Big MAC Haul! Swatches & Mini Reviews

So a couple of weeks ago, MAC Cosmetics had a few different deals going on for their online customers, which some of you may know NEVER happens with MAC! I think they're starting to feel the pressure of competition from so many other amazing brands & are trying to up their game! Well it's about time in my opinion ;) 

So with offers like a Free Eyeshadow with your order and $10 off orders over $50, I placed a couple of orders & got some newer products + others I've been eyeing up!

♥

I got some things I've been wanting for a while like "So Select" lipstick, which is an exclusive shade for select members on their site, and "Fascinating" Kohl Eyeliner, which is a White pencil liner Jeffree Star often uses in his waterline, it makes the eyes pop & look bigger!

So Select Lipstick

I really like this shade, it's a nice Matte formula, but I'll be honest it's nothing new.. Very on trend at the moment but it's just another Mauve Pink Brown/Nude.

Fascinating Eyeliner

My first MAC liner and it's so yummy and creamy to use I really like it! I never really wear liner in the waterline because I always get such watery eyes but this liner stays on, it doesn't irritate & is really soft to apply - no scratching or pulling. I got the idea to use this in the waterline from watching Jeffree Star on Youtube, it gives the illusion of bigger eyes & makes the colour really stand out!

I also picked up a couple of the new limited edition Mineralize Skin Finish highlighting powders "Other Earthly" & "Nuanced", they're so pretty I had to get them! Wait till you see the swatches ;)

Other Earthly

From the Future MAC Collection, this product caught my eye with the powder design & 3 stunning different highlight shades - Golden Bronze Shimmer, Soft Champagne Pink Sheen & Intense Silver Shimmer/Glitter. I really like applying the pinky shade with a touch of the silver on top, they look surprisingly natural on skin considering how "out there" they look in the pan haha

Nuanced 

Another stunning highlight powder, this one has four different shades in one! Available in the lighter pink champagne shades perfect for fairer skin "Naunced" & one with deeper pink golden shades for darker skin tones "Perfectly Lit". Nuanced is described as Light rosy champagne with fine pink & gold pearl. I swatched all four mixed & separately, starting with them all mixed at the top & then the top two golden & bottom two pinker shades. This also gives a very pretty natural looking highlight

And I definitely had to order some things from the newer collabs! I always live for MACs limited edition collections & the packaging, how cool was Brooke Candy's collection! I was a bit late for the lipsticks but got my hands on "Whirl" lipliner, which I've wanted since Ky J made it popular, and "Pamela" one of the new Vamplify Lipglosses, the two are made for each other! And I fell for Chris Chang's artistic packaging also, but the colours were pretty crazy - Yellow + Green lipsticks, Blue + Pink eyeshadows etc, but I wanted one so bad! "Plum Princess" was the one shade I could imagine actually wearing, and it was one of the only Matte colours, which I prefer for a bold lipstick.

Brooke Candy Lip Combo

The Whirl Lipliner I found dry & pulling to apply, I've used better & I rarely ever use liners.. And the Vamplify Gloss, it's very pigmented & similar to Whirl in colour, it smells like vanilla cake & feels nice on the lips, not too sticky or thick

Chris Chang Plum Princess Lipstick

I love! The packaging is amazing & the colour is interesting & unique. It's like a mid-tone smokey/dusty Violet, it reminds me of Scorpio from Jeffree Star but lighter. It's a matte formula which like I said above, I prefer for bold lipsticks especially purples/blues/greens because you see the true colour in full opacity

And finally I got a Free Eyeshadow with one of my orders! You had the choice of I think around 15 shades, matte or shimmers. I chose "Mythology" because I often go for a coppery/bronze eye on the daily & thought this would be perfect! In hindsight I was I had picked "Carbon" because everyone needs a good matte black shadow in their collection & I have a million bronze shades haha -.-

Mythology Eyeshadow

I was quite underwhelmed with this shadow.. I mean it's a pretty eyeshadow, it's pigmented, it's shimmery & bronze, but it didn't amaze me for a MAC product..It felt kind of dry & flaky, not buttery & smooth. I have definitely seen & used better eyeshadows for the same price or less! (eg. Makeup Geek is way up there if not better in my opinion)

LucyLoves! xx

How I Order my Makeup from USA!

Forwarding Addresses, Sephora, MAC etc!  

As some of you may know, I'm from New Zealand, 

a small country at the bottom of the map!

