A Complete 180??

So as you know about a month ago I shelled out an extra 4 quid to try MAC's Studio Sculpt Foundation;

"A creamy, luxurious, gel-based foundation that provides medium buildable to high coverage with a natural satin finish. Hydrating, instantly revitalizes the skin while keeping it looking smooth, soft and plush. Long-wearing, water-resistant."

So at first I was convinced it was love; hydrating, luminous, good coverage... everything one would look for in a foundation. The stuff dreams (and trashy romance novels) are made of.

Sadly, it was not to be. It wore great on me for around a week but after that it just seemed to have melted off my face after about two hours wear. I tried absolutely everything to get it to stay in place but there's only so much primer and powder a girl can wear without it defeating the purpose altogether.

So I just thought; you can't win 'em all and dumped it in the foundation drawer with all the other misfits. It was then I saw the light, it wasn't Studio Sculpts fault... my SKIN had changed! Mind boggling and confusing as it may be my skin has done a complete 180; I am now oily, instead of dry.

Who'd have thunk it?

I cannot for the life of me fathom how it has happened. Nothing has changed in my routine!

I think it would be unfair and wildly idealistic to suggest that Studio Sculpt is so ultra-hydrating that it was the cause... at least without a proper test. And since I can't use it without my make-up sliding off in a puddle on the ground; such a test will be a long time coming I'm afraid!

For the short time I wore it, I really did appreciate the formula. It did what it said on the tin (and possibly more?) but I would not recommend it for oily skin. It has an unusual scent; it's something I recognise but I can't place it. Something that comes from Starbucks maybe? If anyone knows, please comment :D

As of now, I am using Jemma Kidd's Mineral Skin Nourishing Tint in Porcelain with a *light* dusting of Studio Fix Powder over it and I have to say I am loving it at the moment. Of course I will be picking up another Studio Fix Fluid, but it's nice to try pastures new :)

-Em

Guide: MAC Foundations

If you are new to MAC, sometimes the shop and the whole set up can be very daunting. There are so many shades and numbers and letters and types and bottles it can get confusing, so I've made this guide to sort it out (I hope) :)

So, most of the time, there are two types of MAC foundation; NW and NC.

NW means 'Neutral Warm' and NC means 'Neutral Cool'. NW shades have undertones of RED in them, NC shades have undertones of YELLOW.

Now, the undertones in foundations can work differently for different people. Generally, MAC advise that if you have red or rosy undertones in your skin, you should choose a foundation with red undertones, ditto with yellow undertones, etc. But sometimes if you have a lot of red, (for example; someone with

rosacea) probably wouldn't want more red in their foundation and they might choose an NC shade that has yellow. It all depends, but that is how it usually works :)

The number on a MAC foundation stands for the shade. The lower the number the lighter the shade. MAC have a large range of both NC and NW shades that usually run from 15 to 55.

If you are having trouble matching yourself, ask to be colour matched. They will apply some on your jawline and then its a good idea to go out and see how it looks in natural light. Store lights can be deceptive.

Also, keep in mind that colours can change with formula. So if you are NW30 in Studio Fix Fluid, you may not (and probably won't) be NW30 in Mineralize Satinfinish.

If you aren't sure about a colour or formula don't be afraid to ask for a sample. Most of the assistants will happily give you a sample for you to try yourself.

Here's a quick run down of each MAC foundation :)

Studio Fix Fluid: Probably the most well known MAC foundation; medium-high coverage, powder based formula, SPF 15, matte finish, oil-free.

Studio Sculpt: MAC's newest foundation; medium-high coverage, gel based formula, SPF 15, satin finish, hydrating.

Mineralize Satinfinish: Luminous foundation; quite low coverage, mineral based formula, SPF 15 UVA and B safe, satin finish, hydrating with vitamins to nourish the skin.

Select: Medium coverage, water based formula, SPF 15, matte finish, oil-free.

Face And Body: MAC's 'professional' formula foundation; low-medium coverage, water based formula, satin finish, hydrating.

Studio Moisture Tint: MAC's tinted moisturiser; low coverage, has SPF 15 but only comes in five shades.

Studio Fix Powder: MAC's powder foundation; medium coverage, matte finish, absorbs oil. I would not recommend on-going use of the sponge that this comes with because it is impossible to clean and can breed bacteria, which you don't want on your face.

Mineralise Loose Powder: MAC's loose foundation; medium coverage, mineral formula, SPF 15, satin finish, hydrating.

Studio Stick: MAC's stick foundation; medium coverage, cream formula, SPF 15, non-oily.

