Spring Collection Review - MAC's "Shop Mac Cook Mac Collection"

Shop Mac Cook Mac eyeshadow quads packaging

Hi Everyone :)

First review on this blog and I thought this collection is really suitable because I would say it's one of the best that MAC has come out with in the last couple of years. Unfortunately many things did sell out quite quickly (I'll talk more about the specific products below), but you may very well be able to snag these either with re-stocking on the MAC's website (www.maccosmetics.com) or if you have a CCO aka Cosmetics Company Outlet near you. Another thing is that MAC often re-promotes well-received products in future collections. This collection is full of vivid color that will be great not only for spring but into the summer as well. This collection also marks one of the first collection in the past couple of years that has really good eyeshadow quads in my opinion. Although they are a good value, often MAC's quads that come out with collections are sub-par quality. Shop Mac Cook Mac was definitely an exception and I'm excited to have these for the coming seasons (if it ever stops raining/snowing here in Vancouver...)

Eyeshadow Quads:

Shop & Drop
(Colors from right to left/top to bottom: Sugar Snack, Hypnotizing, Power Boosted, Shop & Drop)

Out of the two quads that I purchased, I really thought the "Shop & Drop" quad would be my favorite, but it really wasn't. It is still quite a beautiful quad with a good balance of colors which I can see will easily meld into different combinations of eye looks, including ones that involve all 4 colors. However, it's definitely more of a night-time/going out kind of color palette (making it less useful for us neutral girls on an everyday basis), and the shade in "Sugar Snack" really leaves something to be desired for a highlight or lighter all over lid color.

With the exception of "Hypnotizing", I would say that the other shades in this quad were quite dupable but as I mentioned, it's a good value to have them in one palette like this and they do suggest many different combinations for eye-looks.) "Hypnotizing" is a repromote from a collection back in 2010 I believe, but I missed out on it that first time. It's a very interesting mixture of what I would say is pewter, antique gold, and lavender.

Conclusion: I like this quad, I really do. It's just not super special and I'll probably use it more rarely than other shadows I have. If you don't already have a good collection of purple eyeshadows, this is a good place to start though. For me, "Hypnotizing" makes it worth it.

Call Me Bubbles
(Colors from right to left/top to bottom: Call Me Bubbles, Fresh Daily, Full of Flavor, Brash)

The "Call Me Bubbles" quad is really something. It's special and something that I see really workable for everyday use. That might seem strange since I claim to be more into neutrals, but shades such as the one in this quad are ones that I get really excited for. They are great shades for warming up any look, whether it be smokey or extremely neutral. Shades like "Fresh Daily" and "Full of Flavor" are great blending-out colors that will provide a color pop to an average look.

Unlike "Shop & Drop", I'm really not sure which shade is my favorite in this one. Maybe I favor "Full of Flavor" a little bit because of it's matte finish, which is not a great finish from MAC but it does make it great for blending out other colors. But in general, I instantly know where I will be able to use this quad and can see myself grabbing for it often in the warmer months. A great go-to for any beach/BBQ type parties that you might go to.

Conclusion: Love it! I would recommend this out of the 3 quads that came out in this collection. I also have a post coming up with a look, inspired by this collection's adverts, using this quad (oh, and it's rather editorial-esque.)

Lip Products:

Tendertone Packaging


Hush, Hush Tendertone

Purring Tendertone

I decided I would go ahead and review the two tendertones together because for the most part, tendertones are a lip balm with incredibly sheer color. "Hush, Hush" gives a beautiful peachy-golden sheen and to me, if Rubenesque paint pot were a tendertone, this would be it. Purring is a sheer tangerine but on my pigmented lips, it basically is clear and gives a very slight orange hue. Both paint pots smell amazing! I've heard descriptions of the smell as a "strawberry-kiwi" scent; I don't know about that but I do know it's a fruity scent. I wish MAC would make tendertones permanent, these are definitely products that I would use daily but because they're limited edition, I feel like I have to savour them more.

