The MAC Makeup Thread

[miu_miu]

^It was out on thursday at my local counter, and online too. HK Kouture will be out in a few weeks but only in Harrods I believe

 

[XxpinktinksxX]

Only at Harrods?

 

[fashionista-ta]

I know MAC doesn't approve of their products being sold on eBay (of course, they want everyone to buy from them ), so I would imagine use of their pix is not allowed. It sounds like they have someone checking the MAC auctions ... eBay staff wouldn't do that I don't think.

 

[goregeous]

The grand duos look so pretty, especially hot rock and moon river, does anyone know if they're limited or permanent?

 

[Trista]

I know MAC doesn't approve of their products being sold on eBay (of course, they want everyone to buy from them ), so I would imagine use of their pix is not allowed. It sounds like they have someone checking the MAC auctions ... eBay staff wouldn't do that I don't think.

When I worked retail, there were people employed in home office just to patrol eBay. They were looking for things such as employees selling fixtures and products that are for in-store use only, but probably also copyrighted images. People who are PRO-card members who sell on eBay can lose their membership, and at the outlets, you pretty much have to agree that you are buying the products for your use or for bonafide gift purchases-not to resell. Of course, many rarer products can and will end up on eBay. The prices for the Manish Arora stuff are insane. But yes, most companies hate having their products sold on eBay.

I think the issue is two things: first, copyrighted images, and second, the fact that many cases where the stock photo is used are when it's a fake being sold. Of course, yours isn't, but still.

 

[lucy92]

i think its another seller that is selling the same exact item that reported you, Guessgirl96.

 

[xxilovepinkxx]

PinkxTinks, you could also buy online

 

[Trista]

Okay I went to Nordie's today to pick up a Grand Duos blush and they had Sugarsweet out for preview! Let me tell you, there is some gorgeous stuff, and these are my honest opinions. (I didn't review Penny or the permanent shades)

Refined MSF: This is absolutely gorgeous. It's a bronze, beige, and coral melange with low shimmer. This is definitely VERY warm, as I applied it with a168 and it was a nice, orange-y topping for my blush (Spaced Out). I honestly like it way better than Perfect Topping, there has not been an MSF like this. I would also try buffing this on, but the girl at the counter was busy so I didn't get to ask her for a 182.
Perfect Topping MSF: I was a little bit let down. Sure, it's gorgeous, and also low on the shimmer, but still moreso than Refined. I think all skin types will like this, it's one that could be a blush but is way better as a highlight.
Aquavert: There isn't a permanent colour like this, at least not with the texture-it's like butter. If there is one absolute must-have from this collection, Aquavert is it.
Dear Cupcake: It's pretty much Sushi Flower meets Playful. If you have either of those two shadows, you can skip this, and if you don't want to shell out an arm and a leg for Playful this can suffice.
Sugarshot: It's a lustre, and it had SO much shimmer that I would not go for it.
Sweet Thing: This looks almost to be more of a glaze than a lustre, but this is nice. Think a bit warmer than Girl About Town, a bit more toned down, and with silver shimmer.
Saint Germain: It's definitely a pale pink, and it's an amplified cream. It would be a good lipstick to use with a variety of lipglasses, but I am warmer so on its own, I wouldn't go there.
Lollipop Lovin': This is the same as the Heatherette version, although it seemed to be a bit brighter to me. It's a pale nude-coral with green iridescent shimmer.
Bubbles: Pretty boring, it's a white glaze.
Red Velvet: AMAZING!!! If you love pinks, you will love this, as it is probably the same colour as Dear Cupcake, if not brighter. I will definitely be getting this.
Cakeshop: This is a greyish olive-green with a lot of silver shimmer. If you love neutral shades, this may be a fun addition to your collection.
Butternutty: I would have to say that this is a frosty champagne. It would be a good colour to use on the lid with a bright in the crease and outer third.
Lemon Chiffon: This isn't really THAT yellow-think a very, VERY pale butter colour. Still nice though!

The lipglasses are fairly boring to me, with the exception of Tasty, and even then it isn't THAT fun. The nail polishes are kinda nice-Peppermint Patty is a mint-green.

As for the Grand Duos, I got Love Rock. Most of the shades are gorgeous, I also want Moon River, Intenso, and Hot Planet-and MAYBE Grand Duo.

 

[sojou]

I'm tempted by the grand duos but I bought a fair amount of HK, I honestly can't keep up with MAC and their LE/new releases, I ought to have an amnesty and stop checking the site because it's so hard to resist

.

 

[Trista]

I mean, the Grand Duos are probably going to be a bit overlooked at first because a) they're $22.50, b) they're coming RIGHT BEFORE Sugarsweet, and c) most people are Hello Kitty-d out. I didn't spend a lot on HK, so the Grand Duos definitely got me. I'm trying to cut down on Sugarsweet, and trying to tell myself that between next week and May I'm only going to be getting my Sugarsweet items. I am definitely getting Aquavert, Red Velvet, and Refined. I would get Sweet Thing but having BOTH Hollywood Nights and Girl About Town makes it less useful.

 

[Suburban Snob]

Thanks Trista for the report. I've been shying away from MAC lately bc of Hello Kitty but I think I do have my eye on a few things from SugarSweet!

 

[Trista]

The ironic thing is that most of us MAC fanatics shied away from HK, but at the Nordie's I went to, all they had left were the plush, the lashes, two of the glitter liners (the pink and the white), the glitters, the beauty powders, and Strayin'. The full selection of Kouture stuff was still available though. Just goes to show, HK was a very commercial collection. Sure, when HK gets to the outlet, I am going crazy because I still do want the Too Dolly quad, Nice Kitty, Tippy, Popster, Fun & Games, Milk, and maybe Fashion Mews. But as far as had-to-have-them items, I only got three.

