MAC Cosmetics Haul – December 2016

MAC Cosmetics Haul

I had to double check before saying this – but this is a first for my blog – I’ve never done a pure MAC Cosmetics Haul, whilst I shop there regularly – it’s rare that I buy more than one item from MAC at a time, let alone getting as spendy as I did last week. I know this is going to seem completely alien to some people but the city I now live closest to, has never had a MAC store or counter, with our first store opening up just 2 weeks ago. I already fear for what this is going to do for my bank balance in the short term – until the novelty wears off a little!

Last week I had my work Christmas Party, I live 40 minutes between my work and home – and I knew I wouldn’t have time to go home and get properly ready so I booked an appointment to go and get my makeup done after work at MAC – they only however had quick focus appointments left, so I chose to have my eyes done. In the end I had a half day to use up before the end of the year, and I managed to take the afternoon off, so I had time to go home, shower, freshen up – get half ready and back to Peterborough to have my makeup finished up at MAC. The great thing about MAC is having your makeup done is redeemable back against product, so if you have something you have your eye on – and an event you want to look extra special for it’s a great idea to marry the two up. I’m definitely going to be doing this again in future. The guy who did my makeup touched up my face very quickly and used a few products that I just ended up going back for the day after!

Here was the finished look:

MAC Trolls Collection – Transparent Teal Reflects Glitter

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This wasn’t bought directly from MAC, I bought this on eBay after stalking it online for weeks. The MAC Trolls collection doesn’t seem to have been very popular here with most of the items still available online (unfortunately unlike other countries it hasn’t been discounted to sell it out!), the item I was trying to find of course was the one item that was out of stock. When I met Manny MUA he was wearing this and it was so eye-catching & dazzling it, I thought nothing of getting it straight away as I thought it was a permanent item at MAC. Looking it up 5 weeks later of course it wasn’t and it was gone from online – it seems like this is a permanent item in some countries, but the transparent teal version of Reflects glitter is not in the UK any more. I paid a chunk more than RRP (£25, but at one point I had been considering one on eBay for £35 – so it was snatched up as soon as I saw that listing). I used this over the weekend and it’s so pretty – whilst classed as a glitter it’s very very fine, and is transparent so can be layered over any colour – either contrasting or matching!

MAC Soft & Gentle Highlight

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Whilst a cult favourite it’s not something that I’ve ever remembered to check out in a store. The Makeup artist used this on me as he was touching up my cheeks and boy did I like it. The way he used it has a really soft warm glow, similar kind of effect to the . Buying it in person I just asked for it without seeing it for myself/swatching – it’s actually quite buildable if desired, and can have a slightly more glittery result if desired – the effect is a mix between a warm soft peach and almost a subtle wearable holo shimmer. Can’t wait to start playing with this!

MAC Strobe Cream

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This is a smaller sized bottle that I spied by the till, I’ve always been curious about MAC’s strobe cream so decided to give a smaller one a try before getting a full size. If you’re unfamiliar with strobe cream then it’s a cream which can be used underneath or mixed with foundations to give a more radiant effect.

MAC 36 Lashes

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It’s definitely way easier to have someone else apply false lashes than having to do it yourself. I picked these because I liked the shape, they didn’t look too heavy or obviously false, but they were fluttery and got longer towards the outer edge – always my preferred shape – these were mix between brown and black lashes. I should be able to wear them another once or twice before they’re done with.

MAC Burgundy Lip Pencil

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The man in the end did my lips for me after I’d asked what kind of colour I should pick to go with the rest of my makeup look. He used one of the new liptensity shades in Dionysus a deep berry red and made it an ombre lip with a darker edge with this lip pencil. I loved how it looked so I asked for both of them to redeem my cost of makeup application back against. They didn’t have the lipstick in stock so he suggested another shade that was similar to keep myself topped up through the night. I’ve never been a big fan on lip pencils before, and never owned one from MAC, but I loved how this looked so I’m going to be trying to recreate the same effect with all the lip pencils I own.

MAC Viva Glam III Lipstick

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Viva Glam III is starting to complete my line up of the core Viva Glam range – this was the shade he suggested as similar to the Dinysus – which actually I think it lays a bit more brown as opposed to the rich berry. This is a matte shade and I did use it through the night and I did get on with it very well so I’m happy to have this to play with and can see myself using it a lot through the festive season! Plus this doesn’t count as a real purchase does it? Basically a charitable donation.

MAC Liptensity in Dionysus

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Naturally the next day when I revisited the store they’d had a delivery in, I asked after this lipstick and yep they had it in. These have a beautiful balmy finish and I can see the Liptensity range becoming a favourite stop off point. I really like the packaging of these, although I don’t think they got the packaging > stick colour quite right, it looks brown on the tube and I’d never have picked it up to swatch. This was really stubborn to get off after swatching – it almost leaves a stain behind.


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Left to Right: Soft & Gentle, Transparent Teal Reflects, Burgundy Lip Pencil, Viva Glam III, Liptensity Dionysus

I already have the Pro Longwear concealer (in NW25) and the matte skinfinish powder in Medium Golden on my list to get next. I almost got them this time before telling myself to wait. The MUA used medium golden as a contour shade on me and I way preferred using shade or two darker foundation match than the normal muddy browns. He also used Pro Longwear concealer to touch up a few patches where he’d had to rub the glitter he’d used on my eyes away and I really liked how matte it was, and it lasted all night as well. There was also a shadow I saw that was out of stock in pan and in normal packaging – called ‘I like 2 watch’ – a gorgeous unusual chartreuse orange glitter. It was mesmerising!

