MAC Extra Dimension Blushes - Flaming Chic, Blazing Haute, Fiery Impact

Out of all the items I picked up from the MAC Extra Dimension Collection, my favourites by far are the blushes. I love that MAC did something different with the finish here, while staying true to the texture of the gelée formulation.

I wanted great colours for summer, so I opted to get Flaming Chic, Blazing Haute and Fiery Impact. And they are honestly all fantastic.

Top: Flaming Chic
Bottom: Blazing Haute, Fiery Impact

I was delighted to see that these were all a satin finish, as I hadn't relished the thought of a super shimmery blush - despite my magpie love for all things shiny. All three have that dry to the touch feel, and are super smooth and blendable upon application, so no surprises there. They have a teeny amount of sheen that does what it does to make skin look healthy and radiant without adding any overt shine or glitz.

Flaming Chic is a beautifully bright but wearable blue-based pink. Blazing Haute comes on far less orange than I feared, more of a peachy tan. It should be perfect for the fair but warm-toned, for that sun-touched effect. Fiery Impact is also far more wearable than the terracotta tones might suggest. I suspect it would be stunning on those with medium, olive-toned skin. It is the most pigmented out of the bunch so should be applied softly at first, until you have layered to your satisfaction. All of them are buildable, and because of the soft, fine texture they don't get cakey or powdery on the skin.

Flaming Chic, Blazing Haute, Fiery Impact

One thing I did find odd was that Flaming Chic seemed to have some sort of very fine layer on top. It's difficult to explain, but when I first tried to apply it, my brush picked up nothing at all. I thought I had gotten a dud, but then I remembered that something similar had plagued my Guerlain Terra Azzura Powder. I rubbed off the top layer with a tissue, and then had no problems. Very strange. Ultimately it didn't affect the performance, but I thought I should mention it in case anyone else experienced the same thing.

In terms of wear, all of these had a slightly less than average wear for me - six hours, with a very small amount of fading after that.

Availability: Gone, pretty much, unless you luck out and find something in the store. Price is 29.50$ CAD.

Pros: Beautiful pigmentation that can be blended out and worn sheerly, or built up for high impact with no caking. Very blendable.

Cons: Not the longest wear overall. That bizarre hard layer on Flaming Chic.

(I purchased these items from MAC.)

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows - Opalesse, Triple Impact, Smoky Mauve

I have quite a few of the gelée-textured eyeshadows from MAC from the previous two outings, so I really wanted to be choosy with the current MAC Extra Dimension collection and buy only the shades that I felt were the most unique or interesting. Smoky Mauve just looked like an amazing alternative to taupe (and you know I love me some taupe!), while both Opalesse and Triple Impact seemed like they might have some duochrome happening.

Top: Smoky Mauve
Bottom: Opalesse and Triple Impact

Smoky Mauve is a silvered-taupe-mauve, and exactly what I've come to expect from this formulation - a metallic/frost finish, beautiful pigmentation both wet and dry, and that strangely dry texture that applies smoothly and blends like butter. It's the kind of shade that can be swept all over the eye for a natural wash of subtle color, or worked into the crease with a touch of taupe or brown for depth.

The other two shades are different altogether, and remind me a bit of some of the Estée Lauder Vivid Shine eyeshadows from a couple of seasons ago. They are sheerer in a way that seems intentional, as they also have a duochrome finish that works beautifully over a darker base. The finish also has more microglitter/shimmer than frost. The texture of both seems a little drier in some way, comparable to the way a mineralized eyeshadow feels, and they don't last quite as well as Smoky Mauve or the other Extra Dimension eyeshadows I've tried in the past - though if you're going to layer them over a cream base to highlight that duochrome effect, that's not really a concern.

The duochrome was really hard to capture, but in the picture below you can see a tiny bit of the effect.

Triple Impact and Opalesse

In the picture below, that effect is next to invisible. Triple Impact reads as a pale, pastel lilac, and Opalesse as a light gold. In reality, Triple Impact has an almost bluish iridescence, while Opalesse has a blush pink undertone.

 Smoky Mauve, Opalesse, Triple Impact

However, over a darker base (l'Oréal HIP Cream Eyeliner in Eggplant), the undertones are more visible.

Top to bottom: Opalesse and Triple Impact

I have to say that I'm really glad I got these. The sheerness surprised me, as did the sparklier finish, but they are beautiful and I love the layering potential.

Availability: Slim, as they are sold out on the MAC website, though the stores may still have some in stock. Price is 25$ CAD.

Pros: Smoky Mauve has that fabulous gelée mixture of strong pigmentation, smooth, blendable texture and high-impact metallic shimmer. Opalesse and Triple Impact have a sheerer finish that makes them wonderful for layering, and a lovely shifting iridescence.

Cons: The lighter shades are not as long-lasting, and have a drier texture that doesn't really impact application, but does make them more prone to flying away.

(I purchased these items from www.maccosmetics.com.)

Estée Lauder Violet Underground Palette

Like the Lise Watier Millésime "Les Vins" palette I reviewed a little while back, the Violet Underground palette from Estée Lauder was a stunning fall piece that has segued seamless into the holiday season. It is probably my favorite from the Fall 2012 collections, not least of all because of its seasonal versatility.

