M-A-C Cosmetics Fafi Collection--Advice Sisters Products of the Month!

MAC Cosmetics is always coming out with fresh, trendy, exciting collections. That's why we're making M-A-C Fafi the Collection of the month this March. It's a limited edition collection that debuted next month, so hurry and get the items you want before they're all sold out!
Fafi is a collaboration between M-A-C Cosmetics and a 32-year old graffiti artist called Fafi. They're created a very colorful, young, fun, 35 piece collection of both products and accessories.

Fafi was born and raised in Toulouse, France, and is best known for “images of sexy and liberated Japanese anime girls called “FaFiNETes”. the Fafinette characters have adorned Diet Coke cans in France and sneakers and even hoodies for Adidas and Fafi sells her characters on a variety of T-shirts at http://www.fafi.net/

Just in case you haven't been clued-in yet, and you're wondering what a FaFiNETte is.....? FaFiNETte's are "nymphets with a Ph.D. in passion,” who live in a fantastic, magical realm called the Carmine vault. They live there, but check in our us mere (and less colorful) mortals. The FaFiNETes look like little girls, but upon closer look, they're pretty sexy. Each has a distinct personality. MONokA love to read the classics but has a weakness for 50's era French Erotica, and likes rap music, girly lingerie, and sleeps with her high heels on. ErmINe: likes to hang out in Brooklyn and eat Indian food in Jackson Heights, Queens. She's into snowboarding and likes the smell of gasoline. eRiKo: hails from Japan, but is a Francophile who likes ethnic cuisine and collection blue ashtrays, and baking life-size gingerbread men.

The spirit of this collection is pure, youthful fun, but the colors are for the most part, glamorous if you wish, natural if that's your thing, and colorful and bright, if you choose. All Anime girls have sexy, exaggerated lips and eyes, so the collection focuses mostly on these areas, but there's something for everyone. As you'll see from some of the photos below, the collection features compacts and tubes that are emblazoned with "Fafi" characters, and all of the other cardboard sleeves feature the colorful characters on a white background. These products as far as actual colors are concerned, are pretty, and not cartoon-ish. They're the same, good quality, high-performance products you expect from M-A-C. The collection includes: 6 lipsticks, 4 Lipglasses, 2 eye shadow quads, 6 eye shadow Paint Pots, a black eyeliner, 2 kohl pencils, a black mascara , 2 blushes and (for fun): 3 Fafinette dolls, 2 make up cases, a tote bag, t-shirt and a scarf. The best thing is that most items are modestly priced from $14.00 to $17.50 (the brushes and some of the accessorees are more).

Here is the Advice Sisters rundown on the entire line, with our particular favorites.

FAFI LIPSTICK- $14.00

These lipsticks that range from pearly blue pink to coral, rose and strawberry, super-glossed with M-A-C's signature lipglass in bright, pearly colors. They are: Fun ‘n’ Sexy Blue pink with blue pearl (glaze) , Not So Innocent Sheer tan with pink and peach pearl (glaze) , Utterly Frivolous Rosy coral with pink pearl (lustre), High Top Grey purple with blue pearl (glaze) , Flash-n-Dash Intense tangerine red with pink pearl (glaze), Strawbaby Coral rose with rainbow pearl (lustre). My personal favorite is Utterly Frivolous," a sheer, lustre lipstick that looks moist, but not slick, and in a gorgeous, pink/coral that will look nice on just about everyone. "Flash-N-Dash is a Glaze formula that's an intense tangerine red with pink pearl --try this with a tan!

FAFI LIPGLASS $14.50

These are super-patent-leather shine magenets. They're wanded tubes of high-shine glassgloss that look great as-is, or over one of the lipsticks. Cult Fave Blue mid-tone pink with white pearl (frost), Sugar Trance Creamy soft pink with white and rainbow pearl (frost), Squeeze It Brassy plum (frost) , Totally It Sheer bright pink with intense pink pearl (frost). My pick is the shockingly cool on cool-toned skin color "Totally It," a sheer, super-bright pink frost with intense pink pearl,

FAFI EYE SHADOW X4 (#1) $36.00

Four silky, blendable shades of powder shadow give you a range of shimmer that look natrual to intense, depending upon how you apply them. Howzat Deep grey with silver sparkle (satin) , Hey Neutral tan with white pearl (veluxe pearl) , Pink Venus Washed pink (lustre) , Vanilla Soft pale-peachy-ivory flecked with shimmer (velvet)

FAFI EYE SHADOW X4 (#2) $36.00

*the three FaFiNETtes are features on these black mirrored compacts. They're so cute you can't help but have fun with them! This compact features: Bold as Gold Yellow gold with gold pearl (lustre), You’re Fresh Pale green with silver sparkle (lustre) , Shockwave Intense orange with silver sparkle (velvet), Prankster Muted dark blue (satin)

FAFI PAINT POTS $16.50

Smooth these on like cream and get intense, lovely, lasting color. Choose from Fafi's Nice Vice Dirty purple with purple pearl (frost) , Girl Friendly Creamy grey pink (cream) , Layin’ Low Creamy beige (cream), Cash Flow Green gold with gold pearl (frost), Perky Cream coral with white pearl (satin) , Rollickin’ Aqua blue green with white pearl (frost)

