A few new MAC lip products

Happy November! Here's a few new lip products that I recently purchased from MAC:


MAC recently released their ridiculously huge holiday collection. As far as the color collection goes (Glitter and Ice), nothing sparked my interest other than a few dazzleglasses and a lipstick or two.

Double Spin (Cremesheen) and

Dressed to Dazzle Dazzleglass.

Double Spin

Dressed to Dazzle

Top: Double Spin, Dressed to Dazzle

 Double Spin is a very pale, milky pink. It's so pale that it makes it a little difficult to pull off, especially because it's quick to show every imperfection on your lips (so make sure you exfoliate). I like to dab it into my lips with my finger. It looks more wearable on me that way. Naturally, I had to buy Dressed to Dazzle to compliment the lipstick. It's the perfect layering gloss to go hand in hand with Double Spin. This is a lip combo that I've been frequenting lately. I get three to maybe four hours of a wear before needing to reapply.

Glitter and Ice

Because I loved Dressed to Dazzle so much, I wound up buying Glitter & Ice too. If you're looking for a shimmery, glittery, nude gloss to layer of your nude lipsticks, this is what you need. I just got it today and wore it over Honeylove. Gorgeous. I imagine this will layer very nicely over Myth as well.

And I bought one more...

C-Thru

For good measure, I also purchased C-Thru lipglass. This is a permanent shade. I haven't gotten the chance to mess around with it yet but it's a gorgeous nude with subtle micro shimmer -- another nice layering gloss.

A few favorite glosses

So far during this spring/summer, I've really been into lip glosses. I'm usually more of a lipstick person but I like the change. Here's a few I've been wearing a lot lately:

NARS Wonder (LE)

I love this gloss because it's a nice way to wear orange without screaming orange. Does that make sense? Point is, this color is just right. It makes your lips look lush and juicy.

MAC Viva Glam Cyndi

Cyndi is one of my summer colors and one of the few "reds" I like to wear. 

VG Cyndi lipstick on top, lipglass on bottom

Saving the best for last, my absolute favorite lipgloss is actually a drugstore gem, Revlon Colorburst lipgloss in  Rose Gold.

I really like to pair this with a nude lipstick (something like MAC Honeylove), but it wears well on its own too. It's a perfect everyday color, especially for the summer.

MAC Viva Glam Gaga Lipglass

Viva Glam Gaga Lipglass ($15.50 USD)

So first off, I'd like to be completely honest with you. I'm not a big fan of lip gloss (GASP?!!). I know, I know, shame on me. I tend to use a lot of shimmery shadows and because of that, I prefer to keep my lips shine / gloss free. I don't like them completely matte, but I don't like stickiness or chunks of glitter on them either. Still, I really wanted to try this out.

Anyway, the color is just the same as its companion, the VG Gaga lipstick (Lustre), a bright blue-based pink. The consistency is thick and creamy. It applies evenly and the color is opaque, but be forewarned that you should exfoliate your lips first or else it'll accentuate the dryness. I applied the lipstick, followed by the gloss and then I decided to take the combo for a test run on a ham an cheese sandwich. While in the process of obliterating this ham and cheese sandwich (I was really, really hungry!), I noticed that with every bite I took, the color was just slipping off onto the bread. Afterward, I noticed that there was still some color left on my lips, but it was very patchy and sloppy. Clearly, it needed to be reapplied. Did I expect it to last through the torture of devouring a sandwich? Heck, no! I pretty much saw that one coming. Still, I love the color and I'm very happy with my purchase (the profits go directly to the MAC AIDS Fund. I'm a sucker for a good cause!). I'll definitely pick up the Cyndi version next time I'm at MAC. Actually, I'm buying backups of the lipsticks and glosses. They're only available until February or March 2011, I believe.

VG Gaga lipstick on top, VG Gaga lipglass on the bottom

Lip swatch of VG Gaga lipstick AND lipglass.

By the way, my favorite way to wear this so far is on its own! I just dab it on my lips lightly, with my finger. The result is a subtle pink that's much more wearable for every day. I like to pair this color with a blush like Hang Loose (LE, from In the Groove) or Summer Rose beauty powder (also LE).

Birthday Goodies

So, I turned 22 this past Saturday, the 7th, and I had a very nice birthday with my boyfriend and daughter. Dinner, Netflix, a day of total relaxation -- just what I wanted / needed! I even got a few goodies that I've had on my wishlist for a while. Sorry I didn't post this sooner, but my daughter hasn't been feeling well since yesterday but she's napping now. Anyway, there's just a couple of things, so I'll do my best to keep this short and sweet =)

MAC 239 Brush

I like getting the MAC pamphlets in the mail =)

I feel like there are certain brushes that you just need to have duplicates of. For me, this includes the 239, 266, 168, and I'm sure there's another one that I can't think of at the moment...

NARS Angelika Blush

I had the most difficult time trying to capture the true color of this blush. Angelika is a cool blue-pink cotton candy color that looks very intense in the pan. This was the best I could get it, but the true color is more intense looking than this. 

Again, the true color is more intense. This is a very pigmented blush, so you have to be careful not to apply too much. Sometimes, I like to buff it out with a kabuki brush so it looks more subtle. Also, keep in mind that it doesn't look glittery on the skin!

NARS Lip Gloss in Dolce Vita & Striptease

I got these lip glosses using the code "TEMPTALIA" on narscosmetics.com (expires 8/15). The offer was originally for three individual mini lip glosses, but now they're offering the duo. I knew I'd love Dolce Vita but I was pleasantly surprised that I ended up loving Striptease too. On its own, I could never pull off Striptease because these kinds of neutrals wash me out, big time. When I dab it on my lips over a lipstick, like MAC Lazy Day (LE), I just really love the muted effect it offers. Both colors are beautiful! Also, there's free shipping on any order over $25 using the code, "25FREESHIP".... which almost everything is $25+ so it shouldn't be hard to become eligible (lol).

On a side note, I know a lot of people don't like NARS lip glosses because of the "smell". I'd like to add that I think the smell is so faint, it's dismissable. Then again, when I like something enough, I never let those things offend me.

China Glaze: Ruby Pumps

This color is gorgeous. So unbelievably gorgeous. I haven't tried it out yet, but I'll take pictures when I do.

Last, but certainly not least......

The NAKED PALETTE!

I purchased this online from Ulta last Monday and just got it two days ago. In my opinion, this truly lives up to the hype. The colors are gorgeous. I love neutrals of almost any kind. This palette is fun, the colors are gorgeous, and the possibilities are endless. I'm going to dedicate a whole post to this palette when I get to try out more looks with it and I'll post them. I'll also include swatches in the post as well. I was going to do it today, but my boyfriend and a bunch of guys are framing out an addition to our house so I would've felt a little silly walking around with my camera and an arm full of eye shadow. I did swatch the liners though!

Whiskey on top, Zero on the bottom

Isn't it GORGEOUS?!