FOR EYES, try Sand & Sun eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, Firecracker eyeshadow on the middle of the lid, Amber Lights eyeshadow on the outer lid, and Antiqued eyeshadow in the crease. FOR CHEEKS & LIPS, try Hipness blush on cheeks and Beachbound lipstick paired with Flurry of Fun lipglass on lips.

Check out seven more ideas!

FOR EYES, try Sweet & Punchy eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, Humid eyeshadow on the middle of the lid, Shimmermoss eyeshadow on the outer lid, and Atlantic Blue eyeshadow in the crease. FOR CHEEKS & LIPS, try Get-Away Bronze blush on cheeks and Beachbound lipstick paired with Easy Lounger lipglass on lips.

FOR EYES, try Sand & Sun eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, Firecracker eyeshadow on the middle of the lid, Amber Lights eyeshadow on the outer lid, and Shimmermoss eyeshadow in the crease. FOR CHEEKS & LIPS, try Hipness blush on cheeks and Lazy Day lipstick paired with Splashing lipglass on lips.

FOR EYES, try Sand & Sun eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, Bright Sunshine eyeshadow on the middle of the lid, Humid eyeshadow on the outer lid, and Shimmermoss eyeshadow in the crease. FOR CHEEKS & LIPS, try Marine Life high-light powder on cheeks and Thrills lipstick paired with Easy Lounger lipglass on lips.

FOR EYES, try Goldmine eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, Bright Sunshine eyeshadow on the middle of the lid, Firecracker eyeshadow on the outer lid, and Antiqued eyeshadow in the crease. FOR CHEEKS & LIPS, try Marine Life high-light powder on cheeks and Fun Bathing lipstick paired with Flurry of Fun lipglass on lips.

FOR EYES, try Sweet & Punchy eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, Juxt eyeshadow on the middle of the lid, Humid eyeshadow on the outer lid, and Shimmermoss eyeshadow in the crease. FOR CHEEKS & LIPS, try Marine Life high-light powder on cheeks and Thrills lipstick paired with Flurry of Fun lipglass on lips.

FOR EYES, try Sand & Sun eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, Sweet & Punchy eyeshadow on the middle of the lid, Humid eyeshadow on the outer lid, and Atlantic Blue eyeshadow in the crease. FOR CHEEKS & LIPS, try Hipness blush on cheeks and Beachbound lipstick paired with Splashing lipglass on lips.

FOR EYES, try Bright Sunshine eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid, Sweet & Punchy eyeshadow on the middle of the lid, Firecracker eyeshadow on the outer lid, and Amber Lights eyeshadow in the crease. FOR CHEEKS & LIPS, try Hipness blush on cheeks and Beachbound lipstick paired with Easy Lounger lipglass on lips.

If you were using MAC Marine Life High Light Powder?, what look would you create with it?

What shadows would you use? What would you use on cheeks? Anything added to the lips? Create a look using whatever you want, as long as you include today’s look book product!

Did you come up with a look you’d like to share featuring today’s product? You can link to your images, embed your images using HTML, or you can submit your images via e-mail to share them with readers to help give them inspiration on how to use the product!

MAC To the Beach Look: Clarins + Neon Orange

This is the look I ended up wearing to attend my local MAC’s To the Beach event.  I had originally planned to do something bolder and brighter on the eyes, but I ran out of time, so I just went with the look I started the day with!

I’m happy to say I snagged the one item that really had me smile — the MAC To the Beach Bag ($49.95).  It’s huge and cute and the perfect beach bag.  It makes me want to go to the beach ASAP!  Some photos of its loveliness and size comparisons included in this post!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Benefit Stay Don’t Stray (neutral base), Clarins Instant Sun Light Eyeshadow Palette, MAC Opulash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: MAC Marine Life High Light Powder (coral-red)
• Lips: MAC Temperature Rising Lip Pencil (neon orange), MAC Easy Lounger Lipglass (sheer pink)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Marine Life = NARS Deep Throat; Temperature Rising = Neon Orange lipstick; Easy Lounger = Prr

