MAC Pro Pan Refills and Palettes Available at MAC.com

I've been MIA for a few days due to this swine flu. Okay, not really swine flu, but a nasty fever, cough, and bronchitis which has just been oh-so-much-fun. But I return (for a few minutes anyways) bringing you the most amazing news of the year.

MAC's regular website is now carrying the eye shadow and blush pro pan refills, as well as the 4 and 15 eye shadow palettes and blush palettes. *enter stunned silence from the audience*

Like the rest of us, you're probably amazed, elated, and stunned by this turn of events. No one had the scoop on this or had any idea it was going to happen. I am so extremely happy it has. No more calling to a pro store to get our goodies. We can order them with all our other glorious heart's desires at the regular website. Yes, I think I just pooped a little.

In some other MAC news, there is also a new 4-piece brush kit out. Not special edition brushes, but four regular size brushes with a bag. These 4 brushes and the brush bag will cost you $125. Now, I'll have to admit I was a bit WTF when I saw the cost. However, after doing some math, that's like paying full price for the brushes and getting the bag for $3.... really not bad. Plus I own 3 of those 4 brushes anyways, so I figured, who starting out wouldn't want to jump on a deal like that? Or, even those of us who have those brushes may want some back ups and a cute brush bag to go along with it. Brushes included are: 187 Duo Fibre Face Brush (skunk brush), 168 Large Angled Contour Cheek Brush, 263 Angled Brush for Eyebrows or Liner, and the 222 Tapered Blending Brush. Now, aside from my complete non-excitement about this brush kit, am I the only one that noticed the crap photoshop job someone pulled on this email? OMG! Somebody should be fired over that! If I did work like that, there's NO WAY I'd have a job. This is MAC... where is the standard of quality? No... wait... you have to see it to really understand.

Look around the brushes, around the bag... god.. they slaughtered it!!!!! I'm just friggin' appaulled. I expect more from MAC. God, I expect more from anybody. LOL Now, I know I got some noise on my header up there that I need to fix... my computer blew up and I don't have the programs on this flippin' mini to do it like it needs to be done. So shush, it's coming ;-)

Anyways, you can get free shipping on any US order now through May 10th with code PERFECT on MAC's website.

MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow Duos Are Permanent

MAC has decided to bring back are beloved Mineralize Eye Shadow Duos.... permanently! All of the colors are here in all of their splendid glory :)

For those not familiar with the Mineralize Eye Shadow Duos, the collection is gorgeous, all frost and, as the name states, offers two complimentary colors in one pan.

They are $19 and the colors available are:

• Fresh Green Mix - Lime mono/Golden olive with blue, gold and aqua veining (Frost)

• Sea and Sky - Bright blue mono/Silvery pale blue with deep blue and silver veining (Frost)

• Odd Couple - Purple mono/Warm gold with lavender and bronze veining (Frost)

• Play on Plums - Bronzed burgundy mono/Peachy gold with pink and bronze veining (Frost)

• Love Connection - Pale beige with gold and blue veining/Warm gold mono (Frost)

• Pink Split - Pink with gold pearl mono/Dirty rose with bronze and pale blue veining (Frost)

• Family Silver - Light and mid-tone silver with gold veining (Frost)
  

• Engaging - Pink beige and yellow gold with rose veining (Frost)
  

• Earthly Riches - Deep plum and deep grey with pink veining (Frost)
  

• Illusionary / Burning Ambition - White gold with gold pearlized pigments / Chocolate brown with soft gold pearlized pigments (Frost)
  

• Heat / Element - Rich yellow gold /Rusty red brown (Frost)
  

• Brightside / Gallery GalChampagne gold / Soft olive green (Frost)
  

MAC Free Shipping

MAC is offering free shipping on any US order. This deal expires Monday, May 4. Use code: ELEMENTS to take advantage of this offer!

NYX 50% Off Sale Starts Tomorrow!!!

Ladies, hide your wallets! For two weeks only, NYX is celebrating their 10 year anniversary with a 50% off sale! If there's anything you've been eying, thinking of trying, or want to stock up on, this is the time!

The sale starts tomorrow May 1st. Get your orders in early before all the good stuff sells out!

