2018 empties post and long overdue check-in.

She offers a tentative 'hello'.

She offers ten thousand excuses.

(Skip to the first image of scattered empty lipstick packaging if you want the reviews and not the tedious preamble).

Hello everyone. It's me, the are-you-even-a-blogger-anymore blogger, coming at ya with a 2018 lipstick empties post. In motherfunkin JUNE 2019.

Honestly, I don't know if I am into this beauty blogging thing anymore. The change in the Instagram algorithm really put me off the whole scene. What I liked was the sense of a community and connectedness. The feeling of harping on about silly lipstick-related things to fellow enthusiasts. You know. Engaging. 

With my engagement having dropped drastically and fewer and fewer people even seeing my posts, it started to feel like I was spewing thoughts and swatches into an ever-irrelevant void. There's also the fact that I have become increasingly busy with cat rescue on what is now essentially a full-time basis (my insta account for my cat shenanigans is @help.meowt.bro) and so a lot of my brain-space and money is too taken up by that to leave much room for lipstick.

I've also been tied up with lots of grown-up life things. I got married, honeymooned, and am newly moved out and moved in. My dad has been in hospital several times, my cat died, I've been sofa-surfing a lot, my anxiety has at times been debilitating. In short, a bit of a whirwind. It's also been a bit of a bummer being broke. My feed is always flooded with exciting new releases that I know I won't be able to afford, at least not until they go on sale several months down the line. And who wants to read reviews that are too late to the party to be worth anything? Everything has already been said.

Meh. So I've been toying with throwing the towel in and bidding farewell to the, like, three people who still follow me. But then I find myself missing the old, safe ritual of swatching and reviewing. So I've decided that for now, I'm just gonna play it by ear. Post as and when I want to, however late, however irrelevant. Don't if I don't want to. Today, I want to. So without further ado:

THE GLORIOUS EMPTIES!

Nine used up in 2018! Not bad going at all, especially considering one of them was an entire palette. Now, forming an orderly queue....

1) Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker lip lacquer in 'charm offensive'.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker lip lacquer- 'charm offensive'

Mmm. Look how slick she looks! I don't often bother with glossy products because I hate stickiness and can find them messy, but this lacquer by Soap & Glory got into my good books. I wore it mostly because it was a very flattering shade on me, but the formula was also pretty good. It was surprisingly opaque. It lasted a while because while it did transfer, it was pigmented enought to still leave a lot of color behind, and just blotted down through wear to a more satin finish. It did feel 'thick', but didn't feel sticky. The wide paddle-shaped applicator made for an easy, streak-free finish. Inoffensive vanilla scent. Balmy and moisturising, and the wet-look glossiness made for a juicy looking pout. Top marks all round. It's £7 and well worth it in my opinion.

2) Baviphat Urban Dollkiss I Love Tint in 'cherry'.

Baviphat Urban Dollkiss I Love Tint- 'cherry'

I actually reviewed this in full way back here, where you can see the adorable apple shaped packaging in all its glory. I had to depot it into a little pot though because the wand was too short to reach the product beyond the halfway point. I've layered it up for this swatch. It's pretty sassy, no? I continued to like it, but I do have a few cons to add: the formula has a chemically taste. And a chemically smell. Other than that, it was cheap and cheerful and cute and you can't go far wrong with picking it up for a few quid on Ebay.

3) Yaby Cosmetics Lip Colour Refill in 'disagree'.

Yaby Cosmetics Lip Colour Refill- Disagree

Oh snap, it's another one I've previously reviewed. Here is the post. Oddly, this was a very difficult shade to photograph well, but I assure you it looks punchy and even in person. This was an easy product to use up because 1) I love the colour and the comfy formula, and 2) there wasn't very much of it. Such a tiny lil pan. I transferred the product into the rounded pot in the pic so I could throw it in my bag rather than having to pop it into a palette where it would be out of place and forgotten about. These refills cost £3.95.

4) Sleek Makeup Wonderlast lipstick and gloss duo in 'berry blush'.

Sleek Makeup Wonderlast lipstick and gloss duo- 'berry blush'

I love Sleek Makeup, but they were absolutely right to discontinue this product because it was a binfire of bad. The colour was lovely, but it was very streaky and dried to a crusty, flaking, bumpy clumpy mess that the gloss did nothing to gloss over. It only looks semi-tolerable in this pic because the lipstick was pretty much used up and I could only get enough on the brush to use as a stain. I tried. I tried again and again to make it work because I did like the colour. But yeah, I'm glad it's a goner. I will depot the clear gloss though, because there's nowt wrong with that end of the stick. Silver linings.

