HAUL: MAC Lipsticks - Swatches of Fanfare and Cosmo

There is something about MAC lipsticks that one cannot help but want to collect them. I was VERY VERY late on the MAC lipstick bandwagon. #ashamed haha

My interest in MAC lipsticks was piqued by the Riri Hearts MAC collection. I have never felt so compelled to get as much as I could from a collection since I first fell in love with makeup. 

But aside from that haha, I have slowly added to my MAC lipstick collection and today I bring to you: Fanfare and Cosmo.

MAC Lipstick in Fanfare - Cremesheen 

MAC Lipstick in Cosmo - Amplified 

Left: Fanfare // Right: Cosmo

You are probably thinking... "hmm, they kind of look the same..." and I'll half agree with you haha. There are differences which is why I was okay with buying them (at the same time haha).

Fanfare is a mid tone pink with a coral undertone with a cremesheen finish. So no glitter, no frost, just a nice creamy formula. With cremesheen finish lipsticks, they are not 100% opaque but they pack a punch either way with a glossy finish. Personally, my favorite finish of lipstick MAC offers.

Cosmo is an amplified finished lipstick that is described as a "pink coco". I think of it as a way more pigmented and slightly more brown-y/mauve version of Fanfare. Do you guys feel the same way...? haha. The amplified line is crazy opaque has a slight sheen to it. Not as glossy as the cremesheens.

I do not think these lipsticks have the best wear time, I have other lipsticks that last hourssss on me, and these ones last about 2 hours or so (assuming you are not drinking or eating). They have that classic vanilla scent which does not bother me and I don't smell it while I wear it.

I do love how they feel on the lips, not heavy and apply effortlessly. I feel that way with just about every line in the MAC lipstick range. Mattes...are a different story haha. But, they are a great lipstick. The product quality and price point makes it an easy product to start collecting :).

Do you have any MAC lipsticks on your wishlist?! Let me know in the comments, I'm always down to add more lippies to my wishlist (which is a never-ending list of makeup products I want to try and own :D).

Take care,
Bianca xo

TOM FORD Cocoa Mirage - Swatches and Review

*drools*

Oh Tom Ford... you have my heart. It's the way you package your line of beauty products and the fact that you do not have to do a thing and your products will sell out.

You have this way about you and the way you put your style into your products that appeal to everyone. It makes your products worth a look and completely worth the investment.

Here, I present to you... Cocoa Mirage. Arguably, the most popular Eye Color Quad from Tom Ford. 

 Packaging: Sleek, sturdy, and beautiful. The classic mahogany and gold.

*dead* Just look at it! ahhh :}

It comes with three matte shades and one satin/shimmer shade.

The beauty about this quad is that it's so versatile. You can create the most natural of looks to some sultry bronze smokey eyes.

I think if you were to get just one quad from the range, I would recommend this one. I think it's the most universally flattering and it's a quad that can help you create a huge range of looks.

I realize that the $78 price tag is shocking to most but it's something that will get a lot of use and the quality of the shadows are unmatched. I have yet to find something in my collection that matches the quality, smoothness, blend-ability, and pigmentation of these 4 shades. This is coming from a girl that owns Naked 1, 2, and Basics, TheBalm palettes, and Inglot shadows.

It has become harder to get your hands on. There has been a lot of buzz around this specific quad. So if you are interested, get a hold or pre-order on this at any counter that sells it, TomFord.com (now available to purchase his beauty line and much more!!), Nordstrom/Bergdorf Goodman/Neiman Marcus/Saks, and free standing Tom Ford stores.

*yep, still drooling*

Haha, if you have any questions, feel free to leave them down in the comments. Until the next time, take care!

Bianca :)

Hakuhodo Brushes!

I can't get enough of these brushes. Seriously, some of the best brushes around. I have different brands in my makeup brush collection but nothing beats these. I added 3 more to my little collection, totaling up to 6 brushes from Hakuhodo. 

Each brush I purchased were under $20. So they are an investment but I would rather have a select few that are out of this world and multipurpose than a ton of mediocre or shitty quality brushes. My opinion, of course.

So here for pictures of the three I got. I got a tinyyy pencil brush, fluffy crease/blending brush, and a small synthetic detail brush. 

G5514 BkSL

J5533 BkSL

K005

I will be doing a brush comparison with the rest of the brushes in my collection. Just so you can be size comparisons and thoughts on those brushes. Performance is important when investing in these brushes or from any brand of makeup brushes. It's nice to know if you are getting your money's worth.

Do you have any recommendations for Hakuhodo brushes? I'm thinking my next makeup brush purchase will be from the Wayne Goss face and eye kit coming out soon! I'm thinking one or two from each. I don't need the whole kit :). Some of my old brushes are shedding and performing poorly so it's time for an upgrade :).

