MAC: Can't-Live-Withouts

It's the end of the semester and things at school have been heating up - leaving me not much time to blog or even peruse the local makeup counters!  It's at hectic, stressful times like this I rely on my "can't-live-without" articles of makeup to get me through the day without looking like the zombie I really am.

MAC tends to be my standby for basics, so I've compiled a list of the items I can't get by without. 

Select Cover Concealer

I don't get enough sleep and even when I do I still have dark circles (it's genetic!).  Select Cover is my go to because it covers naturally, dries to a matte finish and has a long wear time.  I recommend using a warm shade to counter balance blue or purplish under eye circles (NW range of shades).

Eye Shadow

I have sparse brows and defining them really helps frame my face.  I mix two shades to fill in my brows, Espresso (a dark neutral brown), and Cork (a muted golden brown).  Espresso gives me the darkness my brows need, while Cork helps keep the look soft and natural.

Brow Set

I use Brow Set in Show Off to groom my brows into place.  I find that using it actually helps the eye shadow I've used to fill in my brows last longer throughout the day.  I recommend thoroughly wiping the excess product off the wand either on the lip of the tube or on a tissue before using it to style your brows.  I find if I don't do this I get large clumps of product in my brows which looks anything but natural.

Technakohl Liner

The basic eye for me is mascara and liner drawn in between my upper lashes - it's quick to do and really helps combat the look of sleepiness.  MAC's Technakohl Liner gets my vote as it's formula sets within a 10-20 seconds and has excellent lasting power.  The two shades I use regularly are Graphblack (a rich black) and Auto-de-Blu (a dark pthalo blue).  Auto-de-Blu really makes the whites of your eyes seem whiter, while not being too obvious in the colour department.  Technakohl Liners are also waterline safe and resist smudging excellently after they have set (even on the waterline!).

J