What's in my makeup bag!

WARNING: Loooong post ahead. LOL!

It is a fact that until recently I didn't feel the need to carry in my purse a makeup bag! I just did my makeup in the morning and all I carried with me was a lipbalm.
That changed radically one day at work: while washing my hands I glanced in the mirror and I saw a washed out resemblence of myself staring back to me! What had happened to my blush? To my strategically positioned highlight? Where did everybody go?
So, that day I decided to have with me at all times a little something for touch-ups on the go. 
 
The easy part was to make up my mind, the tough part was to actually make it happen, because I don't want to carry too many things with me since all my purses are moderately sized. 
That puzzle was solved with a little improvisation and it actually works for me just fine.

So, enough said, let me show you!

First item I wanted was a makeup bag and I decided to get this Mac one - €29 (€21,75 on a 25% discount) because:

• the size was ideal for my purses
• the black material is discreet enough (for work) but not boring
• it has an inner pocket that's perfect for little things

Next thing I wanted to carry with me was my Mac Careblend pressed powder but the included sponge/applicator applied too much product on my face and I needed a brush to blend it out. Instead of that, I got an Ecotools retractable brush - €11 from Ebay (very decent brush, soft and doesn't shed) and every morning, when I do my makeup, I dab it lightly in my Careblend and put the brush in my little bag. This way, I don't have to carry with me the Careblend compact, and I use what's on my retractable brush for a touch up.

Next item I wanted in my purse was concealer (just in case I need it) so I put a little of my Benefit Erase Paste in a jar and I use it with a little brush that I had from a free Sephora brush kit.  Also, Mac Fix+ is a necessity to me because it refreshes and hydrates my skin.

The puzzle to me was how on earth I could manage to have with me something for highlight, blush and contour, without having to carry all these separate compacts. The tougher one was blush, because I had to carry with me a different blush almost everyday (depending on what I had put on in the morning), but I also have a few in pan form in a Mac palette (not something to have in my purse!).

So, instead of going crazy over this I decided to think outside of the box and the result is simple and fuss free. That's how:

• I put in good use a Mac 4 pan empty eyeshadow palette that I already had
• I looked at my eyeshadows and chose one that would do for highlight but I wouldn't miss from my eyeshadows palette. Crystal Avalanche was the winner (I don't use it that much since I got Creamy Bisque, I also have a Korres one in a similar shade).
• next I wanted an eyeshadow as a contour. I chose Moleskin from my stash but I'm thinking of buying Omega or Kid because Moleskin is limited edition and I want to keep it for my eyes.LOL!
• last but not least I chose two eyeshadows from my stash that I could use for blush: Passionate because it is a cool pink shade and Free to Be because it is warmer. This way, I don't have the exact shade of blush that I wore in the morning but I have something to refresh it that matches with the rest of my makeup, in cool tones and warm as well. Both eyeshadows didn't get much use from me as eyeshadows, but I really love them as mini blushes on the go!

Here's a swatch of them all. It is heavy because I wanted to show you the colors, it goes without saying that when I actually use them to refresh my face makeup I use the lightest possible amount on my brush.

Here's my little highlight-contour-blush palette

So, what I basically do is that I buff the Careblend on my face and then I use the same brush for contour and blush (for the highlight I use my finger). Then I spray my face with the Fix+ and I' m done.

Next thing that I carry in my makeup bag is a lipstick and lipgloss. I rotate these everyday, depending on what I used in the morning.
For instance, yesterday I wore Sweet Eve After lipcreme and Show Me! lipglass (both Mac pro longwear), here they are

The last thing that I always carry with me is not makeup related but a necessity to me and that is a hand creme. Currently I have the EOS one (€12 on Ebay) because I love the packaging, it's like a little pebble, very slim and purse friendly!

Here's my makeup bag once more

I'm totally satisfied with the above configuration since this way I manage to have with me everything I will need for a touch up in a very compact and low volume way.

What makeup item do you always have in your purse?

Mac Fall Collection: Lightscapade and Porcelain Pink MSFs

The Mac Fall (at first it was named after Cindy Sherman) Collection was launched last Friday in Greece.

It's the collection with the promo pictures that I know a lot of people find grotesque, but, I couldn't care less for promotional posters, all I care about is the products.

With that been said, I didn't want to spend too much because:

• my Mac Me Over haul was quite recent and 
• the christmas collections are a month away, so, I'd better start saving!

