MAC Cosmetics

Review: MAC Studio Conceal & Correct Duo in Pure Orange & Ochre

Review: MAC Studio Conceal & Correct Duo in Pure Orange & Ochre

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Orange and Yellow Color Corrector
Color correcting has been my secret to flawless looking skin lately. Always on the hunt for the perfect product, I picked up MAC’s Studio Conceal & Correct Duo in “Pure Orange” and “Ochre” 
I’ve been getting the most use out of “Pure Orange” for color correcting under my eyes and around my mouth. “Pure Orange” is similar in color to MAC’s Peach Lustre but much more opaque. “Ochre” is not a shade that I would really use on it’s own on my skin. I’ve used it mixed with “Pure Orange” to create a lighter salmon color, and I’ve mixed it with some concealers to give them a brighter yellow undertone. Both of the shades blend out well and last all day without creasing around my eyes. 
I’m in love with this duo. I do wish they were sold separately somehow because I can see myself using all of “Pure Orange” well before I finish “Ochre” which may be kind of a pain. 

Orange and Yellow color corrector swatches

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Have you tried color correcting? What are your favorite products?
Review: MAC Prep + Prime in Peach Lustre [Swatched on Brown Skin]

Review: MAC Prep + Prime in Peach Lustre [Swatched on Brown Skin]

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 MAC’s Prep + Prime pens have been around for quite some time now and I never really bothered to look twice at them. They’re marketed as “highlighters” and the “Peach Lustre” shade never really made since to me as a highlighter so I ignored them.

Fast forward to some years later and I see one of my favorite IG/Youtube MUA’s, Irisbeilin, using “Peach Lustre” as a COLOR CORRECTOR to achieve her flawless glowy skin & I just knew I had to have it.

“Peach Lustre” is a orange-salmon color that works to cancel out dark circles and ashiness on dark skin tones. It’s not the most opaque product which is fine for me because I don’t have severe hyper-pigmentation. I use it before I apply any concealer or foundation and it cancels out a lot of the dark marks so that I can use less product overall. The only thing I don’t love is the packaging with the twist-click pen and brush tip. It’s not the most sanitary because you can’t really clean it so this is a product that I will purchase for my personal use and never for my kit. 

Peach Color Corrector

X-mas in July Haul ft. MAC, Murad, Sephora, BECCA & NYX

X-mas in July Haul ft. MAC, Murad, Sephora, BECCA & NYX

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I haven’t really been shopping very much lately but I’ve been feeling down and decided to treat myself with some new makeup goodies this month. I’m feeling like a kid on Christmas now!  
I’m a skin care junkie so I decided to try Murad’s “Age Reform” kit. I stocked up on some of the newer NYX products during Ulta’s 40% off sale. Of course I had to get my hands on BECCA x Jaclyn Hill “Champagne Pop” highlighter. I haven’t used in on my face yet but I swatched it on my hand & OMG I LIVE! It might just replace my holy grail “Opal”. I also picked up a few color correcting products from MAC. I plan on creating a Brown Girl Friendly guide to color correcting in a few weeks & reviewing pretty much all of the products below, so keep your eyes peeled. 
Looking at my haul now I’m shocked that I didn’t buy a single lip product! 
Shop with me… 
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Summer Swatchfest: MAC Lipstick Collection [Swatched on Brown Skin]

Summer Swatchfest: MAC Lipstick Collection [Swatched on Brown Skin]

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Amongst beauty lovers, MAC’s lipsticks are coveted cult fave and I’m no exception. My favorite product from MAC is definitely their lipsticks. Here are swatches of my entire MAC lipstick collection thus far. 
I have a feeling this collection will be expanding as soon as I get my hands on MAC’s newest matte lipstick collection! 

Kraft, Viva Glam V, Styled in Sepia, Spice, Frenzy, Sensual Sparks, Nude, Bad Gal Riri
Kraft, Viva Glam V, Styled in Sepia, Spice, Frenzy, Sensual Sparks, Nude, Bad Gal Riri

Pink Nouveau, Quick Sizzle, Pleasure Bomb, Viva Glam Nicki, Viva Glam VI, Heroine, Heaux, Riri Boy
Pink Nouveau, Quick Sizzle, Pleasure Bomb, Viva Glam Nicki, Viva Glam VI, Heroine, Heaux, Riri Boy 
Instigator, Yung Rapunxel, Punk Couture, Living Legend, Talk That Talk
Instigator, Yung Rapunxel, Punk Couture, Living Legend, Talk That Talk 
Ruby Woo, Riri Woo, Heartless, Morange, Razzle Dazzler
Ruby Woo, Riri Woo, Heartless, Morange, Razzle Dazzler
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Dupe Alert: MAC “Nightmoth” Lip Liner

