Quick & Easy Spring Look

I needed to do something soft enough to wear with a variety of lip colors, as I was doing some swatching, and I didn’t want to spend too long on it either — this is the result.  The weather lately has been wreaking havoc on my skin, though — SO DRY!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Laura Gellar Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Prance Eyeshadow (mauve gray), MAC Top of the Posh Eyeshadow (soft pink), MAC Noir Plum Eyeshadow (purple), MAC Unflappable Eyeshadow (dark brown), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow,Urban Decay Delinquent 24/7 Shadow Pencil (vibrant purple) Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Burberry Pressed Powder (03)
• Cheeks: MAC Sur Blush (neutral pink-brown), Guerlain Teint Rose Pressed Meteorites (pale shimmering beige)
• Lips: Chanel Byzantine Rouge Coco Lipstick (pink-red), Dior Trianon Silver Ultra Gloss (silver)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 222 (fluffy crease brush), 263 (angled eyeliner brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Prance = Vex; Top of the Posh = Pink Venus; Noir Plum = Grape pigment; Unflappable = Satin Taupe; Sur = Prism; Gana = Soft & Gentle
  

For eyes, start by applying Eye Spackle as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Prance eyeshadow all over the inner two-thirds of the lid. Lightly blend Top of the Posh eyeshadow onto the outer corner with the 239.  Apply Unflappable eyeshadow in the crease with the 222.  Next, apply Noir Plum eyeshadow into the lower crease with the 222, only in the center. . Blend Trench eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Delinquent on the lower lash line and pat Prance eyeshadow on lower lower lash line with a dampened 219 to brighten. Finish by sweeping lashes with Buxom Lash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sur blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116, then highlight with Teint Rose using the 165.

For lips, apply Byzantine lipstick first, then layer Trianon Silver lipgloss for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Colorful Look with MAC Peacocky

Here is a more colorful look with the new Mega Metal Eyeshadows!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Dalliance Eyeshadow (pewter gold), MAC Odalisque Eyeshadow (blue-teal), MAC Noir Plum Eyeshadow (purple), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow, Make Up For Ever #12L Aqua Eyes (teal-blue) Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Burberry Pressed Powder (03)
• Cheeks: MAC Sur Blush (neutral pink-brown), MAC Gana Blush (champagne beige)
• Lips: MAC So Vain Kissable Lipcolour (pinked coral)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 222 (fluffy crease brush), 263 (angled eyeliner brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Dalliance = Urban Decay Maui Wowie; Odalisque = Shimmermoss + Deep Truth; Noir Plum = Grape pigment; Sur = Prism; Gana = Soft & Gentle; So Vain = Vegas Volt (sheered)
  

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Dalliance eyeshadow all over the lid. Lightly blend Odalisque eyeshadow into the crease and blend into the outer corner with the 222. Next, apply Noir Plum eyeshadow into the lower crease with the 239 (horizontally), lightly blending with Odalisque. Blend Trench eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying #12L eyeliner on the lower lash line and pat Noir Plum eyeshadow on lower lower lash line with a dampened 219 to brighten. Finish by sweeping lashes with Inimitable Intense mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sur blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116, then highlight with Gana blush using the 165.

For lips, apply So Vain lipcolour for a complementing lip.

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New Year’s Eve Look with MAC Peacocky

Though I spent New Year’s Eve at home playing with makeup (err, I mean, reviewing Peacocky!), I still felt like I needed to get a little dolled up–at the very least! It was actually the first New Year’s Eve that my boyfriend and I have spent together, just him and I. I wanted something soft but still a little glitzy, and the new Mega Metal Eyeshadows were obviously the way to go–get to test them out, get my glitz!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Dalliance Eyeshadow (pewter gold), MAC Sex-pectations Eyeshadow (pewter gold), (burgundy), MAC Centre Stage Eyeshadow (chocolate brown), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow,Urban Decay Perversion 24/7 Liner (black) Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Burberry Pressed Powder (03)
• Cheeks: MAC Sur Blush (neutral pink-brown), MAC Gana Blush (champagne beige)
• Lips: MAC Scandelicious Kissable Lipcolour (dark pink)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 222 (fluffy crease brush), 263 (angled eyeliner brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Dalliance = Urban Decay Maui Wowie; Sex-pectations = Cranberry; Centre Stage = Bronze; Sur = Prism; Gana = Soft & Gentle; Scandelicious = Korres #54
  

