Review and Photos: Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Hazelnut

Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Hazelnut.

Do you ever find such a great deal on something you like that you feel like you're cheating? That's my story with Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Hazelnut. 

Maybe the words "Mary Kay" conjures up mental images of your mother—the brand has been around for awhile. But don't write it off—I tried a few of their shadows a number of years ago, and they were solid. Hazelnut is a recent re-purchase, and I highly recommend you try it. 

Hazelnut is a warm, matte medium brown eyeshadow with a matte finish. The texture is incredibly soft and velvety, and it blends like a dream. It's a fantastic neutral to sweep over the lid and into the crease when you're in a hurry, but I'm also looking forward to pairing it with something more colourful—like a deep purple.

Pigmentation is about medium. It's easy to build to opaque colour. It also lasts all day over MAC's Paint Pot without fading or creasing, and I don't experience any fallout. In essence, quality-wise, it's easily as good as one of MAC's better shadows—at a third of the price. It's only $6.50!

The pan is smaller than a MAC shadow, but it must be a little deeper, because the weight difference is miniscule. A Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color is 1.4 grams, while a MAC shadow is 1.5 grams.

The big difference is the packaging: While MAC shadows come housed in black pots, Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color comes only in the pan. You could keep the pan in the plastic packaging it comes in, or you could put it in a palette. I added a piece of adhesive magnet to the bottom of mine and put it in a MAC palette. 

Have a look:

MAC Mulch eyeshadow (left) next to Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Hazelnut (right) for size comparison.

Swatch of Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Hazelnut.

Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color In Hazelnut applied over MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.

Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Hazelnut, applied all over the lid. I'm also wearing MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, Benefit They're Real! Mascara, and Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara.

Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Hazelnut.

Would I repurchase? Yes, I would. If the quality of this eyeshadow is an indicator of the rest of MK's current shadows, I'll be trying other colours as well. 

Rating: Four and a half stars out of five for the lack of packaging. 

Available: MaryKay.ca or at a Mary Kay party, if you know a consultant. I got mine on eBay for a very reasonable price. 

Have you ever tried a Mary Kay product? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

My Favourite Things, volume 2

My favourite things, volume 2! Clockwise, from top left: Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation in 20, MAC eyeshadow in Warming Trend (LE), MAC eyeshadow in Glimpse of Flesh (LE), MAC Sculpting Powder in Sculpt (PRO), and Sephora Pro Airbrush Concealer Brush #57. 

Time for another favourite things post! I love these.

Today I'll do mini-reviews of five items that have become Old Faithfuls—five things I'd really rather not be without. I'll try not to think about the fact that two are limited edition. Nope. Denial is good. 

Make Up For Ever's Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation. 

1) Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation ($40)

My colour is 20 - Ivory, which, according to Temptalia's foundation matrix, is roughly equivalent to MAC NW20. (Sometimes I'm NW20—for example, with Studio Finish Concealer—and sometimes NW20 is too dark). As a fair woman with fairly neutral skin, it's tough finding a colour that doesn't make me look like an Oompa-Loompa. This colour is perfect—not too yellow, not too orange.

I quite like the formula—it's creamy and easy to apply and blend. I find the time it takes to set is just right—I have plenty of time to apply, blend, and buff, and when I'm done, the finish isn't tacky. I stipple it on with the Real Techniques stippling brush (now available at London Drugs in Canada—woo!) and blend a little. I find the brush isn't dense enough to get rid of all the streaks and really buff the product into the skin, so I finish with a Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Flat Top Multipurpose Brush. Together, they still cost less than a MAC foundation brush—ha!

It keeps skin quite matte (it is called Mat Velvet +, after all), so if you have normal or dry-ish skin, you could get away without a powder—the finish would look quite natural. I have normal to combination skin—my nose gets shiny—so I powder with a Kabuki brush, and I find I need a slight touch-up with some pressed powder after five or six hours.

I'd call the coverage medium—but you could definitely apply less for sheerer coverage and build it fore more coverage.

Here's a really quick look:

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation (20) dotted onto the back of my hand. It's hard to tell, but it's not at all watery—it's creamy. 

Here it is blended just a little. (I know it looks a little light—my face is generally lighter than my hands!)

Make Up For Ever Met Velvet + Matifying Foundation in 20.

