Small MAC Haul

Just a small haul I got when I went to Westfield at Stratford. I haven't photographed the mini Fix+ and I forgot to do the crease brush, but if you want any more details or photos on either just ask! :) And sorry the picture is blurry, once again camera troubles :( sad times!

 

I would definately say that Snob is a lot lighter that in the swatch pictures, once again sorry! (really need a new camera now... any donations welcome ;) ) But this is a definate new favourite. I've always shied away from this shade because of it leaning purple/mauve, but I find it doesn't translate as much on my lips. I love it! It's a satin finish, but it's soo creamy and I will sometimes pat it down, and rub it in to my lips, it's almost like a lip paint it's so thick! If you're looking for a more lively creme cup or a more wearable saint germain then try this!

I've wanted this highlighter from MAC for as long as I can remember! Lightscapade Mineralize Skinfinish is notorious for it's gorgeous appearance in pan, housing multi coloured veining. It's been released in a few collections, and I finally got my hands on it with the Reel Sexy collection. People have complained about its drastic makeover it's recently had, where the coloured veining has being muted right down, especially the blue tones, but unless that affects is overall performance I'm not so fussed!

This has been my go to highlighter for weeks now. It gives a soft diffused glow, not yellow! Like most highlighters seem to be. I think it's beautiful, but I wish it had a bit more punch, as I always have matte foundations because my skin is oily, so I always like to have quite a glowy highlighter to counteract this. So if you could recommend some highlighters, white/silver based which have the wow factor, I would really appreciate it! 

Have you seen the Fall MAC collection coming out? Heavenly Earth Creatures, if not, head to Temptalia to read about it and see the promo images! Christine has the products and is making her way through the reviews of them. Exciting! 

What was your last MAC purchase? 

xo.

MAC Lipstick Dupe?

The lipstick I bought from Sleek recently reminded me of a Limited Edition lipstick I got recently... Keep reading.. (And sorry, these pictures have come out a bit blurry! Bad times :( )

Left - Party Parrot, Right - Candy Cane

Yes, that's right, Party Parrot from the Iris Apfel collection, an instant sell-out! When I got home, I realised it was less pink than it looked when I was at the Sleek stand, and I felt like it reminded me of another colour. So I got this out and had a good old swatch up, and I can report that they are pretty much identical! Sleek Candy Cane looks a TINY bit more pink when swatched, and obviously has a sheen finish, whereas MAC Party Parrot is a matte finish. But if you blot it down a bit to take off the sheen you will have a more matte finish! Yay, I love a good dupe, doesn't everyone?

xo.

Mini Sleek Haul

Last Saturday I went to the new Westfield shopping centre in Stratford London for the first time. I can safely say I'm in love! I work in a shopping centre in Essex, and so I'm used to be in a shopping centre daily, but this just left me speechless! It's huge, and new, and just.. so clean..! Has lots of shops that I could only usually go to in London, and I rarely ever go nowadays. So it was a refreshing shopping experience! It was my birthday almost 2 weeks ago now (wow, time files when you're getting old!) and the boyf said he would take me shopping as a present, so I dragged him to Westfield early on a Saturday morning.. :) I bought a few things which I shall post in time, but here are a few to start off with!

Sleek had a pop up stand there which I didn't actually know about, and apparently it's gone now! I don't usually buy much from Sleek, I have a few palettes and a blush or two, but whenever I go into Superdrug they hardly ever have the stand fully stocked, and Sleek haven't been releasing palettes/products as much as they usually do, so it never really catches my eye anymore. Never the less, I went over to the stand to investigate! Sorry I didn't get pictures, I saw make-up and that's all I had the time for! 

It was full of plenty of staff, all very friendly and constantly offering to help me find products. They were offering makeovers for a small price, and also foundation matching. I also got approached by a lady asking me to fill out a quick survey on her iPad in exchange for a mini pout polish, of course I agreed! 

They had everything in stock which was totally refreshing, and I actually got to try everything I wanted to, but never usually get to. I keep eyeing up the Blush by 3 palettes, but there's only 1/2 blushes in each palette I would actually use, so it seems like a bit of a waste! In the end I picked up a blush and a lipstick, as at the time I was trying to be good and just refrain from going mad! I fancied a bright pink blush, and I couldn't resist the bright pink lippie either. The lipstick I picked up is also a dupe for a sold out MAC lipstick from a recent collection, so watch this space as I have comparison swatches to post.. 

xo.

 

This is the mini pout polish I got free, it's a bright pink, but it applies as a balm, so the colour doesn't transfer as much. It smells sweet and vanilla like and is the perfect size to pop in your handbag. I don't own any other pout polishes, so I'm not sure if this is a permanent shade in the full size range or not.

 

Sleek blush in Flamingo. I really fancied a bright pink blush, so when I saw this shade I fell in love. I love the packaging of Sleeks blushers, small and quite literally sleek. They're all crazy pigmented and always worth the small price tag.

 

 

When I went to the lipstick bit, I was admiring all the colours, but for some reason this shade Candy Cane really stood out to me this time. It's a bright pink which leans red, very similar to MAC's Impassioned. My camera didn't like this shade so it looks funny in all pictures! This is a sheen finish, so it's not matte like the MAC dupe I have to show you!

