Too obsessed?

Today wasn't a proud day for me. Not only did my plans for Saturday get cancelled, resulting in my downing my emotion in Krispy Kreme doughnuts, but I spent 20 minutes stalking and constantly refreshing the MAC website waiting for the RiRi loves summer collection to go live then waiting for the stock check or whatever that waiting page was for.

What I ordered, I seem to be one of few who managed to get Heaux.

I really don't know why though! I don't like 'RiRi' and the colours aren't exactly unique.
The only reason I can think of is that I knew there were MAC lipsticks coming out, their lipsticks are my downfall. I love them so much. I managed to resist one of them, RiRi boy, but I did order the lustre drops and the quad to move some of my current eyeshadows into for my holiday (they're the only holiday makeup bits i'm buying). 

I'm justifying the purchase of these with the fact that I've sold five of my blushes on Ebay in the last two weeks, selling five things to replace them with three is fine right? I mean it is less over all and the lustre drops don't take up much space.

But ultimately what today means is that this launch was the first big event of my summer, which leads me to wonder - How obsessed is too obsessed?

Clearly spending a good 20-30 minutes watching a website isn't normal for most people but that's what we do when we're passionate about some thing, isn't it? People camp out in the freezing rain for book releases, film premiers and hell even a new mobile phone despite having one that works perfectly fine and is a model some people would kill for.

Why? Frankly the only sensible answer is because we're crazy. There is no other real reason just pure insanity, it's the same reason I own 8 different shades of purple nail varnish and half a dozen body butters that I never use. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to watching my Johnathan Creek boxset and eating my next doughnut.

MAC Circa Plum Pigment

I love MAC pigments at the minute, I'm using them near daily, but this one seems to be getting a little neglected. Circa Plum is a nice almost grey-mauve colour with shimmer and a almost a little copper in it.

MAC Circa Plum pigment

MAC Circa Plum Pigment (dry, no base.)

I brought mine with the Lulu Guinness collection that came out a while ago. I can't find it on the MAC website but I've seen it recently in Estee Lauder outlets.

MAC Bloodline pigment

I spent months looking for this pigment, it was a limited edition that came out with a collection a while ago (Felines something or other).

MAC Bloodline pigment

MAC bloodline pigment left-wet right-dry, no bases.

I don't think the swatches above do it justice, despite my best efforts the purple edge this has to it just won't show up, that being said the swatches still look pretty good. It looks great wet (just run your eyeshadow brush under the cold tap and gently place it into the pigment).

As much as I've been loving pigments recently this has been the trickiest MAC pigment to try and wear really it's too dark and matte to wear as a mono eyshadow, so I've been using it wet as an eyeliner.

I've get to brave a pigment dark smokey eye but I'm planning to do so soon so I should hopefully have a EOTD post on this soon.

MAC Teal Pigment

This was the first MAC pigment I ever brought, I got it in a Tartan Tale gift set from Estee Lauders Portsmouth outlet since my getting into MAC was just after this collection was released.

MAC Teal pigment

MAC Teal pigment (dry, without a base).

I really like to wear this colour with a matte black or matte grey crease, the shimmer in this makes for a nice contrast.

Teal is permanent and can be brought from just about anywhere that sells MAC or from their website.

MAC Syrup

MAC do some of the best lipsticks around and I love their lustre finish ones, Syrup is no exception.

It's a lovely my lips but better colour without being the your typical nude or pink.

MAC Syrup - Lustre finish.

It's got a bit of pink to it that give it that almost natural blood-flush, like natural blushing.

Wear time is about 2 hours, typical of a lustre.

MAC Pro palette #1 'Naturals'

I have two MAC pro palettes, I've collected the colours one or two at a time over the last 2 or so years and for that time they're really the only eyeshadows I've brought and most of them have been purchased at Estee Lauder outlets rather than in MAC stores/counters. I know some people are fanatical about use by dates and usage lengths and they might say an eyeshadow only has a life of 2 years but frankly my face is always clean before I apply makeup and only really I use my makeup so they don't bother me much. 

Anyway on to the pretties.

