[Review] Make Up Forever Aqua Shadow

 

Please note that this product was sent to me by Make Up Forever for review purpose. However, this is my honest opinion.

 Say hello to the latest addition of Make Up Forever Aqua line, it's Aqua Shadow!

Aqua Shadow is a waterproof eyeshadow pencil with extra colored pigments and long lasting hold, containing a generous jumbo tip. It is both waterproof and long-lasting, resists seawater, chlorinated water and rubbing. And for the pros, this is the promise of fast results an withstand the extreme conditions of the stage or the heat of fashion show.

Despite what the product claims to be, I tested this product based on my daily needs, and that exclude contact with seawater or chlorinated water. Nobody goes to the beach in Jakarta and I don't swim with eyeshadows on, in fact I'm not really fond of swimming. However, wearing waterproof and long-lasting makeup never hurts.

Make Up Forever sent me Aqua Shadow in 24E but I decided to add a more wearable color to my collection and purchased 20E as well. 24E is a sheer pink color with gold shimmer whereas 20E is taupe with silver shimmer. This is basically cream eyeshadow in pencil form. To me that's a promise to practicality. The fat wide tip is helpful for fast application when I am in a rush. Specifically, 20E has been my favorite color for daily basis lately. The color itself mimics the color of my lid so it doesn't really look like I have makeup on. But it's the silver shimmer the really brightens up my eyes. 

In general, I love the texture of this eyeshadow. It's creamy and soft enough that I could just gently pat it to get enough color on my lid - no tugging required! - yet it's not too soft that it saved me from transferring too much product upon application. However, 24E is a little bit more on a drier side. It's doesn't transfer color as easily as 20E.

Aqua Shadow can be used as either eyeshadow or eyeshadow base. I really enjoy wearing this alone on my lid with no primer. And thankfully they don't crease. Yay! The longevity is awesomeness. I put this on the morning and it stays until evening. It does fade a little bit, but it leaves enough pigments on my lid. And I think that's acceptable. As for the waterproof claim, given my lack experience around water and heat, I tried to put the eyeshadow on my lid and rub it vigorously, and here's how the result looks like.

On the left is how the eyeshadow looks like after I rub it with water. As you can see, there are still some pigments left.

By the way, I tried the one with matte finish at MUFE counter, and that one didn't really meet my expectation as well as the shimmery ones I have. It smudged underneath my eyes after only three hours. But it was just my first impression, so don't really rely on my thought about the mattes. I'm still looking for reviews to convince me to buy the matte ones, as the colors are so beautiful.

The application is easy. you can either rub the product to the tip of your finger and then apply it on your lids. Or simply apply the pencil directly to the lid. Make sure to build the color, instead of applying too much product all at once. You'll have enough time to blend the color before it sets. If you want to layer it, wait until the first layer dries, and the add another layer. Here I included a video on how I use Aqua Shadow.

 And here's the swatches of the products:

MUFE Aqua Shadows consists of 12 colors with 7 shimmery finish and 5 mattes. It retails for IDR 250k.

[Review] theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer AKA "The Lumanizer"

Hi guys!

I think it's about time for me to introduce you to my current favorite highlighter (I wanted to say 'ever' but I'm not ready to settle just yet :P). So yeah, I didn't come up with many FOTD entries lately so you probably never noticed this highlighter in my blog. But I really am in love with theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer. Umm.. before you say anything about the name, let me just say that I've never been a fan of theBalm punny names myself, but it comes in a package. So I'll just take it as it is.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer is a compact highlighter. I'm not good at describing color but I'll take it as champagne color with warm undertone. The texture, OH THE TEXTURE!! Seriously it's finely milled, so soft and when I touch it, it feels moist on my fingers. The application is super easy with no crumbly mess. A little bit goes a really long way and with the amount of the product, I don't even know when will I ever finished this. Not that I ever finished up a makeup product before, but just bear with me.

