Bobbi Brown launched a new lip formula called the Crushed Liquid Lip Balm ($26 each for 6 ml/.2 fl oz). These are saturated balm-like colors with a liquid lipstick kind of vibe. There are 14 color options with neutrals, bolds and brights. They’re very comfortable on the lips with a moisturizing but lightweight feel. The Crushed Liquid Lips are scented just like her regular lipsticks – it’s a little fruity with a lipstick scent mixed together. Finish has a soft shine cream with medium to full coverage. Everything applies smoothly and all the colors are very wearable for any kind of occasion or mood. There were only two shades I felt was a little streaky because of the contrast to my lip but it smooths out with a little extra blending. Lychee Baby and Cool Beets needed a little more blending but they weren’t too high maintenance.
I love everything about these. I love the packaging where you can see the actual color from the tube. The applicators are really cute too with a beveled tip sponge – it’s not your typical sponge tip, I think the design is really well made.
Colors and swatches below. I feel like the reds look really similar on me:
Lychee Baby is a soft peachy nude, this one requires a little blending but you’ll see in the lip swatches it smooths out, I thought it would be too pale for me but it’s not!
Hippy Shake is a pale cool mauve pink
Juicy Date is the perfect pinky brown cream
Give A Fig is a pinkish fig pink
Peach and Quiet is a medium bright pink peach
Mango Mood is a bright coral red
Main Squeeze is a bright pinkish red
Cherry Crush is a bold deep red cherry
Big Apple is a bright red
Bitter Sweet is a mauve plum with blue tones
In A Jam is a berry mauve plum with neutral tones
Smoothie Move is a brown pink
Haute Cocoa is a cocoa brown
Cool Beets is a dark purple in the tube, it applies more like a berry stain, this one also requires a little blending, I think it would be flawless over a matching lip liner pencil
All swatched on bare lips, the colors cover the lip entirely. They don’t bleed or migrate.
I tried hard to find one downside and was hard pressed to find any. Lasting power isn’t like a liquid lipstick since it has a balmy feel. You will have to reapply but I found they stayed put well for a few hours. They adhere better to the lips compared to a stick balm like the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines or YSL Volupte Shines. I think these have a solid A+. I mixed Lychee Baby and Juicy Date together for a perfect neutral. I’m not sure that I could pick a favorite, but when I tested these I started from light to deep. I was impressed with every single color.
Below wearing Lychee Baby with new hair highlights! It’s been three months since my first appointment and I went in for something different and a little bit lighter. Makeup worn:
You can find the Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Color Balms out now. There are 14 colors available and they retail for $26 each. Available at Bobbi Brown, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Sephora, Neiman Marcus and all other Bobbi Brown counters.
Crushed Liquid Lip provided by Bobbi Brown for review.
Pat McGrath Labs is making all my lip gloss dreams come true with 18 new shades of LUST Gloss for spring 2019. They retail for $28 each and come in three different finishes she calls High Shine, Shimmer and Glitter. I reviewed some shades when they initially launched last May. They’re among my favorite formula because they are smooth, have no scent, aren’t sticky and have a pretty shine to them. I’m thrilled to share swatches of all the new spring colors! As a neutral lip lover I feel like she made so many amazing colors that are wearable alone or mixed with a lipstick/liner. There are a lot of fresh glowing soft shades. Most of these have sheer to medium coverage. There are a couple that have higher medium pigment, but the vast majority of these will have a soft finish.
These come with a beveled sponge tip applicator. They’re easy to apply and glide on the lips nicely. A couple layers will add enough color to cover my lips.
Close ups and descriptions of each color. I tried grouping them by finish, but some of the shine shades seem to have a tiny bit of pearl in them.
