In my new quest for everything Le Métier de Beauté, I purchased Magic Lustre Creme ($24) at Neiman Marcus. Now I know what to do with all those mineral/loose powders and M∙A∙C Pigments! Magic Lustre Creme turns them into cream products. I am seriously impressed.Much like modern alchemy, Magic Lustre Creme can create an exceptional range of possibilities using powder eye shadows and blushes. Ordinary shadow can become cream shadow, eyeliner, cheek color, or even a lip stain. All those messy pigments? Just mix with Magic Lustre Creme, and you've got a cream eye shadow or highlighter! Want a cream texture for your favorite powder blush? Mix in Magic Lustre Creme. You can even use it alone if you want; lightly tap some of the creme on your cheeks to add a dewy glow or onto your eyelids to create a glossy look - just like those models you see on the runway!
I grabbed
two M∙A∙C products to show you how it transformed them: Lithe Pigment from Leopard Luxe (a loose powder) and Stereo Rose Mineralize Skin Finish (a pressed powder). I mixed them with Magic Lustre Creme on my arm. You can see the results at left. Both shades became creams, but with a huge difference. Mixed with Magic Lustre Creme, they are vibrant, lively - significantly more colorful than they are when applied as powders. Take a look back at my swatch of Lithe applied on bare skin. You could hardly see it! With a little magic, it's intensely gorgeous. Now take a look at Stereo Rose when applied as a powder. Nice, but not exceptional, right? Here it pops! Not only did these shades morph into creams, they gained an extraordinary intensity.
At right, there's a photo I took out of the direct sunlight. The shades are just as intense. That's why I am a little surprised that Magic Lustre Creme is described as turning powders into sheer stains and glosses for lips, cheeks, and eyes. I could have dialed down the intensity had I worked harder to blend them, but I was so pleased with the results of "moderate blending," that I didn't want to spoil my fun.
Magic Lustre Creme is a thick, gooey glaze that's enriched with vitamin E, so it has some "healthy skin" properties to impart while it's performing its magic. Don't be put off if a store representative tells you that Magic Lustre Creme is for makeup artists. We are all makeup artists at heart!
I just discovered that Gaia wrote it up yesterday. Hop over to The Non-Blonde to see what she thinks of the wizardry!
Don't forget the Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie special offer for my readers. You can call Mazza and place an order. Just mention Best Things in Beauty, and you will receive some extra goodies and be entered into a contest to win a $500 beauty shopping spree. How can you resist? Find out how it works at this link.
Photo at top courtesy of Neiman Marcus