Review: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2

MAC recently came out with a new Viva Glam Gaga lipstick, this one is an amplified creme and very different than the last baby pink one. I bought this lipstick completely blindly, I did not swatch it in the store, but based on the swatches and descriptions that I saw online, I thought it would be a shade that I would enjoy. Plus, 100% of sales of VIVA Glam products go towards the MAC Aids fund so either way, it goes to a good cause.

Drugstore and MAC Shopping Time

I ventured out and bought some beauty products today, drugstore and MAC. I was on a mission to find the new Maybelline Fit Me foundation, people have been asking me on twitter, what I thought of it, but I have no opinion because I haven't tried it! Canadians get stuff late a lot of the time. Although the Shoppers Drug Mart flyer has this foundation... no store actually has it, at least not the 4 that I hit up today! So it will be some waiting for that one I think. I loathe waiting around while everyone else gets to try stuff and rave about it.

The two paint pots that I picked up from Cham Pale were terrible in my opinion and went back, I exchanged one for Bare Study paint pot, which I am much happier with. I know I will like this because I had a sample of it before. This paint pot is shimmery too, but not at all to the extent of Chilled On Ice paint pot and it's much more opaque, should of got what I knew was good in the first place.

While I was paying, the MAC girl handed me an invite for the new collection coming out "Wonder Woman". I got this very elaborate animated ad invite, she told me to RSVP right away if I want to be part of the pre-launch party. I don't know, do you guys like anything from this collection? I thought it looked a bit kiddy.

If you've been following my blog you know that I don't have blue eyes (they are green), but this palette from NYX looked gorgeous so I picked it up. The colours are so buttery and pigmented. They had one for blue/green/blue and a smoky one, but this one stood out the most to me, not crazy about the blues, but the others are pretty.

And lastly, I got the Ganier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Creme. I've had my eye on this for a while, and finally got it. I've been using my small jar of Clinique Moisture Surge and this definitely reminds me of it, same texture. I know lotions are more for dry skin, but I actually prefer gels, they go on really nice and feel great on my skin. This stuff is love love love. Have you tried this product? You should, it's fabulous!

♥ Best of 2010 ♥

Now that 2010 has come and gone and 2011 is here, it's time to reflect on what products did the job well in 2010. Here is my list of favourite products of last year. I've tried to incorporate as much as possible products that came out in 2010, but in the mix got products that just worked for me too, regardless of when they came out.

Best Foundation

NARS Sheer Glow

MAC Pro Longwear

MUFE Face and Body

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse

Best Concealer

Revlon Age Defying Creme

Benefit Erase Paste

Bobbi Brown Corrector (Light Bisque)

Best Lipgloss

Revlon Super Lustrous Lilac Pastelle, Pink Pop and Peach Petal

Best Lipstick

Revlon Soft Nude

MAC Jazzed

MAC Viva Glam Gaga

MAC Blooming Lovely

Best Blush

MAC Stereo Rose

MAC Peaches

Benefit Coralista

NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink

Best Eyeshadow

NYX Champagne and Caviar

MAC Naked Lunch, Sable and All That Glitters

Best Bronzer

Physicians Formila Bronze Booster (Light/Med)

MAC Golden

Best Powder

Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder

Almay Wake Up Hydrating Makeup

MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural (Light)

Best Highlighter

Hard Candy Honeymoon

MAC By Candlelight

Best Mascara

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous

Loreal Million Lashes

Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion

Revlon Grow Luscious

Best Eye Primer

Urban Decay Primer Potion (Pro Size)

Best Skincare

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost

Best Fixers

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

MAC Fix+ Rose

MAC Prep and Prime Skin

Best Perfume

Thierry Mugler Womanity

Givenchy Hot Couture

Best Nail Polish

OPI Suzy Says Feng Shui

OPI Jade is the New Black

American Apparel Malibu Green

Best Brush

ELF Studio Powder Brush

Sigma F80 Flat Top Synthetic 

Sigma E25 Mini

Sigma F25

What were your favourites of 2010?

Cherry Culture Haul

I received my items from Cherry Culture recently. I ordered during their 20% off Labor Day sale. It took me two weeks to get my items, I am all the way in Canada, so it always takes me longer to get stuff in the mail. I have a variety of items and am pretty happy with everything.

NYX Round Lipglosses in Real Nude, Whipped, Peach and Apricot.

Real Nude is not a nude at all, which I knew based on some reviews, it's actually a purple colour. Whipped is a really nice colour that can go over nude lipsticks. Peach has lots of shimmer, not as much on the lips though and Apricot is a bit darker than Peach. I normally buy the Mega Shine glosses, but I thought I would try these out.

