31 October 2013

FOTD: Dark & Smokey Vixen


I don't normally do Face of the Day's and I can't promise that I'll start incorporating them (because I'm lazy) but a couple weeks ago I went to an event at my local MAC counter in Nordstrom and got my makeup done. I initially went to pick up products that I had pre-ordered from Rihanna's Fall collection and boy was that experience a mess!! Long story short I left with a made up face, none of the items I ordered and a wasted $50 all because the honest employees at MAC Nordstrom decided to steal customers products. Oh yes, you read that correctly, STOLEN by employees which is what I was told straight from the managers mouth. I mean I knew the RiRi collection was in high demand but damn....guess I just didn't think it was that serious.

Anyway, I ended up being able to buy the things I wanted from Belk.com and eBay. The post for the collection is coming next week. The artist at MAC gave me a deep sultry look for Fall and I was pleased with it for the most part. The only thing I was on the fence about was that she used a foundation color that's a shade darker than what I normally wear. I'm normally a NW47 but she used NW48 and I don't know but I definitely can tell the difference between the two. I'm not really feeling it so I will definitely be sticking to my normal shade. Check out a few more pics of the look below and I listed all the products that I can remember that were used.




Eyes:
RiRi Hearts MAC Smoked Cocoa Palette 
RiRi Hearts MAC Liquid Last Liner
RiRi Hearts MAC Extended Play Mascara
RiRi Hearts MAC 36 Lashes 
MAC Fuid Line Gel Liner in Blacktrack

Face:
Studio Fix Fluid Foundation
Powder Blush in Fever

Lips:
Lipstick in Dark Side
Lip Liner in Currant
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09 October 2013

OPI San Francisco Collection For Fall Review + Swatches


I honestly can't believe that Fall is actually here. This year went by sooo fast! Fall & Winter are definitely two of my favorite seasons and what I look forward to the most are the sultry colors that go along with it. OPI has geared up a new collection inspired by the season and the city of San Francisco. The Fall/Winter collection consists of 15 limited edition nail lacquers with a palette ranging from sky and sea-colored hues of blues and gray to reds, burgundies and browns all inspired by some of the city's most iconic elements. The collection also includes 3 liquid sand textured colors with matte finishes. Check out swatches of the entire collection and my full thoughts below. 

A-Piers to Be Tan
I shore do like this chocolaty tan.



Dining al Frisco
Just feast your eyes on this fresh-air blue!



Haven’t the Foggiest
Can’t tell you why I love this misty gray...I just do!



Peace & Love & OPI
This holographic sage and eggplant is far out!



Keeping Suzi at Bay
There’s no holding back this assertive navy blue.



Incognito in Sausalito
You better keep this almost-black blue under wraps.



Lost on Lombard
Oh garn-et! I’m all turned around!



I Knead Sour-Dough
Are you bready to wear this toasty warm brown?



Muir Muir on the Wall
This trailblazing plum is the fairest of all.



In the Cable Car-Pool Lane
Good golly, Miss Trolley, this rich burgundy takes me away!



Embarca-Dare Ya!
Betcha can’t pass up this marvelous magenta.



First Date at the Golden Gate
You and me and this shimmery ruby make three.



It’s All San Andreas’s Fault
I’d move mountains to get this textured earthy taupe!



Wharf! Wharf! Wharf!
Dog-gone it...fetch me that textured matte blue!



Alcatraz...Rocks
There’s no escaping this arresting textured gray.






Glow: Although I do feel like a few of these shades are dupable from some of OPI's previous collections, I must say that as a whole I am pleasantly surprised. I love the subtle array of deep color, especially with the plums and reds.

Glare: I'm still on the fence of how I truly feel about the liquid sand textures. While I am a fan of the more glittered ones, the plain ones like the ones in this collection are a bit underwhelming. 

Would I Recommend It? I like it, and I think the overall collection works. I think colors like Incognito in Sausalito and In the Cable Car-Pool Lane are definite must haves in any Fall arsenal. 

Where To Buy: The entire San Francisco collection is currently available in various retailers nationwide. To purchase or to learn more please visit http://www.opi.com/.


Product(s) in this post were provided for post consideration. Read our disclosure policy here
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04 October 2013

RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick Swatches + Review


Just gonna go ahead and point out the white elephant in the room....we ALL know that I'm a procrastinator. lol...a very intense one!  With that said I've been meaning to post this a couple months ago but hey that's the ongoing story of an emo-blogger ^_^ Anyhoo...Yesterday I finally buckled down and swatched the Rihanna lipsticks from her first two RiRi Hearts MAC releases. If you've been keeping up then you know by now that her final Holiday Collection was released at all MAC counters yesterday. Unfortunately I haven't got my hands on anything from that collection just yet because I was lured into "pre-ordering" from my local Nordstrom *clears throat*  I have yet to receive anything but they ensured me that it has indeed shipped...and my GOD I am praying it has. Had I known pre-ordering would mean being the actual last person to get it then I probably would've taken my chances with going to the store but what's done is done. When they do arrive (oh and they better!) of course I will do a follow up post with swatches! In the meantime checkout my current thoughts on the lippies below. 

RiRi Hearts MAC lipstick
(l-r) RiRi-Woo, RiRi Boy, Heaux


Swatches
(l-r) RiRi-Woo, RiRi Boy, Heaux


RiRi Woo
a retro matte cool red


 RiRi Boy
a retro matte vivid lavender 


Sorry for so many pics! I couldn't really find the perfect lighting for this color but hey close enough ^_^


 Heaux
a retro matte berry



Glow: Alright, so with most highly anticipated MAC collections the biggest question I always end up asking myself is if it all was really worth the hype?  Lets start with the positives shall we? My fave out of the 3 is definitely RiRi Woo, I love that it's a play on Ruby Woo but there is a slight difference. RiRi Woo seems to be a tone brighter which I love. I paired RiRi Boy with Heroine lip liner and I think I like it better that way versus wearing it alone. Heaux is described as a "berry" shade, it seems more subtle than the others but I do like it against my skin-tone. The formula is ok and I do love the fact that I got pretty good wear out of them throughout the day (about 8 hrs) with only 1 reapplication.

Glare: The thing with retro mattes is that they are supposed to be a bit more drying than regular MAC matte finishes and that's because they have a one of a kind texture (says MAC) I suppose the easiest way to describe is that they are more matte than the traditional matte lipsticks yet still hold vivid color. Some people have issues with mattes and I've read a few complaints about the retro matte textures but for me they really weren't anymore drying than the regular ones. Although I will say that RiRi Boy in particular seems a bit dryer than the others, the texture was sort of crumbly while applying. I always dab my lips with chapstick periodically if the lipstick feels too dry. 

Would I Recommend It? I definitely recommend trying the matte formulas. Everyone's preferences are different but hey I like them. 

Where To Buy: As these were limited edition colors, unfortunately I believe the ship has sailed on at least two of these. But the most popular RiRi Woo is still currently available at various online retailers. If you're interested in seeing what's left then I suggest you act soon! Check all online retailers that carry MAC such as Nordstrom, Dillards, Macys etc. Good Luck!


Product(s) in this post were purchased by me. 
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