The packaging is great—it's plastic (durable) and opaque (the sun would damage the formula in a transparent bottle). It also allows me to squeeze exactly the right amount out of a small opening. I hate pumps—they waste product.

I've sampled other foundations, and none come close. Lancome's Teint Idole in Ivoire had great colour, lasted well, and looked amazing, but it was too expensive ($50 for 30 ml), the packaging was too fussy (glass), and, worst of all, it contained the Big Bad Alcohol. If you read Beautypedia, you know alcohol just isn't worth it.

MAC foundations are only slightly better—the formula, packaging, and price are superior, but the colours generally don't work for me, and the ones I've tried smell of paint. Yuck.

2) MAC eyeshadow in Warming Trend (LE—no longer available)

MAC eyeshadow in Warming Trend.

This limited-edition shadow is from an old collection called Cool Heat. I discovered it when I was searching for a dupe for my beloved Jaunty and bought it on eBay. I liked it so much I bought another after hitting pan! Worth the extra cash.

It's a Veluxe Pearl finish, which many say is one of MAC's better formulas. It's described as a light taupe, but I'd say it's a very light, gold-ish brown.

Here's a swatch:

MAC eyeshadow in Warming Trend, swatched. 

I love it for sweeping  over the lid when I'm in a hurry or blending out darker colours. It's beautiful. The texture is soft and buttery, and, applied over Paint Pot, it lasts all day without moving or creasing.

3) MAC eyeshadow in Glimpse of Flesh (LE—$18)

MAC eyeshadow in Glimpse of Flesh.

This colour is a recent, accidental discovery—and a lucky one. I had an appointment at the MAC Pro store on Robson to have my makeup done on the day of the Baking Beauties release, and the artist brought this out to blend with Eclair. It's part of the Pro-only Nudes and Metallics collection, and it sold out quickly—so I'm glad I nabbed this quickly. It's a beautiful, light pinky-peach nude with soft satin finish. It works swept over the lid for a work look, but so far, I prefer it blended into the crease with a darker brown shadow on the lid. It blends wonderfully (it's a Pro collection—it should!) and lasts all day. My only regret is that I didn't get my hands on any of the other colours from the collection. 

Here's a swatch:

MAC's Glimpse of Flesh, from the Nudes and Metallics collection.

4) MAC Sculpting Powder Pro Palette in Sculpt (PRO—$19.50)

This is cheekbones in a pan. It works far better than a bronzer, in my opinion—even a matte bronzer. There is, of course, no shimmer—that would defeat the purpose of contouring, which is to create the illusion of shadow. The colour is also right on—it's a cool brown colour (not warm, like most bronzers and blushers) that's nearly perfect for contouring my face. I apply it with a MAC 168 brush.

Here's a swatch:

MAC Sculpting Pro Pallette in Sculpt.

The texture is great, the lasting power is good, and the price is right—only $19.50 for 6 grams. There are only two catches: One, it comes only in a refill pan, so you need a magnetized pallette to store and protect it. Two, it's a Pro product, so you can buy it only online or at Pro stores. But it's worth the hunt. Trust me.

5) Sephora Pro Airbrush Concealer Brush #57 ($29)

Sephora Pro Airbrush Concealer Brush #57.

I discovered the wonders of buffing in my foundation with a soft, dense brush just a couple of years ago. It was life-changing. I took the leap with this brush figuring the same technology would work wonders under my eyes, where concealer is prone to creasing. 

This little beauty didn't disappoint.

It's wonderfully dense and soft, and I find it large enough to be efficient by covering a lot of area, but small enough to get into the nooks and crannies. It's fabulous for buffing concealer into the skin my eyes so that it covers, but looks natural and not cakey. I set the concealer with some powder, and I'm good for the day.

It comes with a brush protector, which is great for travel. The only downsides are the price and the length: It's a bit steep at $29, but I think it's worth it. No shedding and no bleeding, even with regular washing. The handle is also a bit long—but given I don't need to get too close to the mirror to buff concealer in, it doesn't bother me very much at all.

What do you think of this volume of My Favourite Things? Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

Review and Photos: MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Eclair

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Eclair from the Baking Beauties collection.

