New MAC releases for June 2012!

Last night I was checking the MAC UK website as I do regularly (I'm so sad, I do keep checking back for new releases as they don't always release things on dates they say they will!!) and what do I spy but Casual Colour and Beth Ditto?!? YAY!

Beth Ditto

We've also now got Perennial Pinks which has been on the US site for ages now, and Extended Play Lash

I'm still too poor to buy anything which makes me a very Sad Panda, but I love the look of the Beth Ditto Shade and Smoke Shadow Liners, as I'm hoping they're like sort of double ended Shadesticks and I looooove my Shadesticks! From the lipsticks, I love the look of Heart Hangover and Dear Diary, but I probably won't actually buy any this time. Powder to the People is so unique, it really intrigues me... I'm not sure how useful it would be from a practical side, but it is gorgeous! Seeing reviews though, I'm not sure I need it in my life! I'm too poor, but I am hankering for the double ended Shadesticks!

Casual Colour

Casual Colour... well the lip and cheek cremes are the focus aren't they? Everything else is just decoration for those! I'd very much like to try those, but I can't really tell which are the best yet. I need Temptalia to do some full swatches to help me. I can't pick anything unless I've seen Christine's swatches! She's getting through them but they're not all up yet. Thanks Christine! <3 So far I like the look of Have a Lovely Day and Evening Stroll. Lilacs and blue based pinks look good on me, so I was gravitating towards those.


Perennial Pinks are nothing new I don't think (I could be wrong) and well... Extended Play Lash is a mascara *shrug* I have mascaras I'm happy with already!


So, what are you lot thinking about the June releases? And the Diamond Jubilee weekend is starting here in the UK! I should probably do some sort of make-up look in honour of that or something. I'm really not a royalist though!

EDITED UPDATE: from what Christine on Temptalia has said about the Shadow and Smoke liners from Beth Ditto, I had to come back and tell you all to read her review if you're considering them. I've been put right off. :\ http://www.temptalia.com/mac-beth-ditto-shade-smoke-shadowliners-review-photos-swatches *sad panda* I'd probably look like a sad panda too had I bought Little Miss Moffet as I planned!

Adventures in Eyebrows THE RETURN!

Hello my lovely fair friends! Sorry I've been lax, I know I apologise a lot, but my health has been a little rough lately. I decided to cheer myself up today by playing with make-up!

Big pouty lips!

I got my Burning Heart palette from Sugarpill last week. Frustratingly, just before the new Heartbreaker palette came out which is gorgeous! When I ordered, however, there was no inkling of them releasing the new shinies, but Royal Mail f***ed up and lost my parcel, and after waiting the six weeks, Sugarpill were really sweet and not only reshipped my order, but they changed my order from Supreme Lashes to Shady Lane Lashes because I'd originally wanted the Shady Lane ones but they were out of stock.. so ultimately I got what I wanted, I just had to wait 7 weeks for it! The second order arrived so quickly though! Royal Mail were a bit rubbish again and left my parcel behind a plant pot in my front garden, and it was only down to sheer luck that my husband found it!

On the left there is the incredibly quick look I did with the Burning Heart palette, MAC Dame blush and MAC Quick Sizzle lipstick.

By the way, I'm aware I look very miserable in all the photos, pretty much! There's one smiley one at the end...

Sorry about the wet hair... it's a warm day!

Anyway! Today I continued my Adventures In Eyebrows! I know. You can barely contain your excitement can you? With my Sugarpill order I got a free sample of Magentrix loose eyeshadow. This wasn't high on my wishlist before, but when I used it mixed with water to draw on brows, it looks quite good when you have pink hair! (Even if it does need bleaching at the roots and redying....)


Products used for this look: 

MAC Lucky Jade Shadestick over the inner corner of the eye and over the upper part of the lid with MAC Bitter and MAC Swimming eye-shadows over it.

MAC Sea Me Shadestick on the lower part of the middle of the lid with MAC Electric Eel eyeshadow over that.

Out corners of the eye have Poison Plum by Sugarpill, and I then used Poison Plum wet to line under my eyes.

To highlight I used MAC Lemon Chiffon Shadestick with Sugarpill Tiara over that.

Finally that yummy Sugarpill Magentrix sample, I used wet (just with water) to line under the Poison Plum line and did the brows.

