Well hello heatwave! How nice it is of you to grace us with your presence. Well, it’s better late than never as they say. It looks as though Summer has finally found us fellow Brits, surely that's something to celebrate? The constant cool influx of rain and wind had a lot of us thinking that Summer may have forgotten about the UK this year, but luckily that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Actually, it’s quite the opposite! With temperatures soaring above the highest recorded for July in history, this month’s weather has to be the most erratic for announcing Summer’s arrival. I’ve had to switch up the beauty products that I’ve been grabbing to keep up with the season pretty sharpish, but we’ll talk more about that later. First, I want to take a brisk walk down Skincare Lane...
In all honesty, when the weather is this humid, I can’t think of anything worse than covering my face in makeup. To me, that just spells out ‘hot mess’, which naturally I try my best to avoid. In the Summer we must make things easier on our skin, especially if you have a sensitive skin type like me! Let’s face it, our skin has a battle all set out in front of it without us adding elements into the mix. I don’t fancy breaking out in spots this Summer. Do you? What the skin needs is to be able to breath.
In muggy conditions, the skin will sweat more than usual, even if you’re just feeling a little clammy, all of that dirt and residue will just sit on the skin until you cleanse. Gross right? Well this is why having an adaptable skincare routine is so important. Every day and night your skin should be receiving a little attention from yours truly, both Summer and Winter. You don’t have to spend your life in the bathroom to have clear, healthy looking skin, but if you put a little effort into your skincare regime, you’ll see results.
Of course, everyone’s routine will vary according to their skin type and as I’ve always said, diet plays a major role in the appearance of your skin too. But I’m getting away from the point I’m trying to make in today’s article. The point is, foundation for me personally is a big NO in the Summer.
If you ask me, it’s a recipe for disaster. The only time I ever resort to a foundation in the Summer is if I’m dressing up to go out somewhere and I have a spot (or a few). Hey, they happen with or without makeup you know. They’re called sweat spots people. But anyway, that’s the only time I’ll resort to using a foundation in the heat. I won’t have a full face of makeup though. I’ll literally just use the smallest bit in the area I want to cover and that’s it!
I like the look of natural bronzed skin being the focal point of my looks in the Summer. My little routine consists of mascara, eyeshadow, lipstick and I’ll give my brows a little attention but that’s about it. No creams or moisturisers are needed for my skin personally in this heat. I find that they just block my pores in this weather. I use a moisturiser in the Winter to stop my skin from drying out, but that’s a different ball game.
Remember when I used the word ‘adaptable’ before? Well this is what I meant. But today, we are focusing on what Summer demands. Want my advice? Summer is all about keeping your skin clean and clear with a skincare routine, whereas the Winter is all about maintenance. Ensuring that the skin doesn’t dry out. Thus, preparing your face (and lips) for gorgeous makeup products like the ones I’m going to review today). We can talk more about skincare in another article. I’m going to turn your attention now to the lipstick trio that has lined my Summer looks so far this season, but first, let me explain what made me want to switch things up!
I love how experimental I get around this time of year and one of the biggest changes has been to the lipstick colour I reach for every morning when I'm sat at my dressing table. After a long and unwavering love affair with pinky-nudes (which by the way is most definitely an ongoing deal) I decided to shake up my lipstick habits for something a little more adventurous. As I don’t wear too much of anything else (beauty product wise) during this time of year, a lipstick is one of the products that I like to express myself with. So, here are three lipsticks that have made it to the front of my dresser this season...
Let’s kick things off with the most unexpected of Summer additions to my beauty regime. Introducing the matte lipstick in the shade ‘Stone’ by M.A.C Cosmetics. This creamy formula features a soft cushiony feel, medium-to-full buildable coverage and a matte finish. Now, Stone isn’t exactly what comes to mind when I think of Summer. To me pinky-nudes, peachy shades and perfect pops of flirtatious red are all that line my thoughts. But for some wild reason, Stone has made itself the one and only exception this season.
To look at the lipstick, I sense a strong rocker chick feel! It’s not your usual innocent and playful Summer shade, but it is daring AND adventurous. Wearing Stone gives me a chance to step outside of my comfort zone, it’s not too wild or crazy, but it is unusual and catches the eye of many due to its unique characteristics.
Stone is a gorgeous cool toned shade, which makes for the perfect lipstick when creating a glam makeup look! Oh, and between you and me, the best looks that I’ve created with this lipstick have been paired with the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette. But let's just keep that between us for now okay? Stone’s ashy undertones make for a mysterious look, but hey sometimes that’s a desirable mood for us girls. We don’t like to be predictable! It’s not necessarily well suited for an everyday makeup look, but I do feel rather drawn to it of a Summer evening.
I have worn this lipstick on many occasions and I always seem to get compliments on its appearance. A lot of people have told me that it makes my eyes pop! So, if you have a lighter toned eye colour or a piercing eye colour, Stone will enhance this further, making your eyes a real feature of your makeup. Stone is a really beautiful colour, which is commonly referred to as weird but in a good way! It’s just so different from other products on the shelf. It’s like a purple/brown/grey toned kind of shade.