Left to right:
Nude Negligee is a sheer cream light beige
Wicked Whisper is a medium nude peach
Prima Donna is a soft glowy pale petal pink
Heavy Petal is a pigmented bold bright warm pink
Flesh6 is a medium warm brown cream
Up next are the shimmers:
Love Potion is a sheer pale pink with a hint of shimmer, alone this settles into lip lines a little
Faux Real is beige nude tan with a pearly finish
Peach Perversion is a pale peach with a pearly glow
Belladonna is a medium warm pink with a sheen
Sunset Rose is a perfect medium neutral rose with soft gold shimmer
Secret Lover is a deeper rose with a hint of warm pearl
Last are the sparkles, all of these are smooth in finish. There’s no gritty feel. Even with the sparkles I cannot feel any texture. I highly recommend referring to the Pat McGrath website for more swatches. Some of the shimmers are hard for me to capture with my flash. All of these are wearable even for conservative makeup wearers.
Future Femme is a pale pastel sparkling pink with silver flecks
Earth Angel is a sparkling clear base loaded with champagne, pink and copper pearl
Bronze Divinity is a smooth shimmery bronze rose nude
Bronze Venus is a sparkling iridescent bronze sparkle
Carnal Desire is a sheer red pink with loads of sparkle
Astral Flash Dance is a sheer violet purple with blue and pink sparkles
Astral Moon Flower is a sheer duochrome blue iridescent sparkle
Side by sides, all of these lip swatches were done on my bare lips. For skintone reference on the face I’m wearing Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation in Buff.
I fit as many swatch comparisons as I could on my arm to the other LUST Glosses I own. I swatched the neutral lighter shades side by side:
Bottom line love! If you like smooth natural medium-sheer color you’ll love these. I just received these in the mail this week so I haven’t had a chance to extensively test all 18 new colors. First impressions on testing a few for extended periods is that they are all just as good as the initial launch. Some have more color payoff than others but in general it’s on the natural side. Even though they are sheer the color shows up well on my bare lips. Lasting power is average for a smooth sheer gloss. They’re not going to be budge proof or transfer proof. You’ll have to reapply but it’s something I really don’t mind.
You can find the Pat McGrath LUST Gloss online at Pat McGrath. There are also some bundles and sets available on her website as well. She’s offering a 10% off new gloss shades through end of the day 1/19 with code SHINE at checkout.
“10% discount on ONLY Lust Gloss new shades. Promo code is SHINE – update, extended through end of Sunday 1/19!”
Have you tried the LUST Gloss formula yet? What did you think? Are any of the new shades on your radar?
Many thanks to the Pat McGrath team for sending the new shades for review.
Marc Jacobs Beauty launched a new mini set of lip colors with the Sugar High Nude Lip Trio ($25, limited-edition). This is the third variation of their cult classic lip gloss shade Sugar Sugar. Last year they launched a new color called Cream and Sugar in a mini trio which I really loved (and still do). They later launched all three in full-sizes. This year they have the perfect brightening peachy pink neutral called Sugar High. I have high hopes they will have these in full sizes because the colors are PERFECT! The colors give the lips the perfect brightening effect with a gorgeous pinky peachy mix.
Sugar High Lip Creme (1.7 g/0.05 oz) is a cream full coverage peachy pink
Sugar High Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss (1.7 ml/0.05 fl oz) is a peachy pink with a hint of shimmer, on the lips it’s not frosty, it has medium coverage with a high shine, no sticky feel
Sugar High (P)outliner (0.3 g/0.01 oz) is a twist up pencil that’s also peachy pink, but more muted and matte in finish
Together the three layer nicely but the lipstick and liner are really opaque so for me having all three layered gives my already full lips an extra lush plump look. I tried these a few different ways since ordering the trio. I like the gloss alone or on top of the liner. Or the liner + lipstick. Below some close ups + swatches:
Bottom line perfect. I’m obsessed with the gloss and lipstick for this color. I think the formula from Marc Jacobs for the lipgloss is one of my favorites because they have a cushiony feel without the tacky sticky finish. I keep forgetting about the lipstick creme formula because of all the other launches but they are among the best for full coverage creams. The only item in the trio I’m not that crazy about is the liner, but I still think it’s a good one. It stays put and is pretty much budge-proof once it sets so if you need something to help extend your lip color check out their other shades. These days I find that I don’t wear a lot of lip liner. The one I reach for the most is the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk because it layers well with everything (also worn with the Fenty Glosses in my holiday glow post).
