Winner For the Revlon Lip Butter Giveaway!

Hi ladies! Thanks to everyone who entered the Revlon Lipbutter giveaway!  There were 22 entries total (including the bonus twitter entries).  I used random.org to generate the winner....and without further ado....

Which means the winner is..... Sweet As Honey Blog

She won on her bonus entry for tweeting about the giveaway.  Congrats!  I'll be contacting you soon to get your mailing address to send out your lipbutter as well as some other extra surprises :)

What's In My December Birchbox?

Reminder: Tomorrow is the last day to enter the Revlon Lip Butter (Plus other surprises!) Giveaway!

And now...onto the Birch Box!

1. Harvey Prince Yogini Perfume sample
2. Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Birchbox Pink
3. Benefit POREfessional
4. Olie Biologique 004 Huile Moderne (what?...it's an oil...thing...for skin, face, and hair)
5. Bonus: E-boost drink (ummm pass!)
6. Bonus: Show Stoppers

I'm disappointed about half the items in this box.  I like the gloss and the benefit porefessional, but the perfume does not smell appealing on me and the oil I would only put on my hair.  I'm too afraid of breakouts to put that near my face.  The EBoost drink I find really odd...and it reminds me of airborne mixed with energy drink.  The showstopper tape would be handy but I don't normally wear dresses so low that I need to stick them in place...but it's nice to have it handy in case.

The gloss from Jouer is nice. Ultra moisturizing.  But the $20 for a full size is a bit hefty.  The hot pink color scared me at first, but it's very sheer.

I have about 3 coats on my lips in the above picture and it doesn't look very hot pink.  You can build it up more and get more pink, but I feel like it starts to look sloppy and goopy after doing that for a while.  Not a color I'd recommend running out to buy, but it's nice to have the smaller sample of it.  The gloss isn't sticky at all and it's unscented.

Office Holiday Party OOTD

Reminder: Don't forget to enter the Revlon Lip Butter give-away! Just a few more days!

Holiday season at my office means one thing, we get to start drinking at 1 in the afternoon.  I mean, we get a holiday party!  It's also a time of the year where you dress up, but newbies can often make a mistake of what to wear to a holiday office party.  No one wants to look like the office slob...or worse...the office slut.

This year our party was held at the Racquet Club. It's a daytime event that sometimes runs into the evenings.  I also live in an area where it's pretty cold already, so it's either tights or boots when wearing a skirt or dress.

Breaking down the outfit:

Sunny Leigh Textured Scoop Neck Shell from Burlington Coat Factory: $16.99
Why it works: Neckline is good for either a long or short necklace, it doesn't show cleavage, but allows enough skin to show.

Dana Buchman Lace Pencil Skirt from Kohls: On-sale now for $36 (use coupons for extra deals!)
Why it works: Appropriate length for the office.  Pencil skirts are always chic for the office (just watch how high your back slit is!) This skirt can also be mixed back into your normal work wardrobe with a nice top.

Gray Satin bow flats from Payless by Lela Rose: about $13 a year ago
Why it works: Adding a satin shoe can instantly add more glam to your outfit, especially if you want an extra touch.  Other good options are shoes with jewels/gemstones on them.  Just don't go breaking out your bedazzler.

Accessories:
-Black skinny patent leather belt (taken off another top)
-Black tights by Hue
-Cuff by Ann Taylor
-Silver tone necklace from Jennifer Lopez line at Kohl's (from the clearance rack for about $6).

*Sweater is a purple cardigan from the GAP outlet.

Christmas/Holiday Nail Polishes

During the holidays, one of my outlets in my office is holiday nail polishes.  I don't find a need to run out and buy the newest holiday collection.  In fact the only polish I own that actually is named as a holiday color, I got last week on clearance at Sephora because it's last years collection! (so check your local clearance bins or just shop in January for colors).  Here are my top picks for the holidays! (in no particular order)

Left to Right:

1. Wet n Wild Crystallic Nail Color in Cool Blue Blast - this is a frosty blue and reminds me of snow, ice skating, and all the things I grew up living in the North East.
2. NYC I <3 NY - This was limited edition, but any bright cherry red will do.  They have a similar shade in their permanent line and I like the color and staying power. Make sure to use a base code with deep reds so you don't stain your nails.
3. NYC  Platinum Card - Anything silvery or sparkley? Perfect time to glitter at a holiday party!  This is too much for my conservative office, but it depends on your setting.
4. Sephora by OPI What's Your Poinsettia? - A deep burgundy with green, red, and gold shimmers.  This is discreet enough to be wearable to office parties and is a change from bright red.
5. China Glaze Knotty - Currently on clearance at Ultra it's from the summer collection.  It's a light gold with fine shimmer.  I usually use about 3 coats because I like to build it up.
6. Piggy Polish in Grasshopper - That kelly green you only break out at St. Patrick's Day?  Try it at Christmas!  This shade of green is in a lot of decorations, so polish away!