5) Anna Sui lipstick palette.

Anna Sui lipstick palette 

I reviewed this palette back over here too! I really put it through its paces and it has seen me through many a wedding. I've also found it very handy for when I needed a specific shade to match a specific thing- just mix up the colour you want, boo. I don't know if this is still available, but I got it a while ago when it was on sale for a tenner (marked down from the £30 RRP) from BeautyBay. I'm definitely gonna make use of the empty lipstick pans and make up my own custom palette. I'm quite looking forward to that actually!

6) Makeup Revolution Amazing Care lipstick in 'electric love'.

Makeup Revolution Amazing Care #happylips lipstick- 'electric love'

This Revolution offering was one of those lippies that have a coloured core surrounded by a balmy outer ring. This does make colour distribution uneven, but it's nothing a bit of lip smacking and smooshing won't sort out. The overall effect is one of a tinted balm: a light wash of colour and and some gel-like moisture. I had it in my bag so got a lot of use out of it, especially because I favour a stick-type balm to the sort you have to dip your finger in. This lippy is now discontinued, but I bet you can get it from Ebay.

7) Topshop Velvet Lips in 'Velveteen Ribbon'.

Topshop Velvet Lips- Velveteen Ribbon

This was pure shite. I only got through it because I kept trying to make it work (loads of lip balm underneath, lip primer, gloss on top, lip liner) until it just dried up in the tube. SO dry and uneven. You basically have to drag it across your lips, and once on, it just crumbles and flakes all over the place. Topshop can be quite hit and miss with their lipsticks. This one was definitely a miss, and they have now thankfully discontinued it and replaced it with a better liquid matte offering.

8) Primark 'liquid asset' liquid lipstick.

Primark 'liquid asset' liquid lipstick

This twist-up lip lacquer is way back from when Primark first started doing makeup. I love the cute pout-printed packaging, the total opacity, the almost latex-like finish, and the fun, girly colour. Needless to say, it has long been discontinued- though there are similar products you can get from most Primark stores.

9) Primark PS Metal Matte liquid lipstick in 'queen'.

Primark PS Metal Matteliquid lipstick- 'queen'

And last but not least, another Primark lippy! In the swatch above, I'm wearing over some darker lip liner. The formula of this metalic matte lipstick is water based, much like the Lime Crime Diamond Crushers. This means it's transfer proof for the most part, but water- rather than oil- removes it. It's very much a true metal finish rather than being shimmery or glittery, and makes for a nice highlighting shade. The only cons are that it does feel quite tight and does emphasise texture- but then I find that's true of metallic lipsticks in general. It's only £1.50, so worth giving a whirl if metallic lips are your jam.

And that's all folks! Who knows? I might even post again before 2000 and never.

Kisses

X

Sugarpill liquid lipstick and petty poison review

Howdy campers. I thought I'd rustle up a roundup review on some Sugarpill lippies, seeing as it looks like I'm now collecting them. There are individual reviews on 'kimchi' and 'trinket' already hanging out on my blog, but I thought it would be handy to see all the liquid lipsticks together. So let's hop to it.

Well, I think it goes without saying that the packaging is utterly adorable. But then, we'd expect nothing less from Sugarpill. Be warned though, you need to store these delicately because any friction will scratch off the logos. These come with rather shaggy applicators which I thought would be a little difficult to work with, but turns out they apply the product just fine.

Sugarpill liquid lip color: kimchi, pumpkin spice, strange love, Trinket. 

Sigh. So pretty. 'Kimchi' is a donut scented pastel lavender-grey with very subtle icy blue shimmer. 'Pumpkin spice' is a pumpkin spice scented nutmeg-orange with copper-gold shimmer. 'Strange love' is a creamsicle scented oxblood red with champagne-silver shimmer. 'Trinket' is a creamsicle scented  rose-mauve pink with gold shimmer. The shimmer in every shade becomes more prominent with wear (or a gentle rub).

They all require two coats for opacity, but the formula is so lightweight and plush that layering doesn't lead to that dreaded tight, mask-like feeling. They dry down in a few minutes to a comfy, transfer proof finish.

Bottom line- they look, smell, and feel GORGEOUS.

