Friday, November 29, 2013

MAC ALL FIRED UP LIPSTICK

Mac All Fired Up lipstick

I'm in love!!!
See how gorgeous this lipstick is!!!!
It is Mac All Fired Up rom the mega successful Retro Matte collection, a beautiful and unique matte strawberry shade.
Flat Out Fabulous had been my love at first sight from this collection, but now I'm really into this one too! Compared to Flat Out Fabulous, it has a lot more red in it, while still having a cool undertone.
Here I'm wearing it with Mac Beet lip pencil.

Unfortunately I don't own it yet, because it was sold out :(
It was the makeup artist in a Mac store yesterday that while we were chatting just offered to try it on me. So glad he did, now I can't wait for this lipstick to be restocked!!!

The other products I am wearing in this look are:

L'Oreal Lumi Magique (True Match Lumi) foundation in W3/D3 Gold Linen, applied with my Real Techniques stippling brush.

Mac Pro Longwear concealer in NC30 on my face where I needed some extra coverage.

Inglot AMC (Advanced Makeup Components) Cream Concealer in number 64, the lightest shade, in the undereye area. Inglot is such a great brand, I feel it is very underrated.

To blend it seamlessy into the foundation, I then applied all over my cheeks my favourite liquid hightlighter, Inglot AMC Face and Body Illuminator in number 63.
It is a rosy golden shade that dreams are made of. It blends so perfectly into the skin, and just leaves the most effortless glow. I love it so much.

On my eyes I applied Mac Frozen Violet paintpot as a base, using my Mac 217 brush.
This is beauty in a paintpot. It is a glittery grey-ish frozen violet (it's name couldn't be more accurate!) that's incredibly flattering to every eye colour. My all time favourite paintpot.

Then I applied a wash of Kiko Colour Sphere Eyeshadow number 33 all over my lid and below my lower lashline.
It is a burnt plum shade infused with silver microglitter which I used to achieve an overall deeper plummy look.

To bring it back to violet, I applied the darkest shade of Maybelline Diamond Glow quad in 11 Purple Drama (medium violet with silver microglitter) along my upper and lower lashline with a pencil brush.

In my waterline I tried for the first time my Kiko Twinkle Eye Pencil in 06 Hypnotic Starry Black, a dark glittery grey. So beautiful and so pigmented and creamy and longlasting, I was like - WOW!!

For mascara base I also tried for the first time Kiko False Lashes Concentrate - Building Base Mascara.
I was looking for an inexpensive alternative to my beloved Helena Rubinstein Spider Eyes mascara base, but compared to that, the Kiko formula is thinner, so I still like the Helena Rubinstein one better.

On top of it, Dior Diorshow Black Out mascara.

For contouring, I used the darker shade of Moonlight (Summer Eclipse by Physicians Formula). It has a very subtle sheen to it - as opposed to being flat out matte, which is generally the best choice for contouring -, and I really like how it looks on my face.

I finished off my look with a touch of Flormar Lights of Flowers blush code LF12.
It is a very unique deep berry shade that might appear intimidating to some. But when I just applied it lightly on the apples of my cheeks it gave me a such a pretty rosy glow, as if I had been running in the snow or something. Really really pretty.
It can also be built up on darker complexions.

Then I went to Mac, and came out with All Fired Up + Beet on.

THEN I went to Sephora, and tried Nars Multiple in Orgasm by applying it on the top of my cheeks.

So in this picture, on top of everything I have listed to far, I am also wearing the Nars Multiple.
It is a little pricey, but I have to admit it looked like nothing else I had tried before, so I decided to buy it.
I just didn't realise that what I had grabbed was the Nars Orgasm Illuminator instead - which is their liquid highlighter in a tube, while the Multiple is a stick.