Conclusion: I love tendertones! I now know what all the hype was about; the smell is great, the texture is great, and I find it to be a pretty effective lip balm. Next time I'm in the states and pass a CCO, I'm for sure going to be looking out for these.

Woo Me

The kissable lipcolours were released in a collection with more shades last year. "Woo Me" was also a part of that collection and appeared to be the most favored by people who purchased from that collection. So when this was re-promoted with Shop Mac Cook Mac, I went ahead and included it in my order. Honestly, I don't understand the hype. It's not incredibly creamy and you really need to work with it upon application so that it applies smoothly and doesn't settle into fine lines too much. The pinky nude color reminds me of Tom Ford's Blush Nude lipstick and I've even worn them together but I prefer the creamy texture of the TF lipstick.

Conclusion: This was probably the only product from this collection (from my purchase) that I wasn't too thrilled about. I like the long and sleek packaging and it is a great color, but the formula itself leaves something to be desired. However, I should mention that I've heard that the texture of these appears to have changed relative to the originally released kissable lipcolours, but I don't know this for sure since I didn't purchase from that collection.

Watch Me Simmer

Finally we come to "Watch Me Simmer" lipstick. This was probably the quickest product to sell out from this collection - my MAC counter only got 3 of them in and I'm just glad I was able to put one on hold at the beginning of the day (of release) in order to be able to pick it up after work. "Watch Me Simmer" is a bright (almost neon) coral with an amplified finish. The pigmentation is amazing as well. But I should mention, you should really be prepared for all the attention to be on your lips when wearing this lip color. Later on I will be posting a look using the "Call Me Bubbles" quad with this lipstick and as you will see, a really dramatic and rather editorial type look is what you will get. On average, I would suggest wearing this with a really nude eye look, if not just plain black liner and nothing else.

Conclusion: This is a really beautiful lipstick and is really good quality. I'm not sure how practical it really is for most because it's not something I would personally consider an everyday color, but maybe I'll change my mind when my tan is back for the spring/summer seasons. I do recommend it although I know that it's basically sold out everywhere at this point.

A Look - "A Fashion Standard: Smokey Eyes & Nude Lips"

Hi Everyone :)

A different kind of post from my usual, this is actually to talk about a pretty classic makeup look of smokey eyes and nude lips. I find that I am able to default to this look if I am in a hurry but 1) I haven't had much sleep in days and I want to cover that up, or 2) I need to look a little bit fancier than usual for an event :)

Eyes:
On the average day, you'll find me with a soft nude eye while playing up my lashes (as that's my own "classic" way to go.) But when it comes to a smokey eye, to me there's nothing like a smudged out, rocker-chic smokey eye. How to do that in a matter of seconds? Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Mirifique to the rescue! With this shadow, I can achieve a black lid color with the most amazing silver shimmer just by patting it on the lid. You would think I would need to use a lot to achieve a real black color but in fact, I only need a little because of the incredible pigmentation of these shadows by Chanel. Moving onto the crease, I simply blended out the edges of the shadow into the crease and it will fade into a beautiful charcoal gray color. This eye look makes it look like I've used a few products to get the lid, crease, and shimmer, but in fact it only took one single product.

Below is a *slightly* better picture to show the dimension of this eye look, but still done with my iPhone :(



Lips:
On to the lips, in this look I used Tom Ford's lipstick in Blush Nude, topped with a bit of LipFusion's lipgloss in Bare Flesh to give it some shine. This part is easy, nude lips are sexy but I think when they're too matte, it can be a little off-putting. So add a nude gloss on top and problem solved! Tom Ford's lipsticks are amazing when they go on but with Blush Nude, it's a little bit of a challenging color to use all the time just because of how it emphasizes the flaws in lips. If your lips are dehydrated or a bit chapped, I would definitely stay away from this shade in the range.

I should mention that on average I either use a rather nude blush or no blush at all with this look. Just because of how chic it is, I much rather contour with a bronzer or any matte contouring shade (went a little bit crazy with that in the top photo in this post...but maybe it's high fashion!)

I hope you liked this look :)

Cheers!

