Although lately I've been a bit underwhelmed by MAC's usually extravagant limited edition collections I'm partially thankful - it has given me a bit more time to catch up on the products that the brand offers in their permanent line, and in addition to trying to build my MAC Eyeshadow palette, I've also taken time to dive a bit deeper into the lipstick offerings from the brand. I swatched out my MAC Lip Product Collection a bit over a year ago, so needless to say - it was ready for some updating!

Lipstick:


Amplified Finish =

Blankety - Ah, Blankety. If I had known how often I'd wear this, I would have purchased it forever ago. This is one of the most flattering nudes against my skin as it does have the pink tones to it but it is far from being too warm or too peach for my fair complexion. Because it has an Amplified finish, it is opaque and creamy and does not dry my lips in the least. This shade is definitely somewhere in my top 5 MAC Lipsticks - ever!

Cremesheen Finishes = 

Creme d' Nude (left) and Goddess of the Sea (right)

Creme d' Nude (left) and Goddess of the Sea (right)

Creme d' Nude - The internet beauty community is so torn on this shade - half fears it gives them the "zombie lips" while the other maintains this is a holy grail. Personally, I rather like it on my skin. I feel the translucence of it makes it a whole heck of a lot more wearable than shades such as Myth (which I still struggle to make work!).

Goddess of the Sea - Limited Edition. I bought this for the packaging, I'm going to be straightforward on that. However, I actually adore the shade and it is incredibly easy to work with.

Lustre Finishes = 

From left to right - Viva Glam Gaga, Viva Glam V and Patisserie 

From left to right - Viva Glam Gaga, Viva Glam V and Patisserie

Viva Glam Gaga - Limited Edition. I took the plunge and after a whole bunch of research, purchased this one eBay. I really was kicking myself for not getting this while in store, but I see the popularity in it. The Lustre formula makes it not too overbearing, but it still gives off great color.

Viva Glam V - This is the universally flattering lipstick. I've yet to see this look bad  on someone! If it don't know what else to wear, chances are that it's either this or Blankety.

Patisserie - I feel like this shade doesn't get talked about a whole lot, but it has become a staple in my collection. This is a darker take on nude pink without being too peach and almost has the slightest smidgen of brown in it. If you're looking for a good "office appropriate" shade, this is it.

Matte Finishes = 

From left to right, Dodgy Girl, Candy Yum Yum, Velvet Teddy and Kinda Sexy

From left to right, Dodgy Girl, Candy Yum Yum, Velvet Teddy and Kinda Sexy

Dodgy Girl - Limited Edition. There was no way I was going to allow myself to not get my hands on this one. It's a lovely lavender shade with enough pink in it to make it just a bit more wearable.

Candy Yum Yum - I Back2MAC'ed for this shade and in all honesty, I have a love hate relationship with it. The way it wears highlights any imperfections on my lips and they have to be in perfect shape to wear it. I should still try more to make it work though...

Velvet Teddy - I'm going to have to review this shade separately because it is just that incredible. This is literally the posterchild for why I like MAC's matte lipstick formula so much.

Kinda Sexy - Everyone says you need Kinda Sexy, but this one is literally so new that I haven't worn it yet (like earlier this week kind of new!). However, it swatches phenomenally - but also broke off in the tube when not in use. Hmm...

Retro Matte Finishes = 

From left to right; Ruby Woo, Punk Couture and Instigator.

From left to right; Ruby Woo, Punk Couture and Instigator.

Ruby Woo - The infamous Ruby Woo. I had to have it because it's a total icon, but Goodness Gracious! If you try to swipe this on your lips like a regular lipstick...your lips are going with it! I do love that it gives such a lovely, Pinup look to the lips and literally lasts forever, but be ready for it with some lip balm!

Punk Couture - Limited Edition. How can I not buy a lipstick called Punk Couture? While press releases noted that this and Instigator were Retro Mattes, they are nowhere near as dry as Ruby Woo.

Instigator - Limited Edition. This one lightens up a good bit on the lips, you think? It almost looks black in the tube. For a retro matte, this one was even creamier than Punk Couture.

