Mac Heavy Petting lipstick review and swatches

It's been a long time since I've bought a MAC lipstick- I've just been unexcited by new releases and have been too preoccupied with swooning and obsessing over lipsticks from other brands. But the LE Dark Desires collection caught my eye, and chiefly for the wine coloured lipstick called 'heavy petting'. The colour itself wasn't so unique, but the cremesheen formula sold it for me (I know it divides opinion but it's my favourite mac finish). Oh and the name was pretty appealing hehe.

Mac heavy petting (dark desires)

So there she is. A rich, berry-leaning shade with good colour payoff and a sumptuous sheen to the finish. A very season appropriate shade. The swatch is of the lipstick alone, though I would recommend lipliner with it because it does tend to bleed. 

Wear time is average, and it fades to a cute bitten stain. Some people find the cremesheen formula drying but it's really comfortable on me... so I guess it comes down to your own experiences of it. 

Anyway I'm glad I got. I can see myself wearing this shade a whole lot. 

Xx

Lime crime perlees lipstick review and swatches

   Hey you lot. Sorry for not posting much lately; I've been distracted by another lip art challenge over on Instagram (@poutnshout if you're curious). But I thought I'd drop in today because there's a new kid on the block in lipstick land, and you NEED to hear about it because it's amazing.

Lime crime perlees- asphalt 

It's the new Perlees by Lime Crime. First off, just LOOK at how beautiful the packaging is. It makes a nice change from the cute-but-childish packaging of the unicorn lipsticks, and is actually one of the prettiest cases I own. I mean LOOK at it. Damn.

So anyway, the concept behind these lipsticks is a 'matte pearl' finish, which sounds pretty unique if a bit confusing. There are some really beautiful shades in the lineup, and I found myself torn between 'Penny', a vibrant copper, and 'Asphalt'. After much umming and ahhing, I went with the latter.

Lime crime perlees- asphalt 

Asphalt is described as a grey with brown tones, which is gorgeously unique. I'm all about them funky shades. That said, the brown tones don't really come through much on me, unless I apply it with a lighter hand. Not complaining though, because I adore the shade all the same.

Now, I was kinda expecting a sheer, dragging application with this, because the bullet looked quite stiff and waxy and the whole 'matte pearl' description just didn't sound too buttery. Nope. I was so wrong.  It glided on easily and wasn't patchy or sheer in the least, and it felt incredibly lightweight once on and not drying at all. I was so pleasantly surprised.

I also found it quite long lasting for a traditional bullet formula, and the fade wasn't gross. And I didn't experience any bleeding. Hmm. I'm gonna wear it a lot more and report back if I find something negative about it, but so far, I'm all praise.

Woo.

Xx

bagsy beauty lip velvet- review and swatches

Oops I did it again. I bought another liquid matte lipstick. I am ashamed.

But hella pleased! Because it's great. Right, so there's this new British makeup brand I came across called Bagsy Beauty. It's got some super prettily packaged products at average to higher end price tags, but they all seem to be of a really high quality. I was most intrigued by their Lip Velvet, which was described as a matte liquid lipstick with sheer coverage and a moist feel. Interesting or nah? So I went and bought it.

First impressions were along the lines of 'squee!', on account of the really cute pink cardboard sleeve thingy it came in. I can't show you because I lost it like a bimbo, but believe me when I say it looks super special. It makes it feel like opening a gift, ya know?

The actual tube looks very much like the much pricier Hourglass opaque rouge, in the sense that's it's on the smaller side and is flattened. While it feels like stinginess with the Hourglass one (if you're gonna pay twenty odd quid, you'd at least expect more than a pint sized lippy), the Bagsy one is actually functional. You see, the brand is all about products being portable and handy for the woman on the go, so this slimmer tube would be ideal for slipping into a crammed bag or jeans pocket, and it won't take up much room in a clutch bag either. For £12, it's definitely more reasonable too.

Bagsy lip velvet- no frills

So. The actual formula. It wasn't what I expected, but it was very nice. It's more of a stiff mousse than a liquid, and it glides on completely matte- but doesn't dry down. There's still a little slip once it's on and the oils in it are more forgiving on dry lips (though be sure to exfoliate first or it'll cling to patches), so if you avoid regular liquid matte lipsticks, try giving this one a go. I think the formula is distinctly silicon-y, and that's where it gets its matteness from. It's smooth and fairly long lasting and doesn't sink into lines or look patchy, but it's not opaque and it's not transfer proof, so I guess it's a matter of preference really.

