Mac Primped Out: Eye Look Bag in Drama Taupe

 This is another great holiday set from Mac that doesn't fail. They came out with three different choices of color combinations that you can choose from. Since i love wearing more dramatic smokey eye most of the time, i thought this was perfect. Every set comes again in the cute animal print clutch, this time in green - yay variety! The set is $46.50 and it comes with a bunch of good things. First we have two eyeshadows as a duo, mascara, eyeliner and a brush. The total value of the products is $58.50, and this is without the bag and the brush included in the set. So onto the products....

'Filament' / 'Black Tied' eyeshadow duo

• Filament Eyeshadow - this is described as a 'platinum silver' and its a luster finish. This shadow looks really pretty in the pan and when swatched, and then when i used it the fallout was insane. Doesn't show up as much on the eyes and its not that easy to apply. I see more fallout than i do any color. I will keep trying to see how i can use this one but its a so-so for me.
• Black Tied Eyeshadow - i've had this one on my list for a long time. I have a few matte black shadows but i heard that this one is a must-have in the collection. The blackness is really nice and the silver sparkle in it are not overboard or falling out all over your face. It blends beautifully as its a velvet finish so i really love this one. 

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'Bad, bad black' Opulash mascara - i love the formula of this mascara. I do feel like the brush may be a little too big for some people to use but it brushes the lashes really nicely and ads some dimension to them. The formula is an intense black so it does work in darkening them up. The one downside for some people might be the size of the brush, especially if you have smaller eyes. Other than that its a good mascara.

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'Engraved' Powerpoint Eye Pencil - i absolutely love this eyeliner. I normally wear gel liners but this is a great liner that i've been using for a few days now to line my eyes. Its so smooth and applies really easily. Its waterproof and does last all day without smudging. This particular shade is a rich black and it lines the eyes beautifully for that dramatic look. I would consider repurchasing it in the future for sure.

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275SE Medium Angled Shading Brush - this brush is so handy, and works really great. I used it to apply my crease color and it works really nicely to stay in that crease and blend in the color well, i love it.

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Unless you think you would use all the products, or don't own them already, this one can be a pass. I dont regret buying it since i dont have any of them and really wanted to try them out, this was the best opportunity to get them at great value. I'm happy with it, however you don't need to rush and grab it if its not what your looking for.

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Thoughts?

xoxo

MAC Primped Out: Lip Look Bag in Lavish Coral

The holiday gift sets at Mac are quite overwhelming this year, as always. The packaging is soooo cute and the makeup included has variety and the size of most of the sets are worth looking into. This lip bag that i picked up is mostly coral shades, but they do have another one with pink/fuschia shades if you prefer more of that color. The pink clutch is a vinyl feel material with leopard pink and inside it has a patterned design. Inside you will find three full size products: lipstick, lipglass and lip pencil. Did i mention FULL size?!? Yes! It's a good value in the sense that you save a bit plus you get a cute clutch with it. All together for $39.50. So onto the products -

'Shy Girl' lipstick - this is like a warm peach with a slight sheen to it, due its cremesheen finish. This shade is part of the permanent range and one that some of you might be familiar with. I dont own this shade so it was really nice to try it out and i really love it. The slight sheen makes it easy to wear on its own even though it doesnt last a long time, its a really nice shade you can quickly re-apply and wear on its own. Definitely a shade to have in your lipstick drawer.

'Kiss Me Softly' Cremesheen Glass - this is a soft peachy shade with tiny gold specks in it. I for one love cremesheen glasses. I think the formula is really great, shinny and not sticky. It does tend to settle into the lip lines a little bit but personally it doesnt matter. It works really nice paired up with the lipstick in this bag.

'Boldly Bare' Lipliner - this is a great lipliner that works great with the lipstick or even other browns. The shade is a brown that leans more on the reddish side and it works smoothly on the lips if you want to use it as an all over the lip color and wear a more neutral shade on top, or even just a gloss.

I do recommend checking out this gift set, especially if your obsessed with peachy coral shades like i can be sometimes. Like i mentioned, the value of it is great, all three products can add up to be about $59, and you would not be getting the cute clutch that you would in this set. Check it out before they're gone!

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Thoughts?

xoxo

Mac Glamour Daze Haul!

Macs recent collection is probably my favorite this year. It's sparkly and girly and there's something for everyone. The holiday collection is quite large and a lot to take in but in addition to all the nice gift sets that they came out with, the separate collection - Glamour Daze - has a great deal of extra dimension products for face and eyes and other various things. Going at the Mac counter was a bit overwhelming but its a lot of fun to see the cute variety. I picked up a few things from the collection that i know i will use more. They are a bit more pricey due to special sleek packaging so i didn't want to go too crazy, so i chose carefully. So here's a more detail review of each product that i picked up.

