MAC Styleseeker Collection Reviews, Photos, Swatches


Some items from MAC Styleseeker Collection

MAC Styleseeker is MAC’s big fall colour collection that launched last week. We are seeing eyeshadow duos, Fluidlines, Mattenes and blushes in warm, moody colours to suit the season.

MAC Dark Diversion Fluidline ($18) is described as a blackened plum. I wanted this when it first came out in 2010, and now it’s being repromoted for a limited time in this collection. And the verdict? Meh. It’s not as dark and opaque as I’d like. It requires 2 or 3 passes before I get “blackened plum.” Not black enough. :( The Fluidline is still one of my favourite products that MAC offers because of its longevity and ease of use. I wish I could love it but this shade’s formula is a miss for me.

MAC Supercontinental Powder Blush ($24) is a beautiful glowing light coral pink in a satin finish. It is wonderfully pigmented, and the shade goes with everything. The glow is very fine, but it may highlight big pores or uneven texture on some. I personally love this and have been wearing it constantly.


From left: Dark Diversion Fluidline, Delectable and Fashion Nomad Mattene Lipsticks, Supercontinental Blush


MAC Fashion Nomad Mattene

Here we’ve finally arrived at lipstick! This collection has introduced me to the infamous Mattene lipstick and it is love, you guys! MAC Fashion Nomad and Delectable Mattene ($18) lipsticks are both amazing. I experience no hard tugging on application, and the formula is a new matte that is not flat. I really adore Delectable, which is a great nude for my tan skin tone (NC40). I don’t have issues with dryness with these, and that is a sign of a good matte formula.


MAC Delectable Mattene

Did you check out the MAC Styleseeker collection? What did you end up grabbing? I think I’ll go take a look at the other Mattene lipsticks from the collection.

Giorgio Armani Easy Chic Fall 2012 Collection Reviews, Photos, Swatches

So it begins. Giorgio Armani Easy Chic Fall 2012 collection comes out this month at Holt Renfrew, and this is an incredible little collection that you don’t want to miss out on. This is one brand that continues to impress me, and I hope you’ll see why. ;) Read on to see a few stunning items from the collection.


Rouge d’Armani in 408 Rosewood Red and Neo Classic Face & Eye Palette in Neo Black

The Neo Classic Face & Eye Palette in Neo Black ($95) contains two tiers of powders: a browned peach blush, and a trio of eyeshadows in shimmery champagne, gold-flecked khaki taupe, and a matte black.


Neo Classic Face & Eye Palette in Neo Black — bottom tier


Neo Classic Face & Eye Palette in Neo Black — top tier

The eyeshadows are a new formula; very different from the previous eyeshadow palettes from Giorgio Armani. They have much better pigmentation and glide, and don’t have any fallout issues. Don’t let the black eyeshadow swatch fool you. The shade is deep and smooth on the eyes. The face powder is sheer and has the most beautiful glow. Like the eyeshadows, it applies smoothly. It barely shows up on my skin tone (beautiful on fair skin like Beautezine, though), so it is perfect to balance a smokey eye. There is also a Neo Brown palette available; it is also gorgeous, as seen on Makeup Magpie.


Neo Classic Face & Eye Palette in Neo Black — swatches (blush, then eyeshadows)


Rouge d’Armani in 408 Rosewood Red

Limited edition shades of my favourite lipstick formula evarrr make me nervous. Rouge d’Armani in 408 Rosewood Red ($38) is a deep blue red that has autumn written all over it. From my previous review: the formula is absolutely phenomenal.  It is super creamy, saturated and melts on to the lips without any dragging. I recommend a liner to keep it from slipping around on the lips too much.  Also available in 526 Purpleheart (plum) and 111 Vintage Pine (beige).

A beauty PSA: not pictured, but do not miss the Waterproof Eye Pencil in 1 Granite Black ($29). I bought mine from the Spring 2011 collection and it is my favourite black eyeliner pencil. Very waterproof, very black, and I can wear it on my waterline for a long time. You need it. It is also available in 2 Earthen Brown.

