MAC Haul - For the first time in aaages!

I finally got to visit the MAC Pro store since it relocated to Britomart in downtown Auckland. I am so impressed. The store feels much more spacious and the set up is more like that of the St Lukes store. Thumbs up from me MAC!

The whole reason for me visiting was because I had run out of my Face & Body Foundation. Of course... somehow I ended up leaving the store with much more than I'd budgeted for...

Oops.

Hahaha. Well first up are the MAC Face & Body Foundations that I'd run out of. Geez I love these. C2 is the foundation I wear pretty much everyday - it's perfect!

Next was something I've been meaning to try for years - the MAC Paint in Bare Canvas. Never tried it before, but it looks real good. Hoping that it'll be amazing as an eyeshadow base!

Here's a swatch:

And finally I got my hands on MAC's Myth lipstick! It's been out of stock in New Zealand for sooo long, so I had to buy it!

Swatch:

Eyeshadows have always been my greatest weakness though, so I kinda knew I'd end up buying some more of them. In my defense, Shroom was only bought because I've hit pan on my old one.

Then I got Tempting because I've always been tempted to buy it. Hahaha. See what I did there? ... Yeah I'm lame. :(

Sable I bought for my Mum, but somehow it's in my palette now..

Everyone has All That Glitters, but I didn't so I added that too.

Electra is one I've wanted for ages - it's so pretty! I need to find an excuse to wear it now.

Swatches! Top: Electra, All That Glitters, Sable. Bottom: Tempting, Shroom.

Ugh, I knew that once I visited the MAC store that I'd fall in love with MAC products again.. There's just something about them (eyeshadows especially!) that are so alluring.
Since I just found out that you can use the mascara tubes in their Back2MAC recycling program, I really want to try one.. is there any MAC mascara that you would recommend??

Thanks for viewing dolls, this has been fun!
oxo

Old Reliables: Foundations and Concealers

In the second instalment of 'Old Reliables', we take a look at a couple of my favourite foundations and concealers that I've continued to use on a regular basis over the years.

First up is MAC Face and Body Foundation

This is actually my everyday foundation and has been ever since I discovered it back in early 2009. Face and Body is a sheer, water-based foundation that is suitable for any skin type. Even though it's sheer, it's very buildable and you're easily able to get any coverage you want.
I've actually got the other women in my family hooked on this foundation after using it on them, it's especially beautiful on mature skin - really gives a gorgeous dewy look. Even on my own oily skin, I find this to be a really decent foundation. Recommend to all, this is always in my makeup kit.

Graftobian HD Warm Foundation Super Palette

If I want flawless skin, this is what I reach for. Originally bought for my professional makeup kit, I couldn't resist using it on myself too. Creams are soo versatile, I can't help but love them.
My favourite way to apply this is to mix it with Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion - and apply with a beauty blender sponge or a duo-fibre brush. When applied this way, I find that it gives you the 'my own skin - but better!' look, which is what I always go for. I absolutely despise the whole 'cake face' look, natural is always the way to go if you ask me.
This palette can also be used to contour and highlight, and it also makes an amazing concealer - this will cover anything! Highly recommend this for your professional kit, and the individual pots or smaller palettes for personal use.

Ben Nye Concealer Palette

Ben Nye is such a good quality, well priced brand. I've never been disappointed with any of their products yet, and wouldn't hesitate in recommending them. This especially, is one of my favourites. The colours in here blend well and are just the right consistency - not too creamy and not too dry. When followed with the Ben Nye Neutral Set - this concealer does NOT move.
I love it!

MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer

For like a year, this was the only concealer I used. Like the Ben Nye concealer it blends very easily, but it's much creamier. So setting is a MUST. A little goes a long way and it's quite easy to use too much - so start with a teeeny amount and apply more as needed. The thing I've noticed with this concealer is that the NW shades are much more pink-based than the other NW concealers that MAC make - so if you have a yellow undertone like me, the NW shades really can only be used on dark undereye circles. For blemishes and redness, you will need an NC shade.
My only real complaint is that I hate the packaging, glass jars are too heavy to carry around everywhere and I find that they do dry out quicker. Still the product itself, hasn't really failed me yet!