Thoughts? Questions? Anything...? Let me know in the comments. I would love to hear from you! :)

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - swatches and thoughts

Sooo Makeup Geek (MUG) shadows...aren't they grand? :)

If you own anything from MUG, you know it's all great quality for the price. These shadows rival and do better than a lot of other shadows you find in the drugstore and Sephora/Dept. Stores/etc.

I don't own many; though part of me wants to own every single color haha. These are kind of like Pokemon.... ;P

I own 12: 6 more colorful and 6 warm neutrals

Row 1 - left to right: Hipster, Moondust, Taupe Notch

Row 2 - left to right: Latte, Frappe, Cocoa Bear

*I bet you are probably thinking about the second row... "they all look the same....". Yeah...kinda... haha

Row 1 - left to right: Burlesque, Sensuous, Drama Queen
Row 2 - left to right: Cosmopolitan, Shimmermint, Envy

SWATCHES:
**Unprimed skin, circled the pan once and then swiped. Did not build up any color.**

Thoughts:

These shadows are really pigmented. If you are on a budget (and heck, even if you are not!), I would recommend purchasing these. MUG has an AMAZING eyeshadow selection that would make any makeup addict want to collect all. There is something (aka a lot) for everyone. 

These shades apply smooth and blend seamlessly. 

Of the ones I own, I adore Cosmopolitan, Frappe/Latte/Cocoa Bear, Moondust, and Shimmermint. 

The ones I'm not over the moon about are Hipster (a little blah and powdery), Taupe Notch (also kind of blah), and Burlesque (the color is the pan is more vibrant and once applied on the lid, it looks dull). But these work as an "all over the lid, blend it, and forget it" kind of shades. 

Overall, these are amazing shadows. And I believe in pan form, they retail for $5.99 and in the compact, it's an extra buck. 

Do you have any must haves in your collection from MUG? Let me know down below! :)

Hope you are all well,

Bianca

High End Blushes - Are you getting your money's worth...?

I was thinking today about how people justify buying certain makeup items, whether it be blush, foundation, eyeshadows; and if it is worth the money.

I thought I would do a comparison post on some of the higher end blushes that I own and compare price per gram of product.

Hourglass Cosmetics, Benefit Cosmetics, Chanel, Tom Ford, and Clinique

I know some people might think that being the pan looks big that there may appear like there is a lot of product when in fact...if you do the math...you might be paying more for less product. And it might actually be worth to spend the extra few bucks by buying from another brand.

My very first Tom Ford item I purchased was a blush and believe me...I couldn't believe what I had spent that much on it. I picked out a blush I knew I could use with every look and something I would reach for on a daily basis (which is how I first justified my first TF purchase) #NoRegrets haha.

Whether you are on a budget or not, it's good to know whether you are getting your money's worth. Think like you are in Costco, the more you get, the better the deal right? Sometimes not haha. I think that concept applies a lot to makeup. The higher price tag might mean less product and in some cases you get way more than you thought.

Some folks do not really think about how much they are getting for the price. So that is why I'm here to compare different brands that have blush lines and see how they stack up against each other.

In the pictures posted, I have featured: Benefit Cosmetics, Tom Ford Beauty, Hourglass Cosmetics, Chanel, and Clinique.

I wanted to show you the amount you get per compact. I calculated on Excel the price per gram and you will see some interesting things from the screen shot.

 If you want a close up view of the pic, click on it. You will see more detail.

I think some of the most surprising in my opinion was Benefit's Box o' Powder as the most bang for your buck. You get a TON of product for the price.

The most expensive was Chanel in both cream and powder formulas weighing in at over $10 per gram :O.

I think something to consider, if you are interested in Tom Ford blushes, is that you are getting quite a bit of product for a not-so-crazy price tag (it could be worse haha). And from personal experience, you only need to dab your brush in once and you're good to go for each cheek. I can imagine my TF blushes lasting me FOREVER haha.

The price per gram in the new limited edition Clinique Cheek Pop blushes rival TF. If you had the choice though...which one would you pick if you had the means? (I would say Tom Ford; personal opinion haha).

Hourglass Ambient Lighting blushes are definitely in the higher price spectrum of the ones listed. It's personal preference on what you want in a blush and if you are okay spending that much. Though I must say that you cannot really overdo these, so in my opinion it's fool proof.

SOOO...what do you guys think? Does the how much you get matter or are you just interested in getting your hands on the product?

Does anyone else do these price per gram comparisons...? Just me? Yeah, thought so :P ;)

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, I would love to hear your opinions.

Apologies for the super long post but there was a lot of info to cover.

Talk to you all soon,
Bianca