I first thought I would return the Illuminator in exchange for the Multiple...but then, once a Nars Illuminator is yours - no matter its circumstances - how can you part yourself from it??? Seriously!!!
So yeah, I will eventually go back to Sephora and just get the Nars Multiple too, hahaha SOOO bad!!! :-D

See me wear Flat Out Fabulous lipstick from the same Retro Matte collection in Mac Flat Out Fabulous :-)

Have a great weekend and thank you so much for reading,

Love
MJ :-*

Monday, November 18, 2013

MAC DUPES - RED, BRIGHT AND DARK LIPSTICKS FROM SLEEK MAKEUP

How cool is it that I have found dupes for some of the most beautiful and most popular Mac lipsticks, all from Sleek Makeup??
Sleek immediately became one of my favourite brands when I first discovered it a few years ago thanks to Sam and Nic Chapman, the Pixiwoo sisters :-)

Their quality/price ratio is extraordinary.
I ADORE their iDivine eyeshadow palettes, their blushes, their Pout Polishes AND their lipsticks!
See why :-)

Left: MAC IMPASSIONED - Right: SLEEK HEARTBREAKER

Mac Impassioned - Sleek Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker is more matte, but the similarity in colour and pigmentation is sensational, especially being this such a unique shade.
(see me wear Impassioned in Mac Impassioned lipstick)

Left: MAC RUBY WOO - Right: SLEEK STILETTO

Mac Ruby Woo - Sleek Stiletto
Stiletto is neither as bright nor as matte, but to be fair, what can be as bright and as matte as THE MOST bright and matte red of all times Ruby Woo??
Other than that, I find Stiletto to be a great dupe!
(see me wear RubyWoo in Mac Russian Red vs RubyWoo)

Left: MAC DIVA - Right: SLEEK CRANBERRY

Mac Diva - Sleek Cranberry
These two are really close to being identical. Again, the Sleek one is just slightly less matte and less pigmented, but Mac matte lipsticks are the top of their range, so the fact that Sleek as such an inexpensive drugstore brand can get so close to being identical to them is amazing.

Left: MAC DEEPLY ADORED - Right: SLEEK CHERRY

Mac Deeply Adored (limited edition from the Marilyn Monroe collection) - Sleek Cherry
I can't see any differences here. Colour, finish and pigmentation, they all look the same to me.

And last but not least, probably the current most fashionable and buzzed about lipstick from Mac:

Left: MAC FLAT OUT FABULOUS - Right: SLEEK MYSTIC

Mac Flat Out Fabulous - Sleek Mystic
Mystic is clearly more purple than Flat Out Fabulous, which in the side-by-side comparison comes up as more pink.
I guess one of the two shades is more of a true magenta than the other, but I can't decide which one it is haha :-D
Anyway, I have many magenta lipsticks and this one by Sleek is really the one that comes closest to Flat Out Fabulous.
(see me wear Flat Out Fabulous in Mac Flat Out Fabulous lipstick)
 
And here are some more posts with dupes for Mac lipsticks :)
 
I would love to know how you like these dupes, and if you have found other alternatives in your collection, please leave me a comment!!

Love,
MJ



Sunday, November 17, 2013

MAC DUPES - NUDE LIPSTICKS

I love reading posts about dupes, so I thought it was about time I'd write one myself!

Now, my theory is that nothing can ever look the same unless it's the same exact product.
Shade, finish, pigmentation, longevity - so many variables make a make up product that it's pretty unlikely to find identical dupes.
Which is why I have multiple drawers full of cosmetics that only at a first, superficial glance might appear SIMILAR to one another. But they're oh so different, and we can create oh so many different looks with each one of them!! ;-)

That said, at half the price than the "original" - if not less -, some products are really more than worthy alternatives!!

So here are some dupes of nude Mac lipsticks I have in my make up collection - they are all European brands so my apologies in advance to anyone who can't get hold of them :(

Left: Mac Blankety - Right: Rimmel Airy Fairy

Mac Blankety - Rimmel 070 Airy Fairy
Airy Fairy is a little more pink and has more of a sheen to it. Pigmentation is very similar.

L: Mac Bare Again - R: Kiko Desert Rose

Mac Bare Again Sheen Supreme - Kiko 403 Desert Rose Crystal Sheer lipstick
Desert Rose is a little darker and more sheer.