Sadly I wanted one of the Christmas Pigment glitter sets however they’re completely sold out in stores, and everywhere I’ve looked online – I’m now really getting into my glitters and the sets were very affordable and had really nice colour selections – sadly they’ve gone. If you see one and can post me it, I’ll happily pay you!

I hope you enjoyed my first (0f probably many) MAC Cosmetics Haul! Let me know if you’ve picked up anything lately!

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28 Comments

  1. December 6, 2016 / 6:51 am

    You already have Viva Glam I and II???

  2. December 6, 2016 / 8:06 am

    Ooh what lovely goodies! I absolutely adore the liptensity range!! I have 5 now (bad molly) and they are my favourite formula maybe ever!
    I have strobe cream and I’m on the fence about it as I’m never too sure how to use it to get the best results. Let me know how you get on. I love soft and gentle but I’ve actually just given it to my mum as I’ve been using my becca opal much much more. Great haul, do you have a pic of the finished look? Xx

  3. December 6, 2016 / 9:54 am

    Soft and Gentle and the Trolls glitter look amazing! x

  4. mylovelily
    December 6, 2016 / 12:06 pm

    Love this! I recreated a look from Mac’s instagram recently on my page if anyone is interested xxx

  5. December 6, 2016 / 2:51 pm

    I know we’re all trying to watch our spending but omg, I love reading about a good haul!
    So glad you scored the Transparent Teal Reflects Glitter!
    I don’t have Soft & Gentle but I keep meaning to pick it up one of these days – it swatches so nicely whenever I play around with it.
    Strobe cream is one of my favourite products from MAC – I also have the small size tube of it since I only use such a small amount. I like mixing it into my foundation.
    You know what… I don’t own a single Viva Glam item!!! I was doing research online and I could NOT decide between V or IV…
    I tested the Liptensity lipstick but I found the texture kind of tacky feeling. I do love the colour range and especially the tube design!
    Awesome first full MAC haul! 😀

    • December 6, 2016 / 3:14 pm

      I know what you mean, in turn it just makes you want to go hauling though. We can all blame each other for getting spendy and not staying on track! Your sale picks from MAC were an influencer for wanting to go shopping.
      I’ve always thought soft and gentle would be too ‘bleh’ too nothing – but it’s so buildable – can see it becoming my go to!
      Viva Glam is just a charity donation, there’s no shame in owning all of them ha – I think I have I – but I can’t find it when I looked for it over the weekend, I have V which I love, and then several of the LE celeb ones, Cyndi being my favourite – I know how that haunts you.
      Hmm, it definitely didn’t feel tacky on the lips – it felt kinda balmy, and definitely wore well, I was eating (and drinking alot) during the party and it wasn’t really transferring at all.

      • December 6, 2016 / 3:24 pm

        Yes, Viva Glam Cyndi will haunt me till my dying day… 😆 You should do a post showcasing all of your Viva Glams! 🙂

        • December 6, 2016 / 3:45 pm

          I will do, planning on doing a full MAC lipstick collection, I keep putting it off as I know I have a few I know I want to get – as soon as I cross one off it’ll be another added though!
          You’ve got my best cydni dupe though in your pile from me!

  6. December 6, 2016 / 3:42 pm

    What a haul! I usually only buy a couple of items at once in Mac. I need to try soft and gentle. I know it’s so highly rated and it looks beautiful😊 x

    • December 6, 2016 / 3:46 pm

      I thought it was going to be a bit of a nothing highlight, but it seems like it can be used softly for a more glowy look or built up. Looked really nice on!

  7. December 6, 2016 / 6:20 pm

    Fantastic MAC haulage! I have done many MAC hauls in the past…especially when they dropped the price of the eyeshadow pans recently. LOL.

    Yeah the Trolls collection wasn’t too popular, was it? I picked up the purple lipgloss on clearance. I hate Trolls, but it looked cute.

    VGIII looks great. I only have 2 VGs, IV and V. And the VG Cyndi Lipglass.

    Love the gold sparkle eyeshadow you got done at MAC! Very Cleopatra.

    • December 6, 2016 / 6:47 pm

      See the price of Mac pans haven’t dropped here they’re still like £10 each, considering makeup geek are like £6-9 they’re hard to justify for me!
      Mac also don’t discount collections either here until they’re really past their date, I remember I saw their Ellie Goulding stuff discounted in summer about a year after it’s release, trolls all still full price here! If I could have got it in the normal packaging I think I would have!
      Me too it was the gold pigment from the holiday set, I went back for it the next day but it was sold out, and my store doesn’t seem to stock any of the glitters alone

  8. December 7, 2016 / 5:38 am

    Awesome haul! When I get my Mac delivery on Thursday, I’m supposed to get a sample of the strobe cream. That highlighter looks sooo pretty!

      • December 7, 2016 / 10:15 pm

        Possibly! I only got 3 things lol. They had 25% off for a few days! Had to take advantage lol

  9. December 10, 2016 / 7:23 pm

    I specialise in doing my makeup in public transport / when I’m driving *LOL* Sounds like you really had a fab time with the MAC make over session.

    Come to think about it, I’ve never bought MAC from non-MAC stand alone store. hm… I should probably try to buy from other places.

  10. Jacque'
    December 21, 2016 / 6:32 pm

    Hi!
    The wife noticed your blog and appreciates the neat content you have here. We would like to encourage you to keep writing and never abandon this blog. If you ever decide you’d like a mobile app version of your blog, we would love to help. I appreciate the hard work you have put into this blog and wish you all future success in business and in life.

    Thank you for your time, it is the most precious thing we all possess.
    -Jacque’

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