Review | MAC Angel Lipstick

As spring is settling in, I've been wearing brighter lipsticks, and sadly putting away the darker shades (which is unfortunate since I LOVE Darkside//MAC). I purchased MAC's Angel a couple of months ago (the haul is here), and I thought I'd put in my two cents about it.

The MAC website accurately describes this as a "soft pink", and the finish is a frost. The description sounds perfect and the lipstick looks gorgeous in the tube. There's so much hype over this product, and it's also one of MAC's best selling lipsticks. 

The color is absolutely beautiful. It's not too cool or too warm, so it goes with most skin tones. 

 I'm not a big fan of the finish and the formula though. The product sits rather messily on my lips. It seems to accentuate and sink into fine lines, as well as cling to all the wrong parts if the lips aren't completely exfoliated. I also have rather pigmented lips, and the color doesn't always mix well (though this can be fixed by putting concealer over the lips first). Some days I love this, and other days I don't. Lately it's been leaning towards don't. It takes much too much effort to make it look nice on.

 Angel swatches so beautifully on the hand, just not so much on the lips. I don't find that the formula lasts that long either. The longer I keep it on my lips, the messier it seems to look. Maybe I just got a bad tube? Have you tried this lipstick? what do you think?

I have found that MAC Angel looks absolutely stunning layered over NARS Dolce Vita lipstick. I wouldn't go out and buy both, but if you have it, give it a try! If the finish were a cremesheen or even a satin, I'd probably like that better. I know that Angel comes in a lipgloss, so perhaps the formula of that looks a lot better on the lips. I really wanted to like this lipstick! Oh well.

Light, medium, and heavy swatches (top to bottom)

Repurchase: No

Haul | MAC, Lush, Ulta

I'm so excited that this week is spring break. It'll be nice to have some time to myself and cross a bunch of things off the checklist. After work today, I ran errands and picked up a few necessaries (ignore my excitement about the gummy vitamins! I hate taking daily vitamins, hoping these will be easier) - while I was out, I found a few fun things as well.

Marc Anthony Instantly Thick

My favorite shampoo from years ago was one by Marc Anthony- it came in a pink bottle. I don't remember exactly what it was, but I LOVED everything about it. It smelled great, made my hair look fantastic, and was pretty inexpensive. I think they've discontinued it though, I can't find it anywhere! Ulta was having a buy one get one half off sale, so I figured I'd try this one. (It took all my efforts not to buy cartloads of drugstore make up too, as much of those were buy one get one half off as well)

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

Just a repurchase of my favorite mask! It's minty, green, and cheap ($4!) and the bottle is 8oz- it'll last forever. It's great for oily, acne prone skin, and is not irritating. I wouldn't recommend this if you have dry skin though.

Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub

I've heard so many good things about this lip scrub. It's taken me a while to shell out the $10 for this, but hopefully it'll be worth it. I've been using the lip scrub from the Body Shop, but it wasn't doing it for me. It was so soft it would break, and didn't properly exfoliate either. High hopes for Sweet Lips! It smells amazing.

MAC Brush Cleanser

Fix +

I strolled into MAC to pick up a bottle of brush cleanser, and tossed in a travel sized Fix+. I've never tried this make up setting spray, so we'll see how it goes. I also wanted to get the Woodwinked eyeshadow, but it wasn't on display. I took it as a sign that it wasn't meant to be. siiiigh.

Ponds Luminous Clean

I've always been a huge fan of Ponds. The line was introduced to me by my mom, who always had a tub of the cold cream on her vanity. I came across the new Luminous Clean line and picked up two items. The Cream Cleanser "draws out trapped impurities and make up to brighten dull skin". I purchased the day lotion to replace the Ponds Clarant B3 I just ran out of. The Day lotion has SPF 15 and doesn't smell like sunscreen! Both products have a light rose scent. So far so good. The Luminous Clean line also includes an exfoliating cleanser and cleansing towelettes, all at super affordable prices of around $6.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

Elizabeth Arden is another favorite of my mom's, so I figured I'd give it a try. Upon sampling the product when I got home, It's an orange petroleum-ish cream that reminds me a bit of Vaseline and Aquaphor, except the Eight Hour Cream gets completely absorbed! So far, I'm not a fan of the scent, reminds me of cardboad. Hopefully I'll get over the scent, I've heard it's a wonderful product. 

Have you tried any of these products?

OOTD | Valentines, Outfit, Weekend

Happy (late) Valentine's Day, and I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. Although I spent Valentines doing physics homework (basically a super busy Thursday), the boyfriend brought by favorite flowers, an adorable card, and a gift in the mail the next day.