Moving on to the Pretty Poison bullet lipstick, seen here hanging out with her friend 'pumpkin spice'. These are semi-matte opaque lipsticks in super cute shades, of which I own 'U4EA' (pronounced euphoria). It's a fabulous teal which applies with no drag and no streaking. 'Odd' colours are notoriously difficult to formulate well, but Sugarpill have done really well on this baby.

Sugarpill pretty poison lipstick- u4ea

Of course, being a traditional lippy, it does transfer. Happily though, it's pigmented enough that it fades gracefully from the centre instead of leaving that awful ring. I didn't experience any bleeding either, which is great.

And, obviously, I'm smitten with the glittery pill-style packaging. It's like a toy!

If I get any more Sugarpill lipsticks, I'll add swatches to this post. I'm very likely going to get any new liquid lipsticks they come out with, but I'm also lusting over their new dark shades of Pretty Poison. Ah. The struggles of being broke.

Toodles x

Caked cosmetics lip fondant- review and swatches

I've been eyeing up Caked Makeup's lip fondants for a while now. Probably because I really really love cake. And I really really love lipstick. So as you can probably guess, I found it really really hard to resist the temptation. Reader, I caved. I bought the shade 'power trip', which was £14 from Cocktail Cosmetics.

It's so cute! The icing and the sprinkles and the cupcake scent satisfy my dessert cravings fo sho.

Thankfully, the 'fondant' itself is really nice too. It has a moussey formula which glides on pretty much opaque and dries down in around two minutes to a non-drying matte finish. Some areas can feel slightly tacky if you press your lips together, but going with the thinnest coat possible minimises this problem to the point where it's barely noticeable. It's transfer proof and long wearing. In fact, it's kind of difficult to remove.

Caked cosmetics lip fondant- power trip

Which is fine by me, because why would I want to take off such a gorgeous colour? It's such a deep, sophisticated red. Mmm.

Mmm. Dammit, I want cake now.

Tattoo Junkee matte lip paint + effects review and swatches

Tattoo Junkee cosmetics kindly sent me some of their cool lip kits, and after road testing them for a while, I think I'm ready to review the badboys. But fear not- this isn't a sponsored post or an ad and I'm gonna keep my thoughts honest as always.

Right. So the lip kits consist of a liquid matte lipstick and pot of shimmery highlighter powder. I LOVE the concept. The world is awash with liquid lipsticks so it's definitely exciting to see something a bit novel. I like that I can choose to wear the lipstick alone, add a touch of highlight to the high points of my lips, or just go all out and dust the shimmer all over. I also like that I have the option of using the 'effects' as a legit highlighter on my face, or even as an eyeshadow.

As for the formula, it definitely varies from shade to shade. 'Dazed' (blue) needed two thin coats for full opacity as it was a little sheer. 'Past curfew' (violet) and 'whatever' (oxblood) were both more opaque, but did require spots to be touched up. 'Pucker Up' (red) was DIVINE. Very richly pigmented, no streaking at all, and an absolutely gorgeous shade of red that seems to be a dead on dupe for my beloved Lime Crime 'red velvet' lippy.

Tattoo Junkee liquid lipsticks in 'whatever' (top row) and 'past curfew' (bottom row) 

They all felt quite tight once they'd dried down, so I'd recommend lip balm pre application and the thinnest layer of product possible. They were touch proof and very long wearing, and didn't feel that different with the shimmer on top. I really love the duochrome mermaidy effect the shimmer gives! Already pretty shades turn positively magical.

Tattoo Junkee liquid lipsticks in 'Pucker up' (top row) and 'dazed' (bottom row) 

I like that the brand offers a wide range of shades. Whether you like your neutrals or your loud traffic-stoppers, you'll likely find a colour for you. I also like that they're not too pricey. UK folks can cop them from Amazon for £11.39 per kit.

And I don't want to sound pushy or anything, but if you're considering trying one of these sets out, you maybe definitely need to get the red.

X

Cryptic cosmetics liquid matte lipstick- review and swatches

Instagram lipswatch extraordinaire @depechegurl has had her own makeup line, Cryptic Cosmetics, for a while now. I missed out on the 'gore couture' collection but managed to snag one of the shades from the newer 'till death do us part' gang. I got 'ceremony', which is described on the site as follows:

A rosy taupe goth brown named after the last song written by Joy Division. The shade represents the color dead red roses become.

Ooh. Sold to the closeted goth with good taste in music. 

