November Favorites! 2013

Hey Everybody! Just uploaded my November Favorites! Man oh man, I have sooo many great lip products to share with you! I was also house sitting when I filmed this so I apologize for the dog's jingling collar, he wouldn't stop scratching his neck. 

Favorites

Face

Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation (N Bisque)

Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser (Light)

Bobbi Brown Concealer Stick (ivory 01)

Nars Blush in "Sin"

Eyes

Avon Mega Effects Mascara

CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion Mascara

Skin

Glam Glow Youthful Tingling Exfoliant Face Mask

Lip 

Soap and Glory "Great Kisser" Lip Balm

Milani "Chilled Brandy" Lipstick

Milani "Sangria" Lipstick

Milani "Uptown Mauve" Lipstick

Mac "Nightmoth" Lipliner

Mac "Rebel" Lipstick

Mac "Diva" Lipstick

Mac "Plink" Lipstick

Covergirl Outlast "Tempt" Lipstick

Random

Casey Homes (itsbl0ndie) on Youtube

1D Day

One Direction Midnight Memories Album

Deep Burgundy Lips--Four Fun Picks!

Hey guys! I finally have a new beauty post to get up. This was hard because I had a couple I wanted to pick up and buy but I couldn't because I was participating in "No-Buy November". But, now that it is December, I have FOUR really fun deep lip colors for you guys to try out!

Deep, red/plum lips are really in this season and I think they are really wearable and anyone could pull them off. Just be brave and commit, I think you'll be happy with the results! 

In general, I'm a huge fan of red lipstick but something about burgundy, wine, and plum colored lipsticks is just so perfect...save those candy apple red lipsticks for Christmas to make a statement! 

This is the shade "Rebel" by Mac. This is like a cult favorite--everyone loves it and I am no exception. It leans towards the purple side of burgundy but is really versitile. If you use a lipliner, it can really transform the color. Worn lightly, it appears as a lipstain, but the coverage can be built up. This has been a favorite for 2 fall seasons now!

A nearly exact drugstore dupe for "Rebel" (dupe alert, dupe alert) is Milani's lipstick in the color "Sangria". I think the pictures speak for themselves; these two shades are definitely twins! Milani makes my favorite drugstore lipstick, I think that they are great, smell good, and are really comfortable. 

Above is "Diva" by Mac. I love this deep, vixen-y red color. Here I wore it alone, but over a lipliner (a personal favorite being "Nightmoth" by Mac), it takes on a whole new level of vampyness. I absolutely adore this shade. Don't be taken back by the "matte" label on it either, this particular shade is very comfortable on the lips. I highly recommend this to those who want a red but are a little nervous to go bright red. This is a good medium blue-toned shade. 

Last but certainly not least is my new FAVORITE lipstick. I adore this shade so much. This is Milani's "Chilled Brandy" lipstick. Oh my goodness. I wasn't expecting to like this at all because it is shimmery and I haven't had much good luck with Mac's shimmery line (the "Frost" finish lipsticks). This shade has absolutely blown my mind. I have reached for this everyday since I've bought it. It is a deep red color with a gold sheen in it and it literally looks like a Christmas ornimant. It's drop dead gorgeous and extremely wearable. I think this may be the most wearable red I have ever found (and trust me, I have bought a LOT of red lipsticks).

I hope you guys found this helpful and will go out and try a new shade of lipstick! It can be really fun stepping outside of your box and trying out something you haven't before, especially around the holiday's when you have fun events to go to and lots of people to impress. 

The Mac Counter--Why I Hate Going There

Here I am again with yet another rant. These seem to becoming more and more frequent here on Beauty and Blogging but this is definitely a beauty subject that needs to be addressed. Especially because while researching some of my material on google such as "do Mac employees work on commission?", my search results were flooded with forums saying "because they sure are bitches!"

And you know what ladies and gentlemen, I am going to have to agree.

I do want to make a point right now loud and clear; this is not meant to be a hasty generalization. I'm speaking from experiences of my own and through others. This is not to say that there haven't been times when I've gotten great service at the Mac counter (meaning the counters or the free standing stores, by the way) and had someone who was willing to help, not pushy, and easy to talk to, but these times have been few and far between.