This little honey was totally worth waiting for. I picked it up on Thursday, mere hours after it had been released in-store. I've worn it twice, and I'm already feeling twinges of sadness about the fact that it's not part of MAC's permanent collection.

Yes, friends, MAC's new Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Eclair (part of their new Baking Beauties collection) is that delicious. I've been on the hunt for the perfect warm brown—and this might be it. I love it!

I usually use my finger for Paint Pots because I'm applying all over the eye, from lash line to brow. I wanted more precision with this colour, though, and so I patted it onto my eye with a flat, medium-sized eye brush and blended it in and around the crease with my MAC 217. It took some getting used to, but it worked well. The result was a creamy, nearly opaque warm brown with only a hint of the gold pearl you see in the pot. 

Any dupes, you ask? It reminds me of MAC's Mulch, a powder eyeshadow I love. I'd say the gold shimmer in Mulch is much more apparent on the lid than the gold pearl in Eclair. Additionally, the colours are a touch different—Eclair is richer and a little less orange than Mulch.

Like MAC's other Paint Pots, Eclair is housed in a heavy-ish glass jar with a black plastic lid. It's definitely sturdy: I'm the clumsiest person I know, and I've never damaged any of the four Paint Pots I own.

The good:

• Like all of the Paint Pots I've tried, the consistency is exquisite—it's creamy, and it goes on beautifully.
• Before it sets, it blends easily.
• After it sets, it doesn't budge. It wears all day on me without smudging or fading.
• Of course, as with any cream shadow, there's no fallout—always a bonus if you've just spent several minutes blending your undereye concealer to perfection!
• At $22 CAD, it's only a few dollars more than powder eyeshadows, but you get a huge amount of product. Five grams is a lot!
• The packaging, like all of MAC's Packaging, is classy, which is a plus (if you're into that sort of thing).

The not-so-good:

• It sets fast, which is part of what makes it wear so well—but it means you need to work quickly to blend it into place.
• It's limited edition. *sob*

My biggest concern? That it will lose some of its creamy consistency before I have a chance to use it up! I've come close to finishing only one of my Paint Pots, Bare Study, and the consistency has definitely changed a little in the couple of years I've had it. I'll plan to keep the lid screwed on tightly, store it upside-down (I've heard this helps, for whatever reason), and keep my fingers and toes crossed!

Ready for a look?

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Eclair, from the Baking Beauties collection. It's a lovely, warm coppery brown with some gold pearl.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Eclair. 

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Eclair. It comes in a sturdy glass jar, and you get five grams of product. 

I swatched MAC Eclair (Paint Pot) next to MAC Mulch (powder eyeshadow) for reference. Eclair is on top, and Mulch is on the bottom. 

I started with a base of Painterly (another Paint Pot from MAC) like I always do, then patted Eclair onto my eyelid, blending it a little in and around the crease. 

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Eclair applied to my eyelids. I finished the look off with some black liquid liner by Lise Watier (it's called Encre Noir) and Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black.

Here's the look with a little more oomph: After Eclair, I applied MAC Glimpse of Flesh (from the new PRO Nudes and Metallics collection—love) in the crease and under the lower lash line, a bit of Mary Kay Signature Eye Color in Currant Craze in the outer corner, and a touch of MAC Shale on the centre of the lid. 

Same look, different angle. What do you think? Would you wear Eclair? 

Would I repurchase? Totally! I love browns, so it may well become one of my favourite eye colours. I'm hoping beyond all hope that they'll keep re-releasing it!

Rating: Five stars out of five. 

Available: Maccosmetics.com, the Bay, and anywhere else MAC cosmetics are sold. 

Are you planning to try anything from MAC's new Baking Beauties collection? Let me know in the comments!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

Review and Photos: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.

This is one of the most used and most loved products in my makeup bag. I walked into MAC one day asking for eyeshadow primer, and the makeup artist introduced me to Paint Pots, telling my eyeshadow wouldn't budge all day. I'm so glad she did!

She introduced me to Bare Study. It was creamy, long-wearing, and easy to apply, and it did what it was supposed to do—keep my shadow in place all day. But I found a little pale on its own. I also found it lightened my eyeshadows just a tad. So, after reading rave reviews in the beauty blogging world about an alternative that was a little more nude and a lot more matte, I decided to give Painterly a try. 

