MAC Cosmetics

Ah, the elusive beautyblender! Here comes one in its pristine state… I’m hoping it’ll stay in my possession for longer than a week (or a month! — dare to dream), because I’m not the only one in Novato obsessed with these marvelous makeup sponges. All of the little animals I live with — a.k.a. “the boarders,” a.k.a Tabs the Cat and Connor Claire the Coywolf — are obsessed with them, too. They hide them, one (the furry one) bites them, and they rip them apart with their claws.

If it happens again, at least I won’t have to go far to find a new one, because now they’re also available at MAC.

#MACLOVESBEAUTYBLENDER

• beautyblender original — pink ($20)
• beautyblender pro — black ($20)
• beautyblender beauty blusher — gray ($16)
• beautyblender micro mini — chartreuse ($18)
• blendercleanser solid ($16)

This black one is the $20 beautyblender pro, and it’s my favorite. The black keeps it looking cleaner longer, compared to the iconic O.G. pink beautyblender, which is also $20 and also available at MAC. They both work just as well as the other, but the pink one, which is SUPER CUTE, shows off every single product that has ever graced it. It looks messy, and I’m not about that life.

I sure do love the pink ones when they’re new, though.

I primarily use mine to apply liquid foundation and concealer, but I have seen people use them for powders and eyeshadow. I use the larger end of the sponge to cover large swaths of skin, like my forehead and cheeks, and the pointier end for the nooks and crannies, like the inner corner of my eye, and the corners around my nose and mouth.

It’s true, you could use any old makeup blending sponge. There are lots of other non-latex makeup sponges for blending and application, and most of them are pretty good, but I’ve always liked that the beautyblenders are un-textured. When I blend my foundation or concealer, I don’t see a pattern from the sponge on my skin, so the coverage looks natural. Plus, they absorb juuust the right amount, so I don’t feel like I’m wasting much product when I use them (some makeup sponges are too absorbent, IMO).

[Continue reading…]

OK, I know. Wandering around “The Rack” (a.k.a Nordstrom Rack, the discounted outlet arm of Nordstrom) can feel like its own form of torture sometimes because… I JUST CAN’T with the clothing and shoe sections. Too overwhelming and disorganized.

But the beauty area is generally easier to navigate than the rest of the store, and sometimes, like RIGHT MEOW, they have amazing deals.

Three letters: M. A. C. Yup! If you live near a Nordstrom Rack, you might wanna pop in sometime soon, especially if you’re a MAC fan, because right now they’ve got some deep discounts on MAC products, with some items as much as half off.

And get this! — there’s lots of really good stuff on sale at the moment. It’s not just rand-o pieces from fly-by-night collections from, like, five years ago. I’m talking workhorse items and unsung heroes from the permanent collection that you can use all the time.

I stopped by the Nordstrom Rack near my house last weekend (Novato Vintage Oaks), and although the MAC shelves looked a little sparse and picked-over, I still found a few choice items, including…

41% off Paint Pots in Rubenesque and Constructivist — On sale for $12.87 (originally $22). Everyday cream shadow bases you can wear alone or layered underneath powder shadows (see Rubenesque and Constructivist on me).

41% off Pearlglide Intense Eye Liners in Lord It Up and Undercurrent — On sale for $9.97 (originally $17). Intense, silky, rich liners with bits of glitter. For use on the lash lines only (see a swatch of Lord It Up).

50% off MAC Pencil Sharpener — On sale for $4.97 (originally $10). If you own any of the MAC Pro Longwear pencils, you’ve gotta have a MAC Pencil Sharpener around. Other sharpeners don’t work as well as the MAC ones for that family of pencils for some reason.

[Continue reading…]