Lipstick and Study Notes

I have two favorite reds, and both of them are by MAC. They're actually quite similar to each other, however, russian red is a little darker red with a brown undertone whereas ruby woo is a brighter red with an orange undertone. Ruby Woo is one of MAC's most popular lip colors and a definite must in a girls lipstick collection. If you're looking for a good everyday red Ruby Woo is the perfect choice, but if you need a darker, classier tone for a fancy dinner or a night out you might want to opt for Russian Red instead. Both are matte lipsticks which give a great finish, but it's best if you wear a lip primer underneath to make the application a tad smoother. Also, I prefer to use MAC's lipliner in "Cherry" with either one of these lipsticks. The complete MAC lipstick collection can be viewed and purchased here.

 I love pink lipsticks, because there is such a huge range and you can wear a shade of pink on nearly every occasion. MAC's Candy Yum Yum and Pink Plaid are both matte finishes. Candy Yum Yum is a very bright, neon pink that looks great on a summer day if you have a little tan. Pink Plaid is a classy, nuder shade of pink which looks really nice if you don't want too much attention on the lips and if you want to look a bit more sophisticated (it actually even makes me look a bit older. Like I'm about to go pay my taxes. Or whatever it is adults do). My last MAC lipstick -and most recent lip purchase- is Pink Nouveau. This lip color is the most beautiful barbie pink that gives your face a beautiful finish. It's a satin finish which means it's really smooth and moisturizing with a great coverage. Sorbet is my first Revlon lip butter, which I had heard so many people rave about I simply had to see what all the fuss was about. I absolutely love the color, which is almost a fuchsia pink. It's not as pigmented as the MAC lipsticks but it's a lot thinner and feels more like a balm than a lipstick (which is probably why it's called a lip butter) but still gives great coverage and looks beautiful for both a day and a night look. Revlon's Lip Butter can be viewed and purchased here.

Finally, there's two bronze lipsticks I like to use. Bronze colors are great for a subtle finish and work with pretty much every look. The first color is "Think Bronze" by Clinique, with is a bronze with a gold shimmer and a beige/pink undertone. I love this color if I'm wearing a color red or pink that really doesn't match with any of my pink and red lipsticks but I don't want to walk around with 'naked lips'. The last color is my collection is "True" by Victoria's Secret which is a slightly more pink shade than Clinique's lippy. Both of these colors aren't as pigmented as the MAC ones and give a slightly more transparent coverage, but they're both very moisturizing and shimmery. And Lord knows us girls like us some shimmer. Clinique's Different lipsticks (including Think Bronze) can be viewed and purchased here and Victoria's Secret lipsticks here

So there you have it, a little look into my favorite lippies! I hope it was helpful for some, entertaining for others, and maybe even both! 

Hugs and Kisses!

Next is the pink blush in 'Dollymix'. I never used to wear blush, but one day decided to try out a drugstore brand blush just because I was curious what it would look like. I have quite a round face so it didn't exactly define my cheekbones, seeing as these were hidden deep underneath my 'squeezable' cheeks, and I was a little bit disappointed because the blush wasn't very pigmented and generally just didn't do much for me. However, when I was living out my dream in the M.A.C. store, I came across a whole stand of beautiful blushes. After staring at them in awe for a little while I decided Dollymix was the perfect one for me, seeing as if I couldn't define my cheekbones, I might as well highlight my 'chubby' cheeks with a subtle yet noticeable pink. Thank goodness for this decision because Dollymix is now definitely one of my absolute favorite products that I simply can't live without!

Now this is one of the products that I consider 'magical'. This Medium Pressed Blot Powder may look like a tinted powder, but is in fact completely transparent! How do they do it? I -and many teens with my- have the problem that my dear friend Emma likes to subtly refer to as 'Shine Bright like my Forehead'. My T-zone in particular can be quite shiny, which isn't very flattering and makes those features that you want to look nice and small (like your forehead and nose) look huge- not an ideal situation. This powder has a 'matting' power and by applying just the teensiest bit you can easily get rid of any shine in your face, it's the perfect finishing touch to any look. I think I even finally understand why women used to leave their dates to go 'powder their noses'!

Last but definitely not least is my favorite product, a matte red lipstick in 'Ruby Woo'. Though a little lighter than it may appear in the first picture, Ruby Woo is your perfect everyday red shade of lipstick. It goes with pretty much anything (as long as you don't overdo your eyes) and works with a casual day look as well as a romantic date look and even looks great when you go out to party. The only negative side to this lipstick is that, because it's matte, it's very dry. Therefor I would recommend applying a thin layer of lipbalm before applying the actual lipstick. Also, because it is a very noticeable color I prefer to apply it with a lipbrush, or if I'm in a hurry I apply it onto the middle of my lips straight from the stick but create the shape and fill in the edges with my brush (of course you can also use a lipliner, provided you have one in a matching color). The lipstick stays on for quite a while but usually comes off of the middle of your lips quicker than the outside, so make sure to always take it with you so you can do a little touch up. I have another matte red MAC lipstick in 'Russian Red', which I bought at the airport and absolutely adore. It's quite similar to Ruby Woo only a tad darker, which creates an intenser and more 'sensual' look.

As you can read, I'm pretty enthusiastic about everything I've bought from MAC so far, and would absolutely recommend anyone to go check out some of their products.

So what do you guys think? Do you love to spend your money on your face or do you prefer to save it for more important things? Are you a fan of MAC or do you prefer other brands? Please do let me know in the comments below!

Hugs and Kisses,

Rowan