Swear to gawd, this cat is horizontal for about 80% of the day.
Oh Hai, Lady!
For Cheeks That Turn Heads: MAC Très Cheek
Wearing MAC Modern Mandarin Blush on my cheeks
Hello, mellow. 🙂 Compared to a couple of the MAC collections launching tomorrow, the six-piece Très Cheek seems really mellow to me. Reel Sexy has all those bold colors bursting with pigment, and Extra Dimension has that hard-to-miss mirror shine.
Très Cheek may not look like much in comparison, but don’t let that stop you from looking a little closer at these blushing beauties. I think there are some fan-frickin’-tastic blushes in this limited edition launch.
Here’s a look at three of the collection’s six shades. Altogether, they remind me of something MAC does so well…
Blush!
Modern Mandarin: When I apply this satiny reddish orange with my Shu Uemura Fan Brush — WOW! — I barely have to move an inch. The color practically leaps from the brush to my cheeks, bringing with it the slightest hint of shine. Mandarin is generous with pigment and might be a little too bold for some, but it should rock the beach on darker skin tones. I can’t wait to bust this baby out after I’ve gotten a little sun. Oh, and I thought this was neat: when I applied a swatch on the back of my hand today, Mandarin actually withstood a hand washing — with soap!
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A-
Lovecloud: This beautiful bright pink has a sheen that says, “You should totally cheek me out.” It’s like a combination blush and highlighter rolled into one, and on my NC42 skin, I think I also see a hint of peach. I absolutely love, love, love Lovecloud. It has the makings of a perfectly pretty spring color just waiting to be worn with peach, pink and coral lips.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Peony Petal: The faint sheen illuminating this bright bluish pink flower petal subdued compared to Modern Mandarin and Lovecloud; it’s almost (but not quite) a matte. One layer produces a soft semi-matte flush, so delicate and sweet, like the flush you get running barefoot through a field of wildflowers (or chasing after your rugrat/dog/cat). Of the three blushes here, I think it’s the one that looks the most natural. A little tinted moisturizer, one or two layers of mascara, and MAC Modesty or Right Image on your lips, and you’ll be all kinds of fierce.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Peony Petal
Lovecloud
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The MAC Reel Sexy Cremesheen Glasses Whisper AND Shout
Wearing MAC Cremesheen Glass in Cinestyle
There must be something in the air, because Tabs has been acting strange all day long.
Well…stranger than usual. He’s been grumbling to himself, staring at me for bizarrely long amounts of time, clawing at the carpeting on the stairs (BAD TABBY!) and suddenly taking off like a firecracker in random directions.
And he hasn’t been mugging for camera like he usually does. I got him all set for a few shots with the four new Cremesheen Glasses from the MAC Reel Sexy collection ($19.50 each), but he was like, “Not in the mood for it. Come back later.”
Cremesheen Glasses from the bottom to the top: Private Screening, Cinestyle, Star Quality and Color Saturation ($19.50 US; $22.50 CDN each)
I don’t know… Maybe it’s spring fever. I know he hates being cooped up in the house. I’m sure he would have preferred to shoot on location today, maybe in the city because it’s sunny. Last week he even asked if we could do a photo spread this month (and have lunch) down at Fisherman’s Wharf. Maybe also swing by the Embarcadero.
I didn’t think much of it at the time because it was raining, but I like the idea of a kitty modeling session somewhere on location. Maybe I could bring along one (or maybe all four) of the limited edition Cremesheen Glasses. My lips have been feeling a little dry lately, and MAC’s moisturizing Cremesheens usually hit the spot.
As luck would have it, Reel Sexy includes some good ones. Colorful lips play a big part in Reel Sexy, and some of that color carries over into the Cremesheen Glasses from the release.
But there are also a couple of sheerer shades in the mix, which I like because it offsets the saturated colors. Without them, the lineup would have been like listening to a song in which the singer SHOUTS THE ENTIRE TIME!
Sometimes, it’s the quiet moments that make me appreciate the louder ones even more.