Knotty by China Glaze (3 coats)

Grasshopper, I <3 NY, Platinum Card, and What's Your Pointsettia?

Revlon Lip Butter Review and Contest/Giveaway!

Hi guys!  Happy holidays!  Sorry for the absence, I was home with my family for Thanksgiving.  Here's my review of the Revlon Lip Butters with a contest for a lip butter in the shade Raspberry Pie (and some other surprises...maybe from the Stila warehouse sale or elf cyber monday? hmmm...)!  Contest rules will be below.

So, Revlon lip butters have been hyped and are still flying off store shelves, but are they worth it?

Short answer: maybe?  It really depends on what you are looking for.  It reminds me most of a glossy sheer lipstick.  If you like typical lip butters (think Korres lip butters), this is nothing like that.  I sleep in my korres lip butters to hydrate them (yes, even the pigmented ones, lol), but these are not comparable.  They also won't stay on for 8 hours while you sleep.  And I don't find them that moisturizing for that long because of the staying power.

These butters are .09 oz (smaller than a MAC lipstick) and cost $7.49, but just catch them at a drugstore sale whenever Revlon products are on sale in order to pay less.  I got it during the buy one get one 50% off and up rewards.

Cons:

1. Packaging! You open the tube by a small black square, which can be hard to grab...especially if you just applied a hand lotion!  I've heard this complaint from many others.  Revlon packaging fail!
2. Staying power.  You have to have the color handy to re-apply
3. If you want it pigmented...you will lose a lot.  I'm almost already 1/2 way done with Berry Smoothie.  If you think about it, if you are taking 3 swipes to apply it to your bottom lip alone and then 3 on top, you are using that much more product.  So, really, it's going to cost you more in the long run if you are looking for good pigmentation.
4. It's very hard to tell from the packaging which ones contain shimmer, glitter, etc.  Peach Parfait was too glittery for my liking.

Pros:

1. These are a great way to try new colors that you are a bit afraid of.  Want red lips?  Hot Pink?  Try candy apple or cherry tart for red and Lollipop for hot pink! They are more sheer with one swipe or you can build them up.  I'm always iffy about red lips on myself, but I've been loving candy apple and I think these are very wearable.
2. You won't need an additional gloss.
3. Want even more pigmentation? Just throw a lipliner underneath (that wasn't really a pro...just a tip!)
4. The top of the packaging has a little window that you can see what color you are grabbing and the tube color corresponds with the color instead.
5. They are nice for winter because during winter, lipsticks can be too drying, so this allows you to get pigmentation without having to wear a lipstick and then a gloss.

Overall, I would still repurchase these, but not in the millions of colors that I did or as quickly as I did.  I just get too excited! My top picks are still candy apple and pink truffle (mauvey pink/brown color, great for fall).  I still say Peach Parfait is passable, as is creme brule.  Berry smoothie is nice and an easily wearable pink if you don't want to stray too far from natural lip color.

Contest!

1. Must be a subscriber (duh!)
2. Must comment on this page with what color you are most excited to try and your contact info (either your e-mail, twitter, blog, etc.).  If you need to see swatches of your favorite colors, see my previous post.
3. Earn 1 extra entry by following me on twitter (MakeUpChicBlog) and retweet my contest post.  Or it's later in the week and you can't find it, just follow me and create your own post linking the contest and using the "@MakeUpChicBlog" so I see it.  For the extra entry just enter an additional post below saying "extra entry" b/c I'll be using random.org to generate for the winner.  (If you don't do twitter, but have a blog, you can substiture either doing a blog post or doing a side link to the contest, just follow the same instructions above with typing extra entry after your post in a separate post)
4. Contest open til 12/15/2011.  Winner will be announced on the blog and on twitter.  Will contact the winner for their address.
5. Prize: One tube of Raspberry Pie Lip Butter.  Brand new.  Other surprise goodies as well :)  This contest is open in the US and internationally.  Good luck!

(Raspberry Pie is the color on the far left--lovely berry for fall!)

Revlon Lip Butter Swatches!