Oh, the shade I got is called 'no frills' and is a pale peachy nude. It's really easy to wear for casual days and I've been wearing it to uni for the past few days.

What do you think? Do you like the sound of these lip velvets or do you prefer the more tattoo-like liquid lipsticks?

X

lipland cosmetics amrezy liquid lipstick- review and swatches

Oh my, I am SO excited about today's post. I'd actually never heard of indie brand Lip Land Cosmetics until they launched their collaboration liquid lipsticks with Instagram makeup idol Amrezy.

And then, when I did find out about them, I had no intention of buying- I thought they offered nothing new and we're too pricey to be worth it. But then I found Brooklyn going for cheap on ebay, and the rest is history.

First up, the packaging. It's beautiful. If you're gonna pay a fair bit for a lipstick, this is what you'd want it to look like- professional and glamorous. It comes with a stiff doe foot applicator that more or less pops out with the right amount of product.

But the colour though. Bloody hell, it's utterly unique and is hands down the brightest shade I own- and I own a fair few. It's an ultra vivid neon brilliant reddened orange. I mean seriously, I didn't expect it at all, but I'm so so chuffed with it. I couldn't stop staring at my lips in the mirror. Look!

Lipland cosmetics liquid lipstick- brooklyn 

And the formula is impressive too. It's more of a mousse than a liquid, but it's opaque and not streaky and dries to a pretty comfortable matte finish with no cracking or flaking. Big thumbs up. The only problem I experienced was that gummy bit along the inseam of my mouth  (you know what I mean?) which did transfer and leave a colorless patch where wiped off. Perhaps that's because I put on too much or was overly generous with the lip balm underneath- but it's not something I usually get. That said, it didn't look bad or obviously patchy when wiped off, though I suppose it would be worse with a darker shade like Montenegro. 

Other than that, the only other drawback is the price. $19 plus shipping isn't baby money. But if you have the cash to splash (or find a sweet ebay deal) I'd definitely recommend picking up Brooklyn, as the other shades are easily dupeable. 

Have you tried anything from Lipland? Holla at me with your thoughts xx

New look pure colour matte liquid lip colour- review and swatches

I didn't even even know New Look had a makeup range! But one day when I was browsing for nothing in particular, I stumbled upon their Pure Colour stuff on an impressively neat stand. Everything looked high quality and was really affordable. I think I might go back to pick up a lipstick and lip pencil in the future, but as a first dabble I just snagged this liquid to matte lippie.

For a £3.99 product, it looks pretty smart, or nah? And I love the applicator! It's really long and flexible so it's effortless to manoeuvre, and you get just the right amount of product on it each time.

New look pure colour matte liquid lip colour - sweet rose 

Andddd that's how she looks on. This is the shade 'sweet rose'. Proper pretty and girly. The formula isn't streaky and it dries fully matte fairly quickly. It's not the most comfortable- it's similar to the Sleek Matte Me formula in the dryness stakes and will crack if you cement too much on- but with balm rubbed in beforehand and a thin layer, it does an alright job.

I'm glad to have this shade in my collection and if I try out any other Pure Colour goodies, I'll be sure to give you the low down xx

Clinique pop lipstick review and swatches

I'm not a magazine person, me. Okay, that's a lie- I sometimes pick up Cat World. But today, I did an odd thing and bought the current issue of Glamour magazine. Have I developed a sudden interest in celebrity fashion and perfume ads? Have I Fuck. I bought it for the freebie.

Aw yeah. The December 2015 issue comes with a free Clinique travel size product- either a moisturiser, mascara or the new pop lip colour and primer lipstick delight. After much hunting around, I managed to find one with Cherry Pop, the one I really wanted (rather than Nude Pop).

 

Ta da! I love the whole colour blocking thing going on with the packaging- super cute and pretty novel for Clinique, which is usually quite safe with its colours.

Now, she's only little, but she packs a punch for sure. For some reason I was expecting a sheer flush of colour, but the pigmentation is rich and gorgeous with this one. And I think the 'primer' thing comes into play with its moisturising properties and longevity. It's really comfortable to wear so there's no need for balm underneath, and it had a staining effect which means isn't gonna dissappear after a few lipsticky coffee cup prints. Be sure to whack on the lipliner beforehand though, as the emollient texture is likely to bleed a little.