Review: Sigma Brushes

Sigma Makeup has hit the online cosmetic scene in a big way. Thanks in part to some highly-viewed YouTube gurus, Sigma seems to have blown up over night. The relatively new, yet highly sought Sigma, offers a variety of brushes at reasonable prices. Their brush kits range in price from $39 for Eye or Face Brush sets, to $79 for complete kits. There are also a number of individual brushes available for sale on their website - Sigmamakeup.com. For those of us familiar with MAC brushes and their uses, Sigma has named their brushes in accordance. For example, the SS 239 is aptly named to be comparable to the MAC 239.

So, who are they? How are their brushes produced? Here is some information taken from the Sigma website:

The Sigma Makeup brand is synonymous of quality and functionality. Our products are handmade and were developed to satisfy the highest quality standards.

We offer a complete line of professional brushes specifically designed to highlight eyes and face. Each brush was individually tested for performance, resistance, and durability.

The Sigma Makeup brushes are available in different kits to attend your specific needs. You can also acquire individual brushes and customize your own kit. A brush roll specifically designed to hold and maintain your Sigma Makeup brush collection is also available.

Ready to get started? The Sigma Makeup products are guaranteed to exceed your expectations!

Sigma Enterprises LLC

If you keep up with any YouTube gurus or frequent online make-up forums, you've probably heard the latest raves over Sigma Makeup Brushes. How good are they, really? How do they compare to both drugstore and high end brushes? Are they worth the money? We'll let your form your own opinion.

SUYT is happy to have two Guest Reviewers, Haley and KT, who were as intrigued by these brushes as everyone else out there. They have generously given their permission for us to share their reviews here.

• Haley's Review

Hi girls. I know a lot of you have been wondering if this brush set is worth all the hype, so I decided to review them! These are my honest opinions, so I hope you find this helpful! Also, of course if anyone else has this brush set you are more than welcome to comment your own reviews!
**I do not have any MAC dupes, but I do have a couple of brushes that I did comparisons to. **

So here is the full set, in all it's glory! I LOVE how each of these brushes came with guards - and the ones for the face brushes are definitely reusable, so that's great for when you wash and re-shape them!

Here are just the face brushes: L-R is the SS150, SS187, SS168 and SS190

REVIEWS:
SS150: I think that this is a great powder brush. I did a comparison to my $6 Eco Tools powder brush, and I prefer the SS150. I love the fact that this brush is super dense, and it's very soft, too. It does well with picking up pressed powder, as well as loose powder. The Eco Tools powder brush is a little too flimsy for my liking, although it is softer than the SS150.

SS187: This stippling brush is WONDERFUL! It's SO soft, and SO dense! I am in love. I compared it with my Sonia Kashuk highlighting brush and you can see how much more dense it is. (Sorry for showing off my dirty brush, lol) I used the SS187 today for applying bronzer and it was fabulous!

SS168: My FAVORITE brush out of the set! This is amazing for applying blush and contouring your cheeks! I think this is the softest of the face brushes, and it's dense! It picks up color extremely well and blends it out smoothly! I don't have an angled blush brush to compare it to, but I definitely love it, lol.

SS190: A very good synthetic foundation brush. I used it today to smooth out my liquid foundation before using my blending sponge, to get more even coverage. It didn't feel scratchy on my face at all. I like that this is bigger than my previous Sonia Kashuk flat foundation brush.

AAAND here's all the eye brushes! L-R is SS224, SS239, SS252, SS275, SS219, SS194, SS209 and SS266

SS224: My favorite out of the eye brushes! I seriously love this brush. I compared it with my Sonia Kashuk fluffy dome brush, and although they look similar, they ARE different! The SS224 is more stiff than the SK, and more dome shaped. It is still soft enough to blend out colors well, though. It's perfect for applying shimmery highlight colors, too. It picks up a good amount of product and is a versatile brush, in my opinion.

SS239: This brush was somewhat of a disappointment. I was hoping that it would be more like the MAC 239, and to me, it's more like a MAC 227. It's pretty fluffy and larger than my Sonia Kashuk flat shader brush. It still does a nice job with packing the color on, but I think I am still going to buy the MAC 239 to have as well.