For the longest time, I had been dreaming of the products & prices 

American Beauty Lovers enjoy, including Reward points & Deluxe Samples!

Then I heard about - Forwarding Services

♥

So basically a Forwarding Service is a Delivery service that provide you 

with an American address to use when ordering on any American site.

Your parcel is delivered to their Warehouse in USA, you pay for Shipping from there, 

& they send your order here, to your house, in NZ! 

Here are a few services I've tried myself, trust & continue to use =

www.nzpost.co.nz/Youshop - Free Sign up 

This is one Forwarding Service I use all the time! It's based in NZ, stems from their NZ post website. I personally find this site the easiest, most affordable & trustworthy to use. 

When you sign up, you will receive addresses tp their warehouses in USA, UK & China + your own NZ post I.D number. This is a MUST to enter into the shipping information to ensure you receive your order. I personally DON'T enter the I.D number in the "First Name" section, as long as it's in the Address Line you're fine! When it arrives to their warehouse, the I.D no. will show up under your name, they will email you payment info for shipping & send it away to you!

I use YouShop when ordering from MAC USA, Too Faced Cosmetics & now Sephora!

They do have a consolidation option for multiple packages & discounted prices the more you have - up to 10 boxes! 

Check the product restrictions for YouShop before ordering, some products e,g Perfume is dangerous goods & won't get accepted/sent!

Note: 

Sephora does not accept Debit Cards & will cancel orders, only Credit Cards are accepted as they don't have a set currency!

Too Faced Cosmetics will only accept PayPal payments, select or enter your given US address on PayPal, otherwise they will decline your card for your order.

www.UStoOZ.com - Free Sign up

I've used this service a few times to order from Sephora when I got perfume samples or wanted to order their Perfume Mini sets etc

Based in Australia, specifically for ordering from the US, this site has an initial service fee that is added to the Shipping Price in the end. When you sign up you need to "Place Order", let them know you want "To make an Order using their Address" (There are 3 options) & Enter the products you'll be ordering. This will ensure you get everything you ordered! Including Samples..

They are more expensive then other services, but for a few reasons, consolidation is free no matter how many orders, and perfume is accepted & sent to NZ.

I found with UStoOZ, the more orders you make the more reasonable the price is.

Once they receive your package, you are emailed with a few Shipping options including with or without insurance, 6-10 days or 2-4 weeks arrival time etc

www.Shipito.com - $5 Sign up Fee

This is the first Service I used, I heard about this site through Shaaanxo on YouTube.

This site is more confusing to use in my opinion but its trustworthy & does work!

You start by signing up with a $5 fee to prove you have a working card, get your Address & start shopping! Once your order arrives to their warehouse, top up your Shipito account for shipping!

You also have the "Special Request" Option that costs $5 if you have a restricted product or sample, request to have it removed. Or if you want that Perfume or Sample, for a higher price they have a shipping option for Fed Ex that accepts dangerous goods.

Another option on this site is the "Assisted Purchase" option where you top up your account with money, enter in the products your wishing to get, they will personally collect those for you & let you know when it arrives. This is the best option to choose if you're worried about your order getting cancelled 

Tips: 

I sometimes use a Forwarding Address for sites that do ship to NZ, but have a hefty shipping charge! E.g I made another Colourpop order last week! I didn't quite have enough money to pay for shipping, so I got it sent via YouShop (giving me free US shipping) & paid the YouShop shipping charge when it arrived to their warehouse this week! 

It actually worked out cheaper that way anyway - $22 NZD vs $20 USD (approx $30 NZD)

Others to check out - 

Comgateway, HopShopGo, MyUS & Private Box

I haven't personally used these but know people who have & recommend also!

I really hope this information helped some people,

I know I was unsure & nervous the first time I tried a Forwarding Service!

Any Questions, just ask & I'll try to help :)

Remember, 

NZ has a $280 (Including Shipping) Maximum spend before customs Tax

LucyLoves! xx

Hot Makeup! Collab with Stacey Banfield - Part Two

A Review on the Products...  