Satin Finish = 

Viva Glam II

Viva Glam II 

Viva Glam II - This is one of my all time favorite nude shades...like up there with Blankety! Since this shade is a satin it feels nearly matte and is completely opaque. It has tones of nude and brown and mauve and I absolutely adore it!

Lipglasses = 

From left to right; Underage, Viva Glam I and Docile

From left to right; Underage, Viva Glam I and Docile

Underage - This is another shade I Back2MAC'ed for and I underestimated how pigmented it was! I was expecting this to be much sheerer than it is, but it makes a great layering shade.

Viva Glam I - Limited Edition, but still available on MAC's website. I think I can try to commit to Viva Glam I as my favorite MAC red, so I was so happy that this was released in a gloss as well. I'll wear this layered or without, it doesn't matter. I totally love this one.

Docile - Limited Edition, CCO find. I don't know how I managed to find this one at my local CCO but it just screams "me"! It is an incredibly wearable take on lavender when worn alone and really transforms depending on what you pair it with.

Kissable Lipcolour = 

Woo Me

Woo Me

Woo Me - Limited Edition, CCO find. When the Kissable Lipcolour range was released for the second time with the Shop MAC/Cook MAC/Whatever the heck that was MAC collection, I jumped at the shade Enchantee, and sadly overlooked this one. Carly from The Science of Chic was talking about this shade a while back and after seeing her wearing it, I had to have it. This is what bloggers do - we make each other buy things. I really like this kind of shade - as you can probably tell - it's kind of a neutral with depth.

Dazzleglass = 

Baby Sparks

Baby Sparks

Baby Sparks - Dazzleglasses are a pain to photograph! My camera couldn't really capture it, but Baby Sparks is a transparent warm, baby pink with purple and blue shimmers. For being a gloss with glitter in it, it is also surprisingly more comfortable to wear than I anticipated!

So apparently, this is going to have to be a yearly thing as I've added a whole lot to my collection since my first post!  What shades do you guys love from MAC? Let me know in the comments!

CoverGirl Colorlicious Lipglosses - Thoughts and Swatches

When I hauled these a couple weeks ago it was definitely a blind purchase. Literally no one was reviewing these yet - I don't know if we got them early here in Central Florida (yeah right, like that would ever happen...) - but I have a suspicion that nobody really reviewed them at first because it's quite possible that no one really liked them.

And man, did I really want to like these...

The display gave me high hopes. There is a decent color range - I'd like to say at least ten shades - and seem to cover all the bases; nudes, pinks, brights, reds, plums, etc. I wanted to get shades that were from different ends of the spectrum of the line so I chose;  Melted Toffee - which in the tube looked like a pale, neutral toned light beige nude, Give Me Guava - which looked like a beautiful neutral light pink with a nearly golden shift and Fruitlicious - which looked like a fuchsia pink with a blue shift to it. They look pretty intense in the tubes, right? Note how often in the color descriptions I chose the past tense for look...

This is why I nearly always look up swatches. What you see in the tubes is not the color you see on your lips...you'd need nearly half of the tube to get the color to look that intense in the first place!

These are quite sheer, but isn't a sheer gloss okay?  Absolutely - but at least give it a nice formula! Now these aren't sticky in the least, which people who abhor sticky glosses might appreciate, but the issue I have is that they are simply too thin too work with. I was expecting something a bit thicker, along the lines of the Maybelline Color Sensational High Shines or the Rimmel Stay Glossys (which are on the thinner end of the gloss spectrum, in my opinion) but these are much thinner. They also have such a strange, oil like consistency that just makes them slide around and they really don't adhere to the lips much. It's such a strange feeling - almost like I mixed color and olive oil and decided it was a lipgloss. 

Because of the texture of these, I didn't find them particularly drying but yet again, they hardly stick around long enough to tell anyway. The only decent use I've been able to get out of these - other than a quick trip to the grocery store or something of the like - was to use them to layer over lipstick. They're okay as layering glosses, but tend to make the product under them wear away a bit quicker - I think they're just too emollient. 

