Marc Jacobs Beauty in Manila
I wanted to title this Marc Jacobs Beauty Haul, but I only bought one eye shadow palette and one gloss. Instead, let’s just call this How I Caved And Learned to Like Marc Jacobs Beauty. When I saw the first photos of Marc Jacobs’s makeup collection, I was really underwhelmed. The designer holds a special place in my heart because of his understated, cool-girl aesthetic, but this felt a little out of step. The packaging looked too cheap and plastic-y, and the colors seemed too in-your-face. I associate Marc Jacobs with barely-there makeup, so the sleek lines and bright colors of his makeup collection didn’t seem to jive with this look. I couldn’t imagine Sofia Coppola wearing this makeup, but apparently she did. Well, if it’s good enough for Ms. Coppola, it’s more than cool enough for me. Beauty bloggers gave the Starlet palette a big thumbs up. Since I skipped the Dior Bonne Etoile shadows, I decided to pick up this metallic palette. I was still in love with my Dolly Wink liquid liner, so I skipped the Blacquer and instead added a Lip Vinyl, picking the shade Heart-Shaped, a shimmery, pale candy pink lip gloss with a hint of coral. Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl Heart-Shaped
The Lip Vinyls come in Full and Sheer shades and Heart-Shaped is listed in the latter. As I have a drawer full of still unused lipsticks, I went with a sheer shade. I also figured that a lighter shade would be a better test of the line’s quality. It should give just enough color for it to be a grab-and-go item, but also step up in terms of hydration and wear. In terms of color, Heart-Shaped breathed life into my corpse lips with its pretty, glossy pink tint and fine hot pink and silver shimmer. While I dislike layering gloss over lipsticks, I can imagine this would pair well with light colored lipsticks and stains.
The formula was light, gel-like, and hydrating. When you first put it on, it gets very minty, owing to the supposed lip-plumping action. I didn’t notice any actual plumping, but the mint was a very nice and refreshing. This wore on my lips for about 2 hours and faded evenly, without any of the shimmer migrating to other parts of my face. Do think this is worth the price tag? It is for me. Many lip products tend to make my lips peel and dry them out after a while. This one kept my lips well hydrated and was very comfortable to wear. Besides, I adore the cotton candy scent (my sense of smell is very plebian) and the minty feeling. The verdict: You know who would use this gloss? Regina George. ‘Nuff said. Style Eye-Con No. 7 The Starlet
What else can I add to the long list of people singing the praises of the Starlet palette? I’ve been exclusively using the seven metallic shades exclusively all week and color me impressed. They held up against Manila’s ludicrously humid weather for an entire day without primer, lasting up to 7 to 8 hours. The shadows have a very soft and creamy texture, and a little goes a long, long way. I wouldn’t recommend this for makeup novices, but if you love daring makeup looks and are confident about your blending skills, then grab this palette. You won’t be disappointed. I’ve yet to use the gold and copper shades, but I was able to use the bright silver blue one at full strength, using the sponge applicator that came with it to achieve a foiled look on the lids. I tempered it down with the dark brown shade (3rd from the left) on the crease and lots of blending. It was really, really nice.
For an easy day look, Café Makeup suggests using the peachy shade (2nd from left) all over the lid with the dark brown shadow on the crease. I tried this and even though we have vastly different colorings, we were both able to achieve a soft, neutral eye look. For an even softer eye, you can use the first shade, which is a metallic purplish taupe. The verdict: This is indispensable for glamorous night-outs and (surprisingly) versatile enough to use during the day. Just keep your blending brush handy. Overall, I think Marc Jacobs Beauty is worth the splurge if you're a fan of the designer or of makeup in general. It's fun and a little irreverent, just like the fashion label and its creator. I'd give it a few more seasons to really prove itself as a must-have brand like Burberry and Tom Ford. I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't blown away either. I've got a few more new brands coming soon, like beauty vlogger Michelle Phan's Em and makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury's eponymous line. I don't know how I'll get a hold of either of them, especially Ms. Tilbury's Selfridge's exclusive, but living in Sephora-less Manila hasn't stopped me before!