She's a looker! A frosted glass tube with thorny rose patterns in the lid and a cool logo. What's not to like? Full marks on the aesthetic front. 

On opening, I was chuffed to find the applicator was of the teardrop shape variety- my favourite kind for precise application. It's got a little groove in it that holds just the right amount of product in one dip.  

Application was beautiful. Creamy consistency, opaque coverage, perfect drying time. The finish is a matte that feels soft and cushiony and doesn't look or feel the least bit drying. If you avoid liquid to matte lipsticks because you find them dry and tight, check these out. You will be convered. 

SWATCH TIME. 

Cryptic cosmetics- ceremony 

On me, 'ceremony' looks somewhere between plum and brown and dark taupe. It's dark and edgy but not to the point where it's 'scary', if you know what I mean. I can see this shade looking great on all skin tones. 

Overall, I'm very very impressed. It's a £13.54 lippie that's luxurious as heck and performs like a high end product. 

Epic win, amirite? 

Another Primark lipstick review and swatches

New year, new m- ... lol nah, still an emotionally unstable wasteman with an unhealthy dependence on lipstick. So. On to the first review of 2017.

If you're a regular here, you'll know I'm generally a huge fan of Primark's cheap and cheerful makeup. If you're a new visitor, well, er... I'm generally a huge fan of Primark's cheap and cheerful makeup. If you fancy acquainting yourself with a range of their offerings, you can find previous reviews here, here, here and here. Today's ramble, however, will be on the lippies below:

I'll start with the P.S Love matte long last lipstick because it's a tried and tested fave and probably the most widely available throughout Primark stores. The shade is called 'claret' and it costs a mere quid.

Primark p.s love matte long last lipstick- claret

It's pretty damn gorgeous. In real life it's a touch more brown than the maroony shade my camera picked up, and is even deeper and richer. I shit you not. It's deliciously dark with a little building up and matte without feeling dry, and surprisingly non streaky given the colour. I found it wore really well for a traditional bullet lipstick. Not much transfer and none of that dreaded lipstick ring.

If this particular shade is a bit too vampy for your liking, they usually have a few more demure options on offer too.

Primark p.s love metallic liquid lipstick 

Up next is the fussy-but-hella-worth-it metallic matte liquid lipstick. Metallic lippies are (rightly) all the rage these days, so I was stoked to find the humble aisles of Primark proffering a cheap option. This shade is a bright and super reflective gold called 'queen'. In the above swatch, I'm wearing it lightly over Neve Cosmetics pastello lip liner in 'rose'.

And you will need some sort of a base, at least with this shade. Applied alone, it dries quickly to form a touch proof film of colour that whilst being dazzling, also looks tight and dry, exaggerating lip lines in a not so pretty way. It looks great as a lip topper though, and will seal your lippy to make it transfer proof.

Oddly, whilst most liquid to matte lipsticks are broken down by oil, this one is dissolved by water. That's not any kind of problem though, at least not for me. Just something to bear in mind if you have a wet snog scheduled.

MOVING ON.

Primark p.s Pro kiss proof liquid lipstick- nude in private 

This very pretty shade is called 'nude in private'. Which is odd because it's a mauve and not a nude hue. Shrug. It's from the P.S Pro range so is marginally more expensive than the regular P.S Love stuff. I think it was around the £4 mark, but that's still very affordable.

I really liked the P.S Love liquid matte lippy for its powder-like matte finish and bold colour. This one has a very different formula, but it's still a winner. It's entirely opaque, smells like cake batter, and dries to a touch proof matte finish which still feels a little moist. So long as you don't slather on too much, it doesn't look or feel dry at all.

Oh, and the paddle shaped applicator deserves some praise too. It's wide and flat with a curved top, which gets you a fully painted lip in one sweep and easily clean edges. Win.

Primark p.s Pro sheer shine lip crayon- bubblegum pink

Aaaand ending with the only dud of the bunch: the P.S Pro sheer shine lip crayon. It's shit. I can usually appreciate a good old juicy lip crayon, but this ain't that. It's somehow both greasy feeling and matte looking. It's a pain in the left buttock to get an even finish with and even then, it manages to cling to dry patches you could have sworn you didn't have.

Avoid it like it's your manipulative and not even that attractive ex.

Hope that was helpful.

