5 From MAC Cosmetics

March 28, 2015August 18, 2025 - Vicki 16 Comments

I have a very small MAC collection, but the products I do have I love & use quite a lot. There are lots of eyeshadows I would like to try, and I’m treating myself to them slowly. If you have any suggestions as to what products I need to try from MAC, I would love to hear them & let me know if you have any of the ones I mention.

MAC Pro Longwear Paintpot in Rubenesque – I have three paint pots & love them, they’re so easy to use, and I find these Mac ones last for ages without drying out. Rubenesque is a pretty burnt orange colour, It’s creamy and pigmented. I think it has a slight frosty look to it, and It’s so pretty. I often wear this alone all over the lid, I love how effortless cream shadows are to apply. It does make a perfect base under shadows too & acts as a primer so they wear longer & the colour is bold and doesn’t crease.

MAC Sharon Osbourne Duchess Eyeshadow Quad – I know this was limited edition, so I’m sorry, but I do love it & the four shades that are included in this quad are my perfect colours. I’ve included this quad because I do like MAC eyeshadows as a whole. I’ve 11 in total & they’re all great quality. I like that they have such a huge selection of colours and finishes plus the quality is always so good, so I think they are worth the price tag (not that they’re massively expensive).

But focusing on this Duchess quad, all four shades are lovely, pigmented and very blendable. They work well-worn together or alone & unlike a lot of palettes / quads, there isn’t one dud shade, they’re all beautiful. Embark is matte and slightly dry but still pigmented, Sweet Eyes & Sexy Eyes are Veluxe Pearl and Femme Fatale is a Satin finish. I travel with this quad quite a lot & really love the quality of the shadows & the neutral smokey eye looks I (try) to create.

MAC Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Sweet Heat – The quality of this shadow is so nice, it looks like liquid metal. The finish looks metallic, and you get amazing colour pay off. Sweet Heat is a peachy champagne colour with a super metallic finish. I like that this is a brightening colour & it stays pigmented all day without fading & you get no fall out either. You can use these Extra Dimension eye shadows wet or dry depending on how pigmented you want it to be. I love this eyeshadow & it’s a very pretty colour to wear all over the lid. This shade was from the Magnetic Nude Collection.

MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle – I use this highlighter all the time & it’s lasted ages, there is hardly a dent in it. I have to say, it’s such good value for money. It looks a little sparkly in the pan but don’t be put off, It’s not shimmery but adds a flattering luminous glow to the skin, it’s beautiful when the light hits & makes you look like you have had the best Summer holiday! The product is baked and so very finely milled, it never looks powdery or too over done just beautiful on the skin (just apply with a light hand & remember less is more). I love having this in my collection & it gets a lot of love.

Mineralize Satin Finish SPF 15 Foundation – Sadly this has been discontinued but I have a tiny bit left which I’m using sparingly. I just love the coverage & smooth finish it gives. It offers a light coverage and reminds me of the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in that its quite reflective (not shimmery). It gives the skin a fresh luminous finish and easy to blend the only downside is that it doesn’t last all day on my skin, I do need to touch up after 6 hours or so. As I said it is discontinued now but this is the only MAC Foundation I have liked up till now. This is in the shade NC25.

Let me know what Mac products you love, I do have some more to share with you, but I will save those for another post.

5 From Benefit Cosmetics

March 15, 2015October 19, 2016 - Vicki 17 Comments

I think Benefit is the brand I have used for the longest time (well over 15 years), I always have multiple products from them on the go at any one time. When I think of Benefit I think girly, quirky, quality and of course the best packaging in the beauty industry. Oh & no one does a product launch quite as well as benefit.

There are so many products I could talk about from Benefit but I have narrowed it down to the products I reach for most often from my collection.

Boiing Concealer £17.50 – I have repurchased this so many times,This stuff covers imperfections like a hero! I’ve used it for years and can always rely on it to cover redness, blemishes and dark spots. It stays in place a heck of a long time, this stuff is heavy-duty. It’s a full coverage concealer but it doesn’t look heavy on the skin, you can blend it in so it looks even and not cakey at all. The formula is creamy and I find it works best if applied to the skin with your finger and blended out with a brush. A little goes a long way so start with a small amount and build up if you need too. It’s available in 5 shades.