Clinique pop lipstick- cherry pop

                    

Boom, swatches. I thought I'd post two because the first one best demonstrates the finish- a lustrous satin- and the second one best demonstrates the colour- a rich cherry red, deeper rather than brighter.

I really really love the formula and the colour and the EVERYTHING. I'm really glad I got it free because the full size would probably be outside of my current (broke as hell) budget. But if I was rich and didn't already have wayyyy  too many red lipsticks, I would buy it fo sho x

beautybarbaby matte attack liquid lipstick review and swatches

Beauty Bar Baby is an indie cosmetics brand on etsy, and you know I'm all about supporting small businesses. Especially when they sell liquid to matte lipsticks that seem to be a hit in the beauty world. So I picked up the shade 'living legend' (mostly because I love the name) for £9.41 and now it's arrived and I've worn it a couple of days, I've got a review for you babes. Let's get to it then.

So there she is. I quite like the sticker which gives it that handmade touch, and I like that the tube is a generous size. On opening, I came across the only flaw. The scraper thing is either inadequate or nonexistent, so it's hard to control how much product the doefoot applicator gets coated in.

Beauty bar baby matte attack liquid lipstick- living legend 

But once scraped up, it's plain sailing. The formula is a delight- it glides on completely opaque with no patches or streaks. It dries to a fully matte finish and while there's no moisture, it's lightweight and doesn't feel like cracking cement. And it's totally transfer proof, so top marks on the longevity front.

Beauty bar baby matte attack liquid lipstick- living legend 

Oh, and I ADORE the colour. It's a kind of darker nude with mauve tones that leans more pink or more brown depending on skin tone and lighting (I tried to show that in the swatches). I'd call it a 'nutmeg nude', me. I reckon it'll suit pretty much all skin tones too.

So to round up, it's a yes from me. Good job you Beauty Bar babes xxx

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

mua matte lipstick- review and swatches.

Long time no blog, huh? I've been mostly preoccupied with a lip art challenge on instagram (check out my posts @poutnshout) but I'm back to share my lipstick ramblings with you babes now. Today I'll be reviewing two lipsticks from MUA's matte range. I know they've been around for quite a while now, but I've recently fallen back in love with one of the shades, so figured it was high time I shared my thoughts with you. 

 

There they are. You may or may not remember my original post on the regular MUA lipsticks, in which I praised them highly, and mentioned the perks of the packaging. Yup, the bottom still twists off to reveal a handy bit of product for touch ups. And I actually think the white packaging looks great, and a little different from most drugstore lippies too.

So, I have the shades 'wild berry' and 'fawn fancy'. Wild berry is a sheer matte. have you ever heard of such a thing? A sheer matte! In fact, it the only sheer shade of the bunch, though it's still very pretty if you're about that 'just bitten' stain. Fawn fancy is a nutmeg nude (it looks slightly pink in the picture but it's not in real life) and it is just gorgeous. It's so warm and flattering, kind of midway between MAC Honeylove and Whirl. Love love love.

mua matte lipsticks- wild berry and fawn fancy

What really impressed me was the texture. It's so soft and makes my lips feel pillowy and plump, and it adheres really well so lasts ages and ages. Honestly, this is a winner of a matte formula, and far exceeds the matte offerings of higher end brands. For a mere ONE POUND, you get no bleeding, no streakiness, no settling in lines, no gluey-congealing. Just perfect.

mua matte lipstick- fawn fancy

And here's fawn fancy again because I love it so damn much. It's the perfect shade to just swipe on because I know it will make me look healthy and put together and not washed out, and will complement any makeup. Go swatch it in store for yourself! You won't regret it homie. xx

Laura paige city color matte lipstick review and swatches

I'm late to the party with these lippies . City Colour Cosmetics has always been a brand that I've been interested in- they seemed to have a lot of good reviews and a bunch of affordable and high quality products. Anyway, eventually I ordered one of their matte lipsticks from eBay for £2.50.

It looks decent for a budget lippy, though the lid doesn't snap on all that securely. I'm paranoid that it's gonna fall off on my bag and make a smushfest, though I suppose it won't be too bad considering the bullet isn't exposed.

city color matte lipstick- juicy melon

I got the shade 'juicy melon' which is a lovely flattering coral pink with a subtle shimmer that stops it from looking entirely flat. I really like it!

