MAC Sweetie Cake - Pigments

While I've already given the Sweetie Cake Collection a lot of press, I had to show you the pigments. MAC Pigments are in my top 5 list of beauty products I can't live without. They are incredibly versatile and I can never get enough of them. I promise to revisit this topic in the next few weeks with my list of must have colors.

For those of you who are already addicted to pigments, a little birdie at MAC has told me that there are many many new colors coming out this summer. If I remember correctly there will be two new colors in May and seven in June (along with a couple of repromotes.)

NOTE: The following promo color swatches are not very accurate.

Lily White

 

I think this is the real winner amongst the three new pigments. It's a dazzlingly shimmery white champagne, not peach like the picture suggests. You can dust it on for a glimmering veil of warm neutral-ness, or foil it on wet to intensify the pigmentation and lend a metallic sheen to the finish.

Apricot Pink

Honestly, there really isn't any apricot in this color unless you use it wet. And even then, its a very subtle inference. Apricot pink isn't apricot, and it definitely isn't that hideous lilac shade shown above. It's more of a warm rose touched with the slightest hint of medium violet. As an eyeshadow, your mileage may vary. It makes me look like I've cried buckets. But it does make a lovely blush and lipgloss.

Pinked Mauve

This promo picture has the most accurate color representation of the three. The only thing is, its a bit of a conundrum. You see, the color is neither pink nor mauve. Its actually a violet tinged magenta. Mixed with lipgloss, the pigment creates a lip color that is strikingly similar to Little VI Lustreglass. While this is my least favorite pigment in Sweetie Cake, its violet undertones really make my green eyes pop. WARNING: It can look a bit bruised on those with very fair complexions.

Images from http://www.makeupalley.com/ username SweetieCake

MAC Sweetie Cake - SoftSparkle Eye Pencils

It's not often that a product exceeds my expectations, but these pencils are so beautiful. The kohl formula glides on without any tugging or skipping, the colors are rich and densely pigments, and the micro glitter is super fine and sparkly. I love how the glitter isn't over the top. It adds an extra twinkle to your eyes without making you look like a disco ball.

I've noticed several reviews commenting on the smudginess of this product. I'm not sure what else they expected. These are kohl pencils, and kohl smudges. That's what makes them so soft and blendable.

If the SoftSparkle kohls are too smudgy for you, you can layer them over an eye shadow base (MAC Prep + Prime Eye of Urban Decay Primer Potion) or MAC Fluidline. I prefer fluidlines because the right shade will intensify the color of the kohl. You can also set a matching powder of the kohl to help keep the micro glitter in place.

Night Sky 

This is my most used SoftSparkle. Its a true, inky black that glimmers beautifully. It creates an amazing smokey eye and is easily set with Black Tied Eyeshadow. I wear it over Blacktrack Fluidline to give it extra staying power when I go dancing.

Peacocked

Try layering Peacocked over Blue Peep Fluidline and you won't be disappointed. Not only will the kohl wear all day, but the Blue Peep really brightens the teal and makes it stand out more. I'll be honest, I only bought Peacocked because Music Man thinks I look sexy with teal eyeliner, but I've quickly grown to love this color. It's bright, fun, eye-catching, and looks fantastic paired with a subtle champagne eyeshadow.

Iris Accents

Iris Accents is the most wearable color from this collection. Its great for daytime looks because the color is so soft and subtle. The Iris/Lilac-y shade pairs well with icy pastels and everyday neutrals to create a very sweet and feminine look.

Ultra-Chill

I was kind of bummed that this pencil is the same color as MAC's Ivy Eye Kohl. It is still very pretty, but in no way unique.

Reflecto

 

LOL! Ok, I'll admit it. This color was just wrong on me. It gave me a Mimi from The Drew Carry Show appearance that was so not flattering. That being said, it is a lovely cornflower blue that simpley did not work with my deep olive complexion. I think it would be stunning on blue eyed gals or those with much fairer coloring.

Images from http://www.makeupalley.com/ username SweetieCake

MAC Sweetie Cake Collection

Every year MAC releases a very special, limited edition, prom collection marketed to the younger side of their buyer dynamic. Last year's collection was called Beau. It was a gorgeous blend of pinks, purples, and shimmer. A brand new lipglass stain was released featuring ribbons of color swirled together to punch up the product image. (It didn't hurt that all four glosses looked great on every skin tone.) These prom collections have been a Nordstrom's exclusive, until now…

Once again, MAC created a sugar sweet prom collection that is sure to be a great hit. It was marked down in MAC catalogs as being a Nordstrom's exclusive… but something happened. A few months before the release MAC decided to launch this new collection, Sweetie Cake, to all MAC counters, stores, pro stores, and websites in the US and Canada. Again, there are innovative new glosses, but also glitter eye kohls (that I can't stop drooling over) and brand new pigments. Sweetie Cake has amplified the saccharine sweetness of Beau to incorporate dramatic teals, sea foam green, and baby blue.

The new collection features an eyeshadow quad, new lipglasses, petit-glosses, softsparkle eye kohls, and three new pigments. Not one item in this collection is a re-promotion. But… they're all limited edition, so get them while you can.

Image from http://www.maccosmetics.com

A Spring Time FOTD

Though we're expecting thunderstorms in DC today, I woke up feeling spring time fresh and happy. So I pulled out one of my favorite outfits this season and embraced the giddiness of spring.

