MAC Lightness of Being: Mineralize Blush in Uplifting and Please Yourself

Last Friday, MAC released their annual Boxing Day collection, called Lightness of Being. It is inspired by the movement of dancers and "whimsical flights of fancy": "Poetic colour ushers in a new vitality following winter's deep chill, as uninhibited shades dance across the face in a free-spirited collection... Liberate yourself from darkened tones... [with] expressive colour for the modern spirit." This collection sees the launch of 27 products, 16 of which are new and limited edition, three of which are re-promotes, and eight of which are permanent. Lightness of Being includes the release of two shades of Mineralize Blush. Each Mineralize Blush comes in a regular black compact with a clear lid, but with a special edition weave knit pattern engraved into the powder. Each compact comes with 3.2 grams of product, and retails for $32.

Uplifting
Please Yourself
Uplifting and Please Yourself

Uplifting is a medium muted orange-peach with a metallic sheen and soft silver sparkle. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more orange and more sparkly than Warm Soul, darker and more orange than New Romance, more muted and more sparkly than Modern Mandarin, and darker and more sparkly than Style.

Please Yourself is a medium-dark cool-toned plummy pink with a frosted sheen and soft silver sparkle. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly cooler and more sparkly than Gentle, much cooler and more sparkly than Whole Lotta Love, darker and more sparkly than I'm A Lover, and darker, brighter, and more sparkly than Dame.

Y'all know I have a lot of love for MAC's Mineralize Blushes, and when I first saw these, I immediately knew I had to get them. Aside from the cute weave knit pattern engraved on the powders (again, I don't know how this pattern is relevant to the theme of this collection), both of these feel soft and finely-milled, go on smoothly with high colour pay-off, and look absolutely gorgeous on the skin. However, these are different from the typical Mineralize Blush because they are both sparkly, almost as if a Mineralize Blush and a Mineralize Skinfinish had a baby. These both have frosted finishes with Uplifting having an almost metallic finish, so they can emphasize skin texture if you layer too much. That having been said, it looks positively illuminating on the skin (something I strive for in the winter months), almost as if they had built-in highlighters. If you like your blushes with sparkle and shine, these are definite must-haves.

MAC Lightness of Being: Mineralize Skinfinish in Perfect Topping and Lightscapade

Last Friday, MAC released their annual Boxing Day collection, called Lightness of Being. It is inspired by the movement of dancers and "whimsical flights of fancy": "Poetic colour ushers in a new vitality following winter's deep chill, as uninhibited shades dance across the face in a free-spirited collection... Liberate yourself from darkened tones... [with] expressive colour for the modern spirit." This collection sees the launch of 27 products, 16 of which are new and limited edition, three of which are re-promotes, and eight of which are permanent. Lightness of Being includes the release of two shades of Mineralize Skinfinish. Each Mineralize Skinfinish comes in a regular black compact with a clear lid, but with a special edition sweater knit pattern engraved into the powder. Each compact comes with 9 grams of product, and retails for $37.

Perfect Topping
Lightscapade
Perfect Topping and Lightscapade

Perfect Topping is a mélange of light peach, dark peach, ivory, lavender, and silvered grey. When swirled together, they create a light beige-peach with a soft frosted sheen. This is a re-promoted shade from 2009's Sugarsweet collection, and is limited edition. It has a lightweight, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach and less metallic than Soft and Gentle, and darker and much more peach than Lightscapade.

Lightscapade is a mélange of ivory, pale blue-lavender, pale pink, champagne gold, and light peach. When swirled together, they create a pale creamy ivory with a soft champagne sheen. This is a permanent shade. It has a lightweight, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter, less pink, and less metallic than Soft and Gentle; more golden and more shimmery than Light Mineralize Skinfinish Natural.

Love, love, love both of these shades. Both of them are among MAC's more subtle powder highlighters, and are less metallic than the other permanent shades of Mineralize Skinfinish so they are less prone to emphasize skin texture. They are great if you want softer highlighters, or for more mature skin. Perfect Topping was actually released earlier this year in February with A Fantasy of Flowers, so if you missed out on it then, here's your chance to grab it now. It's a great option for those who think Soft and Gentle is too metallic or too pinked, or for those who think Lightscapade is too light, and works really well on those with medium to dark complexions. Lightscapade was a limited edition shade but was made permanent last year, so there's no need to rush to get this unless you really like the knitted pattern engraved in the powder (which, admittedly, I think is really, really cute, though it's not apparent as to how it relates to the collection or the theme). It is a great highlighting shade for those who have fair to medium-dark complexions, or for those who think Soft and Gentle is too dark or too metallic. Whichever one you decide on (or maybe both!), both of them make skin look softly illuminated and more naturally highlighted (rather than, you know, super-sparkly and blingy), and I think they're fantastic highlighters for all year round.

Makeup and Beauty Blog: Monday Poll, Vol. 353

This week's Monday Poll:

1. I hate to shop for... Footwear. Don't get me wrong, I love shoes. But I hate actually shopping for them, and I can never buy them without trying them on first regardless of the type of footwear (aside from, say, flip flops). I have a minor bunion on my left foot, so when I try on shoes, my right foot will be like, "Yes, this fits perfectly!" and then my left foot will be like, "Take this off immediately!" Also, I have large calves, so finding knee-length boots is an epic struggle. 


2. I love to shop for... Cosmetics, obviously. I would say 75% of my purchases are cosmetic-related. Also, food, books, handbags, and outerwear.