I love the Shady Lane lashes!

Lashes are Shady Lane from Sugarpill. They are just as beautiful as I dreamed they would be! Lengen....dary..

Oooh I look possessed! It's not a photogenic day today...

I used MAC Azalea Blossom blush ombre on my cheeks, and highlighted with MAC Naked pigment

See? I promised a smile in here at the end!

Lips are MAC New York Apple and I tapped some of that Sugarpill Magentrix sample into them which pulls it all together I think.

Sorry I haven't done my hair in any of the photos. It's a ridiculously warm day today here in the UK so I decided to just wash my hair and leave it to dry on it's own. The idea of using a hair drier or straighteners today was not appealing to me at all! Hopefully I'm going to re-dye my hair soon as well and get rid of those pesky roots.

What do you guys think then? I am in love with the intensity, pigmentation and formula of all the Sugarpill shadows. I practically drooled all over the keyboard when I first saw the Heart Breaker palette too! I will have to start counting my pennies for that!

MAC's new collections for May 2012

Mac Lovers in the UK listen up! Check out  http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk ! They have Hey Sailor, Fashion Tips and Reel Sexy up NOW! *dance*

I'm sulking because I wanted Pink Nouveau Lipglass over here. MEH! I knew it was Latin America and Asia only, but I can still sulk!

What are you lot eyeing up? I'm passing on Hey Sailor I think. Nothing leaps out at me except for maybe the Emerald Sea PowerPoint eye pencil. For Reel Sexy I'm after Heroine lipstick and perhaps the magenta blush. Fashion Sets may also be a pass for me unless I can get a friend abroad to get me the Pink Nouveau lipglass!

It's just as well I'm not too excited about this lots to be honest, as I need some pennies for some of the upcoming things I've see snippets of I think!

What's the general opinion about these collections then? Are you passing or buying?

Rainbow eyes, FOTD

Want to see a make up look I did the other day? Well tough you have to see it or click somewhere else, it's my blog! Stupid me forgot to note down everything I used.. but I wasn't making this specifically for a blog post, I was just going out to the cinema (to see the Hunger Games, see last post!) and it turned out to be something I really liked so I quickly snapped photos on my phone before I went out.

The only products I can guarantee I used were my lips were MAC Pink Nouveau with MAC Shush! Tendertone over (I took them in my handbag for touch ups, so I know that for sure!) and my eyeliner was Rimmel black liquid liner. I could take a stab at the colours on my eyes, but I used so many and didn't write it down anywhere. There's definitely MAC eyeshadows in Bitter and Chrome Yellow and the pink at the outer corner is Rose pigment, and the purple in the mid crease is Violet pigment, and the palest blue is Mutiny pigment, and I highlighted with MAC Pure White pigment on the brow bone (ooh I actually remembered a lot there) but the other shades I'm not too sure on!

Obligatory shot with unusual frame, off camera eyes and a bad view of everything! Booyah!

Oh yeah, I wear glasses normally. I'm blind as a bat without them (minus 6.5ish I think, one eye is better than the other) and I don't get on with contact lenses.. don't ask. I normally take glasses off for make up shots, but sometimes I take shots with them on! I think this is the first time on this blog though. My hair was purple like my glasses but it's faded a lot :( Though the shade it is now matches Pink Nouveau lipstick perfectly.

Eyes closed

Eyes open

Close up of closed eyes. Oooh Cinema film frame! See what I did there?

This last photo is DIRE. Up nose shot and you can see where I'd had a spot next to my nose, but sadly this is the best shot of all I took that shows the colours true and clear. Please don't laugh... I ran out of concealer and foundation and powder were just making it look horrible, so it's not got anything much covering it really. I don't like caking spots in make up if I can help it anyway as it only makes them last longer... any free donations of concealer would be gratefully received until I can afford to get some from MAC. (Why don'[t they let you back2MAC for other things than lipsticks? I have enough for 2 lippies now I think, but I don't NEED lipsticks, I need concealer and powder!)

By the way, the t-shirt I'm wearing here is from Think Geek. It's this one.


Just in case you all haven't noticed, I chose a groovy new background for this blog today from here. Woo! I might get off my arse and design myself a banner at some point.. maybe.

I'd also like to point out I have an email address for any queries relating to the blog here.

