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Lips Like Marilyn’s Are One Swipe Away: Pigment Abounds in the New MAC Marilyn Monroe Lipsticks

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mac marilyn monroe scarlet ibis lipstick
Wearing the new MAC Marilyn Monroe collection lipstick in Scarlet Ibis

Some say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

My chapped lips and I have to politely disagree. I mean, sure, diamonds have some cool things going for ’em. They’re all sparkly, and allegedly you can use them to cut mirrors and glass (I’ve always wanted to try that!), but what good are sparkly, shiny baubles when your lips are all flaky and you want to wear a bright orangey red lipstick like the new matte Scarlet Ibis or a frosty nude like Pure Zen ($16.50 each; both part of the MAC Marilyn Monroe collection)?

I’ve been so jazzed about these colors and their three siblings since I got wind of the MAC Marilyn Monroe collection earlier this year. I imagined re-creating MM’s signature sultry lips while happily stepping over a subway vent and having my skirt fly up for the whole world to see my Spanx…

Okay, maybe not. But I’d still love hot makeup like Marilyn’s, and it’s easier to get with these lipsticks. Both lay down loads of opaque, solid color, and a single swipe takes me from lowly pet assistant to polished screen siren.

Or thereabouts. 🙂

MAC Marilyn Monroe Pure Zen Lipstick Scarlet Ibis
Lipsticks in Pure Zen (left) and Scarlet Ibis (right)

mac marilyn monroe scarlet ibis lipstick
Lipstick in Scarlet Ibis

mac marilyn monroe pure zen lipstick
Lipstick in Pure Zen

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How to Marry a Showgirl: The Many Faces of the New MAC Marilyn Monroe Eyeshadows

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mac marilyn monroe showgirl eyeshadow
Wearing the new MAC Marilyn Monroe Eyeshadow in Showgirl

Being the right-hand human to an international plus-size kitty supermodel can be a real chore if you’re not, you know, in the mood to be your cat’s minion/punching bag.

To my feline employer, I’m merely a toady, a gopher, but there’s more to being a successful pet assistant than having opposable thumbs. It’s a multifaceted job requiring a diverse skill set, dagnabbit, and ideal candidates are people with layers — just like the new $21 Large Eye Shadows from the MAC Marilyn Monroe collection.

Blueish gray Showgirl and soft white How to Marry, two of the four shades in the limited edition launch that arrives on counters this Thursday, might look like standard issue shimmers in swatches, but wait until they get on your lids.

MAC Marilyn Monroe Showgirl How to marry Eye Shadow
Eyeshadows in Showgirl (left) and How to Marry (right)

Like Marilyn, these Large Eye Shadows are larger than life! Each of the $21 0.1-ounce pans contain twice as much product as MAC’s regular $15 eyeshadow pans, which contain 0.05 ounces each.

Thing is, these babies love buffing, so start by pressing either one on your lids with a firm, flat eyeshadow brush or finger (side note: this part’s kind of important, because I’ve noticed that if I skip the firm brush/finger part, these shadows exhibit significant fallout), and then swirl a domed, fluffy brush like the MAC 217 on top of the shadows to lift away some of the pigment.

What remains is a semi-opaque wash of shiny color and tiny glimmering flecks of shimmer. Although the effect’s kinda quiet in these pics, I think it’s much more obvious and super pretty in person, especially if you like your glitter on the understated side.

mac marilyn monroe showgirl eyeshadow
Eyeshadow in Showgirl

mac marilyn monroe how to marry eyeshadow
Eyeshadow in How to Marry

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Some Like It Hot: For Them, There’s MAC Marilyn Monroe

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The new MAC Marilyn Monroe collection
The new MAC Marilyn Monroe collection

El Hub: C’mon, sweets! Hurry it up, or we’ll miss the movie.

Me: Coming! Five more minutes.

El Hub: You said that 10 minutes ago. Whatever you’re doing, is it more important than kettle corn?

Me: Um…YEAH?! It’s only the new MAC Marilyn Monroe collection, which I’ve been looking forward to since forever.

El Hub: Come on! You can play with it later.

Me: There is no later. Only now! Cool your jets. I’m almost done uploading a few pics for the girls.