Here are some thoughts on each of the four colors…
Star Quality: And it has it, too. This one’s my favorite of the bunch. When I wear this intensely pigmented bright orange coral, I want to bust out the blender, make frozen pineapple drinks and salsa dance on the lanai. It’s bright, fun and easy to wear, and I think it looks great on its own or layered on top of Watch Me Simmer. LOVE! 
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Colour Saturation: I was really surprised by this dark and creamy cool-toned wine (in a good way). I feared it would feel too fall-ish before I tried it on and was ready to pooh-pooh it, but it’s fresher than I expected it to be. Color traditionalists might still find it too dark for their tastes, but I hope they (and you) give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A-
Private Screening: This almost transparent milky mid-toned peach does for lips what Essie Ballet Slippers did for nails. Take care not to over-apply. When I did, it settled into the fine lines on my lips, and the coverage didn’t look uniform. I like the color for quick hits of shine, but I would have liked to see a little more pigment — not much, just a tad. As it stands, it’s great for adding shimmer to lippies like Watch Me Simmer and Reel Sexy Lipstick.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B
Cinestyle: MAC describes it as mid-toned blueish gray-violet, but I don’t really see any of the gray on me, and truth be told, I’m relieved; the thought of gray lips was freaking me out! This shade, like Private Screening, applies sheer and milky, and because my lips are rather pigmented, both shades look quite alike. On its own, I think it’s just okay, but I bet it would great atop Pink Popcorn Lipstick (to enhance the shine and bring out the purple tones).
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B
Star Quality
Colour Saturation
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Becca Balearic Love’s Violet and Bronze Line and Define Pencil in Cabrera Beckons Brown, Green and Hazel Eyes
“Becca invites you — ”
Me?
“Excuse me?”
I just want to make sure I understand you correctly.
“Yes, you. Becca invites you to dream of distant — ”
Just me?
“Really now? Come on, we’re talking about everyone. It’s just a marketing thing.”
Oh, okay… Sorry. I get it now. Please, continue.
“Right. Fine. Becca invites you to dream of distant shores and unguarded temptation with — ”
What you do mean, ‘unguarded’?
“What…?”
You said ‘unguarded’.
“Yes. And?”
What do you mean? Do you mean like no lifeguard on duty?
“…”
Do you have a lifeguard?
“You can’t be serious… Is this some kind of joke? Am I on Punk’d right now?”
I can almost feel the sun on my face when I gaze at the promo poster for the Becca Balearic Love Collection… That smokey eye, those rich layers of violet, bronze and plum, and that shimmer in the middle of the lid? Gorgeous! It’s one of the most intriguing collections I’ve seen this season so far.
Named after the Balearic Islands, a Mediterranean archipelago off the Eastern coast of Spain, the eight-piece collection for eyes, lips, cheeks and nails evokes a more grownup beachy vibe to me, a little bit naughty and mysterious, and not the well-trodden beach theme often characterized by lighthearted surfer girls chasing waves.
Balearic Love’s smokey eyes, bronzed, sculpted cheeks and nude pink lips would look right at home on you at that beachside café at sunset, where, instead of reading your Ibiza guidebook and sending your fiancée a text to tell him that you miss him, you’re stealing glances at the handsome stranger sitting across the way.
I just started exploring the collection last weekend, but I’ve already fallen for the dual-ended Line and Define Pencil in Cabrera ($23).
It’s a super soft, smooth liner with a metallic bronze pencil on one end and a deep violet brown on the other, and I love how messy and undone both shades look smudged along my lash lines.
One of the things I love about Becca is their nuanced approach to color. Take Cabrera’s darker tip, for instance. On my skin, it subtly flashes from deep brown to purple, which gives it a little kick that boring old brown liners lack.
And the finish? From some angles, the shimmer’s unmistakable, but from others, I swear it looks like a matte.
Honestly, if it were available as a single liner, I’d stockpile enough sticks to last me through the next few lifetimes. I love the mix of purple, brown and gold, and I think it really pops on brown, hazel and green eyes.