The result is nothing but satisfactory. It blends very well on my skin and really compliments my skintone. Nothing frosty, as it subtly  reflects on my complexion the way sunlight reflects on water (the fact that I just described it like that is a sign that I've been reading too many Cassandra Clare's), if you know what I mean. One thing I have to point out about this highlighter that it is very pigmented. You might not notice it unless you're under certain lighting. But the best advice I could give you would be, "Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it's not there." So, stop piling up! Otherwise you'd leave the house looking like Photoshop filter gone wrong. Take time to check on your complexion under appropriate lighting. Or if you're too lazy, just don't apply the highlighter more than two layers.

Below is my FOTD wearing  Mary-Lou Manizer under bright sunlight. As I said, the highlight is very noticeable. I personally love the result. I've been using my Real Techniques Contour Brush fro their Core Collection and it does the job very well.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer retails for $24.

[Review] Revlon Age Defying Foundation

• This product was sent to me by Revlon for review purpose. However, this is my honest opinion.
• While trying this, I am currently on Accutane. This means, I my skin is very dry at the moment and the verdict of the review might be bias. I usually write my review based on my oily-combination skin, so the performance might be different. Once I’m done with my treatment and I notice a different result of the product, I will update this review

Hi guys!

So here's another review of Revlon latest collection. I'm sure you've seen this foundation in their counter lately. It's their Age Defying with DNA Advantage Cream Makeup. This foundation claims to combine makeup and anti aging skincare to help protect skin's DNA to fight the signs of aging.

At the moment, I don't really have aging problems that I need to deal with. Yes, I know that it is important to prevent rather than to fix the problem. But right now I'm too busy fixing my breakout, instead of aging signs. Besides, if the product claims to fix aging signs by providing UV-rays protection, I  might as well write about sunscreen. I always say that I don't care about skincare effect in my makeup and always treat makeup as it is, which is makeup and not skincare.

Revlon Age Defying Foundation comes in a transparent plastic bottle mimicking the shape of DNA strands. Nice touch. It also comes with a pump and everybody loves foundation that comes with a pump! Spare us from messy makeup application.

This is a cream foundation. It has a light buttery texture that spreads easily. I don't understand why Revlon keeps infusing all of their complexion products with shimmer, especially for a foundation that's targeted for mature skin. Just like the infamous Photoready, this, too, has shimmer. BUT at least the shimmer is more obscure. It gives the skin just enough dewy radiant look, minus the vampire-shine. As much I enjoy blending the buttery texture, this foundation slips and melts easily. My skin is currently very dry so I can still get away with this foundation without powdering it. However, in general, it is recommended to set this with powder. Piece of advice., though, don't set it using dry translucent powder (like HD powder) as the dry finish only accentuates the shimmer. Happened to me.

Due to the buttery texture, I prefer to apply this with dense brush to help set the foundation on my skin. I use Sigma F80 or Real Techniques Expert Face brush. I tried damped sponge but it just wiped away the foundation from my face. And the regular paddle foundation brush only left me with streaky finish. I didn't try applying it using my stippling brush because my skin is really flaky right now, the brush will only enhance the flakiness. I use patting motion when applying this foundation.

How the foundation looks like before powder.

The coverage is light and can be built to medium-light coverage. As you can see, my acne scars is pretty noticeable underneath it. I actually love how light this foundation feels on my skin. I thought this foundation would be a great option for daily foundation. Unfortunately it falls short in terms longevity. It melts easily. Right now I could eliminate oil as the culprit, but this foundation easily melts when contact with sweat. And when I try to pat the sweat, the foundation transferred and left me with patchy looking complexion. That's too bad.

My shade is Medium Beige (25) and it matches me perfectly. But then again, the coverage makes the shade selection quite forgivable. Medium Beige is medium dark with warm undertone, and for all I know is the darkest shade available. By the way, this might be a sponsored review, but Revlon sent me Fresh Ivory (05) which, ironically, is the lightest shade available. So, in order to to come up with this review, I decided to purchase the right shade on my own. There are five shades available for this foundation.

