Hi folks! I apologize for missing a M.A.C post yesterday as I was busier than usual. Anyway, we're back on track just in time for the last day! I'll *try* to post my top five favorite M.A.C products later just to show what I always use in my collection. It's that kind of brand where you can get a lot of cool, memorable things that you won't really wear that often because they're too, well, striking. 

So! Today I'll be showing you my updated 15-pan M.A.C palette. I only have two empty spaces left (yay), and my plan is to get one bright purple and possibly a bright green or Carbon. It took me a couple of years to fill it up because I didn't want to blow P15,000+ asap on one palette. I mean, I can but I won't because that's too much for a simple hobbyist like me. Thankfully, I get M.A.C eyeshadows as gifts every once in a while. :P

One of the more common questions I get is, "which M.A.C eyeshadows should I start with?" If you have Asian skin like mine, yellow-toned and possibly medium going on morena, I highly recommend the following: 

Ricepaper (for highlighting the browbone), All That Glitters (a warm champagne which is great as a lid wash), Wedge (a matte neutral, light brown, perfect for crease contouring), and Espresso (a neutral brown which creates a great smoky brown eye and perfectly shaded eyebrows). Those would be four great eyeshadows to start with, for in the future you'll be able to mix and match them with various other shades.

M.A.C usually has a release or two every month which reflects the trends of the season. This June, where it's summer in the U.S., M.A.C presents Temperature Rising, a sizzling collection that is inspired by steamy summer nights and sweaty bronzed skin. The collection is all about warm, smoky colors with well-placed dazzle and requisite brights - the M.A.C trademark, of course!

The Philippine launch happened last Saturday at Rustan's Glorietta. One of the country's top models, Jessica Yang, graced the event. A M.A.C makeup artist demonstrated the scorching hot look of Temperature Rising using the products from the collection while a DJ scratched tunes in the background.

Here's a demo of the look, in photos! Later on you'll see a few swatches I've done on the lipsticks. 

M.A.C lipsticks are some of the most vibrant, complex ones out there. You can find anything from sweet pinks, severe browns, sexy reds, daring purples, or even stark black if you're into that. ;) Each new collection has at least a new shade or two of lipstick so there's always something to covet if you're a collector, or a simple lover of color. 

The downside is that not all lipsticks have a great formula. Some may look streaky or fade easily. That's why you should always check reviews and swatch the lippies in person if you can, as this will save you a lot of grief in the long run. I've reviewed a few already so please do check them out! That said, here's a new batch of permanent M.A.C lipsticks for you to check out.

I'll begin with the MAC Lipstick in Rebel (P1,000). Rebel has a satin finish, which is full-bodied, pigmented, and a wee bit glossy. It's a color that I've always been hearing about from beauty bloggers here and abroad, so I got one to see if it's worth the hype. Dahhlings, it is. It's such an amazing color!

I've always thought of Rebel as a gothic red shade based on the swatches I've seen online, but on me it's a deep fuchsia with a strong purple base. This is daring alright, no question about it! I usually prefer to wear this in full during evening engagements, but during the day a stain of Rebel can live through a greasy lunch. Yes, it's quite long-wearing.

M.A.C makeup has been a staple in my kit since I bought the Studiofinish concealer four years ago. I didn't have a lot of money then, being a fresh grad on my first job, but I remember feverishly researching that product and swatching it repeatedly until I coughed up the cash. Incidentally, I still use the Studiofinish up to this day (I think this is my fifth pan)!

I've been steadily acquiring M.A.C products since then. They're dependable, and they come in such wonderful colors too. I have a few new M.A.C items here that deserve the spotlight. So - ta-dah! - I would like to present Project Vanity's M.A.C Week!

I'll start with a product that brings me back full circle: the M.A.C Blot Powder in Medium Deep (P1,375). This is one of the first I've ever tried from the brand! I remember reviewing this years ago, but for some reason that post wasn't properly exported to my .com domain. Oh well. Here's a proper review now!

The M.A.C Blot is a fairly straightforward powder. It's matte, has a silky texture and translucent coverage, although you can build it up if you wish. It's amazing at controling oil without "thickening" the makeup underneath it. It's incredibly useful for long-haul days when oil is just another part of the job description!

Lavender is an intimidating color to wear with Asian skin - some are virtually unwearable - but they can work with the right supporting colors. If that fails, just blend them with your other lippies to create interesting shades! Today I thought I'd post swatches of three MAC blue-based lavenders with various levels of pink in them. ^_^ 

I have a permanent and popular shade (MAC Pink Noveau), a limited-edition repromote (MAC Lavender Whip from Baking Beauties), and the MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2 which is for the brand's AIDS charity. I have already reviewed MAC lipsticks before so I won't go into details, but quickly, these lipsticks vary in pigmentation and have a decent staying power (three hours). I have to admit that while MAC lipsticks aren't THE BEST when it comes to formula, they come in trendy, one-of-a-kind shades that other brands try to copy.

Here are the swatches and color descriptions!

