Pat McGrath Labs Dark Star 006 UltraViolet Blue

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Around my birthday, I treated myself to the Pat McGrath Labs Dark Star set that I had been ogling for months. I had spent some time trying to find a dupe for that vivid blurple with no success. The set was on sale, and on top of that there was a 20% off code. So while regularly $130, I snagged the set of seven products for $72 and tax.

PML kits come packed in a pouch with holographic sequins. I wouldn't just want to throw them away, but at the same time I'm at a complete loss as to what to do with a pound of blue sequins!

UltraViolet Blue comes in a mirrored black case, which I think looks quite nice.

But the three other pigments come in clear flip-top pans that look lower quality.

The Black SmudgeLiner Eye Kohl is good stuff. Intensely black, once set it, it won't be going anywhere. It has a really short working period (like 3 seconds before it dries) so it really requires you to work fast. One drawback to this eye kohl was how fast it dried out in its twist up case, it's been less than three months and already nearing the end of its life.

Usually I swatch in more sunlight, but I had a hard time capturing the sparkle of Astral White in a brighter setting.

Left to right: Cyber Clear Eye Gloss, Astral White, Mercury, UltraViolet Blue, Dark Matter, Black SmudgeLiner Eye Kohl

Astral White is chunky, dry and has large particles of translucent fleck glitter that shifts from green/blue/purple. It can create a lot of fallout when used dry, definitely something I approach with a damp brush in one hand, and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy in the other. Mercury is a very pigmented metallic light warm pewter and is much smoother and finer in consistency, Dark Matter is a slick black with a satiny finish. UltraViolet Blue is very buttery feeling pressed pigment that has a stunning deep purple blue base with royal blue glitter.

Re: the eye gloss with translucent glitter - I haven't used it on my eyes, at all. It's a thick consistency, that isn't sticky in the least bit and I have no doubt that it'll smudge and crease my eye makeup immediately if I use in that eye region. I don't do many ~editorial~ looks, so it's a product that's sat untouched. I don't really do glossy lips either, or else I'd top lipsticks with it.

The blender brush is one of my favorite things in this set. I was so pleasantly surprised to find that it was well made and quite soft. Goat hair.

It's not unlike the MAC 217. Top to bottom; MakeupCat blender, Pat McGrath Labs Blender, MAC 217, blender from the ShouShouLang Holiday 2017 set, ShouShouLang M05, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Blender.

This look was all about UltraViolet Blue pigment. I'm using Tom Ford Opale as the base and Viseart Cool Mattes 1.

This look with vivid colors uses Astral White in the center of the lid and over eyeliner. Viseart Editorial Brights and Natasha Denona Burnt Terracotta were also used.

With Mercury, I went with a more neutral look. I used Viseart Neutral Mattes as the base, and used a finger tip to pat in Mercury on top.

At the price I paid, each product works out to be just a hair over ten bucks which feels entirely acceptable to me. I love Astral White and UltraViolet Blue, have put dents in both pans, enjoyed using the eye kohl and was pleased as punch with the blending brush. Mercury hasn't been used as much but it's still a nice color. If we're being completely honest, I haven't touched Dark Matter because I tend to use matte blacks instead of satin.

Overall, very happy with this kit. I was sold because of the blurple, ended up really loving quite a few of the other products too. PML Dark Star 006 UltraViolet Blue is regularly $130 and currently sold out.

Have you seen a blue/purple that could be a dupe for UltraViolet Blue?

Products featured were purchased by me. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.