MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty

I bought another blush. Why? I don't know why. Couldn't resist. I have the perfect blush at present (more to follow in another post) but I always find I have to put illuminator on top to create that lovely glow. When I was having a play with the Mineralize blushes in MAC, I loved the idea that they were a lovely rosy colour (well, Dainty, the colour I chose is anyway) as well as having a subtle, natural shimmer added in. 

I absolutely adore rosy cheeks, I think they look lovely. I am quite pale, so I think the contrast between my NW20 and the rosy glow of Dainty is absolutely divine. 
The blush is solid, but upon rubbing your finger (or more likely, your brush) over the product, it becomes loose easily and I think you pick up just the right amount on the brush. 
I apply blush to my apples of my cheeks, and then sweep it back towards my hairline. I genuinely think blush is essential. If you're wearing foundation or powder, you absolutely need to wear blush. Or you look dead. And no one wants that. 

So as you can see, it gives a lovely, natural looking (probably not on me because I'm a bit heavy handed with the blush) rosy glow which makes all the difference to my complexion. 
I really love this blush, the colour really goes well with my skin tone and it's effortless to apply. The product does come loose quite easily, which does tend to make the lid look dirty over time but I guess that's the same with any product. 

And here I am, for my elaborate portrait so you can see what it looks like on me. The Mineralize pigments mean that I have a slight illuminating glow to my face, as well as a soft pinky colour to my cheeks. I would definitely recommend everyone have at least one Mineralize Blush in their make up bag, I'm thinking about purchasing a few more so if anyone can recommend any, that would be lovely!

Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in Midnight Black

I was lucky enough to get a lovely little Smashbox present (all the way from America) from my boyfriend. I had run out of my usual liquid eyeliner, so it was great when he got me a little pot of gel-based eyeliner (which I've wanted to try for so long). To clear this up, his usual presents are fridge magnets and oversized tshirts which live in my pyjama draw, I guess he had been speaking to the consultant at the counter or something. 

I was eager to try this, and dug out my MAC 209 brush especially for the occasion. I'd never used a gel-based eyeliner before so I wasn't sure what to expect. 

Upon opening the product, it was quite tough on top. I wasn't expecting the eyeliner to be so viscous, and knew I was going to have some problems doing my eyeliner flicks with this liner. 

It was basically solid, and I had to dig into it to get some of the product on to my brush. I carefully applied it to my upper lid, which was no easy task. It went on quite thick and cakey, and because it was quite dry I couldn't blend it. 

Smashbox say the product "stays blendable for 60 seconds then dries to a smudge-proof, budge-proof finish that lasts all day"

My flicks on the outer corner of my eyelid were actually impossible, the product was far too dry and viscous to use! So i got my 209 brush and dug under the top layer (as you can tell, my pot is a mess...) and it was actually a bit more gel-like underneath. I was able to use this as an actual eyeliner, and it didn't look like I'd applied it with a shovel. 

As you can see from the swatches, it is a bit more blend-able now that I've pillaged the pot. Overall, this eyeliner was a bit of a let down. I expected big things from it, considering it was Smashbox and it came all the way from America. I might try leaving this in a warmer place, in an attempt to make it a bit more liquid and therefore, manageable. I'm not going to give up on gel liner, but I may try a different brand. 
Have any of you experienced any problems with gel liners? What are your thoughts?