Ben Nye Neutral Set Colorless Face Powder Review

Since my MAC Blot Powder was quickly running out but my oil glands are not, I quickly browsed various beauty blogs to check out what keeps these beauties' oilies at bay. Tadaaah! I found out that Ben Nye makes a fabulous and cheaper alternative to MAC Blot Powder.

I got this at The Style Quarter. I've scoured some sites selling Ben Nye and so far The Style Quarter has the cheapest price around for Php490 plus the seller is very very friendly and accommodating.

What Ben Nye Says:

This colorless powder blends with all skin tones. It is a must to set bright or dark shades to retain color. Special formula controls perspiration, making this perfect for high energy performers such as clowns or dancers.

Ingredients:

Talc, aluminum hydroxide, methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, sorbin acid

What I say:

I'll be honest with you, the main reason I bought this is because it is a fraction of the cost of MAC blot powder. I live and breathe MAC blot powder because of my oil glands so I finish a compact pretty fast. What surprised me was that Ben Nye is just as good as MAC's powder in terms of oil control giving me around 5-6 hours of oil control, if I'm in an air conditioned room sometimes it lasts longer than that. 

Since this is in a loose powder form, the packaging is in a "baby powder" bottle but I'm not complaining. With the reasonable price and 49grams of oil control goodness, I'm happy and satisfied. 

How do I deal the baby powder packaging? I just use my old MAC blot powder compact, sprinkle a bit on the pan, dip my powder brush, give it a slight tap or shake and sweep away! 

Of course you can try pressing the powder by mixing the powder with alcohol until it turns into a batter like consistency and pour it on the pan, let dry and give it some pressure. 

Ben Nye Neutral Set Colorless Face Powder swatch

The powder is also like baby powder but once applied and blended well it will not give you a white cast. The product name says it all: colorless face powder. 

 I also like the fact that it is scent free, scented products oftentimes irritate our skin so avoiding scented products will cut our precious skin some slack. 

After dusting some powder, I set my make up with Evian Facial Spray to get rid of the powdery look.

Where to buy: 

The Style Quarter

Price:

Php490.00

MAC A Tartan Tale

Aah... Nothing beats a good handful of photos for the upcoming make up collections.

MAC A Tartan Tale will be launched by October (US date)

The huge collection looks very interesting and the colors are quite wearable.

I just love the packaging!

Viva Glam Gaga and Cyndi Lipglass

MAC is churning out more Gaga and Cyndi lippies! Hurrah!

But uh-oh, now I'm torn between the lipstick and the lip glass

Gaga is a cool shade of light pink with blue undertones- this is a shade that's hard to pull off but that's Gaga-ness for you

Cyndi is a more wearable shade of coral, the lipglass counterpart seems a little less reddish than it's lipstick but I love both shades nevertheless!

To top it all off MAC is also selling Cyndi and Gaga lip pouches for $28

Wondering if this would reach the Philippine shores

Pucker up, ladies! 

It will be released early September in the US, it's only a matter of a few more winks before it gets here!

MAC Venomous Villains Deets

Ooh I'm loving this collection, there's something about being a villain that got me interested in this collection. It's delicious sinister! 

The four main villains for this massive collection are Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, Evil Queen and Dr. Facilier

I would have wanted to check out how MAC would make a collection for Ursula though! I find Ursula a rather interesting character. 

Cool promo photos eh?

Dr. Facilier Collection:

Lipgelee

Resort Life an over-the-top white champagne shimmered, silver glittered sheer gloss with subtle pink glitter. (repromote from MAC in Lillyland) 

Pigments

Melon 

a peachy-gold with subtle pink undertones.  

Brash and Bold

a bright pop of dark pink with subtle satin sheen.

Push the Edge

a lightly shimmered violet purple.

Greasepaint Stick

Slick Black

deep dark black, very solid and opaque

French Quarter

a smoldering golden taupe brown with a black-brown base and flecks of bronze glitter-shimmer. 

Magically Cool Liquid Powder

Truth and Light 

a soft peach nude sheen.

Cajun

 a medium tan with soft peach sheen.

