My Top 5 Mac Lipsticks

Today I am going to share with you my top 5 Mac lipsticks, and these are the shades that I genuinely reach for the most (I promise). Firstly, I thought I should begin with a little disclaimer about my lipstick preferences in terms of formula, finish and shades. In terms of formula I prefer hydrating, creamy textures that don't dry out the lips as I have naturally dry lips that are prone to peeling (gross, I know). Here's where we are faced with a predicament, I prefer my lipsticks with a matte finish. This can be quite problematic as I need to ensure my lips are in good condition prior to lipstick application, otherwise I'm left with bitty lips with gathered dead skin around the edges (there's no graceful way of putting this description, trust me I tried.

However, after years of dabbling into different brands, both high street and high end, I've found that Mac's Matte lipsticks work well for me. This brings us to my preferred colour groups, which I must admit I'm a bit adventurous with lips as I always tend to keep my eyes quite minimal. Though I don't have a preferred colour range, I do tend to reach for neutral shades more on a daily basis. So here's my top 5 lipsticks from Mac:

 

1) Taupe (Matte) - Described by Mac as a "muted reddish taupe-brown"
This lipstick is one of my favourite lipsticks (Mac or not) and I've worn it to death. Mac's Taupe is a gorgeous red toned brown, a sort of brick colour that instantly lifts a very minimal earthy makeup look. On me (NC30 for reference) this lipstick is a definite brown, though if worn on a darker complexion it may appear as a soft brown-nude. This is a matte lipstick that applies extremely smoothly, and tends to dry from a creamy application to a wearable matte finish. I can wear Taupe for about 3-4 hours before having to reapply, as drinks can tend to make the lipstick seem a little patchy.

2) Mehr (Matte) - Described by Mac as a "dirty blue pink"
Mehr is my all time favourite lipstick, and I often find myself having to steer away from it as it makes me neglect the 50- odd other lipsticks I own! For someone that hates pink lipstick on herself, I absolutely adore this shade! On me this tends to mimic a more pinky nude, but if worn on lighter complexions the pink will definitely be further accentuated. This shade gives me the illusion of fuller lips, and once paired with the right lip liner it can transform a lip look quite drastically. This lipstick is also very creamy and non drying on the lips. However, unlike Taupe, this colour does not go patchy at all, and actually wears to a stain almost. This gives it a wearability of 5+ hours! I love this lipstick!

3) Honeylove (Matte) - Described by Mac as a "light beige toned with rose"
This is a recent purchase of mine, though I used to have an exact dupe of the shade from Wet & Wild (post upon request). This is a nude with a more brown undertone, that wears as a cool toned dark beige with a retro matte finish on my lips. From all the Mac matte's I own, this one is the most non-hydrating, and your lips definitely require some prep before application. Despite this, the lipstick has extra long staying power, and just as other nude lips, you can get away with a little bit of colour fading. 

4) Viva Glam III - Described by Mac as a "muted brownish plum"
Now when I first purchased this lipstick over a year ago, I somehow managed to convince myself that it was a limited edition shade. You can only imagine the excitement when I recently discovered this is a permanent shade from the Viva Glam rage. This shade is a gorgeous plum with brown undertones, which I like to wear both during the day for casual looks, and in the evening to dress up an outfit. This lipstick applies less creamy than most Mac mattes that I own, however it's lasts at least 5 hours before requiring re-application. I would recommend applying lip balm over the top every hour to avoid any skin gathering.

5) Yash - Described by Mac as a "deep neautral"
As I wanted to keep this post as true to life as possible, I had to cheat and include yet another nude shade. Yash has to be the best fitting nude lipstick for my fair-medium olive skin complexion due to its peach neautral tones with slight hints of yellow. However, if worn on fairer complexions this colour will definitely create a deeper beige look, and may be deemed a little too heavy to be classed as a 'nude lip'. This lipstick paired with a dark smokey eye look creates the perfect balance without making my lips appear as if they have a white cast. Yash is definitely one of Mac's more hydrating matte lipsticks and applies very smoothly and evenly.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and I would love to know what some of your favourite Mac shades are!

Saina
xo 

The Olympia Beauty Show

This weekend I was lucky enough to receive tickets to attend The Oympia Beauty Show, an exhibition including innovations and techniques for all beauty professionals to browse and purchase. Located in Kensignton Olympia's Great Hall, the show hosted over 550 brands from varying sectors of the beauty industry. In addition to big beauty reveals, there were competitions, international guest speakers, and live training sessions from a selection of experts. The stands included every aspect of the industry imaginable, from teeth whitening treatments to facial fuzz eliminators, or spray tanning sessions and eyebrow tinting to nail art training.

When I first entered the hall, the sight was rather overwhelming. Each and every corner was filled with stands surrounded by keen crowds and the thought of hurling my way through seemed impossible. So here's my tip of the day, look at the floor plan, mark which stands you want to see and immediately embark your journey towards finding them! Not only does this avoid you slowly dodging your way through stands you don't really care for, but also gives you a chance to pick up that last lipstick before it's out of stock.

Did that subtle hint give you an indication of what I was really there for? Makeup, of course. As soon as I discovered NYX Cosmetics had a stand featuring ALL their range, I was, shall we say, a tad too excited? I mage my way to the end of the hall where the stand was located, and knew it was a case of survival of the fittest, allowing no room for manners or orderly queues! Evidently, I was not the only one excited for NYX making an appearance, and I had to make a dive into the heaps of people to snatch whatever I could. I did manage to purchase a few things, and which I will feature those in a later haul post.

I spent the rest of my day wandering around live sessions including The Art of Makeup and The Art of Body Painting competitions, which included artists and body painters showcasing their phenomenal body art creations in hopes of being crowned Makeup Artist and Body Painter of 2014. It was a very educational and well-organised event, and I must admit I did pick up one or two tips along the way. My only complaint would be that there were not enough makeup offerings, especially when compared to the 100+ stands dedicated to nails. Though that's just down to personal preference!

Saina 
xo