Face of the Day - February 14, 2012 - "A Pretty Valentine's Day"

Hi Everyone :)

A quick Valentine's Day look for you. This year I'm spending Valentine's at home because the bf is studying. But I'm okay with that because I rather we have a special day whenever we plan to then have a Valentine's that only one of us can enjoy. Plus, I'm not a big fan of crowds when going out for dinner :P Despite being at home though, I still wanted to do something soft and pretty for this day.

Another goal that was a part of this was how little when into it and how few products were involved. Guys don't like much makeup, at least not in terms of base. I think it has to do with them wanting us to look just like we do with makeup, but without actually involving makeup. Although my bf doesn't mind my obsession with makeup, I can tell that he believes less is definitely more. So here goes!

Face:
- Bobbi Brown Corrector Bisque (under eyes)
- NARS Stick Concealer in Ginger (around the nose)
- MAC Prep + Prime Translucent Loose Powder (to set)

Cheeks:
- NARS Madly

Eyes:
- NARS Lhasa (from Spring 2012 collection - swept lightly over the lids)
- Laura Mercier Full Blown Mascara

Lips:
- Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Chance

Yup! That's it!

Happy Valentine's Everyone! <3

Face of the Day - February 10, 2012 - "Getting Ready for Spring" (+ My Favorite Lipstick!)

Hi Everybody :)

This is a quick ready-for-spring (because I'm pretty sick of this gloomy weather that's for sure) look featuring some of my favorite spring-time products of all time, including my favorite lipstick! That lipstick of course is MAC's Ever Hip. Unfortunately, it's a limited edition shade and I wish MAC would just learn something and make great limited edition shades like this permanent. This is also the only makeup item I have that I have backups of (because I really hate the idea of not having it.) It originally came out with MAC's Liberty of London collection in spring of 2010 but has since been repromoted in the Fashion Flower collection during the spring of 2011. Hopefully this is one of those items that they will repromote over and over so that everyone can try it out one day :)

On to the look --

Face:
- Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Foundation
- MAC Vibrancy Eye Primer (under the eyes)
- Bobbi Brown Correctors in Bisque and Medium to Dark Bisque
- Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel

Cheeks:
- MAC Blush Cream in LadyBlush
- MAC Cream Color Base in Hush

Eyes:
- NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
- MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque (base)
- MAC All that Glitters (patted on top of the paint pot, with fingers onto the center of the lid)
- Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Perversion (tightline)
- MAC Kohl liner in I Get No Kick (LE)
- Laura Mercier Full Blow Mascara

Lips:
- MAC Tendertone in Purring (LE - came out with this season's MAC Shop MAC Cook Collection)
- MAC Ever Hip lipstick
- Revlon Superlustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef

Quick tip :) : A shimmery champagne liner on the lower waterline can really brighten up the eyes without resorting to a stark white/nude colored liner. Because those colors are solid and bright, they have a different effect than champagne colors that catch the light at certain angles.

Cheers!

Face of the Day - February 8, 2012 - Taupe Series: "Lazy TAUPE"

Hi Everyone :)

I'm going to start a taupe series. Why? Because that's all people seem to be talking about these days and honestly, I don't blame them. Not only is it an easy hue to wear but it also seems to go with absolutely everything, whether I'm wearing my extremely casual (almost home-like) outfit to my office, or dressed up for a night out with the bf. And the beauty of this look is...there's almost nothing to it. This was one of those 5 minute things that I did being in a hurry for work :) (currently trying to catch up on posts)

As always sorry about the picture, one its the end of the day and I just look worn out and two, lighting :(

On to the look --

Face:
- MAC Vibrancy Eye Primer (under the eyes - I always seem to forget this in my posts but it's really always there for me)
- Bobbi Brown Correctors in Bisque (under eyes) and Medium to Dark Bisque (redness around the nose - there hasn't been much in the way of spots lately thanks to my clarisonic :). )
- MUFE Duo Mat Powder Foundation (dusted all over to set the correctors)

Cheeks:
- Benefit Hervana Box Powder

Eyes:
- NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
- Chanel Single Eyeshadow in Fauve
- Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Perversion (tightline)
- Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara

Lips:
Nothing - just some kinda lip balm :)

Quick Tip :) : If you're a concealer wearer, primer the under eyes can be just as important as on the lids. When putting down the primer for your eyeshadow, try patting down a bit under the eyes too, it will help your concealer from creasing and wearing away quickly.

