January 5, 2011

Summer Love - CG Smoothers

SoMAKEUPurMind Review
I'm just going to put it out there...  Em and I absolutely loathe Summer and everything that comes along with it i.e. swimming, sweating, stickiness and smells (not us, others lol). 

Anyway, all of those aforementioned 'S' words, those obnoxious characteristics of the Australian Summer, make it particularly uncomfortable to wear foundation. I mean, you practically sweat it off  before you even finish putting it on!   Just thinking about that thick oily foundation feeling on a hot day is conjuring compulsive urges to start washing my face! Ugh. Well, I'm not going to put myself through that again this year. Hoorah for CoverGirl Smoothers!

CG Smoothers is a lightweight tinted moisturiser with SPF15 (über important). It's oil free, 100% PABA free and fragrance free, perfect for sensitive shiners like me :oP. It normally retails for $17.95 but I purchased  for $13.45 on a 25% Target special (win!).

CoverGirl CG Smoothers

The product has a creamy consistency and comes in four shades that are tinted enough to provide a sheer wash of colour. I wear 'light to medium' and this really helps to even out my skin tone. I still need to conceal and powder my 'T'  but that's to be expected and I'm totally OK with it.   As a mega plus, I find that the formula is actually quite mattifying and that the tint stays true all day.   

Application Swatches

CoverGirl CG Smoothers - Light to Medium

CG Smoothers all rubbed in :o)

SoMAKEUPurMind Overall Rating 3 out of 5

January 4, 2011

Forever MAC ♥

In Marketing we're taught that a bad customer experience, if handled correctly, actually works to increase customer loyalty.  Well, my recent encounter with MAC Cosmetics confirms that there's truth in this theory, and that we should all stop falling asleep in lectures :oP

Anyway, my 'bad customer experience' was having my foundation shade mismatched at a Myer MAC counter (jaundice yellow is NOT my colour!). This happens to everybody from time to time with all kinds of brands so I wasn't angry or anything. The artist was very young, the lighting was very bad and I had stupidly gone against my gut feeling and purchased the products anyway.  I walked away with a Mineralize Skinfinish Natural,  Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 and a Select Moisturecover Concealer - all in the wrong shade for my skin. Doh!

It wasn't long before I realised that I had made a crappy purchase but you know, it doesn't take long to lose a receipt either! I have never been so upset with myself! Woefully I decided to email MAC (email because I'm waaay too chicken to call) and within a couple of days I had a response. All I needed to do was get rematched at another counter and post back the products (Reply Paid) with the shade that I would like in return.

About three weeks later I received a package in the mail (oh I so love packages!). Nestled inside was my three products aaaand a little gift!  MAC had given me a Mineralize Duo Eyeshadow in Love Connection which, as a side note, I absolutely A-DORE!  I checked over the rest of the products and found that although the foundation and powder were fine, my concealer had somehow not been replaced. Again, I wasn't angry. Mistakes DO happen and the MAC Representative was very apologetic. I sent off my concealer (free of charge) with the assurance that this time my replacement product would be: A. Correct,  and B. Express posted back to me.

Yup, only a few days later I received another package however, it appeared to be far too large for just one teeny tiny product.. "curiouser and curiouser" said Alice. Wow, it was another gift!  Presented in a black and clear MAC makeup bag I received a MAC Summer Rose Blush (Rose Romance Collection), MAC Fast Response Eye Cream and a 30ml MAC Charged Water Skin Hydrating Mist (I feel as though there may have been something els but I can't quite remember lol).

My Mac Gifts (LOVE!)

Overall, though my relationship with MAC started out a little rocky and continued with little hickups along the way, this was a truly wonderful MAC experience. Thank you very much MAC Cosmetics!

Are there any similar stories out there?