MAC: Travel Size Cleanse Off Oil ($10)

Since I am leaving for Las Vegas this weekend for the IECSC show and then heading out to Washington next week for my sister's graduation, I figured instead of bringing everything I own like usual (LOL), that I would just grab a travel size Cleanse Off Oil from MAC ($10). MAC came out with their "Sized to go" collection which features a lot of their full-sized favorites into nifty travel size bottles; such as their Fix+ spray, Pro Eye Makeup Remover, Strobe Cream, Green Gel Cleanser, Wipes, Oil Control Lotion, Cleanse Off Oil (regular and tranquil) and Studio Moisture Cream. Prices range from either $10 or $15.

What I like is that it's 1.0 FL OZ.'s, so these meet the TSA's requirements, and you can bring this on your carry-on in a clear ziploc baggie. They also don't take up a lot of space and there's plenty of product to last awhile, allowing you to travel light without all the bulk of full-size bottles. The only con is that MAC doesn't let you use your pro discount on these items, and frankly $10-$15 is somewhat steep considering they are just travel sizes, and they are pretty small in comparison to the full-sized ones.

Comparison of size in my hand (nailpolish is OPI "Coquette Cutie")

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MAC Brow Set in "Girl Boy"

Described on the MAC Website as: A brush-on gel that strokes brows into shape. Adds shine and style. No flaking or stiffening. Tinted or clear. Also grooms lashes, sideburns and facial hair.

I was previously using Anastasia's Brow Gel in "Caramel" which is my HG when it comes to brow gels because it gives a nice natural tint and keeps my eyebrows in place all day without feeling sticky or stiff. I decided to try and find something that's a bit cheaper, and found MAC Brow Set in "Girl Boy", it's described as "fawn-blonde" in color ($15.00, www.maccosmetics.com). The reason I got something lighter than my normal eyebrow color is because I noticed that shades that are my color are a tad bit too dark, so I tend to go a shade or two lighter when it comes to eyebrow gels because it looks more natural and not as bold.

I am loving this brow set so far! It has a thin, easy-to-use brush so you can precisely set your brows and gives a nice subtle tint, and it does a great job at keeping any stray hairs in place.

What are your favorite brow products?

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MAC Surf Baby Collection Haul

I know, I know, i've been slacking on posts, I have SO much to post about too but it's so hard to find the time lately because I have been so busy at work and by the time I get home, all I wanna do is sleep! But I received my MAC Surf Baby goodies in the mail the other day, and finally got around to doing some swatches...I didn't get a lot from this collection; as usual I only ended up getting two lipsticks- "Hibiscus" (cremesheen) and "Mocha" (Satin, and is part of the permanent line) and a back up of "Strange Potion". I originally got it when Venomous Villains came out, but I loved it so much I thought id buy a back-up!

I adore the packaging of this collection, I love how the lipstick tubes remind me of little surfboards, and the Hibiscus flower is a nice touch because I absolutely love Hawaii and it was nice to have a lil something to remind me of my vacation when I went a year ago with my sisters.

The lipsticks are super pretty, I wasn't sure about "Hibiscus" when I ordered it online, I thought it might be too out there for me, but because it's a cremesheen, it's the right amount of color and it's definitely wearable! I think this is definitely a shade anyone can pull of regardless of skintone or complexion. It's just such a pretty coral, reddish color and pairs wonderfully with a neutral eye look.

"Mocha" is part of MAC's permanent line so no need to rush to get it, but I am glad I got this color because I never really paid attention to this color, and it being in this collection really brought it to light. It's a nice medium terracotta brown, has a tinge of orange and red undertones, but it's a really pretty color! I am a sucker for earth tones, and MAC "Cherish" l/s is my all-time favorite everyday lipstick, so "Mocha" is definitely up there at quickly becoming a staple in my bag.

The camera didn't show their true colors :(

FOTD with "Hibiscus" (natural light):

FOTD using "Mocha" (Tarte "Tipsy" blush on cheeks):

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MAC Quite Cute Collection (Lippies)

I love, love, love, lipsticks! Doesn't matter what brand, or what, it's the one thing I end up buying in every collection that comes out. The MAC Quite Cute collection was no different! I already had Saint Germain from a previous collection awhile back, so I ended up getting only the lipsticks that are sold out already on the MAC website, and nothing else from the collection: Candy Yum-Yum (matte), Quite Cute (cremesheen), and Playing Koi (satin).