X

Beauty UK bumper review

Me: go to sleep 

Me to me: but you need to ramble about makeup 

Me: but I'm ti-

Me to me: -MAKEUP

Ha. Let's go. Since I posted my review of the Lips Matter liquid lipstick (here it is), affordable makeup Brand Beauty UK kindly sent me some more products to try out. I've really enjoyed having a play, and I think it's high time I shared my thoughts.

Of course, I'm gonna keep my opinions honest and unbiased. Because that's how we roll at Poutnshout.

Well, being thoroughly smitten with 'curious coral', I was stoked to receive two more shades of the Lips Matter liquid lipsticks. 'Wham bam thank you jam' (what a great name) is a gorgeous vivid raspberry pink that is right up my alley. Opaque, delicious smelling, setting down to a non-drying matte finish, it neither looks nor performs like a £3.99 product. It's an absolute steal and I can't recommend it enough.

See? You're bowled over. The other shade, 'get your nude on', is unfortunately far too pale and white based a nude to look flattering against my skintone. At least worn alone. I'm sure it would work okay with a darker lipliner, but I've been using it to create easy ombre lips. It's probably one of the palest nudes out there, and that makes it PERFECT as a lightener. In the picture below, I've worn it dabbed over the centre of my lip with 'wham bam thank you jam' as a base. I finished it off with a sweep of the Ultimate Contour highlighting stick for a super pouty effect- more on this wonder wand below.

Now, move aside liquid lippies, the old school kids are back in town. Beauty UK have a great range of traditional lipsticks priced at £3.49, of which I'll be reviewing two. 'Naughty' is a stunning red-orange in their glossy finish. 'Posh', a pastel mauve in a matte finish is one I actually bought myself, but I thought it made sense to include it in this ramble.

NAUGHTY, ladies and gentlemen. Naughty indeed. This colour is scandalously beautiful and it has me swooning. If I'm being honest, the word 'glossy' made me expect something sheer, streaky, somewhat greasy feeling. But oh hell no. This rich, juicy finish right here is only one swipe of the bullet. The only dud is that the emollient formula means it does bleed, so make sure to use a clear lipliner to keep that in check. 

'Posh' is the flipside of 'naughty'- cool toned, pastel, matte. I was afraid it wouldn't suit me but having worn it a few times, I've come to the conclusion that it's actually quite cute. For a matte lipstick, the formula is fairly comfortable and cushiony. I find pastel shades tend to apply unevenly, but I had no problem with this baby.

Moving swiftly on to another all rounder, it's the Pucker Up lipliner. This is priced at £3.49 and comes in a good range of shades, of which I have 'raspberry smooch'. This is my ideal lipliner style because it's twist up and I don't have to bother with pesky sharpening. Lazy kids unite! The texture is a winner too. It's opaque and matte, which is what you need in a lipliner, but creamy rather than dry and papery. Here it is worn alone:

Now, should we stray away from sacred lipstick territory? Yep. Eyeliner. Silver GLITTER eyeliner. I got to play with the silver glitter eyeliner  (£2.99) and it's safe to say I'm converted to glitter eyelinerism. The ones I've tried in the past have looked pretty at first but have become flaky and crackly. This doesn't do that! This means I can use it in funky ways, like using my finger to pat it over eyeshadow for low maintenance glam. Look!

And speaking of glam, what's more glam than highlighter? I'm a huge highlighter fan, but being a oily/combo skin gal, I stick pretty much exclusively to powder products. So when I sized up the Ultimate Contour highlighting stick, I tought I'd struggle to make it work for me. Cream products tend to make me look like a greaseball. Luckily, this trashed my expectations. It's lightweight and feels like shimmery air, it blends out like a dream, and is a very affordable £4.99. I  was very pleasantly surprised.

The only product I wasn't a huge fan of was the glacier gloss. It was pretty and had a cute flush of colour, but it was also quite sticky. Then again, I'm not really a lipgloss person. Other than that though, my experience with Beauty UK products has been overwhelmingly positive. They have impressive colour choices, great quality products, and budget friendly prices.

NOICE.

X

smashbox always on matte liquid lipstick- review and swatches

Whoa. Have I got a helluva sweet lipstick review for you today.

Ok, so you know how I have a bit of problem with collecting liquid lipsticks from every brand under the sun? Yeah. Well, that gives me grounds for lots of comparison. And the new Smashbox Always On matte liquid lipsticks are a cut above average for sure.