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Dalliance eyeshadow all over the lid. Lightly blend Centre Stage eyeshadow into the crease and blend into the outer corner with the 222. Next, apply Sex-pectations eyeshadow into the lower crease with the 239 (horizontally), lightly blending with Centre Stage. Blend Trench eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Perversion eyeliner on the lower lash line and pat Dalliance eyeshadow on lower lower lash line with a dampened 219 to brighten. Finish by sweeping lashes with Inimitable Intense mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sur blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116, then highlight with Gana blush using the 165.

For lips, apply Scandelicious lipcolour for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

MAC Mickey Contractor Look

This was a super quick look I threw together to test out the new Mickey Contractor collection (as well as have some something on for taking blush and lip swatches!).  You can see how Ivy is sheer on the first pass!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Jaan Eyeshadow (softened orange-tinged brown), MAC Vivah Eyeshadow (dark brown with gold sparkle), MAC Folie Eyeshadow (red-tinged brown), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow, MAC Ivy Fluidline (green), Urban Decay Perversion 24/7 Liner (black) Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Burberry Pressed Powder (03)
• Cheeks: MAC Sur Blush (neutral pink-brown)
• Lips: MAC Yash Lipstick (peachy nude), MAC Lust Lipglass (rosy nude)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 222 (fluffy crease brush), 263 (angled eyeliner brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes:  Jaan = Soft Brown; Vivah = Sable; Ivy = Urban Decay Graffiti; Perversion = Feline, Zero; Sur = Prism; Yash = Velvet Teddy

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Jaan eyeshadow on the inner two-thirds of the lid and pull upwards along the inner crease. Lightly blend Vivah eyeshadow on the outer corner of the lid with the 239. Next, apply Folie into the crease with the 222, lightly blending onto the outer lid. Blend Trench eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Perversion eyeliner on the lower lash line and Ivy fluidline on the upper lash line.  Apply Jaan eyeshadow on lower lower lash line to brighten. Finish by sweeping lashes with Inimitable Intense mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sur blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Yash lipstick topped with Lust lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

MAC Sur Blush

MAC Mickey Contractor: Sur Blush

MAC Sur Blush ($18.50 for 0.21 oz.) is new and limited edition blush from MAC Mickey Contractor. MAC describes it as a “dirty rose brown” with a satin finish. When I swatched, I found Sur to be a rosied brown with a pearly sheen. It’s a really nice natural blusher–it’ll give your cheeks a little oh-la-la and dimension without too much color. I see this working well on light to medium-dark skin tones; darkest skin tones may find it gets lost when used.

It seems quite comparable to Notable (Makeup Art Cosmetics, ’09)–possibly a touch lighter and with a more noticeable sheen. It seems similar to Blushbaby, too, though browner.

P.S. — On eyes, I am wearing Jaan eyeshadow on the lid, Vivah eyeshadow on the outer lid/crease, Folie in the crease, Burberry Trench to highlight, Ivy fluidline on upper lash line, Urban Decay Perversion on lower water line, Jaan eyeshadow on lower lash line. On lips, I am wearing Yash lipstick with Lust lipglass on top. On cheeks, I am wearing Sur Blush.

MAC Mickey Contractor will be available on January 6th at select North American stores and January 2011 for select international stores. It will be available online on approximately January 4th but may not be available until the 6th.

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• Product: 28/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s a very easy, everyday kind of blush that’s everyday without adding color but more about definition and dimension.  It does add some color, don’t get me wrong, but it’s very natural.

WHERE TO BUY: maccosmetics.com

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Sur Blush

MAC Sur Blush

MAC Sur Blush

MAC Sur Blush

MAC Gana Blush / Sur Blush

MAC Sur Blush