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MAC Brush Cleanser
by thehonesttruth
Most people, when they wear makeup, make a point of removing it every night - if left to build up, makeup can clog the pores and damage your skin. So it always amazes me when I talk to friends who don't make a habit on cleaning their brushes - after all, a build up of makeup on brushes can not only make them dirty, stiff, and less ... precise, but also result in the build up coming off on your face when you're applying new make up, ruining your look.Not to mention that there is obviously a risk of bacteria build up over time leading to eye infections, skin breakouts etc.
There are quite a few brush cleansers out there, one of my favourites is MAC, which is £9.50 for 233ml, which I first received as part of a gift along with a couple of nice brushes a couple of years ago, but which I've gone on to purchase for myself since. This product cleans, disinfects, and conditions your brushes.
It comes in a nice see through bottle which is handy, as it allows you to see at a glance how much of the product is left. The cleanser is an attractive purply pink colour, and the bottle has a smart black push down lid to dispense the cleanser. It's very smart looking really. The instructions for use are very simple - simply dampen the brush a little before applying the cleanser, then coat the bristles in this (be careful not to get any on the metal part of the brush as it may damage it) and leave to air dry naturally, with the bristles flat. The bottle isn't too specific about precisely how much to use, I tend to make sure my brushes are nice and coated to be on the safe side, by decanting a few mls of this into a glass and swishing the brush around. If a brush is particularly grotty or clogged, I do tend to give it a good run under the tap first to get rid of any obvious excess muck.
It's worth noting that the liquid has the consistency of water, so you do need to be careful not to spill it. It also has quite an unpleasant chemically smell, but luckily this is never detectable on the brushes once they have dried.
I do find my brushes seem to last a little better since I have started using this. The bristles seem in much better condition and I find tapping a dry brush onto white paper I have very no residue coming off. I also find my brushes seem to keep their shape a little better, and I have noticed a reduction in eye irritations which can only be a good thing.
Although at £9.50 this is not the cheapest product on the market, I do think you get what you pay for, with MAC being a very reputable brand. The bottle also lasts me a good long time - I get at least 6/7 months out of every bottle, though obviously this will depend on how many brushes you are cleaning (I have quite a pitiful collection) and of course on how often you clean them, so the expense doesn't seem as bad when spread out this way, especially when you consider that it is cheaper to look after your good brushes than to keep replacing them.
There aren't many products I'm loyal to, but MAC brush cleanser is one of them. 5 stars.
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MAC Tinted Lipglass
by sparkle1004
I don't think that lipsticks suit me very much but my lips look to plain without anything on them so I tend to lean more towards lip glosses. I chose the Tinted Lipglass by Mac as my latest lip gloss.
What does the product do?
The product has been designed to give the lips a splash of colour with a glossy glass like ... finish. The lipgloss gives a long lasting shine to the lips and offers buildable colour. It contains Jojoba Oil which hydrates and nourishes the lips leaving them softer and in a better condition.
Shades
The product comes in plenty of different shades and there should be a colour to suit everyone's tastes. They each come with a cute name such as Heroine, Pink Poodle, Enchantress and Embrace Me. The colours range from pinks to purples and neutrals to browns. I chose Nymphette which is a pale pink shade with golden flecks.
Packaging and Price
The lip gloss comes contained within a clear tube through which you can see the product inside so you know the exact colour that you are getting. On the side of the tube, Mac LipGlass is written in black lettering. The tube has a black screw top lid and inside the lid there is a applicator wand. The applicator has a slanted sponge to enable you to apply the product easily and accurately. The product will cost you around £13 for each lipgloss and it can be bought from stores with a Mac stand such as Debenhams and also from a range of online websites.
My Experience
The lip gloss looks really shimmery in the tube and you can see plenty of flecks of gold through the plastic. When you unscrew the lid, the wand comes out with a pop and a good amount of the lip gloss is dispensed onto the sponge being not too much and not too little. The product doesn't have much of an aroma at all and shouldn't be too anyone's disliking which is a good thing because the product is being applied directly beneath the nose. The gloss glides onto the lips easily without pulling or dragging the delicate skin. Two pumps of the gloss is enough to coat the upper and lower lip well. The sponge is soft on the lips and the doe foot shape of the applicator allow s you to carefully apply the product to the lips without going onto the skin.
The consistency of the gloss is really thick and it feels tacky on the lips. It does have a really sticky texture and when the wind blows, your hair will become attached to your mouth. The Lipglass has a lovely glossy finish which makes your lips shiny and eye catching. The colour is more or less sheer which is to be expected as the product is only a tinted one but it does add a lovely pinkness to my lips which make them look healthy. The shimmer and the golden flecks don't really show up on the lips. The product is long lasting, probably due to the thickness of it and it stays on my lips for quite a few hours even when eating or drinking. When the product has come off, my lips feel soft and conditioned so it is hydrating too. The product didn't irritate my lips in any way or cause me to experience any discomfort.
Conclusion
All in all, this is a lovely lip gloss which adds a touch of colour to the lips and gives them a lovely sheer finish. It softens and conditions the lips, leaving them looking great and feeling great. It does have a sticky and tacky consistency which is a bit of a pain but that should be expected with a lip gloss. It has long lasting results and stays on the lips for quite a few hours. The colour may be too sheer for some but I really like it and I would happily repurchase another shade.
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