I also was able to cut down my Rose Romance wants to the two beauty powders because the lip stuff is bleh (except Magnetique, and I can get that at the outlet) and the eye stuff isn't interesting either. My birthday is the 2nd of May, so it's nice to have two big collections out around that time so that I can ask for specific items, or at least giftcards.

 

[Trista]

Alrighty after trying out Love Rock on a bare face, I do have to say that yes, it is bright, but not as bright as it may seem. It is a sort of flushed, just been running kind of pink. This is best applied with a 109 or a 188 because they have smaller heads, and with a blush like this you want a really small head for the mono shade. I do have to say though, it is PRETTY on the eyes. This isn't a case of I'd use a blush instead of eyeshadow if I was REALLY cramped on time-this is a case of a blush I would CHOOSE to use as a shadow.

 

[Guessgirl96]

aquavert sounds really nice and definitely one I want. I usually use anastasia brow gel but they all kind of seem the same to me so I got it at mac while I was already there. Too bad I threw away the packaging since I really dont like it - the product collects around the ends of the brush and then smudges all over the place unless I wipe it off first, but it's kind of a hassle and wastes a lot.

 

[Trista]

I am definitely needing some because I can't go and get my brows done for awhile-I've been tweezing instead of waxing and one of the nice things they do where I used to go get them waxed was they trimmed them shorter. I'm too scared to do it myself though...

But yes, I agree most are the same. I would definitely see if Revlon had any since that's one thing I will skimp on. I'd rather use a clear stick-form brow thingy because it's less mess that way.

 

[fashionista-ta]

When I worked retail, there were people employed in home office just to patrol eBay. They were looking for things such as employees selling fixtures and products that are for in-store use only, but probably also copyrighted images. People who are PRO-card members who sell on eBay can lose their membership, and at the outlets, you pretty much have to agree that you are buying the products for your use or for bonafide gift purchases-not to resell. Of course, many rarer products can and will end up on eBay. The prices for the Manish Arora stuff are insane. But yes, most companies hate having their products sold on eBay.

I think the issue is two things: first, copyrighted images, and second, the fact that many cases where the stock photo is used are when it's a fake being sold. Of course, yours isn't, but still.

Thanks for confirming that.

Are there really fakes out there? It just seems like not worth faking for so little $$. Everything I've eBayed has been the real thing (I only do it when I can't get it at the store, either discontinued or LE).

I use Rimmel brow stuff based on a recommendation here--it's much better than MAC. I refuse to go to Walmart, so I get it at drugstore.com. I saw something about a Diorshow brow product--does anyone know if they still make it? I also saw a writeup recently of another one I want to try ...

 

[GasolineRainbow]

I love MAC and all, but it has some disturbing cult-like consumers. Some get obsessed with a certain item, and are willing to shell out 10 times the retail price for it, hence the Ebay fakes. MAC caught on to the profitworthy "cult item" madness a long time ago, why do you think they churn out so many limited editions? It's interesting that Ebay sort of beat them at their own game, at least for a while.

I'm eyeing a lipglass from Hello Kitty, but I hate lipglasses. I've heard that the formula has been improved, is this noticeable?

Ta-ta, check out the recent posts on the "Blonde Hair" thread. Someone gave raves for a brow product by Bobbi Brown.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Thanks for the tip

I've paid a couple dollars more on eBay, sometimes less than retail, which is nice (since you have to pay shipping) ... 10x, I don't think so ... I have discovered that makeup doesn't really change your life

Now that you mention it, I think it has improved. There are so many different formulas though besides lipglass, it's hard to keep track I have found the very best thing is to keep your hair short enough that it can't get stuck in your lipgloss That's the only thing that really, really bugs me. That & when your hair also whips across your glasses and leaves them smudged with lipgloss

 

[Trista]

Thanks for confirming that.

Are there really fakes out there? It just seems like not worth faking for so little $$. Everything I've eBayed has been the real thing (I only do it when I can't get it at the store, either discontinued or LE).

I use Rimmel brow stuff based on a recommendation here--it's much better than MAC. I refuse to go to Walmart, so I get it at drugstore.com. I saw something about a Diorshow brow product--does anyone know if they still make it? I also saw a writeup recently of another one I want to try ...

I refuse to go to Wal-Mart as well...I would also do ULTA or Sephora brand, since they're nice and cheap.

As far as fakes go, there are a LOT of nasty ones and there are some users who are well-known dealers of fakes-one who even threatens retribution if you report her. A lot of the most common ones are cream eyeshadow palettes, anything with a sponge-tip applicator, an eyeshadow pot that opens on the bottom to reveal an applicator and mirror, pigments, glitters, you name it, it's been faked. I have eBayed many items but I make sure to use the most reputable sellers, as many of my items are from a few years ago (Gem eyes palette, Angelcake shadow, Marigold glitter, Silly Girl lipglass, Glissade MSF, Oh Garnet lipstick). I usually pay right around retail-for some things more (Silly Girl I paid $18 for), and some less (Oh Garnet was $14 shipped, Light Flush was under $20 shipped).

I never tried any of the HK lipglasses, but the word was that they indeed had reformulated a bit.

The thing about the LE collections is that a lot of times, things just get redone and redone so many times. I've noticed that of the next three big colour collections, two have a significant number of permanent items and repromotes, and one is a small colour collection because there's also fragrance and bodycare. The quality has gone down in recent years, I'm afraid, for many things.

 

[jjbunny79]

I tried Moon River mineral blush from Grand Duo, the colour is nice but it leaves a greasyish finish on my skin, which I don't like.
Is there any blush out there that has a similar colour but not that shimmery?! (cream, gel or powder it doesnt matter)