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Pat McGrath Labs Obsessive Opulence Holiday 2019

November 5, 2019

The Pat McGrath Labs Obsessive Opulence Collection for Holiday 2019 has launched and I have a look at select pieces today. The launch is similar to last year’s release where there are three different color themes and packaging. The Pat McGrath Labs team kindly sent over a beautiful press package with pieces from all three themes (red, pink and blue) but I decided to review only the pieces I thought I would actually wear (the red and pink themed ones). Everything is true to Pat McGrath’s style for holiday: opulent, glamorous, luxe and bold.

What I’ve included in my review for the Holiday 2019 launch:

Blitz Astral Eyeshadow Quads ($65 each)
- Ritualistic Rose
- Iconic Illumination
Chromaluxe Hi-Lite Cream ($30 each)
- Pale Gold 002
MatteTrance Lipsticks ($40 each, limited-edition packaging, colors are repromotes)
- Pale Pink Packaging:
  - 1995
  - Deep Orchid
- Red Packaging
  - Omi
  - Guinevere

You can find the full collection pieces listed on the Pat McGrath Obsessive Opulence Holiday 2019 page. There are other lipstick duos in special-edition packaging however all colors are repromotes from the regular line. There are a number of holiday bundles that are offered at a value price. I skipped reviewing the blue eyeshadow quad, blue packaging lipsticks and blue hi-lite cream.

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Blitz Astral Eyeshadow Quad Ritualistic Rose

For the eyes there are new eyeshadow palettes in the form of quads this holiday! I love the more compact size and option (versus the large Mothership Palettes). To date my favorite combinations are still the ones in the 6-pan palettes (reviewed here and here). The new ones for this holiday are glitzy and super fun for party looks. Up first is Ritualistic Rose.

Blitz Astral Eyeshadow Quad in Ritualistic Rose is a very sparkly glitzy option. Colors include Antique Gold 002 (glittery yellow gold), Astral Rose Orchid (sparkling duo chrome pink with gold glitter), Rose Quartz 005 (beautiful sparkling plum with tiny micro flecks) and Beyond Bronze 003 (shimmery bronze with gold sparkles). The top two shades seem to be more sparkly top coats while the bottom two have more pigment in the base. All the colors have some degree of sparkle/glitter in them making this super shimmery.

Below wearing Ritualistic Rose, 1995 Matte Trance (top and middle), Deep Orchid Matte Trance (bottom). For skintone reference I’m either the PatMcGrath Skin Fetish Foundation Light Medium 14 or Medium 15 (equivalent of MAC NC35). On the cheeks is Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit in Ghost.

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Blitz Astral Eyeshadow Quad Ritualistic Rose Iconic Illumination

Blitz Astral Eyeshadow Quad in Iconic Illumination is a warm toned quad with one glitter and four smoother shimmers. In this quad you have Astral Gold Allure (champagne gold glitz), Blitz Bordeaux (metallic deep red), Blitz Brown (deep brown shimmer) and Bronze Gold 003 (warm metallic copper). The pigment in the metallic shades is excellent – smooth, pigmented, easy to blend and layer. The glitter adheres if pressed into the lids and it applies evenly as a topper. This one turned out to be easier to wear – especially if you layer the deeper shades on top of each other.

Below wearing Blitz Astral Quad in Iconic Illumination and MatteTrance in Omi. On the cheeks is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette Unlocked (last year’s reviewed here).

There will be some fallout during the application process if you use a fluffy brush – the glitters will stick better with a dense brush or if patted on with fingers. However once they’re on the eyes they stay put for me!

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MatteTrance Lipsticks

The Pat McGrath MatteTrance Lipstick is my favorite matte lipstick formula of all time. I’ve purchased several on my own and think they’re 100% worth the splurge. They’re smooth mattes that glide on flawlessly with full coverage. The color range is perfect with neutrals, rose colors, plums, reds, orange shades, browns etc. I think the holiday color packaging is always fun. The pink is the prettiest shade of soft pink and I love the bright bold red. Colors are repromotes though so if you already own them then shop your stash!

MatteTrance Lipsticks in 1995 and Deep Orchid come in the pale pink packaging. 1995 is a neutral rose nude, Deep Orchid is a perfect plum. MatteTrance Lipsticks in Omi and Guinevere come in the bright red packaging this year. Omi is the perfect medium rose and Guinevere is a bold red. They’re one-swipe wonders, have excellent lasting power, don’t dry the lips and don’t make them look shriveled.

