Anyone who loves makeup has at some point, aspired to own even just a single bullet of the MAC lipstick. It took a while for me to purchase my first one since I dabbled with drugstore brands at the start. I currently own the iconic Ruby Woo (I'll save that one for another review 😉), and these two here, the Relentlessly Red and the Velvet Teddy.  They are both minis so they don't come in the usual black MAC bullet but are in brightly colored ones that roughly correspond to their respective shades. You can spot from the bottom labels that these aren't supposed to be sold individually because they are part of a set. I only purchased the shades that caught my eye: one nude shade and one bright red shade and I got them from a favorite seller on Instagram. I figured that since I am just trying out MAC for the first time, I will get the minis first and see how it goes from there. 
So how did my first experience with MAC go? Find out after the jump.

MAC Relentlessly Red
Shade description - bright pinkish coral
Formula - retro matte
Price - Php 1050.00 for full size (lazada.com.ph)

MAC Relentlessly Red swatch and when worn
MAC Relentlessly Red Review
Relentlessly Red confused me as I expected it to be red but it is in fact a pinkish coral according to the shade description on the MAC website. 😆 Most times I tend to pull the pink (hot pink even) and there times that it's the red. A reddish pink or a pinkish red? One thing's for sure, this shade is muy caliente and it easily emboldens the wearer. It comes in the retro matte formula, which in MAC speak means it's more matte than their regular matte line. Unfortunately, if you have dry lips, this could pose a problem because it is drying and my lips have certainly taken a beating especially during colder months. Prep those puckers like I did and do, even good ol' Vaseline will suffice.
Pigmentation and color payoff is great. If applied directly from the tube, you might feel a bit of a drag since the retro matte formula feels more waxy than other lipsticks. 
It transfers when freshly applied so I do the tissue blotting technique and then I use my pinky to press/spread the product to my lips. Sometimes I add another layer of it if I'm feeling extra. Because of its waxy feel, it has a good staying power and it resists fading even when I've sipped water or coffee. It only comes off when I've had something oily. 


MAC Velvet Teddy
Shade description - a deep tone beige
Formula - matte
Price - Php 1050.00 for full size (lazada.com.ph)
MAC Velvet Teddy swatch and when worn
MAC Velvet Teddy Review
I loved Velvet Teddy right off the tube! As you can see in the photo above, it looks great on my skin tone. It's definitely a good nude shade for me as it is not too pale that I look sickly and not too bright pinkish or dark brown to pass off as a nude. MAC's matte is actually akin to creamy matte so it's a comfort to wear. Like the Relentlessly Red, it transfers when freshly applied so I also do the trick that I mentioned above and  then it adheres to the lips. It's not drying like the retro matte formula but the staying power is also average. Despite the average staying power, this will be one of those shades that I will always remember as a point of reference in the future.

To wrap up...
I bought the Ruby Woo after trying these two out so, long story short, I loved the experience with MAC. MAC lipsticks are well-loved and iconic for a reason; the formula has been tested time and again. In the end, it really boils down to shade selection and MAC  has a myriad of shades to choose from. Between these two, Velvet Teddy is the shade that I will most likely rebuy. I've been reaching for it more often since I really prefer wearing nudes, especially in an office setting. But there are days that I am in the mood for something like Relentlessly Red, depending on the weather or how I wanna dress up. 

I am currently on a lipstick buying ban and I so badly want to consume all my tubes by 2022. Come to think of it, these are just minis and I am barely halfway through. No more lipstick hoarding for me: quality over quantity na dapat. It's a big feat but so far, I think I'm doing good and I promise to do better than I did in 2020.😆 If there would be another lipstick shade that I wanna try from MAC, it would be the Please Me. I'm still searching for the pink that's not too light, dark, hot or Barbie-ish and I have a feeling that Please Me is it. Maybe I'll deserve a full-sized MAC if I don't buy any lipstick this 2021. Walk the talk Cas, walk the talk. 

Xo, 
caRissa
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I know it's been a while since my last blog. What have I been up to? A lot of things that I won't discuss here. 😆 Here's something that I would discuss for this blog. 

You wouldn't believe it but you have to: I've been on a low buy on makeup since March Twenty Twenty. That was around the start of the community quarantine. I was successful naman, somehow. I wanted to go on a no buy but it seemed pretty impossible since I still tend to hoard on a few important stuff. I decided to focus on things that I would never not use and that would include face powders, brow pencils and palette, micellar waters and other skin care items. My current goal is to use up all the lipsticks in my stash, which means, no buying till 2022. By then I think I deserve a McGrath or a Tilbury na, kahit mini lang. Ha ha. We'll see. 🙈

So you might wonder why I'm doing an unboxing of these goodies from Tarte if I'm on low buy. Well, these were part of the stuff that I got at the end of 2019. The gift from 'me' to 'me' going on and as you can see in the photo below it really does come in a very sleek, giftable packaging. It's been a while since I purchased this that I already forgot how much it cost me. 😆 I bet you can already see what's inside but I will still say "unbox with me" just for the heck of it. 

