Thursday, January 31, 2013

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pots Preview


Eyes shimmer and shine with the pearly glow of MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot - now in a rich, creamy formula that dries with a vibrant intensity, delivering illuminating dimension and lustrous pearlized finish. The long-lasting, highly pigmented colour can also be used as an eye shadow primer.

M·A·C PRO LONGWEAR PAINT POT
Available February 7, 2013 in the permanent line


Pro Longwear Paint Pot

Blackground Black grey with multicolour
$22.00 CDN/$18.50 US
Pro Longwear Paint Pot
Antique Diamond Frosted olive silver
$22.00 CDN/$18.50 US

Pro Longwear Paint Pot
Chilled On Ice Frosted white gold
$22.00 CDN/$18.50 US

Pro Longwear Paint Pot
Dangerous Cuvée Frosted cool grey
$22.00 CDN/$18.50 US

Pro Longwear Paint Pot
Frozen Violet Frosted purple silver
$22.00 CDN/$18.50 US

Pro Longwear Paint Pot
Let’s Skate! Pale pink with pearl
$22.00 CDN/$18.50 US

Pro Longwear Paint Pot
Let Me Pop Frosted light copper
$22.00 CDN/$18.50 US



Pro Longwear Paint Pot
Vintage Selection Frosted dirty peach
$22.00 CDN/$18.50 US

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Bright Pink Pigment: Five Ways




I've owned MAC's New Fixation pigment for a little while and I've never used it. So when I was challenged to do a post on how to use a bright pink pigment, I thought, why not. Let's see what I can do. 


I got New Fixation at a charity bag at one of the Estee Lauder Warehouse sales held in Markham, Ontario. I've never used it. It is described as a bright fucsia red with soft pearl and it was a limited edition product. If you're interested in a similar pigment colour, check out MAC's Fuchsia pigment. 

MAC pigments are loose powder pigments and come in a multitude of colours. They retail for approximately $25 CDN. MAC pigments are multi-use products. They can used as is, and mixed with other mediums for different textures and consistency. Some pigments should not be used on the lips and eyes but MAC is pretty good at labelling which are and which aren't. A little pigment goes a very long way. The photo above of the loose pigment on a tissue is what I had left after all of the product I used below. Unless you're using a pigment colour to mix with body lotion or making nail polish, it's likely one container will last you quite awhile. 

First thing I tried was using it as a blush. I tipped the product out onto a tissue (photo is at the top of this post) and worked it into a blush brush, just as I would with a pressed powder brush, but more carefully. Pigments are concentrated colour so a little goes a long way. New Fixation is a bright fuchsia, so this was going to go on intensely if I didn't go softly. 

Here it is applied to my cheek before blending. It's pretty intense. 


After blending, it's still bright but much more subtle. Most definitely a good blush colour. You could also blend New Fixation (or any pigment colour) with a cream, like a concealer or  foundation or moisturizer to mute the shade and create a cream blush.


Next I tried it on my eyes. I am not someone who wears bright colours on my eyes in large quantities. I tend to keep it pretty simple. Pink eyeshadow can make you look sick and tired since pink is how your eyes look when you get sick or are tired. It's also not great it you have dry eyes since they'll look even more bloodshot and irritated. So I tentatively persevered, applying it to my lid, concentrating it on the outer corner and blending it out towards the inner corner and up to my crease. Pairing a bright colour with black is always a good trick, so I used a black pencil liner along my lashline. This is obviously an edgy look, hot pink and black making me think of the 1980s and punk rock. 



But not quite enough on its own, so I added a bit of black to my crease as well as some black pencil underneath my eye and on my waterline. 



I was impressed how much I like the bright pink as an eyeshadow. It didn't make me look sick or (more) tired. The black pencil also has a touch of sparkle too it which helps to make this look a bit more edgy.

I was liking the way it looked so much, so I added more New Fixation. The black in my crease became more purple underneath the fuchsia and I liked it even better. I'd totally wear this eye look out to a concert. 


So success on the cheeks and success on the eyes. Let's try lips...

Pigments can be mixed with almost any medium. Below, I've mixed it with a lip balm for a sheer, soft rosy effect. 


I topped a red lipstick with some of the pigment by pressing it onto my lips. It matted the lipstick and gave it a velvety effect as well as adding a bit of pink-purple colour. 


