Neutrals and Corals Using Urban Decay Naked Eye Shadow Palette and MAC Stereo Rose Skinfinish

Okay, I just wanna say for the record that for the first time in quite a while, my husband actually told me I looked extraordinarily beautiful when he saw me the day I was wearing these products. He was so used to me all primped up that it was just routine for him to see me made up. However, on this particular day, he said I looked very beautiful and he wanted me to look like this all the time! LMAO, are these miracle products or what? =D

As I had mentioned, here is a look using my current favorites - MAC Stereo Rose mineralize skinfinish (MSF) and Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palette. I love the total look! I also used my new NYX round lipstick in Frappucino, but for some odd reason, it didn't look too brown but actually coral-ish in the photos. I guess that's because I layered MAC Chillin' cremesheen glass over it. I was also wearing my favorite liquid foundation of late: Chanel Mat Lumiere in Ginger (review coming up!). I love how it evens out my skintone and gives a beautiful soft matte finish which is especially great for summer. I finished off with my favorite Aromaleigh ultra resolution finishing powder in Peaches & Cream. It is similar to MUFE HD finishing powder, except that Aromaleigh has this peachy tint that really gives a beautiful peaches and cream complexion and also blurs imperfection and sets the makeup.

Of course, the star product of the look is the beautiful MAC Stereo Rose MSF. I had thought that this product was all hype, but for the first time ever, I believe this is worth the hype. As I had mentioned in my review, I never really used my first Stereo Rose from the initial 2005 release. I sold it and I'd never missed it since. This time, however, the 2010 version is an absolute beauty. It is less metallic pink on my skin but more of a peachy-coral glow that is just gorgeous. I don't want to run out of this but I can't help using this every day, I might actually have to get a backup!

If you want one, The Shades Of U MAC Stereo Rose sweepstakes/giveaway is still ongoing. You can have a chance to get a beautiful Stereo Rose MSF that is sold out everywhere.

I will be coming up with a step-by-step tutorial of the eye look, but for now here are some face photos!

Face Of The Day photos and list of products used right after the jump!

MAC Colour Ready Collection: A Review

I've been really itching to try the Prep + Prime Refined Zone and the Transparent Finishing Powder. I wanted to try the former because I have a very oily t-zone, and usually, oily t-zones have enlarged pores like mine. I also wanted to try the Transparent Finishing Powder because I am like the FinPow (finishing powder) queen - I have tried different kinds of finishing powders from Bare Escentuals to Aromaleigh to Joppa Minerals to DreamWorld Minerals - and I really wanted to know how MAC's very own fares in comparison to all these.

Let's start with the Refined Zone. It's actually an oil mattifier and pore reducer in one, and I really like those kinds of two-in-one products. MAC claims that this is a lightweight, oil-free, soy-based emulsion that instantly helps minimize visible pores while helping to control excess surface oil and shine. MAC also claims that it employs High Tech Optics, an advanced technology powder and light diffusers to fill in lines. The result is supposed to be an invisible, natural-looking, long-lasting matte finish that also keeps the pores clean and unclogged, and it mattifies and hides imperfections while using a Mannose-Phosphate blend that gently exfoliates away dead skin cells. What a mouthful, huh? Anyways, I really wanted to claim that promise of MAC of matte, soft, exfoliated skin with reduced pore size.

My take: I love this product. I used it over my primer and usually the primer really makes my skin a tad oily, but not so with this product. It really does mattify my oily t-zone and prevents me from looking greasy by mid-day. I used a magnifying mirror to check out my pores after I applied this on, and I was pleased to see that it did indeed shrink my pores, especially on the nose. I was quite happy, and this product is a real keeper for me.

