Bangin' Brilliant permanent products from MAC

If you look back through my blog, it's easy to see that I love bright colors. I attribute it to 2 influences - Southern California and MAC make-up.  Before those 2 things, I was an East Coast girl with the typical black and gray wardrobe and make-up shades to match. On a day-to-day basis the most adventurous I got with make-up colors was mid-toned purple eye shadow and berry lip stick. I remember the first time I saw Urban Decay make-up at Sephora - wow! So "out there".

The first time I walked into a MAC store in Atlanta, I was amazed by the variety of colors. I mean really amazed. I didn't know they made so many colors for make-up.  Then I moved from Atlanta to Orange County, CA, with 2 MAC stores close to me. I fell in love, both with Southern California and MAC. I used to joke that someone could blindfold me and walk me into a MAC store and I'd know exactly where I was.  So I began to expand my color selections, both in my clothes and my make-up. I remember buying Up the Amp lipstick and thinking I was wearing something pretty wild. Now I look at it and it looks so tame.  The world of make-up has changed a lot since 2004.  I've stayed pretty loyal to MAC, but I've been eyeing the blue and green lipsticks from indie cosmetics companies.  Now finally, MAC has added those colors to their permanent collection.  First they released some sheer lipsticks in blue and yellow with their collaboration with Chris Chang. now they've released a collection called Bangin' Brilliant, lipsticks in a variety of hues and textures, and now eye shadows to go along with them, as well as a few bright colored blushes.

I snapped up the blue lipsticks right away, although the matte blue Dreampot isn't the best look on my aging lips, since it shows every lip line.  I'm in love with Dew, though. I also got Lured In from the Blue Nectar collection, and I was lucky enough to get several of the frost lipsticks at my local Nordstroms.  For the most part they are very sheer, most look best layered over other lipstick. My favorite is Model Behavior. Not only is it more opaque, it's just a gorgeous color.  Here's a few swatches of the regular lipsticks and the frosts.

From L to R: Dreampot, Dew, and Lured In (from the Blue Nectar collection)

Dew

Dreampot

Dreampot alone (no primer or lip liner)

Dreampot with clear gloss

Model Behavior

Pick Me! Pick Me! Looks more blue on my lips than pink

Pink, you think? One of the more opaque colors

Soft Hint. Kind of disappointed that it is so sheer. Obviously made to wear over a lip liner or lipstick

Spoiled Fabulous. It's hard to see here but it is medium opacity, a very pretty gold shimmer