Pigments are one of our all time favorite MAC Cosmetics products. Use it on your eyelids, cheeks, face, shoulders, collarbone, arms, wherever!

This giveaway ends on the 31st at midnight, EST. You can enter a whole bunch of ways. Each one is listed below. The more ways you enter, the more chances you have to win!

Enter here.

Good luck to everyone!

First, trust your instincts. If a price sounds good to be true, you should look at the item with a very skeptical eye. It’s extremely difficult to find true bargains on MAC Cosmetics products these days. If it’s just a few dollars off of retail, it is more likely to be legitimate. If it’s a limited edition pigment from 1999 being sold for $2 new in box, you can rule it out right away.

photo credit: iferneinez

In order to determine the validity of the item in question, you need to examine it closely. If buying online, you should request pictures from the seller of the item from several angles including the top, bottom, side view, inside of lid, and the box. You need to compare these with original items either from your own collection or using pictures found online. There are a lot of subtle differences that fake MAC makeup products carry.

The packaging is one area where fakes tend to stand out if you know what to look for. For example, many counterfeit MAC eyeshadows come in a pot that looks suspiciously like the real thing… until you notice the compartment with the mirror and applicator underneath. MAC pot shadows never come with applicators or mirrors yet somehow this is very common on fakes. Also, the lid on many fake MAC shadows has a higher dome and opens at a smaller angle than real MAC shadows.

The packaging can offer several clues as well. Often counterfeit MAC boxes will have a very convincing MAC logo but the font on the rest of the box is very different from that of legitimate MAC boxes. Because many of these fakes are manufactured in other countries, you can often spot misspellings on the packaging as well. In some cases, the dimensions of the boxes might be different than real boxes too. If you suspect an item is not real MAC, pore over it very carefully before committing to buy it. Compare the item in question with one that you know is real and scrutinize the size, shape, writing, color and finish of the lid, weight, and scent.

Another tip-off to potentially fake MAC items is the source. Legitimate MAC products can be purchased from MAC counters, MAC stores, MAC’s official website, and Cosmetics Company Outlet stores. Sometimes individuals will sell their MAC items secondhand for extra cash online. eBay is a overrun with MAC items but the sad truth is that many of these are counterfeit. When shopping for MAC on eBay, look at the seller’s history. Check their feedback carefully for complaints of counterfeits. Look at the other items they are selling. If they have hundreds of new MAC items up for sale, especially without boxes, there is a good chance what they are selling isn’t MAC at all.

Unfortunately, you have to do a bit of detective work when you are buying MAC from unofficial sources. Counterfeit MAC makeup items are not just poor quality imitations of the real thing. Some of these items might even contain ingredients that can irritate your skin or eyes. Truly good deals on MAC are few and far between but if you look very carefully, you can still find a few bargains.

Okay, who doesn’t want to get two things for the price of one? With MAC’s new collection, Grand Duos, they make you feel like you are getting just that; two for the price of one. Each of the Blush Duos offers two different shades with a marbleized mélange on the one half and a mono shade on the other half. With each Grand Duo, you are getting two different shades to play with.

Mineralized powders have become increasingly more popular over the past few years, but MAC has managed to take them to a whole new level. All of the colors included in this collection seem to have a metallic glint to them. But the colors do range from pinks and oranges, to coppers and golds. With the dual action of the blush shimmer powders, you can really experiment with the way the colors highlight your face.

The collection also includes brush #188. The brush has a flat top with a full circular base which allows you to apply the blush powder as heavily or light as you want. It also will help you blend the makeup as you desire so transition of the Grand Duo colors appear effortless.

I am always excited for anything that lets me add a little shimmer to my face and body. I am especially intrigued by the Earth to Earth color shades which combine purple and bronze, with yellow and brown. We’ve included the list of Blush Duos with a basic description of the colors as well as info on the brush. The collection is set the release March 12, 2009 so if we learn anything new before then, you’ll be the first to know.

Mineralization has swept the beauty nation, but MAC makes the next move with Grand duos: Mineralize blush that has a marbelized mélange on one side, and a complementary mono-shade on the other.

Soft-shimmer, super-shine pearl in a pretty tricolour veining to enhance and glorify cheekbones, followed with the pop and dimension of solid colour shimmer without an overly-frosted look. The 188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush makes the transition magnificent. A sophisticated but simple new way to get your vital minerals.

-MAC

Mineralize Skinfinish Blush Duos – (LE) $22.50USD each

Earth to Earth – Purple bronze mélange / Yellow brown
Grand Duo – Copper pink mélange / Plum
Hot Planet – Copper yellow mélange / Mid-tone plum
Intenso – Orange yellow mélange / Deep brown
Light over Dark – Orange yellow mélange / Deep brown
Love Rock – Gold violet mélange / Bright blue pink
Moon River – Blue pink mélange / Pale yellow pink

Brushes
#188 Brush – A flat-topped, full circular brush used for lightweight application and blending of any formula color – fluid, cream, powder or pigment. Ideal for creating soft layers or adding textures. Made from a soft blend of goat and synthetic fibers.

MAC’s Pure Collection presents some gorgeous, ethereal-like shades that seem to reflect the delicate chill of early Spring – perfect for a March limited edition collection release.

This collection will be available while supplies last. But don’t fret; some of the shades are permanent shades in the MAC Cosmetics regularly available shade list. Hush and Vex eyeshadow will be available in the future, so don’t stress it when considering whether to purchase these colors.

Speaking of Hush, this eyeshadow is a gorgeous option to use a highlight color for any eye makeup look using cool colors. Hush is a soft, pinky peach shade. To me, it looks mostly like a frosty pale pink with a bit of added warmth to it (it leans more to the pinky peach side as opposed to the pinky purplish side like many other pale pink shades). I like to use Hush as my final eyeshadow color just below the brow to highlight the brow bone. I also blend in a little in the middle of my eyelid after I’ve applied my other eyeshadow shades. This gives a nice sheen to my look and acts as a highlighter for areas where I want light to reflect. The shade has a frost finish, so in my opinion, you don’t want to over do it with this shade. A little goes a long way.

The same can be said for the Cream Colour Base in Hush. It makes an excellent facial highlighter. In face, all of the Cream Color Bases from Pure are excellent choices if you want to create an iridescent sheen finish for your skin.

With gentle overlays of frost, sheer washes of cold color, iridescent glows, the palest of pastels and winter-turned-spring veils of color, this MAC collection captures the essence of any early Spring chill. The entire collection is gorgeous and perfectly on trend for the upcoming 1999 Spring season.

LIPSTICK

Gliss – Golden peach glaze
Hue – Pale sheer and soft pink
Hush – Pale sheer peach
Isis – Cool taupe glaze with an overcast of silver and aqua
Kool – Pale sheer lavender
Ozone – Pale silver-white glaze

EYESHADOW

Chill – Luminous satin cool white
Hush – Pale peach frost with pearl
Krisp – Pale luminous frost cool white
Vex – Pale green and greyed frost with pearl

CREAM COLOUR BASE

Hush – Pale peach frost
Kool – Pale muted lavender mauve frost with a white violet pearl
Luna – Pale luminous cool frosted white
Tint – Soft muted mocha with a pale golden pearl

NAIL LACQUER

Gloss – Gloss nail lacquer is made to match Gloss Lipstick
Hush – Hush nail lacquer is made to match Hush Eyeshadow and Cream Colour Base
Kool – Lavender mauve shade made to match Kool Cream Colour Base
Ozone – Silvery white. Created to match Ozone Lipstick