SS252: I used this brush today to apply my paint pot to my lid, and it was a bit scratchy, so right now I am not caring for it much. I think I will stick to using my SK flat shader for applying paint pots.

SS275: This brush is pretty nice. I wish it was a little more dense though. I used it for a more defined outer v shape today, and it didn't exactly work how I wanted it to. It's still a nice brush though, maybe someone else knows of a better use for it? It's very soft, just not very dense and sorta flimsy.

SS219: This one was somewhat of a disappointment too. I compared it to my POSH crease brush duo (which is pretty much the same as the Essence of Beauty crease duo, if you have that). The SS217 is fairly large compared to the small of the crease brushes. This one might be good for defining an outer v - but it's too big for me to use for under my lash line. It was also the only brush out of the lot to shed on me so far.

SS194: A firm, yet nice concealer brush. I am not sure I love it, but I also don't like to use a brush for concealer anyway. I used it to apply the concealer and spread it out, and then used my blending sponge to lightly press it in.

And finally, the two liner brushes... the SS209 and SS266: These are both very precise and very small. I don't use gel liner, but these seem like good brushes so maybe having these will let me branch out and try using that type of eyeliner.

So all in all - I would DEFINITELY recommend this brush set to anyone! Especially for those of you that are just starting out with make-up, and can't afford to buy the expensive MAC brushes. These are a great alternative and I definitely see why people are raving about these! Not EVERY single brush rocks my socks, but the majority of them really do! So yes, when these brushes come back in stock... buy themmm... hehe.


Thank you so much, Haley, for the fabulous review and photos, and for allowing us to post it.

KT's Review

I got mine today also. I love the face brushes but I am not entirely sure about the eye brushes yet. I have a few mac brushes to compare with but not all of them. I've taken a few pics to compare so I hope it does help. The thumbnails are clickable for a larger view. For the comparisons, the MAC brushes are on the right.

I'm just mainly going to comment on those that I can compare to the mac ones.

ss187 - this brush is super soft and it's a lot more dense than my MAC187. I haven't used it yet but so far I am really liking it, so much that I really want an ss188 when they come out I have had terrible fallout with my first MAC187 (like 20 hairs on my face bad) so I could be a little biased but right now, I like both.

ss190 - I used to have the MAC190 brush but I had swapped it. It is pretty similar to the ss190 though, the ss190 seems a little softer than the MAC190 though. But personally, for foundation, I think the 187 is better for a flawless look compared to the 190.

ss219 - this brush is a lot fluffier and it flares out more than the MAC219. For me, since I mainly use this to apply/smudge liner, the mac is better just because I have a little more control of how much I am smudging.

ss252 - please see my pictures. The MAC252 is a lot bigger than the ss252. I don't own a MAC242 but I have a feeling that the ss252 would probably be a better dupe for the MAC242 instead.

ss224 - please see my pictures. The MAC224 flares out a lot more and I think that's really what helps blend.

I don't have any use for the ss209 and the ss266 so I wouldn't be making a fair comparison between the two. The ss276 feels really nice and soft but imo, the ss194 is a little too stiff for me as a concealer brush. I know for sure that I will be buying the 239 from MAC since from everyone's review, it really does seem like there is no substitute for it. All in all, I am really happy that I made this purchase. They aren't exact dupes but I really think that the brushes are made very well. Personally, I would've been fine with just purchasing the face brushes cause I absolutely love them except the concealer brush.

Thank you so much, also, KT, for allowing us to use your amazing review and pictures.

Make-up Storage Ideas

I have seen SO many posts and so many YouTube videos about ideas people have had for storing their make-up collection or wanting ideas for storage. SUYT has delved into this topic ourselves, and we have decided to compile a list of some of the best ideas we've seen and heard of.

• Palette Storage

There is such an amazingly simple and great idea for storing your MAC palettes, or any palettes around the same size of MAC. A 12 DVD table top storage tower.

Your palettes will slide into the slots pre-made for DVD's, completely organized and easy to access. This particular one runs about $20.

