BTS — BE-hind Story

Namjoon used to go on V Live to do an album review livestream every comeback, and he'd use the opportunity to talk about some behind-the-scenes episodes of the album-making process as well. They've decided to do this as a group activity for BE and I love how they go from chaotic to sentimental to being outright savage. 

Q. What have you been doing lately?

Jimin: "I've been colouring."

Yoongi: "I've been playing guitar."

Jin: "I think I just slept when I had time off. I literally just slept."

Tae: "I enjoyed music."

Jungkook: "I've been studying about beef."

Q. What gives you comfort these days?

Jimin: "I came to Seoul without anything, without any friends… I didn't bring anything but my body… I came to Seoul like that and made lots of friends, but I realize every year that the members are the only ones who'll always be there for me. The other relationships just go away and then come back again… Even a while ago, I thought to myself, 'You guys are my only true friends.'"

Jungkook: "We're like your home."

Q. Any comforting messages to the members?

Yoongi, to RM: "When are you gonna stop eating chicken breast?"

Jimin: "You're supposed to comfort him!"

Yoongi: "I am comforting him. When's your cheat day? I was gonna order food for you that day!"

Tae: "Hyung, you lost a lot of weight!"

Jimin: "Ahh, see, that's comforting!"

Hobi: "... But your face is swollen today."

I love this family so much.

BANGTAN BOMB: BE Album Review, Pt. 2 (3x3 Unit ver.)

Hobi: "I'll give it a 5, of course, since it's our album."

Jungkook: "I'm going to give more than 5."

Jin: "J-Hope, there are dozens of stickers and you're only giving it 5? I'm disappointed."

Hobi: "Is that so?"

Jin, continually adding stickers to his album: "Let's just put 5."

Hobi: "Yeah, that's good enough."

Jungkook, not paying attention to anyone: "Look how pretty!"

Hobi: "How many stars did you put?"

Jungkook, counting: "I put 8."

Hobi, looking over at Jin's album: "Jin, you put so many."

Jin: "I put 19!"

Namjoon: "How could we possibly rate our precious album that is the result of many people's efforts? *pause* But I'm rating it right now."

Jimin: "I put 19 stars. It's out of 5, so I gave it a perfect score. I honestly don't know why. I gave it 14 extra points."

[Many minutes go by]

Namjoon: "Taehyung-ssi!"

Tae, still putting stickers on his album: "Yes?"

Namjoon: "Will you be done before this year ends?"

Tae, still focusing on the stickers: "*sigh* I told you, it takes time for me to finish things…"

BANGTAN BOMB: Suga's BE Album Unboxing and Review

I AM DYING AT HIM PUTTING HIS HAND BEHIND EACH ITEM TO "FOCUS" IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALREADY FOCUSED. 😂😂😂

(It's been five years since he did his last album unboxing; I'm surprised he didn't toss out the other members' photo cards like he used to. 😂)

MAC Throwbacks: Eyeshadow in Goldbit, Kid, Tete-A-Tint, and Uninterrupted

A couple weeks ago, MAC launched their Throwbacks collection, which consists of four eyeshadows and seven lipsticks that were previously discontinued and were fan-voted to be re-released from the MAC vault. All eleven products in this launch will be made permanent. The eyeshadows are housed in regular black compacts with clear lids. Each eyeshadow contains 1.5 grams of product, and retails for $22. These are applicable as a redeemable free product in the Back to MAC recycling program.
Clockwise from upper left: Goldbit, Kid, Tete-A-Tint, and Uninterrupted
Goldbit, Kid, Tete-A-Tint, and Uninterrupted

Goldbit is a light warm peachy beige with gold flecks in a Lustre finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more beige than Gleam, darker and more sparkly than Naked Lunch, and lighter than All That Glitters.

Kid is a medium warm beige-brown in a Veluxe finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than Wedge, more beige than Soft Brown, and darker and warmer than Omega.

Tete-A-Tint is a medium warm peachy brown in a Matte finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach than Soft Brown, lighter than Texture, and darker and more matte than Arena.

