My MAC Collection - Beauty Powders, MSF's, and More

I thought it was about time for a new post in my MAC collection series, and sorry for sounding a little arrogant but this one was worth waiting for. I've really enjoyed having a play with this little lot, and I've definitely rediscovered a few forgotten gems. So what's this post about, my MSF,s, my Beauty Powders, my blusher kits, loose cheek colours, and some more blushers :) - basically cheek colour porn!

We'll start Mineralized Skin Finishes - I have 6 of these, well actually 7 I have a back up of Lightscapade :) but I have to say these 3 are my favourites and probably the ones I use most often

From Left to Right - By Candlelight, Lightscapade and Porcelain Pink - These are definitely my 3 favourites and I tend to wear these for highlighting etc. at least 80 percent on the time. I do own 3 others but I definitely haven't shown them as much love as I should, maybe now is the time to step out of my comfort zone - From Left To Right - Redhead, Semi Precious Rose Quartz, and Petticoat

I probably should have included this next item in my blusher post, but I've put it here instead, it is in fact the only Mineralize Blush, that I own, and I'm sure if you've read my blog for sometime you'll know which one it is...

Moon River of course, originally released with the Grand Duo's collection, this is one of my go to, shimmery winter blushers, the lovely icy pink / peach looks especially lovely on my skin when I'm pale. As you can see I've made a bit of a dent in this one, but no need to panic I have a back up :)

This next item of beauty is a Blush Ombre, I know these were much talked about when they were  originally released in 2010 as part of the Spring Color Forecast collection but it wasn't Ripe Peach that I went for, instead it was Azalea Blossom

This blush has the most amazing texture it is so smooth and velvety, I love the colour too, an icy purple and a gorgeous pale, mix together to create the most amazing blue toned pink, again a really nice colour to use on my skin in the winter months x If you love this blush, you'll be pleased to know that it is set to make a reappearance next year in the MAC Daphne Guinness collaboration :)

Perhaps one of the most popular and released cheek products in the MAC range, has to be Beauty Powders. I have quite a few of these mainly in limited edition designs and limited edition packaging, dare I say it though they all seem to be in very similar colours - whoops! First up the Beauty Powders from MAC Venomous Villains

From Left To Right -  Oh So Fair, Briar Rose and Her Own Devices, I probably use Briar Rose the least, but it's such a pretty pink I definitely need to show it some more love x  Next two more Beauty Powders in limited edition packaging

                                     

                                     

On the left, Shell Pearl from Give Me Liberty Of London and on the right, Pretty Baby from Hello Kitty. These look quite similar in the picture but they are a little different in real life Shell Pearl is a peach tone with lots of gold pearl, and Pretty Baby is more of a soft nude pink, with a tiny bit of gold shimmer. If I'm being honest I don't use this Pretty Baby that often, I know I'm sad but I don't want to ruin the Hello Kitty design. Finally 2 Beauty Powders that aren't in limited edition packaging, but like Pretty Baby they do features an embossed design

 I have to be honest and say that some Beauty Powders aren't the most pigmented, and this is particularly evident here. On the left is Blush Of Youth from Rose Romance, it's a gorgeous pale pink shade but the pigmentation is so bad you have to almost scrape it to get some coverage. On the right is Alpha Girl, I got this one from Fashion Flower so you can see the lovely floral, embossing on the powder, again the pigmentation isn't great but its a lovely peachy, coral shade.

Now for a few of the miscellaneous cheek products I have, first up an Iridescent Pressed Powder

                                      

Originally released with Fafi For MAC, Verve-Acious, is lovely yellow gold with loads of sparkle in it. Despite all the glitter and sparkle I'm surprised at how much of this I've actually used. It's really pretty but it isn't really something you can wear in the daytime, it's just a bit too glittery for that.

Speaking of sparkles and glitter, I also own the MAC Hocus Focus Colourful Face Kit, part of the 2009 Holiday Collection.

From left to right this kit contains, Pretty Baby, and Sunsparked Pearl Beauty Powders, and Peachykeen Powder Blush. This kit has some really nice shades in it, and it's one I use quite a bit, oh and this is the Pretty Baby I use so I don't destroy my Hello Kitty design :)

From pressed powders to loose ones starting with something long discontinued, a Pearlizer Sheer Pigment from the 2005 Belle Azure collection

Hundered Degrees Pearlizer is something I had forgotten about, but I'm really glad to have rediscovered it, it's a gorgeous champagne, pink shade great for highlighting eyes or cheeks.

