MAC Satin Taupe $1 DUPE!

Dont you LOVE drugstore dupes of high end products?

Well, today i have another one for you :) This one is for my newest addition to my collection, MAC Satin Taupe :) This color is sooo gorgeous, and you can see my full review on it here. But if you're hoping to stay away from the expensive price tag, heres two other products you could pick up :)

MAC Satin Taupe

ELF Moondust ($1 Custom Eyes, online at
e.l.f. Essentials custom eyes)

Wet N'  Wild Nutty ($4 at drugstores)

photo comparison of all three

(as always, click to enlarge)

and of course, swatches!

in artificial lighting

with flash

with flash

Verdict?
as you can see, although wnw's nutty is somewhat lighter in shade compared to satin taupe, but elf's moondust is actually quite similar to satin taupe!! I think we have a dupe!! :D

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but just to make sure, here are the same three shades, blended out :)

Verdict?
as you can see, when blended out, both wnw's nutty and elf's moondust are almost identical to satin taupe! this is because satin taupe has a warm brown undertone, so when blended out, it loses some of its darker purpleish shade and therefore, is much more similar to wnw's nutty than previously.


What about the quality differences?
quality wise, I actually do think all three are similar in pigmentation, all are very very good! all three also have a very buttery texture although I have to say that both wnw and elf eyeshadows are almost TOO buttery, causing the eyeshadow to crumble easily. this is possibly one of the differences between drugstore and high-end.


in addition, I do think that satin taupe (when not blended) has more dimension and shine to it, looking more purple, taupe or brown in certain angles. elf's moondust is somewhat comparable as it does have a similar shade and sheen but it is not as multi dimensional as satin taupe.


overall
I would say that these two eyeshadows are definitely very good dupes! especially since they cost $1 and $3-4 (elf moondust and wnw nutty respectively) compared to $17.50 or $13 cad for just the refill! so if you're tight on money, I would highly recommend these drugstore dupes!

New ELF promos! Valentines Day Hunt & Beauty of All Ages

Hi everyone :)

before i continue with my product reviews and swatches, just wanted to let you all know about the new ELF promos that are currently running!

Firstly, ELF is having a valentines day sale with 50% off specific items! You have to look for these items throughout their website, similar to their treasure hunt promo they had recently :) Just look for the heart icon and use the code VDAY upon checkout!

example: look for this!

Some of the items i found with the heart icon are:

1. Studio Makeup Mist and Set
2. Studio Cream Eyeliner

3. Studio Daily Brush Cleaner

4. Studio Cream Eyeshadow

5. Studio Body Glow

6. Studio Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20

7. Mineral Blush

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Next up, is their Face of ELF contest!


Here, you can either run for or vote for your favourite model to become the new face of elf! i think this is a GREAT opportunity for everyone! Anyone can enter and vote for who they like best, so really, the new face of elf is in our hands :)


plus, ELF is offering amazing prizes for participating! you can be entered to win a flip-cam just by voting, theres a NYC photoshoot for all the finalists, as well, a grand prize winner can win A 4 day/3 night Luxury Included® Family Vacation for two adults and two children (15 years of age and under) to a Beaches Resorts destination in Turks & Caicos or Jamaica.

heres some more details:

e.l.f. Cosmetics is holding their "Beauty At All Ages" casting to find 4 females to represent e.l.f. Cosmetics in the year 2011.


ELIGIBILITY

• Female, 13 years and up  
• Professional photos NOT required

4 SELECTED MODELS:

The Judges will select 4 models, one model from each of 4 age categories:

• 1 model in her teens  
• 1 model 20-29 years
• 1 model 30-39 years
• 1 model 40 years plus

The 4 selected models will participate in the "Faces of e.l.f." Photo Shoot in New York City, travel and lodging expenses paid. Upon completion of the Shoot, each of the 4 models will receive the following:

• "Makeup For Life*" from e.l.f. Cosmetics  
• Re-touched "tear sheets" from the shoot
• Personalized makeup kit designed and sold on eyeslipsface.com

SELECTION OF THE TOP MODEL:

One model will be chosen as the Top Model and the official 2011 "Face of e.l.f.". She will be featured on the e.l.f. website, e.l.f.'s facebook page, in e.l.f.'s makeover and tutorial youtube videos and select e.l.f. newsletters. The Top Model will additionally receive: $500 compensation

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and there you have it! hope you all have fun with these promos :) i always love ELF promos because they are such a good deal and so much fun! definitely a big thumbs up to those who work on creating these :D

Must Have Eyeshadow - MAC Satin Taupe

Hi everyone :) hope you're all doing well!