Thanks for viewing, stay tuned for the next instalment!
oxo

Review: Graftobian HD Foundation Super Palette

Being a makeup artist is fantastic, but I am sick of carrying around a million different foundations in my kit! Not only is it hard on my back but it makes finding the perfect shade a huge hassle.

This lead me on the hunt for a foundation palette. After reading lots of reviews I finally settled on the Graftobian High Definition Warm Foundation Super Palette.
This palette contains all 18 shades in their colour range of warm shades, which will cover almost every skin tone, with the option of easy mixing since it’s in palette form.
Each colour has enough product for around 12 applications, and all colours can be bought individually in larger amounts (around 7 times the amount in the palette) so refilling it isn’t a problem.

These foundations are made for high definition film and photography making them perfect for everyday use as well. The coverage is amazing (no need for concealer with these babies!) and they can easily be thinned down with a moisturiser for a sheerer finish. 
With cream foundations (especially high definition ones like these) it is important to remember that as these are very highly pigmented, a little goes a very long way. Too much product and the skin will appear and feel oily.
Personally I prefer to apply cream foundations with sponges as I find that I can get a more flawless finish than I can with a brush.

I am thrilled with this palette so far, and I can’t wait to use it on more clients. I would definitely recommend this to all makeup artists. For anyone else who’s looking for a great, full coverage foundation, check out the individual ones I mentioned earlier.

You can find this palette online at Makeup and Glow and Camerareadycosmetics. Both sites offer samples of these foundations. :)

Big thanks to all my followers!
oxo

Silk Naturals Review and Basic FOTD

Silk Naturals was recently suggested to me by Vanessa when I posted a blog asking about different Mineral Foundations.

My order took about a week to arrive which I thought was pretty good considering I live in little old New Zealand! And all up it cost me around $31 NZD (or $15.49 USD) for 7 samples including the Perfect Harmony Foundation Sample Kit. To me, this is a little on the expensive side but is somewhat worth it.

Anyway, this is what I ordered:
Perfect Harmony Foundation Sample Kit

This kit is $3.95 USD and consists of

• 1 teaspoon of the Original Ivory Foundation
• 1/2 teaspoon of each of the base colors- ebony, warm gold, olive, and buttery gold
• an empty 10 gram jar for mixing
• 1 measuring scoop so you can repeat your recipe
• 1 flocked sponge
• a full instruction sheet- complete with recipes to get you started

I had so much fun mixing my foundation. The colour I ended up with is 1 scoop Ebony to 8 scoops Ivory and this seems to be a pretty good match for me. In the FOTD below (which I did the day after I got this, sorry it’s kinda old!), I’m wearing it. Since then, I’ve discovered that I like this foundation more if I apply a few more layers. It’s all about experimentation!

The foundation I mixed:

With this I actually got a tiny little free sample of Destination Eye Shadow, which is a sheer chocolate shimmer. It’s supposed to be a dupe of Smashbox’s Muse Palette, but I don’t own this so I can’t confirm whether it’s a good dupe or not. I used it in the crease in my FOTD and quite liked it.

Swatch:

Next: Climax Blush $1.25 USD

I really love the colour of this blush. It is meant to be a dupe for NARS Orgasm. I don’t own that (NARS products are unbelievably expensive over here) so I can’t comment on how good a dupe this is, but I really like the colour. I’m wearing it in my FOTD below. I didn’t like that this didn’t come with a sifter like it was meant to, as during transit this spilt everywhere. :(

Swatch:

Next, Lovelace Blush $1.25 USD

This is like the darker shade up from Climax and is meant to be a dupe for NARS Deepthroat (again I can’t comment on this). It is more pigmented than Climax which I really like. I will probably end up buying the full size of both of these.

Swatch:

Next, Cupid Mineral Glow $1.25 USD

Cupid is meant to be a dupe for MAC’s Northern Lights MSF. It is actually a nice pink with hints of bronze and gold. These are very concentrated so a little goes a long way and it looks amazing as both a blush and a highlighter.

