Color | Girl Gloss

Nov 14, 2012

MAC Satin Lipstick Pink Nouveau Review

November 14, 2012 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

This is a guest review of MAC Satin Lipstick in Pink Nouveau.

Love at first sight is the best way to describe how I feel about my favorite lipstick, MAC Satin Lipstick in Pink Nouveau. Pink Nouveau is a richly pigmented shade of pink that reminds me of a tropical orchid growing on an island somewhere in the South Pacific. It is not a pale shade of pink and definitely makes a statement. The color is so beautiful that strangers have stopped me on numerous occasions to tell me how much they like it!

MAC Satin in Pink Nouveau is an extremely versatile shade of lipstick. It is one of my go to shades for everyday wear. It works really well over lip primer and painted on with a lip brush. I also wear MAC Satin in Pink Nouveau for evenings out with a small bit of lip gloss in the center of my lips. I don’t have a lip liner for this shade of lipstick but have found that I like to line my lips with another favorite shade of MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Up the Amp which is sort of a shade of violet or pinkish purple not quite mauve. It is deep color that compliments the Pink Nouveau nicely. The combination is another go to choice for evenings out.

In addition to the richly pigmented colors, I love the wearability that I have found only in MAC lipsticks. MAC lipsticks stay on your lips for a long time and do not dry them out. They don’t gunk up and the flavor and scent is mild and pleasant. MAC lipsticks are also very affordable, usually in the $13 to $15 range. MAC lipsticks last a long time and the company has a recycle incentive program which gives you a free lipstick for every six empty MAC cosmetic containers that you bring in.

Lipstick is my favorite cosmetic and if I had to choose only one I would choose lipstick. Consequently, I have tried many, many brands of lipstick and when I stumbled upon MAC lipsticks, I found a keeper. I have been a loyal customer ever since.

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About the Author: Carleen Coulter

Filed Under: Color, Lipstick Tagged With: Lipstick, MAC

Nov 2, 2012

Autumn Nails

November 2, 2012 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

It’s difficult to describe to men the craze women have with their nails. This craze, which has existed for a long time, was brought to most men’s attention with the introduction of instagram and the millions of photographs that women have posted of their manicured talons which have ensued.

What they don’t understand is that nice nails are an inexpensive and usually quick way of making you feel and look a million dollars. No matter how worn down or unkempt you may feel you are (you could be having one of those weeks), manicured nails instantly make you feel and look 50% better. Add a shower and a slick of lipstick and maybe run a comb through your hair and voila! You are ready to go out on the town.

Fall nail polish

The great thing about autumn nails is that you can easily incorporate either summer or winter looks and get away with it. For example, it is perfectly acceptable to wear coral red or pinks, which were big this summer like Bourjois Rouge Fashionista or to the complete contrary, navy blue which will be very big in Autumn/Winter 2012/13. Along with navy, this autumn, deep reds and oxblood like Essie Berry Naughty are very much in. MAC’s nail lacquers in Nightfall and Spirit of Truth are perfect for those who are fond of very dark nails but want a change from the classic black or Bordeaux.

Essie Polish

The more unusual mousy greys and matte blues and greens which were big last year are still in huge demand with shinier, more glittery versions of these making an appearance whilst taupe beige, like Essie’s Miss Fancy Pants, has replaced the classic nude nail varnish.

If you feel that you can’t have nice nails all the time due to financial restraints, fear not. The easiest trick in the book and to avoid needing regular manicures (and presuming that you know how to apply your own nail varnish – it’s rare to find a woman that can’t nowadays), keep an orange wood stick and cuticle oil (which can both be found at your local pharmacy) by your bed and before going to sleep each night, do a mini manicure which will only take you three minutes, tops.

Apply a drop of cuticle oil onto each nail and gently push back the cuticle with the orange wood stick. Done. This way (and with maybe a good filing once a week) you can avoid needing a full-blown manicure for up to six weeks. Pushing the cuticles back regularly makes your nails grow faster and also makes your nail varnish stay on longer as you are pushing away all the dead skin cells which stick to the nail and can cause the nail varnish to flake off. Avoid cutting your own cuticles though; leave this to a professional as they tend to grow back faster and thicker if overcut. Use the orange wood stick trick instead and wake up everyday with beautiful, healthy nails.

Written by Kat Naoum from Style in View

Filed Under: Color, Nail Polish Tagged With: Essie, Nail Polish

Oct 31, 2012

MAC Star Violet Eye Shadow Review

October 31, 2012 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

This is a reader review of MAC Star Violet Eye Shadow. Thanks Lanh Ma for the review!

When I think about my favorite eyeshadow, I immediately start thinking about MAC’s Star Violet. MAC has a long history of eyeshadows that are super-pigmented and which go on like a dream, but I think they’ve outdone themselves with Star Violet. This eyeshadow is described as being a pinkish brown with a rich plum undertone. The pearl glimmer makes it a natural for nighttime wear, and after you get over how strong the color really is, you’ll find that it can go with an amazing number of outfits and looks.

In the first place, it is important to remember that while Star Violet is lovely, it is definitely one that needs some accompaniment. For all of its rich pigmentation, Star Violet is not a bold standout. Its strength relies on the fact that it is very deep and very saturated. If you want to get the full use out of this gorgeous eyeshadow, pair it with something that matches the brown or plum tones. If you are feeling really daring, using a white or cream eyeshadow to give it some highlights.

One of the big pleasures of Star Violet is how easily it goes on. The texture is very creamy and very soft, and it is wonderfully simple to work with. It goes exactly where you want to put it, and if you are a makeup novice, it is worth getting better materials at the beginning. Eyeshadows that are rough or which go on poorly will not give you much to work with. Star Violet’s creamy texture allows you to put it on easily and with no mess at all.

Another great thing about my favorite eyeshadow is that it has some serious staying power. Once it goes on, you’ll find that it will stay on for a good long time. When you go to wipe it off, it is recommended that you use makeup wipes rather than water. The thick pigmentation of this eyeshadow means that it will probably stick to your skin even after a bit of water has been applied.

The next question that you might have when you are looking at this eyeshadow is when you should use it. The truth is that Star Violet is so deep and so rich that you should likely save it for a smoky nighttime look. However, I have also found that if I apply just a small smudge of it and then combine it with something a lot lighter, I can give myself a very acceptable look for the office.

However well it does during the day, its when you wear Star Violet at night that it really shines. The velvety sparkle of this eyeshadow gives you the perfect look when you want to head out for a fancy dress ball or even out for a night of dancing. Because it is very much a background color, you can use it to keep your favorite brighter shades from looking gaudy or clownish. The browns in this eyeshadow do a very good job at keeping the whole look grounded.

Filed Under: Color, Eye Shadow Tagged With: Eyeshadow, MAC

MAC Satin Lipstick Pink Nouveau Review

Autumn Nails

MAC Star Violet Eye Shadow Review

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