Tuesday, August 21, 2012

MAC Radiant Rose Prep + Prime Highlighter Review, Photos and Swatches!

mac prep and prime highlighter review

MAC Radiant Rose Prep + Prime Highlighter 

MAC Prep + Primer Highlighter  ($24) is a pen-style creamy highlighter that brings a sheer wash of color to the skin wherever it is applied. It can be used under makeup to prime and brighten, or on top of makeup to highlight.

MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter is available in (3) shades: Light Boost (soft yellow cream), Radiant Rose (light shell pink) and Bright Forecast (mid tone peachy coral). (You can find swatches of all three shades on Temptalia)

I purchased Radiant Rose, as pink toned highlighters seem to do the best job brightening on my particular skin tone.

Several brand make these pen style highlighters, and I find that most of the time they are pretty expensive for the amount of product you receive. YSL Touche Eclat for instance costs $40 for a 0.10 oz tube. Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener costs $38 for 0.05 oz and Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen costs $37 for 0.05 oz. They might all be mildly effective, but I personally think they are very expensive for how long they last with daily use.

I was thrilled when MAC came out with a highlighter pen, as MAC tends to be a bit lower priced than most high-end cosmetics. At $24 for 0.12 oz, it's very easily the best value overall, therefore I'm the most willing to purchase from MAC.

mac radiant rose highlighter

mac prep + prime highlighter swatches
MAC Prep & Prime Radiant Rose Highlighter (left) and YSL Touche Eclat #1 Radiant Touch (right). Both are swatched on warm, medium skin (MAC NC30).

Friday, August 17, 2012

OPI Jade is the New Black.


I don't know about all of you, but I'm tired of Summer and can't wait for Fall to start! Fall is my favorite time of the year, and I'm crazy about Fall fashion and the dark, warm colors it has to offer. 

One of my favorite Fall nail colors is dark green, and I always turn to my trusty bottle of OPI Jade is the New Black. It's a really basic medium-toned cool-toned green creme polish, and the formula is an absolute pleasure to work with. It's the perfect consistency, applies without streaks and is completely opaque with two coats. 

On my ring finger, I was playing around with a white nail art polish and created some geometric designs to mimic tribal print. I'm a huge fan of tribal print nails, and hopefully soon when I have more time on my hands, I'll attempt to do tribal print on all of my nails with different colors. But for now, I can deal with one nail. haha!

I'm loving this tribal print manicure - 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

MAC Supreme Style Sheen Supreme Lipstick Review!

mac supreme style sheen supreme lipstick

MAC Supreme Style Sheen Supreme Lipstick

MAC Supreme Style Sheen Supreme Lipstick ($16) is described as a light coral with pink and a frost finish. The coverage is semi-opaque, which is almost hard to distinguish because the base color is so similar to my actual lip color. At a glance, it looks sheer, but it's actually quite pigmented. It reminds me a bit of a pinker version of MAC High Tea. It's a great natural shade to pair with dramatic eyes.

This shade plays off the natural shade of the lips a bit, so if your lips are redder, the color may appear more rosy. I like applying a tiny bit of MAC Lip Erase on my lips to tone down the color for a perfect, glossy nude.

If you aren't familiar with MAC Sheen Supremes, they are an ultra-creamy, moisturizing formula with a shiny finish. In some ways, they kind of remind me of the texture of Revlon Lip Butters (but creamier) — they feel like a soft, creamy lip balm, yet the coverage is opaque. I absolutely love them, and if you are particular to softer, glossy formulas of lipstick, you will love them too.

mac supreme style

mac supreme style swatch
MAC Supreme Style on my lips.

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

make up for ever hd blush #5 nip slip

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #5 Nip Slip HD Blush ($26) is a matte, neutral mid-tone pink. Because it has a good balance of cool and warm tones, #5 is a flattering pink on most skin tones. It has a little bit of vibrancy to the color, but it's also not too "barbie doll". It warms up quite nicely on my warm, medium skin tone.

If you aren't familiar with Make Up For Ever HD Blushes; they are a lightweight, yet dense cream that is dispensed in a pump tube. The formula is intensely pigmented, and a little goes a long way.

My favorite application method is using a duo-fiber stippling brush. I usually pump a small amount of product on a clean surface (I sometimes use the lid of one of my freshly sanitized mirrored compacts) and dip the brush in the product with light tapping motions to evenly coat the ends of the bristles. Then, stipple it on my cheeks, and blend upward until blended. You kind of have to work with it quickly, as it does dry pretty fast.

The formula might take a little getting use to at first, but after using it a few times, it should be a breeze.

mufe hd blush 5

mufe hd blush swatch #5 Nip Slip
#5 Nip Slip