1st row;  Shroom, Brule, Omega, Copperplate and Scene

2nd row; Night manoveres LE, Espresso, Satin Taupe, Shale, Trax

3rd row; Surf baby LE, Silverthorne (LE I think), Knightdivine, Jest, Carbon

Left to right; Shroom - Basically NC10 with shimmer, Brule - Matte NC10
Omaga - Matte mid brown, Copperplate - Matte brown-grey, Scene - Matte grey

Left to right; Night Manoveres - Matte dark brown, Espresso - does what it says,

Satin taupe - Shimmery mid-dark brown with slight red undertone, Shale - Shimmer grey with lilac,
Trax - Purple/red with copper glitter

Left to right; Surf baby - Perfect grey with slight shimmer, Silverthorne - Silver shimmer with blue and gold tones, Knightdivine - Grey/gunmetal shimmer, Jest - Apricot shimmer, Carbon - Matte black

MAC Lovelorn

I love MAC lipsticks, they're lovely and when you line them up they look like soldiers with black helmets.

Lovelorn is a nice colour, its not too bright but it still has that feel of barbie pink to it.

MAC lovelorn - Lustre finish

Wear time is only a few hours, the norm with most Lustre finishes.

The colour comes out a little lighter on lips than it looks it the tube. It's a Lustre but it's got a little cream finish to it.

On the odd occasion I wear false eyelashes pair this with them to balance out the heaviness of the lashes without looking too over done.

Rimmel 'by Kate' 107 comparison swatches

This is one of few highstreet lipsticks that have caught my eye in years, generally the formula's are disagreeable. This one is a nice purple-red colour, pigmented, satin finish though best avoided if you've got dry lips.

These Lasting finish lipsticks are posted every where at the minute so since I own a few purple shades I thought I would compare them in this post rather just swatch the one shade.

Left to right; YSL glossy stain #22 Prune Minimal, Rimmel Kate 107, 

MAC Media, MAC rebel, MAC Amorous

Left to right; MAC Amorous, MAC Rebel, MAC Media,

Rimmel 107, YSL #22 Prune Minimal.

Of all of these I like my YSL #22 and my MAC Media most, I'd describe them and the rest but the pictures speak for themselves really.

My Media is a sample from thebodyneeds2.com (if you're in the UK keep your order value, before shipping , to £15 or less and you won't pay duty or have it held up by customs). 

MAC Aurora Pigment

I've recently really taken a liking to pigments and loose eyeshadows and Aurora is the one I've been reaching for most.

MAC's Aurora Pigment

MAC's Aurora pigment

I love this colour, it's a combination of gold and a tan shade but perfectly wearable. I've been adding a hint or green eyeliner or matte purple smudged along above my top lashes for a quick hint of colour before collage in the mornings (I have to catch an 8am train 3 days a week, I have no time in the mornings but if I don't bother with makeup I look like death's rather grumpy minion).

Aurora isn't listed on MAC's UK site at the minute, I brought mine from the Estee Lauder outlet in Bicester/Oxford.

MAC Coral Bliss

It's no surprise by now that I love MAC lipsticks, they make up the majority of the lip products I own.

I brought Coral bliss hoping it would be similar to MAC's ever hip, it's a similar finish but they're not really close enough for a dupe. However it's still a nice peach/coral/orange coloured creamsheen.

MAC Coral Bliss

MAC Coral Bliss applied lightly.

If you try to build up high cover with this it clings to every bit of dryness and looks awful and moves around your mouth, you end up looking how the joker would if he'd gone off red.

Wear time, when you go lightly, is about 2-3 hours.

Haul - MAC, The body shop and Urban Decay

I did a little shopping today, okay more than a little, and picked up a few makeup and body bits.
These are the first things i've brought in weeks, since I've been trying to use up items that I've barely touched
(I also went through all my nail varnishes working out which ones i'd used in the last 2 months then made myself try out all the others, as a result of which 3 were thrown out because they were awful).

MAC Prep + prime skin base visage, Creamsheen lipstick in CrossWires and Satin blush in Cubic.

Crosswires is a lovely red with pink and blue undertones. I'm planning a post with swatches of all my MAC lipsticks so a swatch will follow (as will a review on the skin base once i've used it a few times).
Cubic is what I was hoping for from Benefits Dallas, a muted pink-brown that isn't too harsh on pale skin like a typical bronzer.

I'd like to spend a moment just enjoying how pretty the box of this is, it has glitter!
My Porefessional was an item i've finished so I was in need of a new one and having ruled out all the ones in Boots and Superdrug as too thick and decided Porefessional just isn't for me I settled on this (shortly after I knocked a half full MAC palette off the counter breaking two of the eyeshadows, I was so embaressed).

Urban Decay Skyscaper Mascara
My mini Benefit Bad Gal had began disappointing me and i'm now hunting something that gives me proper curl and volume.

