I don't normally do this but I've been scheduling my YouTube videos as kind of a test for my vacation time next week and I just don't trust the system to work so I will be posting a couple over here on my blog in the next few days as a back up. The first is today's, my favourite MAC shadows. I will do a separate post with swatches etc if you'd like but if you just want up close photos and names you can see all of that here. These are the shadows I put together to take away with me plus I ended up getting in to my others while I was at it so if you're interested in that kind of thing and not averse to watching a video rather than looking at pretty pictures... here it is...
Sorry if this was a frustrating post, I personally hate to see videos on a blog with no real textual content but for those that may have missed it and wanted to see.. I hope you liked it!
When I visited the York CCO recently I was pretty restrained to come away with only these two lipsticks. In fact the saving didn't even cover the fuel to get there but it was a good day out so I can make my peace. The shades I got were Hue and One Of A Kind. The finishes are similar yet different. I've never tried a lustre or a glaze before but given my penchant for sheer everyday lips I will be looking out for more in the future. Hue is maybe the most wearable nude ever and given that it isn't a block colour it will work with your skin tone to give anyone their own perfect nude.
They say paler lips look fuller but I don't think that's the case on me at all...
I think One Of A Kind is my favourite of the two. Nude isn't the most flattering colour on me and Hue can cling to the dry patches on my lips but it's still probably the nicest one in my collection.
I've avoided MAC pretty well for a few months and although I did hit up the CCO in York last week (oops) I couldn't resist getting my hands on the NEW Viva Glam Nicki Minaj lippie when they sent me a code to get it ahead of its official launch! For those wondering all I did was register on the site some time ago and since I'm now on their mailing list I got the code. Nothing special, anyone can do it!
I was toying with waiting until it's release to post this but they've added a 'notify me' widget here so if you are desperate to know when it goes on sale you can sign up for that there!
Anyway.. you wanted to know about the lipstick, right?
It's described as a bright yellow pink. It's basically a candy pink that on me looks almost neon. I've seen it swatched and worn on so many different people online and in my opinion.. mine is not the target skin tone. It's not the most flattering pink I've ever worn but it's so pretty I'm sure I'll find a way to wear it!
The finish is satin which I find can be a touch drying but in return you get more staying power. On me a satin finish will last an hour or so before reapplying. Overall its a lovely colour, nice formula and as always I will be happy to add it to my rows of identical bullet shaped MAC lipsticks.
The lipstick retails for £13.50
I have no info on the clear lip conditioner that Ricky Martin is endorsing for this years campaign but how interested are you in a colourless limited edition product anyway?
Ever since I purchased the limited edition (and uber popular) Toxic Tale from MACs Venomous Villains collection I've been on the hunt for a dupe. I've seen so many anxious tweets about people losing theirs and I'd love to be able to offer an alternative to those looking to repurchase or just those that would rather not pay MAC prices even if it does get relaunched. I know I'm still not quite there as this isn't perfect but it's as close as dammit (pardon my french) and the best I've seen to date. I was sent the new Miners lipsticks to review this week and while I haven't got around to the full swatch/review post yet I couldn't wait to share this with you....
The Miners shade is Kiss Me Quick from the Moisture Effect range (link)
In the above and below pictures the Miners is on the left and MAC on the right.
Above my top lip is Miners and bottom is MAC, as you can see a little clearer here the finish when worn unfortunately does exaggerate the few differences in tone. Kiss Me Quick is the little bit more red than coral. It's a touch deeper but a great near dupe all the same. Especially for the price!
You can expect a full review on formula, staying power etc this week but so far I'm loving the range (there are matte and regular lipsticks too) and would absolutely recommend you give them a try.
I had a few request to see what I got for Christmas but I decided rather than one big post to split up the blog-relevant items to show you in their own posts. You've already seen my Sally Hansen Manicure set from Mum.. well next up from Lee was the Viva Glam Gaga II from Lee. He clearly read my letter to santa as they were on my list! To be honest I'd never even swatched them in store and nude is a tricky colour for me so I'm not sure why they were on my list past them being ltd edition and I liked them more than the original Gaga. Luckily they are the most perfect shade of nude I've ever seen! I was worried they would be too dark or too yellow based when I swatched on my hand but on my lips they were totally gorgeous. Better still the lipgloss is full of tiny shimmer particles which makes it slightly different to the lipstick which means I don't just have the exact same thing in different formulas which I'd expected. I'm sure you've seen 101 posts about this in the last year and I am so very 2011 here but I am never the first one on the band wagon so here are my swatches...
Christmas is a great excuse to that yourself to some of the items you have lusted after all year long. For those items a little out of my price range right now.. consider this an open letter to Santa.