3. You have three minutes to freshen up your makeup, so what do you do? Blot my nose (I like Boscia's Blotting Linens), dust some oil-absorbing powder (I use MAC's Blot Powder Pressed in Medium Dark) on my T-zone, mist MAC's Fix+ all over my face, and re-apply lipstick and/or gloss.


4. What's the oldest thing in your closet that you still wear all the time? A black Wilfred Chevalier jacket from Aritzia. The first one I bought was in 2009, I think. I bought another one a couple years ago to rotate in my wardrobe because I wear it so frequently. It just looks good with everything; you can dress it up or down, and you always look polished.


5. What are some things you'd like to do more of in 2015? Exercise. I know I say that every year, but it's become more important that I try now that I'm nearing 30 (and because I'm a smoker). I would also like to travel more. I go to NYC every year, but I wanna do another destination as well. I'm thinking maybe California later in the year.

Sunday Video Love: Zombie

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! I spent mine sleeping, eating copious amounts of food with family, and playing Heads Up!. My brother flew in for Christmas so I've been busy doing the family thing and haven't had much me-time, but the holiday craziness is winding down so I can focus a little more on posting here. On that note, this song has nothing to do with the season or the holidays; I've just been listening to a lot of The Cranberries lately because it seems like my '90s phase is here to stay.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Colour Lipshine in 46 Liberté and 89 Satisfaction

A few months ago, I found myself at a Chanel counter in an attempt to look for a dupe for my beloved Rouge Coco Shine in 50 Rivage, which was sadly discontinued. I ended up finding 46 Liberté, which is a bit brighter than Rivage, but is the closest shade that they carry in their permanent range. And because I'm a lipstick hoarder, I also somehow ended up with a second shade, 89 Satisfaction, that perfect nude-but-not-too-nude shade that literally looks good with everything. The Rouge Coco Shine formula is described as "melt-away as a balm" with a "lip-embracing texture [that] becomes fluid on contact with the lips and provides a stunning wet effect with natural shine." They are meant to provide "incomparable comfort of continuous eight-hour-long hydration thanks to the Hydratender complex, the secret of softness of the Rouge Coco range." They are packaged in black square tubes with gold trim and the Chanel logo engraved on the caps. Each lipstick contains a total of 3 grams of product, and retails for $39.

46 Liberté and 89 Satisfaction
46 Liberté and 89 Satisfaction

46 Liberté is a medium warm muted coral-peach with a luminous sheen. This is a permanent shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation with semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is less pink than Chanel 69 Flirt Rouge Coco Shine, darker and more coral than Chanel 78 Interlude Rouge Coco Shine, lighter and more peach than Chanel 63 Rebelle Rouge Coco Shine, more muted and less pink than MAC Coral Bliss, more peach than MAC Shy Shine, more coral than Clinique Mega Melon Chubby Stick, and lighter and less pink than Revlon Peach Parfait Lip Butter.

89 Satisfaction is a light-medium warm muted peachy pink nude with a luminous sheen. This is a permanent shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation with semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is lighter and more peach than Chanel 54 Boy Rouge Coco Shine, warmer than Chanel 85 Secret Rouge Coco Shine, more peach than Chanel 93 Intime Rouge Coco Shine, more beige than MAC Peach Blossom, slightly lighter than MAC Patisserie, lighter and more beige than Clinique Mega Melon Chubby Stick, and more beige than Revlon Juicy Papaya Lip Butter.

I've always really liked the Rouge Coco Shine formula — they're smooth, lightweight, and emollient, and leave lips with a soft flush of colour and a glossy finish — and have found that they're my go-to lipsticks for an easy, low-maintenance, casual look (no, really, I can apply these without a mirror). What I like about these more than other similar formulations on the market is that they don't actually feel thick and creamy or balmy and waxy; they're more gel-like, making them ultra-comfortable to wear. Chanel says these provide "continuous eight-hour-long hydration," though that's a hell of a stretch as these aren't long-wearing to begin with (I would say about two hours, max). I don't find these drying by any means, and they feel hydrating when they're actually on the lips, but I don't find them to have any lingering effects or long-term hydration results so I wouldn't use these to replace an actual lip balm. In terms of formula, they're a lot more hydrating than MAC's Lustre or Cremesheen finish lipsticks, glossier than MAC's Mineralize Rich Lipsticks, more pigmented than Clinique's Chubby Sticks, more lightweight than Revlon's Lip Butters, and not as greasy as Smith's Rosebud Lip Salve. They're quite similar to Dior's Dior Addict Lipsticks in terms of consistency and texture and pigmentation, so if you're a fan of those, you'll probably like these... though these seem to make lips look fuller and more hydrated and generally healthier. Maybe it's the Chanel-ness of them, but I tend to reach for these ones way more than anything else in my arsenal.

Becca Mineral Blush in Flowerchild, Damselfly, Songbird, and Wild Honey

A couple months ago, on a Sephora shopping high, I decided to pick up four shades of Becca Mineral Blush, of which I had read nothing but stellar, glowing reviews. It is described as "a delicate powder blush infused with micro-fine minerals that deliver a soft glow." They are meant to "impart a soft halo of colour… that subtly reflects the light and casts a luminous glow" and are "formulated with a natural mineral complex and infused with antioxidant vitamins A, E, and C... to nourish and condition skin for a smooth, illuminated complexion." They are packaged in a chocolate brown rubberized mirrored compacts with airbrushed metal lids. Each blush contains a total of 6 grams of product, and retails for $38 CAD at Sephora.