I swatched them on the arm, also included the colors in the blue packaging as well:

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Chromaluxe Hi-Lite Cream

For the cheeks there is a new product called the Chromaluxe Hi-Lite Cream which is an ultra concentrated sparkle cream that comes in a tiny tube. It’s not a product I see myself wearing, even for parties or holiday. The product comes out a white gold cream but once blended the white gold disappears and you end up seeing a yellow gold sparkle. The color of the yellow sparkle on my already yellow/golden skin isn’t the best combination. It will blend out nicely and adhere well to the skin for an added highlight. Once blended all I see is tiny flecks of gold glitter. I applied it on my brow bone and on the highlight points of cheeks – using it sparingly because the tube is quite tiny!

Heavy swatch above on the hand but once you blend it out, all you see is tiny glitters. A closer look on the face below. I’m not sure if it’s easy to see in photos – it’s something that is more visible in real life versus a photo.

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Overall I’m loving both of the quads, even though they’re outside of my comfort zone. I still don’t really love the warm red eye trend that shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, but I find Iconic Illumination is really easier to wear with layering. It’s a lot easier for me to wear compared to the pink tones from Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk, and I fully expected the Pat McGrath to be hard for me to pull off.

Ritualistic Rose is a glitzy one for a more sparkly eye, I think the plum and bronze colors are so beautiful – they have the right undertone to be flattering on a wide range of skin tones.

Since I already own most of the MatteTrance Lipsticks in the holiday collection I don’t think any of them are must- haves just for the packaging. Although I’m a sucker for anything pink! Even though the colors are repromotes I always think it’s fun to see which colors Pat McGrath focuses on for collections – helps give me ideas of what combinations to try with the palettes or what to revisit for the season. Most of her mattes are timeless classics you can wear anytime of year though!

I’m not sure what to think about the Hi-Lite cream. It’s not really my vibe and I usually can’t wear yellow gold glitters on the face or eyes. The packaging is super tiny. I feel like for a good golden sparkle the Hourglass Scattered Light in Foil or Burnish are better options that are easier to wear.

You can find the full Pat McGrath Obessive Opulence Collection at PatMcGrath.com. Select pieces also available at Sephora.

Have you tried anything from the holiday launch yet? What did you think?

Pat McGrath Obessive Opulence Collection kindly provided courtesy of the Pat McGrath Labs team for review.

4 Comments

Eye Makeup Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Mothership VI Midnight Sun Eyeshadow Palette

October 1, 2019

Pat McGrath Labs launched a eyeshadow palette called Mothership VI Midnight Sun ($125 for 10 shades, 1.32 g each eyeshadow) and it’s glorious! True to Pat McGrath’s style this palette has a mix of bold and edgy colors with a unique combination of colors. The format and textures are the same as her other Mothership palettes where she has mattes, smooth metallic shimmers and glittery sparkles. For me this is way outside of my comfort zone but I still had fun playing with it. Quality and pigment-wise all the colors are phenomenal. The mattes blend and layer beautifully. As boring as the soft tan brown Taboo looks I found it really nice and flattering! The shimmers are almost creamy to the touch and blend smoothly. The glitters give this multi-dimensional iridescent sheen that is quite amazing – there is some fallout with the glitters as expected but it’s easy to clean up. I recommend applying the sparkles with a damp brush, over a creamy base to help it stick, or fingers in a patting motion.

Swatches and close ups of Midnight Sun which includes all new shades:

Skinshow Moon Glow is a smooth metallic champagne
Bronze Eclipse is a warm shimmery bronze taupe
Vermillion Venom is matte cranberry
Blood Moon 005 is a glittery copper rose metallic
Jubilee is a glittery warm yellow gold
Xtreme Dusk is a deep brown matte
Taboo is a matte medium brown
Wicked Envy is a shimmery olive
Blitz Violet Orchid is an ultra smooth almost creamy blue violet shimmer
Astral Solstice is a glittering platinum sparkle

Close ups of the pans and closer/larger swatches:

Look wearing a few of the colors from Midnight Sun which includes Bronzed Eclipse, Taboo, Blood Moon 005 and Astral Solstice mixed, also wearing Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Foundation in Medium 15, Powder in Light Medium 2, LUST Gloss in Carnal Desire, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat.