For eyes, start by applying Stay Don’t Stray as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. With the 239, apply the light peach eyeshadow on the inner half of the lid. Next, apply the medium brown eyeshadow on the outer half of the lid, softly into the crease. To define the crease, apply the dark chocolate brown eyeshadow with the 226. Blend the lightest shade above the crease and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying the dark brown eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Opulash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Marine Life high light powder to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Temperature Rising lip pencil first, and then layer Easy Lounger lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Coral on one side, conch shell on the other; canvas

I originally tried to put Mellan *in* the bag. I got his butt in there, but I couldn’t quite manage the get the two front feet in… but hey, his big butt fit!   He threatened to eat the bag if I took a photo… he wanted to hold onto his dignity.  In all honesty, this bag is the perfect size for a beach bag, but I’ll probably use it more as a doggy bag myself.  Mellan doesn’t travel light!

See, it’s HUGE! Mellan is a purebred labrador — 70 pounds, lanky and lean and mean.

He’s totally thinking those handles look like his tug ropes…

He’s two seconds away from getting his snack on, I swear!

Unpleased dog is unpleased!

See, isn’t the bag HUGE?

Video Tutorial: MAC To the Beach Look & How-to Apply Cream Bronzers

As promised, here’s a tutorial of the look I did yesterday. It also includes a section where I talk about how I applied the new Cream Bronzer. Oh, and how to tone your blush down if you overdo it… You can check out still photos and text directions over here.

Oh, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Shiseido Lemon Sugar Hydra Eyeshadow (soft lemon base), MAC Sweet & Punchy Eyeshadow (yellowed chartreuse), MAC Firecracker Eyeshadow (orange-coral), MAC Sand & Sun Eyeshadow (matte peach), MAC Femme-fi Eyeshadow (highlighter), MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow (copper), MAC Float on By Eye Kohl (marine blue), Dior Extase Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: MAC Beach Bronze Cream Bronzer (sheer bronze), MAC Marine Life High Light Powder (coral-red)
• Lips: MAC Thrills Lipstick (copper rose), MAC Flurry of Fun Lipglass (sheer tangerine)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Sweet & Punchy = Sour Lemon; Firecracker = Red Brick; Sand & Sun = Samoa Silk; Femme-fi = Shroom; Float on By = Urban Decay Deviant + Flipside; Beach Bronze = no dupe; Marine Life = NARS Deep Throat; Thrills = La Prairie Rose Bronze; Flurry of Fun = Reflects Transparent Teal + Enchantress

MAC To the Beach Makeup: Sweet & Punchy, Sand & Sun, Firecracker

Who knew that you could combine a lemon-y green and an orange-coral together and get something so beautiful–with ease!  Seriously!  I do have a tutorial (well, assuming the filming went OK) for this look coming soon as well.  I also included a bit about how I applied the cream bronzer to my cheeks (which is totally easy, I swear).

Happy Friday everyone!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Shiseido Lemon Sugar Hydra Eyeshadow (soft lemon base), MAC Sweet & Punchy Eyeshadow (yellowed chartreuse), MAC Firecracker Eyeshadow (orange-coral), MAC Sand & Sun Eyeshadow (matte peach), MAC Femme-fi Eyeshadow (highlighter), MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow (copper), MAC Float on By Eye Kohl (marine blue), Dior Extase Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: MAC Beach Bronze Cream Bronzer (sheer bronze), MAC Marine Life High Light Powder (coral-red)
• Lips: MAC Thrills Lipstick (copper rose), MAC Flurry of Fun Lipglass (sheer tangerine)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Sweet & Punchy = Sour Lemon; Firecracker = Red Brick; Sand & Sun = Samoa Silk; Femme-fi = Shroom; Float on By = Urban Decay Deviant + Flipside; Beach Bronze = no dupe; Marine Life = NARS Deep Throat; Thrills = La Prairie Rose Bronze; Flurry of Fun = Reflects Transparent Teal + Enchantress

For eyes, start by applying Lemon Sugar eyeshadow as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Sweet & Punchy eyeshadow on the inner half of the lower lid. Then, apply Firecracker eyeshadow on the outer half of the lid with the 239 and bring into crease slightly. Lightly blend Sand & Sun eyeshadow on the middle of the lower lid, overlaying the other two eyeshadows, with the 239. Next, apply Amber Lights eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending outwards and upwards to fade to the brow bone. Blend Femme-fi eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Float on By eyeliner on the lower lash line and Sweet & Punchy eyeshadow lightly patted below the lower lash line with the 219 brush. Finish by sweeping lashes with Extase mascara.