 
Waterproof Eye Pencil in 1 Granite Black and Rouge d’Armani in 408 Rosewood Red — swatches

Check out this post for a very special face of the day (Catwoman from The Dark Knight Rises!) featuring the products in this collection. I am so excited about this one, you guys! But first, let me know what you think of the collection. Do you love, or do you love? ;)

Sneak Peek: LUSH Emotional Brilliance Collection

Written by Michelle Buček

Have you heard?  LUSH is coming out with a colour cosmetics line!  My friend Michelle was at LUSH Queen Street, Toronto last week for a sneak peek of the new launch.  This collection is going to be a hit!

Last week I had the chance to preview LUSH’s newest line Emotional Brilliance, a makeup line (consisting of 30 vegan products) that shows off your current state of mind. The range includes dynamic-coloured liquid lipsticks, liquid eyeliners, and cream eyeshadows that are designed to give the user the freedom to wear make-up that shapes your mood rather than feeling stuck wearing make-up that’s in-season or on-trend.

Do you think that if you believe enough in something, you will have a change of behaviour?


LUSH Liquid Lipsticks in Glamorous and Power, and Liquid Eyeliner in Healthy

The lovely ladies at LUSH whisked me off into a dark, secluded room where the focal point was a wheel adorned with 30 beautiful colours. They gently spun the wheel and instructed that I select three colours that stood out to me in that moment. The order chosen is very important as the first colour symbolizes your strength or weakness, the second colour represents your subconscious need, and the third is your talent and it is what you require to achieve your subconscious need. Each colour corresponds to a specific word. In order I chose Liquid Lipsticks in Glamorous and Power and Liquid Eyeliner in Healthy. Apparently my healthy attitude or perhaps healthy body will help me gain the power that I am lacking in my life. I have yet to decide if glamorous is a strength or weakness in my life.

It all felt a bit gimmicky to me, but it was a fun experience nonetheless and I salute LUSH for striving to do something different. After assessing my colour choices, I decided I would only wear one out of the three colours I chose, as two of them did not suit my skin tone or style. But, have no fear, because I was told by a LUSH sales associate that the power of the colour would still shine through and shape my mood even if I just wore it is a dot on my wrist. I am sorry LUSH, but the price is a little steep to buy a liquid eyeliner to be worn on places other than my eyes.

I bet you are wondering what exactly ‘glamorous’, ‘power’ and ‘healthy’ look like in colour form.

Without further ado…


LUSH Liquid Lipsticks in Glamorous and Power, and Liquid Eyeliner in Healthy — swatches

I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the liquid lipsticks. They are intensely skin softening and carry pigment very well. The colour is vibrant and evenly distributed after just one application. This patent pending formula uses LUSH’s super softening Ultrabalm as a base, which is a simple blend of organic jojoba oil, candelilla wax and rose wax.


LUSH Liquid Lipstick in Power — applicator

 To accompany the Emotional Brilliance range are a suite of other new products, including two new skin tints, a black mascara, and a translucent powder.

I have really taken a liking to Skin Tint in Charisma, a golden skin tint perfect for achieving that healthy, warm glow this summer. LUSH uses a softening and calming base of simmered oats, almond and jojoba oils, cocoa butter and orange flower water. Charisma blends in beautifully and won’t make your face feel oily. I also love how it works to tone and nourish the skin making it feel soft and refreshed throughout the whole day. Without a doubt, this is going to be my go-to bronzer this summer.


LUSH Skin Tint in Charisma


LUSH Skin Tint in Charisma — swatch

In true LUSH fashion the packaging is designed to have as little impact on the planet as possible. The colours all come in clear glass bottles because glass is one of the easiest materials to recycle globally. LUSH designed the caps for the glass bottles and manufacture them near their headquarters in Poole, Dorset using recycled materials from their black pots. Brilliant and innovative!

The Emotional Brilliance collection launches July 21st 2012 in all LUSH stores worldwide and online at lush.ca. The products are priced between $18.95 and $22.95.

What do you think? Will you go check it out?

Written by Michelle Buček

Michelle is a bath and body product junkie, who has admitted to having a shrine full of The Body Shop and LUSH goodies in her bathroom.  She is also an avid runner and has killer legs to show for it.  (No, I’m not jealous!  Okay, maybe a little.)

[Editor's Note: I am so lucky that the folks at LUSH also gave me a chance to try out a few items from this collection, so watch out for my swatches later on. :) For now, I snapped a quick photo for Twitter the other day.]