It is absolutely gorgeous, and performs flawlessly.

I love that EL veered slightly from the usual gold packaging and went with the midnight exterior. The shades in the palette are so intense, gold would have pushed this uncomfortably close to the tacky side of the 80s, rather than the Jerry Hall, glam-tastic fabulousness that this palette totally owns.

The colors are so rich, vibrant and metallic in the pan, and they do not disappoint when applied.

Natural and artificial light.

Direct sunlight.

The formula is the Cyber Eyes tribrid that can be used wet or dry, and while the colors do go on more metallic and intense when used wet, I had no problem getting density and payoff when using these dry, and they last all day. It's even better than the Bronze Sands palette, and that's saying a lot.

Despite the scary fuchsia, this is a surprisingly versatile palette. The soft black and beautiful navy shade will, of course, make for a classic smoky eye, while the brown and cream shades work just as well for a more subdued daytime combination. There are no matte shades, so it's not an all-arounder that you can toss into your weekend bag, but it has a lot more range than would be immediately obvious.

Availaibility: Harder to locate now, but it is still available on the US Estée Lauder website, and my local Bay still had it in stock this week. Price is 48$ USD and 50$ CAD.

Pros: Sublime formula with great density and pigmentation. Fantastic overall aesthetic. Surprisingly wearable and versatile.

Cons: None that I can think of.

(I purchased this from Lord and Taylor in the States.)

Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Capri Summer 2012 - Bronze Sands Pure Color Cyber Metallic Palette

With the Fall collection from Estée Lauder looming on the horizon (preview pics at Smartologie), I feel extra bad that I slacked on getting this post up earlier. You know, when it was still available to purchase. This palette is pretty much sold out everywhere, but if you do come across it in a retail location, JUMP ON IT. It is a) beautiful, b) fetching extortionist prices on ebay and amazon, and c) the perfect palette to complement this fantastic summer weather. I debated whether to even put this review up, but I figured the high collectible status might merit some extra swatches circulating out there in the wilds of the web.

So, without further ado, the Bronze Sands palette from the Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Capri Collection for Summer 2012:

Yeah. It's pretty damn gorgeous. I wasn't sure if I loved the rippled sand effect when I saw the pictures online, but in person, it works.

The texture and finish is exactly the same as that of the Cyber eyeshadow singles I've reviewed before - that tribrid finish that can be used wet or dry. The cream is the sheerest of the five when used dry, the brown the richest. All of the shades become more opaque and more metallic when used wet. They all do best applied over a primer to prevent fading, and I would add that you need to be careful when blending. The texture is so incredibly silky that they can easily blend into a muddy mess if you're overly vigorous.

But...is this a palette that is worth hunting down, or paying exorbitant prices for on ebay?

For the quality and aesthetic appeal, it might be. However, if you have been keeping on top of the recent releases from EL, then chances are you probably already own a couple of these shades in a different format.

The cream, brown and gold shades are the three that don't have any dupes in the past or current line-up of Cyber shadows. The brown is very similar to Cyber Copper, but richer and warmer in tone.

If you already own Topaz Chameleon and Cyber Teal, then you will find these shades to be a repeat.

What I love about the finish on these is how strongly metallic they read, regardless of the light. In the swatches below you can see differences, but that strong gleam and shimmer shows up even in murky indoors lighting. In soft, incandescent light, they are STUNNING.

In indirect natural light.

Indirect natural light, different angle.

Full sunlight.

Artificial light.

I can't do my usual review breakdown, as this is not an item that is currently available. I will say that I do love the tribrid finish, and find this palette to be perfect for this time of year, when a higher level of gleam works beautifully with tanned, dewy skin. It's not strictly speaking a versatile palette, since the finish on all the shades is identical, but it's one that rounds out a collection nicely.

Estée Lauder Shimmering Sands Illuminating Powder Gelée

I purchased a few things from the Bronze Goddess Capri collection, but let me start with the star of the show.

By now the Illuminating Powder Gelées from Estée Lauder are an auto-buy for me. Having missed out on Modern Mercury and having adored Topaz Chameleon, I snatched Shimmering Sands up faster than you can believe.

And it's freakin' gorgeous. Not quite as bling-tastic as TC with its reptilian print, but pretty lush all the same.

I won't go into too much detail about the particular texture of the Gelée, as I elaborated on it in the review for Topaz Chameleon. Suffice it to say that the texture is the same, though this is a shimmer rather than metallic. The pigmentation on this is almost as strong. It can be used as an eyeshadow, blush, bronzer or highlighter, depending on your skin tone and application technique.

Indirect natural light.

Artificial light.

I think Shimmering Sands pairs beautifully with a basic bronzer applied first for contour and depth, and then this swept on the top of the cheeks, at the outer planes of the forehead, and on the eyelids. The combination gives a burnished, deep-summer tan effect, like those luscious St.Tropez ads from the early 90s.

As an eyeshadow it's lovely for a light wash, or for warming up the crease of a smoky eye.

