MAC Lipstick

MAC Lipstick Collection + Lip Swatches, Musings & Favourites

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DSC_0398 As were many first makeup loves, MAC (lipsticks) were my first form of lipstick love, back in grade eight- with a questionably pink shade and a few months later my beloved Creme d’Nude – so I thought it would be fitting to share my favourites, considering that I’ve been blogging well over a year. However, upon contemplating my favourites, I realized that I kind-of-sort-of adored all of my shades because over the years I’ve returned or back-to-mac‘ed all the ones that I did not love. And, I resolved this inner conflict by deciding to show and discuss all eight of my MAC Lipsticks but highlight my top five favourites in brackets. I’ll warn you that there are two limited edition shades in here and neither of them are available (from MAC, anyway) but don’t despair please.  Get ready for some posing slash lip swatching awkwardness, dodgy lipstick application and terrifyingly rough lips. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

P.S. MAC Lipsticks come with 3 grams a product and retail for $19 CDN/ $16 US

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the naked lips, pre-swatching and pre-rough

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MAC Lipstick in Patisserie (Lustre) | “sheer creamy neutral pink” (1)

Recently Updated59MAC Patisserie came into my life during the late Fall of 2013 and hasn’t been neglected ever since, becoming my go-to purse lipstick as it’s foolproof to apply, doesn’t require a mirror and is essentially a glorified tinted balm with an extra dose of pigment. Being as moisturizing and dryness forgiving as it is, the formula is not the longest wearing, only lasting three or so hours but for me it’s worth it. It’s a mix between a nude and a my-lips-but-better colour, being slightly browner/darker and warmer than my lips but still staying in that nude-ish family; I don’t wholeheartedly agree with MAC’s description and I would be more likely to call it a pinky beige with warm brownish undertones. I have yet to find a makeup look that the shade doesn’t suit + its actually hydrating also! 🙂

MAC Lipstick in Creme d’Nude (Cremesheen) | “pale muted peach beige”

Recently Updated58Creme d’Nude is, to this day, my favourite true paler nude lipstick and we’ve had a love affair since I was in ninth grade (or maybe the summer before) and now I’m nearing the end of my third year of university… Cremesheen formulas are not always my favourite as I don’t find them overly creamy, moisturizing or flattering, – they tend to stick to any textured parts – this shade has the best formula out of all the shades in the range that I’ve tried. I’ve come to prefer this warm-toned beige-nude with strong peachy-orange undertones with lip-liner to avoid that concealer lips effect and add some shape, though and it is very pretty that way. It lasts for about four hours on its own and had medium colour payoff that makes it more wearable than other paler nudes – MAC Myth, anyone? – even though it swatches very light. I would not recommend this for anyone with extremely cool undertones – it might be questionable.

MAC Lipstick in Sweet & Sour (Cremesheen) | “soft peach cream” (5)

Recently Updated60Despite being of the difficult-to-wear pastel family and not being one of the better Cremesheens, I bloody love the muted peachy-coral shade but given that it’s a pastel and remains rather pale in colour, I might suggest a lip liner to make it look a bit more wearable and for your lips to look like they have actual edges. It lasts 4-5 hours, surprisingly with medium colour payoff and can actually remain on the lips through some light eating and drinking. This is one of my absolute favourite everyday lipsticks in the spring and summer, even though my lips don’t love the formula and it tends to highlight every bit of texture and dryness in the lips.

MAC Lipstick in Kinda Sexy (Matte) | “neutral pinky-rose” (2)

Recently Updated61In the summer, I was wandering around MAC, tried on this lipstick and I fell in love with the neutral rosy-peach shade with some brown to it. It’s up there with Patisserie as being my favourite lipstick and is in the neutral category as well, but with much more colour than a nude. I’m tempted to almost consider it a my-lips-but-better shade even though its quite deep to be considered in this category. The finish is matte but it’s not drying, wears a ridiculous amount of time and doesn’t look outwardly bad on my dry lips. It also doesn’t hurt that the rosy-hued neutral shade is just so flattering on my fair warm skin tone, blue eyes and dark hair.