MAC Pink Noveau is a bright pink with strong lavender undertones. It's a cool shade and a struggle to wear if you're morena, but on my medium yellow skintone it looks striking and interesting. I usually prefer to pair this with a dark, smoky eye to balance the coolness. A barbie pink blush always works with this particular lipstick!

Sugar, spice, and everything nice would be the best words to describe MAC's latest collection: Baking Beauties! I like that it's not overly saccharine with the pink, cream, and mint; the dark lipstick and luscious new Paint Pot shades are an interesting contrast to what could've been a bland sweets-inspired collection. 

I managed to attend the launch of this collection in Glorietta two Sundays ago, so I have some pictures of the demo! (Don't worry, the rest of the branches only had BB last weekend). The makeup artist, Noel, did the Baking Beauties look on the model of the day. That would be dramatic chocolate eyes and a pale pink lip, same as the promo images.

Bare faced and ready to go

The Paint Pot in Eclair was applied all over the lid, almost up to the browbone.

This review is part of a series: the Blush Week at Project Vanity. Read my first two blush posts (if you haven't yet)! ;)

It's a Blushin' Week at Project Vanity: My top five blushes

Artdeco Blusher in 38 First Love

The MAC Dollymix Blush (~P1,300) is a hot pink shade with very fine silver and gold shimmer - intimidating in the pan, but utterly lovely on the cheeks.  It's is one of the brand's most famous shades, with a whopping 4.4/5 rating at Makeupalley. I can see why!

It's scary off the bat, but once you apply it you won't see much of that Barbie pink intensity or shimmer on your skin. This blush actually looks like a darling medium pink with a satin finish when worn. I guess I better show you!

When I saw the promo materials for the MAC Fluidline Brow Gelcreme in Dirty Blonde (P1,100) I knew that we were destined to be together. I thought, with absoute certainty, that everything was gonna work out between the two of us.

I was correct. This product was exactly as I imagined it would be - super creamy, long-lasting, and flattering on my skin and hair. Well, I wasn't that surprised because I've been using my MAC Fluidline eyeliner in Dipdown as an eyebrow product for a while now. You should check out the tutorial, the results are pretty amazing. ;)

I have a lot of excellent eyebrow products but I love the Fluidline Brow in Dirty Blonde because it's easier to control. I barely have to tweak or blend it out once I've shaded my brows! The level of pigmentation and color is so exact that once you draw it on, it looks perfect as is - on me anyway.

I've been to a lot of parties and even throw some (modest ones) myself, but nobody - and I mean nobody - does parties like MAC. A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to attend the MAC Archie's Girls collection launch. In keeping with the well-loved comics' setting, the Mall of Asia activity center was transformed into a 50's paradise. There were sock hop dancers, vintage-y music, a jukebox, and a kissing booth. The food was right on theme as well with soda floats, burgers and fries, and mini desserts!

But of course the real star of the event was the eternal love triangle - Archie and his girls, Betty and Veronica. MAC released the Archie's Girls collection with two sub-categories. Betty had light, girl-next-door makeup, whereas Veronica had daring and vampy colors fit for boyfriend stealin'. 

The MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Sunny Seoul (P1,000) is my go-to lipstick lately. It's bright yet wearable, and goes with so many looks! I always pick it up because it's so safe and friendly-looking. If you've been following my Instagrams then you would have seen this lippie a couple of times already. ;) 

Sunny Seoul is a creamy warm pink with a tiny bit of pearl frost. It's not opaque as I hoped it would be, but a couple of heavy layers can easily solve that. It would look awesome on fair skin because it verges on pastel already (very ethereal on light skintones).

How do you feel about face mists? I don't use them all the time but they're nice to have around. Say, you over-applied your foundation or powder and would like to take the thickness down a notch - spray some mist on your face. You want to intensify your eyeshadow or powder liner? Mist your brush before dipping it in the color. You want to moisturize your face in the middle of the day without actually removing all your makeup? Mist up! See I told you it's handy. ;)

Now there's an argument to be made for simply filling up an atomizer spray bottle with water. But I swear it's not the same. Proper face mists - the one you buy off the shelves for a price that sounds ridiculous for what is basically bottled water - is better than a DIY attempt. That's not to say that a DIY mist is not any good, I'm sure it will work fine, but it's not going to be quite as nice as a cosmetic mist.

The MAC Mineralized Charged Water is water infused with diamond powder (supposedly) and a nice citrus tea scent. It delivers a very fine spray to distribute the water evenly all over the face.

What's worse than a beauty blogger over-plucking her eyebrows? Nothing! It's an embarrasment to the community! Lol just kidding. But it is true that I recently became tweezer-happy. My brows are like 30% less than what they should be. I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I did this to myself but there's nothing more to do than wait for the hair to grow out.

What over-plucked eyebrows? 

Anyway. I want to show a super simple technique I've been doing on my brows lately. It involves using a - drumroll please - cream eyeliner! A brown eye liner to be specific. I like doing this because it offers more definition to my now-thin eyebrows, plus the shade I have is just perfect for my hair color. I encourage you guys to try using your brown gel liners the same way, and maybe you'll discover that you have a fantastic brow color all along!