In Part two of my Hot Makeup collaboration with Stacey Banfield (Paintedlipsnz)
I will be reviewing the Hot Makeup products that I have & used 
in the Glam, summery makeup look I posted last week.
Stacey shared her thoughts on the Hot Makeup products she picked up, on her blog (linked above^)
And this week will share a makeup look she created with her products
 I can't wait to see what stunning look she comes up with!
♥
Hot Makeup, founded by Francini Franco, was inspired by an artistic spirit of expression,
"Hot Makeup brings something new to the market. Something we've wanted for a long time, but never quite had. Infused with passion, vivid colours, fun & boundless possibilities of expression! Becoming a preferred choice for Makeup artists of film, T.V & Theater, all over Brazil" 
- Hotmakeup.com

www.HotMakeup.com

So pictured above are the Eight products I purchased!
The look I created used seven of these products..
I was inspired by the stunning Rose Gold packaging to make an order online & the 
Kiss Me More Lipcreme in "Sunkissed" to create some Summery peachy goodness with my makeup!
Hot Makeup USA ship Worldwide & have amazing deals on shipping costs.
I made my orders when they had Free Worldwide Shipping all of April.

♥ PRODUCT REVIEWS ♥

Hot Candy Eye Shadow 

- "Harmony" $17USD

These are essentially Pressed Pigments, when used with a wet, flat eye shadow brush, it creates a stunning Metallic-like sheen over the lid. Or if used dry, it gives a pop of sparkle on the lid. I was fairly disappointed with this product when used dry, no matter how I applied it, it looked & acted more like a glitter that would not stay or show much colour. I would recommend trying a Glitter Glue (eg. Too Faced Glitter Glue) to help the pigmentation & staying power. I found this product best to use with a wet brush, sprayed with MAC Fix +, it gave the most pigmented look with less fall out. 

Seen on my lid in the pic below, "Harmony" sure did last all day & looked how it did when first applied.

Silky Matte Eye Shadow 
- "Tuscan Sun" & "Fashion Sense" $12USD

These are single shadows in magnetized pans for Palette customization. Infused with Jojoba oil, these are highly pigmented & easy to blend. "Tuscan Sun" is a Deep burnt brown, copper & "Fashion Sense" is a Crisp, vibrant peachy orange. As pictured below, these shadows are larger than your average Eyeshadow pan, this is compared to a MAC single shadow. These can also be used for Blush

 

Red Carpet Ready Blush
- "Treasure" $21

This blush in "Treasure" is a bright orangey melon colour, very highly pigmented & has a silky texture on the skin. As shown in the picture below, this blush has a beautiful, natural sheen to it. But remember to use a light hand, these blushes aren't kidding around with their pigmentation! I love it & need more now! 

Fat Daddy Mascara
- Waterproof Volumizing $19USD

"High definition Mascara that will separate, define & create volume while promoting eyelash growth"
The wand with this mascara is normal length, but thin with short comb-like bristles that coat each lash creating that separated & volumized look while also giving length, which everyone asks for in a Mascara! But, there is one downfall with this product..I found the formula to be very wet, which on the first swipe, lay down too much product creating clumpy, hard-to-define lashes. Also requiring a longer drying time. But the end result is so perfect I think I can get past that ;)

Luscious Lip Gloss
- "Good Girl" $19USD

This is one product I was most excited to talk about, these Luscious Lip Glosses! Let me first say, for a Lip Gloss, I can't get over the pigmentation! The swatch is with one swipe of this lip gloss..you can see for yourself. As for the tacky feeling normal lip glosses tend to have, this product does have a slighty sticky texture but nothing compared your average lip gloss we're used to.

Kiss Me More Lip Cream
- "Sunkissed" & "Runway" $19USD

And this is one product I was initially, very excited to try out! But instead, ended up disappointed with.. I loved the look of "Sunkissed" that creamy peach colour everyone would love to find in a Matte Lip cream product, I thought I'd hit the jackpot with this one.. These swatch & apply beautifully! They look so nice on the lips, until they start to dry..once dried, it starts to crumble off. These do not last very long before, in my opinion, they feel uncomfortable to wear & don't look very good cracking & peeling off on the inner of your lips..At first I thought I got a bad batch with "Sunkissed" so I then tried "Runway" a deep blue red, but this was the same. Something needs to be fixed with the mattifying components in these because the colours are beautiful!
Shown below is an example of how this product looks on the lips after 5-10mins.

So that is my review & honest opinion on all the Hot Makeup products I picked up.

I was impressed with most of these products & they are amazing, there were just those last few cons I was saddened by because I had looked forward to them the most!

But we will have to watch this space, because I have a feeling this brand is going to explode & take over soon! And who knows what they have up their sleeve for us next...