The palette is stunning for sure! But I didn’t love all of the colors. Quality and performance-wise it’s excellent, however I cannot wear yellow golds or violet purples – they clash with my skin tone no matter how pretty they are or how hard I try to blend. For her palettes I prefer the color scheme of her previous launch Mothership V Bronze Seduction or any of her 6-pan palettes which I find easier to wear for someone like me who tends to be more conservative on the sparkle for eyes. I do think it is different/unique enough to justify owning if you like all the colors. For me I most likely would not have bought this one as I really try to stick with my rule of buying palettes if I think I will like all the colors. I’m still going to try to make the purple work for me but it’s never really been a color I gravitate towards.

The Mothership VI Midnight Sun is available now at Pat McGrath Labs. Have you tried any of her eyeshadow palettes before? What did you think?

Midnight Sun provided courtesy of Pat McGrath Labs for review.

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Base Makeup Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection System Review

August 14, 2019

The genius that is Pat McGrath launched a new base collection of products called the Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection System. It’s a three step system: primer, perfect and set and I was thrilled to be able to put everything to the test! Products reviewed include:

Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Primer ($60 for 30 ml/1 fl oz, made in Italy)
Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation ($68 for 35 ml/1.18 fl oz, made in Italy)
Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Setting Powder ($55 for 5 g/0.17 oz, made in Italy)
Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation Brush ($55)
Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Powder Brush ($58)

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Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Primer

The Sublime Perfection Primer is a silicone-free primer that has a very light pink tint but blends out to a transparent finish on the skin. It does blur and smooth the skin but it is heavily fragranced and on my skin I could feel it sit on top of my skin. It contains what they call filler powder which did work to fill in fine lines, but in this Florida humidity, especially this time of year, I need products that have a more weightless or fluid feel. It comes in a pump packaging and one pump covers the entire face. I felt like it did work nicely with the foundation, but due to the thick texture and feel, for me unfortunately this was a solid pass. I did not experience any irritation, even with the fragrance, but I think the foundation is good enough on its own.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, C12-16 Alcohols, Sodium Polyacrylate, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, Disodium Edta, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Poloxamer 338, Peg-8, Tocopherol, Cirsium Eriophorum Callus Extract, Mica, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491).

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Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation

The Sublime Perfection Foundation is an oil-free formula that comes in 36 colors with a range of different undertones (red neutral, peach neutral, yellow, pink, peach, yellow neutral, yellow olive, etc.). Based on the color descriptions online compared to what I swatched I do think the undertones are accurate. I was matched sight unseen to Medium 15 (match to Armani Luminous Silk 7, NARS Barcelona, Fenty 235/240). I am very tan right now and since my skin lightens and tans very easily depending on the sun I went to my local Sephora to check out the other shades. I bought Light Medium 14 which I think will be my normal non-tan shade (match to Armani Luminous Silk 6.5, NARS Vanuatu, Laura Mercier Buff). These days I find I often have to mix colors anyways so I felt it was worth buying one shade lighter.

I got a couple mini samples in store as well, shades swatched include (press sample colors have a * next to them):

Light Medium 12 Light Medium w/ red undertones
Light Medium 13 Light Medium w/ yellow undertones
Light Medium 14 Light Medium w/ neutral/olive undertones
Medium 15 Medium w/ yellow undertones*
Medium 16 Medium w/ red undertones*
Medium 17 Medium w/ neutral yellow undertones*
Medium 18 Medium w/ neutral/olive undertones*
Medium 19 Medium w/ peach undertones*
Medium 20 Medium w/ red undertones*

Coverage is natural looking with a semi-satin finish. On my skin I found it to be medium to fuller coverage but it is easy to blend/sheer out. I can cover my entire face with 2-3 pumps and application was best for me with fingers or a beautyblender. I did like the brush for buffing into the skin, but I still prefer fingers or a sponge. I did not feel the need to add concealer under eyes or around the nose with this foundation. I do have a few blemishes which I still needed to spot conceal for full coverage, but overall it is fairly opaque. I tested this with the primer and without the primer and liked it best with just a serum or moisturizer (loved it with the Volition Strawberry-C Serum, Glow Recipe Watermelon Juice or Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream).

Lasting power is very good but I still need mid-day touch up in the T-zone. I won’t dock points for that though because in July the humidity here is unreal so practically everything needs a touch up. Some product transfer will occur if you touch your face in the middle of the day but it’s on the slight side. Overall it held up remarkably well. I didn’t find it oxidized once it dried down. There is some warming up as it sets, but the color does not change significantly. If you find there is a lot of oxidation on this one it’s most likely you swatched a color too dark for your skin tone!

