M.A.C's Alluring Aquatic Collection!

Hello Glams and Geeks! Todays post is all about this summer’s most anticipated M.A.C collection, Alluring Aquatic! While everyone waited (impatiently) for the release of this gorgeous, mystical-sea inspired collection, we all caught sneak-peeks online, through various sources on the web. As the much-built hype surrounded the beautiful water specked, aqua-colored packaging, just as much excitement was expressed from M.A.C fans world-wide for the array of Extra Dimension bronzers, blushes, and shadows that were released in the collection. While all of the shades were inspired by mystical and enchanting sirens and deities of the sea, they are all perfect for the summer season, and will give you a brilliant glow thanks to the wet-look of the extra dimension finish. The collection was announced to be released online, May 15, and in stores, May 22, which brings me to my next topic for this post: M.A.C’s unannounced, day-early release.



With many anxious fans counting the days, minutes, and hours to the release of this collection, it came as a huge shock to many, including myself, when I arrived at my local M.A.C store first thing the morning of the 22^nd, just to discover that M.A.C had released the collection a day early, on the 21^st. I took to their social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and couldn’t find an announcement about the early release anywhere. So, I worked with what I had, and was able to grab 3 items from the collection: Aphrodite’s Shell Extra Dimension Bronzer, Sea Me, Hear Me Extra Dimension Blush, and Siren Song Lustre Lipstick. I will admit that it was unfortunate to have waited so long for the collection to miss out on being able to purchase anything online, as it sold out so quickly, and even more upsetting to have gotten up early on that morning, excited to purchase all of the shades I had been eagerly awaiting, only to be let down so fast. I noticed I wasn’t the only person who was upset by this, as many people took to their social media pages to rant and rave about this issue, as well. I can only hope that M.A.C makes an effort to hear their customers out, and will actually do something to please them and keep them coming back. Enough of that, now onto the products!

As I mentioned above, I purchased Aphrodite’s Shell, Sea Me, Hear Me, and Siren Song. I absolutely love these shades as they are perfect for creating and achieving an everyday, sun-kissed, summer makeup look, and give you a gorgeous glow. As for the famous aqua, water specked packaging, it couldn’t be any more perfect! Its reflective surface, with the 3D flecks of water droplets covering the compacts of all of the packaging are just so beautiful and super realistic! I find it to be so much fun, and very summer appropriate. I think this is the best packaging I have seen M.A.C come up with, as I don't believe they’ve ever done 3D packaging like such, before. Although I couldn’t get any other colors from the collection, I noticed that all of the shades are complimentary to all skin tones. I have seen swatch photos online, and all of the colors appear very flattering and gleam brilliantly on everyone.

Top: With Flash
Bottom: Natural Light, W/O Flash

Aphrodite’s Shell Extra Dimension Bronzer is a warm, golden brown color. It contains a beautiful light gold gleam that isn’t very overwhelming, but is just right to give your skin a warm summery glow (no sun necessary!). Although this is a bronzer, I am planning to use this as a blush and a highlight, as well, as it is light enough to work with my skin tone. Because it is an Extra Dimension finish, this can be applied wet or dry and can make a significant difference in your makeup look.  I would recommend applying it wet only if it is being used as a blush or highlighter. Also, when swatched, it is a bit sheer, but is very buildable.

Top: With Flash
Bottom: Natural Light, W/O Flash

Sea Me, Hear Me Extra Dimension Blush swatches like a burnt, rose-gold color on the skin. It is a warm color, rich in pigment, and has a rosey gleam to it with a bit of a gold sheen to it. This is an opaque shade, so I recommend using a light hand, and building up to your desired opacity. This can be used wet or dry, depending on your preference, but looks gorgeous and glowy when it is used wet. 

Left: With Flash
Right: Natural Light, W/O Flash

Last, but not least, Siren Song is a Lustre Lipstick. It is a sparkling champagne shade that is sheer but buildable, and has a light gold sheen to it.  It can be worn alone, paired with a lip liner, or worn over any lipstick to add some sparkle to your lips!

 Thank you for reading today's post, and I hope you've enjoyed it! I hope everyone was able to get what they wanted from the collection, and if not, no worries! The Kelly and Sharon Osbourne Collection hits stores this June with plenty of gorgeous shades for everyone!

Unveiling my Influenster Uni Vox Box Products!

Hey Glam and Geeks! Today’s post is all about my Influenster Uni Vox Box that I received last month in the mail. For those of you who are not familiar with Influenster, it is an online community in which people can review products that they’ve tried, and based on how active they are in this community, they can become eligible to receive a complimentary “vox box” every so often. These boxes are comprised of a variety of products, and are put together based on your interests. There are “Badges” you can unlock by completing surveys, doing product reviews, and other activities. The higher you score when unlocking badges, the better the chance of you receiving new boxes and being eligible to partake in events. These boxes are absolutely free, and are sent to people solely for testing and reviewing purposes. Which brings me to today’s post in which I will be doing a review, showing you what came in my Uni Vox Box, and sharing my thoughts on all of the goodies I received.

