MAC Face Haulage

So, I decided to just go ahead and make that move from BareMinerals on over to MAC Studio Fix Fluid (SFF).  I ended up having to visit the MAC store two days in a row because on my first visit I wasn’t matched correctly.    I knew it was wrong when I left the store, but I just went with it because my Hubby said it looked fine, which it did.

I got the SFF home, looked at it and got very unhappy.  I was matched with a NW50 and I could tell just by looking at the bottle that it was too dark.  I kept looking at myself in the mirror without foundation on and then looking at the bottle.  It was a no go.

Another thing that got me a little upset is that the MAC makeup artist (MA) said that I didn’t need any concealer.  I have very dark blemishes on my face from breakouts (I go to the Dermatologist tomorrow…thank God) and I felt that I really needed it.  I don’t want to have to build up my foundation.  I want to just even out my skin tone and then conceal my blemishes.  That’s it.  She insisted that I didn’t need it.  She also didn’t know what collection that the eyeshadow Off The Page was from and told me they didn’t have it when I was looking at it, but that is another story.  The store was busy so I’m sure maybe that threw her off a little bit.  She was nice so I can’t complain.

So, on the first visit I purchased Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NW50 because I was told that if I have very oily skin (which I do) not to go with the Studio Sculpt Foundation which I wanted to try.  I took the MA’s advice and went with the SFF.  I also bought the Volcanic Ash Exfoliator because it was on my wantages list.  I didn’t get the mask because my funds was low so I got the eyeshadow that was also on my wantages list, Off The Page…which I LOVE LOVE by the way.  It is very pigmented, it’s easy to work with and it looks vibrant on me and stays that way all day.

Yes, I was upset with my foundation purchase so I went back to MAC the next day.  I also left my beauty notebook there on the first visit so I had to go back to get it anyway.

I get there and I get my notebook….whew!!!!  I showed the MA that went to get my notebook my foundation and he said that it matches me and that he would have picked the same shade by jut looking at me.   The foundation I had on at the time was one from Revlon and it was in “dark” and it was way lighter than NW50.  He was helping another customer before me so I didn’t get to show him my Revlon (yep, I took it to the store with me).

I guess that MA told another MA to help me because she came over and asked me if I needed any help.  Her name is Janelle and she is such a pleasure to work with.  She made all of my problems and worries go away in a matter of minutes.  I took my foundation out and I told her that it’s not right.  I also showed her my bottle of Revlon.  She pumped some Revlon on her hand and worked it into her palm and she said that it’s not right for me and that it’s too light.  She then asked me if she could remove my foundation and I let her.  She then told me that she will do half of my face in NW50 and the other in NC50.  Before she applied my foundation she put concealer under my eyes (which is where I wear my concealer normally anyway – I just apply it after I apply my foundation). She also taught me how to stipple the foundation on using the 187 brush and she told me that since I only have the 188 brush that that brush does the same job.  So now my 188 blush brush has now because my new 188 foundation brush.

While she was working on my face my husband was watching.  He then said, “I think the left side is the right color”.  The right side doesn’t look right.  He then said that the left side matched the rest of my body and the other side didn’t.  WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!  Janelle said she liked the left side better too.  So, ladies and gentz…I AM A MAC NC50.  Yay!!!!  Janelle said that the NW50 has red undertones and the NC50 has more of a yellow tone and that my skin color is on the cooler side and not on the warm side.  That made all the difference.  My confidence level went right back up after that. I gave back the NW50 in exchange for the NC50.

My MA, yes Janelle is now my MAC MA, suggested that if I go with a concealer to go with an NW because it will make my under eye area look warm and not ashy on my skin color.  She was totally spot on.  So, in Studio Fix Concealer I am an NW45.  She also set my foundation with Mineralized Skinfinish Natural (MSFN) in Dark so I bought that too.  That MSFN was on my wantages list as well, but I never got it because I didn’t really need it since I was using BareMineral Foundation.

Thank you Janelle!!!!!  Here are pics from my second visit to the MAC store…

CCO Haulage…I love love.

Last Friday I went to the CCO…I make it my business to get there at least every two weeks to purchase items to add to my collection. I love my CCO! I hear it’s a very good one so while it’s still new and nobody really knows about it then I’ll be getting all the goodies all the time. Yay!