Dupe Alert: MAC “Nightmoth” Lip Liner

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dark berry lipliner mac dupes
I’ve been lusting after MAC’s “Nightmoth” liner for years but was very put off by the $16 price tag. I’ve searched for inexpensive dupes for a while but was always disappointed. Drugstore brands just don’t make any deep dark liners anymore! I finally broke down and purchased it about three weeks ago while ordering from their latest matte lipstick collection. 
Fast forward to last weekend, while browsing in Ulta I came across Palladio’s “Black Berry” herbal lip liner. It looked like a nice vampy fall color on the package but of course it was shrink wrapped to death so I couldn’t be so sure. It was only $4 so I purchased anyway because you can never have too many lip liners IMO. 
Imagine my surprise when I got home and realized “Black Berry” is almost a perfect dupe for “Nightmoth”

dark vampy berry lip liner mac dupe

dark berry vampy lip liner

Left: Nightmoth Right: Black Berry
The colors are so close you can barely tell the difference in person especially when used as a liner. Nightmoth’s formula is much dryer which helps with staying power but drags and catches a bit when applying all over the lips. Black Berry much more moist and comfortable to wear all over the lips and actually applies much more opaque in one coat. The only downside is it doesn’t last quite as long as Nightmoth but for $4 it’s definitely worth picking up. 
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#BrownGirlFriendly: My Favorite Contour Products for Brown Skin Beauties

#BrownGirlFriendly: My Favorite Contour Products for Brown Skin Beauties

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As a brown girl in the “beauty world” it can be difficult, to say the least, to find decent skin products especially contour powders. Honestly I’m far from the darkest brown girl out there but I still have some serious WTF moments when I’m shopping for a contour powder and everything just makes me look a hot ashy mess, FML.
All of my picks are matte which imo makes them great for contouring. For me, shimmer = bronzer, which is a whole nother post for a whole nother day!
With that being said I’m happy to share with all of the other beauty loving brown girls out there some of the best contour products that I have found and as an added bonus all but one are under $10!
Cover Girl Queen Collection Bronzer in “Ebony Bronze”, Sleek Contour Kit in “Dark”,  Black Radiance Pressed Powder in “Rich Mahogany”, Black Radiance Pressed Powder in “Mocha”, MAC Blush in “Blunt”, Graftobian HD Pro Powder Foundation in “Hidden Magic”

 

BR “Mocha”, BR “Rich Mahogany”, CG “Ebony Bronze”, Sleek “Dark”, MAC “Blunt”, Graftobian “Hidden Magic”

Black Radiance “Mocha” (~$5): A very surprising drugstore find. These powders were surprisingly pigmented and almost creamy in texture. I love “Mocha” for medium and medium dark skin tones or for a more subtle contour on dark skin tones.

Black Radiance “Rich Mahogany” (~$5): Best for medium dark to deep skin tones

CoverGirl “Ebony Bronze” (~$7): This is probably the most subtle of the contour products featured. The texture in the pan is harder than the Black Radiance powders but it still applies to the skin very well with a brush. Best for medium- medium dark skin tones or layered to enhance a cream contour product.

Sleek Contour Kit in “Dark” (~$8.50): Sleek makes some of the best blushes and contour products ever! I hope they are available in US drugstore sometime in the future. Best for medium dark to deep skin tones. (Also available in “Medium” & “Light)

MAC Blush in “Blunt”($21): I debated about including this product because there are better products for a lower price point but regardless It’s a good shade for brown girls. I don’t love the texture in the pan, it’s a bit stiff imo, I much prefer the silkier texture of the Black Radiance and Graftobian powders. It can be applied lightly or built up to a more pigmented finish. Best for medium to medium dark skin tones.

Graftobian HD Pro Powder in “Hidden Magic” (~$10): The darkest contour product I’ve come across. The neutral undertones of this product create a true shadow effect on the skin. This powder is highly pigmented, I only use the lightest tap on the tip of my brush anything more and I will definitely have “dirty mud face”. This powder is great for ladies with a deep brown skin tones. “Hazelnut” & “Mocha” are also neutral toned powders in this line that may suitable for lighter brown skin tones.

Comment below and share your favorite contour powders!
xx

 

Birthday Lust List: Beauty Edition

Birthday Lust List: Beauty Edition

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OMG I cannot believe that it’s November already! That means that my birthday is just around the corner (November 30th). I decided to put together a few of my “Lust Lists” for a few things I’ve been craving this month.

Birthday Lust List: Makeup Edition

Sephora’s VIB Insider sale is this weekend so I may pick up a few of these items for myself for my birthday. I’m obviously obsessed with purple lipsticks and glowing skin #sueme.

I love seeing these kinds of posts, so I hope you guys enjoyed it, I’ll probably do another for fashion items or hair products I’ve been wanting.

What beauty items have you been lusting after? 
Share in the comments below! 
xx