MAC Testing on Animals?

Recently I have seen some worrying posts regarding MAC's policy on animal testing. For as long as I have been using MAC products (since 2005), the company has proudly stated that they did not test on animals, this has apparently changed. The website no longer makes any mention of animal testing unless you type "animal testing" into the search box and even then this is all that comes up:

''The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. is committed to the elimination of animal testing. We are equally committed to consumer health and safety and bringing to market products that comply with applicable regulations in every country in which are products are sold.''
                             -maccosmetics.co.uk

That is it. Almost 30 years of having never tested on animals and they silently change policy, giving only two sentences full of weasel words designed to confuse those searching for that information. I particularly like how they claim to be "committed to the elimination of animal testing"; this would be one thing if they had always done so and were trying to eliminate it - not the other way around.

I do know why they have had this sudden change of heart: they want to sell in China, where the law requires the torture (I don't care what anyone says, that is what animal testing amounts to) of animals.  I do  not see the benefit of testing makeup and cosmetic products on animals as much more effective means of testing products have been used for decades.

I do wonder how they will respond to the banning of animal testing in the UK from March 2013 (I think this is true of the rest of the EU as well). Will they abandon the loyal and lucrative UK/EU markets? They cannot claim they do not test on animals when the same products will be sold in China. I know other companies test on animals, I simply do not buy from them if I know or even think they might test on animals and I will no longer support MAC by reviewing their products or buying any more from them. I am both saddened and inconvenienced by this development but I believe that testing cosmetics on animals is wrong and will not knowingly contribute to the misery and suffering of innocent animals in order to line the pockets of a business. I doubt this post would matter to them if they read it, I wonder how many people would have to blog, complain and boycott for them to care. I hope they reverse this decision like they pulled the Rodarte/Juarez collection in 2010. It is always sad to see the good guys become bad guys.

Here is a photo of Jess:

Recent EOTD Dump

In celebration of the fact that I can wear makeup again, I've been having fun with my collection. These are looks that i've done over the Christmas period, in the second look my brows look really strange, which they didn't in person. I did have them threaded and tinted last week for the first time, it was a strange experience as it was done in the middle of Superdrug and it hurt (unsurprisingly) but it does look tidier and I prefer them a bit darker than they usually are.

Christmas:

Boxing Day:

27th:

New Years Day:

2nd January:

EOTD: Golden Gothic

Sorry, I haven't posted for a while as I've been a bit busy.  Last week I started a new job- it is only temporary but I'm hoping to get something more permanent  after Christmas. Sadly, due to the nature of my job makeup is strictly forbidden as is perfume, nail polish, strong smelling cosmetics, products containing nuts and jewellery, we must also wear some rather unattractive hair nets and overalls. In short, it is well outside of my comfort zone, although that had nothing on the horror of standing for 8 hours (which is going to be 12 as of tonight for the next 2 and a half to three weeks, although the pay should be quite good provided the shifts don't kill me, lol). So, in order to get back into the swing of blogging again, here is a look I did a couple of weeks ago:

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack-tightline
TFSI- Prime
Sleek Molten Metal in Gold- Lid
Sugarpill Chromalust  in Goldilux- Lid
Body Shop Glitter in Gold- Over Goldilux
Sugarpill Chromalust in Stella- Outer 1/3 and crease
MAC e/s in Black Tied- to blend out Stella
MAC e/s in Dazzlelight- Highlight
MAC Blacktrack- Upper Lashline and Waterline
Benefit Badgal e/l- Lower lashline
T.F. Lash Injection Mascara
Brown e/s on brows.

This is quite a nice look for this time of year, I paired this up with a Black Barry M lipstick.  I would use and even lighter Foundation (I find it difficult to get the Stargazer stuff to work on me, so I was stuck with my usual NC15) to make the look much more gothic.

Birthday EOTD

I am now inescapably in my late 20's which is a slightly depressing thought. Had a reasonably good day, My Dad and brother had bought this massive chocolate cake meant to feed 20 people and as a result we're going to be eating a lot of cake to get rid of it and I got to but a load of books without having to pay for them myself.

Makeup was a 1980's inspired but fairly simple look.

TFSI

NYX jumbo e/s pencil in oyster- lid

Sugarpill chromalust in birthday girl- lid

Medusa's e/s in electro purple- crease

Medusa's e/s in electro green-lower lashline

MAC p/m in pink opal- highlight

Barry M white eyeliner-waterline

Collection 2000 glittery liner in disco queen- upper lashline

Benefit bad gal lashes

Ben Nye Eyeshadows-Size

I recently bought 2 Ben Nye Grand Lumiere eyeshadows and was surprised at the difference in size between the individual ones, the palette ones and a MAC eyeshadow. Considering that a Ben nye shadow costs about £11 it is amazing to see just how much you get compared to MAC.