Left: Medium Beige; Right: Fresh Ivory

Overall, I've been wearing this foundation a lot lately just for the sake of the lightweight feeling. Mostly to places where I know I won't be sweating a lot, which is not so hard considering I'm exposed to air conditioner almost 24 hours a day. I have compact powder ready to handle the melting issue in the middle of the day. When my skin is dry, like now, this foundation is okay. However I don't see myself wearing this once I'm done with Accutane and back to my usual oily combination skin.

Revlon Age Defying Foundation is available at Revlon counters and retails for IDR 145k.

[Review] Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara Multi-Dimensionnel

Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara Multi-Dimensionnel. Wow. Try to say that three times, fast. Seriously, what's with the mouthful name? Nevertheless, I've been wearing this mascara a lot lately, without even knowing the name. It promises everything a mascara could give. Waterproof. Volume. Length. Curl. Separation.

My first encounter with this mascara was three years ago. I borrowed my aunt's all the time while I was traveling so in the end, knowing that Chanel is not available in Indonesia, she gave me. What really impressed me the first time I tried this mascara was how easy it is to use. The applicator is made out of plastic with thin staggering bristles. Makes it really easy to brush through my lashes and separates perfectly.

The texture of the mascara is not too dry, so it gives enough time to work with and doesn't clump. It really does lengthen my eyelashes. Also, mine is in the color 'Noir' and I love the jet black color. The result is very natural, as if I was born with it. Love it!

Speaking about the curl and volume effects, keep in mind that this mascara is not going to automatically curl your lashes. It does hold curl but I still have to use eyelash curler prior to application. It's also not as volumizing as I'd expected. I mean, the effect didn't really wow me (then again, L'oreal Volume Shocking Mascara  set a rather high bar in terms of volume). But at least the color of the mascara is black enough to give the illusion of full lashes.

This mascara was given to me, so I'm not sure how much it retails. I checked on Chanel USA website, and all Chanel mascaras retail for $30 which is kind of pricey for a daily makeup product. However if you managed to get your hand on this mascara, this would look pretty perfect on daily basis.

[Review] Revlon ColorStay™ Crème Gel Liner

ColorStay™ Crème Gel Eye Liner is one of Revlon latest collection and for all I know is Revlon’s first cream eyeliner. Revlon claims this liner to be

• Easily glides to create delicate to dramatic lines
• Waterproof.
• Smudge proof
• Last for 24 hours
• Bold and pigmented color

All rational claims for eyeliner, except the last-for-24-hours part. But then again, why would anyone want to wear eyeliner for 24 hours, I can hardly understand. Before I start, allow me to note something,

• I didn’t test this eyeliner for 24 hours. Then again, I don’t need my eyeliner to last for 24 hours.
• This product was sent to me by Revlon for review purpose. However, this is my honest opinion.
• While trying this, I am currently on Accutane. This means, I my skin is very dry at the moment and the verdict of the review might be bias. I usually write my review based on my oily-combination skin, so the performance might be different. Once I’m done with my treatment and I notice a different result of the product, I will update this review

This eyeliner comes in a glass pot with lid that reminds me of chess pawn. It’s apparently an attached brush applicator. Okay, that’s one point for being practical. All these times, one thing that holds me from wearing gel eyeliner is the fact that I have to buy and keep the applicator separately. But with this packaging, you can carry the applicator along with the liner and keep it clean. It's very easy to use as well. Just attach the base of the applicator and you get an ergonomically appropriate applicator.

 I'm glad that Revlon really put some thought to the applicator. It really works! Not just some crappy applicator that usually comes with beauty product. It's flat with wide surface and it also has enough density. I can easily create thin or thick line, and no tugging required. Impressive! Just a reminder though, this might be just an attached applicator but do treat it like your individual brush. And by that, I mean, don't forget to wash the applicator regularly. You don't want to accumulate bacterias and then use it to apply product on your eyes.

