MAC | Viva Glam Rihanna

Yesterday a new MAC collection by Barbados beauty Rihanna hit our shelves. This time she is the spokesperson for her very own Viva Glam campaign for which she created a lipstick and a lipglass. Viva Glam is a concept very close to my heart. It was launched by MAC in 1994 and directs 100% of the selling price (minus VAT) 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. Celebrities like Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Lisa Marie Presley and Sir Elton John have lent their faces to Viva Glam campaigns in the past and this year is RiRi’s turn.

Rihanna has said to Teen Vogue magazine in an interview related to her Viva Glam campaign, "I've been around so many people who have been affected by HIV and AIDS. It's my turn to spread awareness. Because when people don't talk about this, they feel like it's not happening." She is also quoted to have said that she is doing this especially for young girls.

The lipstick and lipglass are both described as a frosty blue-red. I managed to get my hands on them yesterday and they are really chic and wearable. The lipstick glides on to a creamy, frosted red on the lips and the lipglass is similar but goes on semi-opaque. I wore the lipglass yesterday and one application lasted about 3 hours.

I must mention how much I love the love the packaging. The lipstick is encased in a matte, frosty 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 ZAR185 and the lipglass for ZAR175. It’s really a small price knowing where your money is actually going. 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

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

Lipstick Warfare | MAC Candy Yum Yum vs. Topshop Bombshell

I had been after a bright pink lipstick for a while and I was lucky enough to score the last tube of Candy Yum Yum at the MAC counter in Canal Walk when I was in Cape Town. A few weeks later I saw Bombshell at the Topshop sale and thought why not? Both are quite similar in colour (Barbie pink is what I call them, really not for the faint hearted) so I’ve decided to do a little comparing. I will be likening the two lipsticks in a few categories and you can decide which one is more suited to you.

Packaging

Candy Yum Yum – The classic MAC packaging. Sleek, sturdy and classy. I’ve dropped my MAC lipsticks possibly hundreds of times and from many heights and none have broken or come loose.

Bombshell – I’m really not pleased with the packaging here. The lid is very fragile and has already cracked a little. It also doesn’t close all that well and I’m terrified it might open and tint everything in my handbag Barbie pink.

Scent

Both lipsticks have a pleasant, subtle vanilla scent and no taste once they are on my lips.

Texture

Bombshell is a lot creamier than Candy Yum Yum. Although Candy Yum Yum wasn’t drying (which is lovely for a matte lipstick), Bombshell felt a little more moisturizing. They’re both comfortable to wear.

Colour Intensity and Longevity

Judging purely on the colour, I’d say both are pretty similar. Both are a blue-based, powerful neon pink.

Candy Yum Yum – One swipe gives you the intense pink you see in the tube. Also after eating a yoghurt and a cup of tea, it was still quite intense. It’s difficult to remove and I’m pretty sure it lasts at least 6 hours. (Tip: I use Lush Bubblegum lip scrub to remove MAC matte lipsticks.)

Bombshell – I needed 2 swipes to get the desired pink. I needed to reapply at least twice in the same time-frame as Candy Yum Yum and although it was easier to remove than its rival lipstick, it was still quite difficult to remove.

I’ve included a photo where I just wiped the swatches on my arm with a tissue. Candy Yum Yum left a dark stain while Bombshell is mostly gone.

Price and Availability

Candy Yum Yum – Retails for ZAR185 at MAC counters nationwide. The availability is quite inconsistent though as it is a cult colour and sells out quite quickly. Hopefully with it being included in the new retro-matte collection from MAC it might be more obtainable. (P.S go check out the new MAC standalone store in Sandton City, it is fab!)

Bombshell –Originally retails for ZAR139 (I got it on sale for ZAR69) at Topshop. I don’t know if they currently have it as I tried calling a few times this morning to no answer. (Frustrating!)

So there you have it… I’m not going to conclude with which I think is superior, I’ve given you the facts I’ve gathered and left the deciding to you.

Until next time

Love and sparkles (and Barbie pink kisses)

Zaakira xox