As a cosmetic junkie, I find myself in Mac quite often. I really do love Mac Cosmetics. I love my Mac palettes, adore my Mac lipsticks and liners, lipglasses, blushes, the whole nine yards. What is really important to realize, is I do not just wander into a Mac store to "browse" anymore. I know that place like the back of my hand and always go in with specific things I want to pick up. I never walk in NOT to buy. My bestie put in best in her blog (check it out! She rocks) the Mac counter is like an adult Crayola Crayon box. You cannot beat the selection of colors and finishes at Mac. With all these times that I am in the Mac store, I very rarely spend less than $50; I like to think I am a good customer. Apparently the majority of employees think otherwise. 

I always walk into the store and go to the display of things I'm planning on buying. I'll swatch them out and compare them to a few other shades and what not and wait patiently for someone to come help me. Most of the ladies and men working in there just gaze over my head like I'm not even there. If I'm feeling not quite annoyed enough, I'll sometimes ask "excuse me, could I get some help?" and they will usually say "Sorry, I'm helping someone else". That's fine, could you send one of the 7 ladies behind the register my way to help me?

Of those 7 ladies behind the register, maybe one is actually ringing things up? Whatever. So I go jump in line with a bunch of other people who are waiting to be rung up; the only difference is the majority of them must look like high rollers because all of the items they would like to purchase are behind the counter with a sticky note with their name on it. 

The worst part of the whole experience is when I get to the front and they ask what I want from the back, they never apologize for the lack of assistance that I recieved. Then, they ALWAYS have the audacity to try to up-sale me. 

"Oh, well you know, buying one pigment is almost as much as the set" 

"I know, Just the one pigment please"

"Well, I would just like to make sure you understand that for only 12 more dollars, you can get the whole pigment set"

"yes, I understand, I am educated, I can read the numbers, I've already told you just the pigment"

"Now, You're sure you just want this ONE pigment, instead of the set?"

OH. MY. GOSH. YES. I. AM. SURE.

"do you have a lipliner to match this lipstick, or do you need to purchase one now"

"yes, I do, at home"

"what brand is it? what is the shade?"

I cannot take the up-sale. ESPECIALLY after receiving bad....not even bad, actually, it's non existent service. 

It also drives me crazy when they run out of products; you are responsible for ONE brand, how are you ALWAYS out of the things I need? 

Why would I buy the empty palette without the insert? WHY? So I have to come back and deal with more poor service? How are you out of the inserts, but not the palettes? 

The whole deal about ALL of these events is that they are not one time occurances. I usually never get helped, usually one of the several items I'm purchasing is out (there have been occasions where all 4 things are out of stock...how?!), and I'm always a victim of the up-sale. 

I'm not sure is Mac employees work on commission, but I'm sure they do. I would think they would want to impress customers and try to build a retention with them so people will continue to come to the same employee and purchase items through them. Maybe I'm wrong. I do know what it is like working in an establishment that runs on commission, and though it wasn't my favorite way of working, at no point under any circumstance was I ever rude to a customer. I also would never ignore a customer; upon walking in the door, you should be greeted by an employee even if you are not able to assist them right away. 

Does anybody else experience this at the Mac counter? I would LOVE to hear stories down below in the comments =D

De-potting Mac Eyeshadows [Video Demo Included!]

A few months ago I wrote a blog post on how I depot my Mac eyeshadows (catch that here!). I wanted to make a video to show the procedure so that you would be able to get a visual. I hope you find it helpful! Please Enjoy =]

Faded Purple Lip Tutorial

Hey Everyone! Late last night I posted a super quick and easy tutorial on this faded purple lip look. I have been wearing this A LOT lately and keep getting compliments and questions on what color I am wearing. If you are interested, be sure to check it out and subscribe to youtube.com/beautyandblogging

October♥Favorites 2013

Hey Everyone!! This is my first monthly favorites video, I hope you enjoy it! Be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe (it would mean SO much to me!)

PS tomorrow is Friday, Hooray!