Uninterrupted is a medium-dark warm burnt yellow brown in a Matte finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more yellow than Cork, more yellow than Saddle, and darker and more matte than Soba.

With the exception of Goldbit, which was originally launched in 2004, these eyeshadows were actually only discontinued fairly recently (after 2010), so many old-school MAC addicts will likely still have one or more of these in their stash. That having been said, these were all fan favourite shades that were really only discontinued because there were too many similar shades within MAC's permanent range. The exception to this is Uninterrupted, which was originally a Pro Longwear Eyeshadow and they discontinued the whole formula (this colour in particular was extremely sought-after when MAC discontinued it because there is nothing really similar to it in their permanent range). I didn't own the original Goldbit so I can't say how this iteration compares, but I will say that it does go on smoother, more pigmented, and with less fall out than a typical Lustre eyeshadow. As with the other three shades, I find that this year's versions are more richly pigmented and have a softer, more velvety feel, so they perform beautifully. All of these shades are staple, workhorse shades that can work on anybody, so they're actually all worth getting if you don't already have them (all four shades have been made available in PRO refill pans as well!).

MAC Throwbacks: Lipstick in Spanish Fly, Icon, Shrimpton, Bronx, Skew, Marrakesh, and Rocker

A couple weeks ago, MAC launched their Throwbacks collection, which consists of four eyeshadows and seven lipsticks that were previously discontinued and were fan-voted to be re-released from the MAC vault. All eleven products in this launch will be made permanent. The lipsticks are housed in regular black and silver tubes. Each lipstick contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $22. These are applicable as a redeemable free product in the Back to MAC recycling program.
Spanish Fly, Icon, Shrimpton, and Bronx
Spanish Fly, Icon, Shrimpton, and Bronx

Spanish Fly is a medium-dark warm reddish bronze with a teal-green pearl in a Frost finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent range.

Icon is a medium cool taupe-brown with a taupe sheen in a Frost finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent range.

Shrimpton is a light-medium warm peachy beige in a Satin finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more peach than Honeylove, lighter and more peach than Cherish, and more beige than Kinda Sexy.

Bronx is a medium-dark warm muted rosy brown in a Matte finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and warmer than Whirl, more rosy than Taupe and Persistence, and darker than Velvet Teddy.

Skew, Marrakesh, and Rocker
Skew, Marrakesh, and Rocker

Skew is a medium warm pink with a cool pink-violet pearl in a Frost finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is warmer than Hot Gossip, cooler than Bombshell, and brighter and more pink than Fabby.

Marrakesh is a medium-dark warm muted rusted terracotta red in a Matte finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more brown than Chili, lighter and more orange than Studded Kiss, and more orange than Viva Glam I.

Rocker is a medium-deep cool wine red in a Matte finish. It was a discontinued shade, and is now permanent. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter than Diva, darker than D for Danger, and darker and cooler than Russian Red.

For the old-school MAC shoppers, this collection will definitely be a source of nostalgia. Most of these shades were discontinued in the early- to mid-2000s, and were actually bestsellers at the height of their popularity, so a lot of people who wore these during their initial run will get excited at seeing the comeback of their favourite lip shades from the '90s and early 2000s. For those who are new to MAC or have never heard of these shades before, you might find a new favourite among these throwbacks, especially given that these types of shades are popular again right now — further proof that trends are continually recycled and beloved. It's nice to see that MAC, who held a public poll for fans to vote on which colours to bring back, is really listening to their consumers and giving an ode to their OG fans.

MAC Hyper Real Glow Palette in Get It Glowin'

Last Thursday, MAC launched their new Hyper Real Glow Palette, a set of three highlighting shades available in two colour waves: "Finally, something worthy of the hype. Fall fast and hard for the highlighting palette perfection of Hyper Real Glow. Each palette packs three hues of highlight for supercharged, ecstatic-in-love-level radiance... With an irresistibly creamy powder formula, shades blend effortlessly to leave an ultra-reflective, yet flawlessly smooth sheen." There are three highlighting shades in square pans in each palette, and they are housed in a slim black mirrored cardboard case. each Hyper Real Glow Palette contains a total of 13.5 grams of product, and retails for $48.
In natural daylight: Get It Glowin', Gold Coasting, and Rosy Cheer
In direct sunlight: Get It Glowin', Gold Coasting, and Rosy Cheer

Get It Glowin' is a light warm champagne gold in a shimmery metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a smooth, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than Double-Gleam, and lighter than Oh, Darling!.