First post being done almost entirely on my phone, still trying to decide whether I like this Blogger app...

Face of the Day - February 7, 2012 - "Naturally Pink"

Hi Everyone :)

I realize how washed out the picture of the look is, but hopefully the details of the look and what products were used will help you get a better sense of the effect it gave. This look came along due to me getting my first MAC Mineralized Skin Finish EVER! Considering I've been doing makeup for a few years now, this is pretty shocking. And considering how much I love this one, it's pretty safe to say that's a new addiction that I'm looking forward to. The one I'm talking about is the beautiful MSF in "Blonde" which was released this year with the MAC Naturally collection.

Originally I was tempted to get all 3 blushes in this collection but after getting to swatch them for myself I decided as beautiful as they are, the colors really weren't that unique. I also originally passed this MSF up but after hearing from several people that "Blonde" was actually one of their favorite MSFs (even though they have fairly large collects of MSFs), I decided that I would definitely regret it if I didn't get it. Also, after seeing it in stores a few times, I also realized that I was starting to imagine looks to do with this product.

It really is a beautiful product. The gradient going from a pinky champagne to a rosy pink really does show up even on my medium/olive skin (fyi, I'm about an NC35, going all the way up to NC40 in the summer)and for the last couple of days, I found myself using this for blush and that's it! I'm usually a blush plus highlight sort of girl, so you can just imagine how surprising this was for me. And although this product is shimmery, with the right application, brush, and blending, this works out to be a great every day blush/highlight product.

On to the look --

Face:
- Hourglass Mineral Primer
- Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Foundation (stippled, blended, and then gone over with a damp sponge. The coverage on this stuff is insane!)
- Bobbi Brown Corrector in Bisque (under eyes) and Medium to Dark Bisque (around the nose, but barely because of this rather FULL coverage foundation.)
- Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel in 64 Desert Bronze
- Make Up For Ever Duo Mat Foundation Powder in 207 (to set)

Cheeks:
- MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in "Blonde"

Eyes:
- NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
- Wet n Wild Single Shadow in Brulee
- MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in "Blonde" (champagne on the lid, darkest pink blended in to the outer crease)
- Chanel Single Shadow in TigerLily (blended into the pink crease to warm the look up)
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Pencil in Perversion (tightline)
- Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara

Lips:
- Laura Mercier Lip Stain in Shy Pink

Beautiful isn't it? :)

Quick Tip :) : Never skip eyeliner or some kind of lining of the lashline when using pink on your eyelids, this will prevent the look from turning into looking like your eyelids are irritated!

That's it for now! It's been a long night but hopefully I'll get some reviews up soon :)

Cheers!

Face of the Day - February 5, 2012 - "Meeting the Parents"

Hi Everyone :)

As you can probably tell, there really is no rhyme or reason the lighting of my Face of the Day photos. I should really get on using something other than my iPhone for these things...but I like being able to blog and have everything filed neatly within my phone.

Oh and despite what it might seem, this look was not for meeting my boyfriend's parents. That was years ago :P Rather this was the look I wore this morning to meet my big brother's fiancee's family. I wanted something that was almost a "no-makeup makeup look" but still wanted to define my eyes and make myself look a little less tired than I really was from the late night I had last night. Now, let's see if I can recall what I used huh?