Clockwise from left: Flowerchild, Damselfly, Songbird, and Wild Honey
Flowerchild, Damselfly, Songbird, and Wild Honey

Flowerchild is a medium warm peachy pink with a gold shimmer-sheen. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more peach than MAC Dainty, more pink than MAC Springsheen, less golden than NARS Orgasm, more pink than Tarte Glisten, more shimmery than Hourglass Luminous Flush, and more pink than Clinique Peach Pop.

Damselfly is a medium warm muted coral-peach with a gold shimmer-sheen. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than MAC New Romance, similar to MAC Style, more peach than NARS Deep Throat, more shimmery than Tarte Captivating, darker and more peach than Hourglass Dim Infusion, and more orange than Clinique Peach Pop.

Songbird is a medium-dark warm peachy copper-bronze with a gold shimmer-sheen. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily.  It is darker and more orange than MAC Sunbasque, similar to MAC Peachtwist, more peach than MAC Make You Mine, darker and more copper than NARS Torrid, more bronze than Tarte Charisma, and more bronze than Clinique Ginger Pop.

Wild Honey is a medium warm golden peach nude with a subtle gold shimmer-sheen. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more golden and less shimmery than MAC Warm Soul, darker and more peach than MAC Trace Gold, less peach and less shimmery than NARS Luster, peachier than Tarte Buff, and darker and more golden than Hourglass Dim Infusion.

This might be a little controversial, but this has taken the number one spot for my overall favourite blush formula. It has amazing pigmentation that gives full colour pay-off, and leaves a gorgeous illuminating glow that never looks too shiny or sparkly — just smooth, healthy, and luminous. This is a very soft, silky-smooth formula that is almost creamy, so it blends beautifully and effortlessly. Plus, it has a long wear-time to boot (at least six hours without fading). Honestly, I love everything about these. Except for the shade range, which I feel should include more shades to encompass all skintones from fair to deep dark. The shades they have right now are great for light to medium dark skintones, with Songbird being the darkest shade they make. I want more, more, more!

Makeup and Beauty Blog: Monday Poll, Vol. 352

This week's Monday Poll:

1. My signature make-up look? Winged liner, lots of mascara, clean glowy skin, defined brows.


2. One of my etiquette pet peeves: Not saying 'thank you.' I know it's such a simple one, probably the first etiquette lesson you ever learn in life aside from saying 'please,' but so many people don't do it. Like, when people ask for directions, or ask to bum a cigarette, or signal to get into your lane, or when you hold the door for someone. And they say nothing, as if your sole purpose in life was to do these things for them. Thanking someone takes less than a second and almost no effort, you rude motherfuckers.


3. My secret beauty weapons are... A skin-repairing serum, hydrating moisturizer, eyelash curler, mascara, and illuminating blush. Sometimes you don't get enough sleep and you don't drink enough water, but these five things work wonders on everybody.


4. One or two things that are always in my fridge: Diet Coke and orange juice.


5. I will never care about... Sports outside of the Olympics.

Sunday Video Love: Bitter Sweet Symphony

Yesterday at work, we had on this "retro" channel on our music system, which features songs from the '80s and '90s. This song came on, and all of us proceeded to sing along to it... until my 20-year-old (and youngest) staff member asked us, "What song is this? I think I've heard it before." And I think that was the first time when we all collectively started to feel old.

Tom Ford Matte Lip Color in Pussycat and Black Dahlia

Tom Ford has come out with a new lipstick formula this season called Matte Lip Color, which comes in eight shades: six of them will be permanent, and two of them are limited edition. I actually had paid no attention to this collection (I hadn't really looked at Tom Ford since my trip to NYC in June, when I bought these two shades) until I found myself at Holt Renfrew last month. When the BA saw me swatching their original Lip Colors, she asked if I had seen the new matte formula yet, and I got suckered in because I am a makeup hoarder and a matte lipstick junkie, especially this time of year. Plus, they are just so damn pretty. I was like, "Okay, I'm going to get one. Just one." But it was my birthday at the time, and I had just done a freelance wedding so I had cash to burn... so I ended up with two. (BAs everywhere should adore me because I am such an easy sale.) The Tom Ford Matte Lip Color is "formulated with a luxurious, velvet matte finish" and "smoothes comfortably onto the lips in a spectrum of richly pigmented hues" to create "a powerfully sophisticated look of unadulterated color." Each lipstick is packaged in a weighty square black and gold metallic tube with Tom Ford's initials engraved into the top of the actual lipstick bullet. They have a light sweet vanilla scent but no taste. Each lipstick contains a total of 3 grams of product, and retails for $50 USD or $55 CAD. They are exclusive to Holt Renfrew in Canada.

Pussycat and Black Dahlia
Pussycat and Black Dahlia

Pussycat is a medium-dark rosy mauve in a soft velvet-matte finish. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is cooler and more muted than Tom Ford Casablanca, more plum than MAC Twig, more muted than MAC Captive, more muted than Urban Decay Rapture, slightly darker and cooler than NARS Vanessa, and slightly brighter than NARS Anna.

Black Dahlia is a dark cool-toned berry-wine burgundy in a soft velvet-matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker than Tom Ford Bruised Plum, brighter and more berry than MAC Sin, darker and more berry than MAC Dark Side, darker and more burgundy than Urban Decay Venom, and more pinked than NARS Liv.

