MAC Top Ten

I am a MAC loyalist. I have tried brand after brand and while there are some that are a close second, no other brand has the pigment, variety, and quality like MAC.
These are in no particular order.

10. Cranberry
This color is amazing on EVERYONE. I love this on the lid, under the eye, or in the crease to build depth.

9. Vanilla
This is my go to daily highlight. Use it on the brow bone for fairer skin and in the tear duct for darker skin. I have also used this as a luminous cheek highlighter.

8. Contrast
A midnight blue-purple that I am not intimidated by. It is a great substitution for black liner and a beautiful crease color. The best part is it completely wearable on any occasion. No Mimi here!

7. Expensive Pink
If you want that beach bombshell look, this is the go to eye color. Wear it ANYWHERE.

6. Blackberry
Subtle and sophisticated. It is great for every day wear. I use this on all my brides-- it adds depth but won't wash you out.

5. Satin Taupe
This is a 'one and done' color. The way the pigments reflect make this look like 3 colors in one.

4. Amber Lights
This true golden bronze is one of my first purchases. I love this for a lighter smokey eye.

3. Soft Brown
This color looks like nothing in the pan, but once it's on it is an amazing contour color. I use this daily to blend my crease.

2. Sushi Flower
This is why i love MAC. This pink is beautiful and soft but can be layered to amp up the drama. Not for the risk-avoiders ;-).

1. Embark
I don't wear black on a daily basis. The harsh lighting in my office makes it look like I have a black eye. This is my go to for lining and defining.

My Favorite Things

Every makeup junkie has their list of must haves. It has taken me 16 + years and countless trials (and major errors) to come up with my must haves.

I previously mentioned my quest for THE foundation [exciting developments to come] and the 'agony' that I have experienced with that (OK, I am pretty sure I never cried myself to sleep, but you get the idea).

My second "struggle" is mascara, but I will spare you MOST of the details. My first mascara was a hand-me-down tube from my mom. I think about this now and am so glad my eyeballs are still intact. I have tried low-end to high-end and everything in between. Four years ago I stumbled across my holy grail and nothing has switched since.
Cover Girl Lash Blast (Waterproof)

Why I love it:
I have stiff, straight, stubborn lashes. This mascara holds the curl while delivering a jet black lush finish. I like that there is some flexibility while really keeping the shape. It is thickening (I have tried the length version and still go back to volumizing) and the fibers in the formula help lengthen the lash as well.
Oh! And the brush is awesome. The bristles are firm and separate the lash beautifully.

Cons:
On some, it make feel stiffer that other mascaras.
You have to remove with an oil based eye makeup remover.

Getting Gorgeous- My quest for the PERFECT foundation. Part 1.

I was not 'blessed' with flawless skin. From 4th grade on I had some pretty epic constellations of acne on my face. Then I turned 22 and it started to disapate. And then...it was GONE! OMG, it was great. I wore only foundation and, IF I was really tired, concealer under the eyes. Then one day in February of 2009 that all went away. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones or the fact that I would fall asleep walking to the bathroom from the hormones, but it was back. And not only that, it was different. My skin was not only oily but dry on my cheeks. That makes choosing a daily foundation routine near impossible.

Since that day I have been on the never ending quest for my personal holy grail foundation.

I have been a loyal MAC user for 6 years. Prior to MAC I used mostly drugstore brands of foundation which were somewhat 'meh' (not to mention they smell like crud). However, now with my new combo skin, my go to Select SPF was no longer cutting it. To MAC I went.

I was instructed to try the Studio Sculpt. The new one told me it sits on the skin and will help with the dry patches. I had read decent reviews, so to the register I went. I love the ease at which it applies, and a little goes a long way and then some. My face didn't look powdery.

And then the dreaded moment.... After lunch I went to check my new purchase out in the mirror. I looked like my face melted off. I was so oily. Every. Where. Damn.

Next came Studio Fix- I had a PERFECT COLOR MATCH- that never happens. Better yet, the noon-time makeup check passed with flying colors. I was convinced I was home free. BUT the formula is thick, and I want a more natural look. So this is a keeper, but maybe only for days when i desperately need the coverage.

Lucky me, the Pro Longwear came out just as I was getting tired of peeling off the layers of foundation every day. I was drawn to is for all the right reasons- 12 hours of wear, matte finish, less coverage than Studio Fix. Home free? Not so much. This left my skin drier than the Sahara (which would be fine if I lived in Seattle, but the winter is dry here), so that one was moved to the back.

As a last ditch effort I also tried the Face and Body- I don't really know WHAT it does, but for me it was just wrong.

My final option is the recently launched Matchmaster. I loved this stuff. I mean it. I would wear it everyday IF.... It matched my skin (stupid change in seasons!!!!). I am in between colors (cue shrieking at my vanity). The '1.5' is ghost white on me and the 2.0 is orange. So this one is being tabled until the summer.

I am not into 'rating' the foundations, but I can safely say that NONE of these are my go to every day foundations. The majority of the foundations MAC has to offer provide great coverage, but they are not everyday wear.

So long my beloved MAC....I will have to move on...but to what?
Stay tuned for more....

Kelly Clarkson

Completely unrelated.
I love her. I am completely loyal to her. There are tweets and news and this and that about her being fat and I am fed up with it! NO she does not look like Taylor Swift or Britney Spears. She has an amazingly strong voice. if she looked like a waif or a barbie every time her mouth opened to sing a note she would blow herself backwards.

I would like to think if I were 5 foot nothing I would look just like her....

Beginning, Again, For the 3rd Time

I have been saying for months (years) that I am going to actually write in my blog. I never do it. This year I am doing it.

At midnight on NYE/New Year's Day, my mother asked all of us (my step-dad, sister, boyfriend and self) what our new year's resolutions were. The ever popular 'workout more, eat better, be zen' flashed through my mind. instead I chose to stand up for myself. Kind of an odd choice for someone who has always been so outspoken. Over the past four days I have thought a lot about what I said and now would like to amend it. My 2012 resolution for LIFE: Be more ME.

Great! But WHAT does that even mean? I will find out along the way.

One thing that I know is ME is fashion, makeup, hair etc. In 2008 I stumbled across the glory that is youtube makeup/beauty tutorials. It was a very hot Sunday in July and the air quality was so poor that venturing outside was not an option. Bored to tears I googled some makeup techniques for 'hooded eyes' (more on this to come) and came across a world of online gurus. Instantly I fell in love. In the back of my mind I always thought, 'I could do that.' I have had a long standing obsession with all things beauty (although there a plenty of greasy-haired, no makeup allowed days to go around). This blog will be my own take on beuty hype, fashion, and all things intertwined with that.

My goals are to start slowly so as not to forget to do the simple things like the dishes (actually my wonderful boyfriend, we will refer to him as 2E, frequently does the dishes), my daughter's laundry, or go to work. So happy first post to me, and happy New Year to you!