For cheeks, apply Beach Bronze cream bronzer on the apples and upper cheekbones. Then, apply Marine Life powder to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Thrills lipstick first, and then layer Flurry of Fun lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

MAC Marine Life Dupes — Sorry, Keep Looking

When I think of dupes, I think of something that is pretty close to it — I’m talking 90% or closer — not just similar. There are plenty of similar shades to Marine Life; after all, it’s really just a vibrant coral-red with minimal shimmer in it. NARS Deep Throat and MAC Foolish Me come the closest, though the texture of Deep Throat is obviously different and Foolish Me is a little more orange. It’s not quite as red/orange and intense as Marine Life, but it’s the closest I found of the many shades I do own that were in the running.

• MAC Ripe Peach (Limited Edition) is lighter, more peach-coral than vibrant red-based coral. Verdict: not really a dupe, maybe a cousin.
• Benefit CORALista is a pinker, less distinctly coral version with a significant amount of shimmer in comparison. Verdict: not a dupe, but a good friend.
• MAC Instant Chic (Limited Edition) is much softer pink-coral with a bit of peachiness to it. It has a more powdery look and feel, but it’s so, so subtle. Marine Life is like Instant Chic if it took steroids for a year. Verdict: similar color but so, so much lighter–like a fruit picked too early.
• MAC Hipness is much pinker in comparison to Marine Life. It’s not quite as intense, and it doesn’t have the strength of the redness that Marine Life as. Hipness is a less shimmery, pinker version of CORALista, though. Verdict: not a dupe, too pink.
• Illamasqua Hussy is similar in its intensity, but it’s definitely pinker. It’s a more pigmented, matte version of Hipness/CORALista. Verdict: not a dupe, too pink.
• NARS Super Orgasm is a peachy-pink concoction that pulls a noticeable gold sheen. It has a lot more shimmer (and even Orgasm, which I don’t own, would still be pretty shimmery in comparison). Verdict: not a dupe, too peach, not pink/red enough.
• MAC Springsheen is very similar to Super Orgasm–it’s that same mix of peach and pink with a gold shimmer-sheen. Verdict: not a dupe, too peach and shimmery.
• NARS Deep Throat is a pinker version of Super Orgasm/Orgasm, and it’s probably the closest to Marine Life, but it’s still not quite as red or as intense–plus it has the sheen/shimmer that Marine Life definitely doesn’t have. Verdict: almost a dupe, like sisters.
• MAC Dainty is a sheer peach-coral with a smidgen of pink in it. It’s way too sheer and light to be a great dupe for Marine Life. Verdict: not a dupe, too light and peach.
• MAC Foolish Me is everything that Marine Life is, except a little more orange.  The two are very similar, both in finish and color, but Foolish Me does run a little on the orange side.  Plus, it’s discontinued, so that sucks. (I thought about this one originally, but it looks so orange in the pan… just swatched it at the last second, and yep, they are indeed surprisingly close.)  Verdict:  similar, like fraternal twins.

I don’t own Fleur Power or Style, but I did swatches here last year, and by referencing those, I can tell you Style is most definitely not a dupe — too orange/peach. Fleur Power comes a little closer, but it seems a bit pinker in comparison to Marine Life.

See swatches…

Ripe Peach | Marine Life | CORALista (Benefit) | Instant Chic

Marine Life | CORALista (Benefit) | Instant Chic | Hipness | Marine Life

Instant Chic | Hipness | Marine Life | Hussy (Illamasqua)

Marine Life | Hussy (Illamasqua) | Super Orgasm (NARS) | Marine Life | Springsheen

Marine Life | Springsheen | Deep Throat (NARS) | Dainty

Foolish Me | Marine Life