You can find the Sugar High Lip Trio now at Sephora. It’s limited-edition. I’m hoping they’ll launch these in the full sizes eventually. For now I might get a backup of these because I think the gloss is perfect. Also with the size I know they’ll be easy to use up!
I’m so excited it’s finally sweater weather here! We have hot humid weather almost year round here in Tampa making it too hot to even wear denim jeans most of the time. While I love the sunshine I’m thrilled that it has cooled down enough to haul some cute sweaters. By popular request I’m combining two topics today that many of you have been asking for: best holiday red lips plus a sweater try-on haul.
I’m a neutral lip lover so I was actually really surprised to find how many red lip products I own. I sorted through around 35+ colors and formulas to narrow down my absolute top picks for the best color, pigment, lasting power and a few budget friendly options. I’ll discuss each color with the sweaters I paired below.
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Everlane Cashmere Crew + L’Oreal Color Riche Shine
I did my first Everlane haul and picked three styles to try out. I haven’t tried the line before so I relied on online customer reviews for height and weight to decide on XXS and XS depending on style. I lucked out because I’m really happy with what I ordered. For sizing reference I have been losing weight but also gaining a little bit of muscle with our weight training. I’m 5’3″ and currently 114 pounds. I usually wear XS in most sizes, sometimes XXS because I’m on the shorter side.
It’s been a long time since I’ve invested in anything cashmere (again because it’s simply TOO HOT to wear here) so I can’t compare to current styles of other brands. I have tried J.Crew, Vince and Theory to name a few which I’ve loved in previous years. I think the styles I ordered from Everlane are just as good. For the Everlane Cashmere Crew ($100) I picked Light Oatmeal in XS and it’s a PERFECT fit. This is my favorite one of my purchases. It’s soft, lightweight but not tissue thin. I plan on getting a couple more colors. Denim worn are the Paige Verdugo Ankle (for me ankle jeans are the best because I usually don’t have to hem them!).
Up next is the Everlane Cashmere Rib Round Crew ($145) in Heather Grey in XXS. I would have bought XS but one of the models on the website was wearing that size and quite a bit taller than me. I’m happy with the fit of XXS. This is a nice soft semi thick ribbed sweater. It’s one of the ones I was wearing on stories.
I paird this one with the NARS Powermatte Pigment in Starwoman. There are a lot of reds in this formula this one seems the most classic to me (Vain is warmer, Light My Fire is brighter and there are options with either more blue or deeper tones too). This is one of the nicest liquid matte lipstick formulas that is matte but doesn’t shrink my lips to look like raisins. It has excellent staying power and doesn’t transfer on my teeth. (If you want a neutral option American Woman is the best chestnut neutral rose out there.)
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Leith + Everlane with Tom Ford Dylan
Tom Ford Lips and Boys Dylan isn’t a new color but remains a favorite for a semi-matte finish. It’s a classic bright bold red with a warm undertone. I’m wearing it below with two sweater colors. A soft nude pink fitted Metallic Pullover from Leith ($49, XS is pretty fitted) that I bought at Nordstrom and the Everlane Cashmere Waffle Crew in Black ($150, XXS) which is boxy but I think has a nice hang to the sides. I like the side slit detail too which makes for a little more interesting sweater.
Another look at the Everlane sweater so you can see the neckline, it’s hard to see the detail but check out their website for close ups which you can see better.
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1.State + Pat McGrath Lip Fetish in Wild Cherry
In terms of red lips I don’t think it gets better than Pat McGrath. I could have done an entire dedicated post to swoon over all her lipsticks but wanted to give some other brands and formulas some love. If you feel like you can’t wear full on red lips, opt for a sheer gloss or balm. The Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Balm in Wild Cherry is a great sheer but buildable red. I reviewed it in this post here.
In looking through my closet I find that I own a lot of white tops and sweaters. It’s funny because in San Diego I used to wear all black and grey, or stripes. Since moving to Florida I’ve suddenly found my closet has changed. So many of you have been asking about all the white tops I’ve been wearing. This is a cute one from 1State Convertible Zip Neckline Sweater ($109). This is an XXS and runs big but slouchy. It’s cute to tuck in or belt. I’m not 100% sure I love this style. The zipper is adjustable which makes it so you can wear this a number of ways. A similar option that I have really liked in a tee form is the Free People Nikala Tee which I find has a better fit.