FLUIDLINE $15.00 Blacktrack --Solid flat black

EYE KOHL$13.50
Smolder Intense black and Fascinating Snake-eyes matte white
ZOOM LASH $11.00 Zoomblack -- Rich black

POWDER BLUSH $17.50

Hipness is a chic, intense coral with soft white pearl while Fashion Frenzy faltters cool skin with a mid-tone blue pink

IRIDESCENT PRESSED POWDER $21.00

Use your imagination, and dust these super-sheer, super-shimmery pressed powders wherever you want to glow like the star you are. Colors include: Sassed-up Soft coral pink with gold sparkle , Verve-acaious Intense yellow gold with gold pearl and (my favorite), Belightful Gilded peach bronze.

NAIL LACQUER $10.00

Spring and Summer are on the way, and you're going to be wearing peep-toes and sandals. Coordinate your look with both of these fun colors. Girls Will Be Girls Pink is a ladylike mediuim pink with lots of coral pearl which looks amazing on pale skin, great with a tan. Boom! is a bold, rich eggplant with purple pearl that'll look great with gold and silver sandals for special events, and it'll take you all the way into Fall.

BRUSHES:

210 Precise Eye Liner Firm $17.00 (extra-fine tip brush for precision lining with emollient or water-based products. *this is a replacement for the old M·A·C 210 Eye Liner Brush)

208 Angled Brow Brush Firm, angled tip Brush $17.00 (for precision application of brow and eye-lining products)

182 Buffer Brush $45.00 (super-soft, large, rounded dome tip brush for use with powder face and cheek products). This one is perfect for all your powder bronzers, shimmer powders, and anytime you want to diffuse color over a large area. It's definitely one you want to add to your collection....

...but if you're just going to splurge on one, I'd suggest the 129SH Powder/Blush (with decorated pouch featuring the three fafi girl's faces) $17.00. A classic M-A-C- brush..soft and easy to use for all powder blushes and highlighters. It's a must-have in your makeup bag.

I don't have photos, but there's also a Fafi Tote $60.00, Fafi Dolls $9.00/each, Fafi T $38.00, and a Fafi Scarf $15.00. These accessories are bound to become collector's items.

Get the collection in M-A-C- boutiques in major department stores, as well as online at http://www.maccosmetics.com/

I am pleased to announce that the AdviceSisters December/Holiday 2007 What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column is up on the AdviceSisters web site http://www.advicesisters.net/ .

This special edition, two page holiday column features features seasonal beauty, fashion and gift ideas for virtually everyone with suggestions to help you enjoy the holidays, look great, and feel great, too.

Page ONE http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html features the newest makeup kits & gifts, fantastic holiday fragrances, and great gift suggestions for "the girls," the guys, and couples.

Page Two http://www.advicesisters.net/wwDEC07pg2.htmlfeatures "must-have" products for every budget including: hair helpers, bath & body gifts; holiday home; beauty helpers; products that "give back;" gifts for younger generations; and the most glamorous and gift-able makeup on the market. Our Buying Guide with links to all the products we review, is at the bottom of Page Two. Shop at early and at home and avoid the crowds!

Don't forget to come back to these forums and let us know what you like the best. If your posts catch our eye, you could become one of our official what works reviewers!!!!

The AdviceSisters wish you a beautiful holiday season, and our best wishes for a happy, healthy, joyful new Year!

AdviceSisters Newest Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion Review is Live Today

We've just posted a fabulous new beauty, cosmetics & fashion review for the month of November! Check out the AdviceSisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review at http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html See we're suggesting to take you (beautifully and fashionably) from Fall to the holidays, and beyond.

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Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007-ARAKS

I wondered what time the PR staff from People's Revolution had to get up to be at the front of the Altman Building. There they were, and all smiles too, when I arrived at 9:45 A.M. on Super Bowl Sunday. More amazingly, as always, the PR people were beautifully dressed up, even though it was ever chillier today than yesterday and they were sitting right behind the front doors. Since I already knew where backstage was from Gustavo Arango's show on Saturday, I immediately made my way downstairs to the back stage area, to interview James Boehmer, the lead makeup artist for NARS Cosmetics. I met Rachel, my friendly, helpful contact from NARS, and she introduced me to James. I guess I got there a bit later than usual, because many of the models were already "done," but there were still some being made up. James graciously stopped what he was doing to chat with me, stopping our interview only occasionally to check one of the other makeup artists' work.

