MAC Melba Blush Review!

MAC Melba Blush

MAC Melba Blush is described as a soft, coral peach with a matte finish. If you've tried traditional peach blushes (such as MAC Peaches, Illamasqua Lover, Nars Gina, etc) and found them to be too vibrant/orange, you might enjoy Melba, as although there is a slight orange tone, there is a good balance of red tones in the peach, so it doesn't lean as orange. It's more of a rosy-peach.

I purchased this blush after countless recommendations as this being a great blush for my medium skin tone. I agree, it's a really great peach blush for anyone, but I've noticed that those with light-medium to medium coloring (MAC NC25 to NC40) seem to really enjoy Melba as an every-day shade.

It's very pigmented, so it's easy to go overboard. Applying Melba with a duo-fiber brush, such as the MAC #187 yields a light application. It looks best when built with very sheer layers.

*Will be updated later with swatches.. check back soon!

Such a simple shade, yet I can understand why it's so popular. It's just a great brainless shade that doesn't require much thought for it to work. 

If you're a peach blush fiend and don't own Melba yet, make sure to swatch it the next time you swing by your local MAC counter. :)

NOTD: Orly Mirror Mirror + Grey Nail Polish Comparisons!

Two (2) Coats of Orly Mirror Mirror, One (1) Coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat

Orly Mirror Mirror is one of my favorite nail polishes. Grey may not be everyone's choice of color to wear on their nails, but considering 75% of my wardrobe is gray, it suits me quite well. Even though it may seem like a winter shade, I remember wearing it all through this past summer. Mirror Mirror is a creme formula grey polish with a pale blue undertone. On the nails, it looks like a true to life grey, and then in certain lighting it looks like a neutral, pale blue. 

The formula of Mirror Mirror is pretty nice. It's a little thick, but it dries fairly quick and it is extremely opaque. Two coats is more than enough. 

Here's a comparison to other grey nail polishes I own..

From Left to Right: Orly Mirror Mirror, Essie Chinchilly, Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Steel Grey, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Grey Area, Love & Beauty Gray, Moodies Persian Blue & Sinful Colors Blah-Blah.

Orly Mirror Mirror - Pale grey with a pale blue undertone

Essie Chinchilly - Pale grey with a slight purple undertone

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Steel Grey - Pale grey with a purple/mauve undertone

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Grey Area - Deep, blackend grey with a deep blue/navy undertone

Love & Beauty Gray - Deep toned gunmetal grey with a golden green pearl

Moodies Persian Blue - Mid toned grey with a blue/green undertone

Sinful Colors Blah-Blah - Pale grey with a slight purple undertone (very similar to Essie Chinchilly)

What is your favorite grey polish?

Review: Shu Uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation!

Shu Uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation

Shu Uemua Face Architect (Fluid) #754

Product Description:

Smooth and refined texture with control. Just the right amount of coverage allows skin to look flawless, yet natural. The gliding formula fits lightly on the skin.

Recommended for those who:
- prefer a fresh and natural look with comforting fit
- prefer sheer to medium coverage
- prefer semi-matt finish, but hydrating sensation
(source: http://www.shuuemura-usa.com)

I was originally interested in trying Shu Uemura's Face Architect Cream Foundation, but the availability differs in each country and I couldn't find it anywhere. (Anyone know if the cream was DC?) If you didn't know, last summer, Shu Uemura withdrew themselves from counters in the US. So, the only option for US consumers is to purchase their products online. Anyhow, because I couldn't get my hands on the cream, I thought I'd try the fluid. Not realizing when I ordered this product, that the coverages of both foundations are completely different, with the creme being full coverage and the fluid being sheer to medium.

For my coloring, I chose #754 Medium Beige. It's a pretty good match for NC30-NC37. Because it's so sheer, it's pretty forgiving if the actual shade is too dark. (You can view all shades swatched here.)

Here is a comparison to MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC40 (left), Shu Uemura Face Architect #754 (middle) and MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC30 (right). You can see that although it has a warm undertone like the MAC foundations, it isn't as yellow. They are similar in depth, but NC40 is slightly darker. Its very close to NC30, but the undertone is slightly different, making it appear a little darker.

From left to right: MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC40, Shu Uemura Face Architect #754, MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC30

From left to right: MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC40, Shu Uemura Face Architect #754, MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC30

Review: I've actually had this foundation for months now. I purchased it around Christmas time, and have only used it 3-4 times. The product basically is what it says. It is very lightweight (can't feel it on), creamy, has a light coverage with a semi-matte to matte finish.

This foundation is probably the sheerest foundation I own. It is slightly buildable from sheer to a light-medium. It will not build to a true medium. Once it's built, it doesn't look thick or heavy. The redness from my cheeks as well as blemishes peek through. I find that this foundation oxidizes slightly (Gets darker), a couple of minutes after applied. When I'm tan, it's a great color match. When I'm not tan (currently), it makes me look a bit orange. The finish of this foundation is matte. If you have oily skin, or apply a moisturizer prior, you may have a semi-matte finish. I don't find this foundation to be long lasting, as it starts to fade almost right away. I don't really care for matte foundations, with the exception that they have great coverage (EL Double Wear for instance). This foundation is sheer AND matte.. making my skin look dull, with imperfections not covered. Each time I wore this foundation, I tried to like it.. but I just don't. It's not for me.

If you have pretty good skin and are looking for a foundation with light coverage that will even out your skintone and you prefer a matte finish, you may like this foundation. Or if you have oily skin and need little coverage. I do not recommend this for dry skin or for those who are looking for a good amount of coverage. 

Here it is on me today.. The color is a bit darker in person, but it photographed a little light.

Have you tried this foundation?

Week 2: Ardell Brow & Lash Growth Accelerator Treatment Gel! + Photos!

Last week, I mentioned that I started using Ardell's Brow & Lash Growth Accelerator Treatment Gel as a part of my daily routine. (View Week 1 by clicking here). Today marks week two, and here are my results...

At the end of week 1, I mentioned that my eyelashes feel slightly stronger and slightly longer.

Now, at week 2, I still feel that my lashes are slightly stronger.. but I honestly can't tell if they feel stronger than week 1. What I definitely have noticed is that I have more lashes than I did before. I have lots of new growth, which can be seen in the photo above where my eye is open. You can see that there are several smaller lashes peeking from my lash line. Usually, when I'm not wearing mascara, you can barely see my lashes. Now when I'm not wearing mascara, there are slightly darker (because there are more) and more visible. My results with mascara are amazing and I don't feel I need a base as much I use to. I am thrilled with my progress so far.