The tube is a typical Smashbox affair. Boxy and minimalist with a bit of attitude. It's quite short, but it seems to have as much product in it as taller tubes. I really like the applicator- it's tear shaped with a little dimple in the centre to hold all the product you need in one dip. I got perfectly clean application with a few easy sweeps, no problemo.

The formula itself is amazing. Completely opaque with no streaking or patchy areas. No feathering or clumping. Just creamy, luxurious colour that glides on to set to a moist, lightweight matte finish. Seriously. Even without lip balm underneath, it's surprisingly comfortable.

Smashbox always on matte liquid lipstick - bang bang

Behold! I got the shade Bang Bang, a punchy vibrant red that made me feel like a Hollywood doll. Do you see how cushiony the finish looks? It blew me away. And despite being so plush, it still stayed put for an impressive amount of time. I even fell asleep in it and woke up to only a little smudging. And I sleep like a BEAST.

So yeah, I'm pretty much enamoured with this lippy. It's a spendy £19, but it's so luxurious that it's hella worth it.

X

pinky rose cosmetics liquid matte lipstick- review and swatches

Like my previous post, I did a crap job of choosing my shade of lipstick. It's far too pale for my complexion. But, also like my previous post, it's lip liner to the rescue! I got the shade 'Luxury ',  a pale neutral nude by the brand Pinky Rose cosmetics. I snagged it on sale for $14.99- it's usually $18. So. Was it worth the little splurge?

Despite my shit shade selection, yes. The packaging was so pretty and unique. I say 'was' because they've recently revamped it. It's still good eye candy though, just a tad more mature. The formula is lovely too. Opaque, non streaky, comfortable. It feels a little different from standard liquid mattes in the sense that it sets to a kind of film once dry. It's not a bad thing though, as it's a flexible and non-cracking kind of film. And it lasts AGES. All day long.

Pinky rose cosmetics liquid matte lipstick- luxury

See? It doesn't look like a butthole. I'm wearing it here over Collection Lip Definer in the shade 'cappuccino'- which, by the way, I fully recommend. It's twist-up and comfy and affordable. And I think think this combo works great! I think it actually looks good on me. Eeep.

So. If you like the sound of this lippy, go snag it now while the sale is still on! There's a sweet colour range so I'm sure you'll find a shade to suit you.

Xx

velvet 59 matte liquid lipstick- review and swatches

Long time no review huh? To be honest, life has been throwing all sorts at me lately and I just haven't had the time to sit and chat shit about lipstick. But now. Now the shit will be chatted.

Right. So. Velvet 59 by Paris Manning is a vegan and cruelty free indie brand hailing from the states. Their prices are fairly steep, but the quality of the products seem impressive. I was torn between ordering their creamy lipsticks (seriously cute packaging) and their matte to the max liquid lipsticks, but tossed a coin and went for the latter. I got the shade 'pink cadillac' for $20.

The tube is cute! It looks like a proper 'you can't sit with us' type accessory. Unfortunately, I judged the colour choice poorly. This shade is way too pastel and pale for my skin tone. On its own, it would look pretty bad. Luckily, lipliner exists. So I've been wearing it over various darker shades and have loved the results. I've worn it a few times over a darker coral pink and it looked super summery and girly. I also really dig it over a berry coloured liner. Mm. Yeah. 

Velvet 59 matte liquid lipstick - pink cadillac 

Here it is swatched over a darker pink lip liner. As you can see, it looks pretty damn flawless. But seeing as I've never worn the product without a base, I can't really comment on whether it streaks or dries terribly or whathaveyou. I can say though, that even with lip balm and lip liner underneath, it's still hella transfer proof and truly matte.

The only dud is the slightly chemically paint like smell. It's not awful, but it's not exactly pleasant either.

So. Would I buy again? Yes, but only if they were on sale. I'm a poor wench. And I would totally go for the shade 'dark heart'.

Xx

wet n wild megalast liquid lipstick- review and swatches

Sigh. I really really wanted the new Wet N Wild Color Icon limited edition liquid lipsticks. I went on their site, added a few shades to my basket, and... They don't ship to the UK. Suuuucks.

So once I got over it, I thought I'd review the Megalast liquid lipstick by the brand instead. I got mine off eBay for pretty cheap, in a seriously lovely pink shade called 'rose to the occasion'.

The packaging is nothing special, but Wet N Wild is all about affordability and quality, so appearance isn't an issue for me. It has a paddle shaped applicator which is nice, though it could do with being just a bit stiffer.