So how do I feel about these? In all honesty - a little bummed out. The wear time is dismal, the texture is strange and the color payoff is very lacking. While these are rumored to be in CoverGirl's permanent line, I've yet to see them listed on the brand's website and have seen them go on promotional sale (aside from a normal Walgreens or CVS sale) a good two or three times now. My thought is that they're not selling too well. I'd pass on these - they're prettier to look at in the tube than to actually wear.

Maybelline Limited Edition Color Elixirs in Luminous Lilac and Luxe in Lilac

I don't know what it is about this spring/summer so far, but I am so much more into lipglosses than I usually am. I'm usually just a total lipstick girl - and there's bonus points if it's a matte lipstick - but there's just something about the gloss formulas on the market right now (particularly in the drugstore) that has me converted...or at least more to a 50/50 ratio. My best guess? I think I'm liking the gloss/lipcolor hybrid craze.

The Maybelline Color Elixers are definitely not a range that I'm unfamiliar with - I've been hoarding them just a bit - but these two shades, along with another (the color I'm Blushing) that I'm interested in getting my hands on are part of the Bleached Neons collection for summer and are definitely shades that are right up my alley!

If you are unfamiliar with the Color Elixir line, these are a highly pigmented glosses with a cushion-y texture - they are marketed as being nourishing on the lips like a gloss would be. I very much like this formula because of the mix of the texture and the pigmentation. Across the board, from the lightest shades I have to the deepest, these all do have a great level of pigmentation. I was impressed with the texture of these because I usually equate highly pigmented glosses with a sticky texture (ahem, MAC?) but these are really incredibly comfortable. I also don't find these drying in the least on my lips, but I'm not entirely sure if they impart any extra moisture either. My lips aren't any worse for the wear after wearing these, however.

These do have a fragrance as well and it does have a bit of strength to it, but it's a fragrance that I enjoy - these smell like Honeysuckle to me which is a very nostalgic fragrance for me personally, I remember picking Honeysuckle with my grandmother when I was growing up! -  but if you're someone who is highly sensitive to fragrance, you may have difficulty with these. It doesn't linger much, but it has a decent strength to it when first applied. 

In the above photo, Luminous Lilac is on the left while Luxe in Lilac is on the right. Luminous Lilac is a very approachable take on a lilac toned gloss. In my opinion, this one is a very, very lilac toned pink rather than a true lilac, but it is a wonderful shade for a subtly lilac lip or a way to ease yourself into wearing lilac if it's something that intimidates you. This pairs with so many different looks and it's definitely become a staple for me. Luxe in Lilac is a touch bolder. It borders on the Radiant Orchid trend while still having a very beautiful translucency that makes it wearable for those, like myself, who are drawn to lilacs and other tones of purple. 

Overall, I'm really excited about these. I've been definitely reaching for these shades a whole lot, and I'm really interested in trying to get I'm Blushing as well! Color Elixirs are like potato chips for me, I can't just have one!

My Picks for Fall - Lipgloss!

I'm going to be real with you here - I live in Florida. It was about 90 degrees even today...and that's been the coolest its been thusfar this Fall. Fall and Winter are my favorite times of the year, but I feel cheated out of them.

However, as soon as September arrived I broke out the vampy lips, warm brown shadows and pretty much Pumpkin Spice, well, EVERYTHING. If the weather is nice and fall-y where you are, I ENVY you.

These are some of the glosses that I'm excited to rock this fall, regardless of the lack of cool weather!

I tried to break these up from lightest to darkest, for the most part!

Top Row, Left to Right - 

- MAC Deelight Cremesheen Glass - We all know I wear this all year round, everywhere and anywhere. Paired with a super sultry eye, it completes a great fall look. I had to include it, don't judge me...I have a problem. I've reviewed this here.

- Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Sunbaked - I'm quite fair, so this is a darker nude on me than most. Its a good transition from my lighter nudes for summer to my deeper nudes for fall.

- Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Erotic - What a name, huh? This is actually a plumping gloss that I'm usually feeling more for Christmastime, but I find myself reaching for it quite a bit already.

- Buxom Big and Healthy Lip Polish in Dolly - Another plumping gloss. It has a really understated mauve tone that is really flattering on top of my natural lip color. I've reviewed this here.

- Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Galaxy - Can we just call these Apocalips here in the USA too? Soooo much cooler than "Show Off". Either way, this is a lighter mauve berry shade with incredible opacity and I'm just in love.

- Milani Crystal Gloss in Sheer Dark Honey - If I need to darken things up without a full on vampy lip, this is my jam. I love it. Very sophisticated, but still has a slight goth-y tone to it which I'm all about.

- Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Lipgloss in Raspberry Reflections - I've had my gripes about the fragrance of these, but they really are great drugstore glosses as a whole...maybe why I keep buying them?? Raspberry Reflections is a "me" shade. Its not totally pink, but theres a good amount of purple to it. I've reviewed this here. Did I include this in my summer picks as well? Absolutely. Again, I have a problem.

Bottom Row, Left to right - 

- Clinique Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Voluptuous Violet - I received this in a kit a while back, which is why its double ended. Its a plummy shade without being too red.

- Hard Candy Lip Def in Midnight Strole - Yes, the spelling is driving me nuts as well. But we all saw this coming, right. Its purple. Perfect.

- Smash Cosmetics Lipgloss in Wine and Dine - These glosses are SUPER pigmented and I love the subtle shimmer this one has.

- Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Gloss in Chocolate Lust - I'm REALLY feeling the brownish burgundies lately, so I had to have this one. It shines over a liner or lipstick.

- Victoria's Secret Sweet Pout Gloss in Love and Confection - Very similar to MAC Rebel in gloss form. Great pigmentation and cute packaging. Because that matters to me..

So if you thought that was excessive, wait until you see my lipstick post! Just like I did for the summer, I'm going to make this into a series - keep an eye out for my picks for Lipstick, Palettes, Single Eyeshadows, Blushes, Nails and Fragrances soon!

Review - Maybelline Limited Edition ColorSensational High Shine Lip Gloss in Flash of Pink.

With all of these new collections along with all the indie shadows I've hauled lately, I'm feeling a serious "review-a-palooza" in the near future...which would be easier if my camera didn't trick me into thinking it was fixed. It is definitely SUPER frustrating because I just spent $30 on a brand new battery and that turns out to not be the issue. It still won't charge most of the time, so I'm wondering if its the cable? I actually got it to charge just as I sat down to write, but I'm terrified that if I move an inch it will change it's mind! - Looks like I'm sitting here for a while! Either way, I'm about 800% done with the whole thing. We'll probably be working with mobile photos for a while until I can figure it all out, but since my phone has such a decent camera, its not exactly a terrible thing. I'm playing with setting and lighting so hopefully that will all be copacetic soon.

The Maybelline Fall Fashion Week 2013 items that I hauled have for the most part been tested, so I hope to bust those out during the next few days! First is Flash of Pink - one of the most wearable items in the entire collection.

The ColorSensational Glosses are housed in a rectangular tube with a good amount of heft to it. It doesn't feel or look overly cheap. The labeling is minimalistic, but in the actual store you can tell if yours has been tampered with as there is a perforated plastic label. Also, when you pull the wand out of the tube the first time, gloss will be displaced into the top neck part, further showing you that it's brand new or swatched. Despite how giant it may look, there is actually only the same amount of product in this tube as a MAC Lipglass (0.17 fl. oz) and it retails for anywhere between $6.99 to $9.99 depending on where you shop. 

Flash of Pink is a pale, blue based pink with a bit of a lavender tone to it. When I saw it, I knew it was definitely a "me" shade. Think MAC Snob - thats the kind of color you're getting here. Maybe I should try it over MAC Snob...

The consistency is moderate - not super thick and sticky, but does have a bit of a weight to it. I've tried several of these glosses before and most of them have this texture. The shade itself only stained my lips very minimally - which this line normally does for me - but it wasn't anything like their deeper or brighter shades. The wear time of this shade was so-so; definitely not as longwearing as darker shades like Raspberry Reflections (reviewed here). The glossiness wore off after about an hour leaving a faint pink tint, but I had to reapply more often than I would have liked to keep it at the initial opacity. 

