makeup revolution iconic pro lipstick- review and swatches

Of the Makeup Revolution lipstick haul I got, I saved the best till last. Meet the Iconic Pro lipstick.

For a budget brand, the packaging is hella sweet. Look at the rose gold detailing! Love it. This is the shade 'liberty matte'. There's an impressive shade range with these, and some of the colours (as with this one) come in two finishes. I opted for the matte rather than glossy finish, because if I'm gonna wear a purple, I want it to last and to not be streaky.

I was so impressed with it! The lipstick glided on smoothly and with great pigmentation. In the above swatch I'd applied it over lip balm, so it looks a little glossier than it ordinarily would. On bare lips though, it looks more semi-matte. It's super comfortable and hydrating, but I was worried the ultra creamy formula would fare poorly in the longevity stakes. Actually, it wasn't too bad. I had a cup of tea with (delicious) ginger biscuits and though there was transfer, my lips were very much purple by the end of it. The fact that it stains also contributes to the flattering fade, as it means you don't have to worry about nasty bare-lip patches. Oh, and it doesn't bleed at all, so no lip liner needed!

And hell, obviously the colour is gorgeous. I LOVE my purples, and this one is so funky and ugh. For £2.25, this is a must have. Like, you must have it. Go. Get it. 

xx

Makeup Revolution Lip Hug lipstick review and swatches

Today's review is on the Makeup Revolution Lip Hug lipstick, and boy are my lips glad that about that. The cold weather has made them so sore and dry, so a moisturising lipstick is just what the doctor ordered. These are a cheap and cheerful £2.50, and currently £1.25 on the site!

The packaging is pretty sleek for a budget brand, and not the least bit flimsy. The only potential problem is the shape of the bullet- it's flat and wide so you might struggle to get neat edges, especially if you have a defined cupid's bow. Personally, I can make the bullet work ok, but I prefer to use a lip brush just for the extra precision.

So anyway. I can see why it's called a lip hug. It hugs your lips like a dream- smooth, moist colour that makes your lips feel hydrated and plump, and with surprisingly great co,lour payoff. I was expecting it to be sheer, but it's actually pretty opaque. The finish has a soft sheen and the overall effect is pretty and comfortable, though unsurprisingly it isn't long lasting.

makeup revolutin lip hug- saviour will come

I got the shade 'saviour will come', and I'd desribe it as a blushed nutmeg. Super pretty and wearable. In the above swatch I've applied it with a light hand, but you can definitely build up the colour.

All in all, I'd say this is a really great product and it's well worth picking up a shade or two, especially if your lips need a hydrating pick me up.

Peace out xx

Makeup revolution I heart makeup lip lava- review and swatches

Sooooo. The next lippie up for review from my Makeup Revolution haul us the Lip Lava, a creamy liquid lipstick kind of thing that is a product dupe of Too Faced Melted liquified lipsticks, but a hell of a lot cheaper.  It's priced at a mere £2.99 and comes in a small shade range, of which I picked 'tremor'. Apparently, this is an exact dupe of Melted Peony.

Lip lava- tremor 

I was a little unsure about the squeeze tube packaging, thinking it would be messy and that the sponge tip wouldn't be able to define edges. Actually, it was fine. I managed to get the 'lava' on in a good clean coating. I don't know what I really expected the product to be like- maybe a creamy lacquer-ish gloss? This ain't that. It goes on creamy for sure, but it dries down to give the effect of a satin lipstick, with super opaque coverage that was fairly long lasting. 

Which was great! And you know what else was great? The colour itself. A super cute medium pink. The kind of pink the little girl in me squeals for. 

**UDATE. okay, maybe not so great. Once the formula fully dries, it can look crackly and crumbly and feels quite drying. It doesn't look noticeable with this shade because it's fairly natural, but be warned when it comes to the bolder shades. 

Are you squealing, or would you give it a pass? Lemme know what you think! Xx

makeup revolution I heart makeup the wow stick- review and swatches

A long while ago, I bough a whole bunch of Makeup Revolution goodies (obviously including some lippies) in a spontaneous online haul. But since they arrived, I just kind of left them in a 'to review' pile and forgot all about them. Yesterday, I did a very rare thing- I cleaned my shithole of a room. Well, I found the pile again and thought it was high time I got around to checking them out. So, without further ado...

So those are the lip products I got. The first two (lip lava and super wow stick) are from the sub brand I Heart Makeup, whereas the second two (iconic lipstick and lip hug) are from Makeup revolution. Today, I wore the Wow stick.

