8/15/2012

Addiction 'Lady of the Lake' Summer 2012

For Summer, Addiction By Ayako released the Eye Lacquer WP, and also added five new shades to their existing Eyeliner Pencil line. I've had this products for over three months now...yes, yes, I know, bad blogger, bad...but there is a good reason for this delayed post.

First, I want to say that I love the Eye Lacquer WP's sleek, glossy tubes with the colored strip corresponding with the shade of the product inside. The Eye Lacquer WP's come with a doe-foot applicator that distributes a good amount of product. The Eye Lacquer WP retail for ¥2,625 ($33.42), and come in nine colors: Odette, Mermaid Splash, En Plein Air, Yellow Submarine, Aventure, Swimming Pool, Tortoiseshell, Rumble Fish and Black Swan. Shockingly, I only picked up six of the nine colors; I had no interest in Odette (a shimmery white). While playing with it at the counter, I found after blending, all that was left were tiny flecks of silver glitter, and since I already had Chanel's Illusion D'Ombre in Fantasme, there was no need to buy a lackluster performing product. Now, as for the other two Eye Lacquers- Yellow submarine (as the name suggests, a bright yellow. This shade and texture, if not applied properly, can look a bit bruisey) and Aventure (a pinked tinged orange-red)- I'm still undecided on those two shadows, and I may pick them up in the future.

The texture of these Eye Lacquer WP is that of a creamy whipped consistency. I'm still on the fence with this product. I truly want to love these, but I find they're a little tricky to work with (i.e. some assembly required :P). In the beginning, I found that they oxidize, crease (and I have the Gobi and Karakum deserts for eye lids...okay, they're really not that dry, but you get the gist :D), and when blended out most, if not all, pigmentation disappeared. They don't apply evenly, and when layering, the product moves leaving bald spots (even after the first layer has dried down); this is more apparent with the darker colors. On a positive note, they are waterproof and, once they set, they are smudge-proof.

With all that said/written, after some play, and my love for all things Addiction, I've found the best way to apply this product as a wash of color on the lid is to use a shader brush like the mac 242, or a blending brush for the crease. Also, I like to take the doe-foot applicator, apply the product onto my thenar (that anatomy class is really paying off :P) and, with a brush, I apply it onto the lids. I really like the Eye Lacquer WP's; regrettably, I don't love them, but I do really like them.

Now, on to the eyeliner pencils! Addiction introduced five new Eyeliner Pencil shades with the Lady of the Lake Collection: Rabbit Hole, Moss Ball, Moonwalk, Lady of the Lake, and Color Purple. I decided to pass on Moonwalk, since I own a ton of metallic, steel-silver liners. These pencils retail for ¥2,625 ($33.42). The eyeliner pencils come in a sleek, glossy, plastic retractable liner case. There is a stick on the back of the liner with the products name and a strip indicating the color. Also, there's a sharpener enclosed in the bottom of the pencil, just pull out the bottom and sharpen to your heart's content.

These liners are long-lasting, smudge proof, waterproof and I love them! The Eyeliner Pencils perform amazingly. Once applied, they won't budge, withstanding the humidity and my perspiration. The formula of these liners varies from shade to shade. Out of the four I purchased, Moss Ball and Rabbit Hole were creamy, blendable and divine. Whereas, Lady of the Lake and Color Purple were drier, yet they still created a beautiful precise line.

If you're still with me...The swatches :)

Colors from left to right:  En Plein Air, Mermaid Splash, Swimming Pool. 

En Plein Air: A golden iridescent pink opal. 

Mermaid Splash: a icy pale seafoam green.

Swimming Pool: This color is the cream version of the THREE Flash Performance Eyeliner in 07 Eye Doll. Swimming Pool isn't as dark/murky as Eye Doll, but it's a dark grayish army-green khaki with gold and pink sparkles. 

Colors from left to right: Tortoiseshell, Rumble Fish, Black Swan.

Tortoiseshell: a deep yellow based brown with gold sparkles.

Rumble Fish: a dark plumed burgundy with gold flecks.

Black Swan: A glossy black with a steel-blue sheen and silver flecks.

From left to right: Rabbit Hole, Moss Ball, Color Purple, Lady of the Lake.

Rabbit Hole: a satin black-brown espresso.

Moss Ball: a shimmery murky tarnished moss green.

Color Purple: A matte deep plum.

Lady by the Lake: a matte  pink-based red.

And finally, the look...

I tried to re-create the look worn by the model in the Lady of the Lake promotion photo.

Products used:
Face:
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe (Medium 2).
Shu Uemura Hard Formula brow Pencil in Seal Brown.
Addiction By Ayako Blush in Brilliant Princess.
Eyes:
Mac Mineralize Concealer in NW20 (under the eyes and on the brow bone).
Addiction By Ayako Eye Lacquer WP in Rumble Fish (first, I applied Rumble Fish in the crease and along the lower lash line, avoiding the inner corner).
Addiction By Ayako Eye Lacquer WP in Swimming Pool (Second, I applied Swimming pool all over the lid and lower lash line, avoiding the inner corner).
Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in 81 Fantasme (patted on the lid over the ball of the eye, and on the bottom lash line under the Iris of the eye).
Mac Eye Kohl in Tin-Tin (in the inner corner and the waterline).
Mac Technakohl Liner in Graphblack (used to tightline).
Smashbox Hyperlash Mascara in blackout.
Lips:
Addiction By Ayako Lipstick in Lady of the Lake.

 Sorry guys, but it was soooo hot, I had to pick my hair up. 

Hope you enjoyed this post!

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.