Finally I blended New Fixation with some soft pink lipgloss. 


Bazinga! That's a bright lip gloss. 


This is probably the truest New Fixation appeared when applied, colour-wise. It read quite cool on my eyes, and was muted as a lip balm. 


So there you have it. Five ways to wear a bright pink pigment colour. Have I inspired you? I wonder how many different ways I could wear a blue or green pigment? Probably not five...

C.



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

MAC Year of the Snake Preview



The Snake-inspired collection is defined by a palette of vibrant shades and shimmering finishes.  Beauty Powder illuminates the skin, Eye Shadow creates striking contrasts and Pigments intensify the effect.  Zoom Lash adds definition and Powerpoint Eye Pencil defines a razor-sharp line.  Lipsticks quiver with lustre and M·A·C’s EXCLUSIVE packaging slithers with chic- featuring Beauty Powder, Lipsticks and Eye Shadows embossed with a gorgeous snake design.

Available exclusively online: January 31, 2013
#MACYEAROFTHESNAKE




Beauty Powder
Shell Pearl Pale peach with gold pearl 
$29.00 CDN/$24.00 US

Large Eye Shadow
Altered State Deep frosted blue purple (veluxe pearl)
$25.00 CDN/$21.00 US

Large Eye Shadow
Aztec Brick Frosted true copper (veluxe pearl)
$25.00 CDN/$21.00 US

Large Eye Shadow
Carbon Intense black (matte)
$25.00 CDN/$21.00 US

Large Eye Shadow
Once Upon a Time... Metallic vanilla (veluxe pearl)
$25.00 CDN/$21.00 US

Lipstick
Cockney
Sheer yellow red with multidimensional pearl (lustre)
$18.00 CDN/$15.00 US

Lipstick
Freckletone Neutral peach (lustre)
$18.00 CDN/$15.00 US



Lipstick
Plumful Blossoming rose-plum (lustre)
$18.00 CDN/$15.00 US

Pigment
Brash & Bold Bright magenta
$25.00 CDN/$21.00 US

Pigment
Push the Edge Deep bright purple with pearl

$25.00 CDN/$21.00 US

Powerpoint Eye Pencil
Engraved Rich black 
$19.00 CDN/$16.00 US

Zoom Lash
Zoomblack Rich black 
$19.00 CDN/$16.00 US


Monday, January 28, 2013

Make Up Forever Aqua Brows


Eyebrows. The frames of your face. The most important part of your beauty look (arguably). And exciting news! There's another brilliant Aqua product from Make Up For Ever. If you're unfamiliar with the Aqua products from MUFE, you must check them out. It's all waterproof which means long-lasting and the products come in fantastic colours (created for use by synchronized swimmers). I reviewed one of the Aqua Creams here. 

Make Up For Ever's Aqua Brows are a long-lasting, smudge-proof eyebrow corrector and the reviews I've read say these are the greatest thing since well, the last greatest thing. Seriously, these are routine-changing brow correctors. Unfortunately they only come in three shades so far. Note: Why do brow colours only come in a few shades? My brows are dark and I use an eyeshadow to make them better match my hair colour, usually MAC's Sketch. I wish I could find an actual brow product (since they usually last longer than a powder eyeshadow) that worked for my brows. 

Aqua Brows come in light brown, brown and ash shades and cost $20 US. They are available at Sephora stores and on Sephora.com.

If any of these colours work for you, I highly recommend you check them out. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for them to release more shades.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

MAC Archie's Girls Preview


Betty and Veronica - the names alone are a vivid four-colour flashback to an era of sweet, comic book innocence. Their eternal love triangle, with all-American freckle-faced Archie, is legendary in its teen tension, tight sweaters and two-toned saddle shoe charm. Girl-next-door blonde Betty vs. vivacious, spoiled rich-girl, brunette Veronica, an epic rivalry, now in two contrasting MAC colour collections, packaged in exclusively designed cases. 

