M•A•C x Giambattista Valli

“Fashion designer Giambattista Valli brings his effortless elegance and luxurious celebration of the female form to a stunning collection of timeless lipsticks.”

Every fashion lover has heard of Roman designer Giambattista Valli. Inspired by the city of Rome, the movies of Antonioni and the celebrated Yves St Laurent, he shows haute couture four times a year at Paris Fashion Week. 

His ultra-feminine collections adorned with flowers and constructed with metres and metres of tulle fill the dreams of fashion girls everywhere.  I know that there is very little I wouldn’t do for a Giambattista Valli piece!

M·A·C Cosmetics has made it a little easier to own a little something by Giambattista Valli. The makeup company and design house have collaborated on a beautifully packaged, very limited collection of lipsticks. 

There are four colours, ranging from a soft pretty pink to a sultry, dark cherry shade. All the lipsticks have a classic matte finish and are highly pigmented. There is also a clear gloss with a subtle pearly shimmer which you can wear on it’s on for a delightful, light glow or use to compliment your lipstick.

Here’s what you will find in the collection:

LIPSTICKS (ZAR230)

BIANCA -  pale white-pink (matte)

TATS - bright hot pink (matte)

MARGHERITA - yellow bright peach (matte)

CHARLOTTE - rich yellow-red (matte)

EUGENIE - dark cherry with blue undertone (matte)

CRYSTAL GLAZE GLOSS (ZAR230)

LENA - clear with subtle multicoloured pearl

I have the lipstick in Tats and I am in love!

You can find the collection online at maccosmetics.co.za or at selected M·A·C counters. Do note, however, that this collection is limited edition and highly sought after so get your hands on it as soon as possible!

Which is your favourite?

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

M•A•C Viva Glam Rihanna II

Rihanna’s second Viva Glam collection with M·A·C has hit our shelves this week. Viva Glam is a concept very close to my heart. It was launched by MAC in 1994 and directs 100% of the selling price to the MAC AIDS Fund which supports organizations fighting to combat HIV/AIDS as well as those that work to improve the lives of those who live with the epidemic. Over the past 20 years, they have raised over $300 million and are the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical HIV/AIDS funder.

I am truly in love with this collection. While Rihanna’s previous Viva Glam collection provides the perfect frosted red, she had a little more fun with this one, creating a metallic almost gunmetal lipstick and a frosted mauve lipglass with iridescent pigments. Both are extremely edgy and so very Rihanna. I think the girl at the M·A·C counter put it perfectly in saying that she has a “girl crush” on the collection. I think I do too! You can wear them together or on their own and the gloss goes beautifully over lipsticks like Cyber and Rebel, creating a soft but futuristic effect. They both glide on effortlessly and are pretty long lasting although naturally the lipstick lasts longer than the lipglass.

The packaging remains the same. The lipstick is encased in a velvety, deep red tube and when you remove the lid Rihanna’s signature appears. The lipglass is in a clear tube with Rihanna’s signature on it covered by a lid in the same colour as the lipstick tube.

The lipstick retails for ZAR195 and the lipglass for ZAR185. I will reiterate that 100% of the selling price (not just the profit) goes to the M·A·C AIDS Fund. Here are some facts about the fund and what your money could be funding.

You can purchase Rihanna’s Viva Glam collection at any MAC store or online at www.maccosmetics.co.za

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

M•A•C x The Osbournes

Happy M·A·C Monday lovelies! Next week Friday (15^th August) sees the release of M·A·C’s latest limited edition collection and this time it’s with the lovely Osbourne ladies Kelly and her Mom Sharon. If you aren’t familiar with them, Kelly’s Dad (Sharon’s husband) is the outspoken and slightly weird Ozzy Osbourne, vocalist for the band Black Sabbath. Sharon co-hosts The Talk and Kelly is part of the Fashion Police on E!

I really like this collection because of the Mom and Daughter element. My Mom and I disagree on like, everything, she finds my taste a little edgy and I feel like she buys too many “classic” colours. In this case there are products and colours in the collection that will satisfy both of us. Kelly and Sharon developed these collections based on their personal relationships with their makeup artists and the shades that they love. The collections are encased in red (Sharon) and lilac (Kelly) packaging which is inspired by their unique, signature hair colours and feature their signatures.

Here’s what you can find in the collections.

Sharon

Kelly

For a guide on M·A·C lipstick formulas and finishes click here.

