Clarins Fall 2012 Collection - Ombre Minerale

Clarins skincare is among a favorite of my serums and primers however I haven't tried as much of the makeup as I would like to.  I rarely visit my local counter at Macy*s since the counter is rather small and focuses more on the skincare and tanners than any of the color products.  They also tend not to always have the latest releases and carry only some of the core products, I wish that I had a bigger counter so that I had more exposure to this brand since every self-tanner or skincare product that I have used was fantastic and I have loved the results that I have gotten from it.

With the facts as stated, I doubt that I will be seeing a huge display of the products at my counter and I may have to order some of these products from the Clarins website.  I should be able to get some of the basics at the counter, I should be able to find the mascara and the eye liner but I may not be able to find the limited edition eye and face products.  I always need more mascara so being able to easily obtain the Instant Definition Mascara should still make me happy...

I found this entire collection on the Nordstrom website as well as the Clarins' website.  In addition the product descriptions and photos, the Nordstrom website has a full description of the collection that ties all the new products and shades together.  From the Nordstrom website, "Clarins is dedicating this season's makeup collection to naturally chic, intensely enhanced beautiful, feminine eyes.  Sparkling results with just a hint of mischief, lots of tenderness or a bit of fun.  You decide on the you wish to achieve!"  This collection consists of six new color products, including some great eye kohls and liner formulas that I really think that I will want to order from Nordstrom!

The Clarins website itself provides full details on all the products and shades so we look at everything in detail and then I can begin getting my shopping list together. 

Here is the Ombre Minerale Collection!

Instant Definition Mascara - A dual-purpose, ultra-volume, intense colour mascara with a rich formula that enhances the beauty of all types of lashes.
- 04 Intense Plum - deep rich plum

Rouge Prodige True Color and Shine Lipstick - An unrivalled formula that delivers long-lasting lip colour, shine, and hold that lasts for hours.  High Fidelity Pearl Technology ensures that colour and shine stay true for hours with this rich, creamy texture provides nourishing skin care benefits to lips.  A wide range of colours to choose from to create your own glamourous look.
- 134 Orchid Pink - deep berry pink cream
- 135 Dark Cherry - deep red cherry cream
- 132 Spiced Orange - medium warm orange cream
- 133 Fig - medium neutral cream

3-Dot Liner - Clarins' revolutionary "trident" tip eyeliner pen gives you precision control for a flaw-free effect.  Three prong applicator fills in the spaces between each lash, dot-by-dot, to accentuate eyes and add volume to lashes.  Rich, deep pigments deliver intense color results and lasting wear.
- Black - black

Colour Accents Powder and Blush - Four harmonious shades in one chic compact bring instant illumination to every skin tone and complexion.  Translucent powder blends easily to smooth skin and even-out imperfections.
- three shades of light bronze and a light pink shade

Kohl Eye Pencil - Discover a velvety-soft pencil with a creative edge.  You control the line - from precisely defined to smoky and smudgy.  New artistic license - that's the point of it all!
- Black - black

Ombre Minerale Mono Eye Shadow - Pure, lasting eye shadows shade, define, highlight, and line in fall's most fashionable colours.  Glide on wet for high-intensity colour; dry for subtle look.  Ultra-soft mineral formula blends easily.  Won't crease, fade, or settle into fine lines.  Available in matte, satin, and pearlized finishes.
- 01 Sparkle White - cool white shimmer
- 02 Nude - pale champagne shimmer
- 03 Petal - medium pink
- 04 Golden Rose - medium gold pink
- 05 Lingerie - medium beige
- 06 Tea Rose - deep warm rose
- 07 Auburn - medium brown
- 08 Taupe - medium gray taupe
- 09 Lavender Tea - medium cool lavender
- 10 Slate Blue - medium blue gray
- 11 Silver Green - medium olive green
- 12 Aubergine - medium red plum
- 13 Dark Chocolate - deep warm brown
- 14 Platinum - deep silver gray
- 15 Sparkle Black - deep black shimmer
- 16 Vibrant Violet - bright purple