This is something that was requested AGES ago so apologies that we are already into Winter by the time I'm actually posting. There are lots of things I switch up when the colder weather approaches but moisturising products are the number one, I tend to choose thicker, richer formulas to protect me from the elements and treat dryness. Here are some of my favourites...
This is a fantastic everyday body lotion. It sinks in super fast so it can be used in a morning before you get dressed without having to wait around for it to dry and it really does leave me feeling moisturised for longer than an average lotion. There are loads of formulas to choose from ranging from sensitive to normal to extra dry, all with different scents.. I love them all but the cocoa butter is my favourite.
I've never been a big lover of these cult body butters. I know everyone revs about them but I just don't think they're great value for money. I bought this one on a deal recently so only paid £1 and I've been really pleasantly surprised. The Shea Butter version is much thicker, it's almost balm-like in consistency, smells divine and goes a really long way. I would absolutely repurchase!
This is a must have for everyones body care arsenal. I am never without a tub on the go, it's the solid formula I'm talking about not the lotion. It can be melted to an oil to use on the skin or as a deep conditioner and what I love most is that you can rub it in indefinitely without getting those rolly bits you do with a lotion. Perfect for a much needed foot massage after a day of Christmas shopping.
Hand Therapy Concentrated Hand Balm (unable to source online)
I couldn't find this online so I'm not sure whether you can still purchase it but I'm sure there are equivalents out there. This is a Superdrug's own brand hand balm. It's super thick and leaves a protective layer which is great for combatting the cold and even better for those of you that can stand to wear gloves for the occasional overnight hand pampering. This never leaves my handbag.
I doubt I really need to say much about this best seller. I'd tried samples many times over the years but only recently purchased a full sized tube. I use it on my lips, I use it as a moisturising face mask once a week, I use it on my elbows or any dry areas and even on the ends of my hair. It is one of my more expensive products and so I don't go crazy with it but it really does the job when nothing else will.
Okay so this isn't exactly skincare but I just love it and It's transitioned in to winter when I really didn't expect it to. I thought I'd return to full coverage foundation but this stuff leaves my dull winter skin glowy and fresh. If you feel you need a fuller coverage I'd still recommend this as a base as it does boast some skincare properties as well and every little helps.
I've looked high and low for the best lip treats and this is one of my all time favourites. It has that delicious MAC lipstick smell and taste (yes, taste!) stays on my lips that little bit longer than your average balm and offers a subtle tint of colour. I always carry this with me and although it might not be the most moisturising lip balm it's a joy to wear and I never mind applying more... yum!
So I hope that helps any of you out there that are looking for some winter skin treats. These are some of the best I've tried but I'm always on the look out for bigger and better so please feel free to share your own favourites in the comments.
I was given a sample of this foundation to try about a year ago and I loved it. I really liked my Studio Fix but it broke me out after using for only a week. When I questioned the MAC MUA she recommended I try Studio Sculpt for a medium to full coverage that wouldn't be too heavy for my skin. It's a gel-based formula and unlike anything else I have. It feels so strange on application, it doesn't blend all that easily but the finish is worth the extra effort. The first time I tried it it was midday before I realised i had forgotten to put on powder and I wasn't oily at all, really great for my combination skin. It lasted the whole day and felt weightless, I haven't been wearing it long enough to say whether it will break me out yet but I really don't think it will. It's so light, I don't see how it could.
Now the concealer... that was an impulse purchase. I knew I wanted to get the foundation and it just came out... "and I'll take the concealer too" ... this may have been a mistake! It's a very different texture. Somewhere between Benefits Boi-ing and Erase Paste. It's very thick so for those wanting a high coverage concealer it is great but it's a little chalky. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a cream to powder but it feels that way. I haven't discovered a way to apply it lightly yet so it's too cakey for underneath my eyes but I think it will be ideal for covering redness and blemishes. My skin has been fab (touch wood) in recent months but I'm sure it will find a way back to to how it was and this will come in handy then.
I absolutely love this.. beautiful bottle of sparkly christmasness!
It's so difficult to get a true to life photo, the glitter is so dense you can't really make out the individual pieces like you can in the photo. The light reflecting on my nails makes them glisten.. it really needs to be seen to be believed. Quite possibly the ultimate festive fingertips!
I wanted to do a sepearate NOTD post to show the polish I wore underneath it, Soft Grey from Beauty UK. Also really lovely but takes a good 3 coats to get an opaque finish. It's very much a budget product. None the less the combination of the two is gorgeous, don't you agree?
I can't wait to try the glitter over more of my favourite shades.
So I finally picked up what I decided were the must-haves of the new MAC Glitter & Ice Collection last night. The Paint Pot in Morning Frost and the Glitter Polish Unconditionally Fabulous.
