Gettin MAC'ed

As a teenager, you hear so much about MAC Cosmetics that you believe that first purchase makes you a big girl.

I felt some kind of sense of independence when I bought that first $14 tube of sticky lipglass. But what you don't know is the fabulous man behind the counter is going to tell you that you need to buy several products at once to work together to achieve the look you're going for. Unless you have a job at 14, MAC will steal your whole lil allowance. Many brands are the same - you need the primer, the liner, the shadow, the concealer, on and on and on. But believe it or not, there are some products made well enough to stand alone.

Nothing against MAC - but I've moved on. I'm not sure where or when it happened, but my mailbox includes InStyle magazine, as well as catalogues from Ulta and Sephora, and I have to share with you: there are more brands than MAC, some of which look better on our complexions, are less sticky and last longer!
 *gasp* I know, thank me later.

The best lip gloss I ever bought cost me only 100 pennies, from a local dollar store. This shade of pastel pink was so true that it was brilliant against my brown skin and I stalked that dollar store for  months, hoping they'd re-up.

Saturday, I bought Sephora brand mattifying powder that made my face look smoother and less blemished than the combo of concealer and pressed powder from MAC that had me ashy, darker and shiny, all at once, lol.

I also went to WalMart and bought two shades of red lipstick, as well as a matte purple (a la old school Nia Long). Red, a color so dangerous that I'd always been scared to try it, seemed a lot less intimidating at less than $5. And wouldn't you know it? That Wet 'n' Wild brand looked great!

I also am ashamed to admit this....Shhhh....One day a bum walked into McDonalds on W Grand Blvd hawking navy eyeliner for like $2. I'm sure he had stolen it, but his timing was in line with my urges so I supported the brotha and enjoyed my navy smoky eye the next day...

So this is just a PSA ladies, we all wanna look fly. A splash of color to the face is fun and can brighten your mood - without having to lighten your pockets!