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Frame + NARS
My favorite purchase is the Frame Stripe Crewneck Merino Wool Blend Sweater ($235) and it’s one of my most expensive sweater splurges in a long time. I’m a huge sucker for anything with stripes, so much so that I tried to ease up on wearing and buying them. This was too cute to pass up. It’s soft, thin and I love the fit. I really love everything I’ve bought from Frame. Prices prevent me from splurging more. I paired it with the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Rebel from the holiday collection from the Riot Lip Pencil set. Unfortunately it’s sold out but Pat McGrath MatteTrance in Elson is close (reviewed here). Denim worn is also from Frame Le Skinny.
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Loft + Pat McGrath
For affordable sweaters that aren’t itchy or scratchy I’ve found some amazing deals from Loft. They have cute cable knit basics. I tried two styles. One is the Loft Textured Button Cuff Sweater in XS ($49.50 but I got mine 50% off, they have online holiday sales so check their site for current code). At $20 it was a steal. This one is a little long for me but on most people I think it will be just the right length. I’m wearing it with the Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Lipstick in Rebel Red which is one of the most fun sparkly blue red lip colors I’ve tried. Full review here.
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Loft + Em Cosmetics
Another Loft find is the Cable Knit Trim Sweater in Silvered Heather Grey (XS, $49.50). I could have sized down for a shorter fit but this one is super cute and easy to wear as well. I paired this with the Em Cosmetics True Gloss in Scarlett Knight which is one of the best red plumping glosses I’ve tried. I need to review this formula for you, I have been sitting on all the colors for a while now. It’s been on my to-do list! They have some cute sets for the holiday I think are worth checking out. I have all the colors individually otherwise I would have ordered one.
Sweater worn is the BP Heritage Stitch sweater in XXS. It’s so soft and plush. Unfortunately it just sold out online, but you might want to check in stores to see if they still have some near you. It does run on the large side, I ordered an XXS and it’s very roomy!
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Lipsticks worn/featured in this post (all shades are press samples):
Pat McGrath and Tom Ford options swatched next to two of the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution colors. I used to think the Charlotte Tilbury formula was the best, I still think it’s very good, but Pat McGrath’s formula wins 100%.
Makeup breakdown worn in all other photos include:
The best red nail polish I’ve tried is from Christian Louboutin’s Red, although OPI is also a favorite of mine, I just don’t own any reds from them at the moment
I hope you enjoyed this sweater try-on haul and red lip roundup! If you love a good red lip let me know what your favorites are in the comments. I love cozy sweaters and I would haul more if we had cooler weather in Tampa.
I didn’t have time to post yesterday but did not forget my giveaway for the week! One reader will win four Pat McGrath lip products including: Opulence 1995, Opulence Flesh3, winner’s choice of two other lips formulas. Not sponsored or affiliated. Open internationally to those 18 years or older. Simply enter via the widget below. Giveaway runs this week and I’ll pick a winner within 48 hours after giveaway ends and contact via e-mail.
I’m thrilled to share a peek at a collaboration between Christian Audette and one of my favorite beauty bloggers Rachel from the Beauty Professor. They launched a Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick Collection ($60 for the bundle) with three perfect lipsticks in Elle, a gorgeous neutral-cool pink rose, Golightly, a neutral but bright peach and Johanna a flawless peachy nude. I feel fortunate to call Rachel a dear friend – I still remember the day we met many many years ago 🙂 She’s beautiful both inside and out. I think she’s the mix master with neutral lip combos and has quite the eye for layering products for the perfect lip.
The three lipsticks are available exclusively on Christian Audette’s website. This is my first experience trying the brand and I think the best way to describe the formula is that they are classic lipsticks. Elle and Johanna seem more creamy to me while Golightly had a slightly more opaque matte finish. Each one has smooth flawless coverage. It’s medium but buildable. Weightless. No scent or taste. You can see them all on Rachel on her blog post here. Fun fact is that most of the year we are skin twins! We also both naturally tan easily so our coloring changes depending on how much sun we each get even though we are now on opposite coasts. A closer look at each color and then side by sides at the bottom with full face photos.