Gold Coasting is a light warm peachy champagne in a shimmery metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a smooth, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach than Get It Glowin', and warmer than Soft and Gentle.

Rosy Cheer is a medium warm peachy bronze in a shimmery metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a smooth, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly lighter and peachier than Global Glow, and lighter and more peach than Gold Deposit.

Finally, MAC has hopped on the highlighter palette train! MAC has never had any sort of highlighting kit in their permanent range, so it really was about time that they added these. For those who like to combine highlighting shades or simply want more variety in a single compact, the Hyper Real Glow Palettes will definitely appeal to you. Since the discontinuation of their Iridescent Powders a little over six years ago, MAC only had Mineralize Skinfinish or Extra Dimension Skinfinish in their permanent range — both of which are gorgeous formulas, but have that weightless, baked texture that is buildable in opacity. What MAC was missing in their highlighter range was that dense, creamy powder formula that is super-smooth, ultra-blendable, and gives off a beaming, metallic sheen — the texture and finish that has made Anastasia Beverly Hills' Glow Kits and Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfectors reign supreme in this category. Get It Glowin' is definitely geared towards medium to dark skintones, but Flash + Awe was designed for fair to medium skintones, so no one misses out.

MAC Hyper Real Glow Palette in Flash + Awe

Last Thursday, MAC launched their new Hyper Real Glow Palette, a set of three highlighting shades available in two colour waves: "Finally, something worthy of the hype. Fall fast and hard for the highlighting palette perfection of Hyper Real Glow. Each palette packs three hues of highlight for supercharged, ecstatic-in-love-level radiance... With an irresistibly creamy powder formula, shades blend effortlessly to leave an ultra-reflective, yet flawlessly smooth sheen." There are three highlighting shades in square pans in each palette, and they are housed in a slim black mirrored cardboard case. each Hyper Real Glow Palette contains a total of 13.5 grams of product, and retails for $48.
In natural daylight: Flash + Awe, Rosy Glow, and Light of the PartyIn direct sunlight: Flash + Awe, Rosy Glow, and Light of the Party

Flash + Awe is a pale cool-neutral silvered pinky beige in a shimmery metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a smooth, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent line-up.

Rosy Glow is a light neutral pinked beige in a shimmery metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a smooth, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more pink than Flash + Awe, and lighter and more pink than Soft and Gentle.

Light of the Party is a light-medium warm peachy pink beige in a shimmery metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a smooth, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more peach than Beaming Blush, and more peach than Soft and Gentle.

Finally, MAC has hopped on the highlighter palette train! MAC has never had any sort of highlighting kit in their permanent range, so it really was about time that they added these. For those who like to combine highlighting shades or simply want more variety in a single compact, the Hyper Real Glow Palettes will definitely appeal to you. Since the discontinuation of their Iridescent Powders a little over six years ago, MAC only had Mineralize Skinfinish or Extra Dimension Skinfinish in their permanent range — both of which are gorgeous formulas, but have that weightless, baked texture that is buildable in opacity. What MAC was missing in their highlighter range was that dense, creamy powder formula that is super-smooth, ultra-blendable, and gives off a beaming, metallic sheen — the texture and finish that has made Anastasia Beverly Hills' Glow Kits and Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfectors reign supreme in this category. Flash + Awe is definitely geared towards fair to medium skintones, but Get It Glowin' was designed for medium to dark skintones, so no one misses out.

