A Month of MAC - MAC Studio Fix

Hey there!!

We have reached the end of our journey towards "A Month of MAC". Not as much MAC as you were hoping for? Me neither. But, there just weren't that many varied items in my collection and the patent polish lipstick that I ordered hasn't arrived (sighhhh). I'm a lippie girl so that what I had the most of.

But I will end the month of MAC on a high note. I am in love with my MAC Studio Fix face powder. I'm in shade NC42 and it is the PERFECT color for my completion. Right now I have a little bit of summer color so it doesn't add any more color. It just lets my natural glow shine through. In the winter it gives a hint of color and makes me look all the more fabulous!

I only need a little on my face -- no need to pile it on. And, after lunch, I touch up my face and it doesn't look cakey or anything. I still look fresh faced. They make a loose powder but I like that I can take this compact with me on the go and just use a face sponge to touch up.

It was $27 but I've used this particular one for almost 3 months now and look at how much is left! Not even a dent and I use it 6 days a week!

I asked my aunt over a year ago, "If I wanted to invest in MAC, what should I try?" She said lipstick and face powder. Man, she was right! If you start with these two things, you will be alright!

Don't worry. Just because our Month of MAC is over, doesn't mean I won't have other MAC goodies to show you! Unfortunately for my wallet, I like to shop at MAC. So, fortunately for you, there will be more pretties to see!

A Month of MAC - MAC Lipsticks, Cremesheen and Lustre

Hey there!!

Month of MAC

I received my new MAC lipstick from the A Novel Romance Collection the other day (may I saw awesome? Yes I may? Awesome!) and it reminded me that I'm supposed to talk about my MAC items this month. I don't have much but I'll share my thoughts on what I do have. 

 

Top = Plumfull
Bottom = Yield To Love

I now have 2 MAC lipsticks. Yeah, I know -- just 2. Like I explained earlier in the month, I just didn't "do" MAC. I didn't see what all the hype was. Then I began to purchase a few things, you know, to see if it was all that. Some things are, some things aren't.

I must admit, the lipsticks are pretty fan-tab-ulous. They are moist, last for several hours and have enough colors to suit anyone's needs. Oh, they smell great. It's that sweet vanilla smell that I like. The price point isn't so bad either. $16 - $22 bucks for a lippie isn't bad. Especially if it wears well.

The down side? Believe it or not, they have soooo many colors, it's hard to find ones that aren't something that you already own. And, they have so many limited edition items that it kinda sucks. You have to be willing to take a chance on a color rather than see what everyone else thinks and then purchase it. That may work for you cutting edge folks but for me and my other "let's think about this for a day or two (month) before we pull the trigger" people, it doesn't work.

For instance -- I purchased my Yield To Love cremesheen without really knowing what it looked like. It's an online exclusive so no in store demo (AND in stores, you have to wait a few weeks). I got lucky and the folks who tried this in advance were correct about it being very nice. The color was  a bit pinker than I thought it would be (I was thinking more pinky nude) but it's still quite a pretty color.

On the other hand, my Lustre in Plumful was one I got to test in the store. I knew when I swatched it on my hand that it would be pretty and then I tried it on and knew it was coming home with me.

So MAC has opened my eyes with their lipsticks. I really like them and see why everyone has 10 or 12 bullet containers in their makeup case. Do I plan on adding to the collection? Yes, but not so fast. I need to only purchase colors that really stand out.

How many bullet containers do you own? Did you try this newest collection? What did you think?

A Month of MAC - MAC Lustreglass

Hey there!!

I'm continuing my month of MAC with my MAC Lustreglass in Wonderstruck. I purchased this because I had heard so much about MAC Lustreglasses and I felt that I had to at least try one to see if the hype was real. Well, it kinda is.

It's stickier than I normally like my lip glosses but it's very comfortable. I add a bit of lip balm to my lips if I'm going to wear the gloss alone. If I'm going to wear it over something, then I just brush it on.

Mentioning brush, the brush is a brush, not a doe foot applicator. That takes away from the glamour of it all for me. But I can live with it. It's a sturdy handle so I'm not afraid of it falling  apart on me.

The color is a great nude for me. It also has a hint of sparkle that I like and it smells like sweet vanilla. I love lippies that smell good. It makes you want to use them more.

It does have a high shine but not over kill. The color that I chose does shine as much as a deeper color would. I find that I rub my lips together every now and then to rehydrate them and each time I do that, the shine fades a bit. I like that though.

It lasts for several hours and fades evenly. The little crystally shine stays for a while and sometimes even transfers to the line right outside of my lips. So, I have to catch that otherwise I look a bit cray-cray.

Ultimately, this is probably worth the $15. It's a small tube and when I saw it, I began to doubt that it was worth it. But, you don't have to use a ton of product. You use such a small amount that it lasts for quite a while.

I would definitely invest in other colors. Flusterose and Pinkarat are on my radar.

Have you tried MAC Lustreglasses? What did you think?

A Month of MAC - MAC Fix+

Hey there!!

I want to be in the "in" crowd (sometimes -- most times I don't give a flying fig). Being in the "in" crowd, at least in makeup, means loving MAC makeup. It means owning foundation, brushes, lip glasses, etc by MAC. It means having a MAC bag by my makeup table for my back to MAC products. It means wearing at least 1 MAC makeup item every day. 

Wellllllll, I kinda do. But, I'm not all MAC-y MAC like others. For instance, I don't get MAC Fix+. 

Now I feel like I must hide. Now I feel like 25 people are going to come find me and throw me in a dungeon and torture me with orange-red lipsticks and chalky eyeshadow. I'm sorry! It's not my fault. 

I had to find a free standing MAC store in order to find my travel size bottle 0f Fix+.   It costs $10.  It claims to be infused with vitamins, minerals, green tea, cucumber and chamomile. It's supposed to finish your makeup, adding radiance to your skin.

Now, I've tried a few drugstore finishing sprays and I haven't been moved. I even tried the $3 e.l.f. Mist and Set and wanted $2 back. But, I had seen YouTube videos and read blogs that sang the praises of beginning and ending your makeup process with Fix+. And, if you need a refresher during the day, Fix+ is your go to spray. That's a lot of pressure for MAC cause I'm picky when it comes to makeup and skincare products. 

Let me say, I'm not against face mists. I touted the joy of my Caudalíe spray. I am not 100% sure that it does anything for my skin but I love it. I love the smell, the feel, the effect of it. I will shell out $18 for a mini bottle of that in a heartbeat. 

MAC Fix+ is different. I tried it before my makeup and after my makeup.  All I felt was wet. I didn't see anything. I tried using a little. I tried using a lot.  Same result, just varying degrees of wet. I tried using as a fresher. I felt refreshed but I felt the same refresh when I misted water mixed with a mint/cucumber infusion (saw it on YouTube-- of course!).  The Fix+ didn't seem to do anything special. 

It did help when making dry shadows and eyeliner, wet. But I don't think I need to pay ten bucks for that. 

So, sorry MAC. This is not one of the items I will be purchasing from you. I tried, didn't love it, didn't hate it but didn't need it. 

Have you tried MAC Fix+ ? What did you think? Did you enjoy all of the "+" symbols I used in this post?

Oh! BTW, because I want to be in the "in" crowd (or because I love trying new makeup items), I'm going to spend August playing with MAC makeup and other items from the MAC counter. No, it won't be all MAC all the time but enough times that if you are playing the drinking game and the  "sip when you see a MAC post" version, you should be good and plastered by September. 

For my fellow lushes, you are welcome.