Jackpot! (Heh, heh.)

Colour-wise, MAC's website describes Painterly as a nude beige (cream), which is bang-on. It's housed in a heavy-ish glass jar, with a black plastic lid you need to screw on tightly to keep the product from drying out. 

Have a look:

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly, from the underside. You can see the colour through the clear glass bottom.

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.

Painterly is even creamier than Bare Study, and it blends beautifully. It sets and dries quickly, and stays all day without creasing. It also makes my eyeshadow stay put. 

I find it creates the perfect blank canvas—my eyelids have some discolouration as you'll see in the photos below, and Painterly covers it completely. It's perfect under my eyeshadows, but on days when I'm in a hurry, I can pat it all over my lid, add some black eyeliner and mascara, and I'm good to go. 

I use my finger to apply it to my eyelid, though lots of people also use fluffy eye brushes to apply it. It's truly an HG product for me.

Here's what it looks like on:

Left: MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study. Right: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.

Left: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly applied to my eyelid. Right: Bare eyelid. As you can see, while Painterly is slightly darker and pinker than my skin in the pot, it virtually disappears into my NC/NW 15–20 skin.  

Would I repurchase? Absolutely without a doubt. It's a permanent fixture in my makeup bag. Fortunately, it lasts several months even with daily use, so it's well worth the $22 price tag.

Rating: Five stars out of five. I've seen no downside so far.  

Available: Maccosmetics.com, the Bay, and anywhere else MAC cosmetics are sold. 

Have you tried MAC Paint Pot in Painterly? What do you think? 

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

Review and Photos: NARS Super Orgasm Blush

NARS miniature blush in Super Orgasm (3.5 g).

I made the most lovely discovery at Sephora a few weeks ago: Mini NARS blushes in Super Orgasm! The regular Orgasm had been on my wish list, but when I saw these little cuties, I knew I had to try one. 

One of the best things about them? The price. Get this: Full-size NARS blushes, which run for $32 CAD, are 4.5 grams. This mini blush, at 3.5 grams, was only $15 CAD! Less than half the price for only a gram less of product! Stock up before they realize their mistake, right?

In my opinion, the size is perfect. Makeup junkies like me who have several blushes on the go at once will take forever and ever to hit pan, so I love the idea of paying for less product. Additionally, it's fantastic for travel—it takes up no room in my bag at all. And I don't find the size at all inconvenient for application. My blush blush fits into the pan just fine, and I have no trouble getting an even layer of product on the bristles.

Here's a peek:

NARS Super Orgasm blush mini (3.5 grams). The packaging is NARS standard—the black rubber (complete with the ubiquitous fingerprints).

NARS Super Orgasm blush. It's hard to see in this photo, but the compact does include a mirror. 

NARS Super Orgasm blush. See how itty-bitty it is?

NARS Super Orgasm blush (3.5 grams). 

The website describes the colour as "peachy-pink with gold glitter." By comparison, regular Orgasm is "peachy-pink with gold shimmer." I find these descriptions miss out on a bit of detail. Super Orgasm also seems to contain a bit of shimmer. I also find that Super Orgasm looks a little bit pinker than Orgasm—particularly in the pan, which is part of what drew me to the colour. With my skin tone, I much prefer pink blush to peach. 

Here it is swatched on my arm:

NARS Super Orgasm blush swatched on my arm. For reference, I'm an NC/NW 15–20. 

Don't be afraid of the glitter you see in the pan and in the swatch. If it floats your boat, great! But I'm not a fan. (It rustles up bad memories of high school when we smeared glittery goo on our faces. I don't get it either.)  

The good news is that the glitter is easily blended away, leaving behind a lovely, warm sheen of peachy-pink. 

Here's what it looks like on:

A close-up of NARS blush in Super Orgasm applied lightly—pores and all. (Brave, right?) As you can see, I've blended most of the glitter away, missing just a few specks up at the top, near my hairline. 

NARS blush in Super Orgasm applied to my cheeks.

One more of NARS blush in Super Orgasm applied to my cheeks. 

It's definitely the brightest, boldest colour I own—I love it! As with all things NARS, the quality is great. It applies like a dream, and the staying powder is great—all day without fading.