L: Mac Peach Blossom - R: Catrice The Nuder The Better

Mac Peach Blossom (limited edition) - Catrice Ultimate Colour 190 The Nuder The Better
The Nuder The Better is more opaque, but the shade is very comparable.

L: Mac Syrup - R: Kiko Inspiration Rosewood

Mac Syrup - Kiko 01 Inspiration Rosewood Virtual Dream Lipstick (limited edition, latest collection Digital Emotion now in store!)
Inspiration Rosewood is more opaque.
(see me wear Syrup in My New Year's Eve make up)

L: Mac Feed The Senses - R: Catrice Gentle Nude Is Back 

Mac Feed The Senses (limited edition) - Catrice Ultimate Shine 190 Gentle Nude Is Back
Gentle Nude Is Back is a little brighter and has more of a sheen to it.
(see me wear Feed The Senses in Mac Feed The Senses)

Ladies I hope this was helpful!! Please let me know if you have more dupes for these!!
I hope you're having a great day,
love ^_^ :-*

Thursday, November 14, 2013

IN THE SKY WITH GLITTER / VICTORIA'S SECRET INSPIRED make up look



I wasn't going to write a post about this look because I thought the make up showed up too undefined in the picture, but since on Instagram it received so many Likes - even one from James Molloy (@molloysie), Director of Artistry for Mac Cosmetics in Asia, one of my idols! - I decided to do it anyway!

I find it's reminiscent of Victoria's Secret signature make up look, and they are actually having their highly anticipated annual Fashion Show today!!

I hadn't self tanned my face in a few days and my skin was at its palest (actually meaning natural hahaha :-D), so I had to make some adjustments to my usual make up routine because I am not used to working on my face when it's so light.

I still used my one and only foundation L'Oreal Lumi Magique in the same colour W3/D3 Gold Linen with my Real Techniques stippling brush, but I didn't use my Mac concealer in NC30 because it would have been too dark.
This time I used Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer in 02 Light, which I usually apply only to my undereye area, both under my eyes and on blemishes.

On my eyes I pulled all stops and went for full on gold with my Gold Trinity of Eyeshadows!!
L'Oreal Color Infallible 002 Hourglass Beige (called 888 Iced Latte in the US), the most beautiful champagne shade, to highlight my inner corner and my brow bone
L'Oreal Color Infallible 027 Goldmine, the most blinding true gold, on the centre of my eyelids and on the centre of my lower lash line
L'Oreal Color Infallible 024 Divine Bronze, the most divine bronze indeed, on the outer corner - top and bottom - and to define my crease.

On my waterline I applied Mac Chromagraphic Pencil in NW25/NC30.

Then I lined my eyes with my super thin and precise Japanese eyeliner Le Rose de Versailles from Creer Beaute. I draw a catline on the upper lash line, and I dotted it softly on the lower lash line.

For mascara I used another Japanese product, Lash Expander Edge Meister from Majolica Majorca, the drugstore section of Shiseido, available only in Asian countries.
It's very black and shiny, and it containes small fibres that do expand your lashes, I really like it!! How can you not love such a pretty packaging too!! <3

I didn't use blush or bronzer - no point in bronzing up such a pale skin finish -, and I only contoured my cheekbones with Mac Harmony blush.
Mac called it "blush" but it's a matte taupe ideal for contouring, I doubt anybody use it as traditional blush :-)

Then I went back to L'Oreal Hourglass Beige eyeshadow and used it as highlighter on the top of my cheekbones, down my nose and on my Cupid's bow.
It's my second favourite powder highlighter after Mac Soft and Gentle, with the bonus that it's perfect for travelling because it's so small and compact and it can't break. It's very inexpensive too!

On my lips I used NYX Summer Love lipstick, a GORGEOUS pinky nude. Just SO GORGEOUS.

I finished off the look with Barry M Glossy Tube lipgloss in shade number 4, another beautiful nude pink.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read, and if you would like to see another Victoria's Secret inspired look go to Winter Angel make up look :-*

Love
MJ