Review: MAC: Easy Lounger & Beach Bronze

Today was the official launch date for MAC's To the Beach collection. I placed an order a few days ago online. But three things I wanted were out of stock already. (Everything but Marine Life was available last night. I don't know about now.)

I went to my MAC counter today, just to pick up Easy Lounger Lip Glass and look at Marine Life in person. My MAC counter still had everything in stock, I didn't ask how long they had been selling, or if anything was close to be gone.

I heard many complaints about how the packaging looks so cheap and tacky. I love it. That green is one of my favorite colors. The orange is okay. I've only been into MAC makeup since February. None of the collections since appealed to me, so I'm getting kind of sick of all my Black packaged make up. I love the details, it is attached, not a sticker, (were other collections stickers?) just because it's beach related.



The first time I ran across the collection online, I KNEW I wanted the Marine Life high light powder. I would've ordered it online a few days ago if it wasn't out of stock. I swatched it at the counter, it was a gold peachy-coralish blush. Not a high light powder. I wasn't sure what I what use it for, a blush, obviously, but I didn't really find it too useful. I may pick it up later on in time just because it's so pretty. But I don't understand why it's a highlight powder.

So I ended up with a Cream Bronzer instead, Beach Bronze. Weekend may have better suited my tan skin tone, but I just didn't like the orange tint to it. I had no intentions of getting any of the bronzers or blushes.

I've never tried a cream bronzer, or even a cream blush. So i'm not sure how it really compares. Other reviews say the consistency is better than MAC's cream blushes. It really does blend easy. It's very light weight and satin feeling. Staying power was pretty good. I didn't notice I need to reapply until about 7 hours later. (I just used my fingers, bad, I know. What brush are you supposed to use with this?)

I know I compare everything to my Mineralized Skin Finish (MSF), but I can't help it. It apparently all starts to look the same. hah. Plus I use MSF as my foundation, so when the colors are the same, I'm afraid it won't show up.

In the container, they do kind of look similar (more so in person than the camera, flash made a difference.)

But in swatches and application, the bronzer is darker, not by much, I did kind of layer it on to get the color I wanted. It doesn't have much shimmer in it at all, which is good, I don't want a shimmery face, that screams "I have bronzer all over me!"



Overall, I'd say get this product. It look better if you have a fair-light medium skin tone. It's great for on the go. Easy, fast application. Good staying power. It could probably even double as an eyeshadow. Great for throwing in your purse, you won't have to worry about it breaking.

Easy Lounger, all of the lip products I'd love to try except for fun bathing (i think? the darkest plum lipstick.. ick.) I wanted Easy Lounger first, yet it was sold out online when I placed my order.

So I didn't even really look at it at the store, I just told the lady I wanted it and she threw it my back. When I got home I realized it really reminds me of Love Nectar.



Easy Lounger has a bit more sparkles and Love Nectar is more peach-ish. They're different, but they really remind me of each other. Easy Lounger is the color of my lips, so no color at all. It feels stickier for some reason to me? Idk. Maybe I'm weird? hah. I'll probably just use this for toning down dark colors.

Overall, I'd say skip this and go for one of the other two shades. Especially if you own Love Nectar.

-Kaitlyn

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Review: Goody Spin Pins

I see the commercial a couple times a day, if you haven't seen it, watch it here. I knew I wanted to try these out. I checked my local Wal*Mart a few times, and never saw them. I kind of forgot about them until I watched Emily's Review, I knew I wanted them again. I almost ordered the set from Goody online, but I didn't know much shipping would be, plus I only really wanted the spin pins.

I love most Goody hair products, so I doubted they could let me down with this.

The idea is to create a bun with no elastics, no bobby pins. In fact, it is supposed to do the work of 2o bobby pins. I'm not sure if that is 20 per spin pin, or 10 per spin pin?

Have you ever tried to put your hair in a bun with only bobby pins? I did one day, I stopped when I had about 30 bobby pins in my hair and it went no where. Even when I told my hair dresser I wanted a bun for a dance, she put half of my hair in an elastic and then pinned the rest because she knew it was likely impossible.


(^Click the picture to enlarge. Top middle picture from Google, the rest of them are my own.)

I went to the mall and ran in the Wal*Greens across the street, I got the last package of them, they were blonde color, and the box was pretty beat up, but I was tired of searching and got them.

My long, thick, hair, I was a little worried if it would really do the job. I followed the directions (spin one in from the top, one in from the bottom, counter-clockwise), got them in. It was a super messy bun, it fell down within 20 minutes. I was disappointed. Suddenly I realized maybe I just need more. The work of only 20 bobby pins is not enough for me!