MAC ‘A Fantasy of Flowers’ Lipstick in Dreaming Dahlia (Lustre) | “sheer red-coral” – limited edition

Recently Updated62I don’t agree with the description of the last spring’s limited edition lipstick because it’s surprisingly pigmented and not sheer in the slightest and I find it leans much more pink-coral than red but I wouldn’t be overly concerned as it’s limited edition and no longer available. It was from the MAC A Fantasy of Flowers Collection, which overall was an impressive collection in my opinion. I haven’t worn this lipstick as much as I should in the past because it’s not exactly a bold lipstick or a neutral one either but lately I’ve been giving the balmy comfortable formula more play. It lasts maybe four hours on the lips and has that hydrating consistency whilst providing even medium and slightly buildable opacity. If you’re looking for a shade like this that you could actually get your hands on without resorting to ebay or the like, I’ve found that the more affordable NYX Butter Gloss in Cherry Cheesecake to be impressively close, with a slight bit more orange to it and a balmy-gloss consistency.

MAC Lipstick in Dubonnet (Amplified Creme) | “deepened claret” (4)

Recently Updated63The Amplified formula does all that it promises, gliding over the lips with that hint of hydration, providing amazing pigmentation, being as comfortable as anything on the lips while lasting for 5-6 hours unless there’s been some oily-food eating or sliding before the colour has fully dried down on the lips. Dubonnet is my favourite and only MAC deep autumnal shade offering and I love its versatility, straddling the line between a more wearable berry or deep read and a true vampy shade. It’s one of those colours that believe MAC named aptly because it actually looks like the wine in colour, being a red-leaning berry hue with neutral brown undertones (in the best way possible). I have to say that the pictures do not do the shade justice because the glossiness does not show up favorable on camera, but this is fixed as soon as you let the lipstick set or do a bit of blotting. The shade is very similar to my other favourite NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Golshan and notably cheaper.

MAC ‘Hey, Sailor!’ Lipstick in Sail la Vie | “bright mid-tone orange” – limited edition

Recently Updated64As one might guess on account of the pretty nautical packaging, this neon orange shade with a little hint of red to it, was, in fact, limited edition and out almost three years ago before it sold out quickly. Believe it or not, I bought this shade to wear to my prom over the top of a reddish liner (to match my dress) and I’m some glad that I did. The satin formula wears for ages and ages and eventually stains the lip with more comfortable and easier application than a matte. It’s nice and pigmented, also and lasts on my lips for a good five hours. I’m sure that this is a dupeable shade but I can’t think of any options on the top of my head – and if you’re crazy and want to track this one down, I’ve seen it on Amazon for inflated but not absolutely ridiculous prices. I haven’t worn this as much since starting my blog, unfortunately – but I wore it loads before – just because I didn’t want to be wearing a shade that you couldn’t get your hands on in a post…

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo (Retro Matte) | “very matte vivid blue-red” (3)

Recently Updated65The cult-favourite shade has possibly the most drying clay-based formula ever and is difficult to apply to the lips but it lasts so long on the lips and doesn’t move so it definitely has its merits; the formula is most certainly worth it because the flame-bright red with cooler undertones and a hint of pink is stunning and as universally flattering as its reputation assumes. The shade lasts a ridiculous amount of time on the lips and doesn’t transfer but when it does fade, it tends to leave that ring effect so I would recommend reapplication and it makes teeth look remarkably whiter without being jarring on my warmer skin tone. I’m tempted to say that this is my favourite red and I’m definitely one of those red kind of girls.

Do you have a favourite MAC Lipstick to share? What one should I try next?
Maggie, x.

MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick

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As much as I love a good bold lip of the red or coral variety, sometimes I come to admit that it’s those more difficult to find those flattering neutral shades that are the essentials or most valuable and for me, the MAC Matte Lipstick in Kinda Sexy ($19) is definitely one of those. I’ve waxed on about my love for Patisserie, the sheerer warm toned pink tinged neutral hue, and this one offers a similar kind of thing and I suspect it will become just as loved over time. Kinda Sexy definitely sits on the more pigmented and long-lasting side of things with its matte finish and it definitely has a bit more colour to it, while still being neutral. It’s a neutral hue with strong peach undertones that still fits into the cliched my-lips-but-better territory but it actually serves to darken/brighten the lips, while still remaining neutral. This lipstick isn’t ‘nude’ in the strictest sense on fair skin like mine, but it might be considered one (and a nice one at that) on deeper complexions — you’ll have to let me know.

Despite the neutral hue of this shade, it’s not a slap er on kind of hue that doesn’t require a mirror or any care but the extra effort proves worthwhile because the shade actually serves to stain the lips and last through a good moderate amount of eating and drinking. Despite being a matte finish, it doesn’t dry out my perpetually chapped lips or emphasize the patches in the slightest. This matte formula is impressive in how comfortable it is on the lips and I’ll definitely have my eye out for more matte shades — this matte is nothing like the uber-dry/drying Ruby Woo, if you were curious. My lips are peeling in the below picture and this shade does not emphasize it in the slightest, if you ask me. I find this shade lasts about 5 hours, which kind of blows my mind given that it’s such a neutral shade.

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Being a neutral (but brightening) shade, Kinda Sexy goes with just about any sort of makeup look, regardless of how minimal or dramatic the rest of the face is and it’s one that I grab for when I don’t want to think about what shade would go. I’m obsessed with this shade at the moment and as a result, it has found a home in my bag and I don’t expect this to change any time soon. For the sake of full-disclosure, the link below will be an affiliate link, too.

DSC_0471Shade comparisons: MAC Kinda Sexy (top), MAC Patisserie (middle), Revlon Matte Balm in Complex (bottom)
 
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MAC Lipstick in Kinda Sexy ($16/$19)
What’s your favourite MAC Lipstick?
Maggie, x.

June 2014 Favourites

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June has been a relatively nice month in these parts, both in weather and in my perceived overall temperament of the month, were it an animate human being. The month began (literally) with my twentieth birthday where I was gifted a much improved new camera — a digital SLR — and was able to make some improvements here at Beautylit & Ramblings so things were rather good on that front but in terms of my life outside of my little space on the internet, I achieved less than the ideal productive human being. Anyway, this is a roundup of my standout products throughout the month.

Bianca Topical Gel ($90 CDN):

I must say that adding the prescription retinoid gel that’s formulated impressively without irritating alcohol back into my routine wasn’t so fun last month as it is one of the only skin medication that actually is proven to cause purging for the first month or so and that didn’t stop for me until the beginning of the month and as one would expect, some scars do remain but now that I’ve gotten through this stage I’ve been happy with the improved texture of my skin and lack of general bumpiness brought on by rapidly increasing cell turnover. Weirdly enough, it also seems to help with overall brightness without irritating my skin like most other prescription and non-prescription strength products that work known to man. It’s actually the most money that I have ever spent on a skincare product but my dermatologist recommended it to me so I went for it knowing it wasn’t covered by insurance annoyingly — note, later I was reimbursed for half from University-based health coverage so it wasn’t so painful in the long run.

By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($26 CDN):

Every time when my skin gets irritated, broken out, dehydrated and/or scarred, I always come back to this oil consistently to quickly sort things out. The orange-tinged dry oil is lightweight but manages to instantly soothe and hydrate the complexion, helps with active blemishes and does miracle work with scarring, brightening the skin over time. I’ve been reaching for this loads to help with that whole skin situation.