Old EOTDS

I had intended doing a post on pressing pigments and a look with the ones I have pressed today, however, my mishap with the pigments yesterday has ruled that one out and as I don't want to aggravate my eyes any more than they have been, I won't be doing an EOTD today. So, here are some of my older ones that I haven't posted:

Not sure of these colours but I think the lighter one is Bitter (MAC) and the darker one is Sassy Grass (MAC- LE).

This one was done using all of the colours in the Sugarpill Burning Heart and Sweetheart Quads.
This was done with the 88 colour shimmer palette.
I think this was Juxt and Atlantic blue by MAC, with my favourite false lashes.

EOTD's: Purples

Was a bit bored and have been playing with makeup this is what I did tonight:

TFSI

MUFE 92-Lid and 2/3 lower lashline

MAC Lucky Tom- over 92

MAC Romping- Crease and inner 1/3 lower lashline

Sugarpill Dollypop- above crease

MAC Yoghurt- to blend out Romping

Sugarpill Tako- Highlight

MAC Stately Black- outer 1/3 lower lashline

Maybelline black kohl liner- waterline

Barry M- Purple glittery liner

Too Faced lash injection

MAC Pink Reflects glitter-over Romping

A nice simple look for nipping out to Tesco:

TFSI

MAC Vibrant Grape inner 2/3 of lid and lower lashline

Ben Nye Royal Purple- outer 1/3 lid and lower lashline

MAC Vellum- Highlight

Maybelline black kohl- waterline

Too Faced lash injection

Too Faced lash injection pinpoint

EOTD: Browns

Not posted one of these in ages.

TFSI

MAC Soft Force e/s- all over lid

MAC Tempting e/s- Crease and blended up

MAC Night Manoevers e/s-Crease

High Voltage Cosmetics Loki e/s- Inner Crease

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Black

Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara

Barry M White eyeliner

100th Post and Meadowhall Haul

I'm back after quite a long absence brought about due to excessive coursework, which will be over soon as the exams are next week and then it will all be over and done with (hopefully).

Went to Meadowhall in Sheffield to get a break from the revision yesterday; didn't spend as much as I thought I would but picked up a few nice things while I was there. Unfortunately, I also ended up eating a quarter of a seriously undercooked burger (a combination of low lighting and thinking it was just a bit pink until it started to ooze pink liquid and my Dad and I had to send our stuff back although my brothers chicken was fine) and I haven't felt right since, in fairness as soon as they were told everything was replaced and we were give two more massive bowls of chips, onion rings and drinks for free (more than we could manage- very depressing for my Dad who loves free stuff)

Too Faced Lash Injection

Too Faced Glitter Glue

Too Faced Glitter Pigment in Glampire (These were part of a 3 for 2 offer in Boots)

Sleek Lipsticks in Mystic, Amped Fuchsia and Cherry (2 for £6 in Superdrug).

Barry M nail paint in Indigo

Barry M Nail effects in pink, white and blue

MAC lipstick in Faux

Admittedly, I have done some more shopping online and have stuff due in the next day or so including one of the Lime Crime lipsticks which I have debated over buying since they came out; I have heard mixed reviews over the quality and the alleged practices of the Xenia, the owner have made me think twice, so I bought it from Cocktail Cosmetics and I hope it was worth the £14 I spent there but will review it when I have it.

EOTD: La Fee Vert

TFSI

Nyx Jumbo e/s pencil- Rocky Mountain Green (lid)

Sugarpill chromalust- Absinthe (inner 1/3)

MAC e/s-Wondergrass (middle 2/3)

Sugarpill e/s- Midori (outer 3/3)

UD e/s- Vert (outer 1/2 above crease)

MAC e/s- Bio Green (inner 1/2 above crease)

MAC e/s- Juxt (inner 1/3 lower lashline)

UD e/s- Vert (middle 2/3 lower l/l)

Medusa's Makeup e/s- Electro Green (outer 3/3 lower l/l)

Sugarpill e/s- Tako (highlight)

UD 24/7 liner- Covet (waterline)

Too Faced glitterliner- Obsessed Fan (upper l/l)

Bourjois clubbing mascara black

Morgana Cryptoria Vegan l/s- Absinthe♥

Have edited the swatches for the Stargazer Turquoise l/s and the Medusa's Purple Rain, which are now a truer representation of what they look like.

Bad news and a Haul...

First off here is the nicer stuff, not everything I have bought recently but the stuff I still had out/that have arrived.