Swatch:

Next: Halo Mineral Glow $1.25 USD

This is the only mineral glow/blush that came with a sifter (had to remove it so you could see the product more clearly). This is their clone of the MAC New Vegas MSF and from what I’ve heard it’s a pretty good dupe! I love the colour of this, gorgeous gold with hints of bronze.

Swatch:

Next on the list is the Sleep In A Jar Concealer $0.99 USD

To be honest I don’t really think this is anything special, it didn’t seem to neutralise my under eye circles as much as I’d hoped it would. And applying more of it didn’t seem to help either… I used it in my FOTD so you can see for yourself, but I don’t think I will be buying the full size of this anytime soon.

Next: Perfecting Powder $0.99 USD

This is a colourless powder that doesn’t have any shimmer. I LOVE this. It really provided a great finish to the foundation, minimised the look of pores and gave me that whole ‘oil-free look’ all day. I will definitely be buying the full size of this and recommend this to everyone.

Now along with all this I received a free sample of Pink Twink Eyeshadow

This is a really nice champagne pink kinda colour. Quite nice if you’re going for a neutral look (demonstrated in my FOTD below)paired with the Destination eyeshadow. I actually can’t find this colour on their site so maybe it’s not available anymore.. I’m not sure.

Swatch:

And lastly: Free Sample of Maiden Kisser Slicker

I don’t have that much to say about this to be honest. Kinda boring colour, but feels nice and moisturising. Not much colour payoff though..

Swatch:

And now the FOTD, Sorry I know it’s boring, but I thought I’d try out as many as the products as I could at once so you could get an idea of what they’re like! And unfortunately all the colours I have are on the neutral side so… yeah. Here ya go, hopefully it gives you an idea of what the products are like on!

With Flash:

So I used:
Eyes:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Silk Naturals Pink Twink all over lid up to the crease
• Silk Naturals Destination in the outside corner, worked into the crease and underneath the eye
• Wendy Hill (LOL) Ivory colour as highlight
• Avon Supershock Mascara

Face:

• Silk Naturals Foundation
• Silk Naturals Sleep In A Jar under the eyes
• Silk Naturals Perfecting Powder
• Silk Naturals Climax Blush
• Silk Naturals Cupid as a highlighter

Lips:

• Silk Naturals Kisser Slicker in Maiden

Thanks for viewing and I hope this has been helpful!
oxo

My thoughts on MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation

Most of you will know that I got a sample of the Studio Sculpt Foundation in NC20 last time I went to the MAC store. I’ve used it a few times and I’m really liking it. Infact I used it in my FOTD yesterday!

The colour is a perfect match for me, and it provides the perfect coverage. You only need a tiny amount to cover your entire face, so even though it’s on the expensive side, it will last quite a while. I apply it with just an ordinary foundation brush and have found that this works just fine. I’ve tried it with a wedge sponge too, but found that I use much more product when I do that.

While wearing it, you absolutely must set it with a finishing powder. If you don’t do this (which you should always be doing anyway!) then your face will quickly look oily and shiny. But I wouldn’t say that it’s any worse than any other liquid foundation I’ve used, in this respect.

I will most likely end up buying this foundation once I’ve used all of my sample, and I would recommend this foundation to anyone. Do what I did and get a sample before you purchase it! I honestly cannot believe how generous MAC are with foundation samples, I still have heaps left!

I’m also thinking about getting some of these foundations for my makeup kit because even though you can build up Face and Body (what I currently have in my kit) sometimes you just need more coverage.

Hope this has been of some help to you!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Woo! Latest M.A.C Haul and Review

I’m really trying to build up my MAC collection, because I really don’t have that much MAC stuff! So whenever I get a bit of money I head over to the MAC Pro store and get a couple of things!
This is what I got yesterday:

Studio Sculpt Concealer in NW20

As the MAC site says: “A creamy concealer that provides full coverage with a natural matte finish. Brushes on with enough blend time to conceal any size of blemish. Rich formulation allows you to use a micro-amount of product to even out skin. Water-resistant and long-wearing.”

I actually got one of the MAC girls to try this out on me under my eyes and I have to say that the MAC description above is very accurate. It is so very creamy and easily blended and a little goes a long way! It comes in a paint pot container though, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, as paint pots can dry out quickly if you don’t store them properly.