Boots No 7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser ($12 CDN):

I’ve been using this cream cleanser to remove makeup and cleanse the face in general for going on three months but this month I really fell in love with this gentle and luxurious yet affordable offering especially while dealing with the general skin irritation and dehydration situation. With its convenient pump packaging, this rich cream cleanser removes makeup like a champ whilst soothing the skin and actually leaving it much more calmed and hydrated after removed with a washcloth. It does have some fragrance but it has a subtle spa-like scent that would lead you to believe that this is a much higher end product than the price would indicate, especially paired with the whole experience of massaging it in. I’ve deviated from my usual routine a little, in fact, as I’ve been enjoying going for this offering in the morning as well as it leaves the skin smoother and soothed in preparation for makeup and the like. It does come with a muslin cloth which has imparted me with the insight that I’m more of a facecloth kind of girl.

DevaCare Arc AnGel ($25/55 CDN):

I had gotten more into my hair in the last two months or so and I remembered loving my wavy hair last summer when I was using their gel as well as the leave-in protein treatment so when I was in the area of my salon, I picked the protein treatment up again and tried the firmer holding gel from the line in the economical huge litre tub. As with the Ultra Defining Gel, when used properly, scrunched in with care and all that jazz (in the style of the Curly Girl Method), this one gives great definition to my loose curls as well as adding life to the roots. However, this gel has to be my favourite because I find that I don’t need as insane of a quantity of it and it’s much more economical while providing even better definition and hold that keeps the shape in my hair for days. I’ve definitely been more of a fan of my hair this month and this is the product responsible for it.

Annabelle CC Colour Control Luminous Finish Instant Perfecting Base ($17 CDN):

I normally force myself to leave out products from these monthly posts that I’ve only had for the second half of the month, but after picking it up and talking about it here ,it has become a welcome addition into my daily routine and I can safely say that it’s my first primer love as of ever. The ridiculously named “CC” primer manages to not irritate my sensitive skin in any sort of shape or form whilst performing effectively; the opalescent silicone-based primer adds that luminosity that helps to blur imperfections rather than highlighting them and it also seems to keep foundation on the skin as it was applied for longer.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup in 10 ($48 CDN):

In the last month, I’ve talked about this new foundation that I’ve fallen for and I doubt I’ll be stopping anytime soon. I honestly can count on one hand the number of times I wore makeup that didn’t include this lightweight foundation and I was never happier with the way my face looked with all things considered. Being someone who suffers from dry patches and less-than-ideal texture on my face, I tend to avoid anything promising a velvety let alone matte finish but when I visited the Chanel counter at a local department store and let the lovely lady apply it to my face, I was sold. The fairest shade seems to be the ideal match for my skin and the lightweight formula looks and feels like skin, offering medium (but weirdly buildable) coverage with the velvety but luminous finish. This one manages somehow not to dry out skin in the slightest but control oil on my normal t-zone in a kind of unbelievable way. I’ve said it before and I’ve said it recently, but this really is the perfect lightweight foundation option for summer.

Annabelle Smoothliner in Black ($6-7 CDN):

It may or may not be apparent through viewing my posts in the last month, but I haven’t been feeling my usual winged liner — Don’t get me wrong, I may be wearing it in certain posts but I haven’t been loving it on — and because I’m a liner girl at heart, I’ve been forsaking it for this creamy waterproof offering. I’ve said this before but for me, these are the better version of the popular Urban Decay liners, actually creamy as compared to waxy and easier to smudge out. Because of its creaminess, this isn’t a liner that is super easy to create a precise line with but that’s a necessary sacrifice. Although they don’t last for 12 hours or anything on the inner rims on the eyes (probably because they aren’t the easiest to adhere too the inner rims), this is one of the very few that will remain on the upper waterline without transferring. Ahh, I’ve found a product to tightline with at last that doesn’t automatically transfer to the waterline and isn’t a menace to remove from my dry eyes at night.