I must say that I am most excited about the new eye shadow formula that is offered with this collection, I thought that I would be most into the eye liners but I am really excited about some of the eye shadow shades in this formula.  None of the shades are very unique but I still love so many of them.  I have to say that my favorite is the Vibrant Violet shade, this bright purple will look great with all the purple eye looks that I have been craving for this fall season.  My second favorite shade is the Golden Rose, I am still creating the rose gold eye looks this fall (just slightly heavier on the gold and gold eye liner this time around) and I would love to add this shade to my collection also.  Thos two are my most loved shades and the ones that I must buy.  After I pick up these two shades, I would like to also buy the following: Tea Rose, Lavender Tea, Silver Green, and Platinum.  I am so excited to play around with this formula and I hope that they will appear at my counter in Macy*s.

I am also excited for both of thew eyeliner formulas that are offered with this collection.  The 3 Dot tool looks exactly like what was just offered by Too Faced and is always sold out at my favorite Sephora store.  I might buy this one instead, depending on the availability of the product.  I don't see much of a difference between them, if anyone reading this has used both of them please let me know if I am missing something here.  To finish up thoughts on the eye makeup part of this collection, I want the mascara formula but in the traditional black shade, I wouldn't ever use the plum hue. 

The face powder is take-it-or-leave-it for me, if it looked amazing at the counter, then I would consider buying it but as of right now, I don't need this product.  The last item that I want to check out is the new shades in this lipstick formula, I love the first shade that came up with the product, the deep berry pink shade (Orchid Pink), this shade will look great on me all fall and winter.

This is one of the most wearable fall collections that we have seen so far this season, these products and shades will work in many different scenerios and I can see these products selling out very quickly.  This isn't the most unique or original collection but I still love it all the same.  I can't wait to get a few of these eye shadows and I will report back on them after I get to play around with the shades.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

MAC Office Hours

Today we are looking at that last big fall collection from MAC (at least I believe that it is as we are running out of time for fall collection releases) so I expect that I will pick up a few pieces from this collection and then wait until they have their first big holiday collection release in the early weeks of October.  Some companies are already beginning to release pictures of their holiday collections but I want to live with my fall makeup and products for at a few weeks before I begin thinking about the holidays, one of my least favorite times of the years.  I hope that I still have some time to enjoy my fall items and pick up a few more fall items in the next few weeks...

Office Hours is the newest fall colour collection from MAC, it contains only Pro products and formula however I have read in multiple beauty blogs that it is one of the best looking but worst performing collections that has been released in the past few months.  I will have to come up with my shopping list and then go to counter to play with every product on its own, this will not be a collection that I will pre-order or order the items from the website.  I hate when MAC has great looking collections and then many of the products apply or wear horribly, it is such a let down!

"She's a glamourous go-getter with temp about her!  Full-time, overtime - her makeup, like her day, goes on and on.  What she loves: the no-fade staying power of these MAC Pro Longwear - including new MAC Pro Longwear Blush."  I haven't heard anything stellar about this blush formula and therefore this will be the product that I really need to test out at the counter, I am shopping for a new blush since I haven't bought one for several weeks and I will be very disappointed if these are really as bad as what I am reading about...

Here is the MAC Office Hours collection...