MAC Shop Lipstick Comparisons

L-R; Florida (Cremeblend), Naughty Saute, Viva Glam Gaga, Saint Germain, Revlon Matte - Stormy Pink, Speed Dial, I Like It Like That

Once again, the photos are playing up, these shades lean more blue, and I Like It Like That at the end is more lilacy than brown! Siiiighhh. Anyway, when swatching Saint Germain is a lot closer than Viva Glam Gaga, just lighter and brighter. I found that Revlon Matte in Stormy Pink was also quite similar, not as pigmented and a tiny bit darker, the last two, are a no-go! I swatched Florida for colour reference, but unfortunately it's not showing so well! Not happy! 

L-R; Innocence, Beware! Hue, VIVO Barely There, YSL Rouge Volupte 01, Sleek Barely There, Creme Cup

I figured that Hue would be pretty much the same as I.B! and I was right, although I.B! is more pink than Hue, and a cremesheen, I don't really NEED them both. When swatching, VIVO's barely there lipstick was quite a similar shade, just darker - the lipstick feels like a lipbalm/lipstick hybrid, so maybe this is a cheap alternative if you're looking for something similar. Obviously the other swatches just get darker, but I really don't wear nudes. I swatched Creme Cup as it was the other lightest MAC lipstick that's most similar, but obviously it's a lot more pink. I think Creme D'Nude is more peach based, and Myth.

L-R; Quick Sizzle, NARS Schiap, Topshop All About Me, Lickable, Show Orchid, MUA Shade 3, NYX Addis Ababa, Models Own Deep Fuschia

Ahhh.. isn't it beautiful?! I'm seriously still loving a hot pink lip right now, and I am so so glad I picked up Quick Sizzle, as hot pink and matte lips are beauuutiiiful! But here are the other hot pinks I have that are similar. Right, well..... NARS Schiap is pretty much the same... (Oh the shame) but It's still not as pigmented, and I don't really like the formula so I might sell it! Plus it's not helpful seeing as it's more expensive than MAC, but then again it is a permanent colour if you need it in your life. Topshops All About Me is a bit more red in the flesh. Lickable is Quick Sizzles lighter, glossier, safer cousin. Show Orchid is still a bit more purple/fuschia based, and has a blue/purple iridescence. MUA Shade 3 isn't that similar, but looking at it, I think it's quite similar to Girl About Town. NYX Addis Ababa matte lip cream is also quite similar, but obviously a totally different finish and formula. And Models Own Deep Fuschia is a totally different type of pink! 

Hope that helps if you've missed out at the moment, or don't want to pay the price for MAC. If you know of any other similar shades or dupes, tell me about them, or link me to any of your posts! 

I also promise I will post about some stuff other than MAC soon! 

x 

Shop MAC Lipsticks

Finally got my hands on some! Had to order these from Selfridges, ordered another one from MAC but I had to ring MAC up to find out that even though they took my money once again it was out of stock but they would re-order it in for me. This is not the first time this has happened, and if it's "out of stock" yet it goes through and takes me money, they really need to sort themselves out. Also I thought the whole box in the Shop MAC collection was printed, not just a slide on cover. Boo! Anyway, rant over. Keep reading to see what shades I picked up.

Innocence, Beware! (Cremesheen) - Described on the MAC website as 'light yellow pink'. Which is pretty accurate. I always thought that when this came out with the Venomous Villains collection it was more of a nude, more similar to Myth or Creme D'Nude. I find that when I wear this it's quite similar to Hue, which is the only other lightest nude shade I wear as I find they wash me out. 

Naughty Saute (Cremesheen) - Wasn't sure whether to pick this up or not, as I already have Viva Glam Gaga, and St Germain, and when I saw it was described as a 'Bright Pepto Pink' I thought it might be too much, but it is lovely! I blotted it right down and put lipbalm on top earlier and it was a bit more purpley, so it's definately very blue based and a lot cooler than Viva Glam Gaga.

Quick Sizzle (Matte) - I really didn't need to buy this, as I already have NARS Schiap, and a few other hot pinks, but it's just so beautiful I couldn't not! I love it already, so creamy and suits me yay! MAC website just describes it as 'Bright Pink' but it's a blue based hot pink. Pretty much the same as NARS Schiap, more vibrant and pigmented though. And similar to Topshop All About Me which I posted about, but when I swatched them next to each other, All About Me leaned more red. But I'll post a picture of the swatches seperately. I totally recommend this lipstick if you don't really have any bright pinks, as it will definately suit all skin tones, seeing as I'm as white as ghost. I reckon this would look SO good on darker skins, like BAM in your face haha, beaut! It's matte, but not drying, and you could always add balm or a gloss if that's not your style.

So I have one more lipstick to come, and I ordered a cremeblush from the collection on Debenhams website (10% off and free delivery - hello!) So I will post them when they come, and do a comparison swatch post :) I also got 2 nail lacquers, one from the Chen Man collection (Force of Love lipstick is sold out everywhere :( ) and Lazy Day from Vera collection, which I love! So I will also post them up aswell!

Have you grabbed anything from the new collections? Eyeing anything up? Or don't the collections do anything for you? I've just counted all my MAC lippies, and I now have 35! Oh dear...

x