After searching high and low in the drugstores (and 2 more trips to 2 other Rite Aids), I came across the new Revlon display for the Lip Butters.  I'll be doing a review and a contest later this week, but for now, enjoy the swatches and at the end, my best and worst picks.  Color names will be below the lipswatch

001 Pink Truffle

020 Brown Fig

025 Peach Parfait

035 Candy Apple

050 Berry Smoothie

080 Strawberry Shortcake

085 Sugar Plum

095 Creme Brule

Raspberry Pie, Cherry Tart, and Lollipop (2 are for a friend, 1 is for a giveaway!)

Most Pigmented: Strawberry Shortcake

Best Pinky-Nude Lip: Pink Truffle

Least Pigmented: Peach Parfait

Most Wearable for Daytime: Pink Truffle, Berry Smoothie, and Sugar Plum.  Brown Sugar for darker skin tones (I'm a bit pastey to pull off a brown)

Best of the Bunch: Candy Apple and Pink Truffle

Leave it at the Store: Peach Parfait (unless you like more glitter) and Creme Brule (dupable)

*At my store these were $7.49 each, but they had buy one, get one 50% and $6 back in Up Dollars for spending however much on Revlon.

Kat Von D True Romance - Angeles Eyeshadow Palette Review and Swatches

This palette was one of my purchases from the sale section (with an additional 20% off, I paid $12) during the Sephora friends & family.  Half of it are neutrals (the deepest brown is a matte, the rest are either shimmer or glitters).  The other half is blue (last one is a cream shadow).

The colors are vibrant and pigmented, however, be careful with what primer you choose for your eye.  I started out using MAC's paint pot in Painterly and within about 4 hours, the shadows had faded and I had to reapply.  The staying power is however lengthened when using something like Shadow Insurance or UDPP.  I've been trying to use up my paint pot, so I have been using it as my go-to eye primer and it works great with almost all of my other shadows.  But these shadows? Not so much.

My 2nd complaint is that the cream shadow I received was extremely dried out and I had to press very hard to get the product.  I thought it was supposed to be more of a white highlighter color, but it definitely reflects as blue.

Here are the swatches without a primer.  The most pigmented (and my favorite of the palette) is the third brown shade (in the taupe family).  It's also easily blendable and easy to work with.  the matte brown, while not so pigmented in the swatch, is nice for crease work.

For the pros of this palette, the packaging is amazing.  I love the tattoo design outside and the large mirror inside.  As I said, I love the matte brown and I like the 1st coppery shade as I don't normally gravitate towards those colors even though I have blue eyes.

I had always admired this palette when it was full price, so I'm glad that I picked it up for $12.  I had been eyeing the new neutrals palette that has come out from Kat Von D, but after trying this palette, I think I will pass on the new one.

Overall:
Grade: 3/5
Repurchase: No (especially not at full price of $34)
Where to buy: Sephora stores (sold out online)

Sephora Friends & Family Haul Part 2 and BITE Review

Hi makeup fans!  This is part 2 of my friends and family haulage.  The other item, I didn't take pics of because I bought a Naked palette as a gift for someone.  The thing that I for me was...

This is the Bite Trio of Luminous Creme Lipsticks (sale section, $30, I paid $24).

Colors (L to R in photo below): Rhone, Bouquet, and Peppered

These lipsticks definitely stay put!  I was scrubbing at my arm with make-up remover to get these off.  Rhone is a great color for fall while I consider Bouquet to be more for spring/summer.  It's definitely not a color I'd wear in the office b/c it's a bit too pink for my office.  Peppered is the sheerest one and is more of a "your lips but better" lipstick.

Bite lipsticks cost $24 when purchased alone, so I'm glad that for that price I got to try 3 colors.  Honestly, I wouldn't pay the $24 because I tend to lose lipsticks and glosses!  But at $8 a piece, I thought it was worth a go.

They are each have a B on the side and the packaging is sleek, but they also have very unique tops...

Each lipstick has a different topper, which is slightly weird, but it works. They each come in a box and then those three boxes are in a larger box, so you could also break them apart and use them as gifts.

I had no problem with staying power during the work day (and then I wipe off lip products when I eat lunch, and reapply after).  But through out the day I drink water, etc. and I had no problems. I also didn't have any feathering problems.  It wasn't drying and the formulation is creamy.

The site also says they have anti-aging benefits, but I cannot speak to that as I believe you would have to use them for a long time.

Overall Rating: 4/5
Repurchase: On sale, yes.  Full-price, no.
Best for: Those that want a lipstick with good staying power.