Today im posting on a new eyeshadow of mine... MAC Satin Taupe. I know i know, i said i'd hold back on purchasing makeup for awhile, but after receiving the other MAC eyeshadows for my birthday, i kept getting recommendations from fellow bloggers that satin taupe was THE shadow to have! with all that hype and rave, i had to go check out for myself what was so good.. and seriously, i dont know why i didnt get this earlier! its soooo gorgeous :)

but enough talking, lets look at pictures! *yay*

in the pan - natural lighting

in the pan - with flash

and of course, swatches :)

and a few comparison pictures alongside woodwinked :)

and so you can get the full idea on this product, heres the regular swatch and then one blended out :)

I really really do love this color! its so multi-dimensional ! its a great mixture of shimmery silver, purple and brown and taupe and together, its the perfect soft smokey shade :) not too dark and not too light :)

you can definitely use this all over the lid and blend out the crease to get a gorgeous soft smokey look, but for everyday looks, i actually really like using this to line my eyes! :) because i dont normally wear a heavy eye look (especially when i have school) this shimmery purpleish brown adds just the right amount of color.

i'll try to get a picture up one day of both looks (everyday as a liner and in outer v, and smokey) to show you guys how gorgeous it really is!!

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anyways, you mightve noticed i purchased this in the pan form.. i was actually looking for the refill pan since i could just pop it into my palettes at home, but they didnt have any left :( oh well, i ended up depotting it when i got home and now it sits in my little MAC quad palette ^^

and when i feel like switching around the colors, i can just pop the pan right back into the container and keep it safe until i want to switch it again :) hehe

oh, and i also stuck the sticker on the inside cover of the quad, even though im pretty sure i can remember all 5 names by heart :)

and thats it for today! i'm a bit behind on getting EOTD and FOTD pictures to really show you how these products look as im always in a rush for school :( and when i get home at night, i look like a huge mess so no pictures for me thanks! haha but i promise, soon :) lol

anyways, hope you're all doing well! take care!! :D

MAC Fix + Does Wonders!

Hi everyone :)

Today i will be continuing to review my new MAC goodies :) Apart from all the new eyeshadows i got and love, my bf also got me my first MAC Fix + !! I've heard so many good things about this product, and although i've been a HUGE fan of face sprays, i've never gotten around to try this! Read on to find out how i like it :)

"An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!"

First off, the product itself:


I love it! It is definitely a pick-me-upper spray as it refreshes your skin right away. i dont usually carry it around with me in my purse (although i can see that a travel sized version of this would be godly), but after coming home from a long school day, i find that MAC Fix + definitely does the job in refreshing my makeup and allowing me to both feel and be ready for a night out :)

As well, i have been using this daily to set my makeup and i just LOVE the results! Normally, i use evian's mineral water facial spray or the body shop's vitamin e facial spray, but surprisingly enough, i think Fix + is better :) With Evian's spray, although it refreshes my skin, i feel like its just water and nothing more.. the body shop's spray is nice and smells so good, but it doesnt leave my skin feeling as dewy and fresh as Fix + does. however, i do like using the vitamin e spray once in awhile because i do find that it helps moisturizes my skin especially in winter.

With Fix + as a setting spray, i find that my makeup definitely lasts a lot longer. As well, i like how after i apply it (application details below), my face has sort of a dewy and fresh feel to it :) so i look and feel like i havent applied as much makeup as i did :D

about the packaging:

i love it just as much as the product! haha im a huge sucker for good packaging and this one is definitely one i approve of. The sleek bottle isnt too big or small, but just right. i love the simplicity of the design, no crazy details on the bottle itself, just a nice semi-transparent with a glossy finish. But the best part of the packaging, is definitely the pump and spray nozzle.

the pump is genius! (i believe MAC liquid foundations also have a similar design) there's no need for a cap on the bottle because all you have to do is twist the top to open and close. this makes it so easy to use and believe me, when you have just a few extra seconds left before you leave the house, the last thing you want to worry about is taking off a tight cap on a spray bottle! of course, this also prevents the bottle from accidentally spraying or leaking when you travel.

the spray nozzle is another part i am very impressed with! through my many experiences with different spray bottles, i've found that there is a thin line between too 'rough' and not 'rough' enough, for lack of a better word. what i mean is, its hard to find a spray nozzle that wont spray so hard that your face hurts, but also wont spray so little so that you end up pushing it a billion times. MAC Fix + sits right in the middle and has the perfect nozzle that gives me a light mist of product, just exactly what i need :)

top - ecotools

bottom - sigma travel F50 & sedona lace 813

and finally, the application :)

application? dont you just spray it all over your face and rush out of the house? well.. you can.. but i much prefer another way :) i like to spray once or twice, usually enough to cover my entire face, and then use a duo fibre stippling brush (i normally use my ecotools one but any will do) to lightly stipple all over my face.

