4th Times the Charm: MAC Pigment Woes

[brownsuga lady]

Okay I did a general search on the site to see if I could gain some insight into the problem that I've experienced with pigments and I couldn't find anything directly related. Also, i'm not sure if this should go in the Recommendations thread or not...feel free to move it if necessary.

Okay last friday I was getting ready to go to my brothers birthday party. I had already decided to do a pinkish purple eye using kitchmas and pink pearl pigments. Now I just recently purchased these 2 pigments so I had never used them before. I own a few other pigments that i've used before but I don't wear them often so I sometimes forget if i've used a base like a paint or mixing medium or not.

I see a lot of recommendations here and elsewhere where you ladies suggest using a mixing medium with pigments to get them to adhere and what not. And I've heard of the foiling method and I thought that might be good for this kitchmas pigment.

Okay so first I applied a VERY thin layer of UDPP. That's my staple I always use that no matter what so my e/s don't crease. I then applied a thin layer of Mauvement paint over my lid...let that dry down. I took my brush and added 1-2 drops of mixing medium. I think patted my brush back and forth over my hand to make sure I didn't have it sopping wet (which it wasn't...it was just slightly damp). I grabbed some kitmas pigment to apply to my lid. Errr...uggghh...problem. Clumpy mess on my eyelid. I was trying to work through the clumpiness but it only got worse and then it dried down like that. Err...nuh uh....I had to start all over. Mind you the hubby and I were already late and he's looking at me like

. I'm like

. So I start again. This time thinking maybe I overdid...SOMETHING. So I decided to remove the Mauvement paint...maybe I have too many bases. Okay...start again. UDPP...ONE drop of mixing medium to my brush...pick up the kitmas and voila..clumpy mess...again.

I decided to press on to see if I could work it out...I let it dry down trying to ignore the clumpiness...I added some Pink Pearl to the outer v and crease...errr..ugggh...clumpy TIMES 10.

I erase and start again. So then I'm thinking maybe the texture of this kitchmas pigment just doesn't like being wet.

3rd time: UDPP...no mixing medium for kitmas (it applied very sheer with lots of fall out but okay no clumpy). ONE drop of mixing medium for my pink pearl application and viola...pink pearl clumpy mess. ARRRGH!!

I was determined ladies. I needed this look. What I had envisioned would go so well with my cute outfit.

4th time: UDPP...NO MIXING MEDIUM AT ALL WHATSOEVER. Kitmas applied sheerly to the lid and blended up. A couple of layers to get it to pop more. Applied pink pearl to outer v and a little into crease. NO MIXING MEDIUM. A subtle highlight for my browbone and I was done. And it looked nice and I wasn't shocked and afraid of my own reflection. And finally by 11:30pm the hubby and I head out the door to the party. Sigh.

I'm sorry this was soooo long but really...has anyone ever experienced this type of madness with their pigments? Is is just me? Was I doing something wrong? Are THESE particular piggies just weird like that? I did notice that my electric coral has the tendency to go clumpy if you add mixing medium but it usually blends out after a few strokes with the brush.

Help! I really don't feel like I should buy ANYMORE pigments because of this.

 

[Hilly]

Kitschmas is a chunkier pigment. Please don't let this make you stray from other piggies! Kitchsmas just gives the good ones a bad name

 

[brownsuga lady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilly Kitschmas is a chunkier pigment. Please don't let this make you stray from other piggies! Kitchsmas just gives the good ones a bad name

I've been mad at all piggies since last Friday. Just angry.

 

[MACForME]

ohh, dreaded Kitschmas.. I hated it too, then, I decided, ok, you are NOT going to win! i just apply it wet, with water. Not medium. it looks good over canton candy paint too.

Not all pigments hate. Only this one, well, this and entremauve. That pigment HATES me.. I can't get it to blend nicely without streak-o-rama. But thats ok, i have a gazillion others that i love love love.. I just have to make those two love me back, just a little..

 

[brownsuga lady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACForME ohh, dreaded Kitschmas.. I hated it too, then, I decided, ok, you are NOT going to win! i just apply it wet, with water. Not medium. it looks good over canton candy paint too. Not all pigments hate. Only this one, well, this and entremauve. That pigment HATES me.. I can't get it to blend nicely without streak-o-rama. But thats ok, i have a gazillion others that i love love love.. I just have to make those two love me back, just a little..

I was really personally offended that it acted such a monkey with me.

I'll try the bolded and see what happens...I have canton candy paint. Thx!

I feel like I NEED to get it to work..these things cost waay too much money to just sit in my stash. (Although I did pay a reduced price since I got them from a CCO).

 

[MACATTAK]

The chunkier pigments are harder to work with. I have the same trouble with Frost. I've used some of them over Liquid Last liners, and they seem to work better that way. Don't give up though, because the majority of pigments are awesome to work with!

 

[girlsaidwhat]

I think you'll be better off...if you approach each and every pigment as a different "animal". In other words, I've found that I have to experiment with each and every pigment to find out how best to use it. They all work differently! Some work great with one base, but terribly with another. But it's definitely worth taking the time to figure them out. Look how much you learned about pink pearl and kitchmas! : )

I feel your pain, though, about this...having to clean everything off over and over again thing. I hate it when things don't work out they way I saw them in my head. >:|

 

[purplerinne]

have you tried using a shadestick instead as a base? I have Pink Pearl and Kitschmas and haven't had these kind of problems that you're going through. I think I used Gracious Me s/s for these 2 colors...good luck

 

[MrsMay]

I had this same problem with kitschmas! The only other pigment so far that I've had this issue with is Frost (just like macattak), so I only use these two dry.

 

[FiestyFemme]

Kitchmas is just chunky... I hate that texture. The absolute only way I'll wear it is wet with MM.
What I do is get the brush pretty wet, then work the pigment into the brush, making almost a paste.
That seems to help it go on better, and I can work out any clumps with my brush once it's on my lid. It's still not my favorite by any means though, and I typically avoid it.
I've worn it twice, and I've had it forever.

 

[brownsuga lady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplerinne have you tried using a shadestick instead as a base? I have Pink Pearl and Kitschmas and haven't had these kind of problems that you're going through. I think I used Gracious Me s/s for these 2 colors...good luck

I'll try a shadestick and see how that works.

 

[brownsuga lady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsMay I had this same problem with kitschmas! The only other pigment so far that I've had this issue with is Frost (just like macattak), so I only use these two dry.

I'm glad i'm not alone. LOL. It worked out cool when it was dry although I didn't get the color intensity and I had a lot of fallout on my face afterwards. Ahh well. Dry it is!

 

[brownsuga lady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiestyFemme Kitchmas is just chunky... I hate that texture. The absolute only way I'll wear it is wet with MM. What I do is get the brush pretty wet, then work the pigment into the brush, making almost a paste. That seems to help it go on better, and I can work out any clumps with my brush once it's on my lid. It's still not my favorite by any means though, and I typically avoid it. I've worn it twice, and I've had it forever.

I don't know WHEN i'll be wearing kitchmas again. I think i'll sell it or see if my little cousin (18) wants it.