Personally, I’ve not seen another lipstick quite like it. I think the biggest scepticism around this lipstick is the burning question” How do I wear it?”. Of course, you’ll get a bunch of people answering this differently, but personally I think a cool toned makeup look with a smoky eye will lead you in the right direction.
Next up is the gorgeous shade “Twig” by M.A.C Cosmetics. Twig is first and foremost a Satin lipstick. This means that the finish is completely different to the other two lip products which we are going to talk about in today’s post.
Twig’s creamy formula features a soft cushiony feel, which allows for medium-to-full buildable coverage - umm hello? This is totally ideal for a night out makeup look ladies. No longer will you be leaving your lips on the rim of a glass somewhere. Just a little tip from me, when you’ve applied this lipstick to your lips, just blot them slightly into a tissue. Not too hard though, we don’t want any smudges! Just push your lips together just enough for any excess product to come away and there you go! Your lipstick will last all night long I can assure you.
Personally, I think this is my favourite finish out of all of the ranges and shades of lipsticks I’ve tried from M.A.C Cosmetics, but they’re all weird and wonderful in their own unique way. So, don’t knock any before you try them! I think I just find myself drawn to Twig because I love pink and nude lip products. So, being as this lies within that realm, I like it. I like it A LOT.
I’d say Twig is a pinky-brown. All favourable in the world of Maddie’s makeup. The Satin Lipstick formula is spectacular, too. There’s a light essence of shine, but if you do that blot trick, it becomes a little matte(r) and it stays on your lips better. But don’t worry, you’ll still be able to keep the shine. I think Twig has all elements that most people crave from a lipstick with a stunning finish.
It’s creamy and buttery, stays on well and looks super flattering on many skin types. So, what more could you ask for? Between you and me I’d say that this is more of a no makeup, makeup looking lipstick. In other words, if you’re trying to achieve a subtle makeup look that accentuates your natural features, Twig is your go-to gal. I mean, not all of us ladies like to wear big bold and bright lip products, whereas others do.
Whatever’s your style, go for it! I’ve gotten better at stepping outside of my comfort zone (in more ways than one) but I’ve definitely come leaps and bounds when it comes to trying out new beauty products. But still, there’s nothing wrong with opting for a flirtatious pink!
Last, but by no means least is “Whirl” by M.A.C Cosmetics, which is the second of our matte lipsticks to feature in today’s article. Even though I do prefer the way the satin lipsticks feel on my lips, I do really like the look of a matte lipstick if it’s not too dry, plus they always seem to wear better so that’s a plus. In my mind, you can have a matte effect lipstick, which holds all of the beauty of a matte lip product, but it doesn’t cling to your lips or dry them out in the process, well in my experience, that’s what these lipsticks are like.
To me, a matte lip product that accentuates the creases in your lips is just far too clingy and unappealing. Lips are supposed to look kind of inviting and did you know that they’re one of the first things that people tend to notice about you? Even more so if you’re talking! This is just me, but when I choose to wear a little makeup, it’s to make me feel better about my appearance or to accentuate a certain feature.
I’m pretty sure that a lot of you will wear makeup for the same reason. Am I right? Well to me, a lipstick shouldn’t make your otherwise lovely lips look all dried out, they should look healthy! So, I’m always sceptical when trying out a new matte lipstick but the ones by M.A.C have my approval. The formula is just right!
I’m so glad that Whirl was brought out as a lipstick, it’s so darn dreamy. Originally it was only available in the form of a lip pencil and now look at it go! I mean I actually use lip pencils to fill in the all of my lips sometimes if they don’t come in my desired shade as a lipstick, but hey this really does make life easier! Now you won’t have to do the old fill in the lips and cover with balm lipstick trick.
So, how would I describe Whirl? Well it’s this gorgeous shade of dark brown with a tinge of rosy elements to it. Whirl is also a colour chameleon, and depending on the lighting/ how much you’re wearing, and also your skin tone, it can either look like a dark rosy brown if you apply a sheer layer (in that case, it’s like browner version of Mehr), or a true brown like Paramount with a heavier application.
I personally own Paramount and that is DARK. I actually think it’s too dark for me which is why I never wear it. So, if you’re pale and don’t like the look of dark products on your skin, I’d stay clear of Whirl, but if you’re a similar skin tone to me or darker then it’ll definitely be more your bag. For the lighter skinned ladies who like a girly lipstick, Twig will be your best friend. Trust me on this!
I should point out that these are just three of MANY shades available by M.A.C Cosmetics, but if you end up purchasing any of these shades do let me know. Below you’ll find the lipstick ranges linked so that you can shop the available shades for yourself. Happy shopping!
Oh, and remember you can reach out to me on Instagram @missperfectfashion_and_beauty_. I’ll hope to see you over there!
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For information on the products available within the range, please visit
*This post is in partnership with www.notino.co.uk