MAC Cosmetics

The MAC 33 Lash ($16) is a bundle of joy — well, technically, bundles of joy — and my favorite false lash style in MAC’s entire permanent line.

See how the lashes are gathered into little bundles along the strip? And how within each bundle, the individual lashes on the sides are shorter than they are in the middle?

Also, notice how the biggest, baddest bundles are near the middle of the strip?

Now that’s just cool. And fancy. 🙂

“Well, hello there, young sir. Why, yes, these are my natural lashes, and yes, I do always look this wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, thank you for asking. I hope you don’t mind if I bat my “natural” lashes at you. It’s a nervous habit, tee-hee!”

I love that when I wear these, I can really see the difference in the length and thickness of my lashes, but I still feel like they could almost pass for natural. They’re big, but not crazy, totally outlandishly huge.

That said, these are not the false lashes I’d want to wear if I were otherwise covered in glitter at da cloob.… Not that I’ve done anything like that in, like, 10 years.

Seriously, if there were a cage, glitter and dancing in my immediate future (stranger things have happened), I’d probably opt for something more club-rageous like MAC’s 34 or 36 lashes instead.

These 33s are more like wedding day lashes — flirty, classic, beautiful and comfy. The super thin lash strip feels like nothing at all on my lids, and the lashes themselves aren’t so long that they make my eyes feel all droopy, which happens with some really ridonkulously huge false lashes.

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Ever tear into your makeup bag and think, “I need some color in my life!” But you’re at work, or you’re getting ready for work, and you still have to look responsible?

When you just don’t feel like wearing neutrals on your eyes but absolutely, positively must have a little color, try Shale…

No, not those little wafer-shaped rocks that you find along river banks (which are great for skipping, BTW).

Shale, as in MAC’s Shale Eyeshadow ($15).

I’d be willing to wager my MAC 217 that you may never want to pick up another brown or —

Okay…let me rephrase that, because I’m not about to risk losing my beloved MAC 217. 🙂

Once this pliant plum finds its way on your lids early one morning before school or work, you may never feel the need to pick up another workday brown or beige. That little cactus in your cubicle may never ever again see you wearing another neutral on your lids.

So what exactly are we talking about here?

Well, we’re talking about Shale! It’s a semi-sheer, cool-toned plummy mauve with subtle silver shimmer, and because it is fairly neutral (and consequently works well on warm- and cool-toned babes), but still has a little somethin’-somethin’ under the hood, it’s a great alternative to typical play-it-safe work shades.

Absolutely, there are much more intense plums and purples out there, even among neutral-ish shades, like Satin Taupe, Sable and Trax, but that’s one of the reasons I Shale.

Shale is a little sheerer than the average bear, which makes it almost fool-proof (perfect for me, LOL!), but it’s not so sheer that I feel like I have to pack on 12 pounds of the stuff to see it on my NC42 skin.

Say I wake up on a workday morning with plums and purples on my mind… If I only have a few minutes to get ready before zipping out the door, I’ll pat Shale on my lids with a MAC 239 and smooth out the edges with a 217.

Then, on my lash and water lines, I’ll add either a dark gray eyeliner like Laura Mercier Stormy Grey or a deep plum one like MAC Prunella.

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