On to the look --

Face:
- Chantecaille Just Skin
- Bobbi Brown Corrector in Bisque (under the eyes) & Medium to Dark Bisque (redness around the nose mostly)
- Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Light 4-5 (under the eyes)
- Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in 64 Desert Bronze

Cheeks:
- Benefit Hervana Box Powder
- Laura Mercier Illuminator

Eyes:
- NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
- MAC Paint Pot in Vintage Selection (all over the lid)
- MAC Eye Kohl in Blooz (winged out slightly)
- Milani Liquif'Eye Eyeliner in 01 Black (tightline)

Lips:
- MAC Lipglass in Prrrr

Fragrance:
- Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (fave and signature scent)

I didn't get a chance to take a picture of everything I used today, I was actually running late despite getting up earlier. I will say that lately I've been really enjoying a new hair product which I will share with you all soon; it really saves me time in the morning and I can see it being a product that I won't be able to go without.

Cheers!

Face of the Day: February 3, 2012 - "Daily Inspiration"

Hi Everyone :)

So I'm back at this (well hopefully.) I actually meant to do a couple of posts in January to start the year off right, but you know how it is sometimes. But I think above all, I'm doing these posts again for myself. Makeup is definitely the thing I do everyday for myself. It's my "me-time" and when I don't give myself that time on certain days (I'm not a morning person), the day definitely doesn't start the way I want it to.

Inspired by a couple of YouTube gurus that I've been watching for years (michele1218 & lisasz09), the following look and format of the posts will reflect this.

On to the look --

Face:
- Chanel Vitalumiere in 40 Beige mixed with Chanel Le Blanc de Chanel (40 Beige is slightly dark for me in winter so the sheer illuminating base lightens it a bit)
- MAC Vibrancy Eye Primer (under the eyes)
- Bobbi Brown Corrector in Bisque (under the eyes) & Medium to Dark Bisque (any spots on the face)
- Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Light 4-5
- Make Up For Ever Duo Mat Powder Foundation (to set) in 270


Cheeks:
- Lancome's Maison Lancome (2011 Limited Edition) blush
- Benefit It's a 10 (future post coming up about this beautiful little thing)

Eyes:
- NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
- MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot & Wet n Wild single shadow in Brulee (this combination happens before all the colors)
- Physician's Formula Baked Collection Eyeshadows in Baked Oatmeal
- shimmer light taupe on the inner half of the lid
- dark brown blended into the crease and blended slightly upwards on the outer corner
- champagne as highlight
- MAC Eye Kohl in Blooz (lines the top lid)
- Milani Liquif'Eye in 01 Black (tightline upper lid)
- Prestige My Biggest Lashes Mascara (I like this a lot better than the Blackest Lashes formula because I prefer wetter mascara formulas)

Lips:
- Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

Fragrance:
- Prada Candy
(I don't usually do this but somehow this look really suited this scent in my mind)





Quick Tip :) : Layering your eyeshadows will make them last longer (a great trick for wedding makeup), so it's actually a great idea to not only primer your lids but also put down a cream base & a powder base color before all the colors begin.

So some notes before ending this post:
- I will be doing some reviews (hopefully this will include the ones I said I would in the first place...)
- I might start some 'Current Favorites' or 'Monthly Favorites' posts
- Seriously considering a Project 10 (or even 20!) Pan (I have accumulated an insane amount of makeup in the last couple of years and not that I think it's a problem because I rarely regret my purchases due to always doing research and testing samples first, but it would be nice to really give some of these products some love before venturing into new ones)
- Despite my note above, I NEED to try the new MAC Tendertones that are going to be repromoted on February 9, 2012. These first released before I started doing makeup so I really feel like I missed out!

Cheers!

Face of the Day: August 10th, 2011 - "Purple-ism"

Hi Everyone :)

This is my first look with the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette (review to come). I wanted to go out of my comfort zone and use what I consider to be a couple of the palette's most beautiful colors on my first go. Without going into a full out review, I have to say that I really like this palette and I think it's one of the best that Urban Decay has come out with. I realize that for those of you who have all the limited edition UD palettes (ie. the 3 book of shadows), this may be a must have. But for me, I've only ever had the Naked palette for UD and I have loved using that one as well.