• Brush Storage

If you haven't heard of or seen it already, there's a brush holder inspired by Sephora that is a great idea. You choose whatever type of vase you like, fill it with sand, gem vase fillers, pebbles, etc. and decorate the outside as you like. The result: a gorgeous brush holder that has personality, style, and that will hold your brushes upright. Here's an example:

Another great idea for brush storage is a pencil cup holder at any office supply store. In fact, you can find a lot of different uses for office supply storage when it comes to cosmetics. Take a trip around one the next time your in the area and use your imagination : )

• Vanities

There are some amazing vanities out there with some fabulous options. If you're like me, it's hard to justify spending a lot of money on a make-up table, but you want something extremely practical, with both storage and style. It seems when we look at products that are called "vanities," the price doubles. There are much more cost effective ways to invent a vanity, just by using some of these ideas and adding a mirror. Here are some great solutions for any budget.

• Wal Mart, K Mart, and Target shouldn't be ruled out of this buying process. All of these stores have practical vanities, if you use some imagination. Computer carts and desks can easily be used for your own cosmetic purposes. Here are some examples.

This computer desk is completely usable for a make-up vanity. Available at K Mart for only $48, how could you beat it? The shelves could be used to hold baskets or storage boxes that can be pulled out to view the entirety of the contents. The slide out keyboard shelf could hold regularly used items such as your favorite eye shadows, blushes, paint pots, etc.

This computer table, available at Target, is priced at $70. The drawer does pull out and the front of it folds down so it can be used for a keyboard trey. That can be easily modified to make a real working drawer.

The computer desk shown above is available at Wal Mart and is priced at $133. It features three drawers and a sliding keyboard shelf. Depending on how much storage you need, what style you're interested, and what your budget is, there is a plethora of solutions available at these websites and stores. Office furniture websites are also another great place to look.

• Craft Stores/Departments

This is probably one of the most overlooked places to create both a vanity and storage. The website I'm using for these pieces is My Art and Craft Supplies. Unfortunately, the site will not let me use their photos, so the best I can do is link you to their site. Sorry, guys. Some possible ideas for these pieces could include this:

My Art and Craft Supplies provides everything you need from the top shelf to make a desk surface, to drawer units, to shelving cubes. You can mix, match, and stack these pieces as you see fit. Your vanity and storage space can be as big, or as small, as your needs demand.

• Further Storage

You may have already created your HG work space, but find there's not enough storage space for all your beautifying products. Never fear - we have some more options.

• Plastic Storage Drawers

Probably one of the most popular storage solutions, and one you may already have heard of or utilize, is plastic storage drawers. They are extremely cost effective, ranging from around $10 to $30, depending on the size and type you buy. These containers can be found everywhere from Wal Mart to dollar stores. There are table top versions, as well as free-standing ones and they are available in a variety of sizes, capacities, and drawer options. Here are a couple of photos of each I found on the Target website:

• Smaller Storage Drawers

Again, your local craft supply store is a mecca when it comes to make-up storage options. The drawer bins I'm about to show you are perfect for storing eye and lip liners, paint pots, eye shadows, cosmetic tools, and a hundred other items. These were found at Organize.com and are also available in various sizes. Here are another couple of examples:

• Hello, Magnets!

One of the most inventive ideas I've heard of for brush storage, eye and lip liners, lip glosses, etc. is magnetic storage. I believe I saw this idea on YouTube, but try as hard as I may to find the video now, I can't! I would love to give the girl credit for this, because it is truly just genius.

The idea is to buy a magnetic board (check here) to attach to the wall, and some square, metal pencil cup holders (A quick search produced these. I'm sure there are cheaper ones out there too.) You can store your brushes, liners, etc. in the cups, and stick them to the magnetic board. You can remove them and move them around as needed.

• Ikea

A lot of ladies over at the MakeupGeek.com Forum have found great storage units at Ikea. Here are a few examples, which are also available on the Ikea website. Click the picture to view the Ikea page for that product.

• Drawer Organizers

Whether you already have the vanity or storage your lusting over, or are about to purchase them, you're probably curious about organizing your spaces and being able to find everything in your stash quickly. Drawer organizers are a definite must for this feat.