this helps spread the product lightly, setting my makeup evenly and making sure that it is all absorbed. this way, you leave the house looking fresh and dewy rather than wet and later when it dries, cakey :(

left to right

sedona lace 813, sigma travel F50, ecotools

 now im sure you're wondering...

whats the difference between MAC Fix + and other facial sprays?

well, let me tell you :)

first off, infused with vitamins and minerals, as well as green tea, camomile, cucumber & sugi, it not only refreshes your skin, but is great for your skin both as a spray or as a toner! so feel free to use it generously with or without makeup!

secondly, and well, the main purpose, is to refresh your skin and set your makeup!  it also makes you look fresh and dewy instantly :) great for when you feel like your foundation`s a little cakey or your skin`s feeling a bit tight and dry.

thirdly, you can use this to foil your pressed eyeshadows! this is great for getting the most out of your eyeshadows as their pigmentation increases dramatically! not only do you get a vibrant color, but they also stick better to your lids :) all you have to do is pick up some eyeshadow onto your brush, spray some Fix + onto the brush, and then apply!


as well, similar to foiling your eyeshadows, you can most definitely use this on loose minerals and pigments in the same way! many people use this instead of a mixing medium, which may not be readily available. the results are amazing! no more fall out :D

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So there you have it! I definitely love this product and would recommend it to all of you! Although i still like to use my body shop vitamin e spray once in awhile, this has replaced all my other sprays and i use it daily after applying makeup :) I can definitely see myself repurchasing once i run out.. although that wont be for a looong time since you only need one-two sprays per use!

MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Shadows

To continue with my MAC reviews and swatches, here are my new Mega Metal Eyeshadows from MAC's Peacocky Collection! I bought Dalliance as part of my birthday haul, but the other two were bought for me by my lovely bf as part of my birthday present <3

MAC Mega Metal Eyeshadows

Tweet me, Prance & Dalliance (on bottom)

Prance, Tweet Me, Dalliance

Prance, Tweet Me

Dalliance

From MAC's website, the Mega Metal Shadows are described as:


A colour-rich, light-reflecting gleam combined with a creamy application that invites blending, layering, shaping, while remaining crease-resistant. A brilliant choice for all those seeking the ultimate metallic finish.


but i also like Christine's (from Temptalia) description:


Mega Metal Shadows are long-wearing and consists of metallic powders that provide a light-reflection, intense metallic finish that looks brilliant on the skin. It delivers medium-buildable coverage that won’t fade or crease. The formula contains vitamins a & e, antioxidants that help condition the delicate eye area. The creamy powder ensures an even, smooth application that lasts all day and easily blends with little fall-out.



The descriptions of the 3 shadows i own are:


Tweet Me - Gold bronze

Prance - Frosted mauve pearl

Dalliance - Light champagne  (although this can seem like a white gold shade, i believe this definitely has a tint of pewter green in many angles! soo gorgeous and unique!)

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prance, tweet me, dalliance

prance, tweet me, dalliance

prance, tweet me, dalliance

prance, tweet me, dalliance

I have to say, these eyeshadows are absolutely gorgeous!! they have so much shimmer and shine in them that they look soo pretty from every angle :)


difference from eyeshadows in MAC's permanent collection:
although i dont have much experience, i do have to say that these feel more buttery than the normal shadows do. they blend amazingly well and have very high pigmentation (imho, slightly better pigmentation than the normal shadows). also, these definitely pack in much more shimmer! however, the main difference is the size. these shadows are almost double the size as the normal ones! but with a bigger size, there is also a higher price tag :( but overall, i do think these shadows are really good to have in your collection!!

size comparison!

you can see my previous swatch & review of the shadows in the quad here

Overall, i am really loving these shades! Although i have yet to test out tweet me and prance in an eye look, i really do love dalliance! Either just in the inner corners or all over the lid, this shade is definitely unique! although its a light subtle shade, it really does pack in a ton of gorgeous shimmer! As with the other MAC shadows i recently reviewed, i will be posting eye looks once i play around more and take some pictures :)




ohh and before i forget, here are some swatches of the some of the other mega metal shadows from the MAC store :) - note, these were taken with my iphone lol so no macroshot :(

top row - mega metal shadows:

Odalisque, Noir Plum, Dandizette, Paparazz-She

and a little comparison between Prance and phloof! (part of the permanent collection)

comparison of prance and phloof!

Prance is on top.

comparison of prance and phloof!

Prance is on the left

These appear to be VERY similar, especially on camera. But in reality, i do believe Prance has a lot more shimmer and shine as well as a stronger hint of lavender.


Anyways, thats it for todays post! Next time i will be reviewing MAC's FIX + !! :D hope you all have a great day!