Moon Beam – Is a gorgeous golden apricot liquid highlighter, I either mix a few drops in with my foundation for more of a radiant finish or blend a little on to my cheek bones / brow bone for a pretty beachy glow. Moon Beam gives the skin a subtle iridescent glow. I have had my bottle for years (probably a little too long) but it lasts a really long time. Do you prefer Moon Beam or High Beam?

Stay Don’t Stray Primer £20.50 – This is a dual action eye primer so not only will it keep your eyeshadow in place but you can use it under the eye to keep your concealer put all day long and it works a treat. It gives my eyelids an even colour & is the perfect base on which to apply eyeshadow. Its love.

The newest addition to the Benefit line up is Roller Lash* £19.50 – I was always a fan of Bad Gal until this came along and now I’m a Roller Lash girl forever. Back in January I wrote all about the launch of Roller Lash if you’d like to have a peek. In a nutshell this is a mascara that will hold a curl, give your lashes definition and make them look fluttery. You will get no clumping, crispy lashes or flaky fall down throughout the day. I think with all Benefit mascara’s you either love them or hate them but I think this is a great addition to their mascara line up & it’s totally different to Bad Gal & They’re Real so if you haven’t already then give it a go.

Cheeky Sweet Spot Blush Tin £29.50. I’m a little sorry for including this as it was a Christmas limited edition and not available anymore, although all but one of the Box O’ Powders are still available to buy individually. This collection includes

Dandelion 4g – Ballerina pink brightening face powder with a hint of shimmer, Bella Bamba 5g – Watermelon pink laced with shimmering gold undertones, Sugarbomb 6g – 4 beautiful shimmering shades of peach, soft plum, pink and rose that swirl together to create a gorgeous blush, Hoola 5g – Matte bronzer perfect for a natural sun kissed look, Coralista 5g – Warm coral blush, Rockateur 5g – Rose gold highlighting blush and Watt’s Up! 1.5g – A delicate champagne glow that will give your cheeks a luminous glow. So a great mix of shades and finishes. I absolutely love the Benefit Box Blushes and think although quite expensive they last a very long time and the colour pay off and quality is worth every penny.

Let me know what your favourite Benefit Box O’Powder is & if you managed to snap up one of these tins at Christmas.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own

5 From Collection Cosmetics

March 6, 2015March 28, 2015 - Vicki 19 Comments

I thought I would start a new series on the old blog & over the next few weeks share with you 5 products from different brands. For week 1 I have picked Collection, I do own more than 5 products from this brand but these are the 5 products I have picked to share with you. Collection or Collection 2000 as they used to be known is a very affordable brand & I know most people know them for their Lasting Perfection Concealer & I must be the only person that doesn’t get on very well with that product. So that isn’t in my roundup.

Collection Cream Puff Lip Cream – In Cotton Candy. The colour is a pretty dusky rose pink which applies evenly and creamy on the lips. It feels moisturising & it dries to a velvet matte finish. Despite this being a matte finish it doesn’t feel drying at all & wears off the lips evenly after a few hours. Its pretty, cheap & it smells so good! Thats 3 reasons you should buy it, if you haven’t already.

Collection Work The Colour Lip Butter – In Perfect Plum This plum shade is really vibrant and is so easy to apply. I like that its not overly glossy and the formula doesn’t feel slippery or greasy on the lips. It wears really well on me & I think these are my favourite budget lip crayons, so affordable. I just hope they release a few more shades.

Collection 2000 Blush in the shade Trouble – This is a pretty pink blush with a slight shimmer. It gives your cheeks a flushed look and I love to wear it as a Summer blush. The blush is soft and the power feels very fine. I think it looks pretty on me when I have a hint of a tan. Have you tried any other Collection Blushes? I’d like to buy a few more if you have any recommendations.