Would I repurchase?  I think so, though I'm more likely to try the regular Orgasm—just to switch things up a little. According to the reviews I've seen, the colour is really very similar. 

Rating: Five stars out of five—particularly given the price of the mini. Full-sized NARS blushes are quite pricey. 

Available: I got the mini at my local Sephora (at Vancouver's Pacific Centre) for $15 CAD. Full-sized NARS blushes are available at Narscosmetics.ca, the Bay, Sephora, and anywhere else NARS cosmetics are sold. 

Have you tried NARS Super Orgasm? Did you like it? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

Review and Photos: NYX Iced Mocha Eyeshadow

NYX eyeshadow in Iced Mocha.

I've always been suspicious of drugstore cosmetics. Too many bad high school memories of creasing and raccoon-eye. Recently I forced myself to admit that cosmetic science has come a long way since...the 90's.

NYX Cosmetics has proven me right so far!

My first experience with NYX was Sahara eyeshadow—I was on the hunt for a dupe for MAC's Jaunty (great shadow, but no dupe). After observing Sahara's performance (great wear, easy to blend, and no creasing), I decided to try another—Iced Mocha, which I hear is a great dupe for MAC's revered Satin Taupe. 

NYX eyeshadow in Iced Mocha.

I'm so glad I did! Iced Mocha is a great addition to my (sizeable) collection of taupe and taupe-ish eyeshadows.

The good:

• If you're into MAC's eyeshadow packaging, you'll like this—it's very similar. It's just shiny instead of matte and square instead of round. Also, instead of being smooth like MAC (and most other) eyeshadows, it has a fun square pattern on top.
• I love the colour—a warm-ish, very slightly purple taupe with some shimmer.
• The wear time is great—I note no difference whatsoever between it and MAC in terms of quality. It lasts all day. (Though I've tested it only over a base.)
• Ditto with the texture. It's lovely, smooth, soft, even, and easy to blend. 
• The price! (I should call this the GREAT.) At $8.99 CAD a pot, it's probably the most affordable shadow I own.

The not-so-good:

• This is slightly less pigmented than MAC shadows, in my opinion. You'd need to pack on quite a lot for it to look like it does in the pan. If you're a fan of sheer shadows like Clinique's, this is no problem. 
• NYX shadows can be tough to find in Canada. It's available at London Drugs, but in limited qualities. You might need to look online for certain shades.

Here's what it looks like applied:

NYX eyeshadow in Iced Mocha swatched on my NC/NW 15–20 arm.

NYX Iced Mocha eyeshadow applied all over the lid and into the crease. I've used MAC Paint Pot in Painterly as a base (from lash line all the way up to my brow bone). I've used MAC Retrospeck to highlight and Fluidline in Blacktrack. I'm also wearing Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara in black.

MAC Jaunty applied all over the lid, then NYX Iced Mocha in the crease. I'm also wearing MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack and Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara in black.

Same look with NYX Iced Mocha, different angle. 

I've blended Jaunty into Iced Mocha into the second and third photos above, so both looks appear to be fairly similar. They're nice and neutral—great for work.

Would I repurchase? In theory, though given the size of my eyeshadow collection (*cough*), it will probably take me years to hit pan. (Don't tell my husband.) 

Rating: Four and a half stars out of five—I docked the half star because it applies more sheerly than I would like it to. 

Available: In Canada, it's available at London Drugs for $8.99. It occasionally goes on sale (the great thing about drugstore makeup). Watch the flyers!

Have you tried any NYX products? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

Revew and Photos: Illamasqua Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce (Pastel Pink)

Illamasqua Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce.

I first heard about Illamasqua, a UK-based brand, from Cami of camiloveskiwi.com. Have you watched her videos? You should—she's lovely and British and funny, and she has wonderful taste in cosmetics. I first started salivating over this limited-edition collection, Speckled Nail Varnish, when she reviewed it, saying simply that she couldn't stop looking at her nails.

Now that I've tried it myself, I know the feeling.

These sold out of Sephora at Vancouver's Pacific Centre like lightning—and I can see why. What a wonderful idea for a spring collection—something beyond pastels. This varnish, quite literally, makes your nails look like speckled Easter eggs.

Here are a few photos:

Illamasqua's Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce, a pastel-pink with small and medium-sized flecks of silver-and-black glitter.

Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce, from Illamasqua's limited-edition spring collection.

Illamasqua's Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce.

The good:

• The packaging is classy and sophisticated, which is always a bonus.
• It's unique and beautiful—I love the warm pink colour. Like Cami, when it's on, I can't stop looking at my nails. I admit that I even Instagrammed a photo of my hand when I first put it on—I was taken with the fact that my nails looked like Easter eggs.
• It comes in a few other colours: Freckle (tan),  Speckle (purple), Mottle (green), and Fragile (blue). All are lovely, though I'm partial to the pink because I find it's the most wearable—it looks good with my skin tone, and won't look odd against any of the bright colours I often wear. 
• The lasting power is decent. Often, manicures chip within 24 hours on me—even with high-end polish like OPI, and even with top coat and base coat. This lasted perfectly from Thursday evening until I did a sink of dishes on Saturday afternoon.
• It doesn't streak—at all. One coat is sheer-ish, but still looks good.
• Two coats is fully opaque, which, for a pastel colour, is good!
• It dries quickly.

The not-so-good:

• The price—yowza! $18 CAD for a bottle of nail polish, no matter how great, hurts. Even $10 for a bottle of Essie makes me wince. This was bad. I'm surprised I went through with it!
• Washing that sink of dishes pulverized my manicure—destroyed it. Sure, I could have worn rubber gloves, but I feel like I shouldn't have had to—for $18 a bottle, I kind of expect a miracle.
• It's a pain to remove—the polish comes off easily with nail polish remover, but the glitter stays behind. I was still picking it off a day or two after I'd removed my manicure.
• As a UK-based brand, it's hard to find in Canada. They'd never heard of it at Holt Renfew. They stock it at Sephora (for now; it's limited edition), but it sells out quickly!

Here's what it looks like on.

One coat (see—it's sheer, but totally wearable):

Illamasqua's Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce—one coat.

Illamasqua's Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce—one coat.

Two coats (my preference):

Illamasqua's Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce (pastel pink)—two coats.

Illamasqua's Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce—two coats.

Would I repurchase? Probably not. I love the way it applies and looks, but at $18 a bottle, it's a one-time-treat-only sort of purchase.

Rating: Because it doesn't last as long as I hoped and because of the price, four stars out of five.

Available: In Canada, the best place to get it at the moment is your local Sephora for $18—it's mostly sold out at Sephora.com.

Have you tried any of Illamasqua's Speckled Nail Varnishes? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

My Favourite Things, volume 1

A few of my favourite things: MAC blush in The Perfect Cheek, Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara, MAC lipstick in Syrup, and MAC eyeshadow in Concrete.

My makeup routine looks a tad different every day—I like to mix it up and try different things. But sometimes there are products I reach for again and again. This post is the first in a series called "My Favourite Things," in which I'll provide a quick snapshot of these products. 

Here are a few things I loved this week:

1. Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara.

Diorshow Iconic mascara (sample size).

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara doesn't give me the big, bold, dramatic lashes I was hoping for, but it does create beautiful, deep black lashes with decent volume, good separation, and not-bad length. It also does an okay job of holding curl, which is unusual for me. There is one truly winning quality, though: It doesn't budge or flake—at all. All day. Given the trouble I've been having with mascaras that smudge under my eyes lately (Clinique High Impact, I'm looking at you!), I'll take it!

I'm working with a sample size I got at Sephora (hurray for 100-point perks!). I'm not sure if I'll purchase the full size when I'm done—I'm curious about whether another Dior mascara will deliver more drama. Thoughts, anyone?

2. MAC blush in The Perfect Cheek.

MAC blush in The Perfect Cheek, from the Marilyn Monroe collection (limited edition). 

This blush, a limited edition product from MAC's Marilyn Monroe collection, is the perfect, neutral shade of pink for me—it gives my face the most beautiful, natural-looking pop of colour, and it's not over-the-top. I tend to emphasize my eyes when I'm doing makeup, so I just need something subtle on the cheeks—this is perfect. (No pun intended.) It's feminine and lovely, and it's a welcome change from my standard Tenderling (on which I've hit pan), which is much more brown than The Perfect Cheek. I feel so...sophisticated when I wear it. Must be Marilyn's influence. ;)

3. MAC eyeshadow in Concrete.

MAC eyeshadow in Concrete (matte). 