A few swatch comparisons:

This one is fragrance free! Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Alcohol, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ipdi/Di-C12-13 Alkyl Tartrate/Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Benzimidazole Diamond Amidoethyl Urea Carbamoyl Propyl Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Tartrate, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hexyl Laurate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Cell Culture, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain / Peut Contenir / +/- : Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492, Ci 77491, Ci 77499).

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Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Setting Powder

There are five shades of Sublime Perfection Setting Powder and for me the best match is Light Medium 2. Medium 3 pulls dark on my skin and darkens my foundation color. It comes with a mesh top which pulls powder upwards when you press/tap a brush into it. I found this to be a good solid setting powder to smooth and set the foundation. It’s finely milled and does a good job at setting with some blurring to the foundation. To me this has a similar texture to the Fenty Beauty Setting Powder, but not as drying/chalky looking. I do prefer the feel of the Hourglass and Laura Mercier powders because they’re more lightweight in texture.

Swatches of Light Medium 2 and Medium 3

Ingredients: Talc, Mica, Ethylene/Methacrylate Copolymer, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Nylon-12, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pei-10, Lauroyl Lysine,Carmine (Ci 75470), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891).

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Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation Brush and Powder Brush

There are two new brushes that are part of her system. The Foundation Brush is smaller and dense for full coverage and buffing. It performed well for me, but I’ve always been more of a sponge person when it comes to foundation as I get better control and better smoothing with a sponge. The Powder Brush is one I really like – it has the perfect amount of fluff and the size is perfect for me. It’s perfectly tapered and it held up well to a couple washes already. I do think these are on the spendy side. While I think they are good tools I would personally save up for more of her lipsticks or eyeshadow palettes instead.

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Bare Skin vs Foundation / Powder vs Full Look

Top left: bare skin
Top right: with foundation
Bottom left: adding setting powder
Bottom right: full makeup, touching up with more powder

Makeup Look Wearing:

Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation in Medium 15
Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Setting Powder in Light Medium 2
Pat McGrath Labs MTHRSHP Sublime Bronze Ambition Eyeshadow Palette (review swatches here)
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown
Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush in First Love
Pat McGrath LuxeTrance Lipstick in Realness (swatches here)
Pat McGrath LUST Gloss in Earth Angel (review here)
Nail Polish is Essie Come Out to Clay

Overall I’m impressed with the foundation and am thrilled I have a color match that is olive/golden enough when I’m tan and when I’m not tan. I was concerned as it lists alcohol in the ingredients which can sometimes irritate my skin. It did not feel drying or irritating or tight on my face so I’m not sure if it’s a different kind of alcohol or if the concentration is super low. I think of all the products in her Skin Fetish system the foundation is the most impressive for me. I don’t think I’d call the other products must-haves although I’m really liking the Powder Brush and the Setting Powder has been performing well for me.

I do have a soft spot for her lipsticks and eyeshadows and by comparison I think those are absolutely worth the splurge 100% while the foundation might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Bottom line I’ve been loving her foundation and will most likely repurchase once it’s used up.

You can find the Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish products out now. Available at Pat McGrath Labs and Sephora.

Press samples include the Pat McGrath Labs Primer, Foundation, Powder, Brushes, Earth Angel and Bronze Ambition Palette.

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Lips Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs BlitzTrance Lipstick New Shades for Summer

June 10, 2019

This summer Pat McGrath Labs brings us nine new shades of BlitzTrance Lipstick ($38 each for 3.9 g/0.13 oz, made in USA). These new summer colors have a different finish and formula compared to her original holiday BlitzTrance Lipsticks last year. The original ones had an intense sparkle finish with bold colors. This month’s release has the same name “BlitzTrance” but the finish is more of a smooth refined satiny shimmer creme. These new summer BlitzTrance colors are everyday kinds of colors and every single one is phenomenal. You can find them now at PatMcGrath.com.

The summer BlitzTrance has medium to full coverage. They have a soft creme feel and the shimmer has an almost velvety dry down look to them. There’s a shimmer and sheen to them but they’re not really glossy in finish like I expected. They adhere well to the lips, there’s no detectable scent, application is smooth without any tugging. With a few of the shades I could feel a tiny bit of texture from the shimmer applying to the lips, but once on the lips they feel 100% smooth. Lasting power is excellent – there is no sliding around and I did not need a lip liner to help the color stay in place.

