My Favorite Nude Lip

I love wearing a nude lip and when it comes to the perfect one-two combo, I have definitely found mine.  I discovered both rather early in my makeup journey.  In fact, these two lippies were among the first non-drugstore cosmetic items I ever bought!  Both are permanent items from MAC, however, they never seem to register on anyone's radar and hardly get any mention individually or as a complementary pair.  Nevertheless, they are the perfect coupling for a rich, naked pout.  I am talking about Hug Me lipstick and C-Thru Lipglass.

With a name like "Hug Me" you would think it would get its proper share of love and attention.  But, alas, it always seems to get overshadowed by MAC's more popular shades like Siss and Velvet Teddy.  And while finding the right hue of nude is a personal choice based on skin tone, I have to say that this lipstick is absolutely gorgeous in my book and is - hands down - my favorite nude lipstick.

Hug Me is a pink, flesh toned nude and is considered a "Lustre", which means it has a nice sheen to it upon application.   It feels moisturizing going on the lips, has MAC's signature vanilla scent and is fully pigmented.  I do find that the lipstick does fade a little on me if worn alone, but conversely stays put when wearing a liner and/or lip gloss on top.  I. HEART. THIS. LIPPY!

MAC's Tinted Lipglass in C-Thru is an oldie, but goodie.  Much like Hug Me, it has been around for a while, but doesn't get half the shine or notice I think it deserves.

C-Thru is a peachy, milky nude with golden shimmer.  It is equipped with a doe foot applicator, contains MAC's signature vanilla scent and is semi-opaque.  The formula, like most of MAC's Lipglasses, is slightly tacky.  It has no discernible taste.

So there you have it: my favorite nude lip combo!  C-Thru would look good on top a host of lipsticks ranging from nudes to pinks to browns.  It's very pretty, however, it may bring on a case of déjà vu for some since the shade is not terribly unique.  But if you are still on the hunt for a great nude lipstick that doesn't wash you out or make you look like an escapee from the set of The Walking Dead then you may want to check out the fleshy goodness of Hug Me.  It's ab fab! 

MAC Hug Me and C-Thru are available online as well as at Macy's and Nordstrom, and retail for $15 each.

Weekend Report: Neutral With A Side Of Blue

Hey, guys!  Another Friday has arrived - the gateway to another glorious weekend - and I am so ready for it.  Do you guys have anything planned?  I was hoping to go to the movies and possibly see Iron Man 3 or Star Trek, but we'll see.  I know one thing: this is definitely going to be a T-shirt and jeans type of weekend.  Guess I'll get a little dolled up, too.  Nothing much, you know.  Throw a little color on a neutral eye and call it a day.

To start my eye look off, first I'll be applying Groundwork Paint Pot.   This primer/eyeshadow base is part of MAC's permanent lineup of products.

Groundwork is grayish taupe in color and has a slight sheen/shimmer to it. 

On my lid will be an eyeshadow from Rock and Republic called Sabotage.  Unfortunately, the company that is famous for their high-end denim jeans pulled out of the makeup game a while ago, much to the dismay of many who fell in love with their highly pigmented powder products and beautifully monogrammed packaging.

Sabotage is a wheat colored eyeshadow with a pearl finish.

In my crease will be a brown from Maybelline's quad called Stylish Smokes.

I'll be recruiting the dark, ash brown in the bottom right corner.  This plus the copper brown above it are the most pigmented out the quad.  They perform as well as boutique shadows.  Can't say the same for the other two shades on the left.

I chose Inglot's 340 eyeshadow to go in my outer "v" to inject some color into my look. 

Those who've read my Into the Deep Green-Blue post already know how I feel about it.  It is an absolutely gorgeous dark teal that is potently pigmented and has a matte finish.

And in my waterline will be Milani's Liquif'Eye eyeliner in Aqua.  Milani is a brand found in many drugstores as well as Target and Walmart.

Aqua is a bright, metallic turquoise and it is stunning.  It is creamy, goes on smoothly and did not budge on me at all.

With the addition of mascara, my eye will end up looking like this.

On my cheeks will be Format blush from MAC.  I absolutely adore this blush; it is officially my go-to for everyday!

What I love about this is the color; it is a toasty, warm brown that could actually read and act like a bronzer on some.  But it's a pigmented blush with a slight frost that gives just enough color and warmth to my face without overwhelming it.  Loves it!

And upon my lips I will put Coffee Bean, a lipstick from Revlon's Super Lustrous line.

