Beauty in a tick: MAC's Extra Dimension Blush in Autoerotique

MAC's Autoerotique

Where's early 90's Madonna to help soften the blow for this particular topic, yeah I'm talking about you, Autoerotique.

*Blushes*

I guess it's a fitting name, because that's what I do [blush] whenever I flip the compact to check the spelling. And giggle too, because I am that >< mature.

Autoerotique, one of three Extra Dimension blush shades MAC released within the Magnetic Nude Collection earlier this month, is the perfect healthy flush you get -- say, post-workout?!

Hey, I'm just trying to keep things PG here because my parents do visit from time to time :)

Swatches of Autoerotique - sheer wash (left) and applied with a heavy hand several times over (right)

Autoerotique (dirty (whatever that means!?) coral rose) is the median satin shade, falling smack dab between hues At Dusk (midtone rose) and Pleasure Model (soft terracotta with pearl). To my eye, colour-wise, Autoerotique is the most diverse blush of the bunch for its ability to be subdued for a gal looking for a touch of coral. Or, it can be amped up with a few extra brush strokes for that "Addicted to Love" look.

Wearing Autoerotique on my cheeks and YSL's Gloss Volupte Fuchsia Oran on my lips

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for MAC's Extra Dimension Blush in Autoerotique:

• $25.00 USD / $52.00 AUS

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags — if I picked this blush up in Australia, I would've given it a lower rating for the outrageous price.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Currently testing MAC's Huggable lip colour in Out For Passion.

Should you pass out while wearing YSL's Gloss Volupte you can expect someone to give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

YSL Gloss Volupte in 206 Fuchsia Oran (left) and 15 Grenade Pepite (right)

Or so they claim.

YSL recently released Gloss Volupte, a pleasurable, non-sticky top topcoat for your lips. This latest collection, we're talking bling-tastic shine, features twenty-three shades split amongst three finishes:

• Golden (gold glitter; shades 1-49)
• Iridescent (multi-tonal flecks; shades 101-104)
• Pure (no glitter; shades 201-209)

Kiss, kiss. 

The lip-shaped applicator, in addition to being cute, is also quite efficient at ladling enough product onto your lips. And, with a simple flick in order to flip the applicator,  the convex side works to smooth and even things out. The slit located at the centre sops up excess gloss and acts as a reservoir should you need to apply a bit more colour.

The fruity scent (think Sweet Tarts) has been somewhat controversial or more to the point off-putting for a few other bloggers and reviewers, but it doesn't really bother me as it fades fairly fast. Personally, I'm just glad YSL didn't duplicate the scent used in their Glossy Stain formula.

15 Grenade Pepite (golden) 

Grenade Pepite, loosely translated from French to English means pomegranate nugget. Translation aside, I get more of a pale pink pomegranate kernel, better yet a pink lady apple with yellow undertones and major flecks of gold glitter. The finish delivers high shine that lasts for a couple of hours, max, and then wears down to a subtle sheen thereby placing the gold glitter on display. Despite the presence of glitter in Grenade Pepite, I still found the texture to be smooth and plush-like. 

If you're not into the glitter look definitely skip shade nos. 1 thru 104. 

206 Fuchsia Oran (pure) 

Fuchsia Oran, put simply features a magenta hue (a deep pinkish red) with orange undertones. I found Fuchsia Oran to be especially dynamic for its finish. At the very peak you get crystallised berry and in the valley is where the soft, blush rose lies. Talk about enchantment.

Glossiness lasts for about three hours, during hour four is when the sheen emerges and finally, during hours five to six, Fuchsia Oran dries down to a smooth stain with some of the pigment settling into fine lines. It's nothing a little chapstick can't fix and something I'm willing to look beyond for the colour alone.

For both Grenade Pepite and Fuchsia Oran full opacity can be reached after two swipes.

Swatches of 15 Grenade Pepite (left) and 206 Fuchsia Oran (right) 

 Wearing Grenade Pepite

 Wearing Fuchsia Oran

My recent travels to Hong Kong afforded me the opportunity to see all twenty-three shades in person; if this hadn't been the case, I don't think I would've chosen as wisely or been as inclined to even make a purchase. 

As of right now Gloss Volupte is only available through their website and select international stores.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for YSL's Gloss Volupte:

• $32.00 USD 

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 8 out of 10 bags — so far, I think the pure variant yielded the best results.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• I was really hoping to purchase shade 49, because of Lindsey Wixson rockin' it in the ad and all.

Product fail: Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Spandex

Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Spandex

I can rock out with the best of them, just hand me my Mix club t-shirt, nano pet and Third Eye Blind tickets -- because, you know, 1998 and the Limited too are both calling.

Have you ever purchased something while having really high hopes, but felt such abysmal disappointment from the ultimate let down? Urban Decay's Spandex, for me, was an epic fail.

Who am I kidding? Let's be frank, spandex never really looked good on me. Show of hands: who wants to see a chubby kid glide across the ice in shiny lycra? That's what I thought -- you can put your arms down, mom and dad.

When I purchased Spandex back in October amidst my Hawaiian high, I daydreamed of bokeh-like sparkle for my hazel peepers. Instead, I got itchy, watery eyes after having one heck of a time attempting to apply this starry night hue.

Where's Ben Stein when you need him?

It took several earnest swipes in order to get this swatch of Spandex

The applicator

Next time, if I'm hankering for a smidge of glitter in my life, I'll pick up a tube of Too Faced Glitter Glue and some loose glitter in any colour of my choosing.

Spandex, I'm sure, will be the first of many product fails featured here on Bagful.

Sorry, UD lovers.

What's failed (beauty-related) for you lately?

Like P-Cakes yummy fudge, Marc Jacobs Highliner (Gel Liner) in Ro(Cocoa) never fails

Marc Jacobs Highliner in Ro(Cocoa)

With a wink and a nudge to the Rococo period which peaked in the early part of the 18th century -- think gilded everything, highly detailed/ornately carved plasterwork, etc. You can most certainly see where Mr. Jacobs' inspiration came from when he named Ro(Cocoa).

Ro(Cocoa), one of six shades, is a deep teddy (just like MAC) bear brown with the tiniest hint of shimmer. The tip is on point and if it should ever fall flat, twist up for more product and reach for the built-in sharpener conveniently hidden away within the opposite end of the pencil. 

Built-in sharpener  

Swatches of Ro(Cocoa) untouched (right) and blended (left). It's budge, smudge-proof and I had a heck of a time trying to wash these swatches off!

Because my eyes are set so deep, my brow area is more pronounced -- in order to avoid closing my eyes even further I try to make them appear larger by tight lining. It's been my thing as of late.

Tight lining also allows me to preserve my eyeshadow, because if I make a mistake I can tidy things up without undoing everything else and I avoided having to go back in with more eyeshadow.

The end result: my lashes appear fuller, I've also intensified the green in my hazel eyes and I think I look more awake.

Wearing Ro(Cocoa) on my upper waterline

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Marc Jacobs Highliner (Gel Crayon) in Ro(Cocoa):

• $25.00 USD and it's now back in-stock.

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags — Teddy was my first love, but Ro(Cocoa) is far more forgiving.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• There were many purchases during my holiday, unfortunately I couldn't track down Marc Jacobs beauty in Singapore.