There are nine colors in this launch. The range has 5 very similar neutral nude-pinks, 1 nineties brown-rose, 1 plum, 1 red and 1 coral rose. At first glance the neutrals look remarkably similar. Even on the arm they look close. After lip-swatching them though I can see the differences are in undertone which I can really appreciate because finding the perfect neutral nude pink can vary so much depending on skin and lip tone. For example a few of my red hair friends look amazing in MAC Twig and Spirit lipsticks. Both look like great neutrals on my hand but on my complexion make me look like I’m 100% dead. Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk is one of my favorite neutral rose lipsticks but a number of you find it too cool/dusty looking on your lips and complexion. Finding a perfect “neutral” truly depends on so many things!

Close ups, descriptions and swatches:

Skin Flixx, Naked Kiss, Lady Stardust
Skinsane, Full Fantasy, Love Train
Flesh3, Blood Rush and Emmanuelle

Descriptions as I see them, quick note that the shimmer is more visible in the lip swatches:

Skin Flixx is a neutral warm rose pink neutral with a satiny shimmer
Naked Kiss is the lightest one but not pale, this is a light peach pink with gold pearl
Lady Stardust is a medium neutral-cool rose pink nude pearl, pulls more blue toned compared to the others
Skinsane is a neutral medium pink-beige with a slight hint of pink (looks almost identical to Naked Kiss on me, Skinsane is just a little deeper)
Full Fantasy is a warmer neutral nude peach pink shimmer
Love Train is a perfect plum shimmer
Flesh3 is a brown rose shimmer, almost like a brick shimmer
Blood Rush is a bold classic red with shimmer
Emmanuelle is a pretty coral rose with a metallic sheen

All swatched on bare lips, for skin tone reference I’m wearing Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation in Buff (equivalent of Tom Ford Soleil Glow Natural and MAC Studio Fix in NC35):

Details shots below, starting with Skin Flixx:

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Naked Kiss

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Lady Stardust

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Skinsane

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Full Fantasy

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Love Train

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Flesh 3

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Blood Rush

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Emmanuelle

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We are in the midst of packing for another move so I only pulled a couple to compare. Overall the BlitzTrance neutrals run lighter and almost brighter compared to her LuxeTrance and MatteTrance neutrals. I have one in LuxeTrance Realness swatched below. I also have Tom Ford Lip Color in Autoerotique and Spanish Pink side by side. I included both of the neutral-ish ones from the original BlitzTrance launch as well:

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Two full-face looks with Emmanuelle (left) and Blood Rush (right), also wearing:

Foundation is Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion in Buff
Powder is MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden
Brows are Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel
Eyeshadow is Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Lueurs Ambrees
Eyeliner is Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Brun Agape
Top from Free People
Cheeks/lips:
- Left is Pat McGrath BlitzTrance in Emmanuelle and Charlotte Tilbury Lightgasm Palette
- Right is Pat McGrath BlitzTrance in Blood Rush with CoverFX Monochromatic Blush Duo in Warm Honey

Overall the formula is excellent across the board. Colors wear well and apply perfectly. I can get full coverage with one swipe and even after doing 9 lip swatches in a row my lips have not peeled or dried out. They’re not hydrating but at the same time they don’t dry out my lips which is a huge plus. If there is one thing I think is a little confusing, it’s the name. I think the new summer formula is different enough from the holiday launch to justify a different product name, but BlitzTrance still suits it. The new summer formula is a lot more wearable compared to the holiday colors. Summer ones have a beautiful reflective quality that shines as the light hits your lips from different angles. Even though the neutrals look remarkably close I can appreciate that they launched variations with different undertones to suit different skin and lip colors.

I think they’re all really perfect but my favorites are Skinsane, Love Train and Emmanuelle.

You can find the new Summer BlitzTrance Lipsticks out now online at Pat McGrath Labs. As usual you can shop these in bundles and lip kits on her website which give a nice price break.

Have you tried these yet? Are any on your radar?

BlitzTrance provided courtesy of Pat McGrath Labs for review.