Youtube.com/beautyandblogging

Shimmering Amber Eye Tutorial

Be sure to subscribe to my Beauty and Blogging YouTube channel to stay current on all my videos
=)

Get Ready With Me|very NEUTRAL everyday make up

Here is another "Get Ready With Me" video! This one is going to be an extremely neutral look that is perfect for work days. I hope you guys enjoy it =]

Also, sorry for no voice over, I've lost my voice this week so I didn't want to annoy you guys with a raspy sick voice.
If you have any suggestions for future videos be sure to let me know in the comments below! I'd love to consider them =]

Beauty Blender Thoughts...

First off, let me begin by saying I want to cry because I let eleven days slip out from underneath me without blogging about anything. I'm at this point where I have so much to post about that I'm having a hard time narrowing down what to talk about first. On top of that, I'm working on getting a YouTube channel up (soon, like, soon soon) and everything is just all so crazy! Also, quick note, how is September almost over?! I literally just wrote a post about how hectic August is and now it is nearly November. Oh my goodness, time is just going too fast and pretty soon Sephora, Ulta, and the drugstores are going to start releasing Holiday collections and then the reviews and blog posts are REALLY going to be flowing.
But until then, let me tell you my thoughts on the extremely popular and well known Beauty Blender.

This little pink egg of squishy goodness is like nothing I've ever experienced. I've never been a fan of using a brush or a sponge to apply my foundation. I'm more of a blend-with-my-fingers kind of gal. I have never found a brush or sponge that I found to do an amazing job that was worth ditching my extremely convenient hands behind, until now!
What I really love about the Beauty Blender is that it is small and compact and really precious and pink...until you squeeze some water into it and it expands to nearly twice it's size. At that point, it has no more room to absorb any liquid, so when you dip it into your foundation, it doesn't all get sucked up and end up being a huge waste of money. It truly does blend foundation like a dream, and it doesn't end there! I then go in with my concealer and brightener (down my nose, under my eyes) and blend it in quite quickly with the pointed tip of my Beauty Blender. Within seconds my face is covered with a natural finish that I absolutely love. It's unreal.
I also love that after I use all my powder products like bronzer and blush and highlighter, I can take the large rounded side and just go around the outline of all my contouring/blushing/highlighting and make all my lines look totally seamless. I even take the extra time to contour my bridged nose because the Beauty Blender can quickly fix the extra product that I've applied to heavily or darkly.
Cons to the beloved Beauty Blender would definitely include cleaning. OH MY GOSH, it's like having a child or a pet, you cannot just ignore it and hope it gets cleaner or you'll get used to it because it does not happen. It just keeps getting grosser and dirtier and soon I'm sure the stains are probably irreversible and then you have to go out and buy a whole new $20 sponge. 
Also, truly think about it...you are putting a sponge all over your face, getting it wet, putting it all over your face, getting it wet, and repeating over and over again without cleaning. Um, talk about a breading ground for bacteria. No Thank You. So you really do have to clean your Beauty Blender every single day, which is quite the responsibility, especially if you are anything like me and absolutely dread the thought of even cleaning one cosmetic brush.
Also, another obvious con is the $20 price tag...yikes! I had a really difficult time coping with the price issue of the Beauty Blender because breaking it down you really are spending a whole Andrew Jackson on a sponge that is neon pink. I figured "it can't be worth it". For me, my Beauty Blender was worth it. It gives me something to look forward to each morning when I apply my make up and I use it every single day. I also did not let it be an impulse purchase. It sounds silly to say I saved my money to buy a $20 Beauty Blender, but I really kind of did. I actually returned something I had sitting in my collection for a few months that I never used and exchanged it at Sephora for my Beauty Blender.
Final Thoughts it you are looking for a refreshing change to your make up routine, I would highly recommend looking into the Beauty Blender. I could live without it, but at this point, I wouldn't want to. It blend out foundation so nicely and comes in handy all through out my make up application process. It really is unique and quite useful, but not an immediate necessity.