Elle is truly one of the prettiest cool pinks I’ve ever seen. Anything cool-toned is hard for me to wear (ie Tom Ford Pussycat) with my olive complexion but this has enough warmth that it does not look blue on me. It has a tiny bit of sheen to it but on the lips the shimmer isn’t really visible. It has the perfect creamy finish.
Golightly is a peach that is neutral but pulls a little bright on my olive skin. It’s a really fun mood lifting color I think would be nice to wear year round.
Johanna is a beautiful peach pink nude that has full coverage, doesn’t look streaky and doesn’t wash me out! It’s a solid winner and I think it would suit a wide range of skintones.
Rib Knit Henley is from Nordstrom (runs true to size)
Lips top to bottom are Elle, Golightly and Johanna
Overall perfect. The colors are truly flawless as is, you can layer to mix the colors but each tube is perfect alone. I cannot pick a favorite. Each one is unique in its own way. I find the formula is comfortable and non-drying. They’re not really moisturizing lipsticks but I was thrilled to find that they did not dry out my lips at all and that the days after testing my lips felt nice and smooth. Lasting power is average for a lipstick, they’ll last several hours without fading or budging. You can find the Christian Audette x Beauty Professor online at Christian Audette in a $60 bundle. Available for a limited run.
Christian Audette x Beauty Professor lipsticks gifted for review.
Continuing holiday beauty reviews with a look at the Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Lipsticks ($38 each for 3.9 g/0.13 oz, made in USA). Pat McGrath continues to launch innovative colors and formulas in a way that makes me want to go beyond my usual conservative makeup comfort zone and try new things. These BlitzTrance Lipsticks have intense sparkle and pigment. They’re described as an “iridescent lipstick that releases a full-coverage blast of explosive color with multidimensional, high-shine effects” and I could not describe it better. They’re opaque, ultra-reflective, explosive in color pigment and luminous.
These lipsticks are very sparkly but the sparkle and glitter varies per shade. I’ll describe them in more detail next to each shade description. There is a little bit of texture from the sparkle with a couple of these but it’s not a harsh texture and once on the lips I barely notice it. Lasting power is really good – the color base is emollient and has a hydrating feel so it helps the glitter adhere and it doesn’t migrate. Only Pat McGrath can make me want to wear sparkle this intense. I was prepared to tell you that they are way too sparkly and intense for me based on the online swatches I saw, but some of the colors are really wearable and I think the bolds are going to be particularly beautiful for holiday parties or dinners.
There are currently 7 shades available. I received 6 of these as press samples and then picked up the 7th color from my local Sephora. There is another 8th shade listed online as “coming soon.”
Nude Romantique is a refined peachy pink shimmer, it has lots of sparkle but this is one of the more subtle sparkles
Flesh Fatale is a medium bronze nude shimmer, also has softer shimmer
Fuchsia Perfect is an intense cool-toned bright blue based pink sparkle
Cyber Orchid is a bright cool-toned purple pink sparkle (it’s similar to Fuchsia Perfect, Cyber Orchid just has more blue tones)
Rebel Red is the most stunning metallic red I’ve ever seen, sparkle is chunkier in this one with a noticeable texture
Club Kiss is an intense plum-red shimmer, sparkle is also very metallic and bold
Blitz Gold is a yellow 24K gold metallic, it’s smoother in shimmer, but very foiled
Electra is listed as “coming soon”
I’d recommend looking at the @patmcgrathreal Instagram page for live swatch videos to get a better sense of the sparkle. The ones I have don’t capture the sparkle quality quite as intense as I see in real life. Although I do think the studio lights used on social emphasize the sparkle and glitz a little more intensely than they actually appear.
Close ups of each color below, Nude Romantique:
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Flesh Fatale:
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Fuchsia Perfect:
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Cyber Orchid:
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Rebel Red:
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Club Kiss:
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Blitz Gold:
For me the only two colors I did not like are Cyber Orchid (it’s really blue on me) and also Blitz Gold (I just don’t like really yellow golds) – but this is just a matter of color preference. If you don’t like sparkle or glitter in your lip color I think it’s going to be a safe pass for you. If you like bold colors and don’t mind some shimmer and glitz I think they’re really worth checking out. Out of all the shades Nude Romantique and Flesh Fatale are the most conservative in color and shimmer.