12 Comments

Eye Makeup Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs EYEdols Eyeshadow Review + Swatches

March 29, 2019

Pat McGrath Labs launched eyeshadow singles called EYEdols Eye Shadow ($25 each for 1.1 g/ 0.04 oz, made in USA). There are 17 shades total, 11 are repromotes from previously launched palettes and 6 are brand new shades. For those who prefer to pick individual colors I think this is the perfect way to try a few before committing to a full size palette. In my experience all of her eyeshadow palettes are among the best out there. I tend to be more conservative with my eyeshadow but since playing with her bold options have found myself experimenting more with different textures and colors, and I love it!

I was lucky to get an early preview of the eye shadows and have been playing with them for days now. In the interest of time I wasn’t able to get any makeup looks photographed for you but can if you’re interested. I swatched all the colors but have only been able to fully test 10 of them on the eyes so far. Everything is excellent in quality, color payoff and pigment. There are varying textures/finishes: mattes, shimmers, sparkles and metallics. Lasting power is really good, there were only some fall out issues with a couple of the sparkles (application-wise) which I’ll note below.

The EYEdols come in a clear plastic case and the pans are not removable. Size-wise they look to be the same in circumference as the palettes but they have less product than the MTHRSHP Palettes which have 12 g/ 0.42 oz for 6 shades which breaks down to 2 g / 0.07 oz each. The 6-pan palettes run at $55 each which make for a better buy. But sometimes it’s nice to just pick the colors you want individually.

First a look at all the colors and as many swatches as I could fit on one arm, then a closer look at all the colors plus descriptions and thoughts.

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Up first are the neutral shades, for reference I’ve linked the previous palette reviews:

Celestial (from MTHRSHP Sublime Bronze Temptation) is a shimmering champagne
Telepathic Taupe (from MTHRSHP Platinum Bronze) is a medium shimmering neutral taupe
Statuesque (new) is a matte soft brown
Sextrovert (from MTHRSHP Platinum Bronze) is a shimmering warm brown

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Next are the warm golden colors:

Gold Standard (from MTHRSHP Subversive Metalmorphosis) is a bright yellow sparkle gold, this had some fall out with the chunky sparkles with application, once applied and on the skin fallout is minimal
Enraptured (from MTHRSHP Subliminal Dark Star) is a more neutral brassy gold shimmer
Corrupt Copper (new) is a warm metallic copper orange gold

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Next are the rosy warm tones:

Rose Venus (new) is one of the prettiest sparking rose pink shimmers with a metallic sheen
Pale Fire (from MTHRSHP La Vie En Rose) is a satiny shimmering soft baby warm pink
Burnished Honey (new)
Crimson Fire (new) is a shimmering warm red
Deep Velvet (from MTHRSHP Platinum Bronze) is a deep cool matte brown

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Last are the set of bolds and deep colors:

Synthetica (new) is a sparkling bright purple violet with chunky sparkles
Purple Reign (from MTHRSHP La Vie En Rose) is a satiny deep bright bold purple
Dark Matter (from MTHRSHP Subliminal Dark Star) is a black satin
Divine Mink (from Mothership IV Decadence) is a metallic silvery greyed brown
Lapis Luxury (from Mothership IV Decadence) is a metallic teal sparkle

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My favorites are actually the ones that are already in the previously launched palettes which include: Telepathic Taupe, Sextrovert, Deep Velvet, Dark Matter and Divine Mink. I also did really like the matte neutral in Statuesque for a soft brown crease color. Rose Venus which is new is also a really stunning warm pink color.

Overall excellent quality and color payoff. I like that the packaging is simple and no-fuss. The fact that it comes in a clear case makes it easy to see the color inside. For me I still prefer her palettes but singles are a nice way to try one or a few shades you really want rather than having to purchase colors you may never (or rarely use). Price-wise I do think these are on spendy but they seem to be similar to what other luxury beauty eyeshadows other singles are priced at. I feel like palettes are always going to be priced better for price per oz versus individual shades.

You can find the Pat McGrath Labs EYEdols on her website PatMcGrath.com. She also has a few kit bundle options that come with a price break.

Have you checked these out yet? Or any of her palettes? What did you think?

Pat McGrath EYEdols provided courtesy of the Pat McGrath Labs team for review.