So first impressions: I like that it's twist-up, and that the shiny black plastic won't get too obviously smudgy and grubby looking. I loved the look of the colour. It was nice and slim so could fit easily into a clutch or pocket without taking up too much space.

Upon trying it on, I was instantly shocked. Purely because it was a crayon, I'd expected it to be sheer and glossy. NOPE. It was pigmented as hell, and completely matte. 'Wow' for real- the colour was so incredibly intense and delicious. Yes, it had some drag because of how matte it was, but the finish was flawless and incredibly long lasting. It was waterproof and even touch proof, with no transfer at all. In fact, the final effect was similar to what I'd expect of a liquid matte lipstick, and it was even hard to take off. I wore it for hours and hours, including meals and a cup of tea, and it was stick stuck fast to my lips. What a surprise!

I heart makeup the wow stick- Maria

Annnd that's what she looks like on. This shade is called Maria, and is a super dark vampy red. It's actually even darker than it looks in the picture, and is in fact a perfect dupe of Colourpop Ultra Matte lip in 'lax'. And at only £2.99 (currently a mere £1) it is pure theft.

So all in all, I am beyond in love with this. It blew my expectations out of the water and I am so glad I got it. However, if you're after a glossy sweep-it-on-in-a-hurry dewy crayon, this isn't for you, son.

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.

Kiko milano matte muse liquid lipstick from the midnight siren collection- review and swatches

I've always swooned over Kiko's lipsticks but the minimum spend of 20-or-so quid for online shopping always put me off. But then the brand new Midnight Siren collection had a liquid lipstick in it, and I kind of needed it. It's the Matte Muse liquid lipstick, and it looks like a nail lacquer bottle. It's unusual but cute, and I always like to try new things. The applicator is pretty novel too- kind of grooved along the length but a flat stub at the end. 

kiko matte muse liquid lipstick

At first I feared it might have been pointlessly gimmicky, but it actually works. The long side really hugs the lips and sweeps on just the right amount of colour, and the stubby end makes it easy to get smooth, neat edges.

It's not entirely opaque, but it is well pigmented and layers easily. It's not streaky, it doesn't transfer, it's lightweight and isn't drying. But there is a drawback. It takes AGES to dry down. At least 15 minutes, but usually longer. This means you need patience with this one, and it's probably not gonna be that lippy you throw on in a hurry.

kiko matte muse lipstick- plushy rose

This is shade 01, Plushy Rose, after it eventually did set. It's a cute pink which will pull warmer or cooler depending on your skin tone. On me, it's a cooler toned bonbon girly shade. 

Ok, so it's not foolproof, but for around £6, it's definitely worth it. Oh, and you get a lot of product for your money too- 8ml to be precise. It's a win in my book. Really, it's just a shame it's limited edition.

TheBalm Meet Matte Hughes long lasting liquid lipstick review and swatches

I was pretty chuffed when I walked into Superdrug for a cheeky browse and was greeted with a brand spanking new counter for The Balm cosmetics. I'd been eyeing their new Meet Matt(e) Hughes liquid lipsticks for a while, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to snag one. After lots of swatching, I settled for the shade 'Honest'.

The Packaging is typical of the brand's charming and modern-retro sass. There's a cute box the lipstick comes in too, though the eco warrior in me does wonder if it's necessary. But then, at least it's recyclable. The tube itself is lovely, though I wish there was a proper stopper to control how much product the doefoot gets loaded with. 

the balm meet matte hughes

Right, so after a lot of scraping, I lifted the wand and BOOM! Mint. A very minty sweet scent, which has a cooling tingly feel on application. The scent doesn't linger once the lipstick is dry though, and weirdly, it doesn't taste minty. 

The formula is creamy and smooth and well pigmented, though not entirely opaque. It layers well and doesn't crack or crumble, and there's not a hint of streakiness. In fact, it's really quite comfortable. Very lightweight and nowhere near as drying as other liquid to matte products. Oh, and it does last for hours on end as expected, though be sure to avoid oily food. 

the balm meet matte hughes- honest

I'm SO glad I bought this shade. All the recent grey weather had me craving a bright colour, and 'honest' ticks the box for sure. It's such a happy, vibrant coral!

All in all, I'm very happy with this lippy, though at £13.50, it's at a fairly reasonable pricepoint considering the quality. Whaddyathink? Let me know your thoughts, babe.

xx