Coffee Bean is a peach infused toffee color with a pearl finish.  It feels very moisturizing on and gives opaque coverage in every swipe.

In the end, I should look something like this (smile included).

For my gear, like I said - T-shirt and jeans.  I'll be rocking a white cotton tank, skinny jeans with an oatmeal knit cardigan and donning zebra print, pony-haired flats adorned with bows on the toes.   Simple.

So I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, including myself.  I heard rumblings of pending rain over here in these parts (Ugh!) but I'm going to try to keep that from affecting my mood.  And activities.

Oh, well.  Enjoy!

Yellow Is...

Yellow is the color of sunshine and little baby chicks.   People paint their kitchens yellow to start the day out with good vibes.  It is the color of happiness.  It is also the color of an awesome gel liner I'm pretty excited about -  Inglot's gel eyeliner 84.

#84 is a liner from Inglot's vast array of colored gel liners.  It is a brilliantly hued golden yellow and comes sealed in a small plastic jar to ensure its integrity and keep it from drying out.  It has a matte finish.

This gel liner is super pigmented and extra creamy.  I mean, your brush literally sinks into it, leaving the bristles bathed with more than enough product.  The creaminess also means that there's no tugging or pulling during application, which makes it a dream to work with.  It's totally smooth like (yes, I'm going to say it), smooth like buttah!

It's a rarity to see a cosmetic offering in this shade.  But when it's done and done right it's awfully hard to resist, especially for those seeking greater diversity in their makeup wardrobe like me. 

Yellow.  It is the color of freshly churned butter and daffodil blossoms.  It is the color of happiness.  It is also the color of a smile inducing shade of liner from Inglot that I simply can't wait to wear this season. 

Inglot 84 can be found at Inglot's boutiques, their website and select Macy's, and retails for $12.

Childhood Flashback: Oscar Goldman

"Gentlemen, we can rebuild him.  We have the technology.  We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man.  Steve Austin will be that man.  Better than he was before. Better... stronger... faster, " proclaims a confident Oscar Goldman during the intro to one of the most iconic television shows ever - The Six Million Dollar Man.  The show, starring Lee Majors, was so popular in the seventies that it spawned an equally popular spinoff, The Bionic Woman, which starred Lindsay Wagner as Steve Austin's female counterpart Jaime Sommers.  Oscar Goldman, played with particular panache by Richard Anderson, was the boss.  Merchandising quickly followed with everything from lunchboxes to dolls being offered for public consumption.  I found this Oscar Goldman doll on eBay years ago and, impressed by its condition and compelled by nostalgia, bought it to add to my toy collection.

The narrow box does show signs of wear and age, but that's to be expected.  The plastic cover inside is torn, but the doll, remarkably, is in excellent shape. 

The Oscar Goldman doll, produced by Kenner, comes complete with full outfit and an "exploding briefcase".

I was very happy to see that he did not have any chewing or scarring anywhere on his body, including his face.  I mean, these were toys meant to be played with and let's face it - most kids (especially boys) are pretty rough with their toys, but this Oscar seems to have survived the seventies and beyond with very little tampering.

The vivid colors of his turtleneck and tweed jacket fared well during the ages with only the pants being slightly discolored with what looks like faint water stains.  Even the shoes look practically new.  And he came with both his socks!  Impressive.

But here's where things get really good: the exploding briefcase!  Looks like any normal briefcase, right?  Very plain and unassuming, correct?

Well, if you open it the "normal" way, you get to see all the gadgets and doodads pertinent to upcoming top secret missions, including a bionic scanner, decoder with a fully articulated knob, headset and personal files on both Jaime Sommers and Steve Austin.  Classified stuff, you know.

But if you try to get cheeky and Oscar feels threatened or infringed upon, unlocking the case without his permission (turning the handle all the way to the right) will have dire consequences...

KABOOM!  The briefcase explodes, blowing the case's one panel clear off...

... and leaving the contents inside "destroyed".  All files and top secret info are now illegible and irretrievable.  A sure fire way to keep all documents secure and away from prying eyes.

Again, minus some minor wear, the case is in very good condition.  And the exploding mechanism being still operational (which I didn't think it would be) is a major plus.

I can only imagine how many hours of fun little kids had playing with this doll.  I mean, I'm a grown woman and I think it's awesome!  It's a cool toy based on cool characters from a super cool TV show created during an era when kids used to race home and park themselves in front of the tube and let their imaginations run wild.

Don't know if I'll ever get the other dolls from the series, but I'm totally content with Oscar for now.  He's a very fortunate find, indeed.