The thing that just rubs me the wrong way about these glosses is the flavor/smell. It is very strongly - I don't know how to describe it - almost like synthetic plastic passion fruit flavored and it does tend to linger. I take medications that happen to have side effects that make me quite nauseous sometimes, and I have to avoid these glosses by all costs when I'm having a bit of an episode with my medicine. By the end of the day today, the queasier I got, the more the fragrance bothered me. 

I'm not a stranger to this shade family, so its not all that much of a surprise that I had some similar shades in my collection already. On the far left is Flash of Pink, and right beside it is MAC Going Casual from the Lavish Rose Lip Set that was part of Holiday 2012. Going Casual is VERY similar - its just sheerer and a hair warmer. If you missed out on Going Casual and are kicking yourself because of it, you may very much appreciate Flash of Pink - I'd say they're almost dupes. On the far right is NYX Butter Gloss in Meringue - which is a little less lavender pink and a bit more opaque. They're in the same color family, but I wouldn't say they're dupes. 

Overall:

Pros - 

- Good color payoff.

- Medium texture - neither too thin or sticky.

- Unique shade in terms of drugstore availability.

Cons - 

- Strong fragrance.

- Short wear time. 

Overall, its definitely a shade that's up my alley. Lavender Pinks make me happy, and I felt that this shade was one of the most wearable shades for day to day from the NYFW Fall 2013 collection...even though we all knew I was going to partake in some purples! I'm going to try to get the reviews for the remainder of the collection that I hauled, so check back soon!

7/10

Smash Cosmetics Sample Haul!

Just in case you're not already dog tired of the indie brands on my blog these days, keep in mind that I have two more indie hauls on their way after this one. Its a newfound obsession of mine really, as I find that many indie brands have a lot more unique shades, formulas and textures to offer than your average corporately established beauty brand.

Smash Cosmetics is a small indie makeup brand that I found through another blog - Beauty Redefined by Pang, who recently posted a haul from them. The brand does offer very unique shades in terms of eyeshadows, but what really struck me is their extensive collection of lip products. I purchased the blogger review kit, so I was sent samples of 5 eyeshadows, 5 lipsticks and two glosses of my choice. Since I purchased something that was discounted for review purposes, I'm not sure if samples are included in regular orders.

I did not encounter any customer service issues with the brand - and since my order took a bit longer than is the standard for the brand, I received a discount off of my next purchase. The only thing strange about the order was  the shipping. I received an e-mail from the brand through Etsy saying that my order had shipped on August 20th and I received it today. I didn't contact the brand, as I knew that there would be a delay in shipping, but I don't know if the message was sent terribly early from Etsy or what. Regardless, I received my package in a timely manner in terms of what I'm used to across the board in the indie world.  Either way, the customer service was good regardless of the shipping oddity, and I'll most likely buy again.

Onto the swatches!

The pots with the circular white sticker on the top are eyeshadows, whole the ones with the heart are lip products - of course the full sized lip products aren't housed in these jars.

 Eyeshadows -

Left to right, these are; Grape, Sleeping Beauty, Muse, Deathstar and Medusa. I tried to get a unique mix of colors and I think I succeeded. I'm really loving Muse and Deathstar so far.

Glosses - 

These are SUPER pigmented. I was really surprised! On the left is Wine and Dine and on the right is Fetish. Very "me" shades, so I'm super excited.

Lipsticks - 

Since they were samples, I wanted to get some fun shades! From left to right, I have; Pale Mauve, Tainted, Hazen, Aurora and Dahlia. Pale Mauve and Aurora are super wearable on my skin, and I could probably pull off tainted as the weather cools down. I think Dahlia is going to be so fun though! The photo does not do it justice, but it does have purple shimmer to it!

I don't even know where to start. I'm really excited about the lip products, as I've only tried lip products from one other indie brand. I'm glad I chose such wearable shadow shades to, as I can see myself getting a good amount of use out of all of them. 

In the near future I have a BFTE haul as well as a Shiro Cosmetics haul, so if you're loving the whole indie cosmetics theme, keep your eyes peeled. BFTE should be here before we know it!

Review - L'Oreal Limited Edition Colour Riche Le Gloss in Short Shorts

There are times that occur when I'm blogging and I just have to sit back and appreciate a product's name. I'm sorry, but I just thought Short Shorts was just such an adorable name on L'Oreal's part, regardless of if it has anything to do with the shade to begin with! It made me giggle.

