Friday, February 22, 2008

Mac's Fafi Collection

A gorgeous pair of shoes can lift your mood and a unique piece of jewelry can become your style signature, but your beautiful face is always your number one accessory. And while the natural look is perpetually in vogue, experimenting with bright colors is an excellent way to liven things up.

When it comes to makeup, I tend to prefer either a very simple, almost bare face or something bold, with strong smoky eyes or a pop of color. Therefore, it is probably no surprise that I enjoyed Mac's Fafi collection - it is colorful, fun, and playful. Although some of the more intense shades may seem over-the-top, they are surprisingly easy to wear. The collection itself was inspired by Fafi, a French graffiti artist who has painted - and left her Fafinette trademark - all around the world.








My favorites included the Fun 'n' Sexy lipstick (it goes sheer, like a pop of raspberry), the Totally It and Sugar Trace lipglass (Schiaperelli pink and champagne shimmer, respectively), the Rollickin' paint pot (aqua glimmer), and the Blacktrack fluid line, which was completely smudgeproof - I even left it on at the gym and it stayed put! The two blushes and the iridescent pressed powder were also great, and perfect for adding some much-need-life to my pale winter skin.

Here are some select quotes from the wonderfully generous people at Mac's* interview with Fafi herself:


Q: How did the collaboration between you and Mac come about?
A. It was like a movie! Mac was somehow connected to my L.A. gallery, and they requested that I meet them for a meeting. In New York there was snow everywhere, which made me very late, and I rolled in wearing these huge boots and feeling like this crazy French girl in an important American meeting. I had been dreaming about making my own cosmetics collection, and with their color range and commitment to representing different ethnicities, I knew it would be the right fit. I'm a very lucky girl. Two days later, they offered to work on a project with me, and that's when I started creating the three characters for this collection, which came naturally and smoothly, like a knife in butter!


Q: Can you introduce us to the world of the Fafinettes and the Carmine Vault?
A: The Carmine vault is a parallel world, it links to our planet but has many differences such as food, nature, and behaviour. We can meet the Fafinettes but there are also other creatures who are trying to live in harmony. I've been painting Fafinettes on walls since 1994 and at some point, three years ago, I decided they shouldn't be alone anymore, plus I wanted to add a richer universe to my creations.


Q: What was your previous experience in the world of beauty, if any?
A: I have always been crazy about black mascara! I think if there was just one piece of makeup I was allowed to take to a desert island that would be it. (I would use some fruit for my lips and cheeks!) I like the idea of crying with mascara. It's beautiful, plus it gives you expressive doll eyes. Overall, makeup is a way to transform your look. It makes us happy and gives us confidence.


Q: When did you first come up with the concept of tagging these girls?
A: At first I was painting these green Martians in profile, which was limiting because I couldn't express emotions, so I moved on to these more human subjects. The Fafinettes have been through an evolution. The've gone through more sexualized, even pornographic stages, and now it's becoming this whole universe with new characters in the Carmine Vault. Sexiness is not my main thing - it's more about being coy, a suggestion. Now that I have a child perhaps the Fafinettes are growing up a bit as well. They are less obvious. It's more about the attitude - not vulgar, but definitely defiant.



*This is probably obvious, but in the interest of full disclosure, I received free samples from this collection.

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