Now it's a matte, and that translates to the texture. It's quite firm and dry, with quite a bit of drag on application. That said, the pigmentation is gorgeous and it doesn't feel drying once on, though a little lip balm beforehand wouldn't hurt. Oh, and another thing to note is that it is quite strongly perfumed. The smell isn't unpleasant and it doesn't linger, but it does take some getting used to.

One great thing about this lipstick is that once on, it lasts aaaaages. There's barely any transfer and it really clings like a trooper.

So yeah. Overall it's a thumbs up. Erm, k bye.

max factor lipfinity lipstick review and swatches

Trusted UK makeup brand Max Factor came out with lipfinity lipstick range a long time ago. They were quite novel upon release, and years down the line, are still pretty unique compared to lip products in a similar category. I originally bought a candy pink shade and hated it. It didn't suit me at all and the silver frost accentuated the appearance of dryness. It looked tacky and shrivelled and I just couldn't make it work for me. But, once upon a time in a Superdrug not too far away, an offer on the Max Factor stand tempted me to give this product another go. I have. So today, I'll be reviewing shade 16, 'glowing'.

 

 

Glowing is beautiful, wearable shade that is much more flattering to my complexion. Unlike the heavy frost of the first purchase, the shimmer in this one is pretty and adds luminosity. I'd describe the colour as a faded dusty rose with a dash of mauve. So here's how it works. Apply the liquid base colour with the doefoot applicator. Don't spread on too much or try layering because it will look claggy. Stick to a thin, even coat. Let it dry. At this stage, depending on whether/how you've prepped your lips, it may or may not feel too dry. On me, with my fairly well behaved lips not prone to excessive dryness, it felt fine. Like a regular liquid to matte lipstick, though of the drier variety. It may however look a little dry and shrivelled even if it doesn't feel so, so it really just depends on which shade you have and how it behaves on your lips. Depending on those factors, you could opt to leave it as it is. It will be touchproof and last forever. Or, go ahead and slide on the balm topcoat. It will smooth out any puckeriness and give a shoft sheen, and generally make your lips look and feel more juicy and lightweight. 

max factor lipfinity shade 16 glowing

Just to demonstrate the difference, in the above swatches the top is with the balm topcoat and the bottom is the base colour alone. Oh, and they're both outlined in Barry M lipliner in shade 9. I tend to wear it alone for a while and just top with the balm if/when it begins to feel uncomfortable. Now, there are a lot of two step lip products out there. A lot of them, though, require glosses to seal in the otherwise rubbery colour. Meanwhile, the Lipfinity can work alone, and the balm is completely lightweight and smoothing. It's a much better option for those who don't like glossy lips, as it just leaves a subtle sheen.

All that may sounds overly faffy and annoying. You have to carry around the balm and base together or else risk a lip look disaster (Max Factor, won't you please consider making them into a double ended wand?) You might run out of the balm before the base colour, in which case you'll have to buy a refill. The two steps and drying time make it less than ideal for when in a rush. But. BUT. The big perk is the fact that this lippy does. Not. Wear. Off. Like, at all. Ever.

So, all in all, it won't be for everyone and it does take some getting used to. I wouldn't wear it everyday, but when I know I need something with lasting power, something I can rely on to stay flawless.... who ya gonna call? LIPFINITY. Sorry, ghostbusters.

ofra long lasting liquid lipstick review and swatches

 

 

Soooo. TheLipSwatch, sister page to DupeThat on instagram, recommended Ofra liquid lipsticks as some of the best liquid-matte formulae out there. So, being the sucker that I am, I had to go and buy one didn't I? I got mine from ebay, though the rrp is $19.90. That's definitely on the steeper end, so is it good enough to warrant that price?

 

I'm undecided. I mean the formula is amazing and the colours are beautiful. But there could have been more product for the money and I would have expected more from the packaging. But I got mine for a happy fiver, so I've got no grounds for complaint *smug laugh*.

I got the shade 'hollywood' which is an adorable happy pink. I've been wearing it pretty much all week. Now as for the formula, it's not entirely opaque (though it is pigmented) so it's more wearable for those who shy away from bold shades. That said, it layers beautifully so you can definitely build up the coverage. I'm wearing just one coat in the swatches below.

ofra liquid lipstick- hollywood

Isn't it cute? And I can see why it was recommended- it doesn't look or feel dry at all. Though it sets to a matte finish, it still retains a little moisture that keeps it from feeling uncomfortable.