Becca Vintage Jewel Lip, Cheek & Eye Palette
The new Becca Limited Edition Anniversary Palette in Vintage Jewel ($36), a multi-use palette for lips, cheeks and eyes.
Cat Lady Calendar, April 2012
Calico kittehs for April!
Calvin Klein’s Fashionable New CK One Color Makeup Line Is Purely Cosmetic
You know what’s better than eating an entire bag of Trader Joe’s Roasted Seaweed Snacks in one sitting?
So salty and delicious…
Eating an entire bag of Trader Joe’s Roasted Seaweed Snacks in one sitting while playing with Calvin Klein’s new CK One Color makeup line. 🙂
That’s right! Calvin has a new makeup line (not his first, but his first in a while), and it’s available now exclusively at Ulta. Officially, “the ck one color vision of beauty begins with revealing your authentic, real beauty and never hiding it.” The company says it’s about self-exploration, and not dramatic transformations. Their mantra: “look real, define yourself, add intensity.”
They call it a simplified approach to beauty that embraces individualism with boundary-pushing edginess, and the line, they say, is designed for all ages, cultures and genders.
That last bit sounds a lot like MAC, no? And the packaging looks a little sci-fi to me, like Apple Computer meets NASA at the International Space Station.
Of course, I like.
I started out really jazzed about the eyeshadows, but now I’m not so sure. I had to build up the swatches with some of them to reach a level of pigment I liked, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that things go better when I try them on my lids.
As for the lipglosses and nail polishes? YUM! I see a lot of promise there.
Powder Eyeshadow Quad in Heat, $28
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The MAC Reel Sexy Lipsticks: Bright, Saturated and Undeniably MAC
Wearing MAC Lipstick in Reel Sexy
MAC lovers must be finding Reel Sexy real hard to resist. The four lipsticks from the upcoming release don’t arrive on counters until Thursday, April 5, but they had been available for purchase online. Not now, though, at least not directly from MAC. All four are currently sold out, and it’s probably safe to assume they’ll be hot commodities when they arrive in stores this week (at the time of this writing, they were still available on nordstrom.com).
I can’t say I’m surprised that MAC lovers have been snatching ’em up with a quickness. They’re bright, saturated, and undeniably MAC.
Lipsticks from the left: Pink Popcorn (Lustre), Reel Sexy (Amplified), Watch Me Simmer (Amplified) and Heroine (matte), $14.50 US; $17.50 CDN each
One of these days, I’d love to round up a bunch of us and go to the movies. Maybe — and I’m just throwing out a suggestion here — the movie could be The Hunger Games 🙂 (yes, I’m actually thinking about watching it AGAIN), and we could all wear the Reel Sexy lipsticks, because I like the idea of looking around the theater and seeing all of our faces in the dark, with the light from the screen reflecting off our lips, all lit up and magical…
These colors would be great for something like that.
Here are a few notes on the individual shades…
Watch Me Simmer: Love this shade! So smooth, so bold, so bright… It’s easy to dress up or down, and I only need one layer for complete coverage. The Amplified finish also lasts all day long on my lips.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Reel Sexy: Another win! To me, this one’s all floppy hats, colorful beach coverups and white sandy beaches. I think it can take a little bit of babying to look good, like, I have to pat the lipstick down with a finger to even out the pigment, but a second layer makes it perfect.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A-
Pink Popcorn: A lavender with a Lustre finish, Pink Popcorn is the quiet one. I used a couple of layers to build it up for these pics, but when its worn as a single layer, I think it actually looks very natural, like a purpler version of Syrup. It may not have the staying power of Watch Me Simmer or Reel Sexy, but I really like color and its flexibility.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+
Heroine: She might be a little too much for me, but I bet this intense violet could look really beautiful on darker damsels. If you love All My Purple Life Lipglass, don’t miss this Heroine.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+
Watch Me Simmer
Heroine
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