Benefit BadGal lashes, Bourjois felt tip liner, Stargazer turquoise lipstick, MAC e/s in Juxt and Atlantic Blue, Barry M 'Bright Red' nailpaint, Medusas makeup eye dust 'Purple Rain', stick it primer, the fix glitter adhesive, eyeliner sealer, glitter in 'Antoinette' and 'Electro Green' e/s. I ordered the Medusas stuff last Monday and it arrived this morning, everything costing less than £27 (excl. shipping and to remain under the customs and excise limit). So I'm impressed, so far.

Some US and UK sweet stuff and the most expensive can of Pepsi (diet with lime-much nicer than ordinary diet but not nice enough for me to spend £1.79 on a regular basis for it) I've ever tasted out of an American Sweet shop in town.

Now the horrible news, my Gran died this morning. She was 88 and had had a stroke at Christmas, so the depressing prospect of the first Christmas without my Mum was a lot worse and since it is close to the 1st anniversary of her death (2 weeks away). So I will be travelling back to Scotland tomorrow to help out and attend her funeral and as a result blogging might be off the agenda for a little while but hopefully, I will have some reviews of the Medusas stuff and some stuff I ordered will have arrived when I get back.

Will try to post some swatches tonight.

Swatches: Orange and Purple Lipstcks

L-R: Barry M 117, MAC Meltdown, Morange And Neon Orange
L-R: Barry M 129, 143, MAC Purple Rite, Up the Amp, Illamasqua Fetish, MAC Violetta and Style Curve.

Violetta (Perm, PRO) and Style Curve (LE) are both very similar, SC is slightly more red toned and is a cremesheen rather than an Amplified Creme.

Morange (Perm) and Neon Orange (LE and Perm PRO) are also similar both are AC but NO is slightly more red toned.

If you have Violetta, you probably won't need to get SC. If you have Morange or NO you won't really need the other.

EOTD: Sugarpill

UDPP

MAC- Moss scape paint pot

Sugarpill- Midori e/s

Sugarpill- Dollipop

Sugarpill- Poison Plum

Sugarpill- Afterparty

Sugarpill- Tako

Maybelline- great lash mascara

MAC- Minted eyekohl

Bourjois- glitter liner

Got my hair cut today and got a bit of a surprise about the colour of my hair, I have always believed it was an auburn colour, as a child I got HELL for having red hair and although it has darkened, it has quite red look to it, some people say auburn, some say red and others brown . My hairdresser told me it is golden honey BLONDE!!!!, If she hadn't showed me the charts and explained about base colours and stuff I doubt I would have believed her. So basically I have ninja hair (i.e. it looks like everything but what it apparently is). When I was 12 this would have been the best news ever, now I feel a bit sad as I have grown to love my "red" hair, however, I probably will continue to say it is auburn as I don't really see any blonde.

My hair colour

LOTD: Gradient Experiment

After a fairly substantial hiatus, I am trying to get back into blogging, however, as I am in my final year at Uni and on a fairly demanding course as well as dealing with some sad family circumstances, posting may not be as regular as I would like.

I got Photoshop Elements 9 for my Christmas and have been having some fun with that. PSE9 is helpful for isolating elements of my look and concealing other part such as here, where I have covered the skin but left the lips unchanged (aside from trying to lessen the impact of the gloss which made it look patchy- the colour and application were done using makeup)

Anyway, here is my attempt at a Gradient/rainbow look.

Base : Lip balm

Purple: MAC Violet pigment

Pink: Barry M dazzledust- 64

Orange: Barry M dazzledust- 77

Red: Barry M dazzledust- 84

Gold: MAC pigment- Golden Lemon

Blue: Urban Decay pigment- Shattered

Green: Barry M dazzledust- 95

Lipgloss: MAC lipgloss-clear

Haul: October

A Fabulous Feline, Belgium and an EOTD

The above cat is my cute cat Jess.
Just back from a weekend break in Brussels with some friends, which was excellent brought back some delicious chocolate, lots of photos and a knee injury (must remember to wear trainers if I ever go back there). Didn't buy any makeup but in less than a fortnight I will have my student loan in and will hopefully have some good stuff to review then.
Took this a little while ago.

TFSI

MAC Sharkskin

MAC Hepcat (over sharkskin)

MAC Nocturnelle

MAC Black Tied

MAC Crystal Avelanche

MAC Smolder

MAC Blackened Red reflects

TF Lash Injection

EOTD's: Petrol and more Greens...

MAC Tilt

MAC Satellite Dreams

MAC Steamy

MAC Stars n Rockets

MAC Black Tied

MAC Gesso

GOSH Velvet touch e/l Black ink

Benefit Bad Gal lashes

BN Chartreus

BN Jade

MAC Sassy Grass

BN Ice

Bourjois glittery liquid liner

TF Lash injection

Gosh Black ink