I'm So Vain Mirror 

Interior contains standard mirror on one side and magnifying mirror on alternate side

Malificent Collection

Lipstick

Violetta Bright clean violet purple 

Dark Deed  Burgundy plum

Lipglass

Revenge is Sweet Light Yellow Purple

Wrong Spell Deep plum with pink purple

Mineralized Eyeshadow Duo

My Dark Magic Deep pink with pink pearl / Deep plum with purple pearl 

She Who Dares Deep navy with blue pearl / Deep forest green with lime green pearl 

I want this! I want this! *jumping up and down*

Beauty Powder

Briar Rose Soft violet pink with pearl 

Nail Lacquer

Bad Fairy Red with red multi-changing pearl 

Formidable Teal green with pink multi-changing pearl 

Mean & Green Purple with teal multi-changing pearl 

Evil Queen Collection

Lipstick

Toxic Tale Bright coral 

Sinister Soft brown plum

Hmmm... Am I lemming for another coral lipstick? Nah, I think I have enough to fill my appetite. 

Lipglass

Strange Potion Soft Coral Pink

Hot House Deep raspberry with pink pearl

Eyeshadow

Her Alter Image Light Violet

I'm wanting this but I still have a lot of violet eyeshadows

Vile Violet Deep dirty blue purple 

Vainglorious Bronze burgundy

Powder Blush

Bite of an Apple Soft coral pink

Ooh, I like the pop of color with this blush.

Beauty Powder

Oh So Fair Clean pink with gold pearl

Cruella de Vil Collection 

Lipstick

Innocence, Beware! Light yellow pink

Heartless Cherry red

Hello vampy red lips with Heartless

Lipglass

Wicked Ways Deep fuchsia with pink pearl 

Devilishly Stylish Light nude with gold pearl

I'm crushing Wicked Ways! 

Eyeshadow

Sweet Joy Frosted creamy pale gold

De-Vil Rich copper 

Carbon Intense black

Powder Blush

Darkly My Dear Dirty brown plum

Beauty Powder

Her Own Devices Cool nude 

Penultimate Eyeliner

Rapidblack True Black

Product photos and details courtesy of Temptalia

Overall it's a good collection that I'm sure a lot would get a product or two. As for me I would probably just get She Who Dares mineralized eyeshadow because I have been drooling over the blue black eyeshadow since Style Black last year! If I might acquire an extra stash of money Her Alter Image would be a nice addition to my shopping cart. 

It's great that the images are stamped/printed on the packaging but I wish MAC would have done something more artistic for a twist than stamping on images that we could easily get in Toys R Us or Toy Kingdom. Perhaps MAC would like to go classic and original with the timeless villains? Nevertheless, I still believe MAC Venomous Villains would be a big hit among MAC fans! ^.^ 

Venomous Villains would be available online by September 27, 2010

US Launch Date is on September 30, 2010

International Launch Date is October 2010

MAC Alice + Olivia

Credits to glossy-kiss for photos and info! ^.^

I just have to say I felt a bit down when I found out MAC's collaboration with Alice + Olivia is only internationally available in Japan and Korea =( 

I love the punch of colors here and there with this collection, though it's a relatively small collection, nothing seems ho-hum and boring! 

Then again, let's just celebrate aesthetics and let's roll out the deets

MAC Alice + Olivia Collection for Summer 2010
U.S. Launch Date: July 8th, 2010 at MAC Freestanding Stores and OnlineInternational Launch Date: August 2010 (Japan & Korea only)

Dazzleglass Creme ($18.00 U.S. / $21.50 CDN)

Sparklicious Creamy pale pinky white with soft multi-dimensional pearl (Limited Edition)

If it’s Pink… Hot pink with soft multi-dimensional pearl (Limited Edition)

I.Want.Candy. Hot yellow with soft multi-dimensional pearl (Limited Edition)

Pigment ($19.50 U.S. / $23.50 CDN)

Later. Black with transforming purple pearl (Limited Edition)

If It Sparkles… White with transforming pink pearl (Limited Edition)

Partylicious Turquoise with silver pearl (Limited Edition) 
Nail Lacquer ($12.00 U.S. / $14.50 CDN)

Morning.After. Creamy turquoise (Cream) (Limited Edition)

So Rich So Pretty Bright purple with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Military Black matte with silver suede pearl (Matte with Pearl) (Limited Edition) 

I'm craving for So Rich So Pretty nail lacquer, Later pigment and If it's Pink Dazzleglass creme! 

Oh well, I just have to channel my lemmings for Venomous Villains and other upcoming collections

I'm getting excited, you see, I love fall and winter collection, the packaging becomes more exquisite just in time for the holidays and the colors are more exciting for me.