What is your favorite cream or stick foundation?
Jan 192012
LOOK WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MINERALIZE! OUR OUTSTANDINGLY POPULAR M·A·C MINERALIZE FOUNDATION/LOOSE GETS A NEW LOOK AND WITH THE 188 DUO FIBRE BRUSH SETS OUT TO CREATE ITS FAMOUS NATURALLY RADIANT FINISH. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE A SPOT, A BLEMISH, A DARK CIRCLE TO HIDE, THERE’S NEW MINERALIZE CONCEALER. GOES ON SMOOTHLY, DISCREETLY, WITH A TOUCH OF MOISTURE. SHADE PALETTES GO FROM LIGHT TO DARK. FORMULAS MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL AGES, ALL RACES, AND ALL SEXES. YOU’LL FIND THESE TWO ARE A GREAT MATCH.
Available: February 16, 2012 in North American, March 2012 at international MAC locations
MINERALIZE CONCEALER – $19.00 U.S./$22.50 CDN
- NW15
- NW20
- NW25
- NW30
- NW35
- NW40
- NW45
- NW50
- NC15
- NC20
- NC30
- NC35
- NC42
- NC45
- NC50
MINERALIZE FOUNDATION/LOOSE – $30.00 U.S./$36.50 CDN
- Extra Light
- Light
- Light Plus
- Medium
- Medium Plus
- Medium Dark
- Medium Deep
- Dark
- Dark Deep
BRUSH
188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush – $34.00 U.S./$41.00 CDN
MAC Cosmetics Blonde Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Cosmetics Blonde Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Cosmetics Blonde Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Cosmetics Blonde Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Cosmetics Blonde Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Cosmetics Blonde Mineralize Skinfinish
This is why we can never judge a book by its cover. At first glance I would have thought MAC “Blonde” Mineralize Skinfinish would be too frosty, too pale, and too pink; almost like the perfect storm for a bad look. I was very wrong. I’m still not sure what made be even consider swatching this color because normally I wouldn’t give this a second glance, let alone bother to swatch it. Happy I gave it a chance because this MSF is everything! I’m a huge fan of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powders but as a makeup hoarder I have to really be able to justify my makeup purchases because I’m running low on room. Thankfully this one has a place in my everyday makeup bag.
Blonde is described as a “soft pink to rose degrade”, which is meant to deliver a flawless natural look. This finish is more natural, less noticeable, and shimmer takes a backseat compared to the other Mineralize Skinfinish. I personally think it should have its own special packaging and category, but that’s just me. This is one of the few products I use that truly gives a natural glow that looks like it’s under my foundation and not sitting on top. This is perfect if you’re going for “oh your skin looks great” versus “wow your makeup looks great”. I do find myself touching up twice a day, so the wear needs some improvement. Other than that it’s great.
Availability: MAC Cosmetics stores and counters, maccosmetics.com (limited edition)
Price: $28.00/ 0.38 oz.
Rating: A-
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette ($50)
- 12 X Foxy (cream bisque with matte finish), Half Baked (golden-bronze with shimmering finish), Booty Call (shimmering cork), Chopper (copper shimmer with silver microglitter), Tease (creamy pale brown with matte finish), Snake Bite (dark bronze shimmer with metallic base), Suspect (pale golden beige with shimmering finish), Pistol (light gray-brown with shimmering finish), Verve (oyster with shimmering finish), YDK (cool bronze shimmer with metallic base), Busted (deep brown with shimmering finish), Blackout (blackest black with matte finish)
- Good Karma Shadow/Crease Brush
- 0.11 oz Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Naked (pinky neutral)
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Double-sided Good Karma Brush
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Double-sided Good Karma Brus
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Foxy, Half baked, Booty Call, Chopper
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Tease, Snake Bite, Suspect, Pistol
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Foxy, Half baked, Booty Call, Chopper
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Tease, Snake Bite, Suspect, Pistol
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout
Urban Decay Original Naked Vs. Naked 2 Palette
Foxy – pale yellow tone beige matte. I was disappointed with the quality of the color, I just couldn’t get it to show and it looks too chalky. At best I may be able to use it over other colors but that’s about it.
Half Baked – metallic champagne gold
Booty Call – pale peach tone beige frost
Chopper – penny copper frost with flecks of silver micro glitter
Tease – muted brown-mauve matte. The quality of this one was disappointing as well, which is bad because this is one of my favorite colors in the palette. It works a lot better over a pale base patted with an eye shadow brush.