Body shop Pink Grapefruit shower gel, Wild rose hand cream, Strawberry scented hand sanitizer and Japanese cherry blossom body mist.

I've nearly finished my current shower gel (a little 100ml bottle of Lush's Happy Hippy) and I don't think i'll be repurchasing so a new shower gel would have been needed probably by the end of next week anyway.
The hand cream smells lovely so this and the hand sanitizer have been earmarked for school use.
The body mist is lovely, very cherry-ish but not overpowering.

MAC On Hold lipstick

I was fairly restrained in Brighton last weekend, I only brought two things in MAC (not including the lipstick I traded in empties for).
 

Its a blue-orange based red with a little shimmer to it (the shimmer is more luster than frost, spread out and not chunky). It can look a little pink depending on the lighting.
Its a really wearable colour because its slightly sheerer than most reds and I can see this suiting anyone.
If you're a little hesitant of red lipstick I'd check this one out, I'd say its a fairly fool proof colour.
On hold is a creamsheen, I thought it was luster until I started writing this because its more luster than creamy, and wear time wise it  lasts 3 or 4 hours.

Current favorites #1 - lipsticks

Yesterday I started posting again after a few months of nothing so i'm doing a few favorites posts just to be sure my blogs caught up.
I'm starting with lipsticks with nail varnishes, eyeshadows, blushes and my usual everyday makeup to follow. 

Left to right; MAC Hold on, MAC Lovelorn, MAC Fanfare and Nars Happy Days.
Taken in natural dull light.
The swatches look pretty much true to colour on my screen so I wont describe their individual colours.

MACs - Hold on and Fanfare are creamsheen and last about 4 hours, Lovelorn is Luster and lasts about 3 hours.
Nars - This is a Velvet gloss lip pencil, its sheer and lovely (I usually layer a little of Fanfare over it for some added colour). Wear time is only about 1-2 hours. Review to follow on this one I think. 

MAC Fanfare lipstick

At the weekend I went to Brighton with my mother for two nights and I headed straight for the MAC store, I had empties to trade in and this was the lipstick I picked. 

Fanfare is a creamsheen finish, I prefer luster usually but this is such a pretty colour.
Its pink but borderline nude which makes it subtle but still gives you a bit of colour.
It reminds me a bit off a more pigmented version 17's Beehive lipstick (beehive and I had a disagreement after it melted so I'm not buying that particular lipstick again). 

Wear time is about 3-4 hours, less if you eat or drink obviously, not too bad as lipsticks go.
Creamsheens do tend to last longer than the luster finishes which I hold so dear. 

Dupe - OCC Grandma Vs. MAC Vegas Volt

I love dupes for products, even more so when the dupe is much cheaper, not such a lover of them when I'm the one whose brought a dupe without knowing its a dupe.

Left - OCC liptar in Grandma
Right - MAC lipstick in Vegas Volt

(natural light)

OCC Grandma - MAC Vegas Volt

I took these photographs yesterday and when I came to labeling them tonight I had to study them close to work out which was which.

There is no difference between the two, both are bright and bold peach/orange.
The OCC liptar lasts much longer, about 4 hours if undisturbed, where as the MAC lasts 2-3 hours if undisturbed.

The MAC as the typical marshmellow smell and the OCC has their peppermint oil smell, neither are noticeable once their on.
I can also see the liptar lasting much longer with .33 onces against MAC's 0.1 onces, more than three times the product and you really only need a small amount of the liptar.

OCC - £9.50 

MAC - £13.50

MAC Lightscapade - swatches.. kinda

I've been lusting after Lightscapade for months, since I saw it being re-released with their new Reel Sexy collection.

When I saw they'd gone up on the MAC website early, the collections are usually released on the first Thursday of the month but it was up on Monday afternoon, I ordered it right away (along with the Rebel nail varnish, how am I to resist a purple?... plus it gave me free delivery.)

Anyway, onto the swatches.

MAC Lightscapade on my arm... really its there, honest.

Lightscapade heavily applied.. and I mean heavily. 

You can see some shimmer right?

As it turns out Lightscapade is basically a sheer, shimmery foundation on my skin.

I'd like to say this now, I have never found a highlight that was an exact skin tone match for me. I'm pale as hell and every highlight looks like its basically either like a bronzer or pure white with some glitter on me.