So these are the contents of the Tarte Party Time Trio. There's your mascara for the added drama. But the blush and the gloss are more on the natural side. We do tend to reach for lipsticks during parties but I can hear Serena van der Woodsen saying
 "lipstick lasts longer but gloss is more fun" so this one's right up her alley.
Here they are. I checked the Tarte website and it seems that the mascara is in full size while the blush and gloss are both minis, respectively.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes™ 4-in-1 Mascara
Price: $23 (tartecosmetics.com)
"...touted as a push-up bra for your lashes, this 4-in-1 mascara volumizes, lengthens, curls & conditions lashes."
I bet you would be able to see my before and after photos below and I know that the photo can speak for itself. This baby really does add volume and length without being clumpy. It also does a good job at holding the curls as even after a long day at the office lashes still look fine. This aint waterproof tho so you might want to grab a different variant if you want that feature. However, despite it not being waterproof, I have not experienced having racoon eyes after a long day.
One more thing, the packaging is pretty. As a matter of personal preference tho, I am fine with having just a simple tube packaging for a mascara: I prefer a good performance over a fancy packaging. But this will no doubt decorate my vanity area long after the contents are gone. 
Tarte 12- hour Amazonian Clay Blush shade in paarty
Price: $29 for full size (tartecosmetics.com)
I was most excited about the blush, probably because of Kris Aquino. I learned about her love for Tarte blushes from her morning show a while back. Now I got to experience first hand  what the fuss about Amazonian clay is all about. Turns out, they really are worth the love. I've only ever used powdery blushes, the kind that you have to tap out the excess before applying, the ones that have plenty of fallout, the kind that looks chalky when applied. These are NOT words you use to describe the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush. These babies are soft and silky smooth, almost creamy when applied. It's easy to get carried away and I sometimes tend to overapply but thankfully, paarty is a rosy nude that looks like a natural flush on my skin so I don't end up looking like a clown. It blends seamlessly and even blurs out my pores a bit (see photos below). Tarte claims that this blush wears for up to 12 hours and honestly, I don't wear makeup for that long. I only have it on for about 8 hours and the blush stays on despite my oily skin. I usually don't reapply and just blot out the excess oil at midday. 
I was also so mesmerized with the Amazon River design embossed on the blush that it took me a few months before deciding to touch it.
Tarte Rainforest of the Sea H2O Gloss Lipgloss in shade ribbon 
Price: $19 for full size (tartecosmetics.com)
ribbon is also a pinkish nude shade that goes with the blush. First of all, I love the caramel candy scent. It's sweet without being overwhelming. I'm not much of a fan glosses because I always associate them with being icky and sticky. 😆 I always feel that thay end up in different places, from coffee cups to my flying hair. But hey, Tarte's H2O gloss has a non-sticky formulation. It also smooths the appearance of the lips and gives mirror-shine finish that makes lips look fuller and plumper. I didn't feel any dryness afterwards which tends to happen when I try out new products. If anything, it has a soothing effect and at the the end of the day, when I scrub what's left of the gloss, the flaky parts of my lips also gets scrubbed off, sans the pain.

Swatches

Swatches of ribbon H2O Lipgloss (L) and paarty Amazonian Clay Blush in paarty (R)

List of Ingredients

Tarte products are formulated without parabens, mineral oils, phthalates, triclosan, SLS, gluten. They are also cruelty free, dermatologist-tested and vegan-friendly according to their website.

In Action

Meee, before and after wearing Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in paarty, and Tarte Rainforest of the Sea H2O Glossloss in ribbon. As a side note, I am also wearing another bestseller from Tarte, the Shape Tape Concealer to minimize the appearance of dark circles.


Overall, these are good products but if I were to decide if which one would I repurchase in the future, my money is definitely on the Amazonian Clay Blush. I think I would pan this mini soon, at the rate that I'm using it. The gloss I could live without and I know of a mascara that is just as awesome but at a lower price tag.

Have you tried any Tarte products before? Which ones are your favorites? I definitely live the Shape Tape Concealer, talagang lumalaban. And now the Amazonian Clay Blush is a new fave.

xo,

caRissa
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