Like their non-matte counterparts, the Matte Lip Colors go on smoothly and evenly, and incredibly pigmented (you can get full colour pay-off in one swipe). I wouldn't call these true mattes; they are velvet-mattes, so they apply with a slight sheen and dry down to a soft matte finish. The great thing about these is that they still feel creamy and even somewhat hydrating over time, and they never look or feel dry. They also have an impressive wear time: about five hours for the lighter shade, and eight for the darker shade (though it does stain, which makes it appear like it wears for longer). Definitely one of the most comfortable matte formulas I've ever worn. But, again, for the price, I wouldn't expect any less. If you've been waiting for a matte lipstick range from Tom Ford, it is finally here, and you won't be disappointed. And in the same sleek, weighty, luxurious packaging you've come to love and fawn over.

The Me-Time Tag

I wasn't technically tagged to do this, but I wanted in on the fun after watching it on YouTube (originated from Essiebutton), and seeing it on both Liz's and Larie's blog. So, here we go!

1. What do you watch or read during me-time? I don't watch a lot of television these days, but I read a lot. My most recent book haul:


2. What do you wear during me-time? A TNA Ponoma shirt, an old Cornell hoodie (my brother bought it for me years ago when he was still a student there), Aerie Boyfriend sweatpants, and Bath & Body Works shea-infused lounge socks.

3. What are your me-time beauty products? I always have lip balm and hand cream, and I usually rotate between a few of them, but I don't like anything too greasy (I save the super-hydrating, repairing options for bedtime) because I'm usually doing something else, like reading or using my laptop. And I'm getting into face masks, which I try to do once a week.

Clinique Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream, Lollia Calm Hyacinth & Honey Shea Butter Handcreme, EOS Blueberry Acai Lip Balm, and Soap & Paper Factory Limoncello Lip Butter
Origins Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask and The Face Shop Real Nature Sheet Masks
4. Current favourite nail polish? I've been loving Cirque this season. When I can't decide what else to wear, I go back to these ones.

Cirque Colors Nail Lacquer in Lichen, Planet Caravan, Baptisia, and Tibetan Nights
5. What do you eat/drink during me-time? Whatever's in the fridge or pantry that isn't time-consuming to make or prepare (because me-time is about being lazy), like grilled cheese (with old cheddar and harvati), eggs or an omelette, Pizza Pockets, toasted bagel with dill cream cheese... I also love snacks like Party Mix or Munchies, and Orville Redenbacher's Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn. In general, I prefer savoury foods to sweet. To drink, it depends on my mood, but I usually switch between orange juice, Diet Coke, and Simply Limeade. And there's usually a cup of coffee somewhere in there.

6. Current favourite candle? Voluspa's Baltic Amber. Just finished this little one, and now I want the full size.

Voluspa Baltic Amber Candle
7. Do you ever have outdoor me-time? Er, I go outside to smoke... does that count?

8. Would you ever go see a movie alone? Yeah, sure. I used to do it occasionally when I was in high school and university; I took the subway to and from school, so I'd sometimes catch an afternoon movie at a theatre by a station before going home if there was something good out (usually on Tuesdays, 'cause it's half-price admission). But I rarely go out to watch movies now, so I'm usually with someone if I deign to go to the movie theatre.

9. Favourite online shop? Sephora, Indigo, Nail Polish Canada. At least, those are the ones I order the most from.

10. Anything to add? What else do you do during me-time? I usually blog during me-time nowadays, since I spend so much time at work. And I've recently gotten back into playing The Sims 3, which is terrible because I can play for like, 12 hours at a time. And on the rare occasion where I'm not too lazy to clean my bath tub, then I will take a bath with a Lush bath bomb and a bubble bar ('cause if I'm gonna take a bath, I'm gonna make it count).

Feel free to do this if you haven't already!

MAC Red, Red, Red: Lipstick in See Sheer, Lady Bug, 5-Alarm, and Toxic Tale

Last Thursday, MAC launched a collection called Red, Red, Red, which was inspired by, of course, shades of red: "Set the scene for a scarlet seduction with this smoking-hot collection... Let inhibitions fall by the wayside with this sizzling collection that turns the heat all the way. Sometimes, more really is more." This collection sees the launch of 18 products, nine of which are new and limited edition, five of which are re-promotes, and four of which are permanent. Red, Red, Red includes the release of four shades of lipstick. Each lipstick comes in regular black packaging, contains a total of 3 grams of product, and retails for $19. These are applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program at all locations.

See Sheer, Lady Bug, 5-Alarm, and Toxic Tale
See Sheer, Lady Bug, 5-Alarm, and Toxic Tale

See Sheer is a medium grapefruit pink in a Lustre finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is more muted and more pink than Crosswires, darker and more orange than Fanfare, and lighter and more orange than On Hold.

Lady Bug is a medium-dark warm muted tomato red in a Lustre finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is warmer than Cockney, warmer and more red than On Hold, and warmer and sheerer than Everyday Diva Mineralize Rich Lipstick.

5-Alarm is a medium-dark muted persimmon red in a Lustre finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is more muted and more orange than Lady Bug, darker and more red than See Sheer, and more muted and more red than Korean Candy Sheen Supreme Lipstick.

Toxic Tale is a medium warm vibrant coral-pink in a Satin finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2010's Venomous Villains collection, and is limited edition. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more pink than Vegas Volt, more orange than Lady at Play Mineralize Rich Lipstick, and darker and more orange than Elegant Accent Mineralize Rich Lipstick.