The first picture is my attempt at packing on the product with my usual blush brush (Sigma F84) the second is my attempt at making it show up with my fingers, i figured i'd pick up more product like that... turns out it makes very little difference.
Such a shame, I can see this looking pretty on anyone (and actually showing up on anyone) with darker than NC/NW15 skin. I can barely wear MAC foundations or concealers and that's in the middle of summer or after at least a week of sunny weather. Though I do love the coverage of my NW15 ProLongwear concealer, though if its not been sunny I have to make sure I wear at least a medium coverage foundation over it to cover the darkness.

I have basically brought a fairly expensive product I can think of no use for, I can't even apply it and get a slight glow like I thought I might. I had to layer it up to make any sort of difference. I just ended up looking like Edward Cullen, beyond pale and glittery. 

And its not even like I try to keep my skin this pale, I know its naughty of me but I've not used sunscreen for over 2 years. This is me with a tan.

Damn you paleness!

MAC - Bombshell lipstick

I traded this is as back2mac, the woman seemed surprised I choose one so quickly but I love this colour.

MAC Bombshell 

I love pink lipsticks but they all seem to be too pastel barbie-ish, this one has the barbie feel but its nice and wearable. 

Its quite a buildable colour, over lipblam it adds a little colour, a light layer on it own looks subtle and a bit more layering of it will give you a really bold look. Its a colour I can see suiting most people.

MAC pigments - my little collection

I don't have many pigments, or loose powders in general, because their fiddly to apply.

I know swatches can be useful, google image search is a godsend when it comes to buying makeup online, so I figure I'll post the few I do own.

Left to right - Teal, Circa Plum, Bloodline.

Left to right (wet, dry heavy, dry light) - Bloodline, Circa Plum and Teal.

Bloodline - Matt black base with a very light hint of purple, red and bronze shimmer to it, I was hoping it was going to be more bronze-red as a base colour so I was slightly disappointed with it.

Circa Plum - A really nice shimmery plum with a hint of silver and bronze. It looks far more of a bright purple when its used wet.

Teal - More green than teal, metallic and some shimmer the same colour as the metallic base.

I've got loads more swatch posts lined up, four to be exact, I'm about to schedule them for the next four days so quite a few posts in a short space of time.

Latest MAC Skinfinish purchases

I think i've developed a new love, MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes. Their just so lovely.
Sadly because Skinfinishes are limited edition its quite an expensive love, plus their MAC so bound to be a bit pricey.

In the last week or so i've brought two more (Ebay of course) and I really like them.

Top - Light Flush

Bottom - Pink Porcelain 

Close up of Pink Porcelain
(Its so pretty.)

Light flush is a colour I can actually use as a bronzer, its shimmery but its not too muddy.

Pink Porcelain is light enough for me to actually use a highlight, I'm amazed by this because i've yet to find a blush light enough for a highlight they've had to be very very sheer to look okay and light enough on me.

I can't wait for Lightscapade next month. I plan to go get one first thing on the day its released.
I'd order it online from them but i've ordered twice from MAC and they've lost my order between packaging and Yodel both times. Since its limited edition i'm not willing to risk them not having spare to send me when its a week late and I ring to chase it (Luckily my other two orders were still in stock).

MAC Petticoat vs NYC Chroma Moonstone

MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes are sought after and limited edition ones can sell for three times their RRP.

Petticoat is a lovely vained colour in the pan and on the skin its a lovely plum-copper colour with a golden shine but its such a difficult colour to wear I think any one with skin lighter than a MAC NC/NW40 would struggle to wear it, I never stood a chance with my NC15 skintone but I was hopeful so picked it up from a blogsale... I was right, it doesn't suit me, but I don't regret buying it.

So after seeing posts and swatches online comparing the discontinued NYC Chroma faceglow in Moonstone I knew I had to get my hands on it.

Left - MAC Petticoat

Right - NYC Moonstone

Top - NYC Moonstone

Bottom - MAC Petticoat

You can see their similar, the main difference is the lack of copper in it as well the less lower pigmentation which is this case I don't think is a bad thing. 

If I apply Petticoat in an incrediably sheer way I can make it look decent on me but this is tricky and i've only managed to be this light handed twice, most of the time i just end up looking like i've been smacked in the face and bruised slightly metallic.

With Moonstone I can get the look of Sheer Petticoat with out the difficulty.

Really their both lovey, Moonstones great for lighter skin and Petticoat for darker.

Petticoat was Limited edition and Moonstone is discontinued but you can find both online (I got mine Moonstone from Ebay), Petticoat for around £30 and Moonstone for £2.20- £4.50 - making moonstone much cheaper.