Sephora Friends & Family Haul 2011 Haul Part 1

Since Snowtober is killing the Northeast right now, my Halloween plans are ruined :( So what better way to spend a snowed in night than beauty blogging? (And snow in October? What?!?)

I placed 2 orders to Sephora given I love 20% off of anything and it's a great time to buy if you've been eyeing anything that is just too costly.  I ordered twice because I wanted to redeem for 2 different items in teh 100 point perks and you also get to pick 3 more samples.  Also, Sephora was offering AMAZING point perks (Guess they are trying to compete with Ulta now!)

• NARS Danmari All About Cheeks Blush Palette ($65)
• Fusion Beauty Anti-Wrinkle Primer ($10.50 sale)
• Laura Mercier Face Illuminator - Rose Rendevous ($42)
• Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette - Angeles ($15-sale)
• Laura Mercier Book of Nudes ($48)

*All Prices are BEFORE 20% off.  You can still redeem 20% off codes til 11/2.

NARS palette includes Hungry Heart, Super Orgasm, Desire, Casino, Orgasm, and Sin.  These keep going in and out of stock, so if you are wanting this palette, you may have to check frequently. I only owned Deepthroat for NARS blushes.  If you already own a few of the blushes or don't like NARS blushes, I'd say this a skip.  But I bought this because I don't have any of these shades--especially not a crazy neon pink. 

I had eyed the Dior Amber Lights highlighter, but I saw this one and fell in love.  It's so pretty I don't want to touch it! (But don't worry, I will!)

For point perks (100 points) I got a full size Murad cleanser (retail is $26) and a Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel in half the full size (the full size retails for $35).

*Reviews will be coming soon on all products!

Benefits Got Your Ticket to Glossytown

I am a sucker for lipgloss collections.  I've never tried the Benefit Lipshines and they brought out this set (you could get it for 20% off now w/ Sephora's F&F deal if you are in the US).  I love the packaging.  I think it looks very city chic.

You get 6 lipglosses (I lost 1...already...) in .1 fl oz size.  The colors are Life on the A-List, Foxy Lady, Kiss You, Spiked Punch, Nudie Tudie, and So Frisk Me (not pictured).  This retails for $24.

Spiked Punch (orangey coral) is definitely the most pigmented and my favorite out of the bunch.  I've wanted this shade for a long time, but never purchased it.  Foxy Lady is the most shimmery, it's nice for the evening or daytime if you aren't going to work (I'm corporate, so it's a no for me during the day).

Kiss You is fairly sheer for the purple color.  I was afraid of this one, but it looks natural.  It does have a sort of duo-chrome quality under a flash though, so I had to take this pic without.

The .17 lipgloss tubes retail for $18, so for $24 you get to try 6 shades and get more product.  It's definitely a good deal if you have been wanting to try a Benefit gloss.  Or if you have a friend that you won't fight over shades with, you could always go 50/50 and each take 3 for $12.  It would also make a fab holiday gift.

Overall, I like the glosses, but they are not *must haves*.  I probably wouldn't run out to buy more shades, I like the mini-sized ones that I have now.  They are fruity scented and not sticky.  I love the brush applicator (my preference).  I consider this a good-buy and I'm glad I purchased it.

Sephora Friends & Family 2011 Online Code Available NOW!

Hi makeup lovers!  How many posts can I do in one week about this sale? Haha.

Anyway, here's the link to get your discount of 20% off! sephora.com/friends

Please note:
-Valid only online (US orders only, sorry international friends)
-One time use only (you will be e-mailed a private code)
-Use by 11/2

Happy shopping!  I'm off to play with swatches at my local Sephora and then place an order online. :) Massive haul coming soon!

Important Changes to Sephora Friends & Family 2011 Sale

*Update* If you are looking for the online code, you can get one here: sephora.com/friends
Hey makeup lovers!  Just read on Sephora's FB that they are NOT e-mailing out discounts to BI's or VIB's this year at all.  The code will ONLY be given to Sephora employees to share with their friends & family.

Most likely, it will get leaked somehow...but in the mean time, this was Sephora's statement:
"We appreciate your inquiry about Sephora's Friends and Family discount. The Friends and Family discount is a benefit for Sephora employees to extend to their personal networks. If you know someone who works at Sephora, ask them! We’re also reserving some amazing offers just for our Facebook Fans, Beauty Insiders & VIBs, so be on the lookout!"

Sephora's Facebook page is now starting to look like NYX's page post-horrible-sale-fail.  What are your thoughts on the changes?  Will you still be looking for a code for the sale?