Prep + Prime Finishing Powder contains cornstarch, silica and micronized mica. Therefore, it seems like a hybrid of Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil (which has cornstarch), Make Up Forever's High Definition Finishing Powder (which is 100% silica), and Aromaleigh's tinted Ultra Resolution Finishing Powder (which has both mica and silica). For those who are sensitive to mica and cornstarch, this product might not be for you, but I am not bothered by these two ingredients. In fact, cornstarch makes my skin look airbrushed and it soaks up excess oil, that is why Bare Escentuals' mineral veil is still a good product for me. MAC's finishing powder includes some of the best ingredients from other finishing powders in the market. Cornstarch gives a silky finish and soaks up oil, silica blurs imperfections and fine lines giving a soft focus effect, and mica gives a radiant luminosity to the skin. Kudos to MAC for combining these ingredients for their very own high definition finishing powder.

The verdict? I am loving it as well. It didn't make my skin itch nor break me out, so that is a huge plus. I can see myself putting this in my purse for touch-ups which is more sanitary than carrying a powder compact that can easily breed bacteria. It might be a bit messy if you are used to a compact, but the benefits to your skin far outweighs the inconvenience. Just see the difference after you've touched up using this product!

In the look below, I used both the Prep + Prime Skin Refined Zone and the Transparent Finishing Powder.







Eyes:
MAC Butternutty shadestick
Urban Decay Ammo Shadow Box (Maui Wowie on lid and inner lower lashline/inner corners, Smog on outer V and crease and outer lower lashline), Oil Slick to contour the crease)
Coastal Scents 28 pc Neutral palette (used one of the matte highlighter shades on browbone)
Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero to rim eyes
MAC Penultimate liner in Rapidblack
Revlon false lashes in Intensifying
MAC Zoomlash mascara in Zoom Black

Face:
Monistat gel as primer
Earthen Glow Minerals foundation in Yuan Yuan
MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NC20
Dayna's Rested mineral undereye concealer
DreamWorld cream topping (finishing powder) in Butterscotch
MAC Prep + Prime transparent finishing powder
Jouer mineral blush in Bougainvillea
MAC skinfinish in Perfect Topping

Lips:
MAC tinted lip conditioner in Pink Fish
ULTA lipliner in Flesh
MAC lipstick in Hug Me
Milani Lip Mixer lipgloss in Lip Fuse

Aromaleigh Haul: Valentine Shadows, Spring Solstice and Ultra Resolution Powder

As always, Aromaleigh has tempted me to put in another order because I just freakin' love their products. The Valentine 2009 shadows were on sale (they were deeply discounted, though I don't exactly remember by how much), so I snagged the last few ones that I had been lemming for. I got Fervor, described on the site as "cool brown with a heart of pink roses, and bright sparks of copper", Wine & Dine, "wine and rich garnet tones apply like silk with the slightest copper iridescent highlight tone", and Heart and Soul, "sheer, easy to wear vivid magenta with sparks of pink; can be foiled for more intense application." Then since my order reached $30, I got a free full size Pure Hue in Tea Rose. My favorite from this haul is Heart & Soul. It is such a pretty vivid pink. I swatched them for an entry from way back, but here they are again:









These are much more "alive" in real life. I swatched these using just the samples, so I was scrimping on the pigments and wasn't swatching them as heavily as I would have liked, resulting in some washed out swatches. Don't be fooled by these - the shadows can be as soft or as vivid as you want them to be, depending on the heaviness of the application or if they were to be applied foiled or dry. Either way, these are gorgeous.



My Spring Solstice shadow samples are here! They are so pretty and the finish and texture are awesome. They are not as metallic as the Opulent Lustres (thank God!), and they have almost the same beautiful finish as the Valentine 2009 shadows that I loved. These are amazing colors and I can't wait to play with these. Watch out for looks and swatches using the Spring Solstice collection!



