Spring MAC Haul/First Impressions

Hey guys!

There's no doubt that I love MAC makeup. It was the first high-end makeup that I dabbled in, and I still continue to find that the brand as a whole is great quality and (when compared with other high-end brands like NARS) relatively affordable.

I've been struggling with my face makeup recently. I love the It Cosmetics CC Cream, but I find myself wanting more coverage and something that holds up better with oily skin.

I thought about trying out the Amazonian Clay Tarte foundation, but found myself just wanting to try something really different. Enter the MAC store. I really like the MAC counter that's here in my hometown, but I truly love going to the full-fledged store about an hour away.

Anyway, in the store I received great customer service and walked away spending about $70 more than I was originally planning on, but overall I think I picked up some great stuff.

I picked up five things at the store, four face products and one eyeshadow!

Cork Eyeshadow

Over the past year or so, I've collected enough products to finally exchange for the Back-to-MAC program (which I view like an incentive program). I knew that for my free eyeshadow, I wanted a nice brown color that would look great with my NARS Alhambra duo and this shade is perfect! I can't believe I didn't own Cork before now.

Select Cover-Up Concealer

I've been using the Make Up Forever Full Cover concealer, but when the makeup artist used this on me, I could truly see how much better this is. I love it so far. It looks amazing under my eyes (conceals all signs of dark circles without getting cakey or making my face oily) and is great on blemishes and redness on the rest of my face. It's thicker and creamier than the MUF version. The MAC website says that this concealer blends in to be invisible and I must agree, I don't even notice it on my face. In case you are wondering, I was matched to NW25.

Studio Careblend/Pressed Powder

I'm gonna be honest and say that before I purchased this powder, I had never heard of it. When I asked the makeup artist about a new setting powder, I thought for sure she'd lead me to another Mineralized Skinfinish Natural (which I loved), however, she recommended this one because she said it's great for sensitive skin, blots up oily perfectly, adds little coverage, so no need to worry about a cakey look. So I can use it all day to touch up any oiliness that might appear. Plus, after using it a couple of times, it feels so amazing! I love this stuff. It takes away any shine or oil, but still gives my face a glowy look. (By the way, I'm in the shade Light Plus).

Matchmaster Foundation

Knowing that I was curious about MAC foundations, I did some research before I went into the store and discovered this guy. I thought it sounded promising, but I wanted to see what the MUA would suggest. After telling her that I was interested in a medium-full coverage foundation that would last through-out the day and not make me oily, she brought this one to me. Guys, I've only worn this stuff three days now, but I love it. A lot. I've faced absolutely no problems with oiliness, it looks great and glowing on my face, and literally feels like I'm not wearing anything. But it covers up my redness while still not looking cakey. It's amazing. Plus, it has lasted 8-10 hours just as promised. If you have oily skin, you need to check this stuff out. It has SPF 15 and I'm in the shade 1.5.

Powder Blush in Peachykeen

After having the MUA also apply this to my cheeks, I couldn't help but get it too. It looks so pretty for spring and I think it looks really good with my green eyes. The site describes it as a baby peach with a little shimmer and I'd have to agree. It's natural and perfect for spring.

I'll give updates and do full reviews on some of these products, but I just have to say, that when it comes down to it, I'm always impressed with MAC.

What spring things are you picking up?

July Favorites

I really can’t believe that July is over! I’m really not even ready to get into August because that means that once again I’m moving into another place and beginning my senior year of college, as well as my final semester in my college town!

Anyway, I have a few favorites for the month of July, so let’s take a look at them!

Suave Moroccan InfusionShampoo & Conditioner, Essie Hip Anema, Covergirl Shimmering Sands, Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser and Mask, Stila Kitten, NARS Orgasm Blush, L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess, Market Peach Candle

 

Suave Moroccan Infusion Shampoo & Conditioner

I raved about these haircare products last month too, but I really just can't get over how amazing this products are! Not only are they inexpensive, but they work better than all other drugstore and high-end shampoos and conditioners combined! It leaves my hair silky and smooth and super easy to work with! I love this products!

Essie's Hip Anema

This was a nail polish that at first I wasn't too sure about. I'm not a huge fan of orange, and this color is definitely on the orange-y end of red. However, I think this is an overall great red color for summer!

Covergirl Shimmering Sands Trio

I've talked about this eyeshadow trio a ton before, but this month I rediscovered it. I think these are the most perfect neutral eyeshadows! The middle color is particularly my favorite, which has actually hit pan for me, so you can tell that I'm obsessed with it.

Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser and Mask

So I've been loving this cleanser and mask since about April, but I thought I'd finally talk about it this month. It's been so humid and hot here that like most people with exceptionally oily skin, I thought for sure my face would be covered in a million huge red blemishes. However, it hasn't! Now it's always a combination of factors, but I thank this product in large part for keeping my face mostly blemish free the last few months. I love that this skincare product can be used two ways. The everyday cleanser is great and about once a week I do the mask, which tingles and makes my face feel so clean and fresh! It's been a summer must-have for me!

Stila Kitten

In June I finally purchased this eyeshadow and fell in love! I adore champagne/pinky colors and this one is gorgeous! Unfortunately midway through July I dropped it and it broke! I was devastated! It's such a soft eyeshadow and I knew before I even purchased it, that it often does that. So I went out and bought a second one and have made sure to be extra gentle and careful around it. This and Urban Decay's Sin are my two favorite all over eye colors! I love pairing this with Naked 2 and Faint from the Naked Basics palette!

NARS Orgasm

In July, I found myself often reaching for what I consider to be one of the best summer blushes ever: NARS Orgasm. This shade is light and so pretty for summer! Although I often grumble about it's staying power and how it's a little too subtle for me, this shade went perfect with my summer makeup looks. You can get a better peachy-pink than this.

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess Mascara

This month I tried a new mascara, and if you read my review of it, you know that I love it! I'm a huge fan of L'Oreal mascaras and this one definitely doesn't disappoint! It leaves my lashes long, dramatic, and voluminous! Even though it's not waterproof, it stays all day but is not a hassle in the least to remove. Plus it has cute packaging! I'm kinda in love with it, honestly.

Bath and Body Works Market Peach

I don't know about you, but late in the summer like this, I'm totally not sure what kind of candle scents I want to use. Because of the heat, sweet scents are often a little annoying to me because they are so heavy. Nothing screams spring to me more than flower scents. So that pretty much just leaves fruity scents, and in my opinion, none are better than Market Peach. This just screams late summer for me. While I love this, I really can't wait to get my hands on some fall candles though!

 

Check out June's favorites and my July lusts too! Thanks for reading!

 

October Favorites

I’m kind of sad to see October come to an end, and November start. Why? Because this later part of fall is colder, the leaves have already fallen, the snow is probable, and the promise of Christmas overwhelms poor Thanksgiving (although I’m already guilty of ordering a Peppermint White Mocha at Starbucks and listening to a few Christmas songs on Pandora). So as I handle my depression that my favorite season is winding down, here are some of my favorites from the past month.

 

My MAC Favorites

Hey everyone!

If you've checked out my daily makeup post, you probably already noticed that most of my daily makeup comes from MAC. It's my favorite makeup brand (although I don't exclusively use only MAC, because I think that's just ridiculous when there are other great products and brands out there), and I can safely say that most of their products I've purchased have blown me away. So this post is to show you what 5 products are my absolute favorites!

1. Satin Taupe Eyeshadow:

Satin Taupe is, without a doubt, my favorite eyeshadow in my entire collection. It's raved about all over Youtube and blogs, but I can't stress enough how pretty this color is. It can be more natural, it can be used quite dramatically. It has tremendous staying power, great pigmentation (all of my MAC shadows do too!), and blends beautifully. ($15)

2. Paint Pot in Painterly:

Like most others, I use this flesh colored paint pot as an eyeshadow primer. I absolutely love it. In my opinion, it works much better than Urban Decay's Primer Potion. It helps my shadow stay all day, even in the hottest, sweatiest conditions (like last week when I went to the Obama Rally). I also love that when using it, the fact that is it flesh colored helps my eyeshadow look even more pigmented. Drugstore makeup looks like a $100 when it's over Painterly. I think it also helps blending shadow, which definitely makes it better than Primer Potion. This is going to be a product I repurchase over and over. ($18.50)

3. 217 Brush:

I held off from buying this brush so long mostly because of the price. At $23, it might seem a little steep, but I must say that I think it's entirely worth it. Out of the three brushes I have purchased from MAC, this one is my favorite, and one that I know I couldn't live without. It fits great in my crease, it lays color perfectly, it helps my look not look messy. It has washed well (I wash my brushes weekly), and it's only shed one or two hairs total in the 2+ months I've used it. ($23)