The color I got is Brown. I'd describe it as neutral brown with silver flecks. I think brown eyeliner is appropriate on daily basis. I love how the brown color turns out on me. It blends very well with my skintone. Unlike black that can look too harsh so I have to apply eyeliner in between my lashes, with brown I can settle with just single line on my lashes and the result looks very natural. Again, appropriate on daily basis, especially in a rush.

This product claims to give bold and pigmented color and I couldn't agree more. The color shows up easily in just a single stroke yet you can easily build the color. The soft texture makes it easy to blend and once you're done, it won't budge. For staying power, I wore this from morning to evening and the color didn't smudge and the shimmer stayed intact. But once again I remind you, my skin is currently dry. So it might gives different result on oily lid.

In  the mean time, I have to say that Revlon ColorStay™ Crème Gel Liner impressed me. And totally change my opinion that gel liner equals impractical. Right now this eyeliner is available in every Revlon Revlon counters. There are four color available, and they are Black, Brown, Charcoal, Plum. And it retails for IDR 75k.

Experiencing Shinjuku Premium Salon

I was given a chance to try some services at Shinjuku Premium salon. About time. My hair could use another smoothing session as the roots had grown too long already. So there I was, with Nisa, getting a hair makeover.

Shinjuku Premium is located in Kuningan City Mall and just recently opened in Jakarta. Nevertheless, if you happen to live in Surabaya the name must be familiar to you. The salon is sponsored by L'oreal therefore they use L'oreal pro products, a brand I can always count on for haircare. My first encounter with the salon impressed me. I love the ambiance as it feels comfortable. Afterall, salon is a place for me-time. Comfort is key.

I was getting hair makeover together with Nisa. Before decided about what to do, we consulted with Audid, the owner of the salon. Besides smoothing, he suggested an idea to highlight my hair. But being a faint-hearted that I am, I backed out (although I am considering it now). So he decided to cut my bangs straight as it would go together with my medium-length straight hair. The image of Nicole Scherzinger came to mind, so I agreed. On top of all, I just wanted a low-maintainance hair as I spend too much time doing my makeup (or, you know, sleep), I usually have just a very short time to do hair.

Smoothing session, like always, was long and boring. Thank God I had some of my friends there so I spent a lot of my time chitchating. Nisa, Franky and Stella were there as we came straight to the salon right after blogger gathering. Franky was so funny, waiting for me and Nisa, constantly telling us that our hair look good. I wasn't sure if he was being honest or just telling us sweet-nothing, but hey, even false compliments feel good! LOL. The smoothing solution applied not too close to the root to avoid the final result from being too flat. And the good news? I don't have to wait three days to wash my hair. Oh that means a lot! The first three days after smoothing are the days that I hate the most. My hair look flat, oily and these are the times that I usually avoid meeting friends. Just to be sure, I waited a day before I washed my hair. And it says in shape up until now.

After the smoothing session, I got my bangs cut. It was a straight bangs with curve on both ends to shape my face also hid my chubby cheeks. Works well especially when I put my hair into ponytail. I love the final result. If you think a simple thing like get a hair bangs won't make a difference, think again. 

Here's how my hair looked like before the whole process started. To be fair, I straightened my hair before I visited the salon because I was attending blogger gathering first.

 

Here's how the hair looked like, right after makeover. The roots still too flat and stiff as I just finished smoothing session.

And here's basically how the bangs looked like

After the makeover, Audid blowed dry my hair loosely. He said, the concept is, the way my hair looks like as I left the salon is how my hair is gonna look like on daily basis. And I must say I love the result. I received compliments from my friends, told me I look younger, which is my aim from the beginning.

That was a pleasant experience at Shinjuku Premium and I am one happy customer. Highly recommended. If you're thinking about doing hair makeover, feel free to consult with Audid first. He has good taste in hairstyle.

