Nicki Minaj has caught my attention. Or should I say her lips have? Do I naturally gravitate toward her style of music? Not exactly. In fact, the only reason I know who she is in the first place is becasue of her participation as co-designer of the Mac Pink Friday lipstick that was sold exclusively online for four Friday's online. If you've kept up with my blogs then you have heard me mention this lipstick on more than one occasion. Which is always the first thing I notice when I see Nicki, the pink lips. Soon after discovering the lips I found out who was the lady was behind them. I started hearing her on the radio and found the sound of her voice really unique and interesting, even if I wasn't going to rush to download anything for my personal collection. This isn't a music review but in the category of cosmetic appeal, Nikki receives an A+++ as well as my personal respect and intrigue. I'm so sure she has just been waiting around to feel that sense of accomplishment that comes with earning the endorsement of me.Bring On The Lipstick!
I am proud to say that NM and I share the same love for Mac cool-toned bright pink shades. Formerly a loyal user of "Pink Nouveau", Nikki has moved on with her shade preference after wearing Pink Nouveau for years and has been quoted as saying that now "it's all about Pink Friday." Try as you might, you won't be able to get your hands on this gem by simply walking into a Mac store to ask for one like you did in the old days. Times have certainly changed. This time you'll have to put some muscle in to operation SLP (search, locate, and purchase). And once you finally do track one down, you will question the idea of even using it at all because to find out you love it and want a back-up is just too painful. You may have to strike a deal with the devil and at the very least, give up your first born in exchange for this perfect pink. But just your first born, let's not get too carried away! However, all is not lost. Never fear, Mac happens to be an expert in creating gorgeous pink lips with other beautiful shades similar to Pink Friday. I spoke of one already, Pink Noveau. The good news is that this shade is from the permanent line so it is very easy to get a hold of. Another comparable and one of my personal favorites is Speed Dial. It may not have as much of the Pepto Bismal tone to it but if you're looking for a pink wow factor, this is it. A third shade that resembles the theme we are going for is Saint Germaine. This one is not from the permanent line. I got it when it came out with the Sugarsweet Collection back in 2008. But I've seen them hanging around on Ebay if you're desperate to have it. Saint Germain most definitely has the Pepto Pink that makes these shades so pretty. Saint Germain IS Pepto Pink. Also, in my opinion, the closest thing to Pink Friday. And its is an amplified cream which is my personal favorite Mac formula. Creamy, opaque, and long-lasting. That sums up an AC. On the other hand, if you are in the mood to go pink but you can't pull off these bold cool-toned shades, then by all means try Cream Cup. This is more of a Barbie pink and much more wearable if you want to tone things down. This shade also looks better on darker skin tones while still being perfectly wearable for the porcelain princesses. I find that if you are really tan then wearing a shade like SG can make you look a tad freakish. However, there is always a way to make it work. I'm all about mixing shades like the make-up artists do. This way you can create your own personal shade and turn it up or down according to what look you're going for. A little bit of Speed Dial mixed in with the Cream Cup can kick it up that one notch that will be a good enough introduction into the world of brighter pink lips. And lastly, is a pink with a tinge of purple for good measure is Snob. This particular shade of pink is a Mac fan favorite. Its a satin formula and matte in appearance, which can tend to be drying. Gloss over top a Mac satin is a necessity. Like I mentioned, this is an opaque and matte pink with a hint of purple. This shade is very pretty but if you don't have super white teeth, put this one back on the shelf and introduce yourself to the nearest drug store to pick up Crest Advanced Seal whitening strips. If you don't, this shade will accentuate your less than pearly whites and put them on BLAST. To round things out, I threw in a cheaper alternative shade in the family of bright pink but minus the bubble-gum look. It's by Revlon and its called Carnation. In my perfect opinion, this lipstick line by Revlon is very smooth and opaque for the price but because the price of drugstore lipstick is climbing so high, you may as well scrounge together a few more dollars and go to Mac. I've included swatch photos of the products mentioned. I currently do not have the Pink Friday lipstick as I gave my last one to my make-up artist and one on the way as we speak. I know, I know, I don't even have the lipstick that is mentioned in the blog title. Pathetic. But at least I included a pair of really nice lips to show off the shade.
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| Speed Dial, Saint Germaine, Snob, Cream Cup, Carnation, VG Gaga |
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| Same order as above |
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| Pink Friday |
Bring on the Death Threats!
In an attempt to shake things up I'm going to shift topics but stay with the theme of making comparisons. This time in the way of actual human beings. Human beings sometimes wear lipstick so I'm not totally off topic here. Now I may get several death threats by admitting this publicly, but I don't find Lady Gaga very interesting. I know that wearing your hair in the shape of a large bow is pretty unique but I don't find her very unique. Hair, yes. Personality and approach to the entertainment industry, no. While I know this comparison is probably over-used, I can't help but still be so taken back by their similarities. The world already has a Madonna and when I couldn't even tell if it was Madonna or Lady Gaga I was listening to when "Born This Way" came on the radio, I knew there was a problem and quite frankly I was stunned by the likeness. Later on, I had the song in question stuck in my head and when I was singing the lyrics, I found myself finishing off certain parts of the chorus with the lyrics from Madonna's "Express Yourself". That sealed Gaga's fate in my book. The title in this case is "being way to obvious in her attempt to recreate an anthem that's been around for ages". Here's a novel concept. Write your own anthem. The time she spent alone hibernating in that egg she hatched from at the Grammy Awards would have been the perfect time for her to do some thinking about this. On the flipside, I think Nicki Minaj is a true break-through artist. And as far as Gaga is concerned, Madonna already broke through 25 years ago and you are just hanging around in the hole she left behind when she did. I do, however, know a way to throw a point over in on the Gaga scoreboard and its with the lip products for the Viva Glam campaign by Mac. I adore the Viva Glam Gaga lipglass and its another great shade that stands perfectly along side the other pinks I've mentioned. In fact the Gaga Viva Glam pink lipstick needs to be tossed in the same category of the Pepto Pinks. Alas, I found something positive to say about Miss G.They say to follow up criticisms with compliments. But I think that only really works in the instances of child-rearing. Adults usually just want to kick your ass.
I have included some Nicki Minaj makeup tutorial videos if you dare to be so bold. If nothing else, it just looks FUN. And makeup is supposed to be fun, right? Enjoy..
Hehe thanks babe! :)
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