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.

New look lipsticks- review and swatches

Greetings friends. My eyes are burning from lack of sleep but insomnia is kicking my butt so hard lately that I'm not even gonna try to fight it. Let's chat crap about lipstick then, shall we?

Right. So New Look have recently revamped their makeup line to have better quality, better looking, and more varied products. I'd tried out their old liquid matte lipstick formula and found it to be painfully dry and crackly, but I'm always down for second chances. This time around I picked up their new liquid matte lipstick and two of their traditional bullet lipsticks in different finishes.

The bullet lipsticks are £3.99 each and come in 'moisturising' or 'matte' finishes. They feel very lightweight and are nothing special to look at, though I definitely prefer the gold case of the matte lippies to the tackier looking silver get up of their moisturising counterparts. But let's talk formula.

New look matte lipstick- dusky pink 

This is the shade 'dusky pink' in the matte finish. I think the formula is best described as 'meh'. It's ok. Two coats will give full coverage, it's not streaky or drying or anything. But it's also not as good as other matte lipsticks out there (eg Primark's  £1 offerings). I like my matte lipsticks to really hug my lips and sit tight. To not skid around. This particular lipstick has a bit of a sheen to it so it doesn't look entirely matte, and it also retains a bit too much slip to really 'feel' matte either. So yeah. It's alright for the price. Just nothing to write home about.

New look moisturising lipstick- deep rouge 

Moving on to a lipstick that IS worth writing home about. Ah. I love it when a lippie blows my expectations out of the water. When I think of the word 'moisturising', I have visions of something sheer, somewhat greasy looking. 

Nope. The above swatch of the shade 'deep rouge' is only one pass of the bullet. No lipliner bruv. Oddly, despite being as comfy as the name implies, the formula looks and feels more matte than the actual matte one. I guess 'semi matte' would cover it. It feels like a second skin; it's so lightweight and plush, you'd forget you were wearing it. It does transfer a fair bit, but it's so pigmented and soft that a quick lip smush is enough to redistribute the colour. 

The most pleasant surprise was that it didn't bleed. GET IN! Moisturising formulae are notorious for seeping outside the lip line, so I was fully expecting my mouth to look a bit unfortunate a few hours into wear. But my lines were pristine. *happy dance* 

Anyway, I don't know if all the shades in the moisturising line are this good, but 'deep rouge' is a knockout for sure. 

Moving on to the liquid matte lipstick. She's definitely a looker! Not bad at all for £6. But then I'm always a slut for frosted glass and a weighty feel. 

The formula applies deliciously opaque with no streakiness at all- which is no mean feat for such a dark colour (the shade is called 'blackberry' and it's a super dark gothic purple). The paddle shaped applicator definitely helps with the ease of application. It dries down in a minute or two to a comfortable matte finish that is pretty much transfer proof, but will smudge with heavy friction. It doesn't crack or peel or feel like a desert stuck on your gob. And it's a really cool colour! It's like 'raven' velvetine by Lime Crime, but cheaper and comfier and less streaky. Just generally better.  

New look beauty super matte liquid lipstick- blackberry 

It's a huge improvement on the old formula and I'm definitely a fan. Go pick up a shade or two if you're on the prowl for an affordable high quality liquid lipstick. 

And let's face it, why wouldn't you be? 

Laters,

X

Fyrinnae magic whipped metallic liquid lipstick- review and swatches

I've waffled on about my love for Fyrinnae Cosmetics on this here blog many a time. But they recently released a product which is just so unbelievably good that I likely won't be able stop cheerleading for it until 2054. Behold!

Ok, so I generally keep my politics off here and focus on the fairly neutral terrain of lipstick. But this lipstick is political, and so am I. I like equality. I don't like discrimination.

So. Lemme give you some good reasons for why you need this lipstick:

1) this shade was spontaneously released in the wake of the monstrous 45th POTUS coming into office.
2) it's called 'we the people'. How cool?
3) it's an indie brand. Supporting small businesses is always a good thing.
4) 30% of proceeds go to ACLU or Human Rights Watch- you choose at checkout.
5) by buying from Fyrinnae, you're directly supporting a refugee (the founder) and two immigrants.
6) the brand is refreshingly inclusive of races, sexualities, and genders. Diverse swatches are the best swatches.
7) the formula is amazing. I've had problems with other shades being difficult to work with, but this particular baby is faultless. It's so lightweight! And transfer proof. And though you you'll need two coats for full opacity, it dries quickly and won't flake or crumble with wear.
8) um, it's such a stunningly unique shade. Raspberry pink-red base loaded with the most magical hot pink and icy blue sparkles.