Short Shorts is a limited edition shade that is part of the Miss Candy collection for this late spring/summer. The collection itself is full of fun - and you probably guessed it - candy like hues to compliment the warmer months. Its definitely very cute! I have two of the eyeshadows from this collection that I will be working on getting reviewed for you guys ASAP!

The Colour Riche Le Glosses are a bit skinnier and longer than the average squeeze tube gloss. 

Short Shorts is a very sheer, milky lavender gloss. Over my natural lip color, it only looks ever so slightly purple, and the milkiness is somewhat apparent. When layered over a lipstick, it will lighten the color a bit, especially over vampier purple shades. This really sings over shades of a similar hue, such as MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2 and  MAC Lavender Whip.

In terms of wear time, this gloss is pretty much an average for me. It doesn't wear particularly longer than any other glosses, but it wears a good 2 hours without being sticky or completely fading. What I particularly liked about this gloss, as with the two other Colour Riche Le Glosses I own, is that they are fairly moisturizing on my lips. I feel like my lips weren't worse for the wear after wearing this all day and maybe just a touch more nourished than they would have been if I had forgone anything on my lips at all.

As with the rest of the range, Short Shorts has a strong, cupcake icing like scent and taste. It's quite apparent and takes quite some time to dissipate. While I didn't find it disgusting, I know that many people do not appreciate products with strong fragrances/flavors, so this is something to keep in mind.

Overall;

Pros - 

- Fun summer shade.

- Wearable take on lavender.

- Moisturizing properties.

- Fantastic layering shade.

Cons - 

- Strong fragrance/flavor.

I'm actually quite pleased with this shade - I didn't really expect to be. Short Shorts is definitely a color that I am drawn to and I'm impressed about the moisture it provided my lips.

8/10

Top 5 Picks for Summer - Lipgloss

Its been quite a week around here! Phew! I'm trying my goshdarn hardest to even have time to sit in one place for more than 5 minutes so I can get at least a tiny bit of blogging accomplished. Tomorrow doesn't look like it will be all too crazy, so expect me to bang out a couple reviews for you guys then. In the meantime, I need to go to sleep!

Staying with our top 5 theme, these are my Top 5 Summer Lipglosses!

From left to right these are;

- Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Gloss in Raspberry Reflections - This shade is a plummy fuchsia  that is nice and bright and fun. Will stain lips! I reviewed this not too long ago here.

- Lorac Lips With Benefits in Christian - This was part of the ULTA version of the Mint Edition Collection, and I reviewed the gloss after the palette. This shade is the perfect coral pink for my skin; basically because it is only a tiny bit coral. Very fun shade!

- Milani Crystal Gloss in Summer Baby - The name says it all, Summer Baby is a golden pink that is perfect for the warmer months! I reviewed this earlier this week!

- Clinique Long Last Glosswear in Bonfire - A deeper option than Summer Baby this one makes me feel summery and sultry at the same time. Mine looks a little different, as it has a rollerball of Clinique Happy (LOVE IT!) on the other side! The shade is available for purchase by itself.

- Milani 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss in Fashion Diva - This is a vivid violet shade with tons of glitter and is surprisingly wearable! I can tone it down for work and build it up for fun! It pairs very well with MAC Heroine!

For someone who doesn't wear gloss very often, I was able to choose these in a snap! I can't wait to get more wear out of these; c'mon summer!

What glosses are you guys wearing this summer?

Review - Milani Crystal Gloss in Summer Baby

As the weather starts to get a bit warmer, I find myself more drawn to shades that reflect the weather. I'm very much feeling peaches and golden shades as of late, but it's always a struggle to find ones that are flattering against my strongly cool toned skin. For this reason I've been finding myself reaching for shades that are accented with gold, such as this one.

In the world of glosses, it looks kind of tiny; but at 0.17 oz, it is actually the same amount of product as a MAC lipglass! No wasted packaging here! It also retails for a third of the price at $4.99, but you can most definitely find these cheaper if you search (I found mine on sale - at Publix no less!)