What do you think? Worth it or nah? x

milani amore lip creme, review and swatches

 

 

So. I ummed and ahhed over whether or not to get Milani's liquid to matte Amore lip cream. Do I really need another liquid-matte? Do I not already have all the shades under the sun? Is my bank balance not crying for mercy? But then I found it was limited edition, and the rest is history. Anyway, I've been wearing it all day today. Check it out:

 



milani amore lip crème- adore

I got the shade 'adore', which is a lovely milky peach toned nude. I wore it with a deeper nude lipliner to make it complement my Asian skintone better (though I swatched it without the liner so you could see the true colour), but I think fair skinned folks could rock it alone pretty easily.

I do like the packaging- it makes it look more pricey and elegant than a (more or less) affordable brand's product would. But then, gold is always gonna up the luxury factor, ain't it? Also, I really love the applicator. It's a long paddle shape which makes clean lines child's play.

The formula is good too. Not exceptional, but very good, especially for the price. It may look a little cakey in the swatch, but I did slather on a lot there. I found it looked and felt fine if a small amount was spread well. The more you put on, the more cakey and crackly you're gonna find it, so less is more with is. When it sets, it's to a touchproof and smudgeproof finish, and though there's no moisture at all to it, if you have a bit of lip balm on underneath, you won't find it drying.

So it's a thumbs up. I like it and I'm glad I got it. And if you do too, you'd better snap it up fast because these ain't gonna be around forever, hun. xx

makeup monsters matte liquid lipstick review.

 

Anyone else think my liquid to matte lipstick addiction is getting out of hand? Me neither. The new girl in my collection is by Makeup Monsters Cosmetics, a small cruelty free indie makeup brand that runs on etsy, their own site, and soon to be launching on other sites. Good on 'em for their success! I bought mine from etsy for £10.77.

 

Ain't the packaging cute? I love when indie brands put their own personal touches to their products. Though there wasn't much point in posting this, as this is their old and now discontinued packaging. Their new one still has monsters on but the tube is more similar to the Jeffree Star ones. Anyway, this brand offers a MIND BLOWING selection of colours, from wearable neutrals to neon greens. I had such a hard time deciding on a colour, but eventually settled for 'nefarious'.

makeup monsters- nefarious

What a gorgeous purple! I really love it. I found the doefoot applicator to be stiff enough to get clean lines without the need for a lip brush. The formula is a wet but not runny consistency and my swatches show just one coat. So long as you spread well (and the generous drying time and easy layering makes that no issue) you'll be rewarded with an opaque, truly matte finish. Wear time is great with no smudging at all, though oil is the nemesis.

A great bonus was that is felt lightweight and wasn't overly drying like some liquid mattes are. I had in on for four hours and at the end of that time, my lips didn't look like shrivelled prunes. High fives all round!

makeup monsters matte liquid lipstick- nefarious

Overall, I'm very pleased with this brand and would recommend trying out a shade, though I wish you luck with picking just one out of all those gorgeous colours! xox

2true wow! gloss stick- review and swatches

Look yeah, I love me an orange lippy. It's one of my favourite shades. So when I saw this new wow stick by 2true in superdrug, at a mere £2.99, I had to snag the red-orange one, shade 5, called 'powerful pout'.

And it is bloody powerful. The intensity is a little bleached in my crappy phone swatches, but this stuff is OPAQUE. In fact, its pigmentation coupled with its very soft texture means you do have to be careful not to smush on too much. I definitely prefer to use a lip brush.

2true wow gloss stick- powerful pout

Because of how pigmented it is, the color lasts for a long time. It has a satin gloss finish though is easily blotted down to a matte, with hardly a dent of compromise on the colour. I would suggest using a clear lip liner with this, as it does have a tendency to bleed.

Another downer is that it's quite hard to sharpen. That softness being pesky again. But honestly, these are minor gripes. This much pigment in such a vibrant colour is hard to come by with budget brands, and I'm super glad I bought this. In fact, I think it's a great product dupe for the Urban Decay super saturated gloss pencil. I think I might review that soon. So watch this space xx

dose of colors liquid matte lipstick- review and swatches

 

Oh, I feel like a lucky lucky lady when I get my hands on hard-to-get makeup brands, especially when they have great colours. Dose of colors released a limited edition Terra collection which consisted of three shades (brick, sand, stone) and it proved so popular, that they bought them back as permanent shades to sell individually. And I had my heart swooning over Brick. So when I got it cheap on ebay, I happy danced for days.