Quick Tip: I clean my Beauty Blender with the Mac Brush Cleanser (thats what I use and have laying around, when I run out I may look for a cheaper alternative). The greatest Beauty Blender tip that I can give is to clean it when it is dry. I clean mine in the morning before I apply my make up, not after. The reason this works better is because the sponge is not full of liquid, so all the foundation in it is pushed towards the surface thus making getting it out of the surface much easier than if the sponge was already filled with water. I pour some cleanser on it and massage the whole Beauty Blender in my hands and then run the water. I continue squeezing and drenching the BB in cleanser/water until the squeezed out liquid is not the color of my foundation and is clear water instead. I do this process every single morning before I take my shower. 

Favorite Fall Lip Products

Hey There! Today I want to get a post up about all of my favorite lip colors for fall. With August ending and Autumn quickly approaching, I figured now is the perfect time to to post this so if you see anything you like you can run out and get it and feel well prepared for fall. Also, I find that Fall (as well as Winter) are the best months to take advantage of lip colors because it isn't so dreadfully hot that you have to keep it light and minimal in fear of it literally melting off your face.
Personally, I prefer deep and dark colors much more than nude or subtle colors. I tend to wear very minimal eye make up so I like to play up my lips a lot. Also, with a lipstick collection as extensive as mine, I might as well get as much use out of all of it as possible. So lets dive right in and talk about some of my favorites!

The first color I want to talk about is not featured in my swatches because I've actually been wearing it these past few days. I picked this up last winter and was devastated when the hotter months got here because I wasn't ready to put it away for fall. It's still summer and I cannot wait any longer; I've decided to just start wearing it during the lead up to Fall because I cannot contain myself any longer. I think this color is great for this awkward transition period because it is a deep plum color, but it isn't too dark or too pigmented to wear you look scary

Revlon Sugar Plum

I ADORE this color. It would look great on anyone. This is my number 1 fall recommendation for lipstick.

Now for the rest of them...

Mac Lipstick "Rebel"

Mac Lipstick "Viva Glam III"

Mac Lipstick "Up The Amp"

Mac Lipstick "Twig"

Revlon Lip Butter "Red Velvet"

Revlon Lip Butter "Fig Jam"

Clinique Almost Lipstick "Black Honey"

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain "Crush"

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain "Honey"

Mac Lipglass "Russian Red"

Revlon Colorstay Lipgloss "Sun Baked"

It's pretty clear I like to gravitate towards the darker neutrals and plum colors for fall (I prefer to save reds for winter, with the exception of the Mac Russian Red Lipglass). Out of all these, I wear Revlon Lip Butter in "Sugar Plum" and Revlon Balm Stain in "Crush" the most, the literally live in my purse in the fall. I think glosses are a fun for days when you wear your hair in a high pony to give a really polished look. Also, the great thing about fall is that deep lip colors work really well on a variety of skin tones and they can be much more wearable than bright reds and pinks. The drug store has many wonderful options so go check some of these out!

BIRTHDAY GIFT EXTRAVAGANZA!

On Wednesday, July 31st,  I had my very big, much anticipated, 21st birthday! It was all very exciting, I'm one of the last of all my friends to turn 21 so it was fun to get everyone together and just hang out and have a good time. My friends and family did a really amazing job with gift this year, as they are every year. There was nothing that I needed but I honestly got everything I could ever hope for, plus more! I am so grateful and lucky to have such wonderful people in my life. I thought I would put together a post to show some of the gifts that I got and details on things that I've tried out so far. I don't want this to come across as "bragging" in anyway, I just thought it may be fun to share =]

I totally adore this card I got from my Aunt, it literally is so perfect! I think any girl could agree that this car would be perfect and that cars nowadays are just not adequate. (As I was reading this card, I was really wishing my car air vents hit my wet nails just a litttttle bit better)

My friend, Tiffany, does the most awesome job wrapping gifts, look how gorgeous these are!!

These cupcakes look absolutely precious, but they tasted even better if you can believe it! Thanks, Tiffany

My gift from Sephora. I'm excited to try out that "Watts Up!"

My brother did exactly as instructed and went to the MAC counter and picked up "Saddle" (as I had asked) and surprised me with "Vex", a gorgeous Silver with a pink and olive shift/duochrome. He also bought me a new empty 15 shadow palette because my other one was full. Thanks Bro!