Fyrinnae magic whipped metallics- we the people 

Sigh. It's just so pretty. Even if it was by a regular brand with no cause but profit, I'd still sing its praises for beauty and performance.

You can grab this wand of utter fabulousness for a very affordable  $9.75 from Fyrinnae.com.

Go go go!

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

primark beauty makeup haul- review and swatches

What feels better than buying new makeup? Buying new makeup that's hella cheap.  What feels better than buying new makeup that's hella cheap? Buying new makeup that's hella cheap and hella great quality too. Let us begin today's review.

Ta da. So I was having a browse in Primark yeah, and I came across a new stand of Pro Beauty makeup, which appears to be a higher quality range than the still-good P.S Love makeup. The prices are fractionally more expensive  (we're talking three quid for a lippy instead of one quid) but the line up is impressive. There are clear anti feathering lip liners, felt tip lip liners (very novel!), colour correction palettes, lip glosses, foundations and loads of other cool things. Obviously, being the lipstick addict that I am, I  picked up one of the rick colour lipsticks from the range. I got the shade 'boudoir pink', a soft mauve shade.

Primark pro beauty rich colour lipstick 

It's one of those lipsticks that click open at the base to release the tube. Lots of fun. Anyway, the lipstick itself is lovely. Creamy and smooth and moist. A great first foray into the Pro Beauty range. Here's a cheeky swatch: 

Primark pro beauty rich colour lipstick- boudoir pink

Up next, a not so soft lippy. If you're a regular reader, you'll know I'm not one to shy away from bright shades. In fact, they positively excite me. So imagine how I squealed in surprise to find an unconventional colour on the high street- bright blue no less! Nice one Primark. Keeping up with the cool kids. The P.S Love high colour lipstick crayons are a mere £2, and come in a range of fun and colourful shades. The blue shade I snagged is called 'freedom', and here's what it looks like on...

Primark p.s love high colour lipstick crayon- freedom 

 I'll be honest- I didn't have high hopes for this. I thought it would be streaky and sheer and look more like greasy frostbite, but got it out of curiosity anyway. Hell naww. It's satiny and decently pigmented and moisturising. In fact, it's a great colour dupe of Lime Crime's limited edition and discontinued lipstick in 'cry baby', though it's a more slippery formula. Still, not bad for two bob. Not bad at all.

Will the gushing continue? Of course it will.  My third and final lip product is an absolute beauty. It made me want to scream, it was that good. Look- it's the P.S Love super matte liquid lipstick in the shade 'red'.

Primark p.s love super matte liquid lipstick - red

But. Wow. That is hardly your bog standard average red. It's so VIVID. For only £2, you get a supremely pigmented, brilliantly formulated liquid to matte lipstick with an amazingly precise applicator. It's actually not the least bit uncomfortable. Although it's a true powder matte finish, it somehow manages to feel lightweight, and not a crack or crumble in sight. Bloody hell Primark. Killing the gaaame.

And finally, I got. ... cosmetic glitter! I bloody love glitter. I'm always using it for lip art, and have quite a collection going on. This pack of three is excellent value though. Topshop sells one little pot of face glitter for £5.50, whereas for £2.50, you can get three pots AND a glitter adhesive. Which is kind of very useful for sticking glitter to your face. Primark wins.

Look at the beautiful glitter.

Primark p.s love face glitter

Well. Considering this little haul was such a success, you can bet I'll trot back for more. Until my next waffle,

Xx

rimmel the only one revolution lipstick- review and swatches.

If, like me, you're a frequent haunter of Superdrug makeup aisles, you'll know that Rimmel has released a line of new lipsticks that will allegedly tick every damn box. The Only One lipsticks promise comfort, lasting power, intense colour and immortality. And a lifetime supply of fluffy kittens. A sucker for such tantalising advertising, I popped a tube in my basket.

She's a good looking lady, I think. Boxy and black and has a bit of attitude, and a handy ring of colour that corresponds with the lipstick shade. The only thing that's slightly inconvenient is the shape of the bullet. I find it hard to define my cupid's bow with the flat round surface. Then again, it's not a biggie- the use of a matching lip liner or a lip brush fixes that problem.

Anyway, the formula really is everything it promises. Saturated colour, a glide on satin formula that is squishy and supple-feeling without being slippery, a texture that sticks well to the lips, and a magic way of not drying out your lips even after prolonged wear. Niiiiice. The only minor issue was a bit of bleeding a few hours in, but it was such an insignificant amount that it wasn't really noticeable.

Rimmel the only one revolution lipstick - best of the best

I got the shade 'best of the best', a bright, slightly blue based red. It's a classic red, that's what it is. I love this lippy and at £6.99, I reckon it's worth every penny. Nice one, Rimmel!

X