Pro Longwear Eye Shadow - A unique longwearing Eye Shadow with a silky, creamy texture formulated for maximum color impact.  Easily blendable and buildable; lids are visibly smooth, no matter how intense the application.  Lasts 8 hours.
- Ever Ivory - pale ivory
- Bloom On - light burnt rose
- Always Sunny - light yellow brown
- Uninterrupted - dark camel
- Endless Passion - midtone rose
- More Amour - midtone red
- Mauveless - dark dirty mauve
- Fashion Fix - deep taupe
- Linger Softly - light frosted gray blue

Pro Longwear Lipglass - A longwearing Lipglass that goes on smooth and lasts for up to 6 hours!  Envelops lips with shine and colour and pro-longs the hours between application.
- Boundless Beige - light warm beige with pearl
- Patience, Please - light pink-blue
- Love Love Love - light cool pink
- Next Fad - midtone cool pink
- Peristant Peach - light warm peach
- Everlasting Nude - midtone warm nude
- Forever Rose - midtone neutral rose
- Driven By Love - red-blue with light pearl

Pro Longwear Blush - A lightweight blush with extreme colour perfection and non-fading, eight hour wear.  Ultra fine, silky powder glides on and blends easily to provide a moist, flawless, natural finish or with layering, a brighter, more dramatic look.
- Rosy Outlook - light yellow pink
- Baby Don't Go - light cool beige
- Stay By Me - light peach coral
- Stay Pretty - light bright blue pink
- Blush All Day - light dirty rose beige
- Whole Lotta Love - light blue pink
- Eternal Sunshine - warm brown
- Subborn - midtone rose plum

Basically, I haven't read anything good on the products in this collection.  The Lipglass formula performs fair but the rest of the products have been deemed as failures due to both pigment and wear issues.  Which is very sad since I already seen some colors that I would like to own...

I will start with the Lipglass shades that I want since these seem to be the only ones that might work out for me.  I love the pinks in this collection, Love Love Love and Next Fad are great pinks and i would wear them against strong eye makeup in the fall and winter and they will still be perfect next spring and summer.  I actually think that this might be have been better as a spring collection since so many of these shades are better for the spring trends.

From the failure products...  I will try to give both the Eye Shadow and Blush formulas a chance at the counter.  Hopefully there were just some batch issues with this product and some of the items will perform as intended.  From the Eye Shadows, I like the Bloom On and Endless Passion shades, I love these pink and rose hues and I plan to use them with gold and bronze hues.  I have created some great mixtures of roses, golds, and bronzes over the past few weeks and I want these pinks to work out so that I can add them to my collection.  From the new blush formula, Stay Pretty is a great bright pink and I would love for this product to work better than the reviews that I have read about it...

I love so many of these shades and I hope that all the issues that I have read about are just batching issues and that when I play with the products at the counter, they will work out better for me.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

MAC Viva Glam Nicki and Ricky...Part 2!

Last February, we looked at the newest installment in the MAC Viva Glam series, Viva Glam Nicki and Ricky.  If you remember, I was obsessed with owning Viva Glam Nicki from the second that I first heard about it months earlier and then counted the days until the collection was finally released at the counters.  After I was finally able to try the lipstick, I was so disappointed because I hated the shade when I tried it on, it had too much yellow in it and was too warm for my skintone.  I quikcly got over my obsession with this shade when I bought NARS Schiap and this shade became my go-ton bright pink matte from the end of the spring and then all the way into the summer.  I still plan to pull that hue out now that we are in fall since bright lip shades are still very popular and this shade is still a favorite lipstick of mine.  That shade made me forget about Viva Glam Nicki...

At some point over the past few days, MAC quietly added to the Viva Glam Nicki collection and will draw attention back to the Nicki and Ricky collection.  I seem to remember that MAC did the exact same with the Viva Glam Gaga line several years ago and this worked out very well for them.  This time around, MAC has released the Viva Glam Nicki in a lip gloss formula.  I am thinking that this shade might be easier for me to wear since it wouldn't be near as pigmented and it might be ok with my skintone.

"Ricky Martin and Nicki Minaj bring a hot new way to Glam it up with Viva Glam Nicki Lipglass.  The limited-edition products joins Nicki's scene-stealing pink Lipstick and Ricky's colourless Lip Conditioner.  Every cent from the sale goes toward helping women, men, and children living with HIV/AIDS."

The original Viva Glam Nicki and Ricky and also the newest addition...

Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick - MAc and hip-hop diva Nicki Minaj join forces to create Viva Glam Nicki, a scene-stealing Lipstick.  Every cent from the sale goes toward helping women, men, and children affected with HIV/AIDS.  Limited edition.
- Viva Glam Nicki - bright yellow pink

Viva Glam Nicki Lipglass - Pay homage to Her Minajesty with a new limited-edition Lipglass in hot pink.  Wear it alone or pair it with Viva Glam Lipstick for a perfectly glossed look.  Every cent from the sale goes toard helping women, men, and childern affected with HIV/AIDS.  Limited edition.
- Viva Glam Nicki - hot pink

Viva Glam Ricky Lip Conditioner - Pop icon Ricky Martin amps up Viva Glam with a limited edition Lip Conditioner that goes from day to dance floor!  Untinted, keeps lips soft and supple.  Every cent from the sale goes toward helping women, men, and childern affected with HIV/AIDS.  Limited edition.
- Viva Glam Ricky - clear

I already know that I will not be buying the Lipstick or the Lip Conditioner, I ruled both of those out in the first round.  Now the lip gloss is a very different story, I will need to try the shade out and see if this version is a bit cooler than the lipstick the shade description is different.

Let's see if this gloss release is a strong as the Lady Gaga one!

photo courtesy of MAC

OPI for Sephora Fall 2012 Collection - Spice Market

The Nail Bar at Sephora is my go to place at this point, I run over to it as soon as I go into the store and look at all the new products.  Then I take the time to walk around the store and pick out the products that I am buying and then I revisit the Nail Bar because it is nearly impossible for me to leave the store without buying at least one or two more polishes to add to my collection.  The largest part of the bar is the OPI for Sephora collection, my least favorite of the nail polish lines that Sephora carries.  I don't dislike the brand however I prefer to run to the Nails Inc and Illamasqua side.  I do have to remind myself that I have gotten some great polishes from the Sephora house line in the past and I will check out the fall collection, Spice Market.  This collection sounds as though it will contain a bunch of neutral and brown hues, not my favorite type of shades but I am still excited for new nail polishes...

My nail polish collection has now outgrown its home in my bedroom and I am in the process of attempting to find a new home for it.  If anyone has good suggestions, I would love to hear them because I have too much at the moment and I only want more every single time that I go to Sephora or Ulta...

Nail Colour - Fashion-forward, wearable nail colours for the modern woman who is looking for an effective, safe, environmentally conscious brand. Sephora by OPI Nail Colour, a line of 54+ trend-setting shades, puts the final touch on fingertips and toes with a top-quality formula you have come to expect from OPI.  The long-lasting, chip-resistant polish ensures flawless results with each application, and its green ingredient list excludes DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde.  Sephora by OPI combines the quality and color expertise of OPI, the world leader in professional nail color, with Sephora's reputation for the latest in beauty and sophistication.
- Justa' Pinch of Glitter - opaque charcoal fine glitter with chunky silver glitter
- I Think I Cayenne - opaque metallic red-orange
- S-Age is Just a Number - opaque chrome gold with two tone effect
- Living in Cin-Namon - opaque metallic dark red-brown
- Have You Met Rose-Mary? - opaque deep rose-red shimmer
- You're A Nut, Meg - opaque metallic spicy terracotta-cinnamon
- Chamomile-lon To One - sheer pink beige with fine gold glitter
- Thyme For a Mani - opaque light khaki

Spice Market Mini 4-Piece - A four-piece set of petite nail colors in a variety of spicy, fall shades.  Featuring a sun-lit spectrum of reds, golds, and a sparkle-packed silver gliter, Sephora by OPI's Spice Market translates the season's most talked-about trends into must-have nail lacquers for the fall and beyond.  The long-wearing, chip-resistant formulas are free of DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde.
- I Think I Cayenne - opaque metallic red-orange
- Have you Met Rose-Mary? - opaque deep rose-red shimmer
- Justa' Pinch of Glitter - opaque charcaol fine glitter with chunky silver glitter
- S-Age is Just a Number - opaque chrome gold with two tone effect