Here, you can see the contents of my box :)

The theme of the Vox Box I received is College Life, which is why it is called a “Uni Vox Box”, short for university. It contains a few products that are intended to be helpful in my college experience, and that are also budget friendly for college students. I received a box of Playtex Sport Fresh Balance tampons, a Pilot Acroball Pure White Pen, Red Rose Real Tea water enhancer in the flavor Blackcurrant Raspberry, Rimmel London Stay Matte Foundation in the shade Soft Beige, NYC Expert Last Lipstick in the shade Forever Fuchsia, and Broadway Nails imPress Press-On Manicure in #130 Control Freak. So, without further ado, let’s dig in and talk about these goodies!

First, I will start with the Playtex Sport Fresh Balance tampons. I received a 16-count box of regular absorbency, lightly scented tampons. The tampons have a few unique features, such as the 360°™ Sport Level Protection®, which is designed to fit you comfortably during physical activity, and prevent any leakage during movement with its protective leakage barrier. It also has FlexFit™, which are fibers used in the tampons to trap leaks quickly. Lastly, the contoured applicator is designed to ensure comfortable insertion. As someone who typically prefers pads over tampons, I found these to be comfortable. I barely even noticed they were there, unlike other tampons which sit uncomfortably and make me cramp more than usual. Overall, these seem great for anyone who is on their monthly and wants to partake in physical activities such as playing sports, exercising, swimming, etc. without having to worry about discomfort or leakage.

Second goodie from my box is the Pilot Acroball Pure White pen. The sleek white barrel and vibrant yellow grip are appealing, while also being comfortable for taking notes or writing in your journal. The pen features a fine, ballpoint tip containing black advanced ink to allow you to write easily without experiencing any ink-jams or blots. These pens are intended to be stylish and fun, while making your writing experience one of comfort and ease. With my pen, I received a coupon that will take $1.50 off of a 2-pack of these pens, which I plan to use upon returning to school in the fall!

The third item I received in my box is the Red Rose Real Tea water enhancer in the flavor Blackcurrant Raspberry. I was surprisingly impressed with this as I typically do not enjoy the taste of water enhancers. Upon trying Red Rose Real Tea enhancer, I immediately noticed that this tastes like fresh-made iced tea. I mixed it with ice-water to try it out, and it was pleasant. The flavor isn’t overpowering or unbearable, rather it is refreshing and quenches your thirst. Red Rose Real Tea is only 5 calories per serving (24 servings out of a 1.62 oz. bottle), and does not contain any dyes or coloring. It is also gluten-free and lightly sweetened, which makes this even better for anyone looking to swap out soda or sugary, fruit juices for a healthier alternative.  There are two other flavors available from Red Rose Real Tea, such as the Earl Grey and Black Tea water enhancers, which I plan on trying, using the $1.00 off coupon included in my box.



Pictured Above: Left Hand- Nothing vs. Right Hand: Rimmel Stay Matte

Next up, we have the Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in the shade 200-Sand Beige. This is said to be a light-weight, shine-control foundation, as well as natural looking and easy to blend. My first impression when trying this on was that it does feel a bit heavy for my taste. I am someone who prefers sheer coverage foundations, so this was definitely different from what I normally use. I did find that once it is blended out, it settles smoothly and evenly onto the face, mattifying the skin, while providing full coverage. The consistency of the foundation is a bit thick, so in this case, less is more. I would recommend building up to your desired coverage, as this may look heavy or cakey on the skin. I recommend this for anyone who does have a preference for full-coverage foundations. This may be your new go-to, as it does mattify the skin, as well as blends in evenly, and controls shine.

This next item is my personal favorite from the Uni Vox Box, and that would be the NYC Expert Last Lipstick in Forever Fuchsia. The first thing I noticed and loved about this lipstick was how richly pigmented it is. The color is very vibrant, making it perfect for the spring and summer seasons. I also love that while it is opaque, it is also very creamy. The lipstick seems to have a slight frosty sheen to it, but isn’t something very distracting or noticeable once it’s applied to the lips. The wear-time for this lipstick before it needs any touch ups is about 4-5 hours (without eating or drinking). The only downside is that there may be a bit of staining on your lips after wearing this color, but nothing that won’t come off with some makeup remover.

Last, but not least, the Broadway Nails imPress Press-On Manicure in #130 Control Freak. Personally, I am not one for artificial or press-on nails as I feel that they are very obvious and do not suit me very well. But, I was surprised with how natural these look when they are applied. I was sent the short-length nails, which I liked, but the color, not so much. These shiny, hot-fuchsia nails seem more appropriate for younger girls, but the brand does offer a wide range of colors and prints, as well as clean and simple French manicure press-ons. I did not wear the nails long enough to say how well they hold up and for how long, but during the one day that I had them on, I found them to be quite comfortable. The adhesive on the inner part of the nail really held them in place, allowing me to type, text, and use my hands freely without worrying that a nail would come off. If you are looking for a quick and easy alternative to having long nails for an event or a night out, and do not wish to damage your natural nails, these are a safe and affordable option, as well as very quick and easy to apply on your own.

Thank you for reading today’s blog post! I hope you’ve enjoyed my Influenster Uni Vox Box Unveiling! If you are interested in becoming an Influenster member, click here for more information and to create an account!

DISCLAIMER: All products included in this box were sent to me free, courtesy of Influenster's Vox Box program. These products are strictly for testing and reviewing purposes. I was not paid to review these products, and all thoughts and opinions are purely my own. Thank you. :)