Soft, Sultry Music Festival Smoky Eye

This is a quick look I did to go to day one of the Field Trip music festival at Toronto's Fort York a few weekends ago. I wanted something smoky but appropriate for an outdoor music festival in the summer. I chose bronzes and warm browns tones.

This look photographed less dramatically than it was in real life but it's still really pretty and sultry, I think.

Since I was going to be outside and it was a warm day, I applied MAC Fluidline in Rich Ground to my eyelids. It is a beautiful rich metallic bronze shade that is key to this look, even though it's not terribly visible. It acted like a primer, keeping my shadow from melting and defecting into my crease. My eyeshadow was completely intact all day. 

Next I smudged Bare Escentuals Sex Kitten eyeshadow on the inner and outer corners of my eyelid, through the crease, but leaving space in the very centre of the lid. Sex Kitten is a gorgeous warm shimmery red-brown. 

On top of that, I smudged MAC's Satin Taupe eyeshadow. Satin Taupe is one of my favourite eyeshadows, a warm purpley-silver bronze that is incredibly flattering for my eye colour. I ran it under my eye as well, fairly heavily and topped it with a bit of Sex Kitten, for sort of a reverse effect. 

In the very center of my eyelids, I tapped a touch of MAC Naked Pigment, a soft, sparkly gold-pink fleshtone, for a hint of lightness and glint.

I smudged MAC Smut eyeshadow along my lashline for some definition. Smut is grey brown with burgundy shimmer and it gives a softer definition than a black eyeshadow would. I did have to go over the line a few times to get the effect I wanted however. 

On my waterline, I applied a charcoal grey Tarte EmphasEYES inner rim eye pencil. I don't know the name since it's not on the pencil - grrrrrrr. But I like to use this pencil for my waterline because A) it tends to last longer than others on my waterline; and B) it's a dark grey, not a black so it adds definition without being really dramatic. I opted for dark grey rather than a brown in my waterline because I wanted to pick up the purples and greys in the eyeshadows I'd applied so the look wasn't too warm and brown.

I finished the look with curled lashes and heavy coats of my new favourite mascara - Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara - on my top lashes and Clinique's Bottom Lash Mascara on my lower lashes. 

I kept the rest of my makeup light and natural with an eye on longevity since I was going to be outside for quite a while on a warm day. My blush is Benefit's Coralista, a beautiful soft and glowy coral blush. In these photos my lips are actually bare save for some clear lip balm, but I did end up wearing a tinted lip balm (Burt's Bees) during the day. 

I liked this simple, sultry look and it was perfect for an outdoor music festival. It's not a clean or crisp look so even when I got sweaty and dusty, and my eyes watered, it looked good. It also didn't need touching up, because to be frank, that's not going to happen when I'm out in a field listening to music. 

What do you think? Would you wear this look?

C.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer Review and Swatches

Ah, concealer. I am constantly on the hunt for the concealer that'll solve all my problems. It'll not only cover up my dark undereye circles, but it'll get me out of debt, solve world hunger and cure cancer. OK, so maybe not the last three. 

My latest concealer purchase came from my desire for a concealer that wasn't thick in consistency but provided good coverage. My dark circles are there despite how much sleep I get or how much water I drink. If I am dehydrated or lacking sleep, they're deeper and darker. 

I'd most recently been using MAC Studio Finish Concealer mixed with a bit of liquid concealer or moisturizer to thin it but still found that it was still too thick and tended to crease throughout the day.

MAC's Pro Longwear Concealer was recommended to me instead. It offers a high amount of pigmentation but is a liquid formula so it wouldn't be so prone to creasing like a thick, creamy concealer.

This is what the MAC website has to say about the Pro Longwear Concealer: 

A lightweight fluid concealer that provides medium to full coverage with a comfortable, natural, matte finish. Colour-true formula lasts up to 15 hours. Helps conceal and correct the look of under-eye circles, and discolourations. 

9 mL/0.30 US fl oz $23 CDN

It comes in 16 shades - NC15 to NC50 and NW15 to NW50.

Ingredients

It comes in a glass vial that I was warned to avoid dropping since it's prone to breaking easily. It has a pump that dispenses a decent amount of product - enough to use under my eyes and on any redness/blemishes/discolouration on an average day.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20

Here is one pump-worth of product on the back of my hand. It's highly pigmented so a little goes a long way. I admit I was a bit skeptical about it being able to offer enough coverage for my dark circles, but after the MAC MUA applied it in-store, I was sold. Suddenly my undereye area was brighter and smoother.

Here's what the product looks like on the skin (the back of my hand). 

One pump.

One pump spread out a little. 

One pump further spread out.

One pump completely spread out. 

Impressive, right? Here's what it looks like under my eyes.

My dark circles are pretty substantial and they're worse when I haven't slept well. They're blue-purple and I can't go without concealer. Thank god for concealer! 

The MAC Pro Longwear Concealer goes on beautifully. I use my Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush to apply it to the lower part of my undereye circles, concentrating on the inner area and blending out to the outer area and up the side of my nose, where there's a bit of blueness. The concealer blends out well and sets quickly. If I need a little more concealer on days I have darker and larger circles, I simply apply a bit more than normal and use my finger to tap it into my skin. I swirl a small amount of loose powder on top to help to set it. The amount of powder I need is much less than with a thicker, creamier concealer.

I will also use a damp sponge to apply it sometimes when I want a perfect application that won't crease (I am getting to the age where fine lines are a consideration). I work it into the skin with a damp sponge and then use the same damp sponge to press loose powder on top to set. This helps it stay smooth longer. 

