Monthly Archives: September 2011

Hello Guys & Dolls! Today I’m happy to share my swatches and thoughts on the few products I picked up from MAC’s Posh Paradise Collection. As many of you know I have a soft spot for anything purple, and I also happen to really  love Paint Pots. I feel like MAC did us purple lovers a solid by releasing not 1, not 2, but 3 incredible purple Paint Pots! The only down side for me is that this collection is not part of the permanent collection so if you want these get them fast! Who knows when MAC will give us colorful Paint Pots again? (note to MAC- please don’t ever tease us with those Big Bounce shadows again. They looked like Paint Pots in rainbow colors. They were terrible. That was not nice.) In addition to the “Purple Reign” as I’m calling it, several other jewel-tone colors were launched but I had to limit myself to what I would realistically use. I think these colors would really compliment the permanent and currently neutral line of Paint Pots.

Paint Pots have been among my favorite eyeshadow base/primers since they launched in 2007 (right around the time I took my” like” of makeup to a full-blown obsession). I love using these to give my eyeshadow a colorful boost, to turn Duo-Chromes into flashy drama queens, or in the case of the natural shades like Painterly, Soft Ocher, Nubile, Ground Work and Quite Natural,  using them to conceal flaws on the eyelid. Some may argue that you could use a regular concealer or products similar to NYX jumbo pencils, but for me the magic of Paint Pots is that they are very “crease” and fade resistant.

Paint Pots work well for most people alone as an eyeshdow base/primer hybrid,  though if you find them too drying I’d suggest a tiny bit of eye cream on the eyelid before the Paint Pot. (I love MAC Fast Response eye cream because it de-puffs and it’s not greasy.) If you need more staying power than these provide I suggest layering with an eye primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion or Too Faced Shadow Insurance.

I also picked up a Nail Lacquer, “Immortal Gold”; MAC Nail Lacquers are much smaller than average (.34 oz vs the standard .50 oz) and are also more expensive than most,  however the chrome-like Gold/Green just stole my heart. I used a Mattene from a previous lauch for effect for the p

Enough talk- ready for a Swatchapalooza?

From L-R: Half-Wild, Hyperviolet, Imaginary, Nubile, Treasure Hunt

Half-Wild is a red-biased purple that dried down almost matte but with a bit of shimmer. This one will be great to add a punch under grapey-purples, and will also add a kick to deep pinks etc

Hyperviolet is a deep burgundy with a matte finish and shimmer. It’s a bit patchy when swatched; it looks very similar to MAC’s Sketch eyeshadow

Imaginary is a deep blue-biased purple that flashes navy in some lights. It has a frost finish an a minor green undertone if you look closely. It’s very complex and a must have if you like smokey looks

Nubile is a fleshy-peach with a subtle sheen. It’s a great neutral base in the same way Painterly, Soft Ocher, and Quite Natural are. This is deeper and warmer that Painterly and peachier that Soft Ocher

Treasure Hunt- is a light butter gold with a frost finish. perhaps due to the frost finish this one feels the creamiest of the 5 I have. A great multi-tasking base this works well under a multitude of colors (I loved it under VEX the other day)

Sorry for the lame Swatch of Immortal Gold- this is one layer. Still, I’m impressed this looks as good as it does with just one layer!

Did you get anything from Posh Paradise? Share it in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by!