Shinjuku Premium

Kuningan City Mall Lt.1 #58

(021) 3048.0775

www.shinjukuhairmake.com

[Review] Kiko Origami Face Palette

 

This might sound really late, but I've been into Kiko products a lot lately. If you're probably not familiar with this brand, for all I know, this is an Italian brand. And that's the extension of my knowledge about the brand, so far. Nothing more. My aunt's been traveling a lot and gave me some Kiko products for me to try. Kiko Origami Face Palette no. 04 (Hot Pink Contour) is one of the many products she gave me. I looked up at the website and apparently this is part of their limited edition Summer collection, Blooming Origami. I'm not sure how long this collection would be available. But I tried to provide this review as soon as I could and hopefully you'd still have time to get your hands on the collection.

Origami Face Palette caught my attention at first sight. The packaging is sleek and clean looking. The velvet pouch gives an extra luxurious feel. Reminds me of products from Dior or Chanel. It also comes with a huge mirror which makes it handy for touch up during the day. 

Inside is this five colored face powder / blush with satin and shimmery finish, arranged beautifully in a way that mimics origami. The colors inside, based on my own definition, are warm deep brown, pale chalky pink, deep hot pink, shimmery bronze and taupe. I assume, multi-colored face palette usually means you get contour color, along with blush and highlight / face powder. Or you could just swirl all the colors at once and treat it as a blush. I swatched all the colors and I must say the only two colors that show up easily on my skintone are the deep brown and the deep hot pink which isn't a surprise considering those are the only two colors that have the most pigmentation out of the five. The shimmery bronze doesn't deliver much color but gives a shimmery finish to the blush in general. And I have no idea why are the pale pink and taupe colors even included in this palette as they, in my opinion, contribute nothing. I don't see how the colors would work when applied individually, so I just swirl them all together and apply it just as blush.

The texture of the product, quoted from the website, is "brand-new texture, the result of an advanced extrusion-baked powder technique." God knows what does extrusion-baked mean but I'm impressed with the texture and the finish of this blush (let's just call this a blush from now on, because that's what I use it for). The color doesn't easily show up on my skin, so I have to layer it. But it is worth the effort. About three layers of this will do. The texture is really soft and blends well on my skin. It has this 'transparent' finish that gives the 'glowing-from-within- effect and looks very natural on me. That's not something I usually get from powder blush. The blush last on me about 8 hours until I had to remove my makeup. Although it's kind hard to notice when did it start to fade since the color itself are pretty sheer. 

So I'm just gonna gather all my thoughts into conclusion now (I'm trying to cut the length of my reviews and all my entries in general. Started to think that I ramble too much. Let me know what do you think, though). Origami Face Palette as a face palette with multi-colored shades might be a great idea but doesn't really live up to the claim, which is to "enhance cheeks and cheekbones and sculpt the complexion." As a blush, though, I really like it. It does take effort to make the color show up, but it's worth it. Then again, it might show up a lot easier if your skintone is lighter than mine. 

Here's how the color shows up on me as blush. As you can see the color is pretty sheer but it's noticeably there. 

Kiko Origami Face Palette is available in 4 different colors. Palette number 1 is specifically a color correcting powder while the rest are face palettes like this one that can be used for blush and whatnot. Luckily my parents is currently on vacation in Europe so I asked them to get me palette no. 02, which is Tangerine Tan. I can't wait to see how it turns out on me.

[Review] YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain

I’m back with another lip product review. I rarely do review for lip products. In general, I think most of them, whether drugstore and high end, deliver pretty much the same performance. I mean we’re talking about lipstick and lipgloss. In the middle of the day, they will fade. And I don’t want to end up with a bunch of reviews saying just about the same thing. However, if I ever decided to write a review about lip products, there must be something special about it.

Enter my current favorite, Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain. Wow that’s mouthful! The product just launched in Indonesia recently and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, given the reviews it received around blogosphere. I have two of those, which are #6 (Camel Croisiere) and #9 (Rouge Laque).