Snake Bite – dirty bronze metallic
Suspect – pale champagne with a balance of yellow and pink
Pistol – frost gray-brown taupe, with green tones
Verve – frost pale pink
YDK – metallic brown with copper and pink tones
Busted – deepened shimmer brown with violet tones
Blackout – matte black. Another one that fell short in the color payoff department. If you’re plan on wearing it alone or using it as the main color is may not be the best, but it works great to create depth.
Packaging
The Naked 2 is noticeably heavier than its predecessor. The case if made from painted tin, which I’m sure will catch every nick and dent from being in bag. The internal components are made with hardened plastics. I can appreciate the newly added hinge which ensures the case is closed, as oppose to the original Naked Palette that was secured using magnets. Overall, I like the packaging and it doesn’t feel cheap or heavy, but I wish it was lighter because it’s added weight more weight to my already over capacitated handbag.
Quality and Value
There’s no denying that this is a great value; 12 eye shadows, 1 double-ended eye shadow brush, and a mini Lip Junkie, all for $50. You can’t beat a deal like that. With the exception of Foxy, Tease, and Blackout, I found the rest of the colors to be very pigmented and only requiring a single swatch for full opaque color.
If you already own the original, I don’t think you’ll see the need for another palette because they run along the same lines. But as a makeup lover or collector having both is great and you can alternate the two. If I could put the two together to make a baby I’ll be one happy girl. There’s something great about both of them.
Availability: Urban Decay and Sephora. If you’re still undecided don’t worry, both the original Naked and Naked 2 are permanent palettes, but they will be in high demand right now.
Price: $50 – Fill Weight: Eyeshadow: 12 x 1.3g e 12 x 0.05 US oz, Lip Junkie: 3.23ml e 0.11 US fl oz
Rating: A-
P.S. I forgot about the gloss it’ll be posted shortly.
The Spring 2012 Collection, created by Founder and Creative Director François Nars, stars a mix of bright and playful colors balanced with rich, saturated hues. Nars chose to photograph model Ginta Lapina for the spring campaign, explaining, “Her delicate features and classic beauty made her an ideal fit for a collection that’s at once fresh and fierce.”
After prepping with Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, Lhasa Single Eyeshadow was blended onto Ginta’s lids, extending the color to the upper inner corner of the eye. Her brow bone was highlighted with Albatross Highlighting Blush before Dark Rite Soft Touch Shadow Pencil was swiped across the upper lash line. It was further defined with Rue Saint-Honoré Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner; a winged effect was created in the outer corner. The lower lash was lined with the same pencil and gently smudged. Brows were defined with Blondie Single Eyeshadow; lashes were curled, then brushed with two coats of Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara. Lips were lined and filled in with Amazon Lipliner Pencil, then topped with Valparaíso Pure Matte Lipstick and Misbehave Lip Gloss for shine. The look was completed with Écume Nail Polish on the nails.
To achieve the makeup look in the campaign image, Ginta’s skin was made radiant with Santa Fe Sheer Glow Foundation and set with Eden Loose Powder to create an Immaculate Complexion. Next, Zen Blush was applied to the hollow of the cheek and blended toward the temple for contour; Gaiety Blush was brushed onto the apple of the cheeks for a pop of color.
NARS Dark Rite Soft Touch Shadow Pencil
NARS Cosmetics Mexican Rose Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil
NARS Valparaiso Pure Matte Lipstick
NARS Cosmetics Bilbao Lipstick
NARS Cosmetics Douce France Trio Eyeshadow
NARS Cosmetics Lhasa Single Eyeshadow
NARS Paramaribo Duo Eyeshadow
NARS Cosmetics Gaiety Blush
NARS Cosmetics Diamond Life Nail Polish
Ginta Lapina totally looks like Eva Marcille in this ad! Get it Ginta, YSL… NARS….what’s next?
Jan 092012
They were trying to stop me from taking pics
Fake MAC Cosmetics in Downtown LA
Fake MAC Cosmetics in Downtown LA
Fake MAC Cosmetics in Downtown LA
I decided to take a trip to Downtown LA as usual and noticed the high amount of fake MAC Cosmetics. Lo and behold it is there and in an abundance!
Downtown LA is the place you can go for everything and when I say everything I mean everything and not everything is fake. I buy plenty of fragrances there all the time. Here are a few things I observed while downtown on my mission.
- The vendors insist their product are real…as real as the Easter Bunny
- One vendor offered to allow me to make an order that she could have shipped to her store from MAC. But….I don’t know even know where to start with this one.
- A lot of the vendors had various brands of knock off cosmetics but MAC was by far the most popular
- The vendors aren’t very camera friendly, but do you think I care?
- There’s a store front on 7th and Santee right next to a lady that sells socks and t-shirts, will assist you finding your correct color. So she’s a knock off cosmetics dealer and makeup artist perhaps?