The polish was one I knew I'd regret if I didn't buy it and I wasn't wrong. It's beautiful and would absolutely "Christmas Up" anything you applied it over the top of. The glitter is dense enough you could build an opaque glitter polish with 2 or 3 coats and it's nice and evenly distributed for it to work well as a topcoat. For those wondering the polish I have on underneath is Soft Grey from Beauty UK (look out for NOTD post soon). I thought it would look nice and frosty and it really does, very festive!
The paint pot is a very neutral shimmery shade.. on my hand it looked perfect and I must mention it is super long wearing. Once it was on there was no budging it and on my eyes it didn't seem to crease. I am disappointed though, it's a lot lighter on my lids than I anticipated. I thought it would give more impact but it's kind of blah. I didn't buy "let's skate" because it seemed really similar to "Chilled on Ice" which I purchased from the Champale collection. I do love my neutral tones but this is nothing special. Not many paint pots do it for me but i was so hoping this one would. Shame.
I picked up a foundation and concealer while I was there but I will blog about those separately.
There's nothing else I'm DYING for from the Glitter & Ice collection. I loved the Snowglobe beauty powder, mainly because of the name but when I swatched it in store it really was beautiful and I'd also have loved to get a brush set but this close to baby and Christmas I'm trying to reign in the spending a touch. I figured I was entitled to a little pre-birth treat though ;)
Last week I was desperate to get my hands on some of the new Glitter and Ice collection from MAC but since I had to put off my shopping trip I've decided my money may be better spent elsewhere...
There are a few things I've wanted for a while... these are they...
Now OBVIOUSLY I'm not about to run out and get all this in one trip but this is my fantasy shopping list I'll keep handy when I next visit my local counter. I have wanted to try Studio Sculpt Foundation/Concealer since I bought the Studio Fix Fluid and it broke me out. I loved the coverage and the finish but I couldn't live with what it did to my skin. Apparently the Studio Sculpt is a lighter alternative as it's gel-based and hydrating so shouldn't have the same, ugly effect but does offer buildable-full coverage and a nice finish.
The eye shadows are just more must haves I'm told I "need" by bloggers far and wide and the brow set I will need to try before I buy. My brows are light and sparse, I'd love to find a quick way to groom them in the mornings but as yet nothing looks as natural as a powder which takes some time and requires a palette and brushes.. I would be over the moon if MACs brow set did the job in one swipe but I'm not holding out much hope. I want a pro palette quad because it's handier than the 15 palettes I have and I feel like I am more likely to rotate the shades and get more use out of what I have. Because I'm a palette fiend I'd likely buy quarry and humid in refill form. Lastly, Groundwork - I haven't found a paint pot I really love for daily use yet but this seems a light enough neutral taupe brown to be worn every day and the lip glass is the gloss version of my go to MAC lipstick so I must have it, right?
This year hasn't been fantastic for MAC Collections in my opinion so I wasn't excited about the Holiday sets.. in fact I wasn't even aware of them until yesterday when they were already available online. I believe they launched in stores today. What appealed to me with this collection was the packaging first and foremost. Its got the classic clean MAC lines we all know and love but it's WHITE! It's like they've joined forces with apple and then sprinkled it in glitter... beautiful! I'm a sucker for anything festive and with names like Snowglobe I was sold almost immediately. I knew I had to have something in white packaging and I thought it would be tricky to choose but it really wasn't. There were other bits and pieces I wouldn't mind either but these are my top picks...
Mineralize Eye Shadow in Snow Season £16.50
Paint Pot in Morning Frost £14.00
Lipstick in Such Flare £14.00
Make It Perfect Brush Kit £39.50
Nail Laquer in Unconditionally Fabulous £10.00
Beauty Powder in Snowglobe £20.50
OK so that's a pricey shopping trip... I think my must haves will be the nail polish, the beauty powder, the lipstick and the paint pot which comes to...£58.50?... eek! Now I remember why I stay away from the MAC counter. Beautiful though!
Will you be picking anything up from the Glitter & Ice collection?
First of all please excuse my dry lips.. I have tried everything to treat them but this baby is just sapping the moisture right out of me! These are all the drugstore dupes I found in my current collection for MAC lipsticks I own. I thought I'd share them with you. I made an accompanying video which will be up this week but I thought they would be better presented in a blog post. I hope it's helpful!
In the below swatch table the MAC shades are on the bottom and the dupes are on top. I will link to where you can purchase the drugstore versions with my lip swatches (read on) again the bottom lip is MAC and the top Lip is swatched with the dupe so you can more directly compare the two.
*unfortunately the lip swatch for this one went missing somewhere, sorry*
I hope you enjoyed this post and it was useful for those of you craving some of these MAC shades but not so enamoured of their prices. I would like to give special mention to my favourite dupe on the list - Toxic Tale. It was a limited edition launched with the Venomous Villains collection so if you don't already have it Coral Tonic is a pretty close second.