So I got the two items I wanted most from the collection, that is the MSFs (€29,50 each):

• Lightscapade, described as Soft candlelit beige with multidimensional shimmer and 
• Porcelain Pink described as Soft pinky coral with gold veining  

They're both repromotes from previous collections but I recently got interested in Mac so I didn't have any of them.  It is also a fact that the new Lightscapade is quite different from the old one because the veinings are very subtle and at first it looks like a light beige powder (although it doesn't matter to me because it is a freaking awesome highlight as is).
They're so finelly milled that feel silky soft (no chunks of glitter, thank god!). I also think that Porcelain Pink can also be used as a blush if your skintone is quite fair.

Here's Lightscapade

.
And Porcelain Pink

Here are a couple of swatches

They 're both so gorgeous that I couldn't skip them!

Now, if you live in Greece and are interested in these, don't wait too long because I think that the stock is limited: my local Mac store in Kallithea had only 3 of each left, and I got them on Friday aftenoon!

Do you have a must buy from this collection?

EOTD and a new eyeshadow!

Today I played a little with a new eyeshadow, Cypress Green #49 by Korres, already depoted and put into my "random" eyeshadow palette:

Cypress Green is a medium-dark cool green, and coming autumn I thought it would be ideal for a fall look.
I used it with Short Shorts and Sun Blonde, both eyeshadows by Mac (you can see them HERE) and I did two variations : one more subtle and one more intense and smokey. In both variations, I used it with a light hand because I didn't want it too dark, so bare in mind that it is actually much darker and intense than you see it in the following photos.

1st variation

Cypres Green: outer corner, crease and under the eye
Sun Blonde: lid
Short Shorts: inner corner and brow bone
I also used a hint of Moleskin to blend the upper part of the crease.
It doesn't really show here but it's a discreet but polished daytime look, perfect for work (minus the mascara accident, lol)!

2nd variation

Cypres Green: lid (except the middle of it), crease, under the eye
Sun Blonde: in the middle of the lid
Short Shorts: brow bone
I also used a hint of Moleskin to blend the upper part of the crease.
This look is more vibrant but not too intense, I can wear it in daytime when I want a little more emphasis on the eyes.

I also used Mac Painterly paint pot, Avenue fluidline and Benefit They're Real mascara in both looks.

So that's my eye of the day, I know you can't really tell because I suck in taking this kind of photos, but, I thought to share it with you nevertheless!

What's your most used fall color?

Basics: Face tools

First of all, face brushes are the tools that enable me to achieve the best possible results in combination with the products that I use (foundation etc.).
Given the fact that they come in contact with my face on a daily basis, they must be of a good quality and they must be regularly cleaned.
That being said, I was really sceptical and undesicive about selecting face brushes. The reasons are:

• there are too many choices out there
• they are not cheap
• even if they were cheap, it wouldn't be practical to me to have too many brushes 

So, after a lot of searching and reading and taking in consideration my needs and the products that I use, I visited my local Mac with a clear plan. 

The first brush that I had to try was the very popular 187 (also known as duo fibre or stippling or skunk brush) and the Mac assistant told me that this is definitely THE must have brush. Although I'm always reserved when I hear raves about a product, this time I found the raves to be true.
In the store I wasn't that impressed (but I'm never impressed with brushes), but when I got home I used it right away and then I got sooo excited, because it is simply PERFECT for:

• liquid foundation: I get an even, flawless coverage, almost airbrushed, with minimal use of product. 
• powder: it delivers the desired amount of powder for my dry skin (that is less is best).
• blush: even the more pigmented ones (that were a nightmare to blend) have become my best friends
• bronzers: I was intimidated to use on my fair complexion but with this brush it is a pair made in heaven!
• mineralize skinfinishes: I get glow without the discoball effect.

Best feature is that it delivers the right amount of every product and even in layering it doesn't get cakey.
Mac 187 - €46 (€34,50 on a 25% discount)
So, here's my loved Mac 187 brush

Next day I run back to my local Mac shop and I got the 188 as well. It is the same brush as the 187 but narrower.
I use this one for the base products for eye makeup:

• concealer: it blends it like a dream (and I use cream concealer, not the easiest product to apply)
• powder: here too, it applies just the right amount (as already mentioned, less is best for me)
• paint pots: with cream eyeshadow bases in general, I get an even, flawless coverage.

