Saturday 26 March 2016

makeup by dna liquid matte lipstick- review and swatches

DNA cosmetics is an etsy based indie makeup brand which specialises in lipsticks. I was always impressed with the swatches that floated around Instagram, so I decided to buy a lippie to try out myself. They cost a very reasonable £7.63.


The liquid lipstick arrived in a slim, dainty tube that's definitely on the smaller side. The pro: very easy to slip into a clutch bag. The con: less product. Personally, I'm ok with it. It's kind of cute. Oh, and the little graffiti-style logo is cute too.

The standard doe foot is fine for application, and is neat and firm enough to get clean edges. The formula itself is good- unscented, fast drying, not too uncomfortable, true matte.. though it isn't opaque. It is definitely pigmented, but can look streaky with just a single layer and thin, second pass is definitely needed. Luckily, the formula layers just fine.
Dna cosmetics liquid matte lipstick- love 
I got the shade 'love', which is a bright, blue based pink. Think Mac Candy yum yum. It's so fun and girly! I think I'm gonna enjoy wearing it over the coming spring.

What do you think?

X

Thursday 24 March 2016

kylie Jenner lip kit Mary jo k- review and swatches


I never thought I'd own any product made by any of the Kardashians. To be honest, I'm not a fan of them. I think they're problematic in lots of ways, and I just don't dig the vacuous celebrity culture in general. But my best friend didn't know this, and bought me a Kylie lip kit as a gift. And, despite myself, I actually really really love it. I wouldn't buy it myself, not least because of the £35 (including uk shipping) price tag, but am really pleased to own it as it's a lovely product.


The packaging is sweet, not gonna lie. Artistic and sexy. The box holds the liquid lipstick and matching lipliner, which is exactly the same shade rather than a complementary shade a la Colourpop. The lipliner is, in fact, fantastic. It glides on easily and is well pigmented, and is a true matte that will not budge. Those that are a little wobbly with applying liquid lipsticks on their own will really appreciate the handy addition. 

The lipstick itself is also kinda divine. It smells lovely! Like sweet berries. It doesn't linger, but I do like the little whiff I get when applying. The formula is thin but not watery, and is very opaque. It dries quickly and completely with no stickiness, but it isn't overly drying or crackly/ flaky either. All things considered, it's real nice.

kylie lip kit mary jo k 
I LOVE the colour. I own a lot of reds, but this one makes me feel like an absolute doll, probably because of its pinky tones. I'm so glad my friend bought me this particular shade, as the nudes are kinda boring and dupeable.

Really, the only thing I don't like is the price tag and the brand. Oh, and the fact that it always sells out super fast and is a nightmare to get hold of. If you plan on snagging a kit or two, I don't envy you. xx

Wednesday 16 March 2016

lashes by lena liquid matte lipstick- review and swatches


Lena Lashes is an indie brand that grew in fame and popularity because of the owner's (her name is Lena, whaddyaknow) wide range of high quality strip lashes. I've been keeping an instagram eye on it for a while, but I don't really wear falsies. But when she released her new line of liquid to matte lipsticks, I sat up to attention. And I bought one. At $18 plus shipping to the UK, it wasn't cheap. But I really liked the look of the dark brown, and the swatches on the brand page looked so dreamy, and... and I have no self control. 


My first impression was something along the lines of my jaw dropping. Such lush packaging! It comes in a fancy little box with the lipstick tucked inside, and it feels like opening a gift. Special! The cap on the tube is really pretty too. Oh, and I love the long, flattened applicator- it makes clean lines really easy, which is essential for such a bold colour. 

And it is such a bold colour. 

lena lashes liquid lipstick- frederique 
It's called 'frederique'. I don't know why the lipsticks are named after men, but they are. Anyway, it's a super rich, super dark, super opaque brown. I LOVE it. So vampy yet sophisticated with no sign of streaking, which is a really rare with a shade this deep. One coat is all you need, but be warned that the formula is fast drying so you can't afford to waste time fixing up any wobbles.

The only dud- and it's not a minor one- is that is drying. Quite tight feeling for sure. I mean, it doesn't flake or anything, and lip balm will help, but it's still quite uncomfartable to smile in after a while.

Personally, though I wish it were less parching, I think the colour makes it so worth it. I'm happy I got this baby. The only thing is, how will I bring myself to throw away the box?

xx

Sunday 13 March 2016

w7 magic matte lipstick- review and swatches


Damn, blogger. Back at it again with W7 makeup posts. Actually, this was kind of an accident. I had no intention of buying another lipstick from this brand, but there was a makeup stall at this charity event I was at, and there was a two pound coin burning a hole in my pocket. It hardly broke the bank, so I didn't feel too guilty over this impulse buy, and was actually really impressed with it once I gave it a run for its money. Read on, my friend.

w7 magic matte lipstick
Well, the packaging is as basic as you'd expect from a budget brand, but it's sturdy and secure and not ugly, so it's fine by me. I quite like that you can see the lipstick shade at the bottom- it's handy for people like me, who have a jillions of lippies and appreciate any way of finding a particular lippie victim a bit easier.

Anyway, as the name suggests, it's a matte. A magic matte, oooh, ahh  *round of applause*. Well, it's actually really great. I was expecting a hard formula and lots of drag, but it glided on easily and didn't feel overly drying once on. In fact, it has a silcone-ish,lightweight feel to it which does make it feel airy and comfortable compared to other matte lippies. It's long lasting and though it may appear dryer throughout wear, that doesn't hugely reflect in comfort. It won't parch ya. 

w7 magic matte lipstick- lady luck 
I got the shade 'lady luck', which is a very flattering warm nude. I love that it's got very subtle shimmer throughout, so it prevents it from looking dull or flat. I've worn this a lot since I bought it, and that's a good sign. It means it's a good'un.

xx

Friday 4 March 2016

W7 mega matte lips- review and swatches

The nyx soft matte lip creams. We all love them, right? So I'm pumped to share an even cheaper alternative. Meet the w7 mega matte lips. They're usually priced between a mere quid and around a fiver, which is cheap as chips. The only dud is that the shade range is more limited than the nyx offerings, but there's still a colour for everyone. I've got the shade 'hasta la vista', a true red.

W7 mega matte lips- hasta la vista 
The packaging and formula are literally the exact same as the soft matte lip creams because it's basically the same product stamped with a different brand. Which in this case is great, and means you get a moussey satin formula that that dries down to a matte in around ten minutes. It's pigmented but not entirely opaque, though layering definitely increases intensity. When it does set, it's to a long lasting but not entirely transfer proof finish. This makes it less drying than the tattoo-like ultra matte formulae out there.

Hmm, what else? It doesn't bleed. Fade can be a tad patchy. Pleasant smell.

Thumbs up, really.