In my eyes, #9 is an intense warm red. The usual shade of red that I’d easily fall for. While #6 is a reddish orange.

Based on the information on YSL’s website, they describe this as a mix between gloss ad stain. It gives ‘the texture and shine of a gloss with the long-wear of a stain’. Lip products these days, they’re hybrid of everything, it’s kinda hard to draw a firm definition. However, YSL described this as stain, then lip stain it is.

Speaking about the packaging, I think it’s ‘blah’ looking. I mean come one, if they could come up with luxurious packaging like Rouge Volupte, why can’t they do the same with this one? It’s a plain black square with gold lid. There’s a window on the tube so you can see how much product you have left inside. However, I love the applicator. It’s wide and has pointy tip. Perfect for fast and precise application.

The texture is watery the way lip stain usually is. It glides easily on the lips and delivers medium coverage, more than the coverage lip gloss usually gives. You can wear it in layers too. I usually apply one layer, wait until it dries and sets on the lips, and then add another layer for more opacity. Or wear it like lip gloss and just apply it at the center of the lips. I still have to get used to the scent that this product has. It’s this sort of fruity slash chemical kind of scent which I don’t really prefer. It doesn’t linger, thankfully, but I could do without it.

I went to this Beauty Workshop held by YSL when they were introducing this lip stain and the recently launched Forever Youth Liberator.  There I was told that this lip stain is absolutely transfer-free which I think is an overrated statement. After it sets, it does transfer a little but the majority of the pigments stay on the lips. After meal, I found the lip stain in the inner past of my lips fades while the rest stays vibrant. I really appreciate that, but wearing vibrant lip color with fading shade in the inner part would look ridiculous so I always touch up after meal. However, without meal – and maybe, smooching – the color does last long. Even after the gloss disappeared, it leaves stain that gives enough color on the lips. Now the long lasting part might scared people thinking it would be drying. And I’m so glad that I get to tell you that this product feels really comfortable as long as I have it on my lips, it doesn’t feel drying at all. Excellent!

Despite some mundane flaws, like the packaging and the weird scent, overall I’m crazy about this product. Even for a moment I had this idea to throw away all my lip gloss and replace it with YSL Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain. Unfortunately, that’s not possible. And here’s one thing that really irritates me, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but up until now I still couldn’t find an MLBB shade in the collection. The color runs more opaque than it shows in the little window, which is the case with #6. And thanks to the harsh lighting at the mall, I thought the shade would look tame but I left the mall and realized that it is more intense than I thought it would be. If you happen to know any nude-ish / MLBB shade in this collection please recommend me. Because it’s getting embarrassing to visit the counter back and forth, just to convince myself that I couldn’t find what I’m looking for.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain available at YSL counters and retails for IDR 285k.

 

 

 

[Review] Real Techniques Blush Brush

Say hello to another addition to my Real Techniques brushes, this time is the Blush Brush.

After I ditched the uber-scratchy MAC 129, I was in the hunt for a decent blush brush. Considering I was in Real Techniques hysteria back then (Still is, actually. My other brush has just arrived. Yeay!), I decided to order the blush brush from this line. At a glance, Real Techniques Blush Brush is not the usual blush brush you usually see in the market. I mean, when was the last time you see an egg-shaped blush brush? 

Yeah, as weird as it sounds, it literally is a fluffy egg-shaped blush brush, with long bristles and tapered side. Like every Real Techniques, the bristles is made of cruelty free taklon bristles. The bristles feels really really really soft. Did I mention that it feels really soft? My previous Real Techniques brushes are all dense so they aren’t really described as soft when touched my skin. Now with this blush brush, I can really feel how soft it is, especially with MAC 129 as my previous brush.