Sephora Friends & Family Sale Wish List!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Sephora friends & family!  This year it starts on 10/20 and I'm sure coupon codes will be coming out to your inboxes soon.  Last year I received 20% off, fingers crossed it's 20 again!  Sometimes there is a difference between VIBs and BIs, so we'll have to wait and see. 

I tend to go for the higher ticket items during the sale, especially foundations, perfumes, etc.  So here's a run-down of what I'm thinking about picking up.  Let me know if you have tried these or what you are thinking about picking up.  Happy shopping! All prices listed are the current selling price (Pre-Discount)

1. Dior Shimmer Star in Amber Diamonds ($44)

2. Laura Mercier The Book of Nudes ($48)

3. Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Rose Ivory (already own--I can do a review of it for those interested) ($42)

4. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray ($29)

5. MUFE Lesson 1 Natural Eyes ($44 --the 2 aqua creams are full-size)

New Fall Hair! Samy Fat Foam Review

I wanted a fresh look and I was feeling darker hair (and...ok...I have a few grays!  My family tends to gray in their 20's...and even when I see ONE I freak out, lol).  So, I went to the drugstore and first tried a Garnier dye which made my hair reddish.  UMMMM, NO!  I have no problems with red hair, but that isn't me.  And the box was definitely brown.  However, after talking to my mom's friend who is a hair dress she explained that brown hair dyes contain red undertones and that most likely my hair was reacting to the red in the hair dye!  Wonderful!

I then decided to try Samy Fat Foam to see if I could cover my now reddish brown hair (and oh yes, I sported that look for a few days at work with comments of...is your hair....red?)

I picked up No 5.  This was my first time using a foam dye and the 2nd time I've colored my hair alone.  Normally my sister dyes it in my Mom's kitchen sink.

The product is easy to mix.  Poor in powder and the liquid and shake shake shake!  What I love about this product is the coverage!  I have trouble with the squirt bottle applications because I always feel like I end up with too much on one part of my head and the color is uneven.

Here's the end result!  I'm digging the deeper shade and I love the covereage.  The foam costs about $10 at a drugstore, but check for sales or online coupons because I paid around $6. 

After you dye it there is a shampoo that you use right away.  I was nervous b/c normally you don't shampoo right away!  But I did it and then applied the conditioner.  My hair was super soft.

My hair has now been dyed about 3 weeks and I haven't had any fading (and I'm bad...I don't use shampoo for color treated hair...)

Rating: 5/5
Repurchase: YES!
Recommended for: Anyone that wants to dye their hair at home
Warning: It says do not dye if you have your period.  Um...I've never heard that in my life, but apparently it supposedly has something to do with your iron-levels during your cycle.  If your a guy, you're fine.  If you're a girl...well, I ignored the warning.

Turn Your Closet Into Cash?

Hey ladies!  I was writing a post for another website on budget styling and I thought some of you may be interested in it, so I reposted here as well!  If you are interested in my own experience selling, I'm than happy to share!  I do more direct sales and ebay than consignment.  Just my preference!

Keeping up with fashion doesn’t have to break the bank.  Any fashionista knows that if you haven’t worn something in a year, get rid of it.  Each season, go through your clothing and divide them into three piles: keep, giveaway, and maybe.  Put the keep pile back in the closet.  Set aside the giveaway pile for the suggestions below, and keep the maybe pile in a designated part of your closet to examine next time.

Instead of hoarding clothes you aren’t wearing, try a few of these suggestions to get new clothes or get cash for your clothes.

1.       Consignment store – Second hand and thrift stores are popping up everywhere and this can be a great place to take your unwanted clothes.  Call ahead and ask them what season they are buying for so you don’t end up lugging in a bag of clothes they don’t want.  Make sure clothes are in good condition (no rips, holes, or stains). Consignment stores vary from every day clothes to high end designer labels.  A staff member will go through the clothing and tag what they think they could sell in the store.  Most stores have a minimum that they have to accept before opening an account with you, so bring a few options in case a few items don’t pan out.  The store will price your accepted items and put them in the store for a designated amount of time.  They will track your sales and give you a percentage of the sales at the end of the period or you can take the items back.

2.       Direct sale – Nationwide stores like Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet will give you cash or store credit immediately for your clothes. An experienced buyer will go through your clothes and determine if the store can sell it.  They tell you the price they would sell it for and offer you a percentage of that amount. Percentages will vary from 20% on the low end to 40% on the high end depending on location.

