One of the easiest ways to sass up your look for spring is with blush!  I love minimal makeup looks with pops of color on your cheeks to keep your beauty look fresh.

New collection Très Cheek from MAC is très chic, indeed.  It features six shades from subtle to bold to suit most skin tones.

I personally love hues that are more vibrant so that they pop, especially if you wear little other makeup.  This season, try a few of my favorites from the collection (from left):

• Modern Mandarin, a red-orange.  Yes, it looks bright but just a little bit will do.  In case you haven’t heard, tangerine is a hot color for 2012 and this shade of MAC Powder Blush completely delivers.
• Lovecloud is a bright mid-tone pink.  At first glance it looks like a safe play, but once you apply it on your cheeks you’ll see that it’s got a pop of personality that will brighten up your face.
• Peony Petal, a bright blue pink is Lovecloud’s cousin and she sure is spunky!  This hue will also last you for years as you just need a touch of it to make an impact.

Apply these shades of MAC Powder Blush ($20 US each) with a stippling brush to build color in layers so you don’t go from 0-60 and end up looking like a clown.  ;)

Do you have a favorite blush hue for the season?  Are you daring enough to try something like Modern Mandarin?

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to get the latest collection information from your favorite beauty brands sent straight to your inbox!

This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.

Las Vegas weekends are tough when you’re looking to just pack away one makeup bag.  You need enough products for pool-lounging by day, a few goodies to glam you up for the nightlife, and the key essentials to cover up those bags underneath your eyes after you’ve had one too many vodka sodas.  ;)

Here’s a little sneak peak in to what I packed with me for last weekend’s bachelorette getaway:

If you’ve slept in until noon from partying too hard the night before, make sure to pack a good concealer.  Right now I’ve got Benefit Boi-ing ($19 US) at my fingertips to cover up dark circles and other blemishes.

MAC Eyeshadow Palette in Shop n’ Drop ($38 US) is a limited edition palette from their Shop MAC collection featuring gorgeous shades of violet for fun day to evening looks.

I don’t go anywhere without a gel eyeliner in black, ever!  I like Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Gel Eyeliner ($21.50 US).  Apply with an angled brush for a precise look that’s great for a sexy cat eye or the uber hot Cleopatra look.

Brighten eyes by adding a highlight to your brow arches with Benefit High Brow Glow ($20 US).  It’s the same High Brow you love but in a new champagne pink shade.  Trust us, this brow lifting product really makes a difference in those eyes!

Lip color makes all the difference sometimes.  I’m choosing Origins Liquid Lip Shimmer ($15 US) in Hula Girl for our afternoon by the pool.  The golden sparkle in this pale pink is sweet yet sexy.

I love red lipstick.  I’m packing MAC Runaway Red ($14.50 US) also from the Shop MAC collection is a classic rich red-blue hue.

There is no way that I’ll ever go to Las Vegas without perfectly manicured nails.  I love to play cards and want my hands to look amazing as I (attempt) to win big.

Play with fun glitter polishes when you’re in a dazzling city like Sin City.  A couple coats of China Glaze Marry a Millionaire should do the trick.  The combination of micro glitter with the bar glitter makes this purple shade so fun to wear!

What did you do over the weekend?  Did you go anywhere fun?  I’ll be recovering from my three days in Las Vegas this week

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to get the latest stories sent straight to your inbox!

This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.

Yeah!  Us ladies are heading out to Las Vegas this weekend for my future sister-in-law’s bachelorette party!!  So I’m spending the next three days out to the desert in style with goodies from Shop MAC and Cook MAC, new collections on counter now.

In my suitcase I’ve got all the essentials to create pretty makeup looks to hit the clubs or lounge poolside.

From Shop MAC:

• Color Added ($38 US): 4-shade eyeshadow palette with a rich charcoal and deep teal for a twist on a smoky eye
• Shop & Drop ($38 US): another 4-shade palette is vary shades or pretty purples for sassy day looks
• Naughty Saute ($14.50 US): an in-your-face pop of mod pink for your lips.  I’m so into it for day or night!
• Dish It Up ($14.50 US): a berry pink lipstick that so sweet you’ll be sure to hit a jackpot at the slots
• Runaway Red ($14.50 US): you can’t spend a weekend in Vegas and not rock a red lip.  I know I’ll be wearing this while we dance the night away!

From Cook MAC:

• Hot n’ Saucy Tendertone ($15 US): touch up your pout poolside with a hint of this cherry red
• Hush, Hush Tendertone ($15 US): for the neutral loving gals, this one is a sheer gold with yellow pearl

I’m super excited for our girls getaway for a few days, we are going to have a blast (and look good too!).

Get your favorite shades from Shop MAC and Cook MAC on counters now!

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to get the latest collection info from your favorite beauty brands!

This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.

From MAC’s Iris Apfel collection that released earlier this month, I am HEAD OVER HEELS in love with Toco Toucan, a blue-based fuchsia in an oh-so-yummy creme formula.

I have to admit that previous MAC nail lacquer formulas I’ve tried in the past can be thin, or inconsistent.  But Toco Toucan ($15 US) blew my socks off.

The first coat was so even and opaque, I thought twice about applying a second coat.  And being a creature of habit, I did so anyway which didn’t turn out to be an issue.  The color just looked a little bit richer and set on my nails.

I let it dry a bit and applied a coat of quick-drying Seche Vite top coat before heading out to watch Sunday’s football double header (Go Giants!).

Have you started bringing out the bold shades from your nail collection yet?  Or are you holding on to winter’s darker colors for just a few more weeks?

MAC Toco Toucan is currently available online and on counters from now until early February.  Snag up your bottle ASAP!

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to see what we’re wearing on our nails next week!

This review contains sample products sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.

There’s no doubt about it. Mrs. Iris Apfel has got style. Just look at those matching crimson nails and lips! Not to mention her kooky glasses and cover-worthy arm candy. As a fashionista who threw together couture pieces with flea market treasures years before we did, it’s clear why MAC chose to open the new year with Apfel.

With fashions always a season (or two!) ahead, we know we’ll be loving the bright colors that the MAC Iris Apfel Collection brings for Spring and Summer. Yet even now the colors are beautifully appropriate and on-trend. A touch of bold, coordinating color like Apfel demonstrates above is just right.

Lipstick ($14.50 US)
Pink Pigeon Bright cleanest pink (matte)
Scarlet Ibis Bright orange-red (matte)
Party Parrot Bright red-pink (matte)
Flamingo Light milky bright coral (lustre)
Morange Loudmouth orange (amplified)

Lip Pencil ($14 US)
Entertain Me Clearly orange
Embrace Me Vivid pinkish fuchsia
Redd Clearly red

Small Eyeshadow ($15 US)
Silver Gull Blue grey with sparkle (velvet)
Robin’s Egg Mid-tone teal (matte)
Diamond Dove Deep grey brown (matte)
Early Bird Bright coral (matte)
Howzat Deep grey with silver sparkle (satin)

Opulash Mascara ($15 US)
Bad, Bad, Black Black

Impeccable Brow Pencil ($15 US)
Taupe Mid-tone dirty taupe

Eye Pencil ($14 US)
Ebony Soft black

Beauty Powder ($23 US)
Too Chic Soft peachy cream with fine shimmer

Nail Lacquer ($15 US)
Oriele Orange Bright orange coral (crème)
Toco Toucan Bright blue fuchsia (crème)
Sandpiper Creamy pale stone beige (crème)

The MAC Iris Apfel Collection will be available at MAC locations and online at maccosmetics.com on January 5th.

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to get the latest collection information  from all your favorite beauty brands!