My other wonderful Aunt surprised me with these Muji acrylic drawers for make up storage in my room. She also bought me a back up Nars "Laguna" bronzer, because mine is looking awfully sad and empty, The Urban Decay "Naked Basics" (yay! I wanted this really badly), and a MAC lipstick in "Up The Amp", which is a really unique lilacy-purple color. I can't wait to work with it!

Tiffany, my really good friend, bought me this precious box that says "Happy Girls are the Prettiest", which I adore and will fill up with stuff and keep on my vanity. She got me a hand sanitizer with a little orange kitten on it (because I have two orange kittens that I'm in LOVE with), Essie Nail Polish in "DJ Play That Song" and "Bottle Service", Mac eyeshadow in "Free to Be", a beautiful matte peach color (my favorite color of all time to wear), and Mac lipstick in "Candy Yum Yum". And also, I forgot to show the Illamasqua blush in "Chased", but it's a really pretty pink color! I love it.

I actually wore Candy Yum Yum today and it is AMAZING. If I can give you any advice on wearing it, it would be Do Not Be Intimidated, it is actually extremely wearable, does not make teeth look dingy, and is really unique. It would work on a huge variety of skin tones. 

My great friend Sarah gave me that gorgeous Butter London Nail Polish in the shade "Kerfuffle", and the glitter by ULTA next to it. I can't wait to pair those two polishes together, I think it'll look great. She also gave me an EOS lip balm, which is one of my favorite kinds.

My other amazing friend, Lindsey, gave me a Sally Hansen Nail Polish in a gorgeous Pinkish-lilac color. It is really unique and totally my type of color. It's also called "Punch Drunk", which she said she put a lot of thought into getting since, after all, it was my 21st birthday. 

Lindsey also gave me this HUGE wine glass that is festively painted with balloons and champagne bottles saying "cheers" and "Happy Birthday". It is seriously so adorable, I have it displayed on my dresser. 

 My mom really surprised me with this lovely Viva La Juicy Perfume and Body Lotion set. This one was actually really great because it also came with a rollerball perfume that has two of the Juicy scents, Viva La Juicy and also Viva La Juicy La Fleur. They both smell INCREDIBLE. I am a huge fan of the original Juicy perfume, but I'm really enjoying these too. Viva La Juicy is quite sweet, but not like Cotton-Candy-Carnival-Toddler sweet. Viva La Juicy La Fleur is very floral, but also very young and fresh smelling. I really recommend both of these scents!

My Mom and Dad both surprised me with this beautiful Michael Kors Rose Gold watch that I've literally been drooling over for about 2 years. It is simply gorgeous and quite elegant, I've gotten a lot of complements on it so far whenever I wear it out. 

Along with a really awesome San Francisco Giants shirt, Chad's (my boyfriend) mom got me these delightful Melaluca Body Butter and Sugar Scrub. I love sugar scrubs and use them almost daily on my dry skin and I use body butter every day, I prefer it over lotion. These guys smell like a tropical island on your body. It is amazing.

I also, as you probably remember, bought myself a new Nikon Camera as a birthday gift to myself. I also received a really thoughtful photo album filled with photos of me with all of my friends. Chad got me a really awesome Steve Madden Purse that is a cream color with gorgeous blue accents to it, as well as my tickets to see John Mayer. He always does really well with gifts and picking out purses that I like. 

I just wanted to say thank you everyone who made my 21st birthday so special! You all mean so much to me and I am so grateful to know you. 

Purse Staples: MAC "Oyster Girl"

I want to start a new "Purse Staple" series where I talk about things that are must haves in my purse. I figure what better way to know what my favorite every day items are then talking about what I must have in my purse at all times

It is no secret that MAC has some beautiful products, I especially love their blushes, eyeshadows, lipsticks, and lipglass (one of their several forms of lip gloss). In fact, the very first thing I ever purchased from MAC was their Lipglass in the color "Oyster Girl; it is described as a Freshwater Pink. I do not find that description to be very helpful; I would describe it as a cool toned iridescent pink with a warm golden shimmer. It really is unique, and I distinctly remember a friend of mine in 7th grade putting it on and I remember wanting it so badly. I was obviously pretty young and had no buisness spending any sort of high dollar at a cosmetic stand, but I was determined.