The next day I went my local Wal*Mart, again, I picked up the last box, this time in the Brunette color. They also had the Modern up-do one, I may go back for it later. I haven't done any research on it yet.

The length is almost similar to a bobby pin, much wider though. And I wanted to compare the colors for you.

Next picture I wanted to show you my long thick, hair. If these can work for me, I highly believe they can work for anyone. (In case anyone was wondering.. that's my natural hair, nothing done to it. Only a little bit of So Sexy Wave Enhancing Spray, but I don't feel as if it enhances anything, I just use it for the smell.)

The messy bun is only two spin pins, only two of them just couldn't grab all of my hair. It fell out completely within twenty minutes.

Bottom left picture is 4 spin pins, obviously a much tighter bun. It lasted two hours, then I took them out, I'm sure it could've lasted longer. I put the spin pins in from top, bottom, and each side. There's so much warning about "do not interlock them!" I did on accident, it made my bun tighter, they still spun right out and didn't get caught.

The bottom right picture is when I got my hair done for a formal. My hair dresser put half my hair in an elastic, then put it in about 30-40 bobby pins, I went home, my hair was already started to fall out (an hour before the dance) so I shoved in another 10-20 bobby pins.) where were these spin pins months ago?!?

You can put a bun all over your head with these. This morning I went for a side, low bun. Again, 4 Spin Pins.


They spin out of your hair just as easy as you got them in.

I wish Goody would've made these exact ones, and then a thick and long hair one.. make the pins a little longer and wider so they could collect more hair. If you have super thin and short hair, you can probably get away with just using one of these.

This summer on the boat and by the pool, I'll probably just stick to elastics. These are more of a work place or night out hair tool.

Overall, I like the idea of them. It's not one of those products I think you should run out and get this moment. Elastics will do they job just fine and are much cheaper. (Oh at drugstores, Spin Pins (pack of 2) run around $6.) I read a review that this allowed someone to sleep in an extra 20 minutes? It still takes some time to get them in, not near as much as bobby pins would. Elastics are still a faster solution.

I like the product, I don't love it. It kind of annoys me I paid $12 since I have so much hair just to make my bun stay more than 30 minutes. I guess not everyone has long thick hair. I've only seen and read good reviews. They do what they claim to. If you only need one package, $6 is worth it.

Have any of you tried the Spin Pins?
What about the Modern Up-do?
-Kaitlyn

June 2013 Edit
I recently found these at the Dollar Tree for just $1! Check your local dollar store, if you never got around to trying these because of the price.


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Two Minute Smokey Eyes

(& Product Rave: MAC Greasepaint Stick in Zinc Zone

Every morning, I spend at least 5-8 minutes on my eyes. I slap on concealer, foundation, blush/bronzer, but really spend all my time on my eyes. Anyone else guilty?

Finally, for those running late/lazy mornings... a solution!

smokey eyes

First, I'd like to point out every morning I usually go for a smokey eye. Either a light silver & black smokey eye or a brown neutral one. (Depending if I'm wearing black or brown.) Occasionally, I'll throw in color. I bought MAC Greasepaint Stick in Zinc Zone for prom, I thought it was more silvery, yet it's just a dark charcoal.

One morning, in a hurry, I threw it on and lightened it up with two colors. Worked great. Only took about two minutes. I've been wearing it for the past three days, and have gotten quite a few compliments from random strangers.

5 colors (right) is my old smokey eye, which consisted of:
• Sephora White Nano Eyeliner in the inner corner.
• MAC White Frost in the inner third.
• MAC Silver Ring in the middle third.
• MAC Carbon in the outer third.
• MAC Shroom as a highlight.

3 colors (left) and bottom two pictures, new smokey eye, consists of:
• Sephora White Nano Eyeliner in the inner corner.
• MAC Greasepaint Stick in Zinc Zone apply to the whole lid.
• MAC Shroom in the inner half and highlight.

I guess using only three products and only blending once kills all the time.

I really wasn't totally pumped after I used the Greasepaint Stick the first time, but I'm glad I found a new love for it. (I went and purchased the brown one, Below Ground, today, I hope it works the same, I'll try it tomorrow!) Get your hands on one of these! (I'm pretty sure these won't be around forever since they're part of the Art Supplies collection?)

The only bad thing about the product is it creases, but can easily be fixed if you apply primer before. (I use Urban Decay Primer Potion.)

Oh and in case your wondering about eyeliner and mascara, I used:

Eyeliner:
• MAC Technakohl in Graphblack

Mascara:
• Clinique Lash Building Primer
• Clinique High Definition
• Benefit Bad Gal

-Kaitlyn

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