Now, the formula. It's a tricky one. It glides on really creamy and pigmented and looks really promising. But a lot of people complain about stickiness when it dries down and clumping and crumbling. I can definitely say that it doesn't feel lightweight, but with a thin layer, I only experienced very minimal stickiness (I didn't even notice it till I read online reviews) and though it wore away fairly quickly on the centre, it was really long lasting and was actually hard to remove. I'd definitely advise against applying more than one layer, as that's where the cement like texture/appearance comes in. And avoid doing little touch ups- it's better to remove it completely and apply from scratch.

Wet n wild megalast liquid lipstick - rose to the occasion 

But this colour! SUCH a gorgeous deep pink. And it's got some subtle sparkles in it too which make it quite unique. To be honest, I adore the colour so much that I can ignore the little niggles with formula.

What are your thoughts on it?

X

jd glow cosmetics liquid matte lipstick- review and swatches

It's been a while! I've been away in the motherland soaking up some rays for the past month. But I have now returned to my lipsticky life and have a new review to share with you.

Have you heard of JD Glow? You ought to have. They're an indie cosmetics brand that has become quite a hit with makeup loving fiends on account of their pretty highlighters, lipsticks and eyeshadows. Although I was sorely tempted by a pan or two of their signature glow, I restrained myself and only picked up one of their liquid matte lipsticks. I got the shade 'brown suga' which is a slightly cool toned nude. Check it.

JD Glow cosmetics liquid matte llipstick- brown suga

It's usually a great wear-alone nude on me (I'm wearing it alone in the swatch), but since my recent tan, I prefer to wear it paired with a darker brown lipliner. I like the colour. It's a bit different to your bog standard peachy nude. I like the formula too- it's opaque and doesn't feel like an arid layer of cement. The only dud is the dry down time, which does take a while.

These lippies are usually $15, but are currently reduced to $13, which makes em pretty pocket friendly. What's more, they've recently revamped their packaging to something super sexy (I've got the boring old packaging, boo). They've got a great shade range going on and the product smells like vanilla.

So. If you're feeling a bit tempted to go snag a new lippy, now is probably a good time.

I am an enabler to lipstick addicts.

(Sorry)

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h&m velvet lip cream- review and swatches

We all know I don't need any more liquid lipsticks, but that didn't stop me lusting after the new velvet lip cream by H&M. Their recently launched high quality makeup line has had its praises sung far and wide. Unfortunately, it wasn't available at any of the stores in my city- only the regular brand makeup was. Luckily, on a trip into Nottingham, I managed to snag one. For £6.99, I got this baby in the shade 'screen siren'.

The packaging is simple but chic, but the applicator is a little odd. It has the texture of a rather stiff, scratchy doefoot, but in the shape of a rectangular kind of paddle. The stiffness of the wand coupled with a thick and fast drying formula means you don't get any of that sensual smooth gliding. It definitely takes a quick hand and a little effort to apply well, but at least the rectangular shape gives you clean edges. Silver linings.

So let's talk formula. While it is indeed fast drying, the finished texture is fine. It is very matte and transfer proof and would definitely benefit from lip balm prior to application, but there's no cracking or crumbling and it's not Sahara desert drying. It's good. Not the most comfortable, but definitely not the most drying.

H&M velvet lip cream- screen siren 

What really won me over was the colour. It's. .. so damn sexy. It actually looks deeper and more wine toned in real life, but even in this swatch you can tell how rich it is. The good thing is, if you're not into vampy shades, there are plenty of natural and playful shades on offer too. So if you're lucky enough to have the fabulous-er beauty range in your city, you might find it well worth popping in for a cheeky swatch fest.

Xx

eccentric cosmetics liquid matte lipstick review and swatches

Oh yes. It's another corker of an indie brand I'll be gushing about today. Eccentric Cosmetics is an Etsy brand that specialises in liquid lipsticks, amazingly unique mineral eyeshadows and eye primers. When I stumbled upon their shop, I wanted everything. Unfortunately, I'm a broke child. But there was a solution: they sell trial sizes! So, I bought one of the trial size liquid matte lipsticks. with the intention of going back for a full size in happier times if it impressed me. Spoiler: it did.