As a blush, the shimmer finish might prove a little challenging to the frost-phobic. In those cases, I would recommend using a matte shade as a base, and then buffing this in overtop for a gorgeous glow. 

Like Topaz Chameleon, it can be used with a fluffy synthetic brush for a more delicate application. Because of the deeper color, it won't work as a traditional highlighter on paler skin tones, but applied lightly it lends a beautiful radiance while adding a bit of color. The rose-amber tone could potentially be incredibly flattering on deeper skin.

Indirect natural light.

Artificial light.

Availability: On the www.esteelauder.com website (the Canadian version is now more complete and offers free shipping over 50$!) and counters at department store like The Bay and Sears. Price is 50$ CAD.

Pros: Knockout style and design, great pigmentation, unique color, versatile application possibilities.

Cons: Pigmentation, shade undertone and shimmer might make it a challenge to use as highlighter, bronzer or blush with some skin tones. (But for me personally I think the versatility outweighs the limitations.)

(I purchased this item at the EL counter at The Bay.)

MAC Extra Dimension

Now THIS I'm excited about. After nearly a year of yawn-worthy limited edition collections, MAC seems to have finally put together something special with their Extra Dimension collection. These not only look to be gorgeous colors, but they boast a new technological formula and metallic finish.

All images courtesy of MacKarrie.

Except... isn't this familiar? These look like the MAC version of the Estée Lauder Pure Color Cyber eyeshadows and tri-brid Illuminators. It seems MAC is lagging a step or two behind her older sister. (Did MAC somehow become the Jan of the EL empire?)

If it makes MAC feel better though, it seems like Estée also took inspiration from Italian brand Kiko cosmetics, which came out with their water eyeshadows in Spring of 2011. And which Sephora copied almost EXACTLY with their Prisma Chrome line just a few months ago.

Image from www.kikocosmetics.com

Image from www.sephora.com

I guess a good thing can't be contained?

I will definitely be ordering from the new collection, because I think the texture on these tri-brid powders is incredible, and I like that there will be more colors available. With this range of choices, will you guys be sticking to one brand or dabbling in all of them? 

Estée Lauder Pure Color Gelée Powder Eyeshadow

Ok, I won't go on and on again about how Estée Lauder is hitting it out of the park lately (though it is) and how they are showing some of their younger sister brands a thing or two (though they are). Suffice it to say that these Pure Color Gelée Powder Eyeshadows are, quite possibly, the coolest thing since sliced bread.

Top row, left to righ: Cyber Copper, Cyber Green, Cyber Teal
Bottom row: Cyber Lilac, Cyber Pink
I did not purchase Cyber Silver.

They have the same "trybrid" texture as the Illuminating Gelée powders (as reviewed here), meaning they are a strange and wonderful blend of powder, cream and liquid. As demonstrated by a wonderful SA at my local counter, they can be applied with a brush for a sheer, diffused effect, with a sponge (or a dense brush, like the MAC 239) for more opacity, or with a damp brush for a more metallic and dense finish.

The following product pictures were all taken under natural daylight, and the close up shots are under artificial light.

Cyber Copper has the most opaque and least shimmery finish out of these - more of a metallic satin, if that makes sense.

It has the most tenacious wear and looks fairly similar across application techniques. Not the most original color, but an exceedingly well-done version of it.

Cyber Green is not really a green - it's a faded black with a hint of olive, and a fine gold micro-glitter throughout.

Buffed in, it loses some of the glitter, and looks best when applied wet or patted over a primer to maintain that golden sparkle. Definitely one of the more unique shades in this collection.

Cyber Teal is absolutely gorgeous. It's a deeply shimmery teal with a slightly blackened base. Nothing dark or obvious, but when I buff it in, I can see a bit of smokiness. It lends itself beautifully to a smokey eye, actually.

I don't think I have anything quite like it my collection, and I am mad for teals.

Cyber Lilac is so very pretty. Like Cyber Teal, it's one of the more shimmery shades, though without the smoky base. It applies as a deeper-toned lilac, lighter than it appears in the pan.

It can be buffed in for a softer finish that is less obviously shimmery as well.

Cyber Pink is probably the closest to the Illuminating Gelée in terms of potential usage. It has the sheerest application out of these, and is the most easily buffed out to diaphanous effect.

Applied with a powder brush, it can be used purely as a highlighter over the cheekbones as well as the eyes. It is perhaps the least original color in terms of eyeshadow, but it is the most versatile.


I've omitted the 'artificial light' picture in the following swatches, only because all the shades read identically in full sunlight as they did under a light.

Pink, Lilac, Teal, Gren, Copper.
Indirect light.

Indirect light, different angle.

Direct sunlight.

Availaibility: Largely sold out at counters, a few shades remain on The Bay website, and all of the shades are currently still available from the Estée Lauder website. Price is 28$ CAD per shade.

Pros: Intense pigmentation, variable application options for different effects, incredibly creamy, dense texture. Unique or just plain beautiful colors.

Cons: None that I can think of, aside from possibly the price. For the amount and versatility of the product, I think they're worth it.

(I purchased these from the EL counter at The Bay.)