Okay, so I do find it somewhat odd that none of these lipsticks are really red, considering the theme of the collection. Especially since it's meant to "set the scene for a scarlet seduction," you'd think there'd be be at least one really bold, true red. Even the visual for this collection is a little misleading, as the model looks like she's wearing a vibrant, matte cool-toned red (like Ruby Woo), and none of the lipsticks launched here actually look like that. There's nothing wrong with these shades if you like softer, warm coral-toned reds, but it seems strange that these would be released at this time of year, as everyone's on the hunt for those vibrant holiday reds right now. On that note, if you missed out on Toxic Tale from 2010's Venomous Villains collection, here's your chance to grab it again (albeit without the awesome cool packaging featuring Snow White's Evil Queen). It's also the only one I'd deem a must-have from this collection, since two of the shades here are permanent, and 5-Alarm — the only new shade from this collection — is so easily duped within MAC's permanent range (actually, it's like if See Sheer and Lady Bug had a baby). I can see why they didn't release as many bold reds given all the ones that have come out recently (with Rocky Horror and Heirloom Mix), and MAC likes to mix it up with variety between collections... but still, it's a little disappointing that there wasn't even one with a collection that's solely dedicated to the colour.

MAC Red, Red, Red: Eyeshadow in Give Me Fire, Red Alert, and Strike While Haute

Last Thursday, MAC launched a collection called Red, Red, Red, which was inspired by, of course, shades of red: "Set the scene for a scarlet seduction with this smoking-hot collection... Let inhibitions fall by the wayside with this sizzling collection that turns the heat all the way. Sometimes, more really is more." This collection sees the launch of 18 products, nine of which are new and limited edition, five of which are re-promotes, and four of which are permanent. Red, Red, Red includes the release of three shades of eyeshadow. Each eyeshadow comes in regular black packaging, contains a total of 1.5 grams of product, and retails for $19. These are applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program at MAC Stores.

Clockwise from left: Give Me Fire, Red Alert, and Strike While Haute
Give Me Fire, Red Alert, and Strike While Haute

Give Me Fire is a light-medium warm muted pinked beige-brown with gold sparkle in a Lustre finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more pink than Honesty, darker and more brown than All That Glitters, and lighter and more brown than Mythology.

Red Alert is a medium-dark warm muted rusted copper-red in a Veluxe Pearl. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more muted and more brown than Coppering.

Strike While Haute is a medium vibrant warm red in a Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more red than Red Brick, and warmer and more orange-toned than Passionate.

All three shades here have great textures, soft and smooth, while giving excellent colour pay-off and blendability. Give Me Fire actually performs exceptionally well given that it's a Lustre finish; I experienced minimal fall-out and smooth, even application (Lustres are known to go on sheer and patchy). It's become a go-to transition colour for me, as well as a great lazy-day all-over shadow. To me, Red Alert is the star of this collection — it's reddened but extremely wearable and looks good on almost everybody. It has a muted, rusty quality to it that keeps it more sultry rather than in-your-face, but still gives plenty of colour without looking sickly. Strike While Haute is definitely the wild card in this collection, but it's also the most unique; the most similar colour I can think of in MAC's permanent collection is Frankly Scarlet blush, but obviously, this one is safe for use in the eye area (many reds are not). I know this colour will appeal more to those with darker skintones (indeed, I have many Indian brides asking me to use red or red-toned eyeshadows), but those with fairer skintones can still rock it (like using it as an accent colour around black eyeliner, or as a pop of colour just in the centre of the lid of a black smoky eye, or blended in the outer corner with a shade like Red Alert). Okay, so I know red eyeshadow is scary to a lot of people, but I think it can be quite wearable when worn in the right combination and with the right placement, and I think that these three shades actually work beautifully together to create a gorgeous sunset eye look. As MAC says, "Don't hold back — when you go red, go red!"

Makeup and Beauty Blog: Monday Poll, Vol. 350

This week's Monday Poll:

1. If there's one thing I can do in this life, it's __________.  Do make-up.


2. What product in your makeup bag/toolkit do you wear more than any other? There are ten products in my make-up routine that I wear with equal frequency:
   
• MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50
• NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger
• MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC35
• MAC Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Sun Dipped
• Lancôme Artliner in Noir
• MAC Liquid Eye Liner in Boot Black
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe + Soft Brown
• Urban Decay Perversion Mascara


3. How has your life changed this year? I've been promoted (twice) at work, and have managed two different make-up artist teams while doing a lot more freelance make-up work as well. Basically, I work a lot more hours now, which is why my posts here have been getting less and less frequent.


4. One of your greatest indulgences? Sleeping in! And also going out to eat. 


5. What beauty products are on your nightstand right now? A plethora of lip balms (Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 in Lemon, The Face Shop Mango Butter Lip Care Cream, and The Body Shop Shea Lip Butter), Glysomed Hand Cream, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, and cotton moisture gloves.

