New MAC and Jane Iredale

I've bought a few new things this week, including Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation, however I think these two are the most interesting:

MAC Well Dressed blush & Jane Iredale Peach Sherbert PurePressed eyeshadow

The colour of Well Dressed is more accurate here

I know that MAC can be a bit boring and safe compared to the other brands out there, however I really have a soft spot for their powder products. My skin and eyes are very sensitive, yet I've never had a problem with MAC. So I stick with what I know!

Well Dressed is described somewhat ambiguously as 'Pink Lady Pink' on the MAC website. I would describe it as a cool, pastel baby pink which brightens my complexion without appearing obvious. I like how the satin finish adds glow and dimension without any shimmer and sparkle. It lasts all day on me, applies nice and even and best of all doesn't cause any rashes or acne!

I've wanted pastelly-nude peach eyeshadow for AGES, at least 10 months. I've tried a couple to no avail, the latest attempt is Peach Sherbert. It doesn't quite hit the mark but it's beautiful nevertheless. It's a warm peach colour with a very fine gold shimmer shot through. I wish it was more on the pastel side, but it's more of a warm peach. It's quite expensive for 1.8g and to be honest, it isn't anything amazing. It sort of falls out all over the pan at the slightest brush stroke. It does compliment my blue eyes quite well, but if and when I run out, I wont rebuy. It just isn't something I would desperately miss.

Here's some swatches:

Both them are very subtle, so good for those of us who sometimes suffer from a heavy hand. The second swatch (Peach Sherbert above, Well Dressed below) shows the shimmery finish of the eyeshadow and the satiny finish of the blush. They are both very spring-summer appropriate too, silly considering it's currently winter in Australia.
My makeup shopping list is currently longer than my arm. When I bought Well Dressed, I spotted a gorgeous pastel peach blush (whose name evades me now) but I know it simply must be mine one day. There's also several dozen eyeshadows as usual, the new Guerlain and Dior lipsticks have also stolen my heart. I have a job interview for a real, fulltime grownup job tomorrow so if I get it (ohhh I want it so much!), perhaps I might reward myself and be able to post a bit more too!

Jane Iredale 'Whisper' PurePressed Blush review

One of the catalysts for starting my own blog was after I'd spent fruitless hours trying to find Jane Iredale reviews and swatches. I really like to make sure my money's being well spent, so it was a big leap of faith for me to buy something without days or even weeks of research (I'm such a procrastinator!).

Jane Iredale is a mineral makeup company that's often found in day-spas and dermatology clinics. My skin loves mineral foundations, so I was excited to buy my first mineral blush. I decided to go with 'Whisper', one of the few JI products I could find reviews on. Some liken it as a subdued version of NARS 'Orgasm'. I can't say how accurate this is, after never seeing 'Orgasm' in real life, but I would describe it as a warm beige-peach with gold flecks.

Although this is a pressed powder, my first impressions were that it's very 'soft'. My brush easily picked up product. Even the slightest touch is enough to cause blush dust to fly all over the compact and anything else in its vicinity! I appreciate not having to scrub at it like some blushes (*cough*Bourjois*cough*), but it does make me worry about the reports of these blushes shattering at the slightest disturbance. It's also a bit wasteful.

It's also quite expensive. The RRP in Australia is around $50, and you get 2.8g. That's $17/gram! (buy online like I did though, it's at least half the price!). MAC charges $43 for a 3.5g Mineralize Blush, or about $12.30/gram. I'd be interested to know where this high price comes from. Ingredient quality? Certainly not packaging. Call me shallow, but I expect products from this price bracket to be a bit more special than your everyday Priceline blush. Think along the lines of Guerlain, Rouge Bunny Rogue, Chanel etc.

Ok, so enough of the Moaning Myrtle, and on to the positives. This blush applies so well, almost silkily. The shimmer gives the face dimension and a natural glow; not the messy "I've been hit my a glitter grenade" I feared. If you like your blush to look natural, soft and day-time appropriate, JI blushes might be for you.

                      Blush swatched above, then blended below...this is fairly accurate colour-wise.

Swatched on paper

Most importantly to me, it hasn't caused me any breakouts! For this reason alone I will be buying a couple more colours. It also lasts all day. Another plus

Pros: looks natural, doesn't cause breakouts, effortless to apply, good colour selection
Cons: a tad too soft, expensive (check online for better deals!), packaging a bit 'meh' (in my opinion).