3.       Yard/block sales – Community yard or block sales can be a great time to get rid of unwanted clothing items, along with anything else that is lying around the house.  Having a yard sale alone can be hard to organize, but if more people in your neighborhood participate, you are likely to draw a larger crowd.

4.       Online auction – Auction sites are another great way to sell unwanted clothing and you will get a larger percentage of your sales as auction sites take a smaller percentage than stores.  Auction sites will be more time consuming as you will be responsible for taking pictures of your items, pricing them, and dealing directly with your own customers.

5.       Clothing swap – Get a group of friends or co-workers together and ask them to bring in clothing that they are no longer using to set up for a swap.  Instead of getting cash for your clothes, you may end up with a stylish new dress.  Don’t just limit yourself to clothes either.  Try exchanging shoes, accessories, and hand bags.

What's In My October Birch Box

So, because I have points worth $20 in my BirchBox account, I decided to give BB a few more rounds while I'm waiting for something I like.

One thing I will say, I love their customer service.  September's box was lost who knows where and BB kindly sent me a new box, no questions asked.  So, kudos to the awesome customer support.

On to the box!

1. Blinc Mascara (tube-forming)
2. Pangea Organics Facial Mask
3. BeFine Lip Serum
4. Orofluido Beauty Elixir (it's a hair oil...I googled it)
Extra: Tea Forte Minteas (totally random...thanks for the candy?)

I'm most excited to try the lip treatment and the mascara.  The hair oil I could have done without b/c I have macademia oil, but it's a nice small size to test out, plus you only use a little at a time to try out.

Also, thanks to my subscribers :)  I reached 50!

xox,
Staci

Milani Contest Winner!

Thanks to every who entered!  I used random.org to select the winner.  There were 10 people entering and I ruled out any general comments as to not throw off the generater.

Without further ado....the winner is....

Livy XX!

Congrats Livy!  You will be receiving an e-mail from me to get your mailing address to send you off your goodies and a few extra surprises.  Enjoy!  Thanks to everyone who entered.

xox,
Staci

MAC Mattene Lipstick vs. Sephora Matte

 I love a pinky nude lip. So, when MAC released it's new Mattene lipstick in the Posh Paradise collection, I knew Naked Bliss would be the color for me.  But, I had just recently purchased a Sephora Mat Lipstick in Mat 03, so I thought a comparison is in order.

In the pick above, Sephora is on the left, MAC on the right.  You can tell that the MAC version is very pigmented and offers much better coverage.  However, if you are looking for something more sheer, the Sephora version may be for you.

There's also the issue of cost.  Each is 5 grams and MAC costs $14.50 and Sephora costs $12.  At that price, I'd still go with MAC because for $2.50 more you're getting a better pigmentation.  HOWEVER, I did get my Sephora lipstick (check your local stores, ladies & gents!) for $3!!!  If you were thinking of purchasing one or the other and it came down to $14.50 or $3, then I'd opt for Sephora.  But I don't think the sephora version is worth $12.

(MAC on left, Sephora right) The packaging inside is nearly identical, but the tube for MAC on the outside has a matte kind of feel (similar to the NARS packaging).  It's definitely a step up.

One thing I did find odd was both lipsticks have little bubble pockets on the side.  Is this just a matte lipstick thing? 

Either way, the MAC formula is less drying than Sephora.  It is still drying after 2 hours, but it's an improvement in comparison to other mattes.  Overall, no regrets on the MAC purchase and I'm satisfied with the product.  I'd recommend the MAC version over Sephora unless you can get the Sephora version on sale.

MAC wins: packaging, pigmentation, staying power
Sephora wins: Sale Price, wider color selection, always available (MAC is limited edition)

MAC Posh Paradise Paint Pots - Limited Edition

I love paint pots.  I love the consistency, the staying power, and the ability to layer on shadows.  That being said, I was stoked that MAC was releasing 8 more limited edition paint pots in their Posh Paradise Collection.  I was drawn towards two imparticular...

I purchased Idyllic and Nubile.  Idyllic is described as a copper-bronze, but I find it to be more of a burgundy color.  It reminds me slightly of Twinks eyeshadow.  Nubile is a peachy nude and has a slight shimmery sheen.  It's gorgeous!  Both are frost finishes, but very different from the frosts that came out in the Champale collection.

Overall, I know I will get use from these paint pots, especially Nubile.  They work as an eyeshadow base for me as well, so if I'm not wearing UDPP, I'm usually wearing a paint pot.

They cost $17.50 each for .17 fl oz.

Great pigmentation and they last all day for me.