So I treated myself to a little something for Valentines. I can't talk rave about this scrub enough, "Rose Tea" from Sabon. I've gone through so many pots of these, but because they're $30 a pot, it's not something I purchase all the time. It leaves my skin soft like no other, without any residue. Many scrubs leave an oily residue on the skin, and this is the only scrub I've tried that doesn't. It smells delicious, and you don't need a ton to cover the entire body. I'll do a separate review on this one!

Getting dressed for Friday's festivities- on my way out to celebrate a birthday. I put the homework away, did my hair, and had a fabulous time.

Make up (although not so clear in the pictures- sorry!)

Foundation: bareMinerals

Powder: bareMinerals

Eyes: Carbon//MAC

Mascara: Covergirl Lashblast

Blush: Well Dressed//MAC

Highlight: Soft & Gentle//MAC

Lipstick: Cruising//NARS

Products used on hair:

 Hot tools 1.5 inch curling iron

Paul Mitchell Hot Of The Press heat protectant spray

Treseme Tres two hairspray

What I wore:

Tuxedo Blazer//Express

Silk blouse//Express

Leggings//J.Crew

Sunburst earrings//House of Harlow

BCBG clutch

Boots//Baker's (from years ago)

Haul | MAC and Drugstore

In lieu of a monthly favorites post for January, here are a few products I've purchased over the past month. Ever since I got into make up, I've been into higher-end products. Maybe I'm a bit of a snob about it, maybe I just fall for the gorgeous packaging. Lately I thought I would try to be more wallet-friendley and see what I can find at the drug store (besides the MAC products here!)

MAC products

Well Dressed/Powder Blush/Satin

I ended up returning Pink Swoon (the haul is here) the color was a bit too bright for my liking, it's not something I would wear every day. Well Dressed is gorgeous though! It can be built up or put on lightly for every day. Loving it so far!

Angel/Frost

I've heard such wonderful reviews about this lipstick, and I've been looking for a light pink. I picked up this one, as well as a drugstore pink!

Studio Finish Concealer

This is my absolute favorite concealer! It covers everything. I purchased one in NC20 for my lighter complexion in the winter (I've been using NC30 in the summer months). I noticed this little pot has gone up in price- to $18.50! I'm pretty sure it was $16 or $17 last year. It lasts forever though, a little goes a long way.

Drugstore

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind for dark circles

I'm hoping this is creamier, since the MAC concealer can be a bit drying for under the eyes. I got the "neutralizer" shade. There was a highlighting shade as well, but I'm not sure if that would be too bright or sparkly for under the eyes.

Covergirl Lash Blast

Just a repurchase. LOVE this mascara- it's perfect, and much less clumpy than the Lash Blast Luxe, which has glitter particles in it, making it a bit thicker than I like.

L'Oreal Magic Lumi

This is a light diffusing primer, I'm excited to try it out! The packaging is adorable. I've heard that this works really well as a highlighter too, so we'll see!

NYC Bronzer//Sunny

I was so excited that this was only $3! I've heard good things about this product as well. The packaging is really cheap though, I feel as though the "hinge" might break if I open and close the case too many times. The hinge is just folded plastic.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder//Light

I've run out of my Make Up For Ever HD powder, and this one is working really well so far! It's just as finely milled, which is fantastic. The packaging is a bit bulkier than I like since it comes with a sponge applicator at the bottom of the compact. 

Revlon Super Lustrous//Primrose (Creme)

This is a light, cool-toned pink. It's kind of similar to MAC Angel, but a bit brighter, and is a creme finish instead of a frost. 

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Color Lip Liner

Pure (pink) Innocent (nude)

I picked up two of these lip liners to use as lip color as well as liners. "Pure" is a watermelon pink color, and Innocent is nude (it's not as brown in person as it appears in the swatch down below). I haven't worn these yet, but from swatching them I can tell that they're really soft, so I'll need to be careful not to break them. They are twist up though - no wasting product :)

Left to right:

MAC Angel

Revlon Primrose

Rimmel Pure

Rimmel Innocent

What's your favorite drugstore make-up product?

Review | MAC Chatterbox Lipstick and OOTD

After a long first week of my last semester, I caught up with one of my best friends from school. I didn't have too much time to get ready, so a simple outfit with pink lipstick it was!

Foundation: BareMinerals Original (I'm giving this foundation a second try, I previously thought it broke me out. I hope it proves me wrong. You can read that post here). The foundation really does give the most wonderful glow.

