MAC: Rocker Chick

Image found here

I really want this new offering from MAC ( a look in a box to be sold in dutyfree and travel outlets this summer). £30.50 for six MAC products. That is great value and very hard to resist especially if there is any chance that this kit will make me look like Ruth from You Tube who just did a great video on the kit!

I must admit that I already have a bit of a penchant for eye shadow palettes and similar little novelties (see picture evidence above). I have a few. There is the Pop palette, the Sleek palettes and the Big Beautiful Eyes from Benefit. Oh and the Urban Decay has just arrived(oh yes!).

I think I find such palettes so hard to resist because they indulge the lazy me. I don't have to think so much about what colours to combine and/or products I'm going to wear, somebody has made it all a little easier for me. Most palettes contain shadows which supposedly work as well together as they do alone if not better. With some kits like Big Beautiful Eyes, all I have to do is slap the products on as instructed and I will look like that beautiful model in the promo or on QVC.

Apparently!

Funnily enough though, it always seems that after the once or twice I try and inevitably fail to recreate the specific "look" (or even to create anything that could be worn outside the house) with the multiude of shadows/products provided. I never try again and the palette, with the exception of maybe one shadow/part (For Big Beautiful Eyes, it is the gorgeous contour shade -below- which I keep returning to), pretty much becomes forgotten.

The mid-brown shadow from the Big Beautiful Eyes Palette (middle) still gets some use but I can't remember the last time I touched the dark chocolate (similar to Embark) or the highlighter pink shade.

Hmm, maybe not such good value, after all.

I should have learnt this lesson by now but you see, this 'Rocker Chick' kit from MAC goes a step further then my eyeshadow palettes as it includes the lip products and this, Girls, is what breaks me as not only are we talking MAC lipsticks but the lipstick in question for the 'Rocker Chick' look is only the beautiful Hue!

I love Hue, it was my very first MAC lipstick. Initially I was not so impressed to be matched with such a peachy colour -I had imagined a pretty, feminine pink to be my perfect MAC match- but Hue soon grew on me especially when I realised that it looks a lot pinker on the lips then in the tube especially when paired with the right gloss.

Hue with Underage

Hue is such a gorgeous lipstick and so easy to wear. I don't think you can go wrong with it. The peachiness means that it is not going to wash you out and it also means it blends in more discreetly then some other nudes. Yes, Gosh Darling, I'm looking at you!

I am desperate for another Hue. . .

See!

My poor Hue has being in a bit of a state for some time and I'm trying to save the last bit for special occasions.

Therefore maybe it makes sense for me to invest in Rocker Chick as not only do I get Hue but Oyster Girl lipglass, Electra eyeshadow, Blacktied eyeshadow, Smolder eye kohl and Black Dazzle dazzle lash. All for thirty pounds fifty.

So very tempting.

What do you think of these kits and kits, in general? Are you tempted by this one or either of the others, Girl Next Door or A Very Stylish Girl? Do you love Hue?

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Handbag lipsticks!

Gemma recently talked of the gorgeous Ambre Rose as a 'Handbag Lipstick'.

I love the term 'Handbag Lipstick'. I think I have used the term 'Go to' before but that sounds so boring and functional in comparison to 'Handbag Lipstick'.

Handbag lipsticks are those lipsticks that you keep in your bag everyday, the ones that you know you can just slap straight on to your lips, sans mirror, and they deliver a perfected finish without you giving a thought.

So this got me thinking what are my handbag lipsticks?
Please be warned, this post is picture heavy and some of them are not good but it should give you an idea of shades to google etc!

Ambre Rose, Patisserie, Hue, Beehive and Skinny Dip!

Ambre Rose from Maybelline

Firstly, I agree with Gemma. Anybody who has read my earlier Ambre Rose post will know that this is a lippie that I turn to. It is not particularly exciting but it always does the job and complements just about any look. It is also cheap and long lasting. With this in my bag, there is no reason why my lips should not look polished!

Patisserie from MAC

For some reason in reality, this reminds me a little of Ambre Rose and I tend to carry one or the other. I have to say that Patisserie is not a lipstick that I find myself daydreaming about or jumping out of bed to wear. I don't find the colour of the stick or the swatch that inspiring but it does flatter the lips and add something once applied to the lips. I was surprised when Tanya Burr tweeted about this as a failsafe bridal lipstick. However, when I see pictures of looks using Patisserie, the lips always look lovely so I hope mine do too when I use it. It may not be my favourite MAC mate but there is no denying that Patisserie never really lets me down. There are never any tell tale lippie lines or patches. It almost looks so natural and maybe that is what disappoints me slightly but nevertheless, Patisserie does make the perfect handbag lipstick!

Hue from MAC

I love Hue. I have used her tirelessly. She gives a very pretty finish to the lips which I find particularly noticeable on camera. Unlike the pinky pinks, this peachy pink is less noticeable if you smudge or go over your lipline. It just seems to merge in to my natural lips seamlessly no matter how slap dash my application. I can't resent paying MAC prices when I end up with a lippie as lush (and useful) as Hue, my very first MAC lippie and my original handbag lipstick!