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'In the Limelight' nail polish - this is my first Mac nailpolish that i've tried and i really like it. I've been on the lookout for a really nice mint color and so far this is what i found. Im sure other brands are available that have this shade but i picked this one up anyway. I tried it once so far and i feel like you do need to work with it a bit. Two to three coats should work to get a good color payoff and avoid any streaks. Love the shade and the quality, so far i have no complaints.

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'Beauty' lipstick - this is a real light cool toned pink shade with a glaze frosty finish. Seeing it i knew i had to get it. It is quite light when applied but i like to pair it up with something more dark and blended looks really nice. It doesn't really last long on the lips at all so that's the only downside about it and if your darker skin this might wash you out if you wear it alone. Otherwise its a gorgeous shade and im glad i got it.

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'Feminine Edge' fluidline - i picked up this shade even if it doesn't really seem to work as a eyeliner. It looks pink in the pot but when applied its more sheer and sparkly than anything. If you keep adding product you get a hint of pink but its mostly silver glitter, which i personally really loved about it. I would not use it all over the lid or just as an eyeliner alone. I would added under my waterline or if i want to brighten up an eye look with lots of sparkle and glam. Its a bit awkward to work with just because the glitter shows up first before any color of any kind, but i still love it. I will post an FOTD soon with me wearing it so you can see what i mean.

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'Stolen Moment' Extra dimension eyeshadow - the only thing that was kind of disappointing was the size of the eyeshadow. Earlier this year when the extra dimension eyeshadows came out they were much larger. However, i could not pass on getting at least one that i knew i would wear a lot and this shade did not disappoint. The quality is really great in my opinion, goes on smoothly and its the perfect all over the lid color. It reminds me a lot of Satin Taupe, which is my all time favorite, but a bit more plummy and brown with some silver sheen in certain light. I really with it was larger since i feel like im going to use this one a lot, but i would just buy a backup soon.

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'Whisper of Gilt' extra dimension skinfinish - is described as a 'light soft white gold with shimmery sheen'. Its the prettiest champagne highlight that just brightens up the face to beautifully. This shade is a re-launch form a collection from earlier this year, which i missed out on so i was happy that i got my hands on this time. I love the gold glow it gives off when i apply it on my cheekbones and it just brightens up the face especially when i use brown or gold based eyeshadows. This is also a perfect shade for cooler toned shades. Highly recommend it.

'Superb' extra dimension skinfinish - is described as a 'soft peach nude with multidimensional shimmer'. Its slightly darker than 'Whisper of Gilt' skinfinish, and more of the brown side. It works really nice with a more bronzed peach blush and warm tones. The bronze peach shade adds a really nice metallic glow to the face and i really love it. I do think its worth having both shades if your a highlighter junky like me, unless you prefer wearing one shade over the other. Either way, i recommend checking both extra dimension skinfinishes.

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So this is all i picked up from the collection. There's so much more to it to check out, including more eyeshadow shades, lipsticks and glosses, blushes, eyeliners, nailpolishes and mascara. It's a gorgeous collection and i highly recommend checking it out if you haven't already.

XOXO

Did you pick up anything from Mac Glamour Daze collection?

Small NYX haul

Recently dropped by Ulta to check out some NYX products. I was looking for some blushes and lip products, but ended up getting a few lippie goddies and one eyeshadow that i've had on my wishlist for a little while now. With all that said, here's what i got:

Deep Purple single eyeshadow - as soon as i saw this shade and swatched it i knew i had to have it. I probably own more purple eyeshadows than anything else because they work great with brown eyes. This shade is a more black purple and really great for smokey eyes or more dramatic look. Its quite sheer and metallic with tiny silver specks. The slight downside is that there's a bit of fallout so you need to be careful. Other than that its a gorgeous color.

Xtreme Lip Cream in Natural - this is a pale pink beige shade and i love it. Its very soft and pigmented with a glossy finish. Its not sticky so it feels really nice on my lips. Because its so pigmented the color is real nude and it may look like a lot on your lips so a little does go a long way. I like to wear it mixed with a darker lip color, since it lightens it up a bit and gives me a nice shade. One downside that some people might not like it the smell. Its almost like plastic, but it doesnt bother me much.

Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Sweetheart - this is my favorite gloss at the moment. NYX has amazing glosses and the mega shine ones are the best ive tried so far. The shade is a nude peachy shade with slight silver sheen to it. It just brightens up my lips and the fact that its not a sticky gloss is a major plus. I like to pair it up with any lipstick because it compliments both a nude or a pink shade. It smells like cherries which i really like and i do wish that they stay power was a bit longer, but ce' la vie.

Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Clear - because i love the quality of these glosses i figured why not add a clear one to my collection. Same quality as the Sweet Heart gloss and i love it. If i wear a more matte lipstick or color in my lips with lip pencils, this clear gloss is great to just add on to the look.

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Have you tried any good NYX products lately?

xoxo

MAC Electric Cool Eyeshadows!

 This is a very long overdue post i know! But i figured i would mention these since some of you might have picked some up. After reading some reviews online on these eyeshadows i was a little hesitant to get them. However, after seeing them in person for myself and swatching them i fell in love so i knew i had to have them. The formula is i think something new for Mac and i have to say its really amazing. They are extremely soft and velvety to the touch and feels like a cloudy delight. All new 12 colors are quite unique in their own way although i found like i could live without certain shades. These 4 are the ones that stood out to me the most. I keep trying to find words to explain the formula but i think you just have to go feel it for yourself. Its heavenly pigmented and almost feels wet to the touch but with one swipe the dry frosty beautiful shade just stands out like no other. The shades are all very metallic and somewhat shimmery, which i personally love, but if shimmer is not your thing then you may stray away from this collection. Since that's all i can think of saying generally about the eyeshadows, im going to talk a little about each one that i own and my experience with them since i did take the time to try them before i actually say something about them. I did not wear them all over the lid yet so im not sure whether it would crease or not. I will keep you all updated about it.

Electroplate - is described as a cool gunmetal gray, though i do feel it has a slight purple hint to it with light sparkle and metallic finish. I absolutely love adding this shade under my lower lash line to add some shimmer to my eyes. Works great with gray eyeshadows and with slight purple tint to them - great for brown eyes. The one downside about it, that really isnt a big deal but i feel i should mention, is that it feels a bit flaky when picked up on a brush and you need to really pack it on carefully. But once on your eyes, its the best.

Superwatt - is described as a light shimmering taupe.This shade is a lot easier to work with and apply on the eyes. It has a great metallic finish and it can brighten up any natural makeup look you do. Applying a little on the inner corners or under the lower lashline can really add some extra dimension and brighten things up a bit. Its really soft so it just glides nicely and blends quite well.

Switch to Blue - is described as a rich cobalt. Its a darker blue that has soft little shimmers and almost looks like a nice satin finish. This shade is the deepest out of all and one that can add a pop of color. I did try wearing it as a top liner, since it is dark enough to be worn as a liner without shrinking the eye, however i found that it creased onto my lid and just made it look like i had a bruised eye - no one wants that! So i only use it if i want to add a little something under my lower lashline to a smokey eye, so it can work great with dark greys and lots of smokeyness.

Fashion Circuit - is described as a bright kelly green. Its a really gorgeous teal color thats more on the green side with slight sparkle and a nice sheen. This is probably my favorite one out of all the ones that i got. Again, this works to add a nice pop of color under your lid and give a bit of sophistication to the look. Ive gotten the most compliments when i wear this and its great to work with. Its really soft and easy to apply and a little does go a long way.

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Did you get any of these eyeshadows? 

What do you think?

Review - Mac Prep + Prime Products

I had these Prep + Prime products on my wish list for a while now. Finally i decided to go ahead and try some out, see how they and if they are worth adding to my makeup routine. I did some research before i went ahead to my local Mac. The reviews varied on either side of the spectrum, with some people loving the Prep + Prime and some hating it. I decided to go ahead, try and see for myself how these products work. So here's my personal review and what i honestly think about these two that i have tried so far.

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Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage - this is the description of the product: "An ultra-fluid lotion formulated with special-effect silicones. Calms and soothes the skin, blots away excess oil, and evens out skin redness. Improves the laydown and application of foundation or powder." - i had the chance to try it out a few times and i really do like it. The description is quite accurate in the sense that it makes foundation application easy and without a problem. Leaves my skin real soft and the small light reflecting particles makes my skin look glowy and healthier. My face has some redness so i thought this would help a bit. When i apply the base my face becomes more red, possibly because of me rubbing on the lotion, but it seems to subside a bit and even out throughout my face. I don't see that it helps so much on blotting away any excess oil. Having oily skin, this seemed like a great thing but it doesnt work for me. All-in-all im really glad i got this product and will consider purchasing it again.