Lastly, my full size Ultra Resolution finishing powder (URFP) in English Rose has arrived, and I am super stoked. As I had mentioned in previous entries, this is Aromaleigh's version of the high definition finishing powder but better because they come in tinted forms. The ingredients and effect are similar to those of the high definition (HD) powders you see on the mainstream market today, like the highly-coveted Make Up Forever HD Microfinish Loose Powder. Aromaleigh has the edge, I think, because it offers four variants of these. The Clear variant is for those who have light to medium skintones, the Translucent for those who are darker-complected, and they added two new shades that emit a subtle glow: "Peaches & Cream" (a perfectly proper pinky peach) and "English Rose" (a tender cool pink, like blushing cheeks) that give a radiant look with just the lightest touch of color on the face. A light dusting of this leaves my skin with a radiant luminosity, reducing the appearance of large pores and imperfections, giving a beautiful soft-focus effect. Now, my four variants of the URFP are complete!



Love each one of these! I enjoy interchanging them together with my cream toppings from DreamWorld Minerals. I get a kick out of choosing which finishing powder I should use for the day (Hmmm...finishing powder with silica? With clay? With clay and silica? With silk powder?). The possibilities are endless and each has a different function that caters to my skin's needs for that day. Clay soaks up excess oil, silica blurs imperfections, and silk powder is self-adjusting; it's able to absorb or release moisture as the skin needs, and gives the skin a soft, satiny, luxurious feel). And that is why I really love these small mineral makeup companies - the skin relishes in each natural, paraben-free product that they offer.

Bright Spring Colors Using Aromaleigh Shadows

Here is a step-by-step illustration using Aromaleigh Pure Hue and Rocks! Sonic eyeshadows. Be warned that this is a super bright look celebrating spring colors. Aromaleigh's pigments are truly saturated with color with a capital C. Just a little of these products would yield an amazingly vibrant look. I also used my new MAC Grand Duo mineralize blush in Moon River for this look, and I really like how dewy the finish is. All products Aromaleigh unless otherwise stated.


Apply MAC Beige-ing shadestick all over lid, brows, and lower lashline. Smooth product on the lid with finger. Apply Sunshine dry on the lid using a stiff shader brush (Loew Cornell Maxine's Mop 3/8"). Use quick, patting motions when applying the shadow.


Using the other side of the same brush, apply Googoomuck on the mid to outer lid.


Using the same brush, apply Grass on outer lid.


Using the MAC 224 brush, blend the three colors together to soften harsh lines.


Apply Estranged sparingly on the edges of each shadow and softly blend with the 224.


Apply MAC shadow in Grand Entrance on outer V and crease using Sonia Kashuk blender brush, blending into Grass. Blend with the 224.


Using Stila No. 5 brush, apply MAC Ricepaper shadow to highlight. Using Sonia Kashuk mini-contour/detail brush, apply Sunshine on inner to mid-lower lashline, and Grass on outer lower lashline.


Line eyes using MAC Blacktrack fluidline. Apply Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero on waterline and tightline. Apply Revlon Fantasy Lengths falsies in Intensifying #91002. Apply mascara.













Face:
Monistat gel as primer
Cory mineral foundation in Beyond Cream and Carmel Cream (70-30 mix)
MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NC20
Dayna's Rested mineral undereye concealer
Aromaleigh Ultra Resolution finishing powder in Translucent
MAC beauty powder blush in Stark Naked
MAC Grand Duo mineralize blush in Moon River over blush

Lips:
Rimmel lipliner in Tiramisu
MAC lipstick in Noveau Frou
MAC lipglass in Peroxide

Teals and Blues Using MAC Pigment and Shadows

Trust MAC to come up with the most vibrant and glorious shades of teal and blue. I don't wear blues very often (rarely is the word, maybe twice or thrice a year, if ever), so this was the very first time I used Sea & Sky mineralize shadow duo after having it my stash for several months. I like the combination of the colors, though. Reminds me of the waters of those pristine, beautiful Philippine beaches that to me have the finest (double meaning: "fine" as in having the best quality and "fine" as in consisting of minute particles) powdery white sand in the world. I miss them a lot!

Here are photos of the products used for this look. All MAC products unless otherwise stated.

Delft paint pot


NOTE: This vial is NOT from the recent Holiday Cool pigment set. I heard that the Teal pigment in that kit was not as vibrant as the original Teal pigment. I used the original one for this look.