Nonetheless don’t buy MAC from Downtown LA; if you purchased it from The Alley it’s fake so please beware! Buying counterfeit makeup can have so many negative side affects, you don’t know what is in these products or what adverse affect it’ll have on your skin. Seeing as how we live in lawsuit happy Los Angeles who are you going to sue when your fake MAC maims your skin? Is the $10.00 you spent worth losing an eye? I didn’t think so so with that being said don’t buy your MAC off of a street corner. Bell Sugar has a great post on how to spot fake cosmetics, so if you’re unsure please check it out here.
Not too shabby for a tube of $12 awesomegloss…not too shabby at all.
You really can’t beat a great violet lipstick and with MAC “All of My Purple Life” becoming almost impossible to find, I had to find a backup. American Apparel “American Violet” is a sheer violet lip has a crème finish, and I found it to be moisturizing. Instead of it disappearing after a few hours it turns into almost of a lip stain; lacking shine but still holding lots of color. If you’re a girl that’s afraid of bright colors this is the gloss to go with. Since it’s sheer you won’t have to worry about it “yelling” at people.
Well go head on AA…holding it down in the cosmetics department once again. We need blush next!
Show your lip glaze love with this gorgeous set! Each set features three shades of Stila’s most popular lip gloss – two new hues and one bestselling color – to keep your pout glossier and sexier with high-shine color!
Choose from an array of delicious shades that add a splash of color and shine to your lips (and boast delectable matching flavors and scents) with one easy click of our famous pen. Cosmetics experts agree-this top seller is an essential addition to any beauty bag.
Apricot, Chocolate, and Crème Bouquet
Apricot, Chocolate, and Crème Bouquet
Apricot, Chocolate, and Crème Bouquet
Apricot – sheer pink-toned peach with shimmer
Chocolate – sheer warm brown
Creme Bouquet – sheer cream with peach and gold iridescent shimmer
Price:
$12.00
Availability:
Ulta, Sephora, Stila.com, and Beauty.com
Overall Thoughts:
I’ve reviewed Stila Lip Glaze in the past and my opinions are still the same.
Overall, I’m impressed and would purchase more shades in the future. I was able to get 3 solid hours of wear before I had to reapply. I also love how smooth and moisturized it left my left lips. I’m normally not a fan of click-pen style beauty products, and this didn’t convince me otherwise. The brush is smooth and feels great, but clicking the pen still annoys me and I either I would click too much or not enough, most of the time it’s not my fault. I would click the pen to dispense the lip color and nothing would come out– then I would get an overflow of product. I can easily compare it to Chanel Glossimer, but $5 less the cost.
Rating:
A
In the process of moving from the Bay Area back to Los Angeles I stopped at Target for some supplies and ended up with L’Oreal Infallable Lipstick in what else but 308 Target Red. Of course during the move I lost it, and then I found it here in LA, and then lost it again…but I found it and put it with the rest of the lippies. Exhausting!
A gorgeous neutral-warm red with a high-shine finish with a gloss like texture.
Ultraflesh Shinebox
Ultraflesh Shinebox
Ultraflesh Shinebox
Ultraflesh Shinebox
Ultraflesh Shinebox
This just in! They’re now putting making in bento boxes! If you’ve ever wanted to be a sexy ninja or super hero you can start with Ultraflesh. I spotted this newcomer on the front end-caps of Sephora and it grabbing my attention. As though I don’t have enough bronzers and illuminators, I decided to go with the Ultraflesh Shinebox Highlight and Shimmer Collection. The box includes 5 products; 1 all over enhancer, 2 all over cream shimmers, and 2 (small) highlight pencils ($39.00).
I haven’t had time to really play with it (I’ll be doing that this weekend) but wanted to post the swatches. I love that the colors aren’t frosty looking and they seem to work well with most skintones. As ninja-like as the box seems it’s great to toss in the makeup bag.
Rosey powder Highlight, golden cream shimmer, pink cream shimmer, frost white shimmer pencil, frost bronze-pink shimmer pencil (no flash)
Rosey powder Highlight, golden cream shimmer, pink cream shimmer, frost white shimmer pencil, frost bronze-pink shimmer pencil (with flash)
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- Rosey powder Highlight, golden cream shimmer, pink cream shimmer, frost white shimmer pencil, frost bronze-pink shimmer pencil
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- Rosey powder Highlight, golden cream shimmer, pink cream shimmer, frost white shimmer pencil, frost bronze-pink shimmer pencil
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- Ultraflesh Shinebox
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- Ultraflesh Shinebox
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- Ultraflesh Shinebox
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- Ultraflesh Shinebox
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- Ultraflesh Shinebox
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