OK so here is my haul…

- MAC Fix +
- MAC Brush Cleanser
- MAC Hello Kitty Dazzleglass in Kitty Kouture
-MAC Passionate Eyeshadow
- MAC Petticoat Mineralized Skinfinish (MSF)
- MAC 188 Brush
- NYX Suede (had to have it – not a fan of NYX shadows – but this one rocks! Thanks ColouredBeautiful)

Everything was new to the CCO except for Passionate, Petticoat and the 188 brush. I was happy to purchase my first bottle of Fix +. I have used it a couple times and I must say that it does wake my face it. Makes it feel fresh. I spray it on before my face and eye primer.

OK so I love Dazzleglasses now. Who would have thought? They are not too sticky and they give this wonderful, glittery shine. Love my Kitty Kouture Dazzleglass!

Passionate eyeshadow is just a very pretty pink (it’s more of a hot pink, but when put on the eye it has to be built up in order to get that hot pink to come out which is fine for me). I am wearing it lightly today and it looks great with MAC Tempting and NYX Suede eyeshadows. My NYX Suede eyeshadow a single eyeshadow (it’s a matte medium brown color with very little shimmer in it) and I love it because it is very close to my skin color, it doesn’t go on chalky like the shadows in the trios and it makes for a great blending color when I need to really blend out my lines.  I, of course, picked it up at the Fragrance Outlet because my local Ulta store didn’t have this color in so I paid full price.  Awww.  But I Love.

Petticoat MSF is just beautiful. It comes out on my cheeks as it does when I swatch it onto my hand. It’s shimmery like hell, but it’s so pretty. I love using it.

Love love love…what don’t I love? Love my 188 brush. It is hella small, but it picks up just the right amount of my NARS blush. NARS blushers are highly pigments and my Taj Mahal is very pigmented. I was using my Essence of Beauty Finishing brush to pick it up, but it would pick up too much. My 188 picks up the right amount. I just need to dip twice and I’m done! Love!

I have yet to use the brush cleanser and I should be ashamed of myself because all of my brushes are dirty and have been for a week.  Gross.  Yeah, I know.  Anyway!  Here are pics of my lovely CCO haul!

I really need to start reviewing some stuff since I am a NW45, NC45 and there are not many reviews out there for people with my skin color. I’ll do that soon.

Decided on the MAC 188 brush

I’m currently in the market for a good blush brush and I’ve looked into the Eco-Tools blush brush (if it’s anything like my powder brush then it will pick up too much product), the Revlon Blush brush (reviews are not so good on this), the MAC 116 (price is a little too much for me right now) brush and the MAC 187 brush (it’s too big and pricey). I remember people saying on the web that the MAC 187 brush is good for applying powders especially blushers and liquid foundations. I don’t wear liquid foundation (yet – I’m hoping my breakouts and scarring won’t last any longer) so I remembered that the MAC 188 (the smaller version of the 187) is available at my CCO. How nice.

What made me decide on the MAC 187 is that I read that it picks up a small amount of powder products which is nice because my NARS Taj Mahal is very pigmented so using a light brush is exactly what I need. I was using (and will continue to use) my Essence of Beauty Finishing brush (which is an odd brush to use blush for but I do not have a blush brush to use) to apply my NYX blush and it picks up a lot of product all at once and it’s the right amount for my cheek. When I go to use the same brush in my NARS blush the brush picks up too much or my NARS blush is very pigmented. I think it’s a pigmentation issue. The quality and pigmentation of my NARS blush is greater in that compared to my NYX blush, of course. I didn’t realize it because my only blush before my NARS was my NYX blush. No experience until now.

Anyway, what I had to do was go over my face with an MSF to cover up the over use of my NARS blush. It was too much product going my Finishing brush. I used my mineral face brush as well and I found myself in the same position. I’m hoping that the MAC 188 will pick up a small amount of product and will apply just right. I use a light hand in my NARS blush because I don’t want to waste it. I’m very careful with that blush as it cost me $25.00 for the one I have. Yikes!

Lastly, I was going to go ahead and splurge on the 131 brush, but I think it’s uncessary. I don’t really want to spend $40.00 on a brush I’m only going to use for blush. The 188 brush it is!