Mac 188 - €37 (€27,75 on a 25% discount) 
Here's my loved (and a little dirty!) Mac 188 brush

The next brush is the Mac 168 angled contour brush and I got it when I started to contour my face with matte bronzing powder. I found that I needed more precision (in comparison to the 187), for example under the cheekbones etc. I also tried it with blush, higlighters etc, and it works great when I want a little heavier application (again in comparison to the 187). It also can be used for foundation. I don't love it like the 187 or 188, but it is a really practical one.
Mac 168 - €37 (€27,75 on a 25% discount).
Here's my handy Mac 168 brush

Here they are all together :-)

Cleaning my brushes is an essential step that I rarely miss:

• everyday, after I 've completed my makeup, I spray some Mac Brush Cleanser on a paper towel and I swipe them repeatedly on it. For that reason I keep in my brush case a small travel bottle with a spray pump.
• once a week, I wash them with a baby shampoo

Mac Brush Cleanser 235ML - €11,00 (€8,25 on a 25% discount).
Mac Small Travel bottle (package of 2) - €5,50 (€4,12 on a 25% discount).
Mac Spray Pump - €4,00 (€3,00 on a 25% discount).

Talking about face basics, I could not ommit my Mac Face & Body foundation. Although its coverage is on the light/sheer side, I love it because:

• it melts into my skin and it actually looks like my skin but better
• it evens out my skintone
• it gives my dry skin a dewy and fresh look
• even when I use two layers, it doesn't look like "makeup"
• it is quite affordable even fullprice - €34 for 120ML of product!

The funny thing is that I get the best coverage and less dewiness from it (more natural this way) when I apply it with my palms: I put some on my palm and rub my palms together until it starts feeling less slippery and more sticky. Then I "rub" it gently all over my face.
Shadewise, I was never into Mac foundations because they're dark for me, but in the summer (when I purchased the F&B) I was tanned so N1 was perfect. Now, it starts getting darker on me, so I got the Face & Body in White (available only at the Pro Mac stores, I got it in the Ermou street store) and I mix the two colors. Now that I think of it, this is a way to adjust the foundation to my skintone throughout the year, at least until I get excited to try something new!

By the way, I tried to get the new Mac Matchmaster in 1.0 (I think it's the lightest Mac shade) but there's nowhere to find it! The lightest shade they got is 1.5 and it's not that 1.0 is sold out (Mac at Ermou street hadn't even set the display for this collection). Maybe Mac supposed that all greek women are fairly tanned??? Well, news for you Mac, there are many greek women that could use the 1.0!

Anyway,  back to the topic..
Mac Face & Body 120ML - €34,00 (€25,50 on a 25% discount).
Here are my foundations

During the summer, I also used some Elf mineral makeup (very lightly) as a setting powder.
Although it makes my makeup last even longer (all day) without touch ups (dry skin), I didn't like it that much, it felt weird, not itchy but close to that.

So, last week, after reading all the positive reviews about the Mac Careblend pressed powder, I decided to give it a try and I got one in Light. What makes this setting powder "special" is that it is supposed to be the most moisturising of all the Mac powders. Powder and moisturizing definitely sounds like an oxymore but, it really has a creamy-like feeling. I use it only with the 187 brush, so that I get the least possible amount of it and then I buff it into my skin.
It has a mirror and a little sponge application.
Mac Studio Careblend Pressed Powder - €25,00 (€18,75 on a 25% discount).
Here 's my Careblend

Last thing that I use on an everyday basis is the Mac Fix+ spray. It is supposed to be like a setting mist, after the makeup application to blend everything seamlessly together. It can also be used as a moisturizer, before makeup application.
Well, it didn't sound like that much, nor like a product that I must have had, but, one day, I saw the mini bottle of it and I got it out of pure curiosity. And (surprise!) it became a staple product to me. I keep the mini bottle in my purse at all times and I also keep a large one at home with my makeup stuff.
The reason I love it is mainly because it gives me the solution to "combat" the midday dullnes, when my face becomes flat and dehydrated. A couple of spritzes is all it takes to bring life and moisturization back to it!
I also use it after completing my makeup, it melts everything into my skin.
Mac Fix+ 30ML - €11,00 (€8,25 on a 25% discount).
Mac Fix+ 100ML - €17,50 (€13,12 on a 25% discount).
Here are the two of them

So, long story short (LOL!) these are my basic tools for face makeup.

What's your staple product for face makeup?

Makeup Storage: Pretty in Pink!

The other day I was at Jumbo where I saw this little cute thing, and I got one for my niece.

When she opened it, a lighbulb flashed over my head (lol!) and I thought that this would be perfect for storing my everyday bits and pieces of makeup! Let me clarify why:

• it is pink (everything is prettier in pink)
• it has decent storage room for my little stash
• it is cheap (€10)
• it looks durable enough

Of course I don't intend to use this outdoors (as a travel bag) but because I do my makeup on the kitchen table (best natural and artificial light in my house) it is ideal to keep my things together and move them there.

So, let's take a closer look:

It has two tiers and a deeper "bucket" and the reason I love it is because I can find at a glance even the smallest item, so I don't lose time (especially in the morning) looking for this or that.