Summer Baby is like the essence of NARS Orgasm blush in a gloss. Its nearly spot on. Milani describes the shade as a "Gold Toned Peachy Pink", which is quite accurate. The shade is also said to be a dupe for MAC Nymphette, which is a big part of what drew me to it.

I actually really like the consistency to this product. It isn't too watery nor too sticky, but falls in a healthy medium that makes this comfortable to wear. I feel like the shimmer also helps it adhere a bit better than the average gloss, as I can get about 2 hours out of this shade.

The fragrance is strong - I don't get why Milani always does this. Its a very sweet, powerful scent and is basically spot on for vanilla extract. It isn't a terrible fragrance, but I can see it bothering some; especially those on medications (when my medication is bothering me, any highly fragranced product like this is out of the question!). It is, however, worlds better than the fragrance in their new lipsticks - which is nearly enough to turn my stomach.

Overall:

Pros:

- Great value.

- No wasted packaging.

- Good wear time for a gloss.

- Flattering and versatile shade.

Cons:

- Very strong fragrance.

I really actually do love this gloss; the shade is so summery, but still looks great against my skin. I have another from the range in Sheer Dark Honey, which is most definitely not your iconic springtime shade, and I'm considering other shades in the range.  It bears mentioning that these glosses are a pain in the tushie to get ahold of, and when you find a store that carries them, the one you want WILL be sold out. I'm still bitter, can't you tell?  Hopefully I'll have better luck locating Taboo and Cotton Candy.

9/10

My MAC Collection - Lips Edition.

MAC has seen such success because of two reasons; its quality (overall) and its large shade range. The brand is among my favorites and (as you will see) I am quite fond of their lip products.

So sit down, grab a cuppa tea and put your feet up; we'll be here a while.

Lipglosses - I photographed all glosses or gloss like products all together, as I don't have quite as many. They're slowly multiplying!

From left to right;

- Kissable Lipcolour in Enchantee (Limited Edition) - Enchantee is almost a liquid lipstick. Not super long wearing, but better than your average gloss. Given the color is beautiful, but I think the name really sold it for me!

- Cremesheen Glass in Deelight - Reviewed here. The one that started it all; this was my first MAC product. I'm almost out of it and I'll probably have to repurchase it in the upcoming months!

- Dazzleglass Creme in Demure (Limited Edition) - This (along with the next three) was part of the Lavish Rose Lip Set MAC released for Holiday 2012. This shade is among the most unique. At the surface, it looks like a milky, peachy pink gloss, but look closer and it has a lovely blue iridescent sparkle to it. Stunning!

- Cremesheen Glass in Going Casual (Limited Edition) - This shade is probably my ideal. Its a super cool toned pink with lilac tones to it. Very lovely.

- Cremesheen Glass in Colour Saturation (Limited Edition) - This shade packs a good punch! I like this either alone or layered with Rebel.

- Dazzleglass in Boys Go Crazy (Limited Edition) - There are so many things about this that I love. Its purple. Its super glittery. Overall, its just fun!

Lipstick:

Amplified Cremes:

My collection of Amplified Cremes is slowly growing; I have my eye on more than a few in the permanent range as well!

- Saint Germain - Pale but bold and packs a great amount of pigment. I couple this with a similar liner to improve the application. This is the essence of girly.

- Up The Amp - Reviewed here. This shade is going to be used almost on the daily come fall. I'm really glad I finally picked this up. 

- Viva Glam Nicki 2 - Reviewed here. Not the most wearable shade for everyday, but works well with almost anything I pair it with. And when I'm feeling super bold, it packs a good amount of color!

Cremesheens:

While Cremesheens aren't exactly my favorite finish from  MAC, I sure do have a lot of them! I feel like this year, the finish has shown a good amount of improvement - I hope that is a reflection of whats to come!

- Boyfriend Stealer (Limited Edition) - Reviewed here. I'm a sucker for super vampy shades, but the sheerness to this made it more wearable. 

- Cremecup - Despite being a bit drying, this is probably one of my most worn lipsticks. It literally goes with EVERYTHING!