The MAC Marilyn Monroe collection: pics and swatches of nine pieces from the launch

MAC Marilyn Monroe packaging

MAC Marilyn Monroe The Perfect Cheek Blush
Blush in The Perfect Cheek

MAC Marilyn Monroe The Perfect Cheek Blush Closeup
MAC Marilyn Monroe Legendary Blush
Blush in Legendary

MAC Marilyn Monroe Legendary Blush closeup
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MAC Unsung Heroes: Harmony Blush

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mac harmony blush

Cheeks and MAC Harmony Blush go together like lemonade and chocolate chip cookies…

Okay, wait — that might not have come out right.

Seriously, though, have you ever had lemonade and chocolate chip cookies before? I mean together? 🙂 I know it sounds like a weird combination, but I swear it’s better than it probably sounds.

The two make harmonious music together, forming an unlikely alliance of sweet and sour that could almost be a metaphor for my life.

Case in point: last Saturday morning I crawled out of bed feeling anxious and overwhelmed. I had a bunch of chores to do around the house (and when the house is a mess, it makes everything worse), but I didn’t want to do any of it. I wanted to unwind more than anything else, and I knew that I wasn’t going to get anything productive done until I improved my outlook.

Two words: window shopping. I threw on some clothes and minimal makeup and decided to hit the mall.

I drove down to The Village at Corte Madera, which is about 20 minutes away, because they have a Nordstrom there with a great MAC counter, an Anthropologie store, Apple store, Bare Escentuals, Blue Mercury, Kate Spade and some other good stuff. Out of nowhere, I got a weird craving for a chocolate chip cookie and a glass of lemonade, so I walked over to this place called Boudin’s, a café/bakery chain here in the Bay Area (they make a mean loaf of sourdough). As usual, of course, the universe had other plans…

Gal at the register (who was clearly not having her best customer service day): Hi.

Me: Hi! Everything always smells so good in here; it’s hard to decide. Okay, I think I’d like a chocolate chip cookie…but can you tell me first if they’re chewy or crunchy?

Gal at the register: They’re chewy and crunchy. If you buy one you can find out.

Me: Uh-huh… The thing is, I don’t really like cookies that are too crunchy, sooo I only want to buy one if it’s more chewy than crunchy. [SIGH] Okay, um, do you have lemonade?

Gal at the register: We have water and sliced lemons. But no lemonade. You can squeeze the lemons into your water and make your own lemonade.

Me: (My left eyelid started twitching) Hmm… On second thought, ya know, I think I’m gonna pass. Thank you anyway.

Then, wouldn’t you know it, as I left the restaurant empty handed and rounded the corner outside, I saw a soda machine in front of me with what? — lemonade! And me without a cookie.

Mom always says not to sweat the small stuff, but when I’m cranky and craving sweets, that’s easier said than done…

Still, I tried. I went back to walking around the mall and tried to ignore my rumbling tummy. I came upon a woman with her little girl, who looked to be about three years old, playing in the middle of the mall’s courtyard.

The girl was smiling and holding a green balloon. Suddenly, it slipped out of her hands!

Instead of screaming or bursting into tears (something I might have done had it happened to me at that moment), the girl chased after the balloon, laughing and jumping as she watched it float higher and higher into the sky.

As I watched the girl, who never stopped smiling, I felt something inside of me click. It was my reset button, turning me away from my crazy place and bringing me back to inner peace and harmony.

Which reminds me about a blush… 🙂

How do I love thee, MAC Harmony Blush? Let me count the ways…

mac harmony blush

  • This muted rosy beige could almost pass for a brown.
  • Considering its versatility, $20 is a bargain for this blush. You can use it as a contouring face bronzer, a warming blush or an eye crease color to give depth to different looks.
  • If you’ve ever had trouble with bronzers having orange undertones before, take a look at Harmony. It adds warmth without the orange undertones. Fantastic for skin tones from pale to medium!
  • I wear it when I want a natural-looking cheek color with a little warmth that won’t interfere with the rest of my makeup, like when I wear a strong eye and lip combo.
  • On my NC42 skin, I usually wear 2-3 layers to reach a level of color I like.
  • I wear Harmony a lot when I’m in a hurry. I’ll do a couple quick layers on the apples of my cheeks, and give some definition to my eyes with a small amount swiped into my creases with a 217.
  • Sometimes, when I want more color than I get from Harmony alone, I’ll add a brighter pink like Dollymix on top.

mac harmony blush swatch
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MAC Unsung Heroes: Careblends Pressed Powder

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mac unsung heroes careblends pressed powder

Every time I hear the word, “Careblends,” it reminds me of something else…

It’s hard to explain, really, because that something is a little strange. I can’t quite call it a person, but he/she was very caring and nice.