Studio Tech: MAC's cream-to-powder foundation; low-high coverage, matte finish, dermatologist tested.

Select Moistureblend: MAC's cream foundation; medium-high coverage, SPF 15 UVA and B safe, satin finish, hydrating, dermatologist tested.

I hope this has helped anyone who was wondering, or just really, really confused about MAC foundations!

Happy shopping :D

-Em

Mini Haulage

I did a bit of hauling this weekend and I wanted to give my opinion on a few things I got.

So a good while ago, I got some MAC brushes that I really had no use for, so this weekend I finally got around to exchanging them. I went to the MAC counter in Brown Thomas on Grafton Street. I have mixed thoughts about that particular counter; sometimes (rarely) I come out feeling like I got exactly what I had wanted in the first place; most of the time I either feel like I've been convinced into buying something else altogether; or that the sales assistant has no idea what's going on and I leave with nothing.

But actually, I am generally happy with what I walked away with this time.

I had been eying the Studio Sculpt foundation for a long, long time (it was released in Feb/March with the Well Defined Collection) and I wanted to pick that up. It is supposed to be super hydrating and like most MAC foundations it's got SPF 15. I personally think the shades run a bit dark; I was NW15 which is the lightest I've ever been in a MAC foundation, so it's a good idea to get colour matched. It's early days yet, but I overall I like it. It's got kind of a mousse-like consistency and IMO you need to use far less of it then Studio Fix Fluid to get the same result. The only negative I'm noticing is that to me, it feels slightly heavier on the skin, but that doesn't really bother me.

The rest of the stuff is really blah. I got Studio Fix powder in NW20, Select Cover-up in NW15 and Fast Response eye cream. Nothing to write home about.

Something else I got was a Barry M nail paint in 304 Mint Green. I know, I know. I'm waaaay late on this product. I always meant to jump on the 'Peppermint Patti by MAC dupe' band wagon but I never got near a Barry M.

It's a nice mint green and the consistency is good. You need two coats for it to be really opaque, but for €4.50, I aint complainin'. It would have been nice to wear during the non-existent summer; if only to cheer me up :)

This last thing is a bit fashion-y. I saw this in Dunnes and I had to have it;

It's a grey military style duffel coat with a kick 'skirt'. It may be 'so last season' but it is love :)

-Em

How To: Stop Your MAC Numbers From Wearing Off

MAC brushes are notorious for having numbers that just wear away with the slightest of use. I'm sure there are other ways but this is what I do to stop it, and I haven't lost a number yet ;)

To do this you'll want to have;

the brush(es);

a roll of sellotape; and

a clear nail polish or top coat.

First, cover the area you are working on with kitchen roll or newspaper. This is not necessary but brushes are round and if they feel so inclined, they will roll all over the place :)

Next cut off a strip of tape and stick it onto your top or trousers. Pull it off and stick it back on again. Doing this a couple of times will pick up lint from your clothes on the strip, taking some of the 'stickyness' away. If you stick tape straight on the brush handle, you could strip the paint off, so just be careful.

Now the idea here is to tape around the number so that you can 'paint' some clear polish right over it, stopping it from wearing away. Taping around it makes it neater but of course you can skip the whole taping off bit and just paint straight on if you want it a bit more rustic :)

Put a strip of tape along the bottom, top and both ends; this should create a rectangle where the MAC symbol and number are free. Smaller brushes are a bit finicky and you may need to cut the tape to fit. You'll probably find its easier to tape larger brushes like the 150 or 187.

When your brush is taped and ready, you can then paint over the number and the MAC symbol with a clear polish :)

Leave the brush to dry and set for 10-20 minutes. It's important to leave your brush to fully dry before you try to peel the tape off. When it has set, peel the tape off slowly piece by piece.

This has never come off for me, and I wash my brushes religiously.

I think it goes without saying that it will come off if you put acetone (the ingredient in most nail polish removers) on it, and probably take your number with it; so no mani/pedis near your brushes girls :)

Obviously, you can do this with any brush that has it's numbers stamped on like MAC do.

Brushes With Coloured Ends??

Also, if you have ever seen MAC brushes with coloured ends, and wondered how?? where?

Use this same technique and wrap the tape around your brush, about a centimetre from the end of the handle. Paint the end using any coloured nail polish that takes your fancy et volia! Coloured brushes!

MUA's use the coloured ends to distinguish their brushes from other artists'; especially if they are doing a big show like London Fashion Week.

Well, I hope this has helped somebody, happy painting! :D

-Em