MAC Jeremy Scott: Acoustica Cheek x 3 Palette

Today, MAC will be launching their collaboration with Moschino creative director, Jeremy Scott. Known for his odes to pop culture in his designs with fashion house Moschino, his collection with MAC is inspired by '90s music nostalgia: "Hailed as one of fashion's last true rebels, Jeremy Scott creates decadent high fashion from American cultural obsessions. With a fanatical following of pop music's biggest icons, the irreverent designer provokes and pushes into fashion's outer limits. Scott's collection for MAC introduces manic colour for eyes, lips and cheeks specially packaged in cheeky tribute to the days of mixtapes, boomboxes, new music, and unhinged creative expression taking root on city streets." There are three products in this collection, all of which are new and limited edition. The Acoustica cheek palette houses three new and limited edition shades: one highlighter, one bronzer, and one blush. They are housed in a special edition metal compact disc mirrored case with "Cheeky Vol. 1 Mixtape" written on the lid. Each Acoustica Cheek x 3 Palette contains a total of 9.2 grams of product, and retails for $41.
Heaven in Your Smile, Acoustica, and Wall of Desire

Heaven in Your Smile is a light warm golden champagne beige with iridescent shimmer-sheen in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a smooth, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and warmer than Double-Gleam, more beige than Oh, Darling!, and more golden than Soft and Gentle.

Acoustica is a medium-dark warm golden tan in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer than Matte Bronze, warmer and more golden than Blunt, and cooler and more golden than Give Me Sun!.

Wall of Desire is a medium warm peachy pink in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach than Desert Rose, darker and more pink than Melba, and more peach and more muted than Fleur Power.

This is just freaking adorable. It really does look exactly like a case for a blank CD. Again, I have to point out that this is a novelty item, so the design of the palette is just as important as the product carried within it. But I do think it was designed in a way that fit the shades practically while still maintaining the integrity of the theme. Unlike the eyeshadow palette, there are no wildcard colours here, so all three shades are widely flattering and pretty foolproof. It should work on all skintones from light to medium-dark, though it will likely show up ashy on dark to deep-dark skintones. As it is, all three shades are soft, smooth, and pigmented, and the palette contains a good amount of product for a reasonable price. So despite the eyeshadow palette being the star of this collection, I do think this will be the bestseller.

MAC Jeremy Scott: Lo-Fi Eyeshadow x 29 Palette

Today, MAC will be launching their collaboration with Moschino creative director, Jeremy Scott. Known for his odes to pop culture in his designs with fashion house Moschino, his collection with MAC is inspired by '90s music nostalgia: "Hailed as one of fashion's last true rebels, Jeremy Scott creates decadent high fashion from American cultural obsessions. With a fanatical following of pop music's biggest icons, the irreverent designer provokes and pushes into fashion's outer limits. Scott's collection for MAC introduces manic colour for eyes, lips and cheeks specially packaged in cheeky tribute to the days of mixtapes, boomboxes, new music, and unhinged creative expression taking root on city streets." There are three products in this collection, all of which are new and limited edition. The Lo-Fi eyeshadow palette houses 29 shades, of which 23 are new and limited edition, five are re-promotes, and one is permanent. They are housed in a special edition metal boombox-designed case. Each Lo-Fi Eyeshadow x 29 Palette contains a total of 14.5 grams of product, and retails for $98.
Row 1: Lo-Fi, Creative Copper, and Bite the Beat
Row 2: Endless Frequency and Disco TherapyRow 3: Superior Sound, Happy Song, Bird's Eye View, Walking Heartbeats, and Vacation Speed ZoneRow 4: Ghost Story, Morning Ticket, US Dance Remix, Subtly Elegant, Bonus Track, Beautifully Charred, Raven Eyed, and Video EmotionsRow 5: Memories of Space, Remixology, and BeatallicaRow 6: Syntheseyes, Oldie But Goodie, Powerful Performance, At the Turntable, and Electric EelRow 7: She's a Machine, Jam Session, and Club New Wave Remix
Lo-Fi, Creative Copper, Bite the Beat, Endless Frequency, and Disco Therapy

Lo-Fi is a light-medium warm beige in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a drier, stiffer texture, and can go on patchy. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque colour pay-off. Due to the texture, it can be difficult to layer and blend out. It is sheerer than Brule, and darker and warmer than Shroom.