If you enjoy it here, (or hate it) I'd love some feedback, and please spread the word.. but only if you like it.. ;)

Kermit The Frog FOTD

Hi, Ho! Kermit the Frog here!

Yes you read that right. I have a Kermit The Frog themed face of the day! Hahah! It started out that I was just playing with the greens in my palette and it just looked SO Kermitty in the end!

I've actually experimented a little with using blush of sorts here, not sure if you can tell, but I've used MAC Cool Pink pigment on my cheeks here and blended it well with a large brush so it's less harsh. It just dawned on me that although I pretty much solely use the pigments as eye shadows they are supposed to be multi-purpose!

Trying to show the pigment as blush!

I started with a base or Urban Decay Primer Potion then MAC Lucky Jade shadestick over my entire lid and just underneath my eyes as a liner, then went over the entire lid with MAC Bitter eye shadow and a brush damp with water for a more intense colour.

I then used MAC Chrome Yellow eye shadow (dry), upwards from the crease and blended into the Bitter.

Then I took MAC eye shadow (dry again) in Swimming and swept it across the crease and outer corner and blended it.

Feeling wistful, MySpace-esque shot

Using a brush damp with water only, I used MAC pigment in Emerald as a liner.

To highlight the brow bone and the inner corner of my eye around the tearduct I used MAC pigment in Jardin Aires. and BLEEEENNND! (there's a lot of blending, I know!)

Then finished the eyes with black mascara and put MAC Tendertone in Shush! on my lips, and we're done! I should really complete this look by putting OPI Rainbow Connection on my fingernails!


What do you think of my "blush" and, of course, the insanely green eyes?

Carine Roitfeld for M·A·C

I don't know if this is common knowledge yet, but this just popped up on my Facebook feed:


Irreverent and a living image of provocative fashion – Carine Roitfeld. M·A·C announces our collaboration with the fashion visionary and muse, editor and image-maker. M·A·C partnered with Carine on every aspect – from the chic shades and Good Luck Star to the packaging and the tools to achieve her signature look – nude lip, bold brow, and the smoky eye elevated to a new art form. Photographed by Mario Sorrenti. Debuts this Fall.


I've read elsewhere that it's going to be a 20 piece line, but I don't know much else about it...


Thoughts? I can't help but think there should be brow related products in the line like brow gel or brow pencils, as her eyebrows seem to be pretty key to her look really! Other than that it's hinted toward smokey, dark, bold and gothic eyes. Good in my book!

Reviving MAC Lipglasses and Shadesticks

Well, I thought I'd share an experiment with you all. I have two MAC Lipglasses that I love immensely and they have gone "bad". They taste horrible and the vanilla scent has gone. I was particularly devastated as one is Nico that I wore on my wedding day and it's discontinued now. The other is Flashmode which is such an amazing pink, and there's more than half left in both of them!

Firstly I Googled and found this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poBgTkYsUvI

Fabulous idea!

I decided to take it another step as the loss of the vanilla is my biggest issue, so I put some vanilla essence in each lipglass (courtesy of Dr Oetker and the baking section of the supermarket!) and then put the lipglasses in the hot water:

As you can see I slung an Urban Decay Primer Potion in there too, and it worked pretty well to get that going again!

After leaving them in there for some time whilst I washed my hair and drank a cup of tea, I thought they'd probably be about done. I'm a bit crap so I can't give you an exact time. When I pulled them out the consistency had improved greatly, but I have to say my experiment doesn't seem to have improved the taste at all. I wonder if with time the vanilla will infuse better with the whole product? I can hope.

Once again to be confusing you can see I put a (very) old Urban Decay Lip Gunk in with them after I took photos of them stewing in the water. Sorry! Noob blogger fail! But anyway, you can see it looks like new lip gloss!

Finally I decided to extend the experiment. I have three MAC Shadesticks that have dried out a bit. It's something that's happened to many of us I think... bought a Shadestick and forgotten that it clicks TWICE, and if the lid isn't on properly it dries out and it's really hard to get any colour pay-off.

I'd say with this ensure you DO have the lid clicked on properly, and only submerge it below the level of the lid. You don't want water in the product- just the heat. Think of it like a Bain Marie if you do any cooking- the mug is your pan of water, the Shadestick packaging is the bowl in the saucepan and the stick itself is like chocolate you want to warm in the Bain Marie but not get water in it... only you don't want to melt the stick, just warm it through.