Available online January 30, 2013.
Available in NYC MAC stores January 31, 2013, all other locations February 7, 2013 to April 4, 2013.
#MACARCHIESGIRLS





ARCHIE’S GIRLS BRUSH KIT
266SE 
Small Angle Brush
226SE Small Tapered Blending Brush
242SE Shader Brush
168SE Large Angle Contour Brush
167SE Bronzer Brush
$59.50 CDN/$49.50 US

JINGLE JANGLE COIN PURSE $38.50 CDN/$32.00 US

JUST A FLIRT MAKEUP BAG $45.00 CDN/$38.00 US


YOUNG HEARTS MIRROR (ONLINE ONLY) $30.00 CDN/$25.00 US

YOURS FOREVER TOTE (ONLINE ONLY) $59.50 CDN/$49.50 US

BETTY:
EYE SHADOW X4 CARAMEL SUNDAE
 Caramel Sundae Mid-tone warm tan (satin)
Cheryl Chic Light coral pink (frost)
Dreammaker Pale frosty yellow (frost)
Showstopper Dark, cool-toned brown (matte)
$52.00 CDN/$44.00 US


VERONICA
EYE SHADOW X4 SPOILED RICH 
Spoiled Rich Rich purple (frost)
Ron Ron Run Deep navy (satin)
Pin-Up Purple Mid-tone orchid (frost)
Gravel Charcoal (matte)
$52.00 CDN/$44.00 US

VERONICA
Lipglass
Feelin’ So Good Deep blackened plum 
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

BETTY
Lipglass

Summer Sweetheart Light peach
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

VERONICA
Lipglass

Mall Madness Mid-tone pink violet
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

BETTY
Lipglass

Stay Sweet Light lavender pink

$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

VERONICA
Lipglass

Strawberry Malt Bright red
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

BETTY
Lipglass

Kiss & Don’t Tell Bright coral
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US
VERONICA
Lipstick

Boyfriend Stealer Deep blackened plum (cremesheen)
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

BETTY
Lipstick

Betty Bright Light vibrant peach (satin)
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

VERONICA
Lipstick

Daddy’s Little Girl Mid-tone pink violet (satin)
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US


BETTY
Lipstick

Girl Next Door Vivid blue pink (lustre)
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US



VERONICA
Lipstick

Ronnie Red Bright Red (matte)
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US


BETTY
Lipstick

Oh, Oh, Oh Sheer brown plum (lustre)
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

BETTY
Nail Lacquer

Pep Pep Pep Light peach nude
$21.00 CDN/$17.50 US

VERONICA
Nail Lacquer

Double Trouble Deep navy
$21.00 CDN/$17.50 US

BETTY
Nail Lacquer
Comic Cute Bright coral

$21.00 CDN/$17.50 US




VERONICA
Nail Lacquer
Past Curfew Deep berry

$21.00 CDN/$17.50 US




BETTY
OPULASH 
Optimum Black Saturated intense black 
$21.00 CDN/$17.50 US

VERONICA
OPULASH 
Bad, Bad, Black Saturated intense black with extra volumization
$21.00 CDN/$17.50 US

BETTY
PEARLGLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER
 Black Swan Black with gold pearl
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US


VERONICA
PEARLGLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER
Designer Purple Violet with pearl
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US



BETTY
PEARLGLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER 
Lord It Up Bronze with pearl
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

VERONICA
PEARLGLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER
Petrol Blue Deep navy with pearl
$20.00 CDN/$16.50 US

BETTY
PEARLMATTE FACE POWDER
Flatter Me Golden peach base (Shell Pearl Beauty Powder) with coral hearts (Foolish Me Powder Blush)
$35.00 CDN/$30.00 US

VERONICA
PEARLMATTE FACE POWDER
Veronica’s Blush Silvery pink base (Frankly Scarlet Powder Blush) with deep pink hearts (Play It Proper Beauty Powder)

$35.00 CDN/$30.00 US
BETTY
PIGMENT 
Cheers My Dear Light lavender (frost)
$27.50 CDN/$23.00 US

VERONICA
PIGMENT 
Black Poodle Blackened pink (frost)

$27.50 CDN/$23.00 US



BETTY
PIGMENT 
Lucky In Love Shimmering light blue green (frost)

$27.50 CDN/$23.00 US

VERONICA
PIGMENT 
Magic Spells Blackened teal (frost)


$27.50 CDN/$23.00 US

BETTY
POWDER BLUSH
Cream Soda Light neutral coral (satin)
$26.00 CDN/$22.00 US

VERONICA
POWDER BLUSH
Prom Princess Mid-tone violet pink (satin)

$26.00 CDN/$22.00 US