First tier: OCC Lip Tars in Memento and Melange, ELF Brow Kit and a lip balm, Benefit Erase Paste, Powderflage (the actual container didn't fit so I put a little in a little clear pot) and MAC paint in Bare Canvas, MAC Pressed Amber and Stunner blushes, MAC khol in Smolder, Prunella and Fascinating, NYX Cottage Cheese jumbo pencil, ELF brow clear mascara and a lip pencil (there's also a Wet n' Wild Pixie eyeshadow pencil that doesn't show here, I don't know why!).

 Second tier: Benefit Stay don't Stray, Garnier concealer, Maybelline BB cream, MAC Refined msf, ELF mineral makeup, Benefit They're Real mascara, MAC Painterly paint pot, MAC Blacktrack and Avenue fluidlines.

Here, there's room enough for 3 MAC palettes (two for eyeshadows and one for blushes), ELF mineral eyeshadows (all depoted in these two stackable jar sets), an eyelash curler, a MAC mini travel bottle with a spray pump for my brush cleaner, a NYX eyeshadow palette that I don't want to depot, a Jemma Kidd highlight cream in Iced Gold and a mini Japonesque lip palette.

Here's my little stash once more, there are two more items not pictured here that I use everyday:  MAC Face and Body foundation in N1 (I keep in the fridge) and my brush case.
I also have a few extra items that I use ocassionaly and I store them in a drawer.

So, what is your storing method? I 'd love to hear your (affordable) storing tips!

Mac Me Over: At last!

Well, after seeing swatches upon swatches online, and reading blogs etc, I had a 90% clear idea about what I wanted to buy from this collection.
Here it is:

So, Monday morning I rushed to my local Mac store, imagine that the mac assistant was just positioning the stands etc for this collection and I bet she skipped a heartbeat or two when I barged into the store at 09:01 (I had to go to work too, TG the mac store is very close to it!)

So, first of all, the much coveted 226 brush. I asked for the most tapered, she showed me all 5-6 available, all were rounded.

 
I'm very happy I actually did buy it because it applies eyeshadow in the crease perfectly. To give you an idea, I always had trouble with crease color going almost all the way up to my eyebrows, and I always had to blend a lot, but NOT with this brush! The dark color stays exactly where it's supposed to (in the crease) and I have room to blend it with a lighter shade, in a few words, I love it!

Next two items I bought where the blushes, and I got both of them because they're both unique to me, each for a different reason:

Equillibrium is a brown blush, and I sailed away from brown blushes until last month when I swatched (just for fun) the Pressed Amber blush from the Semi Precious collection. And I loved it! It's such a lovely rosy-caramel-brown, and for me it's ideal for contouring without looking fake or orangey. Now, Equillibrium is equally unique to me because it is lighter, less rosey and more caramel, very sweet and discreet, so it is perfect for winter, when my skintone is really pale and I'm guessing Pressed Amber will be a little too much. Of course all depend on the quantity, but I thought that a lighter shade will be more convenient.
Equillibrium on the left, Pressed Amber on the right.

Stunner blush was quite a surprise because I was expecting a blah color, but, in fact, it is a very wearable color, that matches (almost) all styles and skinstones, because it actually is an in between color: it is pink without being too pink, it is a little warmer but not peach or coral, it's light enough to make it easy to wear but not too light so as to be invisible, it's not too bright, it's not too muted.
In a word, a really practical color, and, after a summer of pink and peach and coral shimmering blushes, I find this a refreshing change!
As for the texture, both blushes have a satiny finish.
Stunner and Equillibrium

Eyeshadows! Well, at first I was very sceptical about them (do I need another brown? another highlighter? etc) but after swatching them I knew I would want them when they would be sold out, and I also rationalized my urge to purchase them (neutral eyshadows are always handy!). I already had Satin Taupe (link to a previous post of mine) so I got Creamy Bisque, Moleskin and Carbonized. Mythical was too metallic for me, beautiful nevertheless. The one shadow I didn't like that much is Outre.
Creamy Bisque (Frost) is a good for all highlight, I can't described it, it's just plain pretty!
Moleskin (Matte) is a sort of medium to light discreet brown, ideal for blending out darker shades, I didn't have something like it (not that I have that many eyeshadows for that matter!).
Carbonized (Veluxe Pearl) is really the queen of the trio, a rosy brow, lovely texture, I'm smitten!