4. Technakohl Liner in Graphblack: 

This was the very first MAC product I fell deeply in love with. The formula is creamy, but smudgeproof. The black is so pigmented. I love the fact that it doesn't require sharpening. It stays all day and even requires a tad bit of elbow work to remove at night. You can get a precise, thin line or a thicker line easily. This is the only high-end liner I've used, so I can't speak of Urban Decay or others, but I can tell you that I'm so sold on this product, that I'm never switching. ($15)

5. Mineralize Skinfinish Natural:

When I first started my makeup collection, I honestly had ever heard about any face product other than the Studio Fix powder foundation from MAC. But with some quick research, I found that this is one of MAC's most famous face products, and I can clearly understand why. I've used this powder as both a setting powder and a quick, natural foundation. It works great both ways. It's great for my semi-oily skin. It hasn't broke me out, it makes my skin look airbrushed and glowing. It feels great and matches my skin perfectly (thanks to my MAC counter in Dillards, with the makeup artist testing a couple out on me).  ($29)

While these are my five most favorite products from MAC, I must say that none of the things I've purchased from there have disappointed me. I'm not one of those people that only buy MAC products just because of the name or their "supposed" title as number one makeup brand. I buy their stuff because it works, I get great service both in the store and at the counter, and compared to other high-end brands, I find them actually less expensive (brands like NARS, Smashbox, Dior, Urban Decay, Tarte, and sometimes Too Faced are usually more...just do some comparison shopping).

So what are you're favorite MAC products? Any suggestions for my next investments? I was thinking about some tinted lipglass...



College Make Up Must-Haves

Wondering what make up to wear to college classes? Well, it's all personal preference really. If you like makeup and being all prettied up, then you'll probably wear it on a daily basis. If you only really wear it on special days, well, you'll probably not wear it as often. However, I decided to list some of the make up that I think is essential to every college girl, not just ones that love makeup.

BB Cream: I think this is the perfect daily, go-to face product for the college girl! Why? First, it has SPF (depending on brand, it can be as high as 35!), moisturizer, priming capabilities, the ability to reduce redness, and even skintone. Pretty good for just one product. Plus, there are BB Creams in every budget!

Pressed Powder: Not only is it great to set your BB Cream, it's also a great touch-up for when you feel your skin is looking dull. It sops up any oilness, and can add an airbrushed look. My favorite is MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.

Favorite Eyeshadow Palette: Even if you don't wear eyeshadow everyday, I think it's really important to have a good eyeshadow palette that can work for class or night. If you can, look for a palette that offers you the most looks. My favorite is the original Naked palette by Urban Decay. First, it comes with a brush, Primer Potion, and 12 pigmented colors that work for a ton of different looks. I love that you can go from a very natural look, to a very dramatic one with just a few different colors and techniques. Plus, if you are needing inspiration, there are a ton of great tutorials on Youtube using it! Other favorites come from Wet N' Wild's "Walking on Eggshells" and Covergirl's "Shimmering Sands."

Natural Pink/Peachy Blush: I think this is a great touch for those early morning where you look paler snow. Either providing a sheer wash of color, or a bold blending, blush can make any college girl go from dragging to alert and pretty in seconds! Of course my go-to is NARS Orgasm, but I also love NARS Deep Throat, and Tarte's Dollface. A great budget friendly alternative is ELF too!

Versatile Masara: My favorite must is mascara. Whether you have short or long lashes, just a couple swipes of a good mascara can really open up your eyes and make you looks instantly put together. My favorite go-to for definition, length, and volume is Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes! Some great drugstore alternatives is L'Oreal Voluminous Millions, Maybelline's Colossal Volum' Express mascara, and Maybelline's Falsies.

Tinted Lip Balm: I'm definitely not a lipstick sorta girl, and lipgloss is usually much too sticky for an everyday look, so I tend to stick to good old tinted lip balm. Why? It has SPF, shine, color, and of course because it makes your lips soft! I love Burt's Bees, but there are tons of others!



A Look at My Favorite Look

On some days, you just don't even think about the makeup your about to wear. But when that happens, there seems to be one look that I go to no matter what.

It's no surprise that it comes from my beloved Naked palette.

 I just use Sin all over the lid, brush Naked in the crease and a little above, and then finish with Buck in the crease. Add eyeliner, mascara, and boom your done!

{ So simple, yet so pretty!}

{I think it makes my green eyes just pop!}



And in case you don't have the Naked palette, you can get almost the same exact look with my favorite drugstore palette. It's Wet N'Wild's "Walking on Eggshells." And somedays, I actually prefer the Wet N'Wild version more. It's super pigmented, beautiful, goes on perfectly, and the best part? Only $2.99 at Walgreens.

Thanks for reading!