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: November 2014 — IMATS + One of a Kind Show

Okay, last and final haul post from November. (Errr, yes, I realize it's a week into December now. November was an intense shopping month.) I went to IMATS a couple weeks ago with my friend (and fellow make-up artist) Vivian. I didn't really have a set list of things to buy there, nor any particular brand that I was really intrigued on checking out which, I'm sure you'll all agree, is when it's the most dangerous to go. And as expected, I ended up spending way more than I expected to.
Make Up For Ever Large Palette + Artist Shadow Refills(Top: ME-700 Amber, D-750 Frosted Peach, I-730 Pumpkin, ME-740 Magma, and M-820 Dark Purple PinkBottom: ME-912 Orchid, I-922 Electric Purple, ME-930 Black Purple, D-308 Aquatic Khaki, and ME-230 Peacock Blue)
Now, I've never been huge on Make Up For Ever, nor have I ever previously bought anything from them (and I usually bypass their booth during IMATS, come to think of it). But when their Artist Shadows were launched earlier this year and all the rave reviews started rolling in, I knew I had to check them out at some point. And when I finally swatched them at Sephora, I was immediately smitten. Which is extremely dangerous, since there are over 100 shades and they retail for $24 each. Weirdly enough, I didn't end up getting any of them during Sephora's VIB Sale, but I'm glad I didn't, because they were offering an exceptional deal on them during IMATS: 18 Artist Shadows and one XL Palette for $228. So, basically, they were 50% off. Since Vivian and I went on the Sunday in the afternoon, they had run out of the XL Palette (which holds 18 shadows) and were offering two L Palettes in place of it, so Viv and I decided to split the deal and each get one large palette and nine shadows. Since the L Palettes hold ten shadows and it annoys us greatly to have just one empty space in a palette, we each got a tenth shadow at the regular show price (which is $16).
Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 Blush Palette in Pumpkin and Blush in Life's a Peach and Flamingo
I hadn't been planning on buying that much make-up at the show since I had bought more than enough during the VIB Sale, but when I saw these Sleek Makeup blushes there, I couldn't resist. I've been wanting to try Sleek for a while now, but it's not easily accessible here in Canada (Sleek is a UK-based "high street" brand) — like NYX, it's a brand that has always held interest in my mind, but I continually get distracted by other lines. Unlike NYX, however, I'd only be able to get their products online, and I wasn't sure if I liked them enough to put in a big order to get free shipping. I'm not sure which booth I went to that sold these (it was one of those vendors that sold a variety of obscure brands), but I picked up a Blush by 3 Palette (which is what made them really popular) in Pumpkin for $19, plus two more single blushes in Life's a Peach and Flamingo for $10 each. So, actually, it was more expensive at the show than ordering them online, but at least I didn't have to pay for tax or shipping...
Hakuhodo Brushes (from top): J5529 Eyeshadow Brush Tapered, B J142 Eyeshadow Brush Round, J5522 Eyeshadow Brush Tapered, and J511 Highlighter Brush Angled
Sigma Brushes (from top): F35 Tapered Highlighter, P84 Precision Angled, F80 Flat Kabuki, F82 Round Kabuki, and F84 Angled Kabuki
I usually stock up on brushes when I'm at IMATS because they carry brands that aren't found here or there's insanely good deals on them. Of course, I had to stop by the Hakuhodo booth, which never has sales or promotions at IMATS, but it's also the only time you can get Hakuhodo here. They are more expensive than most other brush brands or brands that sell make-up brushes, but they also make some of the best make-up brushes I have ever used so I always carve out part of my IMATS budget for Hakuhodo. I picked up four brushes — three for eyeshadow, one for highlighting. I've been using them for a couple weeks now, and let me tell you, blending is positively dreamy with these, as if they were made from cashmere unicorns and angel wings. I am going to buy at least two more of each at next year's IMATS. Finally, I picked up five Sigma brushes. I was actually going to put in a huge order online, but decided to wait until IMATS to see if there would be some there. Sigma didn't have a booth there, but there were a few vendors that were carrying Sigma brushes, and I found one that was selling them at 40% off (and tax-free if you paid with cash!). So I'm overall extremely pleased with my purchases at IMATS.
Froosh Dead Sea Salt Body Polish in Key Lime, and Body Butter in Green Tea & Cucumber and Coconut Lime
Whipped Cosmetics Cherry Soda Sugar Scrub, and Au Naturel and Lime Margarita (sample) Soaps
