The Makeup Chronicles: MAC me over

Previously in the makeup chronicles: intro and manifesto

When I decided to do my own makeup, I knew I wanted to consult with some professionals along the way. Well, for some reason I decided to stop by the MAC counter in the mall for my first "make-up consultation." The reason I say "for some reason" is because every time I've gone to a MAC counter, its been too much. Too much color, too much foundation, just...too much. More makeup than a girl like me (who wears little to no makeup most days) would ever apply, even on my wedding day. However, you really cant beat the color selection they offer. Have you seen the displays? Shadows, blushes, lipstick for days! Too tempting for this DIY bride.

Despite my previous experiences, I threw caution to the wind, sat down in the chair, and hoped for the best. Here's what I got. I forgot I should have taken pics before I blended my shadow with my fingers and wiped off some of the makeup. Even with my "sabotage," I think this one with my eyes closed shows off the overall look better:


...and this one that the PHI and MamaP will approve of, with my eyes open:


As anticipated, overall I thought it was too much. The foundation was a greasy mess, the shadow was poorly blended, and the lipliner was a little overkill. However, there were several things I did like:

1. The eyeshadow base (you cant really see it in this pic) was a creamy peachy color. It was awesome by itself, and I didn't understand why she proceeded to put some other colors on top (and then not blend them). I would have posted its info, but come to find out that its not recommended for use on the eyes. Why in the world she put it on me, I have no idea. Maybe she didn't know?


2. Sheertone blush in Pinch O' Peach. Its a shimmery peach blush. I could tell by the way she applied it that a little bit goes a long way. Definitely layer it on a little at a time. It gave me the bridal glow that I have pictured in my mind, without having to add a whole lot of other products.


3. LustreGlass in Beaux on my lips. It's a bronzy-shimmery color. I liked that she asked me what color LipGlass I normally wear (Oh Baby and C-Thru are my faves), and then selected this one. She lined my lips first, a move I haven't done since undergrad, and I started to remember why I used to do that. We'll probably do a little of that day of.


4. Fake lashes! This was my first time in them. I think my natural lashes look pretty good, especially when topped with a good black mascara, but the fake lashes take it to a whole new level. Love.it.

So what did I take from my lessons? Peachy-bronzy neutrals are definitely the look I'm going for. I normally wear neutral/shimmery pinks, so this is a reasonable and logical side step for wedding-day colors. I also literally took away that delicious peachy blush and the LustreGlass.

It goes without saying that she must have used about 15 different products on me, and tried to sell me everything from the moisturizer she used (no wonder I was greasy), to all the makeup products she used, and the brushes she used to apply it with! Seriously. Were talking hundreds of dollars of product. Do people really fall for this? She acted as if I never ever wore makeup and I needed everything! I'm not sure if I was supposed to buy something, but I already had it in my mind that if she used something I really liked, I'd definitely purchase. And that's exactly what I did.

Cheeks and lips? Check. Two products down, several more to go.
To be continued...
♥