Creative Copper is a medium bronzed gold with copper sparkles in a Lustre finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2013's Antonio Lopez collection, and is limited edition. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more golden than Amber Lights, and darker and more gold than Honey Lust. 

Bite the Beat is a medium-dark warm brown in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than Wedge, and warmer and lighter than Espresso.

Endless Frequency is a medium peachy coral in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more matte than Paradisco, and lighter than Free to Be (DC).

Disco Therapy is a medium-dark warm vibrant orange in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Rule.

Superior Sound, Happy Song, Bird's Eye View, Walking Heartbeats, and Vacation Speed Zone

Superior Sound is a light cool creamy pink in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more pink than Phloof!, and more frosted than Yogurt.

Happy Song is a light-medium warm strawberry milk pink in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and cooler than Girlie, and more matte than Pink Venus.

Bird's Eye View is a medium-dark cool vibrant fuchsia pink in a Satin finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2016's Flamingo Park collection, and is limited edition. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler and more pink than Passionate, and darker than Bright Pink.

Walking Heartbeats is a medium-dark warm scarlet red in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer than Never Say Never, and cooler than News Flash!.

Vacation Speed Zone is a dark warm reddish plum in a Veluxe Pearl finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more purple than Oh My Mocha!, and darker and more purple than Cranberry.

Ghost Story, Morning Ticket, US Dance Remix, Subtly Elegant, and Bonus Track

Ghost Story is a light cool white with a soft lavender pearl in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Digit (DC).

Morning Ticket is a light cool silvered white in a Veluxe Pearl finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more silver than White Frost, and similar to Forgery (DC).

US Dance Remix is a light-medium cool silvered taupe in a Veluxe Pearl finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler and more frosted than Era, and lighter and cooler than Patina.

Subtly Elegant is a medium-dark cool taupe-grey in a Matte finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2015's Enchanted Eve collection, and is limited edition. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Copperplate (DC), and more grey than Scene.

Bonus Track is a medium-dark warm bronze with silver sparkle in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and cooler than Bronze, and cooler than Mulch.

Beautifully Charred, Raven Eyed, Video Emotions, Memories of Space, and Remixology

Beautifully Charred is a dark cool brown with subtle gold shimmer in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Smut, and more shimmery than Brun.

Raven Eyed is a deep-dark neutral soft black in a Matte finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2016's Nordstrom C'est Chic Eyeshadow x 15 Palette, and is limited edition. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly warmer than Carbon.

Video Emotions is a dark cool blackened purple in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly cooler than Shadowy Lady.

Memories of Space is a light-medium cool vibrant yellow in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more yellow than Shock Factor, and cooler and more muted than Chrome Yellow.

Remixology is a medium warm muted chartreuse green in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than Shock Factor, and yellower and more muted than Lime.

Beatallica, Syntheseyes, Oldie But Goodie, Powerful Performance, and At the Turntable

Beatallica is a deep-dark cool blackened forest green in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more green than Plumage, and darker than Bottle Green (DC).

Syntheseyes is a pale cool minty white in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more aqua than Gesso, and lighter than Aqua.

Oldie But Goodie is a light cool seafoam in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Aqua.

Powerful Performance is a medium cool brightened aquamarine blue in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent range.

At the Turntable is a medium cool sky blue in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more muted than Electric Eel, and lighter than Hi-Def Cyan Pigment.

Electric Eel, She's a Machine, Jam Session, and Club New Wave Mix

Electric Eel is a medium-dark vibrant cool neon blue in a Matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more matte than How Royal, and darker and brighter than Hi-Def Cyan Pigment.

She's a Machine is a light cool lilac-pink in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is pinker and more matte than Beautiful Iris.

Jam Session is a medium-dark cool brightened lavender purple in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more matte than Parfait Amour.

Club New Wave Mix is a medium-dark cool brightened amethyst purple in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a drier, stiffer texture, and can go on patchy. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. Due to the texture, it can be difficult to layer and blend out. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent range.