I finally went to my first One of a Kind Show last Sunday with my friend Cynthia. I'd been wanting to check it out for a while, and honestly, I can't believe I'd never been. There is so much to see there (over 800 artisans, in fact) from food to cosmetics to ceramics to clothing — all Canadian, all handcrafted. Obviously, I had to pick up some fun body products because I am a cosmetics junkie. Seriously, every single skincare/bodycarebooth I went to, I was like, "I want all the things!" I ended up narrowing it down to Froosh, where I picked up a jar of Dead Sea Salt Body Scrub in Key Lime (that smells exactly like key lime pie, so fucking good) and two jars of Body Butter in Green Tea & Cucumber and Coconut Lime, and Whipped, where I had a lovely chat with Angela Filbert (the founder of Whipped) and ended up with a tub of Cherry Soda Sugar Scrub (I'm not a huge fan of cherry scents, but this smells uncannily like the taste of a cherry Icee, which is ridiculously awesome) and a bar of Au Naturel Soap. I had originally wanted to get the Lime Margarita Soap, but she convinced me to get the Au Naturel one (made with ground oats and honey) because of my hand eczema (she has the same thing, and was like, "I know it's not as fun, but it's so much better for your hands"), and then gave me a thin slice of the Lime Margarita, anyway, because she knew how much I wanted it.
Demo Soap Macaron Gift Box
Demo Soap Handmade Glycerin Macaron Soaps in Avocado Mint, Pomegranate, Grapefruit, Raspberry, Lemon, and Green Apple
Demo Soap Handmade Glycerin Donut Soaps (clockwise from left): Lemon Raspberry, Lemon Lime Grapefruit, Mango Coconut, Green Tea Cherry Blossom, and Very Peachy
And then we went to Demo Soap, which has some of the cutest bar soaps I have ever seen. I saw a box of their Macaron Soaps on display, and was immediately like, "Mine!" I didn't even smell them yet, and didn't care. I could not leave without them. And when the girl working there said I got the last box, I felt an irrational surge of relief and accomplishment. It was kind of ridiculous, like, going crazy over soap. And like real macarons, they were pretty expensive at six for $20... but at least they'll last longer than the 30 seconds it takes for me to eat an actual one. While we were there, we both got some of their donut soaps (which they're known for) as well, at 5 for $20. Because how can you resist donuts, you know? I was tempted to get some of their Pineapple Upside Down Cake soap as well, but then reality hit and I was like, "What the hell am I going to do with this much soap?"
Grey Matter Handmade Chunky Herringbone Oversized Weave Fleece Scarf
Grey Matter Adjustable Length Fleece Fingerless Gloves & Arm Warmers
Moving on from cosmetic items, I also picked up a couple things from Grey Matter, who specializes in "handcrafted large weave adornments," which includes scarves/wraps/shawls/cowls, and now also wrist warmers (which are new), made out of Arctic fleece. I was intrigued because it's such a simple idea, but so ingenious. Basically, you "pull the scarf anywhere through its weave and create innumerable looks: cowls, shrugs, wraps, even infinity styles, an all-in-one scarf." Amy French, the founder and creator of Grey Matter, was there to teach me how to create a bunch of different styles with this scarf, and I was like, "Yep, I have to have one. It's genius." So I chose a scarf/shawl/cowl in two-tone grey (thought it'd be more fun than black, but will still go well with my mostly-black wardrobe) for $65, and also fingerless gloves/wrist warmers in black for $25. Those fingerless gloves are seriously a smoker's best friends in the winter. Depending on where you stick your thumb through in the weave, they can completely cover your fingers, or have your fingers sticking out to say, smoke or use your iPhone. And you won't lose them, either, because you can just pull them back to become wrist warmers if you need to use your hands. Been wearing both of these since I got them, and they are so warm and so indispensable in my wardrobe now, that I wonder how I lived without them before. Seriously, genius.
Tealish Dessert Collection Herbal Loose Leaf Tea in Toasty Almond and Lemon Meringue
And then we bought some tea. Kinda random, because I'm not really a tea person, let alone a loose leaf tea person. But we stopped by Tealish and they had samples (fucking samples, man, get me every time), and these two were so tasty that I couldn't leave them. They were having a promotion of 3 tins for $40 or 4 tins for $50 (one tin is usually $14), so Cynthia and I split two and two. The Toasty Almond has overtones of "rich, aromatic almond and decadent vanilla" and undertones of "sweet apple and a hint of cinnamon spice." This is the one that really got me interested, because it reminds me of one of my favourite desserts (the apple pie with toasted almonds and maple ice cream at JOEY), and is therefore amazing. The Lemon Meringue has overtones of "zesty lemon custard and luscious bourbon vanilla" with undertones of "naturally sweet rooibos and a dollop of whipped cream." I love lemony teas, but like that this one is a little more... mellow and creamy. And lemon meringue pie is my favourite pie of all time, so I had to. I guess their whole spiel on their Dessert Tea collection is that you can indulge calorie-free, but let's be real, I'd probably have these while eating dessert.
Did you go to IMATS or the One of a Kind Show this year? If so, what'd you pick up?