Now, soft bristles is not always handy for some brushes. The bristles of this brush is longer than usual blush brush so it sways easily and the fact that it’s really soft made me a little bit worry that the brush won’t be able to pick up and transfer enough pigments on my cheeks. However, I was worrying over nothing. All my blushes show up fine. The egg-shape might be something that needs to take a while to get the hang of. However, once you get used to it, this brush blends effortlessly. I usually use swirling motion to pack on more pigments. Or just the tapered side to tame more pigmented blushes. 

Note that, just because a brush is named after one task, does not mean it’s the only thing the brush could do. Other than blush, this fluffy brush is also handy for dusting powder when I don’t want a lot of powder on my skin (which is all the time). Sam claims this brush could also be used for contouring, which I disagree. Contouring requires high precision, however the brush is too wide and fluffy so it won’t apply product accurately. I’d rather go with my Real Techniques Contour Brush from the Core Collection for that (after all, it’s in the name). On the other hand, I also use this brush to apply my bronzer since you don’t have to be really precise when applying bronzer. The tip of the brush is perfect for creating the E3 shape. 

The brush comes with pink aluminum handle and I've explained about Real Techniques color code in my previous entry. I love that it's ergonomically comfortable and lightweight. 

In a nutshell, once again Real Techniques impressed me with their product. The brush retails for $8.99 and I paid IDR 120k plus shipping for this brush. The price makes this brush even more perfect, in my opinion. Sam just added three new brushes to the line, and they are Setting brush, Fine Line brush and Expert Face brush. My latest purchase is Expert Face brush and I so can't wait to try it. Check this page out for complete Real Techniques collection.

[Review] MAC Kissable Lip Color in So Vain

If you're wondering why am I doing this review now while the collection had launched months ago and everything has sold out now, well, MAC Shop MAC Cook MAC just recently launched in Jakarta (here, we call it just Shop MAC). Not every MAC limited edition available here so I decided to went ahead and ordered the product before the collection launched here. My order has arrived long before Shop MAC launched in Indonesia. Which I think is kind of unfair for Indonesian customers, having to wait so long. 

 The packaging is the usual lipgloss-type of packaging, only with slimmer and taller tube. It comes with a doe-foot applicator. The packaging of limited edition collection always excites me. I love it when MAC does different design for their limited edition, like their Wonder Woman or Give Me Liberty London. In this collection, the carton box comes in a colorful color with polkadot motive, but unfortunately it was just an insert. Inside is just the usual boring black packaging *sigh*.

Anyhoo, Shop MAC collection is now available in every MAC counters in Jakarta. The only product that caught my interest in this collection is the Kissable Lip Colour which is repromoted from Peacocky collection. In general, it's a hybrid between lipstick and lipgloss. I always fall for liquid lipstick, so it's not hard to see why this product appeals to me.

Out of all available colors, So Vain is the only color that really attracts my attention. In my eyes, the color appears as soft peach with a hint of coral. It reminds me a lot of MAC Kinda Sexy, in different finish, of course, since Kinda Sexy is a matte. So Vain is an MLBB type of color that is easy to pull off and suitable for daily lip color.

The consistency is soft and creamy. The product distributes easily and gives a smooth and even finish. Remember that NO lip products will appear smooth on chapped lips, so never forget to remove dead skin before applying lip products. However, with no lip problem, I experienced no streaking and it doesn’t settle into my fine lines. The finishing reminds me a lot of luster finish, with less glossy appearance. It gives light to medium coverage and enough to covers my dark lips. It wears comfortably on my lips without feeling dry at all.

In my opinion, the only flaw I found would be the staying power. The color fades in about less than three hours with me just watching movie while having drink. Don’t expect anything after meal because the color just significantly wiped off with nothing left. I think lipstick and lipgloss in general can do better than that, even after meal. I don’t usually complain about my lipstick fading, especially after meal, but this one literally disappears. So that’s something to consider because that means you’ll need to re-apply more often and you’ll use more product. 

 

This Saturday, MAC and JOY magazine are throwing a launching event of Shop MAC collection at MAC counter in Grand Indonesia with Stella Lee as the host. You are very much welcome to attend and check out the collection yourself!