MAC Concrete is a basic matte brown-grey. For me, it's the perfect crease colour—I've worn it with a bunch of shadows, including MAC Warming Trend and All that Glitters. It contours the eye in a beautifully neutral way. I apply it with my 217, which blends it out easily. Applied with a regular shader brush, it might be a little over-the-top. 

4. MAC lipstick in Syrup.

MAC lipstick in Syrup.

Sometimes I'm just not in the mood for shiny, sticky lips—so I go for a subtle-looking lipstick like MAC's Syrup, which is an incredibly lovely "my lips, but better" shade. It's a beautiful, neutral, feminine shade of pink that makes my whole face look more polished. I purchased it just a few weeks ago, but it's already become a favourite.

5. Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup.

Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup in O1 natural.

I was a MAC Studio Fix fiend for years—seriously. I don't think I wore anything else for over a decade. But as I aged (*cough*), I found my skin a little drier—and Studio Fix just wasn't as flattering as I wanted. I also hated the packaging. Whenever I hit pan (which was often), I'd inevitably drop the compact, and what was left of the product would break apart. I'd get a creamy, powdery mess—and a pile of wasted money. Way uncool. To top it off, I was a poor student who could barely afford this for most of those years—but bad skin made good foundation necessary. Even more uncool. 

I ultimately decided to switch to a liquid foundation for a flawless finish, and I played around with a few different powders before landing with Clinique's Superbalanced Powder Makeup in O1 (I'm an NW20). It's officially a powder foundation, but you can wear it sheer over liquid foundation, and it looks beautiful. It mattifies without looking mask-like, and the colour is bang-on for me—not to pink, not too yellow. It also lasts very well. I need to touch up the area on and around my nose mid-day, and that's it. 

My favourite feature, though, is the packaging. Remember my hatred for MAC Studio Fix's packaging? Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup is THE answer! It's a loose powder packed into this container, and you turn the little sieve-type thing on top that scrapes the product inside to dispense just enough. It's pretty, sturdy, and it's never broken on me or made a mess (I'm on my third or fourth one). It's truly an HG product for me.

The sad, sad reality is that it's been discontinued—I combed the Pacific Centre in Vancouver a month or two ago to nab the very last one. The salespeople at Clinique tell me it's being reformulated. I'm holding you to it, Clinique! Don't break my heart!

What about you? Did you keep reaching for a particular product (or a few) this week? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: These products were purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

Review and Photos: Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1.

Have any of you tried Clinique's three-step skincare line? I'm drawn to it because of its simplicity, reputation, and—this is a big one—reasonable price point. I tend to be drawn toward higher-end cosmetics and skincare because I've found that, generally, you get what you pay for—but there are limits, right? You can get cleanser, clarifying lotion (a.k.a. toner), and moisturizer from Clinique for under $70—yes, please! Some brands charge double and triple that. Yee-ikes. I get spending moolah on things you'll leave on your face, like moisturizer, but on something you rinse down the sink, like cleanser? Why? But I digress.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 is step two in Clinique's customized three-step line. (You can go to a counter for a consultation, but I find most salespeople use the same test that you can take yourself at Clinique.com.) Lotion 1 intended for dry or very dry skin. My skin ranges from normal/dry (most of my face) to oily (on and around my nose). In spite of the oily skin on and around my nose, I went with Lotion 1 (dry skin) instead of Lotion 2 (for combination skin) because of the alcohol content in the product—I didn't want to dry out the drier parts of my face. (More on that later.)

Here's the ingredient list for Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1:

Water, denatured alcohol, glycerin, butylene glycol, witch hazel, salicylic acid, acetyl glucosamine, sodium hyaluronate, sodium hydroxide, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzophenone-4, Yellow 5, and Blue 1.

Note: I'm not a dermatologist or a scientist, so I'll refer you to the Cosmetics Cop, a.k.a.  Beautypedia, for comments on the ingredients.

Back to my review! The basic premise of Clinique's skincare line is good: Cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. Whatever your skincare regimen consists of, make sure to do these three things. This "lotion" (really a liquid) is the exfoliation step. 