I see some polish shades in this collection that will bring me back to the front of the Nail Bar, instead of running right to the other lines, I might actually stop at the OPI line of polishes and pick out some new shades.  The best shade in this collection is the charcoal silver shade, Justa' Pinch of Glitter.  I love charcoal shades in the fall and winter and this will be a great addition to my nail polish wardrobe, charcoals are neutrals for me in cold weather.  Chamomile-lon To One is the only other shades that I really want from this collection, this will be another good neutral for me.  I had been wearing pale pinks with shimmer or glitter topcoats all spring and summer and this shade is a way for me to update this look into the fall months.

Most of these shades are too warm for my skintone, I would find them very attractive on other people but not me.  Living in Cin-Namon is my favorite of the shades that are warm-toned, this is very pretty warm red with a shimmer finish, I just wish that this polish was a bit better for my skintone.  S-Age is Just a Number also falls into this category, I will have to see how warm the gold hue really is since cool-toned golds have been coming out recently and this one might fall more into that category, I certainly hope that it does since it will come home with me if it is flattering.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Clinique Fall 2012 Collection - Colour Me Dramatic

Earlier today, we looked at the first of the two newest collections from Clinique, Colour Me Sheer.  I was very happy with the products and shades that were featured with that collection and I am looking forward to looking at the second of the collections right now.  Last year, Clinique had a very strong fall collection, with the release of a line of products all with the unique and best-selling Black Honey hue.  Black Honey Almost Lipstick is a favorite product of mine every single fall and winter and I was all about this collection.  I think that the people who loved this collection from last year will love Colour Me Dramatic and I am all about this part of the collection!

Colour Me Dramatic is all about purple hues and lots of eye makeup, I am seeing a deep purple eyeliner shade that I am very excited for.  I only own a bright violet eyeliner shade from Urban Decay and I need a slightly less bold hue to use with other plum eye makeup shades.  The bright hue that I already own will work best with more neutral and gray shades for a dramatic look but will not blend well with most colored eye shadow shades.  "Well-blended layers of colour intensify your features in a bold statement."  I love this!

Here is the second of the fall looks!

Lid Smoothie Antioxidant 8-Hour Eye Colour - Creamy, crease-resistant eye colour wears for 8 hours.  Instantly cools thanks to a unique applicator.  Nourishing ingredients coax fine lid lines into a blanket of smoothness.  Anti-oxidants protect eye-area skin.
- Born Freesia - silver with a purple cast

Colour Surge Eye Duo - Perfect pairings of in-demand shades with more of the most-used highlight shade.  Deliver creamy, intense colour in one stroke.  Comfortably lightweight, long-wearing.  Layerable, blendable.  Ophthamologist tested.
- Blackberry Frost - silvery grayed lilac partnered with violety charcoal

Quickliner for Eyes Intense- No need to be sutble when now it's so easy to move into the deepest, most dramatic range.  Find all the intensity of a liquid liner with one simple stroke.  Silky formula glides on.  Stays on all day.  Never needs sharpening.  "Smoke" with the smudge tip on the opposite end.  Ophthamologist tested.
- Intense Plum - bright deep purple

High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara - With every stroke, the over-the-top brush wraps lashes in instant, jaw-dropping drama.  This larger-than-life formula is also safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.  Ophthamologist tested, too.
- Extreme Black - deep black
- Black - black

Instant Lift for Brows - Two-in-one automatic brow pencil and pearlized highlighter duo creates a contrast and definition that gives eyes a virtual lift.  First, fill in and shape brows with long-wearing natural-looking pencil.  Then optically "boost" brow arches with universal highlighter shade just below brow hairs.
- Soft Blonde - ash blonde shaper/universal shaper
- Deep Brown - deep brown shaper/universal shaper
- Soft Brown - light brown shaper//universal shaper

Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm - Super-nourishing lip balm with mango and shea butters.  Just what dry, delicate lips need to feel comfortably soft and smooth.  Sixteen natural-looking lip tints in all, each with a subtle sheen.
- Voluptuous Violet - deep plum

This is my favorite of the two looks, I love the plum eye makeup shades.  My favorite pieces are the eye shadow duo and the plum eyeliner.  Both of these products are not quite what I would wear during the day but will look fantastic when going out at night, I have been all over the plum smoky eye look for fall and these are two of the best choices that I have seen so far this whole season.  i am a bit concerned with the level of pigmentation on the eye shadows as Clinique is not know for having super pigmented shadows but I will try it at the counter and see what my conclusion is. 

I like the hue of the Chubby Stick much more than I did for the other collection, this purple hue will look much better with my pale skin.  I may not wear it with the eye makeup that is in this look, depending on how pigmented it is.  Finally, I MUST own the mascara that is out with this collection, I will need a new tube soon so I am considering both versions of the High Impact Mascara.

I am love the two collections from Clinique, the dramatic look might be in my top five for the fall season!

photo courtesy of Clinique

Clinique Fall 2012 Collection - Colour Me Sheer

I am currently very happy with my newest product from the Clinique skincare product line so I decided that I wanted to check out more from this company, my local Macy*s hasn't done a Gift with Purchase for several months and I want to be ready as soon as I see the signs for it.  I might want to get more skincare but I do want to see if I need any new makeup before I just begin making a shopping list full of skincare products.  I am very excited to see that the fall collections from Clinqiue are finally up on their website and this year they have departed from tradition and have introduced two new collections instead of only one.  One collection is designed for a more natural fall color look and the other one is designed for a more dramatic fall colour look.

Today we are going to look at the first of the two color collections, Colour Me Sheer.  Colour Me Sheer is the more natural of the two collections and is best suited for a professional day look or on the weekends.  Most of the eye makeup shades that I have bought so far for this season have been on the more dramatic side and I am very interested in seeing what shades will work for a more natural look, also I am going to be rocking a dramatic lip look for most of the season and I could use a few new natural eye makeup products and shades.  I need to round out my eye makeup collection and find some more shades that more natural and refined than all the fun shades that I added to my collection with my purchase of the Too Faced Return of Sexy Eye Palette...

"See-through shades and an easy touch bring out your naturally pretty glow."  This is a great look for a casual weekend or a more conservative work atmosphere and I need some new shades to create looks like this. 

Here is the first part of the Fall Colour collection!

Lid Smoothie Anti-Oxidant 8-Hour Eye Colour - Creamy, crease-resistant eye colour wears for 8 hours.  Instantly cools thanks to a unique applicator.  Nourishing ingredients coax fine lid lines into a blanket of smoothness.  Anti-oxidants help protect eye-area skin.
- Gingerly - creamy pale bronze shimmer

Quickliner for Eyes - Automatic eyeliner pencil twists up.  Glides on.  Smudges to a smooth blur of colour with the convenient smudge tool on the opposite end.  Needs no sharpening - silky formula is always ready to line and define with ease.  Stays on all day.  Ophthamologist tested.
- Dark Chocolate - deep dark chocolate brown

High Impact Mascara - Kicks up the volume and length of each and every lashfor a look that's lusher, plusher, bolder.  Pure deep colour only adds to the impact.  Wear it once and you'll feel naked without it.  Ophthamologist tested.
- Black - deep pure black
- Black/Brown - very deep brown

Instant Lift for Brows - Two-in-one automatic brow pencil and pearlized highlighter duo creates a contrast and definition that gives eyes a virtual lift.  First, fill in and shape brows with long-wearing natural-looking pencil.  Then optically "boost" brow arches with universal highlighter shade just below brow hairs.
- Soft Blonde - ash blonde shaper/universal highlighter
- Deep Brown - dark brown shaper/universal highlighter
- Soft Brown - light brown shaper/universal highlighter

Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm - Super-nourishing balm is loaded with mango and shea butters.  Just what dry, delicate lips need to feel comfortably soft and smooth.  Sixteen natural-looking lip tints in all, each with subtle sheen.
- Mega Melon - sheer peachy pink

I love this look and I can't wait to add a few of these products to my makeup collection.  My favorite pieces are the cream eye shadow shade and the deep brown eyeliner, I love both of these products and I can use them with so many products and shades that I already own.  I am interested in the Instant Lift for Brows, though I would need to visit a counter and have someone work with me to make sure that I am using it right and that I will see a difference with this product.  I have never really used many products on my brows, I get them professionally waxed every few weeks and then only use a clear gel on them when needed.  I don't know that I really need another product for my brows as I keep them in fantastic shape already.  I will have to talk to the sales associate at the counter and decide if I do need to add this product to my daily look.

Lastly, I have been interested in the Chubby Sticks since they released.  I haven't tried any of them yet, they are always on my list of items to buy however that list is so long already that I haven't gotten to buying any of the shades yet.  I don't know that I will be buying this exact shade (it is a bit too warm for me) but I will be looking for some shades that pinks, berries, and maybe a sheer red too.  Perhaps I will move these up on my shopping list soon...

Now onto the second fall makeup collection from this company...Colour Me Dramatic!

photo courtesy of Clinique

MAC and Azealia Banks

MAC has releasing their fall collections very quickly over the past two weeks.  We had a long hiatus and then Styleseeker and MAC and Carine Roitfeld collections came out and now I see a whole list of new products and collection listed on the MAC website.  I know what company that I will be blogging about a lot over the next few days, this is the time that I tend to go on MAC overload and all of the products and shades tend to become hazy in my head.  I am not usre why MAC makes some of the marketing and release decisions that they do but I guess that I will just go with the flow and see how much shopping that I will want to do at the counter in the next few days. 

I see one full colour collection listed on the "new" area of the website and several small collections that each consist of a handfull of products.  Today we are going to start with one of the smallest collections and one that I believe in online only, MAC and Azealia Banks.  And we have yet another collaboration from MAC, I made the comment last spring about how I hoped that MAC wouldn't do too many collaborations as it will begin to get old very quickly.  It is now begining to get old, I like many of the collaborations (MAC and Carine Roitfeld, mais oui!) but this is getting to be overkill and I hope that MAC is looking for a new trend to start following before the collaboration trend gets really annoying...

Who is Azealia Banks?  I do not believe that I have ever heard of this musical artist or have heard any music from her.  I turned to her personal website for a bit of information and background.  Banks is a rapper from Harlem whose first single "212" was released in early December of 2011.  Early December is a time of the year where I am consumed with school and work so I easily things, I have never heard this song so I decided to watch the official video through YouTube.  In soft, she reminds of a combination of Rihanna's look and style and Nicki Minaj's rap style.  I will need to hear more from her before I can form a full opinion...

This lipstick reminded me of the Pink Friday release for Nicki Minaj, another time when MAC created a makeup selection with a rather unknown artist and then both the artist and the lip hue where sold out within a few days of the release.  At least MAC is consistently cutting edge and is bringing some unknown artists more into the mainstream.

"Coming from the 212, rap ingenue Azealia Banks collaborates with MAC on Yung Rapunxel -  a limited edition lipstick in a deep, rich shade of plum with an amplified finish."

Lipstick - Lips meet Azealia Banks' high style in a high-comfort shine Lipstick in a deep, rich plum with an amplified finish.  Limited edition.
- Yung Rapunxel - deep plum cream

Well this shade didn't sell out as fast as Pink Friday, this shade will be better on those with a deeper toned complexion or someonw who really loves deep dramatic lip hues.  This is not a shade for me so I will be skipping over it and waiting to see what else MAC brings out int he next week or so...

photo courtesy of MAC