mac

Life and Cheeks Are Sweeter With Fresh Honey: MAC, Naturally Mineralize Blush in Fresh Honey

January 21st, 2012 by Karen 13 Comments

If I were to swipe MAC’s $22 Mineralize Blush in Fresh Honey on the back of my hand while standing next to Ryan Gosling at a MAC counter, where he’d be getting replacement pads for his eyelash curler, the part of my brain still paying attention to the swatch would think, “Now that’s a pretty matte.”

(The rest of me would be plotting ways to get Ryan to remove his shirt.)

One of three blushes in the MAC, Naturally collection, Fresh Honey appeared to have a matte finish the first time I saw it on my hand, but when I got it on my cheeks, I saw that it actually has a very soft sheen.

Back at the MAC counter with Ryan… 🙂

After applying two layers of Fresh Honey on my cheeks, I’d turn to Ryan, smile, bat my lashes and say, “Would you like to see a picture of my cat?” Then, since this is my fantasy, he’d be so smitten and charmed by both Tabs and my fresh, healthy-looking cheeks, that he would immediately call Eva Mendez and break up (sorry, girl!).

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Who Makes the Mineralize Skinfinishes in Blonde and Redhead? It’s MAC, Naturally

January 20th, 2012 by Karen 17 Comments

Based on the both of the Mineralize Skinfinish powders released with the 21-piece MAC, Naturally collection, Blondes AND Redheads have more fun.

MAC Naturally Mineralize Skinfinishes And that’s good news for brunettes! Blonde and Redhead ($28 each) are my favorite pieces from the collection, which launched a few weeks back, and I mustn’t be their only fan. Both powders are currently sold out on the MAC website, but you should be able to track them down in stores and on counters (and online at nordstrom.com).

Elder MAC mavens might remember both shades from 2009’s Brunette Blonde Redhead (GREAT collection!). MAC moppets seeing these striped beauties for the first time are in for a treat.

To say the MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes have a cult following is like saying Tabs likes gravy (a BIG understatement). Many MAC fans, myself included, look forward to these powdered pretties and stalk our local makeup counters on the dates of their release, and it’s not uncommon for the limited edition ones like Blonde and Redhead to sell out early.

So, what makes ’em so special? Darned if I know — but it must be something magic. They’re powders that can be used as highlighters, blushes and also as powders for the entire face, and they’re softer than a tabby’s tum and give a glow like whoa to the skin. 🙂

Blonde (a soft pink to rose gradient) and Redhead (a gold to salmon gradient) also show the MSFs at their best. They deposit intense pigments with nearly blinding shimmer that I think makes them marvelous for, among other things, bold, highlighted cheeks.

Swatches of Blonde (left) and Redhead (right)

Wearing Redhead on my cheeks
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It’s Comeback Time: MAC Metal-X Pics and Swatches on My NC42 Skin

January 15th, 2012 by Karen 18 Comments

mac metal x

Sometimes I wish I had more eyes, like a Beholder from Dungeons & Dragons or Argos from the Greek myth. Then I could use my peripheral vision to catch Tabs trying to sneak up on me from behind, and I could simultaneously wear more than one of the nine new MAC Metal-X Cream Shadows ($20 each), although that would probably result in some very scary looks and time consuming faces of the day.

Do you remember the Metal-Xs from 2008? Gosh, that seems like so long ago… Anywho, there was a shade called Gilded Ash that I fell in love with then, so I was pretty stoked to hear about these nine new shades.

MAC changed the design on the pans and upped the price from $16.50 to $20. My meager eyes and I plan to spend more time with these next week and will let you know how we think they stack up against the older versions. For now, here are pics and swatches on my NC42 skin.

mac cyber
Cyber

mac virgin silver
Virgin Silver
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Metal Heads

January 13th, 2012 by Karen 1 Comment

The MAC Metal-X Eyeshadows ($20 each). Swatches and review coming soon. 🙂

MAC Unsung Heroes: Uniform Technakohl Liner

January 10th, 2012 by Karen 28 Comments

MAC Uniform Technakohl Liner

The day’s barely half over, and I’m already on my fifth cup of Pukka Love Tea.

I kid you not, it’s been one of those days… I’m fussy, can’t seem to focus and haven’t showered since last night, so my scalp has enough grease in it to fry a dozen eggs. Plus, I feel like a sausage today (even in my stretchy pants!), and to top everything off, Tabs has been treating me like a pariah.

Yup, one of those days…

I feel like just hitting my head against my desk, but I wonder, “What would Tim Gunn do?”

Ah, of course. That’s right. Tim would “make it work,” so I’ll try to do the same, and I have, hence the five cups of tea.

To make it official, though, I think I should put it in print, so here goes: “By the time I reach the bottom of this mug, I will be filled with lurve.”

LURVE!

On the plus side, at least I’m not possessed by a demon (yay!), I have all of my toes, and I don’t have serial killer eyes. Three very good things, and today I owe that last one to MAC Uniform Technakohl ($15).

A khaki eyeliner with golden shimmer, it fits my mood a lot of the time when other shades don’t. Understated. Not as flashy as black nor as blah as brown, it makes me feel classier when I swipe it along my lash and water lines.

How else could I describe it? Well, if a liner were able to capture Jennifer Aniston’s fashion sense, I think that liner would be Uniform.
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Bits and Bobs from MAC Iris Apfel

January 10th, 2012 by Karen 10 Comments

Pics and swatches of three items from the MAC Iris Apfel collection, available now at MAC stores and online.

Clockwise from the lipstick: Matte Lipstick in Pink Pigeon ($14.50), Beauty Powder in Too Chic ($23) and Eye Shadow in Diamond Dove ($15).

Swatches form the left: Diamond Dove, Too Chic and Pink Pigeon

MAC, Naturally: A Few Pics and Swatches

January 10th, 2012 by Karen 8 Comments

Pics and swatches of a few pieces from the MAC, Naturally collection. Available now at MAC stores, counters and also online.

Clockwise from the peach blush on the lower left: Mineralize Blush in Fresh Honey ($22), Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde ($28), Mineralize Eye Shadow in Into the Sun ($20), Mineralize Eyeshadow in Twilight Fast ($20) and Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead ($28).

Swatches from the left: Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde, Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead, Mineralize Blush in Fresh Honey, Mineralize Eye Shadow in Into the Sun and Mineralize Eyeshadow in Twilight Fast

A Veggie Burger, Fries and Vanilla Shake Face of the Day

December 26th, 2011 by Karen 30 Comments

Since all I really had to do today was eat, I decided not to go all out with my makeup. I went with a mostly neutral look using products from NARS, MAC, Buxom, Tarte, Boots, Hourglass, Urban Decay and Madina Milano.

I guess I’d describe this as neutral with a side of sparkle… I think the eyes are probably sparklier in person than they might appear here because the sparkles from NARS Eyeshadow in Night Star are shy in front of the camera.

They are there, though, doing their sparkly thing.

I wore this out to lunch with the fam today to a local Redding institution, a great little burger joint here called Damburger, which has been around since 1938! El Hub has a relative who’s been getting burgers there since about 1946.

I opted for the vegetarian menu and the chipotle black bean veggie burger, fries and a vanilla shake. The veggie burger had tons of flavor, and I loved the texture. It wasn’t gummy or dry (like how some veggie burgers are), and was made with corn, rice, beans and some very yummy spices.

Delish!

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