As you can see from this close-up, this look for ARAKS for Fall is about a balanced, fresh feeling on the entire face. It's not just eyes, or cheeks, or lips. James said the look was inspired by Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice (and that was totally in keeping with the romantic nature of the clothes, too). I loved the slightly flushed, "English rose" cheeks and soft pink lip and you will too, it's just about perfect to add some life to your complexion, especially since you'll be wearing a lot of soft and subdued colors this Fall. The Fall ARAKS look is all about the skin...a flawless but fresh face, NARS "Turkish Red" Cream blush and "Desire" pink powder blush adding a hit of color, but not harsh or brash. "Blend, blend, blend" advises James. On Eyes was part of a new shadow duo that won't be available until the end of August, but worth the wait. "Calahari" is a soft brown" that was blended with another new color "Voyage," a soft fawn with a bit of glitter. On lips, NARS"Tempest" lip gloss --a pink with a bit of mauve, but softened so that it will be universally flattering. It looked beautiful on all the models. This is less about "drama" or making a "statement," and more about bringing your own, natural, glowing, beauty. I'll be posting more photos of makeup and hair, and the clothes, of course, shortly on the Advice Sisters web --- check our FEATURES page http://www.advicesisters.net/Features/Features.html for all the latest after Fashion Week, along with "do-the-look" makeup instructions, courtesy of NARS.

After speaking with James, I wandered over to Peter Elofsson and his artistic team from RUSK. Peter did the hair for ARAKS last season, too. When I arrived, he was busy using a straightening/smoothing iron on a model. Peter explained that his look for ARAKS was inspired by the elegance of the clothes--a soft of Catherine Deneuve feel, but with more "street" (meaning; texture) in it. You'll see that in my photos. Nearly all of the models had long hair, so the "texture" was added by "bending" the hair a bit (you can see this clearly in my photos, which I'll be using in my photo essays on the Advice Sisters Web Site. Hair had a side part and some models had a tiny silver barette holding a few pieces back to the side. Then, hair was sprayed with a RUSK hair spray to keep it in place, but still swingy. For Fall, Peter says long hair isn't just going to "hang" anymore, but will have a sharper edge and more details.

FYI: Creative Nail design (they did the nails for ARAKS last season, too) did the model's manicures with "Fedora," a very dark polish, and "Decadence," a translucent red.


and the ARAKS collection clothes? Unlike the Spring season's diaphanous clothes, these were more substantial for Fall, with soft movement from rich wools, silk and cotton fabrics. There was some color in this collection, although it was still subdued and mostly dark shades of blue, berry, green, and silver (plus the usual black, ivory, coal, and white) One that I particularly liked was a wool/cotton double face dress with bell sleeves that was in a color called "Night," just a shade lighter than the color of the sky just before all the light dies after the day is over. Another was a coat in a color I'd call "Raspberry" but I think it was called "Gooseberry" in the show description. It was tailored, but with gathering in the back, so it looked dressy, and elegant. A pine silk twill drop shoulder dress with drop puff sleeve was fresh and young, and very pretty. The fashion critics may disagree with me, but the only "miss" for me were the outfits with knickers or shorts, paired with lace-up boots. "Hot pants" or long knickers are "stage-y" and cute for a party, but not flattering on everyone. A cute look that is easy to wear and modern, were the lace-up ankle boots with traditional "oxford" detailing shown with many of the outfits.

Alexandre Herchovitch-Mercedez Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007

I knew I'd never make it to the actual runway show for Alexandre Herchcovitch, since I had to go downtown for backstage interviews for Gustavo Arango, so I arrived at the backstage area of the tent early, after leaving Alice Roi (just a few steps away in the other backstage tent area).

I had a long wait until I could finally convince someone to let me backstage. In the interim, I met an interesting man who represented Taiwan Vogue. Alas, I had little time to get the scoop about the makeup from the lead makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics (Philippe Chansel). I will get details from my contact at MAC and make sure that the details are included in the photo essay feature I'll be doing, later on (check the Advice Sisters FEATURES page of access it from the Home Page http://www.advicesisters.net throught the next few weeks to see what I've posted).

As you can see from the close up of the makeup photo above, the Fall trend of focusing on the eyes, with minimal makeup everywhere else, was featured by MAC for the Alexandre Herchcovitch show as well. This time, the look wasn't black or blue, but deep, dramatic brown ringing the eyes..with very pale skin and nude lips. The inspiration for the MAC makeup was really taken from the clothes. This designer's clothes are quirkly and irreverant and very fashion-forward. There were, for instance, a number of fashions created from what really looked like heavy duty black plastic garbage bags with tie necks--one paired with a palm-leaf hat with open top, and beige suede high-heeled pump/boots with long ties. This type of look requires unusual makeup.As explained to me by Philippe Chansel for MAC, Alexandre Herchovitch designs for Brazillian women olive skin, so the colors were particularly flattering to them. The "ethnic/rustic" look shows in the focus all on the eyes, with absolutely minimal makeup elsewhere. The look is naturally-messy but artfully blended. The vibe is a peasant woman's view of how beauty looks after she's been working all day ...her labors show in her eyes (in a beautiful and fashionable way, of course). The hair was done by Celso and his team from RUSK --hair slicked back in messy buns.

I didn't see the show, but I did check out a few of the outfits on the racks. As I mentioned above, some of the clothes are a bit "far out" (at least, to me). But there were some wearable, beautiful things as well. A standout for me was of soft green and teal wool plaids, one translated into a long coat that was very beautiful and wearable. Another a double-breasted mini-capelet in teal looked like it would be a comforting "shrug" to add color to an otherwise somber Fall palette.