Apply MAC Beige-ing shadestick all over lid, brows, and lower lashline. Smooth product on the lid with finger. Using a fluffy shader brush, apply Delft paint pot on lid. Doesn't have to be perfect.


Using a flat, stiff shader brush like the 239, apply Teal pigment on the lid dry in quick patting motions.


Using the other side of the same brush, apply Zonk Bleu! on the inner corners.


Using Sonia Kashuk's blender brush, apply the dark blue side of Sea & Sky mineralize shadow duo on the outer lid.


Apply Cloudburst on the outer V and crease using the Sonia Kashuk blending brush, blending into Teal and Zonk Bleu!. Softly blend the colors using the 224 brush.


Using a clean 224, apply Brule on the borders of the shadows above the crease to soften harsh lines. Apply more Cloudburst and the dark blue side of Sea & Sky and blend using the 224.


Using MAC 227, apply the lighter side of Sea and Sky mineralize eyeshadow duo on the browbone. Line eyes using MAC Blacktrack fluidline. Apply Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero on waterline and tightline. Using the Sonia Kashuk mini detail brush, apply Parrot shadow on inner lower lashline, and Stormwatch shadow on outer lower lashline. Apply Mod Lash falsies #55. Apply mascara.







Face:
Monistat gel as primer
Monave mineral foundation in Saturnina
MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NC20
Dayna's Rested mineral undereye concealer
Aromaleigh Ultra Resolution finishing powder in Peaches & Cream
Adorned With Grace mineral shimmer blush in Fascinating
MAC Refined Golden bronzer to contour

Lips:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
MAC lipstick in Viva Glam VI Special Edition
MAC cremesheen glass in Fashion Scoop

Valentine's Day Look: MAC Barbie Meets Hello Kitty

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I made a Valentine's Day look using products from two of the most popular collections of MAC featuring cultural icons - Barbie and Hello Kitty. I know the Barbie collection is two years old, but it is still one of my most favorite MAC collections. For the eyes, I used the colors that were actually launched in this collection, but I don't have Beauty Burst (the rich reddish brown eyeshadow), so I substituted Bold and Brazen from the Starflash collection. The MAC Barbie promo pic has the model wearing lots of thick liner and lush falsies, but I opted to be different and made my liner a bit thinner and I picked not-so-thick falsies. The products used on rest of my face were mostly from the Hello Kitty collection. A step-by-step illustration follows. And of course, all products are MAC unless otherwise noted.


Apply Urban Decay primer potion all over lid, brows and lower lashline. Smooth with finger. Apply Stilife paint on lid. Using a fluffy shader brush, apply Bold and Brazen on crease to the area above the crease.


Using the 217 brush, apply Playful eyeshadow above Bold and Brazen, blending into the latter.


Using the 227, apply Whistle on browbone, blending into Playful.


Apply Vanilla pigment on browbone, blending into Whistle.


Apply Springtime Skipper shadow on lid using Loew Cornell Maxine's Mop 3/4" brush (or MAC 239 brush).


Line upper lashline using Penultimate liner in Rapidblack and Blacktrack fluidline. Apply Red Cherry falsies #503. Line waterline and tightline using Victoria's Secret kohl pencil in Black Velvet. Apply mascara. Line inner lower lashline with Springtime Skipper, and outer lower lashline with Romping, using Sonia Kashuk mini contour brush. Apply Springtime Skipper on inner corners.











Face:
Monistat gel as primer
Earthen Glow minerals foundation in Yuan Yuan
Studio Sculpt concealer in NC20
Dayna's Rested mineral undereye concealer
Aromaleigh Ultra Resolution finishing powder in Peaches and Cream
MAC Tippy Beauty Powder blush using the 136 brush
MAC Refined Golden bronzer to contour using the 138 brush

Lips:
Almay lipliner in Bronze
MAC lipstick in Fashion Mews
MAC lipglass in Sweet Strawberry