Pros:

- makes foundation application a dream

- no strong scent

- not sticky or heavy on the skin

- very soft and easy to apply evenly

- comes in a bottle with a pump

- little goes a long way - one pump on the entire face

Cons:

- doesn't really help with excess oils

- doesn't really help with lasting power

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Prep + Prime Transperant Finishing Powder/Pressed - this product is described as: "A silky, colourless finishing powder suitable for all skin tones. Reduces shine while optically minimizing the look of lines & imperfections. Wear over makeup or on its own. Now in a pressed compact for ease & portability." - I usually use my blot powder that adds some more color to my face. Trying a more transparent powder seemed like a good idea. This powder leaves my skin feeling extremely soft and blends in nicely without it looking like its caking my foundation. I use a brush to apply the powder to my face. My main concern was that it would make my face look like i'm a powdery ghost. I do feel that it has the tendency to make the foundation look a tad bit lighter than it is, compared to my usually face powder that just adds more color. I do love the fact that it helps with keeping my skin from getting too oily around my t-zone.

Pros:

- leaves my skin very soft

- doesn't make my foundation look cakey

- blends well and is transparent

- no scent of any kind

- not too messy and powdery

- compact with a mirror for easy touch-ups

- makes face look smooth and healthy

Cons:

- tends to lighten the foundation even though its translucent

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Have you tried any of the Prep + Prime products?

What do you think?

xoxo

Haul - Mac Heavenly Creatures Collection

 I know this post is extremely overdue but i feel like i needed to enjoy the products first and then bring myself to write about them. I can say i've been using them quite often and i am very happy i purchased all the ones that i did. I was very careful to read reviews before i went ahead to my Mac counter and get overwhelmed with the entire huge collection. This entire mineralized collection has a lot to choose from and i loved that any type of skintone can find something that they love and wear. I all about shine and glow so i really loved everything about the products. However, some stood out to me more than others. Out of the four mineralized skin finishes i got three, out of the four eyeshadows i got two and out of the nine eyeshadows i got just one. I didn't bother looking at any lip products because i have so many that i feel need to be given some love before others join my collection. They also added some brushes and skin products. Lots to choose from but this is what i end up getting and im happy with my choices so...here we go...

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MSF - Mineralized Skin Finish 

Center of the Universe - this is described as a 'coral with gold shimmer'. This one is probably my top favorite for the summer at the moment. It looks like a deep copper goldish color in the pan but when you swirl them all with a brush and apply you get this nice bronzy glow for your cheeks which goes with really any neutral eye look to brighten up the face. A little goes a long way.

Light Year - this is described as a 'peachy pink with gold shimmer'. I love using this if i want just a light sheen on my nose or cheek bones for say a smokey eye or a more dramatic look. It's not glittery or heavy and the mix of gold peaches and pinks gives the face a more natural glowy flush. Love it. 

Star Wonder - this one is described as a 'plummy pink with multi-dimensional pearl'. I haven't quite used this as much as the other two but it's still a gorgeous one. I don't do well with plummy blushes but this one is very minimal so the pink shows up more. You need to use a light hand or you might over apply. If i wear purple eyeshadow i like to add a pink blush and a little of this looks really nice.

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Mineralized Eyeshadow

 Universal appeal - the colors in this shadows are described to be 'gold, bronze and violet melange'. The gold part seems to have a bit of a green hint to it as opposed to being a bright gold shade. The violet melange is a nice purple and the bronze is more of a sheer brown. I was actually lucky to have gotten this particular eyeshadow where the colors are easier to wear. I had doubts about this eyeshadow after doing some research on it and seeing how the bronze was barely showing and the violet took over. When i got to my Mac counter i was happy with what i ended up with. I love the bronze and i feel i was use the swirled shade as an all over lid color that is subtle and good for everyday. For me it works really well dry though some packing on is needed.

Swatched dry

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Mac Mineralized Blush

Ring of Saturn- its described as a 'terracotta and gold melange' color. This shade is more on the coral side when swirled together and is very warm on the cheeks, perfect for summer to me. A little goes a long way with this blush so a light hand is enough when applying and you can built on that if desired. I feel like this is the perfect summer shade so im really in love with it. I've been wearing it a lot, its very versatile so it works with different eye looks.

Solar Ray- this blush described as a 'peach and gold melange'. The gold and pink swirled together shows off as a peachy color that im really in love with. The sparkle is not extreme as it may look in the pan. Once applied, its quite subtle and gives my cheeks a peachy glow, perfect for summer in my opinion. It blends out really easy and i love using it when i don't want anything too heavy for my cheeks but still want a slight glow and subtle color.