Annabelle Lipliner in 405 Demure ($4-6 CDN):

So I hadn’t noticed how much I’ve been loving the affordable brand, Annabelle — woo, Canadian pride … jokes — but after putting this together, I’ve fully recognized this fact and have made a mental note to try more from this brand as I’ve been majorly impressed with what I’ve tried thus far. If you read my post a few weeks into the month where I picked this bargain up with a few others here,then I’m sure that you’re aware that I haven’t had this for the entirety of the month but it’s (yet again) another product that has fast-tracked its way into my daily staples. I didn’t use to be a lip-liner girl but after I picked this creamy rosy hue that sits as a warm-toned browned pink shade, I think I have been converted; its that perfect my-lips-but-better colour that suits my complexion (in my opinion) and works on its own or with a multitude of lipsticks ranging from nudes to rosy neutral kind of hues, perfectly suiting the next product worthy of mention…

MAC Patisserie Lipstick ($19 CDN):

I have sensitive and perpetually chapped lips and I’ve probably said this 47 times too many but here I go again. In the beginning of the month, I appear to have either burnt my lips spectacularly or had quite the reaction to spf in a lip product considering the chapped, sore and flaky lips that emerged and wouldn’t heal and when this happens and I want to wear a lip colour, moisturizing spf-free options such as MAC Lustres are a lifesaver. This shade is easily my go-to everyday kind of colour — a nude that isn’t exactly pale with some rosiness to it and the subtlest of brown undertones — and it might just be my favourite lip product of all time but independent of this, I’ve been slapping this on constantly this month, quite often over the above liner for increased longevity and a bit more of a kick on the pigmentation front. And case in point, the mother who only comments on my makeup maybe once every few months — more often and not in a way that resembles constructive criticism — has told me on a few occasions how nice this shade is, so I’m fairly certain is a good one.  And it actually moisturizes the lips and camoflages these kinds of situations impressively. I went on and on in more detail about the combination in a recent post here.

Revlon Photoready Skinlights in Pink Light ($14-16 CDN):

This is not a product that is any means new to me as it’s been with me since early Spring and I’ve thought it was a nice subtle pink-hued illuminator that added that dewiness without emphasizing any of the unwanted things on the face and blended into the skin impressively but since going for less of a dewy finish with foundation and wearing less makeup in general, the dewy cheekbone situation has been much more enticing. In other words, I’ve been pulling this tube out and have been applying a few dots on the cheekbones, even going a bit lower than usual and blending it with my fingertips.

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny ($2.70 CDN):

There are very few makeup products available at the usual suspects that retail for such wallet-friendly prices and more than that, this hyped product has to be the perfect finely-milled warm-toned bronzer — because it’s on the warmer side of things, I do prefer it in the warmer months (especially when I’ve gotten some colour [while wearing SPF of course!]) but regardless it isn’t one of those bronzers that is just a touch away from being brick-hued and it has a nice texture to work with both for adding some shape to the face with a smaller brush and actually bronzing with a larger brush. I had been in the mood for more of a contoured effect in past months but as of late, I’ve been going for a much more diffused bronzed application of this one. It’s flattering and subtle on the skin while being lazy-girl approved, if you needed any further persuasion.

 

 

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                                         The products in use minus those of the lip variety
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                                         The lip products

 And hopefully to benefit anyone reading this — P.S. I kind of adore you all — I continued my swatching kick, featuring the coloured makeup products (minus the foundation) from this post. Unfortunately, none of my photo attempts seem to be in particularly good focus… forgive me?

DSC_0640                                          From the left: NYC Sunny, Revlon Pink Light, MAC Patisserie, Annabelle Demure Lipliner, Annabelle Black Smoothliner
 
I really was not intending for this post to be anywhere this long and for that I apologize and as always, I would love to know your thoughts on these products as well as your standout products of the month!
Maggie, x.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Everyday Lip Combination

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There are very very few things that I like less in life than bullshitting around the truth so I’m just going to cut to the chase; this post is only happening because a, I liked my makeup and b, I managed to get some decent shots of it and therefore it had to be documented here. However, when I picked up my pen and my moleskin book of blogging, inspiration struck me instantly — me, the girl who doesn’t tend to be faithful to daily routines and doesn’t really do that whole lip combination thing has found a staple one as of late and that begs for some sharing. I might even be converted to the realm of lip liner more than once a year.