Before I put them in, the Shadesticks were all too dry and scratchy to use and there was hardly any colour pay-off. After only 15 minutes in the warm water, it was like this:

I was seriously impressed! Longer may have been better, but too long (or too hot.. make sure it's warm and not hot for this, I'd make it cooler than you would in the video) and it would just be a puddle of Shadestick-ness in the bottom of a tube you couldn't retrieve it from without pouring it out....

So in conclusion, the vanilla restoration project failed. The consistency of the glosses was improved, and it works well still, but I find the flavour pretty repulsive. Perhaps something in it really has gone "off" but it was worth a shot. If it improves over time, I'll report back. The Shadesticks worked amazingly well though! I've not seen any advice to restore Shadesticks to use before now, so I'm very pleased about this.

Let me know if any of this works for you.

Adventures in Eyebrows

My recent "hobby" with my make-up has been experimenting with weird eyebrows. I don't know what started it, but I'm enjoying it! I'll show you some of my previous experiments in time, but for now you can have today's experiment!

I wanted to make it really weird and cybery and used lots of MAC Pure White Pigment and Sugarpill Tiara as a highlighter. 

My lips are MAC Quick Sizzle, from the MAC Shop collection (sold out on the website, but you may still catch it in store somewhere)

My face is covered in NYX Primer (it's good at light reflecting) then my normal MAC foundation to cover imperfections a bit, then I dusted MAC Pure White Pigment over lightly followed with Sugarpill loose Eyeshadow in Tiara as a majorly cybery highlighter.

My eyes have MAC pigment in Mutiny over them, then they're lined with Fyrinnae Biker Chic, and the same, Biker Chic blended into the crease. Up from the crease to the brow there is more of the Pure White pigment.

Brows are Mutiny at the very inner corners, then Electric Eel eye shadow, Bell Bottomed Blue, Full Force Violet, Magenta Madness and Cool Pink pigments.

I made my own mixing medium with water and glycerine (I have a couple of bottles just for this that I got from the baking section in the supermarket; mine are Silver Spoon brand) I don't store it mixed with water as my water won't be "pure" from the tap and would go icky over time, so I mix a bit at a time, as and when I need it, then discard the rest.

Lashes are half lashes from Boholash by Salon Systems in Rhapsody (bargain bin at Sallys...!) These ones: http://www.capitalhairandbeauty.co.uk/brands/salon-system/salon-system-boholash-boho-rhapsody.html

What do you think? I think the Sugarpill Tiara could work as a more subtle highlighter if you didn't slap it on as much as I did, and would work for a more every day look. Obviously, these eyebrows are NOT an every day look! The inner corner of my brow made me feel a little Vulcan-y, though the outside edge is too soft for that, but maybe that is why I got drawn to making myself look a bit spacey. This is the first time I've used Quick Sizzle "properly" and I think it's not too bad on my skin tone (as much as you can see of it) I wasn't sure when I bought it.

More of my Adventures in Eyebrows will be here in the future, as well as other looks :)

Sephora UK? PART TWO

I had another email reply that was so generic, and as my dad worded it, it's essentially a "piss off" email, but more polite.

Dear FAIRFAE, Thank you for contacting Sephora.com regarding retail location in England. We appreciate the time you have taken to contact us with your comment. As we strive to offer our clients the best service, feedback is important to us and always welcome. We will forward your feedback to the appropriate contact within our organization and they will do their best to incorporate your feedback into our future endeavors. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you again for contacting us. Regards, Catia Sephora Client Services

I doubt anyone will actually get back to me... opinions?

Sephora UK?

Hello my lovelies! Sorry I've been a bit lax here, but I'm annoyed because the only camera I have right now is in my phone and it's awful, awful quality, and I feel I can't really post anything on here to show colours or swatches or anything accurately. It's a shame because I got MAC Pink Nouveau lipstick in the post the other day, and it really suits my skintone and matches my current hair colour really well and I'd love to do some camwhoring, but the photos I have belong on Facebook and not really anywhere else!