• Ikea, again

This is yet another area you may want to check in your local Ikea, or on their website. Click on the pictures to view the Ikea product page and info.

Another solution, silverware treys! This particular one is from Rubbermaid.

This website, SpaceSavers.com, has hundred of products to get you, and your collection organized. They also have regular and adjustable draw organizers, as well as drawer storage bins.

And last, but not least, a product that encompasses it all - storage, organization, and work space. I swear I'm not the biggest fan of Ikea to ever walk on two legs, but they do have some reasonably priced and well thought out products. On that note, I present to you, the Malm Dressing Table.

This table provides a generous work space (over 75 inches wide) and a large drawer with built in felt trays for storage. It is available in 4 different finishes and priced at $180. I first saw this table on MissChievous' YouTube video. You can view it in all of it's glory here.

• Train Cases and Storage Boxes

I'm sure everyone has heard of or used some sort of train case for their make-up. Another idea is to buy a large mechanic's tool storage stand. Or better yet, how about a girly one?

The Original Pink Box has several different sized, tool box-esque storage solutions, and best of all, their PINK!!!!!


If any of you have any other storage ideas that I haven't included, please feel free to comment or email me. :) Happy organizing!

Self 2009 Heathy Beauty Awards

For 10 years, Self Magazine has been publishing an annual Healthy Beauty Awards article detailing the best beauty buys that have debuted in the past year. This year, 1,370 readers of Self were sent various brands and types of beauty products, from drug store to high end, to critique and review. The end result? A Healthy Beauty Guide detailing 86 products that rated the highest with readers. Some of these products will come as no surprise, at all. Others, well, the same can't be said. I suppose some of the items may be the best of what debuted this year. It would be interesting to see an ALL TIME BEST list, as I'm sure there are products on the market that are far better than some awarded here.



Cosmetic Standouts
From Self.com


Best Primer
Prescriptives Flawless Face Primer, $28

Testers loved the lightweight feel of this premakeup base, which uses vitamin C to fade spots over time and silicone to improve your tone immediately. "It controlled T-zone oiliness, kept my makeup on longer than usual and made my skin tone more even—all pluses!"

Best Tinted Moisturizer
Smashbox Cosmetics Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer, $30
Teeming with skin-protecting peptides and free radical–repelling antioxidants, this antiager got two thumbs-up. "I rarely find a base that provides enough color without feeling like a mask. This one does both." Tester tip: "Pat it on with a sponge to increase coverage."

Best All-Around Foundation
Lorac Natural Performance Foundation, $35
"It hid my flaws, felt ultra-silky and kept my skin hydrated," one user reported. The unscented foundation also scored high points for its twist-up pump—"no messiness and no lid to lose."

Best Foundation With SPF
Lancôme Paris Ageless Minérale SPF 21, $40
Fans fell for this makeup, which calms skin with aloe and vitamin E while concealing imperfections. "The powder was fine, not chalky," one reader said. "It took only a few swipes for a flattering shimmer that gave my skin radiance and hid wrinkles."

Best Antiaging Foundation
CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation, $14
Users' compliments resembled ads as they went on and on about this cream-to-liquid's "beautiful, smooth finish" and "flawless coverage." Collagen-enhancing niacinamides (from Olay's Regenerist serum) "moisturized skin and evened texture, too."

Best Mattifying Foundation
Rimmel London Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation, $7
Accolades poured in for this blendable base, which controls oil with salicylic acid but doesn't clog pores and makes skin look "perfect." "The powdery finish kept my T-zone from getting shiny morning to night."

Best Loose Powder
DiorSkin Nude Fresh Glow Powder SPF 10, $45
This light-as-air mineral powder contains sericin, a silk-derived ingredient that regulates hydration. "Its cooling effect felt glorious on my dry skin," one tester said. "It filled in every pore instantly yet was still incredibly breathable."

Best Mattifying Powder
Jane Iredale Brush-Me Matte, $46
Made with rice starch, this chemical-free shine stopper "goes on creamy and light but doesn't cake at all," one voter said. The compact packaging (the brush is self-contained) "is great for tossing in your bag for quick, on-the-go touch-ups."

