So I’ve finally gotten around to filming a requested makeup tutorial using the products I picked up from the MAC Magnetic Nudes collection. This is a very natural, everyday look and I absolutely love it. Hope you do, too!
Leave a comment below, thx for reading/watching!
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3
As you well may know, MAC’s beloved, cult-favorite mineralize skinfinish Stereo Rose is being repromoted yet again with the Fantasy of Flowers collection (releasing online January 30th, in store January 6 U.S.). There is so much hype surrounding this product (yes, I have a penchant for stating the obvious). But is the hype well-deserved?
I picked this beauty up last go-round. At my most pale I’m an NW 22ish, so I use SR as a blush rather than a highlight. It’s described as a “coral with golden bronze and a high frost, metallic finish.” Basically it’s a warm peachy color with gold shimmer and a very slight hint of pinky-rose tones (depending on the veining). The shimmer is definitely there but not disco. What’s great is that it will suit multiple skintones because the pigmentation is there. Due to the shimmer factor, you may want to avoid applying it on the apples of your cheeks if you have large pores. I think both warm and cool people can pull this off, although I think it flatters warm skintones better. But do I think it’s worth the hype? Not necessarily.
Perhaps it’s because I have a very cool skintone, but for me Stereo Rose is just okay. I like it. I’m glad I own it, and I use it with a fair amount of regularity. But I don’t love it, nor do I consider it holy grail. I gravitate more toward peachy-pink blushers than peachy-orangey ones. I prefer either matte or sheertone shimmer finishes to the metallic finish. Milani’s baked blush in Rose D’Oro is similar but not a dead on dupe (and it’s not as smooth). Stereo Rose can be a must-have for warmer or deeper skin, but I certainly wouldn’t overpay for it as some eBay sellers would have you do (I’ve seen this product listed for $100 USD!). Overall, I think there are many other fish in the proverbial sea; if you miss it, it’s not worth stressing about.
What do you think? Am I way off base? Or do you agree? Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading. p.s. it’s available and in stock right now on the Macy’s website if you want to get it early bird 🙂 click here
“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.” Isaiah 26:3
MAC has been busy lately, launching multiple collections the day after Christmas. My favorite is the Magnetic Nudes collection. This collection is all about looking very natural and glowy. My favorite!
This extra dimension collection consists of 3 mineralize skinfinishes, 3 blushes, 5 eyeshadows, 3 fluidlines, 4 lipsticks, and 5 lip glasses. I love the extra dimension formula as it gives a beautiful sheen without being glittery, chunky, or emphasizing skin texture to the extreme. I didn’t grab any glosses (I need a new gloss like I need a hole in the head, you know?), although steel kiss looked very unique. Overall I love this versatile collection. I get so much use out of these everyday, wearable colors. Below are descriptions and pictures of what I picked up (for reference, I am currently an NW22). If you are more into a bold look then you may want to check out Punk Couture which released the same day. It has dramatic, vampy lippies and bright, 80’s style pigments.
MSF’s
Superb (a repromote) is described as a peachy nude with multidimensional shimmer. To me it looks like a gorgeous champagne color that would suit just about anyone. It is very pigmented and long lasting. One swipe on the cheekbone with a fan brush and you’ll be glowing all day as if you just stepped off Mount Olympus. It’s beautiful, and if you like highlighters you will enjoy this product.
Fairly Precious is described as a peach with green pearl. It’s a true, warm peach highlight. This would best suit lighter skin tones in my opinion. Like Superb, it has a smooth texture. There was also Magnetic Appeal, which is a warm coppery color that would look beautiful on deeper skin tones.
Autoerotique is described as a dirty coral rose. This is a warm, easy to blend blush. As with all extra dimension blushers, the color payoff is subtle but can be built up. This is a very pretty and unique color.
At Dusk (repromote) is a stunning blush described as a dirty cool pink but does not look grey on the cheek. This is very flattering on lighter skin tones. Again, it gives a light wash of color but can be built up.
Amorous Alloy is described as a deep terracotta copper color with a metallic finish. I had not intended on purchasing any extra dimension eyeshadow from this collection, but the girl at the counter sold me on this unique color. It’s warm but not so warm that cool people can’t pull it off. This is another product that will look great on an array of skin tones and eye colors. The other eyeshadow colors were very pretty but seemed quite dupable to me.