- Lavender Whip (Limited Edition) - Reviewed here. I fought tooth and nail to get my hands on this shade (On the first day of the launch, no less!). 100% worth the fight.

- Outrageously Fun (Limited Edition) - This shade set the bar much higher for Cremesheens. Long wear, super even and hardly dried my lips, and not to mention how pretty it is!

- Shy Girl - Every once in a while I'm feeling a coral. This is as close as I can get. Shy Girl has its place. 

- Raspberry Swirl (Limited Edition) - Reviewed here. I went back and forth about this one before I bought it. Its like Saint Germain's sheerer sister.

Frosts:

I LOATHE sparkly lipsticks. So 80's passe! But if its so fine that it looks like a shine rather than a shimmer, I'm all for it.

Angel - Like Cremecup, I get so much wear out of this shade because of the neutrality of it. Its just easy!

Bombshell - Another case of the shade I wanted even more because of the name. Its the perfect summer pink! My sister tends to steal this shade from me on quite a regular basis.

Glazes:

I really didn't understand Glazes at first. They're sheer and subtle, which in my mind was so the opposite of what I wanted in a lipstick! Turns out, they have their place.

- Beauty (Limited Edition) - Very pale, but sheer, white pink. I've worn this on its own, but it really shines when layered with other products.

- Hue - THE nude. Gives me a nude lip without giving me a zombie lip or being to brown.

- Pervette - Probably the most unique lipstick that I own. A very light lavender with an opalescent quality to it. I bought it on a whim and I'm glad that I did.

Lustre:

Have we spotted my least favorite finish? Lustres have their place, but for that short of a wear time I'll wait for a super unique shade and get more dupeable shades from drugstore ranges with similar finishes like the Revlon Lip Butters.

- Lovelorn - The shade, given needing frequent reapplication, is very pretty. It tends to garner a lot of compliments.

Mattes:

I love my mattes, and MAC has a great matte formula. They hardly dry my lips out at all!

- Diva - Reviewed here. This shade never fails to make me feel glamorous. Not to mention, I can make it through quite a lengthy day with minimal upkeep.

- Heroine (Limited Edition) - Reviewed here. When this was repromoted after I missed out on it last year, I knew that I needed it; and the compliments that I get when I wear it just seal the deal.

- Pink Plaid - Easy to wear and classic. If you found Revlon Pink Pout too sheer, you'll love this one!

- Please Me - This shade reads warmer on me than most, but in a good way. Its a great shade for the changing seasons.

- Strong Woman - I feel like this shade was very under-appreciated when it was launched late last year. I just love it. Its like if Heroine and Rebel had a baby.

- Viva Glam 1 - This was my Holiday lip for 2012. Any Christmas event I was at, this was too!

Satins:

If you love MAC's Matte formula, the Satin formula will not be too far behind. It imparts only a slight sheen for me, while maintaining the phenomenal wear time of the mattes!

- Myth - The only opaque nude that I own. With the right look, it sings!

- Daddy's Little Girl (Limited Edition) - Reviewed here. This was the showstopper of the Archie's Girls collection. Phenomenal!

- Pink Nouveau - This was my first MAC lipstick and too this day, my biggest compliment getter.

- Rebel - This shade can be blamed for my berry obsession. The first time I wore this, I felt like a total bombshell!

- Snob - Reviewed here. Pink, pastel, girly and opaque. This shade probably gets the most use out of my collection; its just SO me!

Mattenes:

I wish Mattenes were part of the permanent range. They have glorious color payoff, but wear so comfortably!

- Fresh Amour (Limited Edition) - Literally lavender. No ifs ands or buts about it. A bit avant garde, but when I found this at a CCO, I just HAD to have it.

- Nocturnal Instincts (Limited Edition) - Probably my most worn lip product of the winter of 2012-2013. I'm now seeing how little I have left and I'm going into "use sparingly" mode. I just love it. Its the perfect mauve for my skin. Super cool toned and work appropriate while maintaining my love of a bold lip. I adore this shade!

Phew! I know by this time in a few months, this post will seriously need some updating, so stay tuned for a part two eventually! Let me know what other parts of my collection you guys would like me to swatch out and feature!