I think these have the perfect festive holiday feel. For me they’re a little too sparkly for everyday wear but I do think the neutrals Nude Romantique and Flesh Fatale are ones I can wear without feeling too sparkly. Rebel Red and Club Kiss are my favorites out of the entire collection. I always feel like bold reds and plums draw so much attention to my already full lips – but these two are so stunning and festive I think they’re going to be fun for holiday. No detectable scent or taste with these! Lasting power is really nice.
The Pat McGrath Labs Opulence Collection Holiday 2018 is the most glamorous beauty launch I’ve seen all season. Nobody does it quite like Pat McGrath! There are three new limited-edition MTHRSHP Palettes ($55 each for 6 shades for 12 g/0.42 oz, made in USA) along with repromoted MatteTrance Lipsticks ($38 each for 4 g/0.14 oz) in corresponding colored packaging pink sapphire, aquamarine and ruby. I’ve put everything to the test for the past week and the entire collection is solid. As usual she has a number of different sets and bundles available on her website, usually at a price break rather than ordering items individually.
With the lipsticks she has Flesh 3 in each of the packaging colors and then two other repromotes with each corresponding packaging. Colors in the launch include:
Aquamarine packaging:
MTHRSHP Subliminal Eyeshadow Palette in Dark Star
MatteTrance Lipsticks in 1995, Flesh 3 and Guinevere
Ruby packaging:
MTHRSHP Sublime Eyeshadow Palette in Bronze Temptation
MatteTrance Lipsticks in Omi, Flesh 3 and Elson
Pink Sapphire packaging:
MTHRSHP Subversive Eyeshadow Palette in Metalmorphosis
MatteTrance Lipsticks in Christy, Flesh 3 and Forbidden Love
The Pat McGrath Opulence MTHRSHP Palettes are on the bolder side but still very wearable, even for my neutral-loving self. I put each one to the test for separate full days and found they all performed well. Colors have a variety of finishes and textures. Pigment is intense and application is smooth! The shades layer beautifully together. In general I find her 6-pan MTHRSHP Palettes better than her 8-pan palettes for me because they’re easier to use and don’t have the super glitzy glitters that are so popular but challenging for me to wear. Some of you e-mailed me that you were disappointed in her latest Mothership V Bronze Seduction because of the glitter. The sparkle is indeed very intense there. With the MTHRSHP Palettes there aren’t any strong chunky glitter shades, although there are sparkles. The sparkles are more refined.
The MatteTrance Lipsticks are among my favorite lipstick formula, especially for mattes. I’ve had numerous chats with friends about these and they all agree that these lipsticks are THE best for mattes because they’re so opaque, feel light and whipped on the lips, but give full smooth coverage without drying or making your lips look shriveled. I think they’re 100% worth the price – I’ve bought many on my own. No regrets with any of them.
The first palette I tested was the MTHRSHP Subliminal Eyeshadow Palette in Dark Star – I thought this was the most interesting combination for a cool and warm smokey eye. I tend to avoid cooler tones as they often clash with my olive skin but this one was my favorite in the bunch. The mix of gold, grey, plum and violet blue make for such a pretty eye look.
Colors include:
Entice is a sparkling champagne with flashes of pink and opal
Deep Space is a soft matte dove blue grey, it’s matte but the flash added a subtle sheen to the swatch photo
Enraptured is an antique sparkling gold metallic
Dark Matter is a deep satiny black
Metroplis is a shimmering plum
Interstellar is a glistening violet blue iridescent sparkle with tiny flecks of micro glitter
The Opulence Aquamarine Packaging MatteTrance Lipsticks in 1995, Flesh 3 and Guinevere are all repromotes. 1995 is a neutral-cool nude pink with hint of mauve, Flesh 3 is a deep rose brick (on me it pulls reddish) and Guinevere is a matte crimson red. They’re matte but not flat. As usual I take all my photos with a flash because the colors pull better when I use the flash, but it adds a bit of sheen/shine to the finish.