On to the look--

Face:

- Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Hazelnut Beige

- NARS Laguna

- Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed

- Bobbi Brown Correct in Medium to Dark Bisque

- Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Cream (Light 4 -5 )

Eyes:

- NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base

- Urban Decay Tainted (all over the lid)

- Urban Decay Omen (into the crease and smudged along bottom lashline)

- Almay One Coat Nourishing Mascara Triple Effect

Lips:

- nothing :)

Looking forward to reviewing this palette :D

Cheers!

Face of the Day: August 6th, 2011 - "Nudey-pink"

Hi Everyone :)

I promise I will take more detailed pictures with later posts! For now I'm really just using my iPhone and I'm finally learning the problem with bad lighting for these things hahaha I never thought it was a big deal until I started taking my own pictures for looks.

Onto the look--

Face:

- Make Up Forever Mat Velvet +

- Chanel Bronze Universal

- NARS Laguna

- NARS Copacabana Illuminator

- Milani Luminous Blush

Eyes:

- Rimmel Exaggerate Liner in Noir (line top lash line and smudged out/ tightline)

- Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in 18 (smudged into the inner corners as colored highlight)

- Fresh Supernova Mascara

Lips:

- Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Prim Rose

I like this look for when I want some color but I don't want to do a crazy color eyeshadow look. It's pretty suitable for any occasion and a great way to incorporate some color for work looks. It also doesn't take much time in comparison to a full out eyeshadow look. You will soon realize about me that I rather spend a lot of time perfecting my skin than spend a lot of time on the accent details like eyes and lips. Although, mascara is definitely an exception...

Quick tip: Your inner corner highlight doesn't always have to be a plain champagne color, try lighter and shimmery shades of colors that you like. I would suggest using some water-resistant/waterproof formulas for this since this is usually where your eyes will usually start to water if they do.

Cheers!

Check this out!

Hi Everyone :)

Okay I just had to blog about this right in the middle of work. Hey I'm allowed my breaks right? I just rather blog than eat...

To business: Today Nur from http://www.youtube.com/user/nurberxo , tweeted about the skincare benefits of shaving for women. It's actually a Japanese beauty secret!

I plan to do a more in depth post about this tonight but for now, please read up on this topic! All I have to say is that there seems to be enough reason for me to seriously consider trying this out...

Cheers!

Face of the Day: August 3rd, 2011

Hi Everyone :)

Actually woke up a bit earlier (despite only 4 hours of sleep) today in order to make an eye look.

Quick backstory: I went in to Sephora yesterday to look for the Urban Decay 15-year Anniversary Palette. This may seem late for some of you because it has been sold out everywhere for a while for those of you living in the States, however, in Canada you just never know when these things arrive. Most of the time it's extremely late relative to when the product was released. Anyways, despite this, I still missed it. It had come in 48 hours before and was sold out in the first 24. So I left my name on the waiting list; hopefully I get one within the next few weeks.

While I was giving my name to the MUA, she mentioned that the list is not as long as it looks since most of the list for Urban Decay is still for the Naked Palette. Ah, the Naked Palette. I missed the train on that one too because I had seen it the day BEFORE the actual release and failed to snatch it up when I had the chance. Then once it was sold out everywhere, I HAD to have it. Isn't that always the case? So after a while I couldn't stand it and ordered it online just weeks before it was being restocked in Canadian Sephoras.

This all brought back memories and I decided that I really needed to use my Naked Palette more. It's really one of my favorites but I don't use it enough because I'm always trying something new.

Onto the look --

Face:

- Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Hazlenut Beige

- Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-5

- Chanel Bronze Universal

- Bobbi Brown Corrector in Medium to Dark Bisque

- Bare Minerals Well Rested

Eyes:

- Naked Palette

- Sidecar on lids

- Buck blended into the crease and blended into outer third of lower lash line

- Darkhorse in the outer V

- NYX glitter liner in Crystal Onyx

- Almay One Coat Nourishing Triple Effect Mascara

Lips:

- Too Faced lipstick in Centerfold

Hope you liked it!

Cheers

Face of the Day: August 2, 2011

(Sorry about the messy hair...)