 

dose of colours matte lipstick- brick

 

Look at it! major swoonage.

 



I mean, even the tube looks cool. Modern and funky with space age frosted glass. And as for the formula, I can definitely see why it was so hyped. It applies with a mousse-y, creamy consistency and is deliciously opaque. No patchiness or streaking at all. The drying time is generous and when it sets, it still retains a little moisture so as to make it comfortable to wear for hours on end. I'm currently into my sixth hour of wearing it (including a meal and coffee) and it still looks and feels great. There is a little bit of transfer, but it's so pigmented that it hardly ruins the overall look.

dose of colors- brick

My only niggle with this is the applicator- its curved huggable shape is great but it's a little too flexible and a little too fluffy for perfect precision. Don't get me wrong, it's not impossible, it just takes more care.

 

Overall though, I'm VERY HAPPY BRO. It's such a beautiful colour and I got so many compliments when I last wore it out. Bless me, my head expanded so. xx

la girl glazed lip paint - review and swatches

After loving LA Girl's matte pigment gloss (reviewed here) and luxury crème lipstick (reviewed here), I figured I'd try out their glazed lip paint, which is meant to be a kind of similar product to the Too Faced Melted lippies. I picked up the shade 'coy', which is a lovely violet shade.

 



I'm gonna be straight up here: I didn't like it. The packaging looks pretty cool, but isn't really functional. It's got a plastic slanted tip applicator which makes spreading the colour evenly impossible. It just makes a mess. So, I tried a lip brush. I found the consistency to be thin and liquidy, and to be fair, I liked how it could be applied sheerer or more opaque depending on how much I put on, and I did love the colour. But it bled. Not a huge amount, but if a shade like this has noticeable bleeding, imagine how the darker shades would fare. Not great, I'm guessing.

The worst thing for me was the mintiness. Now don't get me wrong, a little bit of mint scent or taste is fine by me. But this was pretty overwhelming and difficult to ignore, and it was so strong that it made my lips buzz.

On the plus side, it's affordable and a unique colour. In fact, it's a pretty close dupe to Lime Crime's Airborne Unicorn lipstick (reviewed here) , though a smidge darker, and an alternative to Lunatick Cosmetic Labs Apocalipslick in Grave Heart Shift (reviewed here). Me? I'm still not won over.

la girl glazed lip paint- coy

 

 In the above picture, the lip swatch shows LA Girl glazed lip paint in Coy, and the swipes below show comparisons in the following order: Lime Crime Airborn Unicorn, LA Girl Coy, LCC Grave Heart Shift.

 

Have you tried LA Girl's lip paint? What did you think?

 



fyrinnae liquid matte lipstick, blush, arcane magic shadow- review and swatches

 

I'm really excited to share this post with you guys, because there are some beautiful colours coming up. Yesterday I shared a post on Fyrinnae's brand new solid lipstick, but today, it's all (well, mostly) about their brand new liquid matte lipstick. These are available for $10, which is pretty great, though the colour changing ones are $12. I picked up the shade 'cauldron smoke', which I believe is part of their Halloween collection. 

fyrinnae liquid matte lipstick

So there's the tube. It's pretty ordinary, and comes with a doefoot applicator which is firm enough to get clean edges. When I first beheld it, I couldn't help but turn it in the light, marvelling at the sparkle. Because bloody hell. It's gorgeous. Cauldron smoke is described as 'metallic green on black with a hint of gold'. How magical is that?

fyrinnae liquid matte lipstick- cauldron smoke

And look how well it translates on the lips! I was afraid the sparkle wouldn't show up, and that it would look pretty much just black, with a little shimmer only when in direct sunlight. But it showed up alright- the green is very obvious, and looks jewel like, and that little hint of gold flashes through at the right angle. I'm so thrilled. It's such a unique, mesmerising shade.

fyrinnae liquid lipstick- cauldron smoke

 

As for the formula, it definitely requires two coats to get an opaque finish without streaks, but the website suggested that so I wasn't surprised. It has a fairly generous drying time which allows for touch ups of patchy areas, which is a must for a dark shade like this. Thankfully, it layers really well as it has a thin consistency, so no cracking or flaking. Once dried, it lasts ages. I would definitely recommend rubbing some lip balm before application though, as it can feel quite tight and dry without it.

