MAC Lipstick and Lustreglass Swatch - Angel and Morning Glory

So I figured the easiest way to get my lipstick swatches on here was to just post them as I go. I've been taking pictures as I wear them, but since I keep buying lipsticks I'm not keeping up at the moment! So I've tagged this with 'MAC Lipstick Swatches Collection' so once I get going with this you guys can just click the tag in the sidebar or at the bottom of a related post to see them all.

So here we go:

 Angel (Frost) with Morning Glory (Lustreglass)

So this is fast becoming a favourite combination I'll take pictures of these on their own so you can see the difference Morning Glory makes to Angel. I think Angel is a really nice neutral pink, definately one suited to a work environment, but you can dress is up with some bright eye makeup and it's perfect for summer.

xoxo

FOTD - Hollister Skirt Inspired

So I bought this super cute blue, green and yellow Hollister Skirt, I'll put a pic up later, but this morning I saw it and thought of my new Alexander McQueen for MAC eyeshadows. So here's my FOTD:

Face

MAC Mineralize Foundation in NW25 (Foundation)

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation (Concealer)

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium (Powder), Medium Deep (Contour) and Soft and Gentle (Highlight)

MAC Powder Blush in Pink Swoon

Eyes

Alexander McQueen for MAC Eyeshadows in Pagan (Lid) and Haunting (Crease)

MAC Eyeshadows in Brule (Blending) and Shroom (Highlight)

GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Alligator

MAC #7 False Lashes

MAC Plush Lash in Plush Black

MAC Eye Brows in Lingering

Lips

MAC Frost Lipstick in Angel

MAC Lustreglass in Morning Glory

xoxo

Bit Of A Nag About Packaging Quality...

Well.. to be totally honest I'm a little bit surprised to be sitting here writing this. MAC is one of my favourite makeup brands, and for their prices I have come to expect quality. I expect quality product, but also quality packaging. After reading this, some of you may be saying.. "Lora, what the hell? This is the stupidest thing to complain about ever." but if I'm going to pay £12 for a lipgloss I really think everything about it should be awesome. So here's my nag:

I've owned my MAC Flusterose Lustreglass for a month (and 2 days to be exact). When I bought it, it looked like this:

Right now it looks like this:

Anyone notice my issue? I'm a freak about my makeup staying in good condition. I've used this about.. 3-4 times, and it spent the first 3 weeks in it's box. One night out in my on-the-go makeup bag and the logo is almost gone.

I promise that both pictures are the  same product, I know they look different shades in the pictures but one was taken in natural light and one in artificial light so that has affected the colour in the pictures.

I'm not trying to say MAC are a bad company with bad quality products blah blah blah. What I'm saying is: Why does the ink used to imprint their logo (something they should really be proud of on their products and want it to stay there) rub off so easily? This has been lying still in my train case in it's box for 3 weeks, spent 3 days standing on my shelf and a night in my makeup bag. The only jostling about this has had was for one night. I know this is a silly nag, but this really seems crazy that this ink doesn't stay put. I love MAC, I love lustreglasses, but I have noticed this on several of my 'gloss products'. To be honest, if I were MAC (not that you can 'be' a brand or anything), I'd want my name to stay put on the product. I'm sure an awful lot of hard work and money goes into the formulation of these products so I'd want people to remember where all the hard work came from that's making their lips look so lovely. Anyway, congrats if you read this far. I know it's a stupid thing, I just like to take care of my makeup and my friend asked me if it was fake or repackaged today when I told her how long I'd had it because of the state of the packaging. Hopefully a nice, summery FOTD tomorrow :)

If anyone's continued reading, thanks, it means a lot; and have you experienced anything like this?

xoxo

So Finally...

I'm not a stupid.. well not for the reason I thought. My MAC bag was hiding in my Jane Norman bag. So finally.. here is my Technique Haul!

First up is my frost lipstick in Angel. I love this lipstick because it's a deeper pink than the others I have, so I think it's great for when I don't want to draw so much attention to my lips. I think it's one of those "better-than-my-natural-lips" colours. I don't think the swatch actually reflects this colour completely, my camera isn't behaving.

