I've owned MAC's New Fixation pigment for a little while and I've never used it. So when I was challenged to do a post on how to use a bright pink pigment, I thought, why not. Let's see what I can do.
I got New Fixation at a charity bag at one of the Estee Lauder Warehouse sales held in Markham, Ontario. I've never used it. It is described as a bright fucsia red with soft pearl and it was a limited edition product. If you're interested in a similar pigment colour, check out MAC's Fuchsia pigment.
MAC pigments are loose powder pigments and come in a multitude of colours. They retail for approximately $25 CDN. MAC pigments are multi-use products. They can used as is, and mixed with other mediums for different textures and consistency. Some pigments should not be used on the lips and eyes but MAC is pretty good at labelling which are and which aren't. A little pigment goes a very long way. The photo above of the loose pigment on a tissue is what I had left after all of the product I used below. Unless you're using a pigment colour to mix with body lotion or making nail polish, it's likely one container will last you quite awhile.
First thing I tried was using it as a blush. I tipped the product out onto a tissue (photo is at the top of this post) and worked it into a blush brush, just as I would with a pressed powder brush, but more carefully. Pigments are concentrated colour so a little goes a long way. New Fixation is a bright fuchsia, so this was going to go on intensely if I didn't go softly.
Here it is applied to my cheek before blending. It's pretty intense.
After blending, it's still bright but much more subtle. Most definitely a good blush colour. You could also blend New Fixation (or any pigment colour) with a cream, like a concealer or foundation or moisturizer to mute the shade and create a cream blush.
Next I tried it on my eyes. I am not someone who wears bright colours on my eyes in large quantities. I tend to keep it pretty simple. Pink eyeshadow can make you look sick and tired since pink is how your eyes look when you get sick or are tired. It's also not great it you have dry eyes since they'll look even more bloodshot and irritated. So I tentatively persevered, applying it to my lid, concentrating it on the outer corner and blending it out towards the inner corner and up to my crease. Pairing a bright colour with black is always a good trick, so I used a black pencil liner along my lashline. This is obviously an edgy look, hot pink and black making me think of the 1980s and punk rock.
But not quite enough on its own, so I added a bit of black to my crease as well as some black pencil underneath my eye and on my waterline.
I was impressed how much I like the bright pink as an eyeshadow. It didn't make me look sick or (more) tired. The black pencil also has a touch of sparkle too it which helps to make this look a bit more edgy.
I was liking the way it looked so much, so I added more New Fixation. The black in my crease became more purple underneath the fuchsia and I liked it even better. I'd totally wear this eye look out to a concert.
So success on the cheeks and success on the eyes. Let's try lips...
Pigments can be mixed with almost any medium. Below, I've mixed it with a lip balm for a sheer, soft rosy effect.
I topped a red lipstick with some of the pigment by pressing it onto my lips. It matted the lipstick and gave it a velvety effect as well as adding a bit of pink-purple colour.
Finally I blended New Fixation with some soft pink lipgloss.
Bazinga! That's a bright lip gloss.
This is probably the truest New Fixation appeared when applied, colour-wise. It read quite cool on my eyes, and was muted as a lip balm.
So there you have it. Five ways to wear a bright pink pigment colour. Have I inspired you? I wonder how many different ways I could wear a blue or green pigment? Probably not five...
C.
