#mac msf

Yes, it's time to rave about MAC! Today's item of the week is MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in the Shade: "Soft and Gentle".

It's shimmery (if that's not too obvious, LOL) it's a bronzy color with gold veining. It's perfect for everyday contouring, using a MAC 168 Large Contouring Brush. Here's an image. ( Or you could use any type of Contouring brush or Angled blush brush)

Okay, so this product costs $29.00 at a MAC store or any other place that carries MAC. Eg, Macy's , Dillard's Ect.

This Product has been so raved about, I can't help to rave about it myself. I love it for contouring, i've tried using it as maybe a soft blush, but it's too shimmery for that. It's also a tad powdery, but I can most certainly live with that, it's a MAC product, so I really don't mind at all. Haha. It's baked. It has a BIG dome form, which is bound to last you for a very long time, maybe a year or two, depending on what you use it for and the frequency of usage aswell.

My Personal Review:

I really like this product but only for cheekbones. I'm one of those who HATES a matte complexion. I love a fresh, dewy complexion all year round, therefore I do not even possess a face powder, but I have numerous highlighters for cheekbones, forehead, nose and chin. I will NEVER be seen without one! I actually bought this product with the intention of using it everywhere, but I quickly realised it is not the best for all-over highlighting because of the shimmer aspect and the noticeable gold glitter. On the cheekbones, this is VERY pretty - it neutralises any strong blusher outlines and gives such a beautiful finish to my blush. Even if the blush I'm wearing has shimmer in - I often use BeneFit Coralista, SugarBomb or Dandelion - this still makes them look even better so I am never without it for this reason. But on other areas of my face, it just doesn't work for me. I much prefer my Bobbi Brown Beige Shimmer Brick (or the Bronze one in the summer) as the shimmer is more finely-milled and is nowhere near as obvious as this is. Lately, I have also discovered Boots No. 7 Vital Enlightening Highlighter Powder, and this is just as impressive as Bobbi Brown, so I am using that on the rest of my face. What I have noticed, however, is that the MSF is starting to lose some of the gold veins the more I use it. I seem to have one side which has all but lost the gold veins and the other side which still has some considerable veining. The colour itself is beautiful - it gives a peachy glow, and I personally prefer it without the gold veins. But for those who want it for the glitter effect, this might be disappointing... Overall though, a great highlighter which is definitely more suited to cheekbones than all-over highlighting.

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My Makeupalley review:

This is the first and only product I have from MAC. Since I have a beauty you tube, I found myself always searching reviews about this product and since I didn't know alot from MAC at the time, I thought it was limited edition and I always had a strange anxiety to buy it. The lady at my local MAC store (Plaza las Americas, PR) was a rude little beyotch. (Excuse my language). Mine came with a poor amount of gold veining. I do have to admit that this product is very pricey and alot of you know the dropping a MSF nightmare, since the MSF's are baked. I love the packaging, I always love MAC packaging because it's so simple yet classy. Mine came with a small dome which made me mad because mine came with not so much amount of product, considering that I payed $29 + tax, ect. I use this as a highlighter, this product is fairly pigmented and it does have chunky-ish glitter. It's very shimmery aswell. It works amazing as a highlighter but it can get ridiculously shimmery sometimes. Overall, I would buy this again regarding the fact that it is very pricey.

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My Star rating for this product:

4/5 Stars

So what are you waiting for? Visit a local MAC store or counter and try this out for yourself!

In case you are new to my blog and haven't already heard me rave about them a zillion times, Mineralize Skinfinishes are amazing shimmery illuminating mineral powders that you can use to highlight, blush, or bronze depending on the color. I collect them because they are one of my favorite products ever. This one I obviously had to have because I have red hair and these are a small obsession of mine! This first came out before I started keeping up with MAC collections with the Blonde, Brunette, Redhead collection so I was ecstatic to see it come out again. They have also repromoted Blonde MSF, it is available as well with the new Naturally collection.

It has pretty gradient stripes that go from gold to rose!

Product Rave: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Porcelain Pink

I'm not one of those Mineralize Skinfinish collectors who hunt down limited edition products on eBay and pay oodles of money for off-season and discontinued products. I've owned only one of them (Comfort - a warm bronze with amber shimmer) since they've been launched years ago, and I admit I hardly ever use it because I prefer matte bronzers that are just slightly deeper than my skin tone.

Also, I felt I could find so many cheaper products that gave exactly the same finish (try any mineral eyeshadow, for one...) that I couldn't justify the price MAC was charging for these (especially here in Asia).