It you've never used a Lipglass before, you should be warned that they are quite thick and sticky. A sticky lip gloss tends to hold and stay on better, and the thickness makes the color quite opaque. I now own several Lipglasses by MAC and I have to say, after the many years that have gone by, I recently repurchased "Oyster Girl" and love it even more now than I did 8 years ago (it may even be my all time favorite!). It truly is a unique color and I would argue that it would be a tough one to dupe. I like it because it is quite neutral but not nude, as I am not a huge fan of wearing a nude lip. I find it wonderful on it's own, but also gorgeous layered over lipsticks. For this reason, it is most definitely a Summer Purse Staple!

I have especially loved layering it over cool toned lipsticks. I find that the coolness of the Lipglass mixed with the golden shimmer in it really makes my lips look much fuller. It also makes my cool toned lipsticks take on a whole new color. I find that this Lipglass is very versatile because it can make a lipstick look like a new color while still remaining similar to the original color. I haven't tried it over many warmer toned lipsticks, but I can't wait to experiment with that.

Oyster Girl On it's own

Oyster Girl over Maybelline
Color Whisper "Oh La Lilac"

*My favorite
Oyster Girl over MAC "Pink Nouveau"

I think "Oyster Girl" would look gorgeous on any skin tone and that if you are new to make-up you should definitely give this a try when you're wondering what to buy at the MAC counter. It is just absolutely gorgeous!

Quick Tip: A Lipglass is gorgeous all over the lip, but it can also be worn just in the center to make lips appear fuller. Just a small dab in the center of your bottom lip can make lips look fuller and lipstick more comfortable to wear (especially a matte formula). 

Bronze, Baby, Bronze!

It is no secret I have an obsession with bronzer, I love to bronze my face and create a luminous look that is also flattering because it helps shape the face. 

For the Fourth of July, I wanted to do a really bronzy-tan face with red lips. I knew I would be outside all day and I wanted my face to look golden and sun-kissed. Many of my friends were asking how I made myself look so tan so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite products with you!

 

(that's my boyfriend Chad, we like to match).  

I didn't even think to take pictures that really captured the look, but this is one that we took together, and I like it and look for any excuse to post pictures to my blog.

• Mac Pigment in "Tan",  I love mixing a little bit of this pigment into my foundation. I find it looks amazing in my Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua, which gives the skin luminosity without being heavy at all. 
• Nars Bronzer in "Laguna", this is absolutely no surprise if you've read any of my previous posts. It is not completely matte, but it's most definitely not shimmery. It looks fabulous all over the face and I love that I don't have to be extra cautious when applying it.
• Tarte Mineral Bronzer in "Hotel Heiress", I like this bronzer a lot. I always have one in stock in my collection (I actually snagged one up on my Hautelook app for only $10!). It is a little bit more orange, but certainly not like, ORANGE! It looks really great all over the face, especially on days when you want to skip on blush. 
• Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in "Aruba". This is a shimmery bronzer, but it looks especially great on the cheek bones. I like to wear it with tinted moisturizers as a blush. This is a product that anytime I wear it (especially if I haven't worn it in a while), I get several compliments and people want to know what I'm wearing on my cheeks. I think it would also look great over a more matte bronzer.
• Mac Sheertone Shimmer Blush in "Trace Gold",  this would look AWESOME on people with a darker skin tone than me. If I don't want any color on my cheeks, I wear this instead because I like the glow that it gives the apples of my cheeks. It's also wonderful for layering over other blushes. This is a really great blush for any collection because I do feel that it is very versatile. 
• Mac Lustre Drops in "Sun Rush",  this is a new product for me, but when I saw it, I knew I needed it. It's like liquid gold, for your face! I apply it with a thick dome top Kabuki brush from the back of my hand and apply it as a highlight around the apple of my cheeks. It also looks nice under the brow bone instead of using a white highlight. I'm still playing around with this product so, stay tuned ;-)

I find that just as important as bronzing the face is, it is equally important to highlight! My absolute favorite highlight is by The Balm Cosmetics called "Mary-Lou Manizer". I've never loved a highlight or felt the need to use one, but after using this one, I cannot leave the house without highlighting my face. It really is flattering, especially if you do it correctly (and lightly!) I really recommend this product, and it is another item that can sometimes be ordered for discount on Hautelook. 