Here are the claims from Clinique.com:

Helps clear away pollution, dulling flakes for smooth, glowing skin. Helps pores look their smallest. Skin accepts moisture better. Grows more resistant to impurities. Stays healthier, younger. Dermatologist-reformulated to be comfortable, non-drying.

The good:

• It makes my face feel fresh after cleansing.
• It does a good job of removing dirt and the last traces of makeup, which is important—cleansers don't always remove all the makeup and other gunk around your hairline and jawline.
• The price point ($27 for a very generous 13.5 ounces) is good for a high-end brand.
• It doesn't irritate my skin or sting at all.
• My skin looks decent—although not noticeably better than it does when I use other products.

The bad: 

• Although I assume it does an okay job of exfoliating, it doesn't seem to do any better than other, non-chemical methods of exfoliation, like a good scrub or a brush.
• My pores are no smaller with this product than any other product (note that to a point, your pore size won't change with exfoliation—the size of your pores has a lot to do with genetics).
• I find it slightly drying, which is troubling for a product intended for very dry skin.
• I don't understand the need to include alcohol in a product you're going to leave on your skin—it's irritating and unnecessary, and, according to Beautypedia, it can cause damage and increase oil production. As I said above, it doesn't irritate my skin, but I'm still uncomfortable with the idea of using such a harsh product on it. 
• It does nothing to help with my oil production, in spite of the alcohol and salicylic acid. In fact, if anything, it may make me a little oilier.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1, 13.5 oz/400 ml. 

Would I repurchase? I don't think so. While it works well enough, like I said, I see no need to use a product with alcohol. Clinique has recently released Mild Clarifying Lotion that seems to do the same thing. When I asked a salesperson what the difference was between it and the other lotions, I was told it was alcohol-free—intended for sensitive skin. My question is this: Why include a potential irritant in any product if it's not necessary? I'll be trying the Mild Clarifying Lotion next. I understand there's a slight difference in texture—it's  cloudier and possibly a bit thicker than the regular clarifying lotion. I can live with that. 

Rating: Because of the alcohol, three stars out of five.

Available: Clinique.com and anywhere Clinique products are sold. 

Have you tried any of Clinique's skincare products? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.

Review and Photos: MAC Viva Glam V Lipglass

MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam V

In today's post, I'm reviewing an oldie but a goodie: MAC's Lipglass in Viva Glam V. This was one of my first MAC purchases beyond concealer and foundation (can you tell I've had it awhile?). I loved the natural-looking colour and the shine.

Maccosmetics.com describes it as a "neutral pink with pearl." I'd probably describe it as a bit more than pearl—it's quite shimmery, with little gold flecks of glitter. I'd describe the colour itself as a sheer brownish-pink that's quite close to my lip colour. As the name suggests, you can wear it thick so that it looks like glass—or, you can wear just a dab, and it will look more like your typical lip gloss. It "dries" to a very nice, glittery sheen.

The details:

• Wear time isn't bad—the glasslike effect doesn't last long, but the glittery sheen lasts at least a few hours, depending on whether you eat or drink. 
• Be warned that it is sticky—so on windy days, consider reaching for something else. I hate pulling my hair off of my lips. Yecch. 
• It has a nice doe foot applicator—three cheers for anything you don't need to stick your fingers in!
• As with all Viva Glam lipsticks and lipglasses, MAC will donate every cent to the MAC AIDS Fund, which supports men, women, and children with AIDS. And that's every cent of the selling price—not their profit margin. Essentially, you donate $18 CAD to a fantastic charity and you get a lipglass out of it. Sold!

Here's what it looks like:

Here's a close-up of the tube—you can see LIPGLASS verrry faintly.

MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam V.

MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam V has a doe foot applicator.

MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam V swatched on my hand.

MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam V applied. 

Pardon the awkward smile. What do you think of the colour?

Would I repurchase? In theory, I like it enough to repurchase it. I don't like the stickiness, but the cause and the colour make up for it. In reality, though, I have dozens of lip products to go through, so...I probably won't repurchase anytime soon.

Rating: Four stars out of five.

Available: Maccosmetics.com and anywhere MAC products are sold for $18 CAD (and remember, that's $18 CAD to the MAC AIDS Fund).

Have you tried any of MAC's Viva Glam products? Do you have a favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by Eyeshadow Addict.