They had a TV show that was quite popular when I was a kid. Can’t seem to recall the name of the show right now, but I remember caring for it a great deal…

LOL!

I can’t believe I haven’t given MAC Careblends Pressed Powders the Unsung Heroes treatment before. I realized this morning that I’ve hit the pan not once, but twice on a Careblends before, and considering how often I change products, that says something about how much I love this stuff.

I know I’ve raved about them before. They come in eight shades and live in MAC’s permanent line, although they occasionally make appearances as limited edition colors in collections like the Surfbaby launch.

So what exactly is a Careblends Pressed Powder? Is it a cuddly technicolor bear with an identifying icon on its tum?

No, no, it’s not. 🙂 It’s a $24 sheer-to-medium coverage tinted pressed powder with a finish a hint glossier than matte. Worn on either on bare skin or atop foundation, the Careblends look naturally flawless to me, like real skin, and I can’t remember seeing one ever look chalky.

My combination dry/oily skin also loves the way they feel — lightweight, smooth, almost like nothing at all — and they love the camera, too. They photograph really well, especially combined with MAC Face and Body, my current foundation crush.

Who might want to give them a try? Guys and girls with dry or combination skin types who like more natural looks might want to give ’em a try. Shoot, even if you have hyperactive sebaceous glands, I think they’re still worth a try. You just might want to mix them with an oil absorbing powder to help the keep shine at bay. Try a 50/50 blend of Careblends and Blot. That’s what I do when my t-zone resembles an oil slick.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!


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How Do You Do MAC Face and Body? MAC Face and Body Foundation Application Tips

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mac face and body foundation application tips

When MBB reader Indoorkitty asked me a question about my current foundation love, MAC Face and Body, I thought, “Great time to gush!”

But first, allow me to gush for a minute… 🙂

Wait — what?! You haven’t tried MAC Face and Body before?? Check it — it’s a total beauty staple, like bread, gravy (for Tabs) and milk. I love that the coverage is flexible, so I can wear it sheer or build it up, and the finish? Oh, the finish… mostly matte, but with a hint of glow. Dewy, like I just walked under a mister, but not all wet-looking like I loitered underneath it for long. It’s just enough dew to keep your skin from looking flat.

And it does all of its awesomeness without feeling heavy at all. In fact, it feels like I’m hardly wearing anything at all! Yup, my previous MAC foundation affair with Studio Sculpt ended on my first date with MAC Face and Body.

mac face and body foundation in c5

Okay, okay, I’m done gushing (for now)… Let’s talk about Indoorkitty’s question:

“Karrrren! This used to be one of my favorite foundations but I’ve forgotten how I put it on. I’m doing a bunch of work travel and srsly considering just bringing it with me + playing with each brush I own in my spare time to find the mojo again. I think I used to use a stippling brush then buffed it out… Which brush do you use to apply/buff it? Please share! It pains me to have such a massive bottle of this in the right shade without being able to put it on successfully.”

-Indoorkitty

Hi Indoorkitty,

First things first: love your screen name (and always have!). Second, and more relevant to your question, Face and Body’s texture can make it a little tough to work with, especially if you’re out of practice. It’s kinda runny, but don’t give up on it! You’ll get the hang of working with it again. Ultimately, it all depends on the level of coverage you crave.

If all you want is a sheer semblance of sheer sheerness (in other words, very sheer coverage), use your fingers and really work the product into your skin. That’s what I do sometimes. It gives a light hint of tint, which is usually enough to mask my red areas but not enough to cover blemishes.

When I’m in the mood for more coverage (with this, anywhere up to medium), I’ll use a foundation brush instead of my fingers, and apply it in thin/light layers.

You could use a traditional flat foundation brush for this, one like the MAC 190, but I usually steer clear of those. For some reason, when I use them with MAC Face and Body, I get foundation streaks.

I like to apply this using a brush with a rounded head — feel like I get more of an airbrushed finish that way — and my fave is the Hourglass Foundation/Blush Brush No. 2. Unfortunately, it’s not cheap, but there are some good budget options, like the $10 Ecotools Bamboo Bronzer Brush, which has a similar shape.

mac face and body foundation application tips

Most mornings I’ll apply 2-3 sheer layers, swirling the brush head, and then once I reach a level of overall coverage I like, I zoom in and target the areas where I want a little more coverage, pushing the product into my skin there, rather than swirling.