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What do you think? 

Did you pick up anything from this collection?

Haul - Mac "Hey, Sailor!" goodies

 So i went ahead to my local Mac counter to check out the new Hey, Sailor! collection that they recently launched. If you don't know this about Mac, they like to have a huge collection every summer where they release a ton of stuff - some permanent, some new, some repromotes. Last time i was really into these huge collection was about two summers ago when they came out with To The Beach collection. I completely passed last years Surf Baby collection since nothing really tempted me, including the packaging. Speaking of packaging, because it's specialy packaged for these huge collections, the price is increased by at least a dollar. That's why i was a bit careful as to what i choose because of the price and it not really being worth it for the packaging, since it's a so-so style. To me personally the bronzer and blush packaging is worth it, and sometimes the eyeshadows, because you can keep using the packaging after the product is finished so it's something nice to have. Seeing the collection in person gave me the instinct to go crazy and buy one of everything but i had to stick to a budget - so hard to do! 

Personal opinion: The collection is extremely cute to me. I absolutely love the whole sailor nautical design and theme to this. The packaging is a nice navy blue with the white stripes and very sailor looking. The shades and products include all from shimmer, to neutral shades to bold bronzes and reds. I love these huge collection because they include something for everyone. We have blushes, highlight powder, lipsticks, lipglasses, lipliners, bronzers, bronzing oil, pigments, eyeshadows, nail lacquers, eye pencils, lip balms, mascara and a brush. You can also purchase a themed tote and makeup bags - very vintage sailor style, super cute! Out of all the cute things that i swatched and stared at for about half hour, i decided on a bronzer, a blush, a lipstick and a lipglass. 

You're probably thinking "Really that's it from such a huge collection?!". After much debate and researching reviews and actually seeing the products i contemplated whether the product itself was worth it to me or not. As cute as the packaging it and as much as i like having the fancy ones, i found a lot of the things either dupe-able or just something that would probably sit in my drawer unloved. So i will stop babbling now and on to my personal review. 

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 Mac Nude on Board Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder - $28

I was really excited to try this formula out since it's limited edition. As soon as i swatched it and felt how smooth it was i knew i had to have it. It's a soft golden tan shade and i like it to add that subtle golden warm glow to my face. My HG bronzer is Refined Golden, which they have and wanted to get but they ran out - boo!. I'm happy i got this one though and im excited to see how it works for me in a couple of tries to see if its worth getting a backup since it is limited edition and im really in love with the smooth formula of this product. I recommend checking them out. The other shade they have is Sun Dipped and to me it seemed a bit more beige so i didn't feel like that was for me.

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 Mac Fleet Fast Blush - $21

I was debating if i should get this one at all just because i already have a bunch of blushes that keep piling up and i haven't used one up yet. But since im really hooked on corals and pinks right now i figured why not. This particular shade caught my eye first because of the slight sheen it adds to the cheeks. It's described as a pinky golden coral and to me that's what it is. I love the little specks of gold it adds to the cheeks for that nice glowy sheen for the summer. To me it applies softly and it can definitely be buildable to your liking. I'm glad i got it to satisfy by blush addiction. 

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Mac Orange Tempera Lipglass - $15.50

Of course i had to get this one. The pinky coral shade screamed at me - LOL. The consistency of this lipglass is pretty milky and it settles in the lip lines if worn by itself. It pretty opaque so it works really nice for a nude lip or a more bright lip shade that needs to be toned down a bit. Like any of the glasses, this one is pretty sticky so if that bothers you i wouldn't really recommend it but i don't really mind that so it works fine for me. 

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Mac Salute! Lipstick - $15.50

 Like i don't have enough pale nude lipsticks in my collection. Since nude lips are what i like to wear most of the time i had to have this. This shade is really creamy peachy beige with a lot of yellow tint to it. It looks very pale and funny by itself and seems to settle in the lip lines again so im not sure how i feel about how it looks when i apply Orange Tempera lipglass on top, but it would work nicely with another lipglass that compliments it - im still working on what to combine it with. But i really love this shade its different because of the shade of yellow in it and not so peachy. 

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P.S. Please excuse any weird quality of the pictures, i still haven't found my camera 

and I tried my best to make use of the camera on my iPhone

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That's about all that i grabbed from this collection - for now (uh oh!)

What did you dolls think of this collection? 

Any other recommendations for what else i should check out?!