Anyway, I’m loving it so far. You do have to make sure that your undereye area is well hydrated before applying the concealer, so make sure you apply eye cream first! And remember NW concealers are much better at covering undereye circles than NC shades!

Next: Three eyeshadows!
Left to Right: Vellum and Phloof

And Contrast! (They didn’t have this in a pro palette refill so I just bought the normal one)

Vellum is a pale white duochrome with purple shimmer, I have been wanting this for ages and I’m SO happy I finally got it. It’s soooo pretty!

Phloof is an off white frost eyeshadow. To me it kinda looks like a really light pinky beige. It’s a really nice colour though that would be great for a neutral look or for use as a highlighter!

And lastly, Contrast is purplish blue with a blue pearl. It’s such a gorgeous colour and I can’t wait to use it!

Swatches, left to right: Vellum, Contrast and Phloof

I also got a sample of the Studio Sculpt Foundation in NC20, was a perfect match when she tested it on me in store, but haven’t tried it out myself yet. When I do there’ll be a FOTD and another review!

Thanks for viewing! oxo

Mineral Foundations: I need some help!

I have never used a mineral foundation before. Mainly because I’m not sure about the different brands and because I’ve wondered about whether the coverage is actually any good or not.

I’m really quite pale and currently use MAC Face and Body in ‘C2’ and sometimes use Maybelline Wonder Finish in ‘Porcelain Ivory’. I’m looking for something that is great quality, preferably on the cheaper side and provides medium coverage.

So I thought I’d post this and ask for some help!
What are some brands that you love and would recommend?
Do they offer samples? Are they affordable? How long do they last?
What colour would you recommend for me? And most importantly, Do they ship internationally?

Any help that you guys could give me would be great, I’m so intrigued by mineral foundations and would love to be able to find one for me. As a makeup artist I get asked about mineral foundations a lot too, so it’d be great to know more about them!

Thanks!
oxo

Quick Tips: Foundation!

Here are some quick tips for getting flawless foundation:

• Always prep skin first with a primer. I like Smashbox’s Photo Finish. A primer provides a base for the foundation to stick to and will stop foundation from seeping into pores and lines.
• If you have extremely dry skin, mix a drop of moisturiser in with your foundation.
• When choosing your foundation colour, apply a small amount to your jawline, let it sit for a couple of minutes and then check the colour in natural light. The one that blends into your skin undetectably is the right one!
• Do NOT use a darker foundation to look tanned. If you want to warm up your skin colour, use a bronzer.
• For the best results, use a brush to apply liquid and mineral foundation and use a sponge when applying a cream foundation. Using the right tool makes a huge difference!
• Make sure you brush a little foundation onto your neck so that your makeup doesn’t just stop at your jawline. Not a good look!
• Blend! Always check in the mirror to make sure you don’t have any streaks!
• Foundation doesn’t have to be applied EVERYWHERE. Try and avoid putting it on your eyelids, if they need covering up, use concealer instead.
• Lastly, If your foundation is over a year old, chuck it out. Oxidation causes the shade to darken and it may be harbouring bacteria. Gross!

Remember, foundation should enhance your skin, not cover it up! (That’s what concealer is for ;))

Wanna check out my other tips? Click here for a tip for covering up undereye circles and Click here to get great lashes!

M.A.C Face and Body Foundation

As a makeup artist, I am always on the look out for a foundation that will give my clients a flawless finish. I have definitely found this in M.A.C's Face And Body Foundation. I use this on myself as well as a lot of my clients (I'm still re-stocking my kit so need to get more colours) and I get a gorgeous result everytime.

Face And Body Foundation is a water-based, water-resistant foundation that comes in a wide range of colours and is suitable for any skin type. It goes on sheer at first, but you can keep building it up until you reach the coverage you desire! And since its for the body too, if you need to even out the skin tone on your chest, or anywhere else, this is perfect.

Now for $75.00 NZD, this may seem a little pricy. But with this product a little goes a long way! And it comes in a huge 120ml bottle, so think of this as an investment!

oxo