MAC Brant Brothers Collection

If there’s anything from MAC I’m familiar with, it’s their foundations, and their eyeshadows. I’ve gone through dozens of their foundations, and my first eyeshadow palette was a MAC one from around 2008-2009. Is it wrong to admit that I still have it?

I guess I can now replace it with the Brant Brothers quad I received for review, considering the colours in it are similar to the one I had back in the day.

MAC-Brant-paletteYou gotta hand it to MAC, the packaging is incredibly sleek with a glossy finish, and matte branding on top.

Open it up and it’s full of perfect neutral shades. Ahhh, right up my ally. MAC-Brant-Open

Shades in the Pillars eyeshadow quad:

  • Mother’s Milk Soft matte beige (Satin)
  • Sandstone Soft matte taupe (Matte)
  • Mystery Muted plum-brown (VLXP)
  • Carbon Intense black (Matte)

MAC-QuadCarbon seems to make its way into multiple MAC eyeshadow palettes. Hmm. It’s a colour I rarely reach for, but it’s a nice shade to smoke out the eye-look if you wanted to have it more night-time appropriate. You could even use the Carbon colour as an eyeliner shade to darken up the look, too. I almost feel like I haven’t practiced enough to create darker eyeshadow looks. One slip of the hand with a dark shadow on your brush and bam my entire eye makeup look is ruined. For me, I require full concentration doing an eyeshadow look. I clearly need more practice.

I’ve never had bad luck with MAC eyeshadows (I have a 15 make-it-yourself palette filled up with all sorts of neutrals shown here in 2009!!!), and I’m happy to report these one’s from the Brant Brothers collection is just as wonderful as they once were.

MAC Brant Brothers Collection (Pillar quad is $33 USD / $43.50 CDN) is now available.

Disclaimer: MAC Brant Brothers quad was sent for review.

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Drugstore Dupe: Marcelle vs Anastasia

I love to save money. It’s a game with me. I hate spending more than a penny (or nickle in our case seeing how we phased out the penny this year — that joke won’t ever get old with me!) than I have to. I often get teased regarding my coupons or how I’m so frugal. For instance, I won’t pay over $3.99 for toilet paper. I wait until I see a sale, bring my abundance of coupons and stock up. So much so, the cart is so overflowing with toilet paper, enough where I get questionable stares from shoppers. Is she stocking up for a hospital? Does she have digestion issues?

If I can save and have the cheaper product work out similar or better, then I scored big time.

Although I have long lashes that don’t require mascara, I get it. I get that you want your lashes to stand out, hold a curl and look lengthening and voluminous. I get it gorrrrl. Sorry. That was weird. But honestly, everyone has their all-time favorite mascara. Not everyone is going to go out and buy what someone recommends on a blog. But this is different you guys. It’s not a mascara, it’s a top coat. You don’t have to switch out your holy grail mascara for a completely new one. I know not everyone wants to wear a waterproof mascara every day. But if you plan on laughing so hard that you cry (me, every day), or plan on jumping into a pool at a pool party (me, this weekend) you can waterproof that fav mascara of yours with a clear waterproof topcoat. Then the next day, revert back to your regular mascara sans waterproof topcoat! Brilliant.

And friends, I found a drugstore dupe. Not everyone has a Sephora location they can pop into and spend $28 on the Anastasia Lash Genius (which I reviewed last year). closed-waterproof-mascaras

Bring it on Marcelle!

anastasia-vs-marcelle
About Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat
Retail price: $16.95
0.24oz / 9.5ml

Waterproof features:

  • Transparent water-resistance for mascara
  • Goes on easily over regular mascara (Yup)
  • Long lasting (No raccoon eyes!)
  • Leaves lashes feeling light and supple (Raises hand. I can vouch for that)
  • Tested under ophthalmological control (mouthful)
  • Paraben free
  • Hypo-allergenic and perfume free

I’ve been wearing the Marcelle sweat proof, tear proof, waterproof mascara for the last few weeks. I don’t remove my makeup when I go to CrossFit after work. Due to the fact I have little time in between getting home and changed and then driving to the box to get a workout in. So far it hasn’t caused any rebellious raccoon eyes. Nor has it been stubborn to remove at the end of the evening. I have so many favorite mascaras and I don’t want to buy the waterproof version of them because they’ll all just dry out before I have a chance to re-use them again. I mean, I could potentially wear them every day, since I do laugh a lot and I’m a crier when I laugh. So I could benefit from using a waterproof one every day. But I don’t. waterproof-top-coat

I realize I’ve talked about Marcelle products in the past in a YouTube video of mine, especially the mascara that acts like a “push-up bra”. It has a twistable wand where you can make the bristles give your lashes volume, or lengthening. I’ve been using it in replacement of my Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash (hey, sometimes you gotta switch things up a bit. Know what I’m sayin’?).

An American twitter follower of mine asked me where she could buy Marcelle products and unfortunately it’s not sold in USA stores, however you can buy it online at Marcelle.com and they ship to the USA! Hooray for sharing neighbours. Buy any Marcelle mascara and receive one Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat for Free. Offer applies between August 19 and September 30, 2013. Online only. Promotional code upon check out: BOGO.

How does the Marcelle waterproofing mascara top coat compare to the Anastasia lash genius?waterproof-brushes

(Left-Right Marcelle, Anastasia)

It’s pretty on par. If I were going to suggest you get one of the two products, they’re virtually the same. Save your $12 and get the Marcelle.

Random tidbit: Marcelle is one of the first cosmetic lines I started using. Especially after I found out that I should only be using hypo-allergenic products (mainly in the winter due to my eczema).

Disclaimer: Marcelle Waterproofing Mascara Topcoat was sent to me for review. I have not been compensated for this review. All opinions are 100% my own, as always!

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What’s in my makeup bag?

I’m travelling back home to Newfoundland later this month so I thought I’d put together a little what’s in my travel makeup bag for you guys!

travel-makeup-bagMakeup bag | Dior BB cream | Big Sexy Hair | Make Up For Ever mascara | Bobbi Brown eye cream | Philosophy Hope In A Jar | NYX blush | Jouer bronzer | Philosophy perfume | MAC concealer | target brand q-tips | Shu Umera eyelash curler

What key items must you bring when you’re travelling? It doesn’t have to be makeup related at all. I need to bring my iPad because if I don’t, my nephews ask where it went. That, and my blackberry.

Happy travels!

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