I Really Haven't Forgotten You... Promise!

I've been slacking. I've been slacking on everything. The other morning, I looked into my pot of MAC Blacktrack Fluidline and realized it was almost empty. The bottom was bare and I was scraping the sides. Never before have I run so low without having a replacement on hand. I also use Dark Diversion Fluidline...

It's less brown and more burgundy than the photo, or maybe it'a just my monitor. 

  It's limited edition, but it's been re-launched with at least 3 collections. It would look gorgeous with blue eyes. It looks pretty awesome with mine. I can't rely on it completely, though, as it matches most things but not everything. It's pretty similar to one of my favorite shadows, Sketch. Regardless, I need a black liner. Below is a picture of Sketch, BTW.

The photo doesn't really do it justice. I find it darker, plummier ... closer to the photo of Dark Diversion. Again, maybe my monitor. 

 The other thing that happened, that proves I've been slacking, is that I ran completely out of my MAC eyebrow pencil, in Stud. I looove these eyebrow pencils. I have no idea why... I just do! They always look perfect. When I had darker hair I used the MAC brow pencil is Spiked. I think those are the only two colours I've tried, but I loved them both. I'd been filling my brows in for a week with MAC eyeshadow in Mystery. It looks good, but I prefer the look of the pencils. I used to use Embark shadow to fill in my brows, but it pulls slightly too red (unless you have dark red hair) and Mystery is perfect.

Mystery, which is the cooler of the two. Not too cool for my warm complexion.

Embark, which is the perfect brow and liner colour for dark red hair.

Sooo needless to say I decided a trip to MAC was in order, and the empty brow pencil (it's mechanical) made for 7 empty MAC containers. You only need 6 to "Back2MAC" for a free lipstick, or if you go to the MAC store rather than counter, you can choose a lipstick or an eyeshadow. I ended up getting a lipstick anyway, but I went to the MAC store because I wasn't completely sure what I wanted.  I ended up getting Blacktrack Fluidline, Stud eyebrow pencil, and Girl About Town lipstick. I really, really love this lipstick. I'm actually psyched to wear it tomorrow and plan my face and outfit around it. I wore it tonight and it held up for an impressive 6 hours (I didn't eat, but earlier today I ate ice cream with Candy Yum-Yum + Morange to create a coral colour that matched my sweater. The lipstick survived the day and the ice cream. The miracle of the apply-blot-powder-apply-blot formula.) I will probably photograph this lipstick on myself tomorrow... but I hate my lips, so I can't say for sure that the pictures will make it to the blog.

MAC's Girl About Town

Rumor has it, Kim Kardashian is wearing Girl About Town in this picture.  The makeup look itself is actually pretty hot.  I think the fuchsia is a more fun look than the nudes she usually wears. Photograph is not my property.

The lipstick is so popular that when MAC recently launched matching lipglosses and nail polishes to match their bestselling lipsticks, Girl About Town was included. It's one of those products that makes me want to kick myself for not buying it sooner.

This post should have been called "Things I Love From MAC." heh heh. I need to go to bed.

-H. Cat

(As a side note, none of the pictures I used on this blog are my own property. As I get around to taking photos I will gradually phase out the ones I do not own.)

FOTD & NOTD: Purple Crazy & Family Pictures!

Today I was feeling a little purple-crazy. I did an eye showcasing my absolute favorite shadow in the world. MUFE's Purple 92. Gorgeous purple, richly pigmented, so easy to work with. I accompanied this super bold eye with a purple leopard print nail. Well, sort of purple. It was a pinky purple base with a red micro-pearl, dotted with a purpley blue with a red micro-pearl. I used Seche Base, and ORLY "Won't Chip" so I'll let you know how well they wear in a few days.

The kids and I went egg hunting at Citi Plaza. Rhett was not in the best shape after this outing. Sometimes he can handle crowds, sometimes he cannot. Today was the latter. After that we came home and had an egg hunt in the backyard with the boys' friend Conner.