Fluidlines...At first I wanted all of them, but then, I knew I was absurd because I simply couldn't afford them all, so I chose the one I knew would become my staple eyeliner, and that is...Avenue! This color (at least I think so) will become my HG eyeliner, and the reason is simple. I always liked Blacktrax but for day use I always smudged it with some grey or brown eyeshadow because it always looked too harsh on me. So, I tried dark grey, brown, etc, but I wasn't that happy.
So, when I saw Avenue, I really liked it in the pot but I was sold the moment I swatched it: it is exactly what I wanted, not black, not brown, just a very versatile in between color! It does have a few shimmery particles, but, they're quite unnoticeable, even in broad daylight.

 Last but not least, the only lip product that caught my attention (lip products usually sit idly in my stash, I forget to use them most of the times!) is the Social Light lipglass, I couldn't take a decent photo, so, no swatch of it.

Here's my hand with all my choices from the collection:

Prices (the hard part...):
eyeshadow 17€
blush 21,50€
eyeliner 18€
lipglass 17€
226 brush 27€

If I would only get 3 pieces from it, I would definitely get:

• 226 brush
• Stunner blush
• Carbonized eyeshadow.

What's your must have item(s) from this collection?

Mac 15pan Palette: Basic Shades

I am always mesmerized by videos on YouTube about mac 15pan palettes, categorized by shades (neutrals, pinks, blues, etc) and I decided to make a palette of my own.

The hard part is that I wanted to limit myself to one palette, because:

• the eyeshadows are quite expensive (obviously!)
• I don't find it practical to have 2-3 palettes around me to complete a look.
• I dont't need similar shades because I don't think everyday people (as opposed to make up artists or professionals in general) notice slight variations of shade or color intensity or shimmer or whatever.
• I don't need all the colors available, it is so easy to change the hue of an eyeshadow just by sweeping another color on top!

So, after a lot of time online, seeing swatches, watching videos, reading blogs, etc, I made a sort of "pattern" and I based my palette on it. Of course there are a lot of eyeshadows that I didn't like when I actually swatched them in my local Mac store, and a few others that were not in my plan but caught my eye!

So, this is my (one and only - at least so far!) 15pan palette:

The "pattern" is quite simple:

• one row with cool (?) shades,
• one row with warm (?) shades,
• one row with the rest.

And vertically:

• highlighters in the first column
• midtones (eyelid colors) in the second column
• shading colors (crease) in the third column

As you can see, the first three columns are all natural shades, the last two columns are all colors.

There are two "basic" shades missing and that is a pure white and a pure black and the reason I don't have such shades is because I don't use them that often.

Highlights:

Cool - Crystal Avalanche is desribed as white with reflects (VeluxePearl)
Warm - Short Shorts (limited edition from the Surf Baby collection) was not on my list but I loved it! I think Nylon from the permanent line is an alternative shade.
Brule is described as soft creamy-beige (Satin).

Midtones:

Cool - Pink Venus is described as washed pink (Lustre). It looks lovely in the pan but the color payoff is minimal.
Warm - Honesty is described as pewtered bronze (Lustre). I don't know why I picked this and minimal color payoff here too!
Satin Taupe is described as taupe with silver shimmer (Frost). It is my latest aquisition, I haven't even tried it on yet! The main reason I got it is because I like taupe color in general and I thought I should try out this (very famous) shade! 

Crease colors:

I don't find flattering (on me) too dark colors, that's why I chose medium shades, not too dark, not too light.

Cool - Scene is described as muted blue-grey (Satin).
Warm - Espresso is described as muted golden brown (Matte).
Smut is described as muted black with red shimmer (Velvet). To me it looks like an in between color and I use it when I want a little more intensity.

Colors 1:

Cool - Passionate is described as real mid-tone red (Matte). When I got frustrated with Pink Venus I went overboard and purchased Passionate, it actually is a very pretty color and when used with a light hand the result is quite lovely. I usually use Passionate as a base and Pink Venus on top for the shimmer.
Warm - Expensive Pink is described as pink with duochrome (Veluxe Pearl). I really love this color!
Sun Blonde (limited edition from the Surf Baby collection) was also not on my list but I loved it too! I think Gorgeous Gold from the permanent line is an alternative shade.

Colors 2: 

 

Cool - Moon's Reflection is described as blue w/white pearl (Veluxe Pearl).

Warm - Swimming is described as hi-shine sea green (Lustre). Althought this is a Lustre too, the color payoff is a lot better than Pink Venus.

Aquadisiac is described as deep sea turquoise (Lustre). This one has the best pigmentation amongst all my Lustre eyeshadows. It is also the first ever Mac eyeshadow I purchased, I just love it!

Please note that "cool" and "warm" are relevant terms, according to the way I see the colors, so what seems warm to me someone else may categorize as cool, etc!  

What is your most reached for eyeshadow?