My first Milani blush Luminous, which is a golden pink that looks very similar to MAC's Springsheen. This applies very smoothly. I can't find Milani blushes around here in drugstores, so I have to order them online.

Milani Mai tai is a corally red blush. I was disappointed in how dark this was in person, based on reviews I thought this was a corally pink, I don't know if I can pull this off. 

NYX Peach is a matte, pale pink blush. Looks similar to Well Dressed by MAC. I don't think this looks peachy at all however, it looks slightly peach in the pan, but once swatched, more of a hot pink colour, which is pretty, but not what I was looking for. Damn you NYX!

NYX Concealer Jar in Light. I previously bought this in Porcelain and it was  very light, and despite being quite pale, I need a concealer that is a colour more like this one.

Milani HD Advance HD concealer in Light. This is the product that I was most excited to receive, it's packaging is really pretty a shiny heavy gold metal and the applicator is nice too. The colour is a good match for me, thank goodness as this only comes in 4 colours. 

And here is everything that I bought. You can tell that the NYX Concealer Jar is much more pink tone than the Milani HD Concealer.

Have you used any of these products? If you'd like full reviews on anything, please let me know! :)

Tag: My Everyday Routine

Here are the products that I've been using for my everyday routine, I did include options here, I won't use the same mascara everyday or the same setting powder, I do change it up. I've probably left something out with these pictures, but it gives you the general idea of what I use to do my face. If I sit at home all day and don't go out, I won't put anything on at all. I don't know if this is a tag, but I have dubbed it "tag" in case anyone else wants to do it. If you do, please let me know. The ♥ denotes that I love that product a lot.

Eyes:

* Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin ♥

* ELF Blending Eye Brush ♥

* ELF Eyeshadow Brush

* Sigma Makeup F25 travel size ♥

* NYX Versus Palette (just for the gold and brown shade numbered)

* Clinique eyelash curler

* Maybelline Lash Voluptuous mascara

* Cover Girl Lashblast Fusion

Face:

* Cetaphil SPF 15 Facial Moisturizer

* MAC Prep and Prime Skin

* NARS Sheer Glow (Gobi) ♥ or

* Revlon Skin Matching Makeup (Light)

* Maybelline Superstay 24HR Concealer (Ivory) ♥

* ELF Studio Blush (Candid Coral) (may also change)

* ELF Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder (Sunkissed) (changes on day)

* ELF HD Powder

* NYC Translucent Powder (usually this one)

Brushes:

In addition to the eye ones mentioned above already

* Sigma Makeup F80 (for foundation) ♥

* ELF Studio Powder Brush (alternate for foundation) ♥

* Sigma Makeup F50 (setting powder)

* Sigma Makeup F25 (bronzer) ♥

* Sigma Makeup F15 (blush)

* ELF Foundation brush (for concealer)

And that's my pile of crap that I use everyday! :D

Beauty Tips: Choosing the Right Mascara

Mascara is one of those makeup items that I love, so much that I pretty much hoard them, I always buy the latest one, I use a different one everyday, I have different uses for various ones, etc. I count 30 mascaras in the pic above!!! Some of these are expired and I just keep them cause they look pretty in my drawers! I also have more that I forgot to include, mostly from gift with purchase things from Clinique and Lancome.

The mascara brush itself is a very important thing in a mascara because it determines what effect you will get with it, so you need to find a brush that suits your lashes and style best. Mascara is probably one of most essential and most bought makeup item by women, hence why there are new ones brought out all the time, and new promises of what they will deliver.

So what kind of lashes do you have? I think I have average length lashes, they aren't very full. They've gotten better since using the L'oreal Lash Serum, but like every women, I want longer, fuller lashes.

Generally, mascara brushes come in two types: plastic and fibre bristles. Since the last 5 years or so, we've seen a lot more plastic bristles on the market and less of the traditional fibre variety. I find the fibre type tend to give more volume (but can clump too), and the plastic one gives more of a cleaner, spread out, defined appearance. Next, the fibres can be long or short, longer ones will give more length. Bristles closer together will also give more volume.

Brush shape can also change the effect that you get. Mascaras come in straight or curved brushes. Straight brushes are easier to use, and curved ones will allow you to coat more lashes at once, and curl and lift them. I am a fan of curved brushes, but most of my mascaras are the straight variety.

The mascara formula is important. Waterproof mascaras can generally help your lashes hold a curl longer, and will not make your mascara run if you cry, which is good. The mascara forumla is very important, I find that some mascaras tend to dry very quickly and can make your lashes brittle, which others can be layered easily.