Then while I was repurchasing my beloved Patina eye shadow a couple of days ago, I came across a Mineralize Skinfinish tester sitting in a bin along with some other random off-season products, and it was the most gorgeous light peachy-pink with shots of pale gold veining.

Now I'm a fan of pale blushes (shades that can almost pass for a highlighter) because they add a barely-pink hue to your cheeks and give you a really pretty glow that doesn't actually look like visible blush. It's different from wearing a standard highlighter (gold or champagne shades) because many have a pale sheen that can look like greasy skin in many lights, or when over-applied. 

Porcelain Pink caught my attention the moment I rubbed it onto my hand because the glow it casts back is a soft salmon color with a pink opalescence, and just a trace of gold sparks. Unfortunately, I just couldn't capture how multi-dimensional it is on camera.

On the cheeks, it evens out some uneven-ness (possibly due to its salmon base-color), has just enough of a sheen to look like great skin, but at the same time muted enough not to shine like grease, and just peps up the face. 

As an Asian with a very "cool" skin tone (no red at all), I can sometimes look sallow without blush. Pink Porcelain allows me to skip cheek color while looking like I have a very natural lit-from-within glow. The best thing is it's not too shimmery or glittery, so I can wear this in the day without looking like a grease-ball.

MAC Pink Porcelain brushed along cheekbones over pink blush.

Unfortunately, I don't think this product is available in stores any longer (my local MAC had just a few leftovers), so you might have to keep your eyes open at CCOs and online stores.

Day 27: Favorite powder.

This is a post to tell you all about my foundation routine and what i do to make my skin look flawless. When i use this routine i always get comments on how good my skin looks, in reality i don't have great skin its just great products and the right application technique. My skin ranges from a little bit oily in the summer to a little bit dry in the winter and i also suffer from the occasional breakout. I have some acne scaring on my chin and my temples and i also get little red dots all over my face from any irritation. I wouldn't say my skin is sensitive because the dots don't hurt but they do make me look like i have been crying. I have been told in the past that they are broken capillaries but I'm not so sure. I get them after a hot shower, after sleeping in my makeup or rubbing my face, after crying or after using a product that my skin doesn't particularly like. The good thing is that they do fade away after a few hours and my foundation offers enough coverage that i don't need to conceal them. Anyway enough rambling here's the routine.

Step 1. Prime the skin

For every day i use Estee Lauder Day Wear SPF 15 as a moisturiser and a base. For special occasions, night or when my photo will be taken use GOSH velvet touch foundation primer or nothing at all.

Step 2. Foundation

I use one pump of Make Up For Ever HD #123 and a small squirt of Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + #35 mixed together on the back of my hand. This creates my ideal shade, coverage and finish. For every day wear i apply it with my hands starting from the centre of my face and blending outwards. I really smooth it into my skin like you would a moisturiser. I find this the quickest way to apply foundation. Of course you want to make sure your hands are clean first. If it's for a special occasion i dab the Royal & Langnickel Silk Pro foundation brush #C141 into the foundation i have mixed on the back of my hand and use it to really buff the foundation into my skin and create that air brushed look. Once i have applied the foundation to my face i use what is left over and blend it down my neck. A good drugstore alternative to MUFE is Max Factor Xperience foundation. Its not as nice as MUFE but still really good.

Step 3. Concealer

I only use an under eye concealer unless my skin is having a bad day. I find that the foundation has enough coverage otherwise for day to day wear. To conceal under eye circles on a daily basis i use Garnier Roll on anti dark circles #2. This is a salmon tinted roll on under eye treatment, it's the perfect shade to conceal under eye circles. If you have really fair skin i suggest shade #1. There is a little trick in getting this product to work. Once you have rolled it onto your under eye area you have to leave it for a minute or so for the treatment to soak in. Once that is soaked in you are left with just the pigment on top of your skin. After i have left it a minute to soak in i blend whats left which is basically the concealer with my ring finger in small patting motions. If i had a few blemishes or redness i would then go and conceal those areas with my girlee cosmetics concealer wheel. If you can't get hold of this there are alot of brands that stock similar concealer wheels or palettes such as Graftobian, Make Up For Ever and Ben Nye. MAC's studio finish concealer is perfectly good as well.

Step 4: Powder

To powder my face i use MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Medium Dark in summer and Medium in winter and a MAC 134 brush to apply.

That's it. The perfect canvas and it only takes 1-3 minutes.

It's important for everyone to realise that what works on me isn't necessarily going to work on you. Don't be afraid to mix your foundations together to get what you want but its all trial and error.

My next post will be on things to consider and look out for when buying a new foundation.