Finally a product that can be used either as a highlighter, or as a finishing powder, Magically Cool Liquid Powder

I originally purchased this from the Venomous Villains collection, but I believe it's now a permanent item. The colour I have is Truth and Light, a sheer neutral with a subtle silver and pink shimmer. I predominantly use this as a very light highlight but you can also use it as an all over finishing powder for a glowy, healthy finish. The formulation is a bit of a gimmick to be honest but it is nice and cool applying it in the summer. I've heard a few stories about the cool effect wearing off when the tub has been open a while but I've had mine for over a year now and it's still fine, I think the key is not to dispense too much product at once :)

So that's the rest of my MAC cheek colour collection, quite substantial I'm sure you'll agree, if I'm being honest I don't think I really need anymore, in fact I've even started to buy pretty similar colours which is always a bad sign. What do think of my collection and is there anything missing from it ? Please let me know in the comments :) The next post in My MAC Collection series, will also be a Nail Polish Collection post, so guess that I'm looking at ? yes nail varnish lol, that will hopefully be up next week xx

Holiday Haulage - You've Guessed It Picture Heavy

OK Guys
It's the holiday post you've all been waiting for, the haul :) -I have to say I was a lot more restrained than I'd planned to be - I looked, sniffed and swatched but I only ended up getting a few things in duty free and on the plane - first up I got a  perfume on my flight, and one from my wish list - Marc Jacobs - Daisy Eau So Fresh

After having a few samples of this I've wanted this since it came out - a twist on the originally Daisy, Eau So Fresh has less of the violet notes and is a lot fruitier, and the bottle is gorgeous

Right on to duty free make up, first up something I had wanted the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadows, I had a few colours on my wishlist but they only had two left Fantasme and Emerveille, I wasn't keen on Fantasme, so Emerveille it was

The texture of these is gorgeous quite similar to the L'Oreal Color Infaillable shadows but a little bit more creamy Emerveille is a gorgeous champagne / peach colour love it :)

I love these shadows and Epatant and Illusoire are definitely on my list - can anyone confirm that these are going to be permanent?
I also picked up a few bits from Newcastle Airports Accessorize, including this sterling silver and freshwater pearl bracelet which was just £3.00 in the sale

and I also got one of the baked eyeshadows from my wishlist which were just £4.00 :) The one I got was Moon Dust

As well as the perfume I also bought a Tangle Teezer on my Thomas Cook flight

So far so good with this one it was great for getting the salty tangles out of my hair whilst I was away

I only bought a couple of bits in Larnaca duty free -if I'm being honest it wasn't that cheap most things were about the same price if not a tiny bit dearer in the case of the Chanel :( I did pick up a cream shadow though from Bobbi Brown

I went for the Metallic Long-wear Cream Eye Shadow in 12 Black Pearl

For the first time ever I found I could actually play on a Bobbi Brown counter without interruption these are a really nice cream eyeshadow and they last Black Pearl as you would imagine is very dark grey / black with lots of metallic silver shimmer in it very pretty

I definitely want at least one more of these Moonstone looked especially gorgeous.

Finally in Larnaca duty free I picked up an eyeshadow I'd wanted for ages, in face I was actually super surprised I didn't already have it - the shadow in question MAC Satin Taupe

It's a really pretty and useful shade and I honestly don't know why I've never bought it before, so I am really happy to have it now x
So that was my duty free and in flight hauling what about in resort? well unsurprisingly the prices had rocketed you went to the till in any shop with a couple of things and before you know it you'd spent 12 Euros still I bought a few things and as per usual it was mainly jewellery - first up bracelets and bangles

These gummy bracelets are so cute you can't see it too well here but they have little bead charms, and silver tone sentiments like love, wish and dream

Next up earrings :)

A ring

and finally a necklace

I only got a few beauty things in resort including these two items from a brand called Ludanmei. they are labelled as eyeshadows but they are huge, and I really think they will be great multi use products as blushers and highlighters

I also got a little pack of nail stickers in pretty daisy designs

If you like nail stickers keep checking back I will be devoting a whole post in my Changing Your Nail Polish series to using nail stickers x
Finally I picked up my usual Cyprus purchase a bar of the locally made Olive Oil and Jasmine soap which I absolutely love :)

So they were all my holiday purchases but I did come home to a few parcels 2 of which were expected and 1 which was a nice surprise. First up an ickle bitty MAC order from the new collections - I ordered a grand total of 1 item - can you guess what it was?

Yes it was Lightscapade - I really love this MSF it's such a great highlight shade for the winter months for me
and since it's been so long since it was first released I knew I needed a back up

So that was the MAC but I also got another parcel from US ebay - the beautiful Zoya nail polish in Yara

Such an amazing green / gold I am super happy with this :) Finally I received this little box in the post which was a total surprise

Before I went away I entered a competition on the Garnier site to win a full sized BB Cream and I was one of the 1000 lucky winners - I'm super excited to try this I got the light which is a bit too pale at the moment but once the tan goes I'll be giving it a go.
So that was my holiday haulage - if you have any questions or you would like to see any reviews on any of the cosmetics items please let me know xx