So there it is. The trial size is a dinky 1.2ml, which is enough for a few applications and really all you need for getting acquainted with the formula and seeing if the shade suits you. I got the shade 'Aurora Australis'. All the lipsticks are, I believe, named after beautiful Australian landmarks and natural phenomena. Which is kinda cool.

eccentric cosmetics liquid to matte lipstick- aurora australis

The shade is a deliciously vivid raspberry pink which would look amazing on any and every skintone. I loved that it went on opaque in one layer and didn't look streaky or uneven, and it dried to a long lasting but comfortable and lightweight matte finish. There was minimal transfer, but that hardly faded the colour on my lips at all. I wore it through a cup of tea, a meal, and a whole lot of talking, and it held up well with no uncomfortable cracking or tightening. I'm really impressed actually, and I love this shade so much that I'll definitely pick up the full size soon. 

Oh, and if you weren't already convinced, it's very reasonably priced too. £8.48 for a full size tube (great for a small batch handmade product) and only £2.12 for shipping to the UK. Oh, and they'll give you a sweet free sample of an eyeshadow too. 

So yeah. Go check em out xx

glitter elixirs cosmetics liquid to matte liquid lipstick and lip elixir- review and swatches

I keep a keen eye out for indie, cruelty free brands, especially women-owned ones. Especially when they have funky lipsticks. BOOM! An order from Glitter Elixirs cosmetics, which ticks all the boxes. It's an etsy shop that specialises in lip products and glitter, and I've been itching to place an order since I'd been seeing delicious swatches and praising reviews all over Instagram. There were a lot of cool colours with funky names to choose from for around seven quid, but I went with this one, called 'a nice chianti'. lookit.

glitter elixirs liquid to matte lipstick

So, when it arrived, I had the biggest smile on the face. The package included a free sample of one of the Lip Elixir products, some little chocolates, and a sweet handwritten note from the owner. It's loving touches like that which really set indie brands apart from the big guys. Lovely. As you can see, it's a plain looking tube with a brand sticker on the cap, but I ain't complaining. Production costs are super high for small batch production, and I'd rather the quality of the product was prioritised over fancy packaging.

glitter elixirs liquid matte lipstick- a nice chianti

Swatch! How gorgeous is this purple? It's deeper in person than it looks in pictures, and my, is it divine. So as for the formula... well. First things first: it smells HEAVENLY. I don't usually like scented products, but this is definitely an exception. I could sniff it all day long. Anywho, it applies really opaque and super smooth and streak-free, which is impressive for such a dark shade. It dries down within a few minutes to a long lasting (but not entirely transfer proof) finish. And you know what? That bit of transfer is totally fine by me because this formula is SO comfortable. Like not only is it not drying.. it's also actually kinda moisturising. It felt so lightweight and cushiony and ugh. 100% love.

glitter elixirs lip elixir acid rain

Oh, and here's a swatch of the lip elixir sample I received, in case you were curious. It's called 'acid rain' and is a super opaque, creamy yellow that is a kind of lacquer texture. It's minty and wonderfully comfortable and sets to a satin-cream finish and is easy to sweep on with just a tiny dot on a lip brush. It's definitely not a shade I would have picked, but I'm glad I got it because I'm actually really looking forward for some cool lip art and ombre looks.

So yeah. In case you couldn't tell, I am thoroughly impressed by this brand and I absolutely recommend it.

ciate London liquid velvet matte lip slick- review and swatches

Guys! I've found a BRILLIANT new lipstick. It's by Ciate London, which is a brand most famous for nail polishes. In fact, I didn't even know they did other makeup products. But they do! And their new liquid to matte lipstick,  the 'liquid velvet matte lip slick' is bloody brilliant.

There it is. It comes in a rather funky box and the tube itself is pretty cute too. The little bows are a sweet touch and make it a bit different to all the other plain tubes out there.

Now, upon opening the tube, you will be greeted by a sweet but quite chemical smell. It's not gag-inducing, and I can live with it. The applicator is great! It's kind of tear shaped and the wide base and pointy tip make application smooth and clean edges easy, and it holds just the right amount of product. And it glides on so so lovely-ly. It's moussey and plush and opaque in one swipe, and doesnt feel dry or uncomfortable once it sets to a matte, but not transfer proof finish.

ciate London liquid velvet- smitten

I got the shade 'smitten' and I love it. It's a bright, vivid warm pink which is flattering and wearable and not so neon as to be 'scary'.

So. My first foray into Ciate's lip products was a very positive one. Nice one guys! It's a corker. The Ciate liquid velvet lipstick is £17 (but £13.60 on asos.com) and I definitely recommend it xx