So I also have this thing now, about buying a gloss to go with my lipsticks. I forget to take a picture of the box, but I got a Lustreglass in Morning Glory. It's a beautiful glistening gloss with tiny microparticles of shimmer. This would look amazing on the lips on it's own, or used to highlight a lipstick. Again, the swatch doesn't do it justice, I'll have to swatch it on my lips to show you it's true colour.

Frost Lipstick in Angel, Lustreglass in Morning Glory

One of the products recommended by Bex (who is a Trainer for MAC) was brown mascara as it is a way to show off your own eyelashes without overpowering a natural look. Paired with Shroom eyeshadow I think brown mascara looks sooooo beautiful. I chose Plush Lash in Brownette.

Plush Lash in Brownette

You can't truly see the colour here since the brush is black, look on the wand and you can just about see it.

Finally, I had to pick up some #7's. I've been wondering whether I really wanted that style of lash, but one of the counter artists suggested them to me and I thought, why not? I'm really glad I tried them, they really open up your eyes and give you that 'doe-eyed' look.

I'll have to take a pic with them on to show you guys. Anyone else have a particular set of lashes they just love? I really want to try the Foxy Locks ones too.

xoxo

Todayyy...

I went to a MAC Technique Workshop in Reading! If any of you ever get the chance to go to one of these.. GO! They cost £25, but it's redeemable against products after the workshop, so it's really free...

I'll post pictures of the look I created and my little haul tomorrow or Friday, because me being stupid me, I left my camera and phone cables at home and now I'm at Ryan's! *smacks head*

But I can tell you what I bought! One of the looks we were shown was how brown mascara can be used in a simple everyday look as an alternate to black. This is perfect for me, because I don't wear a lot of makeup to work and I often don't actually have time to muck around since most of the time I wake up and go to work in the space of about 30 mins. I chose Plush Lash in Brownette. This was all I bought from what we were using in the workshop, simply because I own most of the eyeshadows and face products already, and I don't really want to buy any more brushes right now. I've been lusting after a frost lipstick in Angel for months since I've been seeing it on sooo many blogs and I finally gave in and bought it. And since I've fallen in love with my Lustreglass in Flusterose, I bought a Lustreglass to go with Angel called Morning Glory, which is a super pretty bubblegumish (is that a word?!) pink. Finally, just another addiction showing through, I got a pair of #7 lashes. I wanted to put some lashes with the look I created so I bought a style I hadn't tried before.

Anyway, pics tomorrow or Friday, I have my interview for getting into college next year after my impromptu 8 month sabbatical. So glad I get to tack another year onto my education because of one bad decision (not!). Then I have to go straight to work (yay!) so I may not have time to post anything tomorrow, and definitely not a full review of my tale of today! Anyway, talk to you all tomorrow hopefully!!

xoxo

TheSmallPrint: Image from promotional email.

Illamasqua & MAC Mini-Haul

So here are the results of my little shopping expedition to Selfridges & Co. last Saturday.. After reading all your raves about Illamasqua I decided to go ahead and try out a few bits and bobs!

Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Spell

Illamasqua Lipstick in Ignite 

MAC Lustreglass in Flusterose

Definately a mini-haul.. I also bought MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage :) I ran out in Disneyland so I had to get some more, it's my go to product & I use it everyday without fail!

And some swatches:

Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Spell

Illamasqua Lipstick in Ignite

MAC Lustreglass in Flusterose

I'm really, really, really impressed with these products. I'm new to Illamasqua, but the staying power of the pencil and lipstick is insane, especially since I don't have a lip primer or anything. And as much of a MAC Addict as I am, this is my first lipgloss, as I've never really been a fan. One of my biggest makeup peeves is sticky lippy, but I've heard really good things about MAC and I'm not disappointed at all! Plus this colour is gorgeous!! Lip swatches to come I promise!!

Oooohhh and I got a job at Starbucks today!! Wooohoooo!! I've been trying for Benefit for ages, but the keep screwing me around and not returning my calls. Do I really want to work for a manager who leaves me a message to call her, then doesn't pick up her phone for 4 days.. no maybe not. Well sorry for the rant, I'm sick of being mucked around, but I'm happy I have a full time job now! But I promise I won't neglect all you lovlies!!

xoxo