 



fyrinnae arcane magic eyeshadow- the alchemist

 

Right, so the next thing I got in my little haul was a free sample of one of the arcane magic duochrome shadows in the shade 'the alchemist'. Fyrinnae's shadows tend to be of a semi-loose consistency, in that they're not completely powdery and do settle together a little. Personally, I'm a really big fan of their formula as it translates to less mess, easier pick up on the brush, less fallout, and better adherence to the skin. Anywho, this shade is divine. It's described as 'striking green-aqua shimmer over a black base. closer to light or angled, it turns blue to purple, then pink'. Wow. Just wow. There's no way the above swatch can do this shade justice, but I hope it suggests a little of what a chameleon it is. And that colour shift! urgh. I'm also super chuffed that it's lip safe- I reckon it would look magical over a black lipstick. The full sized arcane magic shadows are £$7.30, which is well worth it for so much beauty. Ugh.

 

fyrinnae blush- greek goddess

Last but not least, I ordered a sample size of Fyrinnae's loose powder blush in the shade 'greek goddess'. It beautiful as a blush- vivid, easy to blend, complexion flattering- but I chiefly bought it as a lip shade, as demonstrated above. Yup, this is lip safe too. I just patted it over lip balm, and look how great it turned out! Such a vibrant, matte coral. And it lasted aaaaaages, with hardly any transfer. Another winner! The full size costs a very reasonable $10, and the sample size (which has a generous amount of product) is a mere $1.75.

Overall, I'm thrilled with everything. Fyrinnae is definitely my favourite indie brand, and it's completely vegan and cruelty free. I can't recommend it enough. If you're interested in their other products, check out my review of their regular shadows and finishing powder here, and their absolutely gorgeous lip lustres here. xx

fyrinnae lipstick- review and swatches

 

My morning was fabulous because I got my Fyrinnae order in the mail! I love Fyrinnae, especially their lip lustres (reviewed here), though their shadows and illuminating powders (reviewed here) are great too. So I had to put in an order when I saw they'd released new products. I ordered one of their new liquid matte lipsticks, a blush sample, one of their new lipsticks, and got an eyeshadow sample as a freebie. I'll cover the other products in the next post, but today I'm focusing on the solid lipstick. Let's get to it then. 

 

fyrinnae lipstick-indulgence

I picked up the shade 'indulgence', which is described as 'deep purple topped with a shimmering gold highlight'. I love it! The gold iridescence makes this shade dynamic and unique, and I love the way it catches the light, particularly in the centre of the lips, to create an illusion of fullness. The purple base is very punky- just how I like it. And perfect for autumn!

Now, the site states that being vegan, the formula is going to be 'very firm'. It certainly is- it has a stiff, waxy texture- but it doesn't apply too bad. It definitely doesn't glide on, but there's no uncomfortable drag. On the plus side, the texture makes it pretty longlasting- it's not gonna slip right off or transfer ridiculously. I found it to have medium but buildable coverage. Because it's such a dark shade, one pass of the bullet will likely leave you with patchy, murky looking colour. With a few more swipes though, I was more than happy with the overall look. I can't stop staring at the tube! it's such a unique shade.

fyrinnae lipstick- indulgence

Fyrinnae's lipsticks are a very reasonable $10 and are available in unconventional and 'normal' shades. And for me, they're a win. Go check em out!

lonely planet co silky matte liquid lipstick- review and swatches

 

I'm all about supporting women bosses and small businesses, so when a woman-owned small business knocks it out of the park with a great product, you can bet I'll have my happy pants on. Lonely Planet Co is an indie cosmetics company on Etsy, and they have loads of gorgeous liquid to matte lipsticks which I obviously just HAD to try. In the UK, they cost £9.93 with £4.56 for shipping. For a handmade small batch high quality product, that's more than reasonable. I picked up the shade 'brick city'. 

 

lonely planet co matte lipstick- brick city

Isn't that just a gorgeous colour? I love rusty brick shades! And it's practically autumn in a tube, so I know I'll be getting a lot of wear out of it for the next few months.

The packaging is fairly simple with a standard doefoot applicator, though it does have a cool lonely planet logo on the gold lid. But with this one, the beauty really is on the inside. What a formula! I can see why it's got 'silky' in the name- its mousse like texture glides on all velvety and soft, and dries down to an opaque finish without any crumbling or flaking. And it's quite comfortable too.