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black vs Black (click to enlarge)

The colour of the mascara is another factor. I know most people buy black mascaras, or even the blackest black that you can get so that lashes stand out as much as possible. While others tend to like the more natural look, and just go for brown. I tend to go for black, although when I find out into mascara I bought brownish black and brown for a more subtle look. You can also get mascaras to compliment your eye colour, Cover Girl did this recently with their Lash Exact line. For a very black mascara, try L'oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black, that stuff is very black.

Some tips for getting the most out of your mascara:
* Make sure you replace your mascara often (ie recommended every 3 months), if it has dried out or the consistency has changed in any way, buy a new one, you don't want to get an eye infection. I am guilty of this myself, I have so many mascaras that I rarely use the same one straight for a week, since it's hardly ever opened, I figure it will take longer to go bad.
* Don't pump your mascara, this can dry it out quicker.
* Curl your lashes before applying mascara.
* Use a primer before you apply mascara to coat your lashes first.
* Start applying at the base of your lashes and wiggle left to right as you move your wand to the tips of your lashes.
* Add 2-3 coats for maximum drama.
* Choose the mascara that best suits your lash type, and get what you want out of it.

My favourite mascaras are ones that give maximum volume to my lashes, length is good, but I am more about volume. I want to look like I have more lashes than I have. Some of my favourites mascara to give me this include Maybeline's Lash Stiletto Voluptuous, Maybelline Colossal and Maybelline Full and Soft. Maybelline makes my favourite mascaras as you can tell.

What is your HG mascara and what do you look for in a mascara?

June Favourites

June went by too fast, or maybe it was just me. Here are my favourites for this month.

MAC Fix+: A nice refresher for the hot weather.

Stella Mccartney Sheer Perfume: This is quite soft and flowery, but I like it for everyday and have been reaching for it a lot this month. This was limited edition, I don't know if you can get it anymore. It's old, but I still love it.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous: Love this mascara and have a full review of it here. Most used mascara for this month.

Maybelline Double Perfector Concealer/Highlighter: Picked this up this month and really took to liking it, it's double ended and smooth to apply, alright coverage. Full review of this coming soon.

MAC Refined Golden: I have to include a bronzer every month, this month's most used was this one because it's very pigmented for my fair skin and gets the job done quick.

NYX Champagne and Caviar palette - I picked up this from Cherry Culture recently, it's a nude/browns palette and I have been using that top left gold colour for about half the month everyday, it's a good all over lid colour, as many of the colours in this palette are.

L'oreal Colour Juice in Pina Colada - Nice sheer your lips but a tad paler colour.

The Body Shop Vitamin C SPF daily moisturizer -  Love the smell of this and the kinda fresh, citrus feeling that it leaves on your skin.

Everyday Minerals Flat Top Kabuki - I think I've had this brush for like 3 years at least. It has never shed and is really dense and great for applying any kind of foundation, is very portable and does not smell rancid. Perfect brush ever.

The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Foam Face Wash - one cleanser that does not strip my skin of all the moisture it has, really gentle and fresh. I could see myself using this up quick.

What were your June favourites?

Review: NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils Swatches

You guys probably know by now but, Cherry Culture has a 20% off storewide sale on now until June 30. It's a good opportunity to pick up some NYX stuff. I ordered last time they had this sale. I know the NYX jumbo eyeshadow pencils are a big hit and I thought I would help you guys out by providing some swatches and a review of these. These retails for $3.25 (on sale) on the Cherry Culture website, they come in a variety of colours, I have 7 here to show you. These pencils are a pretty cool product, many people them as eyeshadow bases, however I would recommend using a eyeshadow primer underneath them to keep them from creasing throughout the day (as they do crease on me). These can also be used as your eyeshadow alone on your lids.

Now I am going to go over the individual colours that are posted in the swatches above.

Milk - is a pure matte white colour. This is a must-have from the jumbo eyshadow pencils in my opinion as you can put any colour over this.

Cottage Cheese - is the shimmery version of milk, really pretty and perhaps more wearable if you don't like the stark white look.

Yogurt - shimmery peachy colour, really pretty and one of my favourites, goes with a lot of the eyeshadow colours that I like to wear.

Black Bean - matte black. If you going for smokey looks, this would make for a good base. Sorry about the swatch, it is more pigmented than that, there was some moisture in mine and it didn't apply the best.

Horse Radish - Shimmery light green, not very versatile, but still a cool colour.

Dark Brown - matte dark brown colour. I found this one to be more pigmented and smoother than black bean. I really like this one.