Mascara: Covergirl Lashblast Original

Lipstick: MAC Chatterbox

MAC's lipstick in Chatterbox is a brightly hued and extremely pigmented yellow toned pink with an amplified finish. It's the perfect color if you want to go bright, but not "neon". This super creamy formula is really easy to apply, but it is easy to accidentally apply too much in one swipe as it is very soft. I didn't have an issue with it bleeding, but a lipliner may not be a bad idea!

The staying power is really good for being so creamy- most of it lasted through dinner! I will point out that once it wears off it leaves a "stained" effect on the lips. I wouldn't keep this as a "purse lipstick" since, again, it's really soft and would probably melt rather easily. Aside from that, it compliments simple make up well, and would go well with most skin tones. I can't wait to wear it more often in the spring and summer months!

And as for the outfit of the day,

Earrings: Tiffany

Coat: Guess

Leggings: J.Crew

Sweater: H&M

Boots: Bakers

Bag: Kate Spade (haul is here)

Review | MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation; An Almost Favorite

I picked up this foundation while I was out Christmas shopping back in December. We all have one of those "one for you, one for me" gift shopping sessions! I tried out this foundation for the first time a few years ago, and I remember that I really liked it but wasn't impressed with the staying power. But then again, that was a few years back, so I decided to give it another shot.

The packaging of the product is really nice- it comes in a velvety plastic tube that's super portable and fits into make-up bags nicely. The black cap twists off, and the product can be squeezed out of the tube onto a brush, sponge, or your skin. It's not a cheap foundation (but certainly not the most expensive either), at $30 for 40ml (1.3 fl oz)- but the tube will last you forever, as a little bit goes a very long way. The photos below show a tiny amount of product, and the same amount blended out.

Pros: The finish of this foundation is absolutely beautiful, and the coverage is medium but build-able. It gives a very natural looking, luminous finish- like your skin but perfect. It's easy to put on too much of this product because it's so easy to blend, but piling it on won't make it look cake-y either, which is good on those crappy skin days. I like to apply this with a foundation brush, but fingers work just as well! Of all the MAC foundations I've tried (studio fix, studio tech, mineralize, face&body), this is the foundation that looks closest to natural skin with a higher coverage.

Cons: This is not a product for oily skin. I have combination skin- I get a bit oily in my t-zone area and usually have to blot halfway throughout the day. My cheeks are pretty good, not oily or dry- just in the middle. That being said, I noticed that this foundation only lasts two or three hours on my t-zone. The foundation slips noticeably on my forehead, and rubs off around the sides of my nose! My cheeks look great all day though. I think this foundation would be fabulous for those who have normal to dry skin. It's definitely one of my favorite finishes in foundations, but unfortunately it doesn't always work well on my skin. Setting the foundation with a powder buys me a bit more time, but this isn't a foundation I would wear if I need my makeup to last all day. One more note, I'm not a fan of the scent of this foundation. It smells a bit like paint to me- it's not super strong, but enough for me to notice and not enjoy the smell.

Repurchase? No, sadly.

January Beauty Haul

Of course I couldn't go long without picking up a few things. I've taken advantage of the holidays and had a good time out shopping.

MAC 219

Perfect for precision shading and a smokey eye!

MAC 188

I think the sales lady talked me into this one, but it looks good. I was thinking I could use it for highlighting, but the woman mentioned that it's great for applying liquid foundation. I'll give it a try!

Real Techniques Face Brush

I've been wanting this brush for so long! I tried it out this morning, and I love it! Applies liquid foundation like a dream.

Sigma Dry n' Shape

I'm up for anything that keeps my brushes looking fantastic.

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss #14

An inexpensive drugstore find! I've been looking for the perfect nude lipstick (as always), and although this one comes off a bit thick and opaque, it does the job! 

Covergirl Lash Blast Luxe

I ran out of my regular Covergirl Lash Blast, and figured I'd change it up a little bit. The Luxe has shimmer, which I find, so far, to be a bit clumpy, but still volumizing. We'll see how it goes, but so far I prefer the original.

Urban Decay Naked Basics

I don't even wear eyeshadow much! But of course I couldn't resist.

MAC Pink Swoon

Light candy pink. I'm not sure it goes so well with my skintone- I need to find the receipt :-/

MAC Studio Sculpt NC25

This is one of those foundations that I want to love. It seems like it will last forever, and the finish is really pretty (dewy/natural). Excited to try it out!