It differs from other liquid matte lippies though in the removal stakes- this one doesn't require oil or makeup remover. I good rub with a tissue will get it off easily enough. That said, it's still got impressive lasting power and barely any transfer.

So in a nutshell: I love it. Go give it a shot!

xx

Stila stay all day liquid lipstick- review and swatches

Stila Stay All Day Liquid ipstick in the shade Beso. Is. everything.

Seriously guys, this is it. This is the perfect red. We can all go home and relax now, because the search is over. Urgh. My camera can't even capture the true depth, but even in my shitty swatches, it's easy to see how glorious this colour this. And these swatch pictures were taken after a pizza and ice cream feast, so you can totally count on the 'stay all day' claim. It hardly faded at all.

The thing is, I have a lot of liquid to matte lipsticks.

So many in fact, that I spent a long time avoiding Stila's offerings, telling myself they were unnecessary and probably overhyped. But they really aren't. They deserve every bit of hype they've been getting.

What sets them apart is the formula. It's a true cream consistency that applied incredibly opaque. And it has a generous drying time that allows for flawless application. It doesn't ever look patchy or crumbly. And unlike other liquid mattes, it doesn't dry down to ashy moisture-sucking doom. It's not moisturising, but it's definitely not drying at all, and it doesn't accentuate any existing dryness. All that fabulousness delivered by a flexible, long applicator that spreads the product like a dream. No need for a lip brush at all.

I honestly have nothing negative to say. Truth be told, when I stepped back from the mirror, I gasped at the beauty.

What more can I say? I one million per cent recommend this. .

etsy give me glow liquid matte lipstick in dark denim (dupe for jeffree star abused)

So I've heard loads of great things about Jeffree Star Cosmetics' Velour Lips formula, and have been dying to try it out for myself. Unfortunately, the shade I wanted most had a problematic name that I can't bring myself to support. Abused.  Jeffree himself has given the reason for the name (something to do with Marilyn Manson lyrics) and for that reason I won't accuse him of being intentionally offensive. But the thing is, not everyone will have read his explanation. Most people will take the name at face value, and see it to glamourise and fetishise abuse. And that's pretty insulting to survivors, myself included. I'm not bashing the company as a whole, I just think the name of this particular shade was insensitive and in poor taste.

So I was pretty stoked to find a dupe for it! GiveMeGlow is a seller on etsy who specialises in dupes, and she did a great job of matching this shade to Abused. It's called Dark Denim. Behold:

Ok, so the packaging is nothing special, but it's functional and sturdy and has a handy mirror the side. And the doefoot applicator is stiff enough to get clean lines (my swatches are applied solely with the applicator- no lip brush) so no complaints there. Anyway, it's an indie brand with limited funds for snazzy production, and I'm interested in what's on the inside.

Give me glow cosmetics liquid lipstick- dark denim 

And holy wow, it's amazing. No streakiness here at all, and a generous drying time that allows for touch ups and corrections and- though you probably won't need to- easy layering.

The best thing is, it's so comfortable! Although it dries down, it still retains a bit of moisture and never becomes powdery, so it's much more easy on the lips than other liquid to matte lippies. Wear time is great too, with minimal transfer.

Honestly, I'm so glad I discovered this shop, and Brandy (the owner) deserves all the success she's getting. I'm all for supporting small businesses and women bosses so Give me glow is a double whammy for me. Go check it out!

collection work the colour matte lip butter- review and swatches

Summer may be over, but you can bet a juicy bright lip shade will always be in. Collection cosmetics have recently launched their new line of matte lip butters (I've reviewed their galactica lip butter here) some real pretty colours to tempt ya. I picked up 'pumpkin pie', a stonker of a coral.

Look at that shade! Oh it's a thing of beauty. I can tell I'll get a lot of wear from this one, not least because the formula is pretty pleasing too. If it looks like Revlon's matte balm, that's because it really is very similar (though without the mintiness). While I think 'balm' or 'butter' might be pushing it a bit, it is pretty comfy as far as a matte lippy goes.

collection work the colour matte lip butter- pumpkin pie

And as you can hopefully tell by the swatches, it packs a punch on the pigment front! And no streakiness at all. For a mere £2.99, it's an absolute steal and triumphs over its pricier Revlon counterpart. Overall, I'm so glad I picked this up and definitely recommend checking out a shade or two x