A small (but expensive!) haul.

So, as it was my birthday recently, and I had a few extra poundies in my account, I decided to visit a few makeup counters. I went on a little trip to the Bullring in Birmingham, (which is the most amazing place to shop btw!), to have a little look around. After mooching around in Selfridge's for a while, I decided to try a few MAC products. I have only ever tried MAC foundations before, but have always heard really good things about their lipsticks. I browsed the colours for about twenty minutes (they have a lot of colours!), thinking that really I should branch out and try a new colour (like a nude) but plumped for colours I wear quite a lot of already, a red and a purple.

MAC's Ruby Woo (Retro Matt Finish) and Cyber (Satin Finish)

I have to say, I'm really impressed by the quality of MAC lipsticks, and I love the smell! At first, it seemed strange putting something with such a strong smell on your lips, but once you're used to it, you barely notice the scent! They last well, have great pigmentation and the colour range is amazing. The retro matt finish is quite drying, so I wouldn't recommend it for someone with dry lips, but is my dream lipstick! When I wear a normal lipstick, I have to blot and apply Lipcote, as I hate reapplying throughout the day, and the 'have I got lisptick on my chin' fear that comes with freshly applied lip colour. With the Retro Matt, once it's on your lips, it's there to stay! It barely comes off on glasses, food and is practically kiss proof! Amazing. 

Cyber is a gorgeous colour, but as I favour a matt look, a Satin finish isn't really for me. I apply this like my normal lipsticks, blotting and using Lipcote, and find that it lasts well, although the colour can seem to separate after a few hours, but I find that's a problem with every dark lipstick i've used.

I also bought MAC's lip liner in Nightmoth to go with Cyber, and I find filling in the lips with this first gives the best results.

At the till, on an impulse, when the lovely lady serving me asked if there was anything else I wanted, I asked for the blusher in Melba. I LOVE buying new blushers almost as much as lipsticks, and Melba seems to be everyones fave. Like the lipsticks, I was not left disappointed by this product! A gorgeous peachy coral, this adds a really pretty, natural flush, and the colour payoff was superb.

The last thing I bought was another blusher from Topshop. I think by then i was on a shopping high, as I definately did not need another blusher! I thought I  picked up Pop, which was quite similar to Melba, but i actually picked up Powdered. 

Powdered is a bright, yet still baby pink and looks lovely paired with MAC's Cyber, and a really high bun in the hair.

Tophop powder blusher in Powdered, MAC powder blusher in Melba

L-R: Melba, Powdered.  Top to bottom: Cyber, Ruby Woo, Nightmoth

 Prices:

• The Topshop blushers are £6 which seems quite reasonable. The packaging, and colour, are gorgeous, and the pigmentation was really good. Definately worth the money. 

• The MAC lipsticks are £13.50, and I am so impressed with them! I really want to buy loads more!

• The MAC lip liner was £10.50, and is good, but i'm not sure that I saw much difference between it and a cheaper version, although MAC does have more colours available than most cheaper companies.

• The MAC blusher was £17, which is quite steep but I can see it lasting a long time!

I can feel a MAC lipstick obsession coming on!