I would say there’s a two-way tie between the blue and ruby palettes. The MTHRSHP Sublime Eyeshadow Palette in Bronze Temptation is one I did not expect to love because of the red and green shimmers, but this one is simply beautiful! Photos do not do it justice. The colors swatch more complex than what you see in the pan – if you try this one move it around in the light at different angles and you’ll see the red and green shift.
Colors include:
Celestial is a pale cool shimmering beige sparkle (this one is a bit sheer, I had to apply with a very heavy hand)
Burning Desire is a soft matte tan
Supernova is a deep forest green, appears to have micro glitters, but they’re super fine and apply without too much glitz (it’s not chunky)
Dark Paradise is a perfect warm matte brown
Corruption is the perfect duo chrome red and copper shimmer
Provocatrix is a shimmering golden tan that shifts into silver and copper depending on the light
MatteTrance Lipsticks in Omi, Flesh 3 and Elson are also repromotes. Omi is a classic medium rose, Flesh 3 is launched in all three colors of packaging, Elson is a vibrant blue based red matte.
The MTHRSHP Subversive Eyeshadow Palette in Metalmorphosis is very pigmented. The overall mix of warm and cool balance each other out for a beautiful complex eye. I did not expect to love this because of the sharp sterling and gold shades, but when you mix them with the coppery ones they make for a unique mix. If you feel like you’re more of the creative type this is the palette for you.
Colors in this one overall are the most metallic and include:
Metalurgy is a shimmering light taupe gold
Copper is a reddish shimmer with an intense metallic sheen
Sterling is a metallic pale silver
Smoked Amethyst is a matte deep purple base loaded with flecks of red and plum sparkle
Bronze is a orange metallic shimmer
Gold Standard is an intense 24K gold shimmer
MatteTrance Lipsticks in Christy, Flesh 3 and Forbidden Love are the shades for the pink sapphire packaging. I think the pink is such a princess-like pink. Christy is a pink beige, Forbidden Love is a vibrant red.
In the holiday set I’ve already reviewed all except 2 of the colors but thought it would be helpful for another swatch post. For quick reference, I reswatched all the lipsticks swatched side by side with Flesh 5 and Elson 2 for added comparison.
To me Flesh 5 is less intense than Flesh 3 – I prefer 5. Elson 2 is brighter and more orange than Elson. Based on the swatches below and in real life to me Elson and Forbidden Love both look identical on the hand, arm and lips. Maybe if you have lighter or deeper skin you’ll be able to see more of a difference in undertone – I triple checked to make sure and walked my arm around with both tubes to swatch and re-swatch. If you’ve tried both shades let me know if you see the same thing.
Overall the collection is just knock out gorgeous. To me the Pat McGrath Labs Opulence collection has the biggest wow factor out of all the holiday makeup launches that I’ve seen. Everything from the packaging, presentation and colors are so beautiful. I think the palettes are really unique and different. I think Dark Star and Bronze Temptation are the best ones, but my recommendations would primarily be to pick based on your color preferences. I’ve mentioned numerous times that palettes are tricky if you don’t love all of the shades. Quality-wise everything performs to excellent standards in terms of application, pigment, lasting power, minimal fall out. If you don’t like glitter I’d say that the 6-pan palettes are definitely a lot more wearable than her 8-pans. The colors in The Opulence Holiday collection have some intense sparkle and metallic sheens, but no chunky glitter.
All the MatteTrance lipsticks shades are repromotes. You can shop your stash if you already own a lot of colors although the limited-edition packaging colors are super fun and if you haven’t tried any yet but had some on your wishlist she has amazing bundles on her website. You get a nice price break with her sets! I already owned all except 2 of the holiday shades. I’ve already made a serious dent in 1995 and OMI so I’m really happy to have backups now.
The entire Opulence Collection is available now online at Pat McGrath. MTHRSHP Palettes retail for $55 each and the MatteTrance Lipsticks are priced at $38 each. The MTHRSHP Palettes are also available at Sephora. Everything is limited-edition.
Pat McGrath Opulence Collection provided for review.
