MAC Must-Haves: Samoa Silk Eyeshadow

With Pantone declaring Tangerine Tango as THE color for Spring, it's no wonder we have been seeing orange on the runways, in the stores, and on the makeup shelves. If you aren't quite ready to take the plunge with bright orange eyeshadow, you may want to try out my latest addiction: MAC's Samoa Silk Eyeshadow.

Samoa Silk is a veluxe finish shadow and is described by MAC as a polynesian peach. It isn't bright and doesn't have any shimmer in it, so it is very versatile. It can be used in the crease or on the lid, and the peachiness factor is just perfect. 

Swatch of Samoa Silk in daylight

Swatch of Samoa Silk w/ flash

Lately I have been wearing this all over the lid, with a darker peach or soft tan in the crease, and black liner. The peachiness really awakens the eyes and adds a touch of warmth, which is perfect for spring. Here I am wearing Samoa Silk on the lid, Soft Brown in the crease, and a touch of mascara.

This is a must have for me because I love neutrals, especially warm neutrals. This would be especially flattering for those with blue eyes because peach/orange opposes blue (color wheel theory) so the peachiness brings out the blue in blue eyes. This shade would also be great for mature women because the brightness of the peach counteracts the grey, sallow tones surrounding mature eyes.

What peach/orange shades are you rockin' this Spring?

Blending Shadows

There are some shadows that I can always rely on to help with blending...these are what I like to call blending shadows. I use these shades to blend harsh edges, to create a gradient for smokey looks when going from a dark color on the lid to a light color on the browbone, and correcting mistakes. Sure, I use these for other purposes too, like on the lid or in the crease, but I use them most for blending and bringing a look together.

Top: Orb, Wedge

Middle: Soft Brown, Texture

Bottom: Cork, Espresso

Yes, all of these shades are from MAC. I really believe that MAC does the best neutrals. They have a HUGE range of shades, finishes, and tones. 

L-R: Orb, Wedge, Soft Brown, Texture, Cork, & Espresso

I know what you are thinking, these all look very warm. Perhaps, but bringing warmth to the eyes really brightens the eye area. Plus, my philosophy is like that of Bobbi Brown: all skin tones naturally have warm tones in them, so warm colors are very complementary.

My absolute favorite for myself is Texture. This shade works wonders for medium-dark skin tones and also looks great on mature skin (especially auntie types). I highly recommend all these shades, whether or not you use them for blending.

Do you use and love any of these? What is your favorite blending shadow?

MAC Must-Haves: Ricepaper Eyeshadow

Just about everyone in the blogging world has confessed their love for MAC Ricepaper, so I figured it's time for me to share why I think it is a must-have.

Mine is almost used up, an indication that I use this a LOT. The color is a peachy beige color with a frost finish. MAC describes this shade as a "peachy gold with shimmer," but on the skin it is not shimmery at all.

I use this mostly as a highlight and inner corner shadow. On light-medium skin tones this also works as a lid shadow, as I am wearing it here:

This reason this is such a popular shade is that it just works. The peachiness allows the color to blend in with the skin and is not look stark like a lot of white-based shadows. This is a must-have for all skin tones and is one of my everyday staples. 

5 Must-Have MAC Shadows for Every Skin Tone

If I could only have 5 MAC shadows for the rest of my life, I would choose the following 5:

L-R: Expensive Pink, Texture, Sable, Bronze, Embark

These 5 shades suit every skin tone and I will tell you why:

MAC Must-Haves: Party Line Lipstick

With fall in full-swing, I have been reaching for a reliable old-fave to ease in to the fall dark lip trend: MAC Party Line Lipstick:

This lipstick is perfect for transitioning from summer's light and bright lip colors to fall's deep, dark reds and plums. Or, as in my case, since I rarely wear reds and plums this is my go-to fall and winter shade. It is not too dark, so perfect for those who are hesitant about trying out bold, dark lip colors. I also love that this is a cremesheen formula, so it keeps my lips hydrated....a necessity when the weather cools and the air sucks the moisture from my skin.

For my Indian gals out there, this is also a great shade to wear with Indian clothes. It adds enough color so that you don't look washed out, but it isn't that typical "aunty" shade of lipstick where you notice the lips before the person.

Have you tried Party Line?

MAC Must-Haves: Arena Eyeshadow

As you may or may not know, I am a MAC-addict. Since I have tried and religiously use so many of their products, I decided to start a new series that highlights the MAC products that would cause me to have a hissy fit if MAC ever discontinued.

So the first MAC product I absolutely cannot live without is Arena eyeshadow. It is described by MAC as a soft gold-peach with pearl and it has a Satin finish.

From the pan above, you can tell I use this shadow a LOT. I mostly use it as an all-over lid shade or as a blending shade. I often use this on the lid with browns or greys for neutral looks, but I also use this with bold colors too....it goes with everything! It is the perfect neutral for me because it is so similar to my skin tone and is on the warm side of the color spectrum. I also like the Satin finish because it is not matte, but not shimmery......just perfect! 

I have used Arena on ALL skin tones ranging from NC 15 to NC 50 and it just works. Have you tried Arena?