Posts Tagged ‘MAC’

Use for old makeup compacts

February 2nd, 2010

I usually do my makeup in the morning on the bus. As hard as I try to get up ten minutes earlier each day to do it at home I always always always end up running out of the house clutching my makeup bag.

This can be dangerous, so I don’t recommend the practice. Buses are busy and bouncy, with poor lighting. I’ve jabbed myself in the eye so many times. And dropped my precious cosmetics all over the aisles even more times. I’m not sure what I look like when I arrive at work, but my colleagues must be used to it by now.

Here’s a tip for makeup application on the run: use an old mirrored makeup compact as a palette for blending concealer and foundation. So for instance, in this old MAC palette I dot a bit of concealer alongside some foundation, and just dab and sponge and brush onto face. When you close the lid of the compact, the concealer and foundation doesn’t dry out too much, so all good to use the next day too. And you don’t have to worry about fumbling with foundation bottles and lids on the bus.

Review: MAC brush set

November 10th, 2009

Last week, at the Kirk’s Girl’s Night Out, I bought a MAC brush bag. MAC currently have a range of brush bags with different combinations of 5 of MAC’s best brushes. I bought the ‘Wave of a Wand’ set which has a foundation brush, blush brush and some eye brushes.

Here’s my video review – it is crappy quality and I sound like a twit and I lost the last bit about the blush brush. But please don’t make fun of me. I really do like my new brushes…

And remember, whatever brushes you buy, they should be really soft on the skin, have sturdy handles, and not shed hairs. And my pet hate is the chemically smell some brushes have.

MAC Colour Craft swatches

August 18th, 2009
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MAC swatches

More about MAC…here’s some swatches of the lipsticks and Mineralize Eye Shadow quads from their new Color Craft range.

The lipsticks in this range (pictured top row of my hand) are pretty pinks and plums with satin finishes.

The shadows are more interesting. The four pictured (second row of hand) are the ‘Natural Flare’ quad – a “stylish pinwheel pattern of four shades to provide contrasting and complementary colours in a range of glitter, pearl or shimmering mineralized finishes.” They are truly beautiful colors and quite good value at $44 (au) per quad.

Pictured bottom left on my hand are the lipglasses which are much brighter in person than on the MAC website.

I was really tempted by this range, but opted for a much safer lip colour – Love Nectar LusterGlass (not pictured) which the MAC assistant said was their most popular lip gloss colour.

MAC’s brush finder tool

July 4th, 2009

MAC’s US website has this brush finder tool that lets you browse through all their brushes to find what’s right for you. Personally I’m a bit intimidated by the huge MAC range of brushes. But this tool lets me figure out where to start.

brushfind

Get inspired by the Queen of Blending

June 24th, 2009

Here, the Queen of Blending makes beautifully lined eyes with a white eyeliner that she makes herself. She uses a MAC liquid medium, but I’ve made my own liquid colour using a Napolean Perdis primer. So you could experiment  with also sorts of mediums and colours.

MAC rose romance swatches

May 27th, 2009

I swatched MAC’s A Rose Romance collection today. Nothing very special about it, and maybe it’s the wrong season for these colours. Pictured below to the left are the lipglasses (virgin kiss, steal my heart, magnetique) and the lipsticks (way to love, a rose romance, odyessy). To the right are the eyeshadows and glitter eyeliners. Nothing very outstanding, except perhaps the glitter liners which hold fast and are very vibrant.

MAC says:

From cheeks that blush, just a pinch, to soft rosebud shades and refreshingly fragrant fixes, it’s a summer rose romance. Rosy pinks, faithful fuchsias and forget-me-not blues…a limited-edition collection of colours, to pick, peruse and ponder.

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I want….

May 26th, 2009

I know Martha already tweeted this, but just look at it….

smashgracielou.co.nz has this fantastic Smashbox pallette:

A double tiered palette which opens like a paintbox to reveal array of utterly wearable shades for eyes, cheeks, lips and brows.

As well a bunch of other great brands – MAC, Stila, Clinique…

MAC Sugarsweet swatches

April 28th, 2009

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MAC Sugarsweet collection is in stores now. I went in to Kirks to check out the very enticing colours – pinks, purples and peppermints! The shadows (swatch on the bottom row of my hand pictured) are lovely with satin and pearl finishes. The lavender colour pictured (stars ‘n’ rockets) is iridescent and I am intrigued by it.

The most exciting thing in the range though is the shadestick range (picture top row of my hand). The colours are much brighter and shinier than the shadows, and last much longer. The shadows disappeared pretty quickly off my hand but the shadestick colours lasted all day. They can be used blended as a shadow or a smudgey eyeliner. And they’re the same price as a shadow. So my pick would have to be any of the shadesticks – I love the coppery coloured one pictured (I think it’s called penny).

mac-swatches

Best buys online

April 5th, 2009

I’ve been scouring the net for discount cosmetics available to NZers. I often see great sales online but usually they’re overseas and don’t ship here.  So thought I’d share my picks from the meager pickings available to us…

First off is strawberrynet.  As well as free shipping, gifts for new customers and regular discounts, they have some great easter specials at the mo:

I found this site recently – letsmakeup.co.nz it has great brands but few products at the mo. And I’ve never puchased from them so don’t know how their service is.

Makeupdirect.co.nz has some great brands too:

If you find any sales online please let us know via twitter or email me: amy(at)prettyprettypretty(dot)com

MAC Hello Kitty turquoise eyes

March 29th, 2009

QueenofblendingMUA is awesome. Take a look at this vid – she makes it looks so easy. And remember, you can buy Ben Nye in NZ at minifies.co.nz and NYX from Life Pharmacies.