I love the brightening quality of the Pro Longwear Concealer. It goes a long way to brighten my undereye area. Because of the brightening qualities, I have used it as a subtle highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones and down the centre of my nose. It also works well to conceal any redness in my skin. On days when I want a very natural skin finish, I'll just use this concealer in any areas that need coverage and blend it out. It works very well for that.

Oh, and it LASTS. MAC claims it'll last up to 15 hours and while I haven't worn it for that long in one go, yet, it certainly has lasted, without fading, for 12 hours. It last longer than my BB cream and my gel eyeliner!

I think I've found my new favourite concealer!

Grade: A

MAC So Supreme Preview and Photos

Inspired by the global trend of lipgloss with tine, So Supreme goes sheerer than ever. The lightweight formula packs moisturizing, conditioning comfort with v application, adding a flushed glow to the lips that lasts beyond the shine. Introducing eight new, limited-edition shades in luscious corals, pinks, berries and nudes - four of which, including Gwi-Yo-Mi and Heart & Soul, are inspired by Asia. Featuring the slick, clickable pen-style brush applicator first seen in Sheen Supreme Lipglass, tint glides effortlessly. 

Available in stores August 1, 2013 through September 26, 2013.

Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Blushing Berry
Mid-tone cool red
$23 CDN/$20 US

Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Bubble Gum
Soft warm pink
$23 CDN/$20 US

Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Glorious Intent
Warm plum
$23 CDN/$20 US

Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Gwi-Yo-Mi
Mid-tone raspberry
$23 CDN/$20 US

Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Heart & Seoul
Warm peach
$23 CDN/$20 US

Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in K-Wow
Soft cool pink
$23 CDN/$20 US

Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Kiss, Kiss
Cool peach cream
$23 CDN/$20 US

Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Simply Wow
Mid-tone cool mauve
$23 CDN/$20 US

Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Candy Apple
Mid-tone warm plum
$20 CDN/$17 US

Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Gotta Dash!
Pale clean coral
$20 CDN/$17 US

Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Playtime
Bright coral pink
$20 CDN/$17 US

Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Pleasurefruit
Bright warm pink
$20 CDN/$17 US

Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Prêt-Á-Pretty
Soft warm pink
$20 CDN/$17 US

Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Sweet Grenadine
Bright orange
$20 CDN/$17 US

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Stained Glosses in Meta and Jealous: Review, Photos and Swatches

A friend picked me up two of the brand new OCC Stained Glosses in New York last week. I had asked her to get me Meta and Jealous and she did. Little did I know how identical they'd look, in the tubes at least! I'm glad they're labelled. 

The Stained Glosses are a gloss version of OCC's Lip Tars. From the OCC website:

OCC's Lip Tar: Stained Gloss™ is our newest texture option from the Lip Tar™ range, combining the hyper-opacity of Lip Tar™ with a casual glossy finish that's ready-to-wear from its first slick application to the high impact stain it leaves behind. Lip Tar: Stained Gloss™ can be worn alone or layered over your favorite existing shades for added depth, dimension and a glossy finish that lasts!

"OCC Fans have been asking to see a new take on Lip Tar™ that remains true to our pigment-potency heritage, while providing a more see-through, glossy look," says David Klasfeld, CEO and Creative Director, "We took our inspiration from stained glass windows and lighting gels. Transparent yet concentrated colour that no one would dare call sheer."

The Stained Glosses come in the same packaging as the Lip Tars - small plastic resealable  bags with an information card and a small brush for application. Very smart considering the the tricky application of both the Lip Tars and the Stained Glosses and it makes it easy to carry them around with you in your purse or even your pocket. 

Like the Lip Tars, the Stained Glosses have a liquid, highly pigmented texture and a mint scent. Unlike the Lip Tars, however, the Stained Glosses are sheer, translucent. 

Top: Anime Lip Tar
Bottom L to R: Jealous and Meta Stained Glosses

First up, let's look at Meta. 

Information card explaining how to apply the Stained Gloss.

Meta Stained Gloss is described by OCC as red orange shellac. It definitely reads more pink once on, though (photos below). 

Here is Meta on me. I'd say it reads more watermelony than red-orange. 

And here's Jealous. OCC describes it as popsicle pink/red. It's definitely more pink than Meta, a cooler pink. 

I even tried applying Meta to my top lip and Jealous to my bottom lip but I still couldn't discern any real difference between the two. That's how close they are in colour. 

The bright colours of both of these shades is fantastic. If you like bright colours, these are a fantastic. I can't get over the look of these. They almost glow. 

The Stained Glosses are a bit challenging to apply. You definitely need a mirror and a lip brush and some time. Unlike other glosses, which often you can just swipe on without a mirror, these take some time and attention due to the pigment. 

I like the consistency and definitely the appearance - the delicate glossy sheen of these is in contrast with the intense pigmentation. These are slightly easier to wear than the Lip Tars, as they are lighter in both appearance and in feel. 

You only need a tiny amount of product, but you need a little more than the Lip Tars. I found that with the Stained Glosses, the pigmentation easily got patchy when I blended it across my lips, so I needed to add more to make it even. 

I really like these, though I wish they were easier to apply and wear. These wear OK, though they do come off more easily than the Lip Tars, being slicker in consistency. The pigment leaves a residue behind once the glossiness wears off, so it's not like eating off your lipstick. 

Grade: B+

Bright Pink Pigment: Five Ways

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.