First things first: this is a novelty item. The design of the palette here is just as important as the product carried within it. A lot of people were saying how the placement of shadows is "wasting a lot of space" and that the palette as a whole is too big. What these people are forgetting is that this palette was specifically designed this way to fit the theme of this collection. Jeremy Scott doesn't do things for practicality. He does things for visual aesthetic, and he does so unapologetically. That's apart of the appeal of his designs. Now, as for the eyeshadows themselves, you'll definitely find some dupes in MAC's permanent range, but more of the colours are actually unique to this palette (especially since MAC discontinued so many shades over the past couple years — a lot of these are similar to discontinued PRO shadows). While there are neutrals to work with here, most of the shades in this palette are brights, and they cover everything from warm oranges to cool blues. This is for someone who has fun with their makeup and isn't afraid of colour. The majority of the shadows go on smoothly and pigmented, but there are a couple duds: Lo-Fi and Club New Wave Mix are both drier and stiffer in texture, which makes it harder to pick up pigment. This is disappointing because MAC has made shades very similar, if not the same, as these that performed far, far better. At $98, it's a fairly pricey eyeshadow palette, but it does contain about $175 worth of product and it has one of the most unique designs I've ever seen in the cosmetics industry. So, I have to reiterate here: you're paying for the novelty of this item. This palette wasn't designed for everyone, but for MAC collectors, Jeremy Scott fans, colourful makeup fiends, or those who just want to re-live some '90s music nostalgia, this palette is for you.

MAC Viva Glam Sia Lipstick

For those who don't already know about MAC's Viva Glam program, it is a series of lip products of which 100% of the entire selling price goes to the MAC AIDS Fund. Since its inception in 1994, there have been six lipstick shades added to the permanent Viva Glam line-up, but MAC also appoints celebrities every year to be their Viva Glam ambassadors to help raise HIV/AIDS awareness. To date, MAC's Viva Glam campaign has raised $450 million globally to help men, women, and children infected and affected by AIDS and HIV. Every Viva Glam lip product that has been launched since 2010 has been named after the celebrity ambassador(s) of the year, with Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper in 2010, Lady Gaga again in 2011, Nicki Minaj and Ricky Martin in 2012, Nicki Minaj again in 2013, Rihanna twice in 2014, Miley Cyrus twice in 2015, Ariana Grande twice in 2016, and Taraji P. Henson twice in 2017. 


For 2018, MAC has appointed Australian singer-songwriter, Sia Furler, as their Viva Glam ambassador. Sia has been in the music industry for over 20 years and has had numerous #1 singles on Billboard charts as both a singer and a songwriter. She is best known for her albums 1000 Forms of Fear, which features the hit singles, "Chandelier" and "Elastic Heart," and This is Acting, which features the hits "Cheap Thrills" and "Alive." She is also known for her collaborations with David Guetta, Flo Rida, Eminem, and Zayn Malik, as well as for her songwriting for Rihanna, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, and Katy Perry, among others. 

Today, MAC will be releasing Sia's first Viva Glam shade. For this launch, we will only be seeing a lipstick shade for Sia, and not a lipstick and lip gloss pairing as in previous years. Viva Glam Sia is limited edition and will be available for six months going forward. As with all MAC lip products, it is vanilla-scented but taste-free. Each Viva Glam Sia Lipstick comes in special edition glossy black packaging with Sia's logo printed in red around it, and the signature Viva Glam red metal casing. Each lipstick contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $22. As it is for charity, Viva Glam Sia is not redeemable as a free product in the Back to MAC recycling program. 
Viva Glam Sia Lipstick
Viva Glam Sia Lipstick

Viva Glam Sia Lipstick is a medium-dark neutral-cool brightened cherry red in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade, and will be available for six months going forward. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is creamier and very slightly darker than Ruby Woo, lighter than Russian Red, warmer than MAC Red, and lighter and cooler than Viva Glam I.