Judging from past M·A·C collections such as RiRi ♥ M.A.C, this one is going to fly off the shelves! I am definitely getting myself Kelly Yum Yum (DUH!) because I ADORE Candy Yum Yum and the satin finish and my Mom has her eye on the Patentpolish pencils.

Sharon and Kelly’s collections hit shelves and maccosmetics.co.za on Friday, 15^th August 2014 and will be available while stocks last!

Until next time

Love and smooches

Zaakira xox

P.S Since August is my birthday month, there are going to be lots of festivities on the blog, Facebook and Twitter… Keep your eye out ;)

M.A.C Lipsticks | The Formulas

If you know me, you know that I am totally obsessed with MAC lipsticks. The quality and range of colours cannot be beaten and the names are just so cute. I often got confused by the different formulas and finishes but MAC’s incredibly talented senior makeup artist Michelle-Lee Collins was super kind to compose a handy guide to share with you that indicates what you’re getting with each formula.

MAC LIPSTICK FORMULAS
(words by Michelle-Lee Collins)

MAC LIPSTICKS ARE INFUSED WITH CRYSTALLINE A VERSION OF VANILLA FOR A UNIQUE AROMA AND FLAVOUR 

HIGH COVERAGE:

RETRO MATTE - HIGHLY PIGMENTED, MATTE FINISH WITH MINIMAL TO NO SHINE AND WAS INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL MAC MATTE LIPSTICK. (Low-No Shine)
Examples: Candy Yum Yum, Ruby Woo

MATTE - PROVIDES MAXIMUM COLOUR PAYOFF COMBINED WITH A NO SHINE TEXTURE. CONTAINS VITAMIN E AND CASTOR OIL TO SOFTEN AND SOOTH. (Low-No Shine)
Examples: Russian Red, Punk Couture, Lady Danger

MEDIUM/HIGH COVERAGE:

SATIN - OFFERS HIGH COLOUR PAYOFF COMBINED WITH MINIMAL SHINE
Examples: Rebel, Snob 

PROLONGWEAR LIP CREAM - PROVIDES A FULL COVERAGE COLOUR AND A SUBTLE SHINE IN A LONG WEARING FORMULA. THIS FORMULA IS CREAMY AND FLEXIBLE AND MOVES WITH YOUR LIPS FOR EXTRA COMFORT. CONTAINS POMEGRANATE EXTRACT WHICH HELPS KEEP LIPS HYDRATED. THIS COLOUR DRIES DOWN TO A NATURAL LOOKING MOIST FINISH WITH SUPERIOR WEAR. THIS TEXTURE IS AVAILABLE IN PEARL AND CREAM. (Low Shine)
Examples: Chatterbox, Overtime 

AMPLIFIED CRÈME - DELIVERS MAXIMUM COLOUR, MAXIMUM MOISTURE, MAXIMUM COVERAGE AND A CREAMY FINISH. THIS INNOVATIVE FORMULA FEATURES A SPECIAL COMBINATION OF CONDITIONING EXTRACTS TO HELP LIPS LOOK AND FEEL SOFTER, SMOOTHER AND MOISTURISED. THE COLOUR PAYOFF IS HIGH IMPACT AND SUPER RICH WITH A VIRTUALLY WEIGHTLESS CREAMY FEEL. (Medium Shine)
Examples: Girl About Town, St. Germain, Viva Glam Gaga II  

CREMESHEEN - THIS FORMULA PROVIDES IMMEDIATE MOISTURE TO THE LIPS AND DELIVERS MEDIUM-FULL, BUILDABLE COVERAGE AND A HIGH SHINE FINISH. THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS A FILM FORMER THAT HELPS COLOUR ADHERE TO THE LIPS WHILE PROVIDING INTENSE EMOLLIENCY THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE HIGH SHINE FINISH. CREMESHEEN CONTAINS A MOISTURE COMPLEX TO ALLOW LIPS TO LOOK AND FEEL THEIR BEST. (Medium-High Shine)
Examples: Saigon Summer, Crème Cup, Shy Girl 

MINERALIZE RICH - INSTANTLY NOURISHES WITH THE NEW MINERAL MOISTURE COMPLEX. THIS LUXURIOUSLY LIGHTWEIGHT FORMULA OFFERS MEDIUM BUILDABLE COVERAGE, WITH MEDIUM SHINE. LIPS ARE MOISTURISED INSTANTLY AND OVER TIME. LIP LINES ARE SMOOTHED FOLLOWING APPLICATION AND APPEAR SMOOTHER OVER TIME, DELIVERING COLOUR CLARITY AND REDUCING LIP FLAKING. (Medium-High Shine)
Examples: All Out Gorgeous, Posh Tone 