Also an indoor kitty…

Optional: After I’m done doing my layers, I like to gently buff my entire face using a MAC 187 Duo Fibre Face Brush. I think it just sort of settles everything down… Sometimes I skip this step, but when I do, I’m really careful to blend in the foundation after my swirling/patting.

mac face and body foundation application tips
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Let’s Do a Marilyn Makeup Look While We Wait for MAC Marilyn Monroe

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mac marilyn monroe tutorial final look

I can’t wait for the new MAC Marilyn Monroe collection to arrive on counters October 4! I’m serious. I can’t wait!!

I tried, but I couldn’t, so I didn’t. 🙂

Today I decided to try my paws at a look inspired by Marilyn and Hollywood pinup girls using products I already have. For the heck of it, I tried to use colors that at least sounded similar to the ones from the upcoming release, based on the official MAC color descriptions.

I left myself lots of leeway here and basically just tried to have fun, Marilyn-style.

The products I substituted for MAC Marilyn Monroe collection colors…

  • MAC Eyeshadow in Shroom in place of MAC Eyeshadow in Preferred Blonde (described as a pale champagne beige)
  • A mix of MAC Eyeshadow in Swell Baby and Waft in place of MAC Eyeshadow in Showgirl (a dark blueish grey)
  • MAC Lipstick in Lady Danger in place of MAC Lipstick in Scarlet Ibis (a bright orange-red)
  • MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Kiss Me Quick in place of MAC Lip Pencil in Redd
  • MAC Pro Longwear Lipgloss in Boundlessly Beige in place of MAC Dazzleglass in Phiff! (a sheer yellowish peach)
  • MAC Blush in Blushbaby in place of MAC Powder Blush in The Perfect Cheek (a neutral pinkish beige)
  • MAC Beauty Powder in Pearl Sunshine in place of MAC Beauty Powder in Forever Marilyn (a sheer pale peach)
  • MAC 36 Lash in place of MAC 35 Lash

I snapped some pics, too, in case you wanted to follow along. 🙂

If you’re ready, let’s jump right in!

The first thing I did was apply my foundation and fill in my brows…

mac marilyn monroe tutorial 1

Then, I spread MAC Paint in Sublime Nature all over my lids.

mac marilyn monroe tutorial 2

After that, I patted Shroom on top…

mac marilyn monroe tutorial 3
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An Everyday Plum, Beige and Peach Fall Makeup Look for Work, School or Walks With Your Cat

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mac prunella sable tutorial final top

Shh… Do you hear that? Wait — let me open up my window so it’s easier to hear.

That rustling sound outside? That’s the sound of fallen leaves from the old oak tree blowing in the wind. Haven’t heard that sound in a long, long time…

It’s even a little chilly out today. I noticed it earlier when I took Tabs outside for his walk. That crunch-crunch-crunch of brown and yellow leaves under our feet, the crisp edge in the air — you know what’s up! Fall is back.

And as the seasons change, so does my makeup. I’ve been wanting to wear more fall-ish looks lately, like this little number with plum, beige and peach.

A few weeks ago I was all about dewy finishes and glow, but now I’m really interested in mattes, I think because they just seem polished and appropriate for this time of year.

From start to finish, assuming everything goes well and I don’t get distracted by, oh, say something like Friday Night Lights, this look normally takes me about 15-20 minutes. This time took a little longer because I wanted to snap these pics for a tutorial.

If you’re looking for a new fall makeup look for work or school, I hope you give this one a try, and if you do, let me know how it goes. 🙂

First, before we get started, let’s round up all of the tools and products we’ll need… Brand-wise, I mostly used products from MAC, Becca, Burberry and Hourglass here, but of course, you can swap out any of these things for similar colors from other brands.

Makeup

Tools

Next, using the Hourglass Foundation/Blush Brush No. 2, I prepped my skin with primer (I’m using MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance) before applying MAC Face and Body Foundation in C5 all over my face, and where I felt I needed extra coverage, like on my chin (dumb-@ss hormonal breakouts!), I applied a little more, pressing the product into my skin with the brush.

mac prunella sable tutorial 1

Then, I filled in my brows with a MAC 266 Small Angle Brush and MAC Eyeshadow in Concrete and curled my lashes with the always reliable Sonia Kashuk Lash Curler.

mac prunella sable tutorial 2

Next up — eyeshadow! I spread MAC Paint in Sublime Nature all over my lids with a finger. It served as a base for the next eyeshadows layered on top, helping them stay put and intensifying their colors.

mac prunella sable tutorial 3

Here, I lined my upper lash lines with MAC Prunella…

mac prunella sable tutorial 4
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