Anyway, I have other news. The other day I decided to contact Sephora as I often see on beauty blogs etc etc that people get stuff from there, and they do seem to have a great range, but do they have UK stores? NO! They have them in the USA, China, Hong Kong, Brazil, Poland, Spain, Mexico, France, Canada, Greece and the Czech Republic. So I emailed and aksed if they planned to open any in the UK, and if not, if they shipped to the UK from the US site and I got this response:

Dear FAIRFAE Thank you for contacting us regarding our new stores in England. We are excited to hear about your interest in our stores. We appreciate your interest in our company and are pleased to hear that you would like a store near you. While we currently do not have any plans for retail locations in England, we are now shipping to England and several other European countries via Sephora France at www.sephora.fr. To view the latest store openings and locations nearest you, please refer to the Store Openings section on the Store Locator at Sephora.com. If we can assist you further please contact us again by replying to this email or via phone at 1-877-SEPHORA (1-877-737-4672.) Regards, Noelle Sephora Client Services

Better than nothing, but I DON'T SPEAK FRENCH!!! Google Chrome can translate for me, but it's a bit difficult when the images and Flash animations etc have stuff in French, and I don't really understand Euros tbh. I can work out USD in relation to GBP but not so much Euros... *sigh* I might reply but I'm not sure it's worth it. I suggest if any of you are interested in getting Sephora over here too, that you also contact them, and let them know I sent you! If they see there is demand, maybe they will come around.

Please leave me your thoughts about this and spread the word around. I'm only a little blog right now, but more traffic would be nice! I really think Sephora are losing out here. What did we do to upset them eh?!

*EDIT* I did send them a reply to point out the fact that I don't speak French and to ask why they had no plans to open up here as I believe they would be successful here. Back me up people!

MAC Cosmetics new releases!

Oh my. I logged into MAC's website today and I am having heart palpitations!! http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/whats_new/ I have been Waiting for MAC Shop Mac Cook and I knew about a few others on the way, and I knew Marcel Wanders 2 was coming out in the US this month but I am totally floored to see TEN new sections in the "what's new" space of the UK website. Admittedly some are re-releases or simply make-up bags but OH EM GEE.

I don't think there is enough money in my bank account to facilitate all the shopping I want to do there right now... I shall have to be frugal. I have 6 MAC empties ready to Back2MAC for a lipstick, but oh my, the CHOICES!!

What do you have your eyes on?

I'm ruling out Marcel Wanders mostly as I have heard it's not worth the price really. So very pretty to look at, but the products within aren't really worth breaking the bank for. Oddly enough a lot of it s ALREADY sold out anyway!

I think I would like (in an ideal world)

MAC Shop and MAC Cook

Shop and Drop Quad

Naughty Saute/Quick Sizzle/Dish it Up lipstick (not decided yet.. ARGH!)

A Tendertone.. mostly likely Tread Gently or Purring as they looked beautiful in Temptalia's swatches (and I'm a little swayed by the name Purring being a Mad Cat Lady)

Maybe a fluidline too. Added Goodness is supposedly lovely in person!

Chen Man

I'm quite tempted by Pink Union

and Reflects Blue pigment is beautiful

perhaps Budding Love lipstick could be my Back2MAC joy?

Vera

Well I'm a sucker for pigments, but I'm not seeing anything I don't have already (or near enough) but those little stacks are so cool!

Pearlglide liner in Undercurrent could certainly sway me a little, though I'm more of a gel liner sort of gal.

Butterfly Dream Plushglass is divine and certainly wearable (well, for me, I do have lilac and purple hair right now)

Viva Glam Nicki and Ricky

We can't forget Nicki and Ricky's Viva Glam's can we? I can't help but feel Nicki's Viva Glam wouldn't suit my skin-tone, but I'd have to see it in person to check really.

I like the idea of Ricky's but I'm not sure I'd find it that useful in my regime tbh.

I think the others are re-releases/repackaging or those soft-sacs?

I'm tempted by some of the Sheen Supremes. I'm guessing they won't count in Back2MAC though! For a girl who doesn't do much lip colour, I'm very taken with a lot of lip colours in these collections!

Oh gosh I nearly forgot Tour De Fabulous. So many at once I can't keep up! Style Packed or Real Posh seem the most me, but I can't remember the swatches I've seen now! Oh I'm so overwhelmed! My husband is going to hate me for all the grovelling I'll be doing when he gets back from work to convince him I deserve all of these lovelies!