MEDIUM COVERAGE:

FROST - THIS FORMULA CONTAINS PEARLISED PIGMENTS THAT ADD SHINE AND DIMENSION TO THE LIPS. (Low Shine)
Examples: Viva Glam Rihanna, Crème De La Femme 

MEDIUM/LOW COVERAGE:

LUSTRE - PROVIDES LIGHTWEIGHT, SHEER TO MEDIUM COLOUR PAYOFF AND A SEMI GLOSS FINISH. CONTAINS CASTOR SEED OIL TO HELP SOFTEN AND SMOOTH. (Medium-High Shine)
Examples: Viva Glam Gaga I, Lovelorn 

SHEEN SUPREME - THIS IS A RICH CREAMY LIPSTICK THAT PROVIDES MEDIUM-BUIDABLE COVERAGE WITH THE SHINE FINISH OF A GLOSS. THIS MOISTURE RICH FORMULA GLIDES SMOOTHLY ONTO LIPS IN EITHER A PEARL OR CREAM FINISH. THIS LIPSTICK IS GEL BASED, ALLOWING THE COLOUR TO MELT INTO THE LIPS; GIVING THE PRODUCT A LIGHTWEIGHT TEXTURE AND CUSHIONY FEEL. CONTAINS SHEA BUTTER TO PROVIDE INSTANT AND LASTING MOISTURE TO THE LIPS. (High Shine)
Examples: Good To Be Bad, Impressive 

LOW/SHEER COVERAGE:

GLAZE - THIS FORMULA PROVIDES MINIMAL COLOUR PAYOFF COMBINED WITH A FROSTED TEXTURE. THIS IS GREAT FORMULA FOR A SLIGHT LIFT IN YOUR LIP COLOUR. (Medium-High Shine)
Examples: Hue, Lollipop Loving, Pervette

RiRi ♥ M.A.C | The Holiday Collection

Rihanna’s latest collection for MAC Cosmetics is made up of the unique formulations and textures MAC is famous for; in colours that our girl RiRi has personally worked on all encased in the most beautiful rose-gold and pearl-white packaging. What more can a girl ask for?

The collection sees the famous RiRi Woo matte lipstick (ZAR210) returning as well as 2 new matte colours: Pleasurebomb and Bad Girl RiRi. There is also a RiRi Woo nail polish(ZAR150) which is a cool matte red, Veluxe Pearlfusion eye-shadow palettes(ZAR400) in Phresh Out and 2X Dare, frost Superslick Eyeliners(ZAR250) in Pisces Persuasion, shimmery white,and Cockiness, shimmery rose gold, and a bronzing powder(ZAR400) in Love Rihanna which is shimmery brown with a gold pearl effect. You can use the beautiful rose-gold and pearl white double ended brush (ZAR300) to apply your makeup and store it all in a quilted rose-gold RiRi ♥ M.A.C makeup bag (ZAR500).

The collection went on sale on Tuesday (10 December) on the South African online store (www.maccosmetics.co.za) and I bought myself the Pleasurebomb lipstick. It is a lovely matte, fuchsia colour and I think it will suit most skintones. The texture, although matte is quite creamy and it’s really long lasting. It’s quite similar in shade (although brighter) to MAC’s Impassioned Amplified lipstick. Rihanna posted a photo on Instagram, noting that she had the sample for Pleasurebomb in 2012! Clearly a lot of time, thought and effort has been put into this collection by both Rihanna and MAC.

Pleasurebomb and most of the RiRi ♥ M.A.C Holiday Collection was sold out on the MAC South Africa online store within 48 hours. I was pretty disappointed as I wanted the Bad Girl RiRi lipstick and the Love, Rihanna bronzer, but do not despair, it will be available in MAC standalone(Melrose Arch, Rosebank and V&A Waterfront) stores on January 4^th 2014. I do predict that it will be highly popular so get your butt there early so you’re not disappointed. If you know me at all, you will know that I am not above crying in a MAC store if they’re out of a limited edition item ;)

Until next time

Love, sparkles and fuchsia kisses

Zaakira xox