Pink Cadillac Of Cosmetics

When Mary Kay reached out to me to review some new additions to their beauty arsenal, I’ll admit, I was shocked. The words “Mary Kay” brought back memories of me being a little kid, dragged by my mom to Mary Kay parties where I sat in the corner eating the hors d’oeuvres and/or got into trouble for messing with all of the testers. Could you blame me? A 6-yr-old budding beauty blogger, surrounded by what seemed like hundreds of lipsticks, eyeshadows, creams, lotions and potions? Armed with zero makeup application skills, I’d leave said parties looking like Tammy Faye Bakker (90s babies – google her if you don’t know who she is).

So, fast forward to current day and I sit here, absolutely marvelling at how far Mary Kay has come. Each week, I am shipped a pile of beauty products from various companies to review and some just don’t make the cut to be featured on the blog. This box of goodies most certainly does though. I received the line of Mary Kay’s new Gel Semi-Matte Lipsticks, a shimmering Gel Liner Duo and a set of eyeshadows so good, I’ve reached for it every day since I received it.

Well, let’s get this review underway. One more thing…I attended a Mary Kay event last Thursday here in Ottawa at a lovely art gallery and oh man – I wish you all could have seen my face when I pulled up to the gallery parking lot. I have never seen so many awesome pink Cadillacs in my life! There they were, parked side by side like a heavenly pink Cadillac dealership…with some of the most stylish ladies climbing out of them. Fabulous. Ok – let’s start this review!

Mary Kay Eye Color Palette and Gel Liner Duo in Bronze and Gold

I LOVE THESE EYESHADOWS! The palette offers six eyeshadows – gold, bronze, silver, bold blue and deep blue. The shadows are rich and silky and offer an intense colour payoff.  Super pigmented, they apply easily, seem very finely milled and stay put throughout the day. I have used the deep blue to create an intense smoky eye for a night out this past weekend, and highlighted my brow bone with the beautiful gold shadow.

A sucker for neutral eyeshadows especially for work, I use the bronze colour on a daily basis. The silver looks beautiful in the inside corners of the eyes, making my dark brown eyes pop. In the pic above, I used the bold blue – a fun, electric colour that I’ll be busting out for the ton of events scheduled throughout October and November.

I love the Gel Liner Duo also. It comes in a handy, ergonomic package. The long end is a brush that is great for both lining the eyes and applying the liner in the corners of your eyes also. The liner stays true to colour all day long and does not budge, yet easily washes off with a good cleanser.  Both the bronze and gold are highly pigmented, and the bronze in particular is so flattering, that I’ve been using it as a shadow as it does not crease – even when I forgot to put on my trusty Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion underneath it. For US $18, it’s a steal.

Mark Kay Gel Semi-Matte Lipstick

I’m really enjoying these lipsticks! While matte (don’t let the “semi-matte” fool you), they do not dry out your lips at all – a welcome relief from some of my other favourite matte lipsticks.  In true Mary Kay form, all of the lipsticks I tested are highly pigmented and have pretty good lasting power. My favourite is “Rich Truffle“, a great pale brown that is highly flattering on my skin tone. While I had to reapply it a few times during the day, I would rate its lasting power as quite good. This particular shade is great for my brown girls who like that pale lip reminiscent of Twiggy and sixties mod. I have a co-worker who uses Benefit Erase Paste concealer as a lipstick as she loves these super pale shades and apparently cannot find the perfect whitish lipstick. This brown version is for brown girls looking for the same effect.

Mary Kay Satin Lips Lip Mask

I have been using this fragrance-free, hypoallergenic lip mask before bed to soothe my already dry and almost chapped lips.  The temperature outside has started to nose dive and I have already seen an uptick in the dryness of my lips. This is a true “lip mask” – it has a dry-ish consistency and is white in colour. It does not go on white though. You apply a little product to your lips, leave on for a couple of minutes and then remove. It seriously works quickly, smoothing and soothing your lips and I definitely see an improvement already. This will have a permanent spot on my nightstand.

I’m super pleased that I gave Mary Kay a chance and reviewed these products. They are truly amazing and and welcome beauty find this year. Around the end of the year, I’ll be rounding up some of my favourite beauty products of 2016 and several of those mentioned in this post have already made the cut. Truly impressed.  So, call up your friendly neighbourhood Mary Kay Lady (person!!) to learn more about this benchmark company. If you are a Canadian buddy, find a consultant to shop online with, or if you are an American friend, feel free to shop online right now.

Now that I’ve covered these products, I’m going to ask if they’ll send me a pink Cadillac to review. Wish me luck.

*Samples provided in exchange for my honest opinion.