Collection Big Fake Curves Mascara – I think we need to address the size of the brush first, its enormous & a very odd shape too. I found it quite hard to use at first & often it ended in me poking my eye (very painful). If you persevere its actually a pretty decent mascara. The formula is quite dry but it was easy to apply and made my lashes look long, full and fluttery. After a full day wearing this there was a a little flaking under my eye but nothing that would stop me using it. If you like big brushes that coat each individual lash to give you voluminous lashes then give this mascara a go.

Eyes Uncovered Nude Bronze Palette – I’m a neutral palette ADDICT (which I have confessed on here many times)! This Nude Bronze palette is beautiful and for an affordable brand the colours are pigmented and very good quality. I have swatched the 6 colours below & all apart from the first swatch (which is a very first light cream shade) have shown up pigmented and even. All the shadows have some shimmer in them, so if you want a more matte palette then the Nude Palette might be the one for you. The colours are easy to blend & have a little fall out but nothing that tapping your brush off won’t solve.

All three of these new palettes retail at £3.99 & I think that’s incredibly good value for money. If you have bought any of them let me know what one you went for & how you’re getting on with it.

Let me know what products you would recommend I try next from this brand & let me know if you have tried any of the products I’ve mentioned.

Favourite MUA Products

February 27, 2015February 10, 2018 - Vicki 5 Comments

I have quite a few MUA products in my collection & I find that on a whole their products are very good value for money. They have a really good selection of makeup, brushes & eyelashes. I have rounded up my favourite products from them & thought I would share them with you. I’d love to know what products you would recommend from MUA.

Undress Me Too Palette £4

I have a few of the MUA 12 pan eyeshadow palettes but this is my most used & loved. It has 12 neutral shades in and has been compared to the Naked 2 Palette, I don’t own that palette so can’t say if it holds up as a dupe but I love this palette. The packaging might feel a little cheap and plastic but it is thin and easy to travel with.You get some good mattes and a mix of metallic finishes and shimmers. I have never used the black shade but it is SO pigmented (it scares me). Every time I use this palette I can’t believe how little it cost. For £4 everyone should own this palette.

Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder £3

This reminds me so much of the Mac In Extra Dimensions Collection. I bought this powder not expecting much and it turned out to be a really pretty light pink highlighter. A little goes a long way so don’t use too much of a heavy hand. I put a little on the tops of my cheeks. It really is very pretty and for £3 everyone should have it in their collection.

Bronze Shimmer Kisses £3

This reminds me of the Soap & Glory Solar Powder (which I LOVE). It has 4 colours to swirl your brush in for that perfect bronze glow. I have even been using the lightest colour for a brow and inner eye highlighter too & the colours also work well as eyeshadows. It is a multi-use product in my opinion. Which makes them even better value for money.

MUA Powder Blushers

There are six of these to pick from & at £1 each they’re a bargain. I have four out of the six and I use them all the time. They are all pigmented, blend-able and really good quality. The packaging of these isn’t wonderful, don’t travel with them otherwise, you will end up with more product in your makeup bag than in the pan! I have seen that MUA has released Whipped Cream Blushers & they look gorgeous too!

MUA Baked Trio Eyeshadow in Chocolate Box £2.50

These are really pretty metallic shadows that can be used wet or dry. They are pigmented and easy to blend. You get a bronze shade, purple toned taupe and a burnt orange. I like all three colours and even after having this in my collection and using it a fair amount I still haven’t made a dent in any other the shades, they’re going to last me a very long time. The packaging is a little bulky & cheap but I think they have repackaged it to be more compact.

**MUA Sweet Sheen Lip Balms* £2**

These have been the newest addition to my MUA stash & I LOVE them. I have done a full review of them here. In a nutshell, they’re hydrating, glossy & give your lips a pretty wash of colour ideal for the warmer months. These are part of MUA’s new Spring collection.

Let me know what your favourite MUA products are & if you’ve tried any of the ones I recommend.

** MUA are giving you 10% off your order www.muastore.co.uk Just use the code MUALTB10 when you checkout. Valid until 04/03/15 **

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However , f I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

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