So I checked these out at my counter over my lunch hour on Friday - - I wanted to see these babies for myself.
I had read Liba, Shontay and Elegant's initial reviews and the usual blog posts about these, so I went in somewhat armed knowing these were tricky. What I wasn't prepared for was how absolutely beautiful they were in person! They were so pretty! The color saturation of these is just really great. Even sheered out, you can see the true color of these. Which I think is what really impresses me the most.
I ended up purchasing 4 of them - I wanted to get one, maybe two but couldn't decided on just one or two - the colors are really that beautiful in person. I ended up with The Cool Elite (white), Impeccably Rich (pale gold), Spread the Wealth (pale olive green) and Sizzlin’ Diva (the goldy-copper). Like Liba has said, I'm really sure these are meant to be worn alone as a sheer wash of color - - which is also a look I really love for summer - these is something about the minimal, glowy look (sheer e/s, sheer l/g and glowy skin - Lustre drops, Beauty Powders, etc) that is just summer to me.
Also, I am not an overly complicated eye make-up girl anyway. I usually wear just one of two colors, a little liner and mascara anyway. So I was hoping these would work with my uncomplicated makeup routine.
Anyway, I've been wearing these Big Bounces all weekend, and even today to work (from 7 AM until I just took my make up off a few minutes ago) and I have to agree with Liba. I surprisingly really like these and have been wearing them without any problems at all. There was some creasing and fading when I took my make off tonight, but that was with 12+ hours of wear.
And I have oily skin and oily eyelids - plus I have really bad allergies that were in full force this weekend.
I have not been wearing a base under these and I found using my fingers is best (kind of dabbing and patting just the *smallest* little bit on the eye).
Saturday I wore Impeccably Rich with a little bit of Illamasqua Ore pure pigment blended in the crease. This was my first time trying these on the eyes and not the back of my hand, so I made the mistake of putting on a little too much and over-working it. I also put it on with a concealer brush, which was not the best tool (i really think the spatula to scoop and finger to dab is the best, most sanitary method - although I confess to only using my fingers a couple of times).
Because I had overdone it a bit Saturday, I did have some creasing and fading after about 4 hours. One of the things I really liked though, was that it didn't migrate. It faded, but it didn't end up under my eyes or on top of my cheeks or right below my eyebrow. It just kind of disappeared in the patches where the application was uneven. But you had to really look up close for it to be overly noticeable. Liek Dxgirl's pic, they really don't look that bad when you are normal person, conversation distance apart.
Sunday I wore Spread the Wealth and it looked it was GORGEOUS!!! I absolutely love it - I used less product and didn't over blend it - and it held up beautifully all day - - and really brought out the green in my eyes - I kept checking it out in the mirror ever hour or so just to see how it was holding up and it truly looked fantastic all day - I expected a greasy, crease-y mess but it was beautiful - and gave my eyes just the brightness and pop they needed. It even surviving itchy, watery allergy eyes at my son's outdoor soccer game. I think this will be my go-to summer look - this sheer wash of pale olive green with a good couple of coats of mascara.
Today to work I wore Sizzlin Diva with a brown Hourglass shadow in the outer corner/outer crease and it was such a pretty neutral-with-a-pop look. AND best yet, it really held up. It looked no worse at the end of today than my eye makeup does at the end of any day. There was a bit of fading and a bit of creasing, but I have that almost no matter what. These Big Bounces survived. I will most likely pick up a couple more colors. I wish there was a longer shelf life on these and that they were packaged more sanitary-I would suggest a small squeezy tube thing (like the Surf baby Sun Tint Balms), but all in all, these are not what I consider an epic fail. I think it really is a try it for yourself.
Not for everyone, definitely, but I like these. And I like that MAC is experimenting with textures.
Anyway, sorry for the super-long post! Just wanted to put my two cents in!
It is such a shame these wont perform well on majority of us.