Pots and Pans - shimmery silver, this one almost has a duo colour in it, looks blue in some lights. Really pretty and I use this one a lot.

* A pencil that I would recommend that I do not have myself is French Fries, it's a shimmery brown, would really work well with neutral, everyday looks. 

These are really a good buy for the price. They are very smooth and very pigmented. They also blend very nicely on your lids. I know some people have compared these to the MAC shadesticks, I do not own any of those myself. If you have oily lids, I probably wouldn't recommend these are they are very smooth and would probably smudge and move around a lot.

I haven't got to the point where I need to sharpen mine but I am wondering how you guys sharpen these? I know NYX sells a sharpener and I have also seen youtube videos of girls who have depotted their pencils, which looks like a good opinion as well. For my Canadian readers, I know some Rexall Pharma Plus stores sell NYX, but the stock is pretty limited, Cherry Culture does offer free shipping for orders of $40 or more, but that is US only, shipping to Canada is unfortunately by weight and last time I ordered I think I paid like $10 or so in shipping. The only downside that I have about this product is the packaging, I keep these in my bathroom and I feel like I get a lot of moisture that builds up in the cap and when I open them up, it's just wet inside, this could be ruining the product and is just icky to touch. So I guess you have to keep these in a cool place, I haven't experienced this with any other product before.

I hope this was helpful, if you like this product, or have any questions, please comment below! :)

Pink Lipsticks Comparisons and Review

So my nude lipsticks post was quite the hit, so I decided to do one for pink lipsticks too. My collection has grown this week with the 50% off lipsticks sale at Rexall/Pharma Plus in Canada. Unfortunately yesterday was the last day of that sale, so I went over and got a few more. I like pinks, maybe a bit more than nudes, pale light ones are my favourites. I know MAC has TONS of gorgeous pinks, and I am hoping to get some soon, please post your favourite MAC pinks below.

NYX Harmonica is a frosty baby pink. If you don't like frost, I would not recommend this one, since it definitely has that to it.

NYX Strawberry Milk is a lovely creme baby pink, it's like the flat version of Harmonica above, much more wearable because it's not that ugly frosty look. Although be sure that you use lipblam under these cause I find they really show the lines in your lips.

Maybelline's Born with it is a nudey pink, it's not very pigmented and I am not crazy about the texture. This one is pretty much the colour of my natural lips. I have read that people say these either smell like coconut or playdoh, well mine is the playdoh, so they are pretty icky to apply. Also this one leaves shimmers on your lips after you remove it.

Maybelline's Pink Please is almost the same colour as Born with it (above), but a bit more pink. I like this one better. However, I've had mine for a few months and it's gotten really hard. Like I have to pull it across my lips to get the lipstick to come off... I don't know why it did this, not a good sign. Also, this one has that terrible playoh smell. Ewwwy.

Revlon's Persian Meon is a hot, fuschia pink colour. This is part of the Moon Drops collection, it has the green packaging. The lipstick itself smells very much like old lady! but.. the colour is totally hot. I love this one.

This is my favourite drugstore pink, Revlon's Pink Pout. This is in the matte collection, be sure to moisturize your lips because applying this one because it can be quite drying and doesn't go on very smoothly if your lips are dry. This is a pale cool-toned pink with lilac undertones.

Revlon's Gentlemen Prefer Pink is a pretty pink with some frost in it. It's a classy pink. And the texture is very nice, something that I have noticed with all the Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks, they all feel really great on your lips.

Revlon's Paparazzi Pink is a pink with purple undertones. I am not crazy about the frost/shimmer in this, but the colour is pretty. It applies a lot lighter than it looks in the tube, which disappointed me.

Carnation, which is from the Revlon Colorburst collection is a cool-toned bright pink. This one is okay, not my favourite from the Colorbursts though.

Revlon's Baby Pink from the Colorburst collection is a frosty pale pink, not very pigmented, disappointed with this one. It looks paler in person than it does in that picture. My main problem with these lipsticks is they are so creamy that they are breaking! I may have to write to Revlon about this one in particular, which after 3-4 uses is dipping into the bottom of the tube, on the sides and is cracking all over. Not nice at all.

MAC's Creme Cup is a nudey pink colour. Very hydrating, really pretty colour, love this one. It's described as a light blue pink on the mac website, I don't really see this on myself however. And its a cremesheen finish, so it's absolutely lovely.

MAC's Gaga is one of the nicest blue pinks ever, it is really pale, but bright pink. You can build it up to look sheerer or more pigmented, because it is a lustre finish. Definitely get this one while you still can (I have a backup).

What's your favourite pink lipstick?