To recreate this eye, you'll need:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• MAC Blanc Type (base)
• MAC Crystal (lid wash)
• MAC Vellum (inner half of lid, and to blend 93 up towards brow bone)
• Make Up For Ever shade "92" (outer 3rd, use w/angle brush to cut inner crease)
• MAC Sketch (use with angle brush to cut outer crease)
• MAC Nylon (to highlight brow bone & tear duct)
• MAC Fluidline in "Dark Diversion" (to line lash line, Sketch would substitute)
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide liner in "Baked" (a golden shade, to line water line)
• MAC Feline eyeliner, to (line inner 3rd of water line)
• MAC False Lashes Extreme Black
• MAC Embark to fill in my brows

For the lip I used:

• Wet 'n Wild liner in shade 666, "Brandywine"
• Rimmel London lipstick in "Asia"
• MAC gloss in "Oversexed"

And on my face:

• Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush makeup in "Vanilla"
• Sally Hansen Inspired by Carmindy blush creme in "Ginger"
• Tarte "Smooth Operator" translucent finishing powder

 So without further rambling, I present you... More pictures of makeup, nails, kids.

Chloe looking fierce on her way to Citi Plaza

Rhett anxiously waiting for the bus

Cailum waiting patiently 

Cailum at our own egg hunt after the one at Citi Plaza

I thought he was trying to play ball, but the Easter Bunny had placed an egg on top of the ball :D

"I found it!"

Rhett's made a discovery!

Some brotherly competition.

Rounding up the troops.

Something along the garden...

"Yaaay!"

That's all, folks <3
-H. Cat

Eye: Sketch

This is, and has been, my go-to eye when I want to look fierce for the past couple months. Dark Diversion Fluidline was limited edition, I believe, but if you can get your hands on it grab it up! It's slightly less opaque than I'd hoped, but still very close to perfect. It's an amazing colour for just about any eye colour, and it really plays well with red hair. This is a shimmery look, so if that's not your thing, I apologize.

I prep my eye with Urban Decay's Primer Potion (Original)


I apply MAC Blanc Type shadow with a big fluffy brush (MAC 227). I apply this all over, from lashline to brow, with a lighter hand going upward. This is a matte2 formula that goes on like butter, blends amazingly well. It's described as a creamy beige on the website. I would call it more of a dirty creamy off white with a pinkish tinge. It's similar to Yogurt, but about a million times better. I use it for a base most days.   




I  pat on Dazzlelight shadow with a shorter stiffer eyeshadow brush (MAC 239) onto my eyelid and a little above the crease for blending later. (You can apply this to your waterline as well if you want a more subtle highlight than the one I'd about to recommend)


I use my MAC 219 pencil brush to apply Sketch (my current muse, described as burgundy with a red shimmer... I find it has a hint of plumb) by touching it to the shadow and tapping, then starting from the outer corner of my crease I use a light feathering motion working inward about half way. I blend this with a windshield wiper motion using my MAC 219 blending brush. Then I smooth that out with a circular motion. If you want a cut crease look you can pick up more sketch with a small angle brush like the 266 and define the crease, lightly "windshield wipe." Etc. 




I dip my other small angled brush (MAC 266) into Dark Diversion Fluidline, which is basically Sketch reincarnate as a Fluidline. I adore it! Anyway, I trace my lash line with that. Most of the time I flick the ends up into a cat eye. If you want to take Sketch and trace over Dark Diversion that will give it more staying power. You can trace your lower lashline with either Sketch or Dark Diversion, or nothing at all. I used Sketch applied from the outer corner, going about 2/3rd in and let it taper off and blend into my waterline highlight.

My go-to highlighter is Nylon. It's very frosty... like my soul haha. I like a strong brow bone and waterline highlight. I apply that with either the fluffy angled MAC 275, small angled 266, or 212... which is like the 266, but... well, not angled. 




Slick on some mascara (I used MAC False Lashes Extreme Black) and you're good to go! I create variations of this look by replacing Dazzlelight with either Vex (a really interesting silvery/pinky/sometimes greenish duochrome) or Retrospeck (a gritty soft gold).

Voila!

Retrospeck

Vex