Here's how I do it.

Step 1: Dip a synthetic, angled eyeliner brush into your brown eyeliner pot. Remove most of it by swiping the brush on the back of your hand.

MAC's biggest collections always come during the holiday season. Their limited edition sets are legendary, and the holiday selections usually have an unforgettable theme. This 2012, we have Glamour Daze, which impersonates the aura of couture, the drama of the dressing room, and the glamour of getting ready to step out for the holidays. It's all about a soft color haze around the eyes and gilded skin matched with sweet lips.

There was a big party to celebrate this collection. Whitespace was positively bursting with celebrities, the press, and of course your usual beauty blogger gang. :P I really enjoyed the swingin' music and the general ambiance that was so artfully created with Glamour Daze installations and models clad in their pastel uniforms.

You know that feeling of going back to an old love, then finding out (with the utmost delight) that it's even better than you remember it? That's what I felt when I dipped into the MAC Fluidline in Dipdown (P1,100). The Fluidline was my first ever high-end eyeliner and I loved it so much that I used it for almost two years. I kept it for three years just for the nostalgia, and believe it or not, it was still creamy and usable until the day I threw it away. 

I received a fluidline in a MAC event that I attended a couple of months ago. I didn't want to use it since I have got quite a few brown eyeliners on rotation already, but I was curious to see if this gel eyeliner is as good as I thought it was. It is!

This is the best gel eyeliner I've tried, hands down. If you thought your drugstore gel eyeliner was creamy, the Fluidline is waaaaay creamier than you'd think possible.

Remember my red phase? Yep, still not quite over it. I was in Powerplant a couple of weeks back when I randomly decided to buy a true red lipstick. For the life of me I don't know why I did it, because I have maybe seven red lipppies in my collection already. I just wanted a true red and there's only one lipstick I know that fits in that category: MAC Russian Red (P1,000).

Like I said, I already have a handful of reds, but Russian Red is on a whole new level of its own. It's a seductive, intense, blue-based red that nobody can miss. It's completely opaque in one layer and has a matte finish. I would recommend this to anyone who needs a memorable, eye-catching red - skintone issues aside as this is touted to match all shades. Makes teeth look super white too!

Now matte lipsticks are great because they tend to be very pigmented and long-lasting. The downside, however, is that they drag when you apply them, plus they can also be very drying.

I've long held that you don't need to spend a lot for a good lip balm. They are basically made of the same thing anyway, so it's not like you'll notice a considerable difference between brands! However, some girls like the occasional splurge, and that's where balms like the MAC Suntints SPF20 Liquid Lip Balm in Au Rosé (P950) come in.

I like the formula. The Suntints balm feels quite lush on the lips without being sticky, and it moisturizes pretty well. It has SPF20 too. A makeup artist used it on me and said that while it's not terribly pigmented, he likes using the balm to condition lips before applying makeup. What he does is he works the balm in before he applies the face products. Once it has been absorbed, he wipes it off with a tissue. Voila, instant smooth and ready-for-lipstick puckers!

This balm makes lips appear smoother than they are, thanks to its thick (but not heavy) texture.

Waking up to a rainy morning is always a treat. The air is cool, the outside smells like wet loam and green growing things. I would imagine, however, that it's a bitch if you have to commute to work. I'm grateful that I don't have to go out today.

Anyway I want to talk about a fairly novel (at least to me) eyeliner: the MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Blue Stripe. Would you believe, it's my first ever navy blue eyeliner! I read somewhere that navy is recommended if you don't want your line to look as harsh as black or go the typical brown route. Makes sense! Navy blue is a nice choice if you want to try a different eyeliner color in the office without looking too avant garde.

I've been seeing the MAC Powerpoint pencils around since forever. Waaay back when I decided to invest in a good eyeliner, it came down to buying the MAC Fluidline or the Powerpoint.

Hi girls! I just want to share the news about MAC's latest collection - Hey Sailor! The first branches to sell it are Glorietta and Shangri-La this Saturday, and I will be in Makati to check it out personally. Exciting! Hope to see you there ha. For now, here's some information about the collection and the local selling dates.

Set sail this summer with a colour and bronzing collection designed to drop anchor in the most sophisticated Port of Call. Decked out in stylishly sailor-striped packaging, a fabulous flotilla of Small Eye Shadows, Lipsticks, Lipglass, Powder Blushes, Pigments, Powerpoint Eye Pencils, Pro Longwear Lip Pencils, Nail Lacquers and Zoom Waterfast Lash.

The name's cute and so is the shade! MAC Plink! is a shiny baby pink with lots of fine silver shimmer. I think it's perfect for fairer girls since it can work as a delicate MLBB shade. It's a bit trickier to match with medium to dark-skinned girls though, due to the pale color.

It's sheerer than I would like and the frostiness is not helping. However, once I layer it on, the color shows up nicely. I suggest wearing a nude lip liner underneath to really make the color pop (if you have darker skin).

As with all MAC lipsticks, Plink! has a good staying power due to its drier texture. It also has that signature MAC vanilla scent!