Putting a balm down first, as obvious as it appears, makes a world of difference to sensitive chapped lips like mine and for this I like the moisturizing but not particularly glossy or fussy EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit ($3). These balms might not work miracles but they’re a nice hydrating balm that work without any sort of fuss.

I’m sure regular readers around these parts might be rather surprised about talking a lip liner as an everyday staple but rest assured, I have not had a personality transplant but rather the uber-affordable Annabelle Lipliner in 405 Demure ($4-5) has stolen my heart and might just have converted me. The creamy but precise liner is a warm muted rose that strikes me as the perfect cliched ‘my lips but better’ shade for me that can be worn on its own as well as a liner with other lipsticks etc. And if you’re wondering, this Canadian brand is available to you Americans on their website for affordable shipping rates…

The lipstick has been mentioned many times before around these parts, which should not be surprising in the least considering that MAC Patisserie Lipstick ($19)is easily my favourite lipstick of all time with its flattering hue — a slightly sheerer version of the above liner, a glossy rosy shade with some subtle understated brown to it that flatters my pale lips — and it’s actually moisturizing texture that doesn’t highlight dry patches on the lips or irritate them when they’re in the lovely chapped state. There is miniscule shimmer in this shade but I never notice it on my lips, even when these fade. I know for some MAC’s Lustres can be glorified and overpriced tinted balms but for me they’re the best balmy lipstick that still offers on the pigmentation front and sticks around without much fuss. I must pick up more… it’s clearly a necessity.

The trio is comfortable to wear but still sticks around for about four hours with some minimal eating and drinking in there. Aaaaaand without looking obvious on the lips, it makes my lips look sort of symmetrical and brightens the whole face. A few of the items here may or may not be gracing a monthly post at the end of the month, if you know what I mean. Spoiler Alert.

What’s your go-to everyday lip?
Maggie, x.

So MAC Happened…

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I was lucky enough to receive a MAC Lipstick from my mom for Valentines Day. Well kind of; knowing me so well, she got me a gift card because I am insanely picking as she knew not to deprive me from the whole picking experience and when I went in to pick it out, I ended up with an eye product as well. You should know by now that this tends to be a reoccurring pattern for me.
MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick ($19 CDN) 

I’m quite a fan of MAC Lipsticks but don’t own a ton and the shades I have tend to either be bold statement shades or nudes and I’ve been craving one sort of in between that can be worn on the daily but also has some instantly-brightening colour to it and this limited-edition offering from the Fantasy of Flowers collection caught my eye and fit the bill. It’s a warm-toned true coral shade with a lustre finish and I’d say that it’s rather pigmented for a luster (medium-buildable opacity) and while remaining comfortable and hydrating on the lips, wears for about four hours without requiring maintenance. These shades tend to be flattering on my skin but I’m hesitant buying these shades but I know I shouldn’t be. To me, this lipstick screams spring to me and if I were to make a prediction it’s going to get loads of wear this season.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Layin’ Low ($24 CDN)

I hadn’t expected to pick this sleek little pot up but I have to say that I’m not disappointed in the least. I’ve had an obsession with cream eyeshadows lately especially as bases in light of my primer crisis but I was looking for a matte one and I remembered using one of these a few years back and I found it to be a shadow-primer hybrid with better primer capabilities than the ever-popular Maybelline Colour Tattoos – these do crease on me a bit but it’s after hours and hours of wear and that happens to me regardless of what primer I use. Obviously these are longlasting as shadows in themselves and have the easiest texture to use, while setting for maximum longevity. MAC describes this shade as a “creamy beige”, but I think it’s warmer and darker than that; I would describe the matte shade as a very warm beige-brown shade that is notably more orange-toned and darker than the famous Painterly. I’ll try to keep you updated on this but so far so good!

The I’m trying to do these sorts of post detailing the products I’ve picked up but I’m still getting the hang of things and I’d welcome some advice. Thoughts on the products? Tell me what you’ve been loving lately …. please?

Maggie, x.

P.S. I’m wearing Layin’ Low on my lids by itself and Dreaming Dahlia on my lips!

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