I genuinely think Sia is someone who is perfect to represent MAC's Viva Glam campaign. She's passionate, talented, unconventional, and globally popular but still maintains integrity and privacy. She has one of the most unique, powerful voices in pop music, and has overcome multiple challenges over many years to become one of the most respected artists in the pop music industry. It's these characteristics that I think make an ideal Viva Glam ambassador. Anyone who has seen Sia will know that she has become iconic for her black-and-white wig and her bright, cherry red lips, so it makes sense that Sia's first collaboration with MAC would be her signature red. It's universally flattering among all skintones, and will definitely appeal to fans of Ruby Woo (which is still MAC's best-selling shade of all time). Or, similarly, if you were looking for a creamier, smoother, but still matte version of Ruby Woo, this would be your closest bet. That having been said, MAC is a brand that is well-known for their reds, so Viva Glam Sia has a ton of dupes within MAC's permanent range (even more if you collect the ones from limited edition launches). While I understand the decision behind launching the red lipstick for Sia, I really hoped that they would come out with something fun and unique and slightly quirky, like Sia herself. That having been said, the creation of this lipstick is for an amazing cause, so if you're on the market for a beautiful cherry red, this one is definitely worth getting.
The MAC AIDS Fund is one of the most effective charities I have ever seen a cosmetics company identify with, and it still blows my mind that MAC helps this charity on a daily, on-going basis with their Viva Glam program. Not only that, but they don't just donate a portion or the proceeds to this cause — it's 100% of the selling price of any Viva Glam product. This is a really worthy cause, so if you're not personally a fan of Viva Glam Sia, it's worth checking out any of the other Viva Glam shades that may be more wearable or flattering on you.

MAC Lunar New Year: Luck and Fortune Eyeshadow x 9 Palette

Today, MAC will be launching their annual Lunar New Year collection, available online and at select MAC locations. For the Year of the Dog, MAC has created a peach-themed colour story with festive packaging resembling the traditional Chinese longevity peach buns that represent the Peaches of Immortality. The Lunar New Year collection includes a total of seven new and limited edition products. This is the first time that MAC is launching a Lunar New Year collection with entirely new and limited shades in special packaging. (Previous years have only seen re-promoted or permanent shades with only the box packaging as special edition for the Lunar New Year collections.) This year's Lunar New Year collection sees the launch of one new and limited edition Eyeshadow x 9 Palette. It is housed in a square clear-lidded compact in beige to hot pink ombre soft touch packaging with a matching card stock box. Each Eyeshadow x 9 Palette contains a total of 7.2 grams of product, and retails for $42.
Top: Sweet Vapours, Precious Occasion, and Spirit of the Season
Middle: Georgia Peach, Couplets, and AuspiciousBottom: Special Charm, Luck and Fortune and Lucky 8
Top: Sweet Vapours, Precious Occasion, and Spirit of the Season
Middle: Georgia Peach, Couplets, and AuspiciousBottom: Special Charm, Luck and Fortune and Lucky 8
Sweet Vapours, Precious Occasion, and Spirit of the Season

Sweet Vapours is a light warm pinked beige with pink pearl in a Lustre finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more pink than Jest, more pink than Naked Lunch, and more pink than A Natural Flirt.

Precious Occasion is a light-medium warm champagne peach with gold pearl in a Veluxe Pearl finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and less sparkly than Gleam, lighter and more peach than All That Glitters, and darker and more peach than A Natural Flirt.

Spirit of the Season is a medium warm sandy brown in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly less yellow than Soba, more golden than Wedge, and lighter than Cork.

Georgia Peach, Couplets, and Auspicious

Georgia Peach is a light-medium warm pinked brown in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than Malt, lighter and warmer than Quarry, and lighter and more muted than Haux.

Couplets is a medium warm muted coral beige in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more coral than Soft Brown, more muted and more brown than Paradisco, and lighter and more coral than Texture.

Auspicious is a deep-dark warm chocolate brown in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Embark, darker than Swiss Chocolate, and more brown than Sketch.