Hi Everyone :)

Today is back to work day (well actually just back to work in the office since I worked from home during the long weeked). Needless to say, I was pretty sleepy this morning being the night owl that I am. I can't seem to sleep earlier but I know I need more sleep. Don't be like me, the greatest beauty secret has always been to get a good night's sleep! I have even heard once that when Penelope Cruze was asked what's her beauty secret, she answered very simply, sleep. Okay, I digress, the point is that skincare is crucial for me because I have pretty sensitive skin.

So today's look was more about prepping the skin and keeping the rest pretty minimal. You can consider this my no-makeup makeup look :) I regularly default to this if I haven't had enough sleep and just can't seem to wake up early enough to spend more time on my makeup. I really hate this since doing my makeup is one of the best parts of my day, so even if just a little, I always make the effort to do a little something something ;) It's therapeutic and the one time of day that I feel is completely for me.

On to the look! --

For Skincare ie. Prep, please see my previous post here.

Face:

- MAC Pro Longwear SPF 10 Foundation in NC40

- Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer in SC-5

- Bobbi Brown Corrector in Medium to Dark Bisque

- Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Cream (Light 4-5)

- Chanel Bronze Universal (bronzer and acting as a bronze-y blush as well today)

- Laura Mercier Mineral Powder in Rich Vanilla (light dusting to set cream products)

Eyes:

- NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadaow Base

- MAC Vintage Selection Paint Pot

- Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil in Rebel (lines the out half of the top lash line and outer third of lower lash line, blended out. Used fingers to smudge a bit in the outer corner of the top lid to add definition)

- Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara in Excessive Black

Lips:

- Milani HD Advanced Lip Color in Romantic Rose (definitely a 'your-lips-but-better' color)

Quick Tip :) : When you don't feel like using blush, blend your bronzer very light upwards so that it sits more in the middle of your cheeks (where your blush usually would be) rather than the hollows to create the effect of bronze-y blush. This is great for those in a rush but would rather not neglect their cheeks. Just remember that the bronzer will seem to mix with the natural flush of your cheeks to enhance the color, and make it look like you're wearing both bronzer and blush! This is often why I may forget blush, but I never forget bronzer ;)

Cheers!

Face of the Day: August 1, 2011

Hi Everyone! :)

Just wanted to start off with a quick Face of the Day post. For those of you who are new to these kinds posts, it is a picture of a look that I've created on that day and the products used to create it.

Today's look is actually quite out of my comfort zone, but I decided that it's always important to start off with a bang (in this case being a bold lip) ;)

To start off, the products -

Skincare ie. Prep (I'll only tend to show this if something has changed or something exciting has been introduced to my routine):

- Cetaphil Cleanser

- Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum (Fragrance Free)

- Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream

- Vasanti Eye Wonder

- NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow

Face:

- Make Up Forever Mat Velvet + in 55

- Bobbi Brown Corrector in Medium to Dark Bisque

- Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Cream (Light 4-5)

- Chanel Bronze Universal

- Joe Fresh Cream Blush in Bloom

Eyes:

- NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (on eyelids and under eyes)

- Milani Liquif ' Eye in 01 Black

- Almay One Coat Nourishing Mascara Triple Effect in Very Black

Lips:

- NYX Lipliner in Dolly Pink (filled in lips with this lipliner)

- MAC Lip Gelee in Shift to Pink (small dab on the center of lips)

Quick Tip :) : You'll notice that I use primer on my eyelids and under eyes. This is a good way for those of you that have issues with your under-eye concealer lasting throughout the day. NARS is my favorite but you can use any of your eyeshadow primers in the same way. I notice that for me, this prevents creasing and wearing away of my concealer.

This is a classic winged liner with bold lip look. Of course the bold lip had to be created with my favorite color, pink :) I hope you liked it!

Upcoming will be some review posts that I had originally written for my account on LUUUX.com (link to my LUUUX page: http://www.luuux.com/members/jacquelyn-ma). Also, I'll be doing a summer favorites post and I will be happy to do more in depth reviews of those products if they are requested.

Cheers!

Follow me on twitter:

http://twitter.com/jacquelynma