Don't forget to check out Stacey's Fab blog Painted Lips

This girl knows her stuff!

LucyLoves! xx

A guide to concealers

Concealers - How to choose

Concealer - used for exactly what the name suggests, Concealing!

Whether it be a drug store or high-end product -

 Blemishes, uneven skin tone or under-eye circles you are trying to cover

there is a concealer out there for you!

♥

I have a range of different concealers, from different brands, & after playing around 

with them for a while, have found they all have a different purpose & each are 

perfect for certain things, & not so good for others..

Pictured above, are my current concealers.

Read below how I prefer to use these different concealers & what for..

♥

• MAC Pro long wear Concealer in NC15 - Perfect for my under eye circles & also on the whole lid as an eyeshadow base! Heavy, full coverage. I apply with a Real Techniques Contour Brush & set with Anastasia Beverly Hills Banana Powder. rrp. $20 USD
• Milani Secret Cover Concealer in Natural Beige (Round pot, Gold lid) - This concealer can get quite dry, I like to add a drop of face oil. When it's the right consistency, creamy yet thick, it's perfect for carving out eyebrows or helping create a clean, sharp line on eyeshadow or winged eyeliner. Not great for under eyes as it gets very heavy & will crease. rrp. $5 USD
• Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer in Fair - I Love this concealer for anything! I use it mainly to highlight under my eyes & on/around my pink nose.. Great for covering blemishes as well. It has a light & creamy consistency yet is full coverage. Best applied using your warm fingertips to blend out. rrp. $12 NZD
• L.A Girl Pro Conceal in Classic Ivory - I use this under my eyes for dark circle coverage, its opaque full coverage but lightweight so it won't settle in to fine lines & crease. So nice to apply with either your fingertips or a concealer brush, I use the Real Techniques Contour brush for this concealer also. rrp. $3 USD
• ELF Essential Zit Zapping Concealer in Fair - This product is something different! It's the 2in1 combination of concealer & Anti-bacterial ingredients that fight & prevent acne while giving an intense full coverage where needed. A unique blend of salicylic acid, tea tree oil & camphor that is safe & gentle, it minimizes pores while hiding & concealing blemishes. I lightly dab this product on & around blemishes using my fingertip, as to not spread germs using a brush, to blend then proceed on to foundation. rrp.$3 USD 
• Benefit Fake Up Hydrating Under Eye Concealer in Light - As the name suggests, this product is designed specifically for under the eyes & claims "crease control". This product is something different again, in the way the actual concealing product is surrounded by a clear vitamin E & apple seed extract layer, which gives the intense hydration that prevents creasing. I also love this product for when I have any dry blemishes or patches around my nose etc. rrp.$24 USD

I hope this helps when in search for that perfect concealer!
It all depends on what you're looking for in a concealer, and what you don't want!

LucyLoves! xx

Micellar Water

Loreal VS Garnier

Recently, I've heard amazing reviews on this All in one "Micellar" make up removing water product..
I've never heard of it before, but it has been flying off the shelves in NZ! 
I was lucky to find some!

♥

Claims to Remove/dissolve face, lip & eye make up, cleanse, tone & soothe skin 

while unclogging pores & removing impurities with NO rinsing needed!

Sounds amazing right??

So as I said, this stuff has been absolutely raved about lately as being the best 

make up removing product on the market! And it's even great for cleaning makeup brushes

 like they're new again!

♥

Micellar Water

What exactly is "Micellar Water"??

For the first time, Micellar technology is introduced in an all-in-one cleanser. 

starting with Garnier, & other brands are quickly following. 

Micells are an active cleansing ingredient which act as a magnet to capture impurities, 

make up & sebum (oils) on the skin, resulting in perfectly cleansed & refreshed skin 

without vigorous rubbing or rinsing. A soothing, crystal transparent water formula without fragrance to suit all skin types

How to use??

Simply wipe face, eyes & lips, morning & night, with a cotton pad soaked in Micellar water. 

No vigorous rubbing or rinsing needed

If you're cleaning your brushes, I pour some into a bowl, swirl the brushes in quickly rinse with hot water, and repeat until clean!

♥

Comparing these two products, they do the same, they work the same, they have the same ingredients...

But, the Loreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 is 200ml for $13.99 nzd

Garnier All in One cleansing water is 400ml for $15.50 nzd

I know what I'd go for!

LucyLoves! xx