Candy Yum-Yum: Is a super bright matte fuchsia pink color. Even though it has a matte finish, it's not drying (Ruby Woo anyone?). It doesn't even feel like it's matte when you first apply it on, when it's dry it still feels comfortable but can start to feather, so I suggest applying a tiny bit of chapstick before application. In comparison to other lipsticks similar in color from other collections, Candy Yum-Yum is lighter and more of a true pink than Immodest Mattene lipstick, and Show Orchid. I'd say it's closest to Petals & Peacocks, but Petals & Peacocks is a tinge darker and has shine.

Quite Cute: Is a pale lavender, almost has a soft blue undertone to it and looks almost like a whitish blue in pictures. It's a cremesheen finish. I think this is great for mixing/layering with other lipstick colors because it gives a nice wash of color.

Playing Koi: Is a neutral color, almost nude, but a wash of peach which is a nice change from the normal nude lippie. Even though the finish is satin, it has a creamy consistency to it, that I would have thought it was a cremesheen at first. It can still wash certain skintones out, but paired with a nice lipgloss and/or lip liner I think it can easily be pulled off. This is definitely a lippie I want to experiment with and make different combos.

Saint Germain: One of my all time favorites, it's a soft (but brighter) pink than "Snob" and I love this lipstick because paired with any lipgloss, it always just looks amazing, I loved it so much I ended up buying a backup when I originally bought this.

natural light

 Cute headband my friend Reno gave me!

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MAC Haul

Dropped by the MAC store after work and ended up nabbing a few things, and noticed they changed their bags! They are super cute! It's paper bags made out of recycled paper and inside of the bags, they are each colored differently. (***sidenote: I will be announcing the winner of the Sigma Make Me Up Brush Kit later today!)

I also wanted to try their 'Sheen Supreme' lipsticks because I LOVED their slimshine lipsticks from way back in the day (a glossy lipstick), and since it was rumored these were similar, I was curious because I was sad the slimshines were limited edition. I will do a comparison post later on the two, but right off the bat they aren't as glossy and shiny as the original slimshines which is disappointing but they still are nice (at least some colors are such as the one I got in "Bare Again"). And oddly enough one of the Slimshines I have is "Bare" and this one is "Bare Again", love how they tied that in!

I didn't get much, just the Penultimate Eyeliner Pen in "Rapidblack", 4 eyeshadow palette (I love the new design! I wish their 15 eyeshadow palette was see-thru too so you can see the eyeshadows from the outside), e/s pan refill in "Shale", the Sheen Supreme lippie in "Bare Again" and their moisture cover concealer in NC20.

 And the nails I was rocking last week:

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MAC Wonder Woman Collection & Swatches

Whew! Today was tiring! I attended the MAC Wonder Woman preview party today, the models had hot costumes, and as usual at these events, the store was packed with people pushing you left and right, so I didn't get a chance to swatch any eyeshadow palettes. They also didn't have the other MSF available, boo. :( I have to breeze through this post since I am running on a few hours of sleep, so anything I miss I will post tomorrow, but thought id post some swatches and pics.

The lipglasses are HUGE (but I am loving the super size)! And I mean huge in comparison to their regular lipglasses (posted a side by side pic below). I love the big fat doefoot wand, you can apply it in just one swipe! I am loving Athena's Kiss and Emancipation, it's a bit brighter and pinker than Maqnetique, and Emancipation is a pretty light peach color with sparkle, great for everyday looks. Pulling out the doefoot however can be messy (especially "Athena's Kiss" since it's a darker color), it tends to pull out a lot of product when you attempt to pull the wand out so just be cautious.

The eyeshadows and the smaller section of the blush duos (to me) had horrible color payoff. It took many (and I mean MANY) swipes to even get it to show up on my skin, and I am pretty fair! The pigments were too chalky for my taste, and I would never use the reflects glitters. The mascaras were neat, they seemed to stay on long as it took forever to wash off my hand, but like I said in my previous post, you can easily find colored mascaras pretty much anywhere. I skipped on Marquise d' because it was too sheer, and I am not a fan of bronzy lipsticks. Russian Red is permanent so you can definitely just get that one (and it would be way cheaper!). I skipped Wonder Woman l/g because I have "Cult of Cherry" l/g and I rarely use it as it is. The MSF has only one interesting aspect, and that was the orange side of it, but it's nothing we haven't seen before, not to mention the entire thing is really huge.

What's worth looking at? Definitely the lipglasses. They are amazing and I think they are all so pretty. The lipsticks are nice too, but the only winner to me is Spitfire. Everything else, can pretty much be skipped in my opinion.

Line wasn't too bad, it went thru relatively quickly and they did manage to pass out some yummy red velvet cupcakes! I ended up nabbing 2 lippies and 2 lipglosses: Spitfire, Russian Red, Emancipation, and Athena's Kiss.

Some lipstick comparisons from past collections:

 [click to enlarge] 

 

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