Special Charm, Luck and Fortune, and Lucky 8

Special Charm is a light-medium warm peachy pink in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more pink and more matte than Paradisco, and lighter and more muted than Sushi Flower.

Luck and Fortune is a medium warm brightened coral pink in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more coral than Sushi Flower, darker and more coral than Paradisco, and more pink than Rule.

Lucky 8 is a medium-dark warm muted rose pink in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a drier, stiffer texture, can go on slightly patchy. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. Due to the stiffer texture, it can be harder to layer and blend out. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent range.

This is a really gorgeous, super-flattering palette that combines just enough neutral with pinks and corals to keep it interesting but wearable across many skintones. All the shades are incredibly smooth, silky, and pigmented, with the exception of Lucky 8, which has a noticeably stiffer texture, making it harder to pick up product and resulting in less pigmentation. It's a shame, because it's actually the most unique shade in the palette. That having been said, the formulations of the other eight shades are so phenomenal that it makes it easier to forgive the one dud. Plus, the packaging is really freaking cute. This collection has already received a lot of hype all over social media, so I do think everything will sell out very fast, especially given that MAC is notorious for having very limited stock of highly anticipated launches. If you're interested in anything from the Lunar New Year collection, I would find out which locations near you are carrying it (it's only going to be carried at select stores) and get there ASAP.

MAC Lunar New Year: Lipstick in Pure Happiness, Prosperity, Peachy New Year, Good Health, and To Luck!

Today, MAC will be launching their annual Lunar New Year collection, available online and at select MAC locations. For the Year of the Dog, MAC has created a peach-themed colour story with festive packaging resembling the traditional Chinese longevity peach buns that represent the Peaches of Immortality. The Lunar New Year collection includes a total of seven new and limited edition products. This is the first time that MAC is launching a Lunar New Year collection with entirely new and limited shades in special packaging. (Previous years have only seen re-promoted or permanent shades with only the box packaging as special edition for the Lunar New Year collections.) This year's Lunar New Year collection sees the launch of five new and limited edition lipstick shades. They are housed in beige to hot pink ombre soft touch tubes with matching card stock boxes. Each lipstick contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $22. Due to their special edition nature, these are not redeemable as free products in the Back to MAC recycling program.
Pure Happiness, Prosperity, Peachy New Year, Good Health, and To Luck!
Pure Happiness, Prosperity, Peachy New Year, Good Health, and To Luck!
Pure Happiness, Prosperity, Peachy New Year, Good Health, and To Luck!

Pure Happiness is a light-medium warm cotton candy pink in a Cremesheen finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is lighter and more muted than Pink Pearl Pop, warmer than Lovelorn, and warmer and more muted than Little Buddha.

Prosperity is a medium-dark warm vibrant pinked coral in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more pink than Tropic Tonic, more matte than Vegas Volt, and more orange and more matte than King Salmon.

Peachy New Year is a medium warm brightened peachy coral in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more muted than Tropic Tonic, more orange than King Salmon, and darker and more pink than Sushi Kiss. 

Good Health is a medium warm muted coral pink in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker than Fanfare, more pigmented than See Sheer, and darker and more pink than Ravishing. 

To Luck! is a medium-deep warm coral red in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more matte than On Hold, more red and more matte than Brick-O-La, and cooler and more pink than Chili. 

Anyone who has been following Asian makeup trends will know that corals and warm reds for lips have been popular for several years now. Chili, See Sheer, and Brick-O-La are some of MAC's bestselling shades for Asian consumers all over the world. So it was only fitting for the Lunar New Year collection to see coral-toned lipsticks. I appreciate that MAC came out with five shades that are in the same family but are different enough from each other in both colour and finish that there is something for everyone. Coincidentally, these shades will also be perfect for a sweet, fresh-faced look for Spring. Plus, the packaging is just freaking cute. This collection has already received a lot of hype all over social media, so I do think everything will sell out very fast, especially given that MAC is notorious for having very limited stock of highly anticipated launches. If you're interested in anything from the Lunar New Year collection, I would find out which locations near you are carrying it (it's only going to be carried at select stores) and get there ASAP.