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: November 2014 — Shiseido Warehouse Sale + Birthday!

You will soon see that I basically spent the entire month of November shopping. Aside from the incredible damage I did to my wallet during Sephora's VIB sale, November also brought us the semi-annual Shiseido warehouse sale. I actually couldn't make it because of work, but both my friends Cynthia and Vivian were going and I sent them both lists of products to pick up for me if they happened to be there. Aside from eight packs of Shiseido facial cotton (for $8 a pack instead of $12), I also got some incredible deals on Shiseido skincare and NARS makeup. All the Shiseido cleansers and softeners were 40 - 50% off, so I asked for one of each from The Skincare line (which has been replaced by the new Ibuki line) and one of each from the Pureness line (which is still permanent). And nearly all the NARS makeup products were 60 - 70% off, so I picked up three blushes, two eyeshadow duos, and three eyeshadow singles, all of which are still permanent (this surprised me because warehouse sales usually only carry discontinued or limited edition products).
Shiseido The Skincare Hydro-Balancing Softener ($25 from $44), The Skincare Purifying Cleansing Foam ($20 from $38), Pureness Balancing Softener ($16 from $29), and Pureness Deep Cleansing Foam ($16 from $28)
NARS Powder Blush in Torrid, Exhibit A, and Taos (for $15 each from $35!)
NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Mediteranee and Mélusine (for $15 each from $39!)
NARS Single Eyeshadow in Kamchatka, California, and Nymphea (for $8 each from $28!)
My lovely friend, Fran, gifted me a ton of stuff from Lush for my birthday (she works there), including some of my favourites and some new treats that she thought I'd like. Obviously, she had to get me another bottle of So White Shower Gel (I think I raved to her about this for like, two weeks straight), and my favourite Celebrate Hand and Body Lotion because they're limited edition and only come out for the holidays. She also got me a tub of the new Ocean Salt Self-Preserving Face and Body Scrub (apparently, the new formula has been "expertly rebalanced with natural preservatives to discourage bacteria growth"), a full-size bottle of Tea Tree Water because she knows I have oily skin and love fresh citrusy scents, a little tub of Cupcake Fresh Face Mask (the only Fresh Face Mask that I like), three So White Bath Bombs because she knows it's my favourite bath bomb of all time, a Christmas Hedgehog Bubble Bar because I kept going on and on about how cute it is, plus a Snow Angel Bath Melt and a slab of Snowcake Soap (two more holiday exclusives, both of which have a lovely mellow, sweet almond scent and are great for dry skin).
Lush So White Shower Gel, Celebrate Hand and Body Lotion, Ocean Salt Self-Preserving Face and Body Scrub, Tea Tree Water Toner Water, and Cupcake Fresh Face Mask
Lush So White Bath Bombs (x 3), Snow Angel Bath Melt, The Christmas Hedgehog Bubble Bar, and Snowcake Soap
My friend Steph had originally bought me two 3-wick candles from Bath & Body Works for my birthday ('cause she knows I love candles, bless her) but I actually already had the two scents she bought me at home (from last year), so I went to exchange them for two of my favourite Banana Nutmeg Bread Pudding candles, which were on clearance (the salesgirl said that they actually shouldn't have had them in store because they're technically fall scents, so I was all, "Meant to be!"). There was some money left over from the exchange, so I also got two pairs of my favourite shea-infused lounge socks (on sale for 2 for $12) and a pair of ridiculously cute polar bear slippers (on sale for $8). She also bought me a cute plaid flannel shirt from Forever 21 because I had told her that I wanted to channel my inner '90s grunge child, but the size she got for me was too small so I went to exchange it, and I couldn't find the same style of shirt. So in lieu of finding anything else I liked, I exchanged it for two pairs of black ankle-length skinny jeans (for $9.90 each!), two pairs of ankle socks (for $1.50 each!), and the cutest sushi-print tote bag (for $1.80!).

Bath & Body Works Banana Nutmeg Bread Pudding 3-Wick Candles
Bath & Body Works Shea-Infused Lounge Socks and Bear Hugs Super-Soft Slippers
Forever 21 Sushi Tote Bag, Sushi Ankle Socks, and Holiday Puppy Ankle Socks
My family gave me money for my birthday, so obviously, I had to do some more shopping. I had two coupons from Hudson's Bay ($20 off any $100 cosmetics purchase), so I bought my beloved Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (I've actually never tried this new formula, only the old one, so I'm quite excited to see if it works better) as well as Dior's Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet (I don't like the original Miss Dior, but I really like this one because it's lighter and fresher). Then, Liz posted a discount code for Shu Uemura. So dangerous. Weirdly enough, there's not a lot of makeup items that I'm currently interested in from Shu Uemura, but there's a ton of skincare that I want to try from them (which I think is completely underrated in the Western hemisphere; there's more to their skincare than just cleansing oils!). I ended up ordering the Depsea Hydrability Moisturizing Emulsion (to "deliver a soft and water-breaking texture that smoothly spreads on face to replenish skin with water and lipids"), their new Tsuya Skin Youthful Crystal-Transparency Lotion I (to "help boost skin's self-cleaning mechanism and draw out crystal clear skin from within"), and their best-selling Tsuya Skin Youthful Radiance Generator (for "porcelain-fine, petal-soft, translucent glowing skin"), and got 25% off with the code plus free shipping. 
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II
Dior Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet
Shu Uemura Depsea Hydrability Moisturizing Emulsion, Tsuya Skin Youthful Crystal-Transparency Lotion I, and Tsuya Skin Youth Radiance Generator
Finally, two trips to Holt Renfrew. I did not go into Holt's looking for anything, which is, of course, the most dangerous time to shop. I was with my gay boyfriend, Austin, and were just looking at pretty things we couldn't afford. I didn't need anymore lipstick, nor was I planning to buy anymore (especially after the 13 lippies I bought during the VIB sale). But we stopped at the Tom Ford counter and I got sucked in with the new displayer. Then I tried them on, Austin enabled me, and it was game over. Which is how I ended up with two of the new Lip Color Matte lipsticks in Pussycat, a gorgeous warm plummy pink that will become apart of the permanent range, and Black Dahlia, a limited edition dark vampy wine red. (This is when I also discovered that, after the currency exchange, the Canadian retail price of $55 is almost the same as the American retail price, which is $50. Just sayin'.)

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Pussycat and Black Dahlia
Diptyque Eau Duelle Eau de Parfum
My second trip to Holt Renfrew was with Liz! Met up with her at the Bloor Street location, where we spent the afternoon fragrance-sniffing. I was on the hunt for a new winter scent, and both Larie and Liz had suggested checking out Diptyque, which is what brought on the trip to Holt's to begin with. After checking out Diptyque, Jo Malone, Byredo, and Tom Ford, I decided that my favourite was Diptyque's Eau Duelle Eau de Parfum, which includes notes of "bourbon vanilla, spices, rockrose, and ambroxan." From reading the description, it is not something I would ever have gone for and I as I'm not usually a fan of warm or spicy scents, but having smelled it again and again (actually for three hours, because Liz and I left Holt's, walked around Yorkville, went for dinner at Annona, and ended up going back into the store), I was surprised that I was completely in love with it. So I splurged on it. 
And there is yet another November haul post to come! I wasn't kidding when I said I basically spent all of November shopping.