My MAC Lipstick Collection

I love a good MAC lipstick and really enjoy looking at collection posts to get an idea of colours and swatches. At £14 they are on the pricy side (especially as I used to buy them when they were £10!) so I like to make sure I know what I'm getting and do a lot of research before hand. MAC lipsticks are definitely my favourite as there are so many amazing shades and formulas available, and the majority are of excellent quality. Considering I don't wear lipstick everyday, I have managed to build up quite a large collection over the years. I have 10 in total, which probably is a minimal amount for some beauty girls, but more than enough for me at the moment! (That doesn't stop me still having my eye on a few shades though!) 

(Left to Right) Ravishing, Costa Chic, Angel, Brave, Fanfare, Lovelorn, Cremecup, Mighty Aphrodite (LE), Blankety, Hue

(Left to Right) Ravishing, Costa Chic, Angel, Brave, Fanfare

Lovelorn, Cremecup, Mighty Aphrodite (LE), Blankety, Hue

(Top to bottom) Ravishing, Costa Chic, Angel, Brave, Fanfare

 

(Top to bottom) Lovelorn, Cremecup, Mighty Aphrodite (LE), Blankety, Hue

Ravishing: A vibrant coral/peach colour with a Cremesheen finish (which is definitely my favourite finish!) and warm undertones. Has a glossy finish and is very long lasting on the lips.This is perfect for an added brightness to my face without being too harsh

Costa Chic: An extremely bright true coral colour in a Frost finish which means that there is a slight shimmery sheen. I haven't been brave enough to wear this too often but have worn it a few times very sheerly and blotted to give a coral stain effect, which is less dramatic.

Angel: This is another Frost finish but has much less of a shimmer to it than Costa Chic. It is one of those 'my lips but better' shades as it is a nudey pink colour that blends in to the lips seamlessly.

Brave: This is a cross between a nude and a plum shade on my skin tone (I'm seriously pale) and it definitely has some wine-y undertones to it. This is a Satin finish which has a smooth, almost matte finish but a slight natural sheen to it. I find this finish the most long lasting on my lips.

Fanfare: A bright pink with warm, red undertones to it. Another Cremesheen finish with a smooth, glossy texture. Good for those who are scared of colour as it is extremely wearable yet bright at the same time. 

Lovelorn: This is a Lustre finish which is slightly sheerer than a Cremesheen but still has that glossy effect.This is a true bright pink with slightly blue tones in, which sadly doesn't quite suit my skin tone, yet this is still a beautiful colour.

Cremecup: Cremecup is a Cremesheen finish lipstick in a muted blue-ish pink shade with cool undertones (which as I mentioned previously, doesn't match my skin tone as well as warmer colours). This one kind of 'sits' on my lips and isn't as flattering as some of the other Cremesheens I have tried. 

Marquise D': This was actually my first ever lipstick I purchased from MAC and although I have used a fair amount of this, I really don't get on with it...I just don't like the shimmer! It's a Lustre finish but it has really large chunks of golden glitter which linger even when the lipstick has worn off. This was limited edition in the Wonder Woman collection and because of our long history, I'm too attached to give this one away. The colour itself is a nice, muted pink which is right up my street. What a shame :(

Blankety: This is a true nude colour, but because of my pale complexion it does appear a lot darker and more complementary than it would on darker complexions. This is an Amplified finish which is one of the more pigmented finishes and longer lasting.

Hue: Another 'my lips but better' colour with a nude/peach shade in a Glaze formula which adds a glossy finish rather than a colour to the lips. Probably one of my most worn just because it is so easy to just throw on without worrying too much about smudging and such. 

Thanks for reading and I hope I helped some of you out because the MAC lipstick stand can sometimes be a bit overwhelming! 

Daisy x

Beauty 101 - Deep Cleaning Makeup Brushes

It's been a while so I may be a bit rusty at all this blogging business but I'm gunna give it a shot! To me, cleaning my makeup brushes is one of those mundane tasks that I put off for as long as possible *slap on the wrist* but I aim to clean them every Sunday (although this can occasionally be alternate Sundays if life is hectic). I've had many a discussion with people who have used the same brushes over and over again and never thought to give them a cheeky clean. Now, I'm not a germophobe generally but that does make my stomach turn a little. You're creating a bacteria breeding ground which can lead to clogged pores and spots. Many people use a brush cleanser (such as the MAC brush cleaner) and think that they're good to go. However, watch out because although thiss 'spot cleaning' is good for chopping and changing colours on eye brushes, it won't thoroughly cleanse your brushes and will leave residue in your brushes. This can really impact the application of your products and the brush will be less able to blend products in to your skin.

Now, what you wash your brushes with is important. I would say go for a cheap, clarifying shampoo(yet not too harsh, we don't want do damage the brushes and end up with a baldy brush!). Johnsons Baby Shampoo and Herbal Essences Clarifying Shampoo are some of my particular favourites. There is always the more organic route which uses honey and extra virgin olive oil but that's for another post. :)

So here's my step by step guide to squeaky clean brushes:

1. Lay out all your dirty brushes and cleanser of choice

2. Dampen the brush slightly with lukewarm water. (Thanks to the Real Techniques Blush Brush here for being such a good sport). Be careful not to get the water into the brush 'ferrule' (fancy name for where the handle joins the brush hairs) as this can break down the glue and cause shedding.

3. Squirt a small amount of shampoo in to your palm and swirl the moist (ewwww...) brush into your hand, it should lather up slightly.

4. Squeeze out excess water/product (this is really satisfying as you can see the colour dripping out!)

5. Shape and lay brushes out to dry leaving the head overhanging. This will not only dry them quicker but will allow them to keep their shape more. I usually leave them over night to dry but how long it takes depends on the size and density of the brush!

I hope you enjoyed and feel inspired to do a spring clean of your own brushes!

Daisy x

Two Years Later...

So... It's been a while! I do apologise but this had to go on the back burner for a while due to GCSE/A-levels ect. I'm on study leave now so updating this will be my new procrastination device to avoid revision! I hope you enjoy the upcoming posts!
Daisy x