It’s Physical is described as a brown with purple pearl. This has a lot of purple shimmer in it, more than you can see in the pot. I prefer using this all over the lid rather than as a liner. It’s a really lovely color that would suit many eye colors. The other fluidline that caught my eye was Our Secret, a metallic brown with red pearl. This is another beautiful color that I had set out to purchase, but once swatched it reminded me of Constructivist paint pot. I swatched them side by side at the counter and they looked identical on my arm so I did not buy it.
Morning Rose is described as a soft, cool rose creamsheen. This is a very wearable, everyday dusty rose shade (again, suitable for multiple skin tones). The rest of the lipsticks were mostly nudes, and since I don’t need any more nude lipsticks I did not purchase any.
MAC Center of Attention MSF. Divine Night Holiday Collection 2013. Photo by somethingtoconsiderblog.com
MAC Cosmetics has now launched their Divine Night Holiday color collection in the US. In this collection are three highlighting mineralize skinfinish powders. I picked up Centre of Attention (I’m so proud of my restraint!) and thought I would share my thoughts on whether or not this $33 beauty item is worth the dough.
This MSF is priced at $33 rather than the usual $30 due to the limited edition packaging. This includes lettering on the box as well as the pot in gold instead of the usual white. Is that really worth an extra $3? I’m not so sure. The design of the mineralize skinfinish itself is also unique as the usual veining was foregone. The base color is a soft peachy pink that is finely milled. Inside is a square filled with a 14-karat gold glitter.
The color payoff of this MSF is rather disappointing. I found both colors to be quite sheer, with the gold being a bit more prominent. Since the pink is so light and sheer I would think it is better suited for paler, cool-toned skin. At first it reminded me of MAC’s Play It Proper, but when swatched side by side PIP is much more pigmented and more of a true pink without the peachy pull. CoA is very powdery. The yellow gold applies much like a pressed pigment. It is very chunky glitter, and while I applied it to the tops of my cheeks it most certainly did not stay there. After a couple of hours the gold glitter was literally all over my face (perhaps my oily skin has something to do with that). I found it applied a bit better when using a wet brush and placed on my lids over a creamy eyeshadow base. Because the gold is so coarse and gritty, when swatching the two colors together it is much more pronounced. Maybe that is why I did not find the color of mixing the two to be very appealing (and they really didn’t blend). As you can see in the pictures and video below, swatching one or two layers of the product was hardly noticeable on my light skin. I considered adding more layers to the swatches but that seemed misleading. What you see in these pics is truly what you get.
Now before I sound completely doom and gloom, I would say that the peachy pink base color is beautiful and provides a very subtle, flattering sheen. If you do not have a pinky highlight then this might be worth the money for that alone. As for the gold, I can’t say that it is all bad just because it didn’t suit my skin tone and larger pores. If you can pull off very large, yellow gold then you may love this product.
I definitely recommend trying this product in person before buying if at all possible. Overall I did not find Centre of Attention to be impressive, which is shocking as I have an unnatural love for MAC’s skinfinishes and beauty powders. I wanted to love it! But there are much better permanent MSF’s, and the next great limited edition collection is always just around the corner.
For live swatches watch the short video below. What did you think of this product and the collection as a whole? Do you disagree and absolutely love it? Leave me a comment below. Thanks for reading.
Products are available at MAC stores, counters, and on-line at www.maccosmetics.com
This product was purchased with my own money. All opinions are my own.
“Search me, O god, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
MAC Centre of Attention MSF in Packaging. Photo by somethingtoconsiderblog.com
MAC Centre of Attention MSF Divine Night. Photo by somethingtoconsiderblog.com
MAC Centre of Attention MSF Divine Night. Photo by somethingtoconsiderblog.com
Pink 1 layer swatch
Pink 2 layers
Top: MAC Play it Proper, Bottom: COA (pink)
Top: CoA Gold, Bottom: Pink
Top to Bottom: CoA gold and pink swirled together, gold, pink
Something to Consider 