Outfit:

• My favorite tan chinos from Banana Republic.
• A pale, grass green, sleeveless, scoop-neck top from Bebe.
• Camel Calvin Klein mules.

Face:

• MAC Matte Primer 
• MAC Studio Fix Podwer Foundation 
• MAC Pinker Peach - Trust Fund Blush Duo

Eyes:

• MAC Sweet Sage Fluidline used as an eyeshadow base
• MAC Lucky Green Shadestick 
• Shu Uemura ME Brown (Metallic) eyeliner
• Diorshow Waterproof Black Mascara

Lips:

• MAC Lipglass in Prrr
• MAC Lustreglass in Wonderstruck 

Scent:

• Chanel Allure

Aspirin Toner

The top question people ask me when they find out that I write a beauty blog is, "What's the best product you've ever tried."

Answering that question can get a bit sticky, but one of the most effective skin care treatments I use is also my best kept secret…

Aspirin toner sounds weird. But you have to rewind back to high school chemistry for this to make sense. What is the chemical component of aspirin? Salicylic acid. What is the most effective skin care product for chemical exfoliation? Salicylic acid. And no, that's not a coincidence.

Aspirin Toner Ingredients:

• 8 uncoated aspirin tablets or 1 package of aspirin (BC) powder
• 2 ounces of witch hazel
• 1/2 ounce of pure aloe vera juice (if you skin is on the dry side)

Simply toss the aspirin into the bottle and let the mixture sit for 24 hours. This will give the aspirin time to dissolve and saturate the witch hazel. Shake the mixture before you use it, dab it on to a cotton pad, fold the pad in half (so that the powdered aspirin is sandwiched in the middle), and wipe over skin.

Discard the unused product after 2 weeks and make a new batch.

Now please use common sense people. If you're allergic to aspirin… don't use this. If it starts to burn, stop using it. If it makes you break out, stop using it. If it dries your skin, use it less, add more aloe, and/or add a moisturizing ingredient to the mixture.

Pictures from :http://www.slu.edu/pr/images/aspirin_story.jpg http://colossus.chem.umass.edu http://www.gearbits.com/archives/000458.html

Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser

$31.00 for a 4.4 oz tube from Gloss.com

Rating: One Star (out of four)

Product Discription from Gloss.com:

Give your skin a new kind of clean! This gentle two-in-one formula gently purifies and smoothes skin with natural botanicals for a fast, natural clean. Enhances skin softness, suppleness and comfort while protecting its natural balance.

Features and Benefits

Gently eliminates all impurities

Promotes smoother, more even-looking skin

Helps refresh and revive skin while leaving it feeling soft and supple.

My thoughts:

This product sounded perfect for brightening my super sensitive complexion after the flu got its sticky hands on me. My skin looked dull and grey, so this was the perfect time to test out a new exfoliant.

What I didn't like:

1. The smell! It had the strong chemical scent of orange bathroom cleaner. Honestly, it was that offensive. I wasn't sure whether to massage it on my face or attack the grout between my tiles.
2. The microbeads were too gentle for my taste. They really didn't do anything other then slide across my skin and down the drain.
3. Texture. The formula really didn't foam well.

The only way this product could have been worse is if it had broken me out. I definitely won't repurchase this.

Photo and product description taken from http://www.gloss.com

A little feedback

One of the great features in this new platform at wordpress is the feedback I'm able to track. I can look up my blog stats to see how readers have found this page and which articles generate the most attention.

From the graphs and e-mail feedback, a large number of my readers would like me to talk more about skincare. More specifically, write a follow-up blog on "The Importance of Proper Skin Care."

I've learned a lot since I created that challenge for myself. The most important lessons being:

1. Wash your face before going to bed
2. Treat your skin according to its "type"
3. Drink lots of water
4. Avoid touching your face with fingertips, telephone receivers, etc. (It transfers dirt and bacteria to your skin)

I'll post a more detailed follow-up article this weekend.

Peach Sorbet and Rock n Roll

(This was supposed to be posted on Friday.)

Tonight is Music Man's first local show with the new band and I'm more freaked out about it than he is. It feels like the first day of high school when you pray that the other kids will like you and that you won't look like a dork.

Oddly enough, Music Man likes the way I look in peach. Since its a big color this spring and his big night, I decided to humor him with a very peachy FOTD.

Outfit:

• Peach long sleeve ribbed t-shirt and tan chinos from Banana Republic.
• A chocolate brown, velvet/corduroy blend fitted blazer from Le Chateau.
• Chocolate brown Calvin Klein sandals.
• And for a burst of color I toted along my alligator turquoise Prada bag.

Face:

• MAC Studio Fix Podwer Foundation
• NARS Lovejoy Blush
• NARS Deep Throat Blush to highlight

Eyes:

• NARS All About Eve Eyeshadow Duo
• MAC Teddy Eye Kohl
• Diorshow Waterproof Black Mascara

Lips:

• Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in Delight of Apricot

Scent:

• Ralph Lauren Romance
• The Body Shop Strawberry Oil

Hmmm…

It appears that I am destined to have computer issues. My posts from this weekend are surprisingly… not here.

What happened?

In other news, I have the flu. Which is absolutely disgusting but not surprising. (I get the flu every spring, middle of summer, and end of fall.)

Music Man's two shows were incredible. I am so proud of him. The band sounded great, had a croud of 180 the first night and then sold out the club on Saturday.

In any case, I'm off to see if I can find the posts I wrote over the weekend.