DUPE ALERT: Mac vs Maybelline

The new, hot buzz in the drug store are the Maybelline Color Tattoo Pigments. Everyone loves the beautiful Color Tattoo cream shadows that Maybelline released a few years ago so of course these new pigments are going to cause quite a commotion. Also, lets be honest, who doesn't love a good pigment?

For those of you who may not be familiar, Pigments are a highly opaque color powders that can be used for multiple purposes. I mainly use pigments as eyeshadows, but they can also be used as a highlight, bronzer, blush, and in some cases, maybe even a lip color. The other awesome thing about pigments is you can use them wet or dry; each of these techniques give a unique look to the pigment. When it is dry, it is beautiful and shimmery, but when it is wet it looks more seamless and foiled...Gorgeous!
I cannot resist a good pigment, in any way, shape, or form. I got hooked on the Mac Pressed Pigments for awhile and semi-recently got addicted to their loose pigments. Up until now, I haven't seen a true Pigment product in the drug store.
Then came Maybelline...
I love that they released a line of 12 shades, that is a fairly large selection and it is bound to grow in due time. I only picked up one shade because as soon as I saw it, I immediately thought it could be a dupe for Mac's much loved "Melon" pigment.
"Melon" pigment by Mac is a true fan-fav. It has a very unique shift to it that is very golden, while it is a peach shade. It's absolutely gorgeous and would look fabulous on any skin tone.
I saw the packaging of the Maybelline Pigment in "Breaking Bronze" and it had the same golden-peach color that is found in "Melon" so I started to wonder if someone finally made an affordable dupe for the beloved shade.

The color on the outer packaging make the products look like a very similar color, so I had to dig in deeper. (Also, please excuse the shadows in this picture, I was so eager to get this post up that I did not have the patients to work for better lighting).

                                                
Once I opened the containers, I realized that "Breaking Bronze" by Maybelline was not the same color as the packaging had lead on. It appeared to be a Golden Bronze color, while "Melon" is a Golden Peach color. So these products are NOT an exact dupe for each other.
Continuing on to swatching...
I did a swatch of both of these pigments dry and wet. Both performed the same way in both cases, they are both fantastic pigments. Both are highly shimmery, so if you are planning to use them in other places than just your eyes, be very, very, sparing.

While the shades are different, they are still very similar so if you cannot afford to spend over $20 on a pigment, these are the first one's I would send you to

(Photo of both pigments dry: Left is Mac "Melon", Right is Maybelline "Breaking Bronze")

                                                                           

I was definitely skeptical to see if the Maybelline Pigment would preform as nicely as Mac pigments do when applied wet, and I was very impressed! Both apply so smoothly and have a gorgeous shimmering effect. I don't think there is anything more beautiful than a wet pigment on the lids, I really don't.
(Photo of both pigments wet: Left is Mac "Melon", Right is "Maybelline "Breaking Bronze")

Over all I give this product a perfect 10! I cannot wait to go a try out more of these Maybelline Pigments in more colors. I would love to try the pink shade they have in "Pink Rebel" on the lips with a clear gloss over top. I've never used a pigment as a lip color but have always been curious. 

I also plan on picking up the shade "Barely Brazen" and trying to mix in the tiniest amount with my foundation for a highlighted glow. Often times, I mix my Mac "Tan" pigment into my foundation if I want to look bronzed and glowing.

And the very last color I plan on picking up (which, I'll admit, I totally overlooked at the store and thought "why would anyone buy a plain black pigment?" is "Black Mystery". The mystery is apparently that the packaging does not reveal that there is a teal shade mixed into the black; how gorgeous does that sound?! I think any of these pigments could be combined with one another to come up with your very own, unique shade. 

I found my Maybelline Color Tattoo Pigment at target for $5.95

Mac Pigments retail for $21.00

Has anyone tried any of the other shades? What do you think about them? What colors would you recommend?