Beehive from the No 17 MirrorShine line

This is currently my most worn lipstick. It has been endorsed by Holly and Laura and many others. It has been so well hyped and I'm pleased to say it more then lives up to all the raves. It is easy to apply and the colour is one I love, very similar to Hue although these pictures don't really show this. Beehive is pinker then Hue but not as pink as my camera suggests and I certainly can not go wrong with Beehive. I have never noticed a blotched lipline(and I get a lot of those) with this gem. However, I have certainly noticed the mirror shine. This lippie finishes with the most flattering, subtle gloss and also as if it couldn't get any better, Beehive also feels very soft and soothing when applied. This has been especially appreciated recently as my current skincare woes mean my skin and lips have become a little dried out and sensitive. This particular handbag lipstick was retailed below £5 in Boots and it is certainly worth every single penny!

Skinny Dip from Benefit

I have used this shade for years. It was my first 'grown up' lipstick. It is my perfect nude and for me, it can not be duped (let me know if you know one). It is a pinky nude, very pretty and feminine. I would say it doesn't give me a lipstick finish but a pretty bare lip finish. My lips seem to be quite pigmented and so this works for me especially with my pale skintone which instantly looks softer after a swipe with Skinny Dip. It might not work so well for you but you never know, i it matches your colouring then I bet you will love this beauty. I suggest you all take two minutes to pop along to a Benefit counter just to check out my perfect nude, it may be the handbag lipstick you are looking for.

My handbag lipsticks all seem to be more nude then bright. I guess that is no surprise since handbag lipstick can be applied with no care and instantly deliver a polished look. You could hardly slap St Germain on and expect it to merge seemlessly in to your lips. However (and this is where you and I may differ) nor can I slap the notorious nude nudes such as Gosh Darling or Barry M 101 on my lips without chalky, tacky tell tell lines.

For me personally, it seems a handbag lipstick it needs to be a slightly muted pink or peach. Nothing brighter, nothing lighter.

What are your handbag lipsticks?

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My July Favourites!

- L'Oreal Volume Million Lash
This mascara has lived up to my initial expectations. It is fantastic. If anything, I like it even more now. I haven't noticed the overpowering scent for a while; the careful light hand approach (which is required) now seems effortless and it still looks very classy in it's gold casing.
You can read my review here http://essjay23x.blogspot.com/2010/07/mascara-mascara.html

- Sable and Satin Taupe
I'm loving Sable eyeshadow at the moment. I know that you might think it quite a dark, heavy colour for the summer but since I've been laying off the foundation, I have needed more striking eye make up. I'm finding that shades closer to my skin tone such as Modellette and All That Glitters just highlight my poor skin and the lack of foundation.
Sable is a way to get striking eyes with the minimal of effort. Colour block it, a slick of mascara and that is my eyes done. I love Satin Taupe but I feel it needs more work (usually with another shadow and liner) to create the same impact.

- Hue
I can never stay away from my first Mac lippie for long. I love Hue. A nice natural, low maintenance lip for the summer. I also like the fact that it is not that red or pink as I'm finding some of my more pink/red lips draw attention to any imperfections or sore skin on my face. You can read more about Hue here http://essjay23x.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/the-first-date-my-mac/

- Lipgloss
I am not the biggest gloss fan but I have worked them a little this month. I'm finding that they have felt increasingly refreshing and moisturising on my lips as the temperature has risen. I have found myself picking up two lipglosses often. One is Underage from Mac ( pictured above). I have always been a bit wary of this gloss as sometimes it looks a bit artificial on my lips and messy like the lipsticks, Barry M 101 and Gosh Darling. However when I use a light hand with Underage, the slight shimmer is much more flattering. You can read about my first impressions of Underage back in January here http://essjay23x.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/the-first-date-my-mac/
Also Kim has done a great review of Underage here http://misskc027.blogspot.com/2010/07/mac-lipglass-comparisons.html.
Gloss-wise, I also like the Jodie Kidd Shell and not just because it was a freebie from a magazine. Shell is very similar to Underage but I prefer the formulation. I find Shell nicer (easier) to apply. I'm always surprised that it looks less pink then Underge in the tube as I think they give a similar finish on the lips with Shell maybe finishing slightly more neatly.


- Dark hair
I have dyed my hair again. Last time I dyed it, I chose Medium Golden Brown. This time, I have gone a shade darker to a Warm Dark Brown and I like it. The Medium Golden Brown was ok but I preferred the colour before it started lifting. So I thought it would be an idea to go one shade darker.

In my dreams, I would love to be a blonde. Oh, how I would! However, I am now starting to face the fact that in reality, I'm always happier when I keep my hair at the dark end of the spectrum. It seems to frame my features better.

- Intimately Beckham
This is an old favourite but I particularly like it in the summer (yes, I do wear it in the day), it is one of those scents that seems to intensify in the heat and linger a while. It is gorgeous and reminds me of carefree days in Ibiza. This perfume never fails to make me smile.

- Eat Love Pray
I have always been a little bit curious about this book. Angela's (http://ohsheglows.com/) recent posts and news of the forthcoming film only heightened this. So when I finally got my hands on Eat Love Pray,  I devoured it in less then a week. It is a brilliant read and very thought provoking. I might go through it again now with a marker. I do like a good quote!

So that was my July favourites. Interestingly, there are not really any new products in there. So that makes me think that either there isn't anything that new and exciting out there at the moment or just maybe I'm getting the hang of this saving thing (yeah, right, after that TopShop haul)! What do you think? Have you any July favourites? Is there anything I'm missing out on?

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