19 Comments

Eye Makeup

New Mascara + Primer Testing: Pat McGrath, Marc Jacobs, Sisley + More

February 28, 2019

I have another mascara + primer roundup today! As much as I love and swear by waterproof formulas like Chanel Le Volume Waterproof, L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof and Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme (sold out everywhere!), so many of you prefer regular formulas because they’re easier to take off. I have straight lashes and live in a city that has high humidity so I really prefer waterproof most of the time so it’s beach-proof and sweat-proof. For me it’s worth the extra time and effort to remove every evening. Still I understand it’s a total pain to remove which makes it not worth it for everyone (I swear by these Almay pads to remove the most stubborn of waterproof makeup, make sure you pick the waterproof remover version). The good news is there are a lot of new formulas that launched I think you might want to check out. A couple of these aren’t entirely brand new but new to me.

Home decor / style note details at the bottom of the post, but for all those asking my nail polish is OPI Another Ramen-tic Evening.

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Pat McGrath cannot do wrong in my eyes and she launched the new FetishEyes Mascara earlier this month. I received an early sneak peek and have been testing it for a couple months now. It’s a great non-clumping, defining mascara. It adds length and doesn’t smudge. For me it doesn’t quite add as much volume or drama as other formulas do but it’s a solid one and I truly appreciate that there is zero clumping. Curl holding is not the best, but also not the worst. If you don’t have issues with straight lashes I think you will have no problem with this formula. If you haven’t tried anything from her FetishEyes Collection I highly recommend her Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner (the two available in the Xtreme Duo bundle on her website).

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Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara has been raved about my SO many of you. You’ve told me it’s your HOLY GRAIL. I bought the pink packaging one at Sephora and really love it. The regular formula does not smudge but we have had a cold winter here (it has been down to 40s/50s) and even though it’s warming up the humidity isn’t what it normally is. I am worried it will smudge with the humidity so I’m going to investigate in the waterproof version soon. This one adds the most volume that I’ve tried for a non-waterproof formula. It will hold the curl too.

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Marc Jacobs launched a Velvet Primer to go with their Velvet Noir Mascara. I feel like most primers have done little for my lashes except the L’Oreal Lash Paradise Primer which is great, but not necessary. Even most high-end ones just didn’t do enough to wow me so I had low expectations for this Marc Jacobs Velvet Primer. It exceeded every expectation I had. Paired with the Velvet Noir Mascara it helps the mascara adhere SO much better and makes the mascara look much better. I haven’t tried it with other formulas but am going to. For now I’m thoroughly impressed. I think it’s worth checking out.

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The YSL Faux Cils Volume Effect in The Curler just came on my radar. I don’t know how new it is (or if it’s really is new). It’s described as a “curling mascara featuring a unique hybrid brush that dramatically curls and defines lashes for an unparalleled full fan effect.” The description alone plus all near 5-star reviews sold me. It didn’t work for me or knock my socks off. It doesn’t hold the curl or curl my lashes. I really do love the brush and how it’s curved and has rubber bristles. It just didn’t live up to the description for me. I like that there’s no clumping, it defines nicely and doesn’t smudge. I just don’t see enough volume and for me there is no curling effect or hold.

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Last but not least is the Sisley So Volume Mascara. For some reason I did not think this was new but the press email I received says it is. I’ve tried a few other formulas from Sisley and they’re all ridiculously expensive. This one has a thick chubby wand with bristles and does indeed add serious volume. It has ingredients to soften the lashes which is nice. Once applied it doesn’t have that crunchy feel most mascaras have but it stays put. I haven’t used it long enough to see if it is indeed strengthening but I don’t know that I would be able to tell with any formula. I like this because it adds volume with one stroke. It doesn’t hold the curl as well as waterproof formulas but doesn’t make mine go straight immediately. It’s also included in the Rachel Goodwin x Les Stars Collection bundle.

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I hope you found this roundup helpful! I think mascara is always tricky for me to write about because even with reviews it’s hard to tell how one may or may not work for you. We all have different lash lengths, density and eye shapes. I’ve tried so many that worked for others that didn’t for me so I know it can be the case for you as well. I still really prefer waterproof formulas so they’ll hold the curl for me. I end up with raccoon eyes most of the time so I’m surprised I found some non-waterproof formulas that didn’t smudge this round.

A few notes on other items featured in the post. On the nails is OPI Another Ramen-tic Evening, Mirrored Trays here, Coffee table here, my favorite eyelash curler is from MAC. Flat zip pouches in the Marc Jacobs photo are from The Daily Edited.

What’s your favorite non-waterproof mascara formula? Always love reading about your recommendations!

Press samples from Sisley, Marc Jacobs and Pat McGrath.

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Lips Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath LUST Gloss New Shades Spring 2019

January 18, 2019

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.

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