Best Concealer
Almay Smart Shade Concealer, $9
Readers cheered for the makeup's ability to become the color of their skin tone after applying it (rather than having to mix six shades to customize an ideal color). "The creamy lotion was dry to the touch, and it did not get flaky or goopy."

Best Bronzer
Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer, $48
With "tiny flecks of shimmer," this sheer powder in a sleek compact won over several followers, who touted its "natural, smooth bronzing results that aren't intense or streaky." No Oompa-Loompa stripes here!

Best Powder Blush
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Blush, $22
Testers appreciated that the hue packed a punch. "I used only a little, and the color was just right on skin. It gives you a healthy flush and has a believable amount of illuminators that look sexy, not seventh grade."

Best Cream Blush
Estée Lauder Signature Satin Creme Blush, $26
"The texture is like cashmere for your cheeks, and the pigments were rich and long-lasting but not too bright," one voter gushed. More? "It's simple to remove if you accidentally apply too much of it!"

Best Lipliner
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil, $16
Liners can feel stiff, but readers were impressed by the "chalk-free, no-smudge" option that counts on hydrating jojoba oil and vitamin E to condition lips. "The consistency was fabulous: smooth enough to almost feel like a balm, yet thick enough to keep my lipstick from disappearing on me."

Best Lip Stain
CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain, $7
Eating an apple or smooching your sweetie is no match for this tint. The water-based color in a felt-tip pen saturates lips for all-day coverage. "I want it in several shades," one satisfied tester said.

Best Lipstick
Shiseido The Makeup Perfect Rouge Lipstick, $25
With an "intensely creamy" color, the formula uses dimethicone to soften lips. "It went on so smoothly," a tester said.

Best Lip Gloss
JK Jemma Kidd Lip ID Colour Adapt Gloss, $20
Designed to develop gradually and create the ideal shade for your skin tone, this gloss won over skeptics. "I'm a lipstick girl, but it converted me."

Best Lip Balm
Nivea A Kiss of Moisture Hydrating Lip Care SPF 4, $3
Devotees liked that this shea butter–infused stick "hydrates lips, giving them shine."

Best Pencil Eyeliner
Benefit Bad Gal Liner Waterproof Pencil, $20
Reviewers touted the liner's jet-black shade and that "you can put it on thick or thin." One added: "I could cry through The Notebook without raccoon eyes!"

Best Liquid Eyeliner
MAC Penultimate Eye Liner, $17
Precise application earned points. "It has the same thin edge I like from pencils but in a liquid form that doesn't fade," one tester said.

Best Powder Eyeshadow
Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Quad, $10
This hybrid is half cream base, half color and full-on beautiful, readers swooned. It houses two shades with "goofproof instructions" so you know what to swipe where.

Best Cream Eyeshadow
CK Calvin Klein Beauty Tempting Glimmer Crème Eyeshadow, $18
This cream "covers lids evenly" and has color "that doesn't crease and remains vivid all day." Tester tip: "Sweep it on with a brush for a high-drama effect."

Best Brow Shaper
Revlon ColorStay Brow Enhancer, $9
Fans were hooked on this defining pen for its two ends (one tinted wax, one highlighter). "The thick formula hangs on."

Best Palette
Sonia Kashuk Smokey Eye Palette, $20
Scoring a glam-bam eye couldn't be easier with this kit's how-to cards. "I enjoyed the combo of sheer and opaque colors."

Best Thickening Mascara
Stila Convertible Mascara, $22
Voters applauded this "smudgeproof" mascara's two brushes for "fattening every lash."

Best Volumizing Mascara
Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara, $14
Surrender your eyelash curler: This wand "stretches lashes into a striking bend," one user said.

Best Eco-Friendly Mascara
Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara, $10
This paraben-free mascara "lifts lashes without clumping," one reviewer reported.

Best Lengthening Mascara
Maybelline New York Lash Stiletto Mascara, $9
"Two coats made my lashes appear longer than usual but not outrageously fake," one tester said.

Best Nail Polish
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color, $5
Voters dubbed this lacquer the quickest drying. "I could text again after two minutes."

To read the top choices for skin, body, and hair, go to Self.com.