blush, with a hint of gold. I might get this... haven't decided.
Sweet Samba is a rich pink and a shimmery tan that is somehow both warm and cool. It does not at all look muddy or dirty on me. The pink looks matte at one angle and has a lovely sheen at another. The tan seems to have a sheen at every angle. Blended together, the tan mutes the pink a bit. And the tan may work alone as a highlighter. This is the one i'm definitely getting.
MSFs
First, as i said, they didn't have Lust. Second, I cannot do them justice since i could only swipe them on my arm, not my face. Third, i was using my 128 Split Fibre Brush which worked ok, but probably not optimally. So either by design or because of my brush, the MSFs did not go on as intensely as i thought they should, i just don't want anyone to be disappointed. They may be wearable as blush for the very pale, but if you're medium or darker they are not likely to work as blush, but rather as color enhancer.
Rio is muted pink with bronzey and pearl shimmer. Adored came out a brighter, but still muted, coral. Both have color and sheen that changes at different angles and in different lights. On my skin they are clearly different. I haven't made up my mind which i want - i still need to test Lust.
EYE SHADOWS
They had all the shadows. I tested them from lightest to darkest. All have fine glitter, some had more annoying glitter, as i will note. All seem to be somewhat striated, so it's likely you can get each color out separately if you want to.
Dare to Bare - It may be "just another cream" as another reviewer said, but, well, i love it. In the pan it is creamy ivory and pale cool lavender. It goes on smoothly, the lavender gives a hint of color in some lights, and the sheen is ever so slightly pinkish. This is a very basic color for me, the kind i wear daily. I'm definitely getting this one.
Caribbean - i love pink eye shadows, but not this one. It was dry and the color went on patchy. At first, all i could see was the coppery glitter. I don't hate it, but it is definitely not at the top of my list.
Tropica - first you broke my heart by not being a lip liner. But you made up of it by being beautiful. It's a light-medium cool lavender with a lovely blue duochrome sheen. It went on smoothly with good coverage. Glitter is minimal. To me, this is the very best of the e/s in this collection. You are forgiven, come to Mama!
Time to Tango - Blended this is a warm mauve-y/taupe-y lavender. It is almost neutral, so i think it will be very versatile. It has glitter, but it seems to enhance rather than detract from the shadow.
Cha-cha-cha - The chartreuse-yellow part was not as pigmented as i hoped, and the dark part was, well, dark, and not very distinct. Blended it made a dark khaki green. It was minimally glittery. I did not find it exciting.
Bossa Blue - I wasn't really sold on the colors to begin with, but i like to give everything a try. You never know when something will be a pleasant surprise. Sadly, this was not one of those. Both colors went on dry and patchy individually, and they were quite difficult to blend. It has minimal glitter, although the dark cerulean blue has some sheen. On me it just looked kinda dirty. Down to the bottom of the list you go.
LIP PRODUCTS
I did not test all the Cremesheen Glasses. In the tube Fever Isle looks bright reddish coral and Calypso Beat looks light peach. Japanese Spring is a cool pale milky pink.
I did test Narcissus. It is similar to other magenta-pink purple lip glosses that have come out recently. It is a creme with no shimmer or glitter. I hope it stays on my arm long enough for me to compare it with some others. Because i have a few of them (Heroine, Mirrored Plum), and it is pinker than i like, i'm skipping it.
And i did test Midnight Mambo. I am a fan of the Mineralize Lipstick formula. MM is definitely NOT "Intense violet", as MAC describes it. In the tube it looks like a dark purple-plum. But on the lips it is so much lighter. It is yet another of those blue-y pink-y magentas that MAC has made so many of lately. If you love this color - and can't get enough - or want to give the Mineralize formula a try - you may want to add this to your lipstick library.
