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.

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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!

Tarte quick dry matte lip paint- review and swatches

I didn't like the original the Tarte creamy matte lip paints.

Maybe it was just the shade I got ('Hangry'), because other reviews seemed full of praise. I tried to like it. Honestly I did. But it was hard to get an even finish with and it wasn't opaque, so it always looked a bit streaky. And it had a slippery silicone-y feel. And it transferred like a bitch.

So when the 'quick dry' versions came out, I figured I would like them a lot more. So I grabbed one. I have the shade 'get it!', an apricot nude.

For $20, I think the tube is a little plain. I wish the cool splatter stuff on the carboard outer packaging translated to the actual lipstick. Maybe just on the lid. Hm. One plus point on the design front is that the doefoot has been levelled up from the original line: it's got a scooped tip for maximum surface area in contact with the lip, and hugs gob contours beautifully.  

As soon I swatched it, I thought 'THIS LOOKS A LOT LIKE LIME CRIME 'ELLE' VELVETINE'. So I ran off to do a comparison swatch, and lo and behold! A dupe. In the swatches below, 'get it!' is on the left and 'elle' is on the right. 'Elle' is just a touch deeper, but the difference is so subtle that on the lips they look identical. 

Anyway, I much prefer the new formula. It's quite liquidy but it dries down fairly quickly to a powder-matte finish. It's opaque, not streaky, transfer proof, and while it does feel a little dry, it's also lightweight. I also didn't notice any scent, so good for those of you have sensitive noses. 

And, in finale, the customary lip swatch: 

Tarte quick dry matte lip paint- get it!

Over and out. 

X

Lime crime diamond crushers- review and swatches

Lip toppers are the new kids of the lip product world, and are getting to be quite popular. I've been tempted by certain pretties here and there, but the glossy formulae always put me off. I don't want to feel more product on top of product, ya know? Then Lime Crime came out with a line of sparkling lip toppers with a transfer proof lightweight finish. Erm, yes please!

So I have the shade 'strip', which is probably the boldest of the lot in that it has a bright colourful base and bright colourful shimmer. Shimmery Barbie pink on stained Barbie pink. Obnoxious, but undeniably pretty. Now, some of the other shades with more translucent base colours can be doubled up as highlighters. Not so with this shade. Unless you have a dark skin tone, the pink base colour is gonna show up as a weird stripe on your cheekbones. Which might look... odd. So if you want a multi use product, I'd recommend going for a different shade.

Anywho. The low down. It smells like delicious strawberry roll ups. The product can settle and separate in the tube but a quick shake sorts that out. The packaging reminds me of a toy fairy wand.

Application is easy. It's a water based formula which dries town to a lightweight finish, which can be wiped off just using water. The base colour intensity can be built with layering, as can the intensity of the shimmer. You can go from a wash of sparkle to a full on foiled effect. It's touch proof but there will be some transfer of shimmer. It works fine on its own, over liquid matte lipsticks, or even over traditional bullet lipsticks- though make sure to blot down if using a glossy or satin-y formula. In fact, topping a traditional lipstick with a Diamond Crusher can actually kind of 'seal in' the colour, making it almost transfer proof.

Lime crime diamond crushers- strip 

Ok. So, the above swatch shows two coats Strip applied without a base colour. Pretty breathtaking right? Pure light. I wore it to lunch and my friend legit gasped.

Aaaand here's how she looks over light and dark base colours: 'Bloodmoon' and 'marshmallow' velvetines, also by Lime Crime.  

Diamond Crushers 'strip' over lime crime 'bloodmoon' 

Diamond Crushers 'strip' over lime crime 'marshmallow'

Ta da. So all in all, I think this is an innovative and ridiculously pretty lippy, and for £14, considering it's multi use, it's definitely worth it. If you're on the market for a glittergasm, you need these. However if you lean towards the more demure, office friendly lippies... why did you read this post?

Love, 

Me.

Makeup revolution lipstick review

I'm poor. So when there's afforable lipstick up for grabs, I get very grabby. In consequence, I have quite a few products from Makeup Revolution. I thought I'd share my thoughts on a few of them here so other skint kids can get clued up.

Let's start with the Salvation Velvet Lip Lacquers, Makeup Revolution's answer to the liquid matte lipstick hype. These are £3 and come in a funky shade range and are housed in a fairly standard tube which I won't bother showing here because 1) it's not exciting, and 2) it's been bashed about so much that the writing has smudged off.

Makeup revolution salvation velvet lip lacquer- black heart

BAM. In your face. This almost-black purple is called 'black heart' and is a dupe of the ABH Liquid Lips shade 'potion'. So if you love that vampy shade but are on a budget, rejoice.

I own three shades of these liquid lipsticks and I've found the formula to be a little inconsistent. None of theme feel lightweight, but a shocking bright pink one I tried felt like actual cement and crumbled all over the place. Another shade was a little less cement-like but was streaky. 'Black heart' definitely performs the best of the ones I've tried. Considering it's such a dark shade, it's not too difficult to get an even finish with. It looks good for a couple of hours before it starts to break down and crumble, at which point it's best to just remove with oil and reapply than to attempt any kind of touch up.

It's definitely not a comfortable or foolproof formula, but for the price, it's not too bad.

Moving on.

The Ultra Amplification lipsticks are a fairly new addition to the MUR lipstick family. They're £3 a pop and promise comfort and and intense colour. I quite like the gunmetal effect of the tube. Not bad for a cheap product. I have the shade 'activate'.

Makeup revolution ultra amplification lipstick- activate

Yeah, it looks nothing like the bullet! It's definitely a muted plum shade on first impression (and going by the website swatch), but upon 'breaking' the surface, it turns out to be a mauve-ey pink. You can kind of see the difference in colour where I've touched the bullet on the first picture. The swatch above shows it to be a tad more pink than it is in real life, but that's my camera being shitty. It leans more mauve in person. Well, it's a pretty colour! Just not what I was expecting.

As for formula, I agree with the 'comfortable' claim. It does feel good on the lips and you won't need lip balm underneath. I don't agree that it's 'intensely' pigmented though. It's a little more sheer than I expected, though it is buildable to something near-opaque.

It's a nice lippy. Work friendly and not too fussy. Just don't expect any POW and Google for swatches in case you end up with a colour other than what you anticipated.

I'll post a few more Makeup Revolution lippies here as and when I get around to roadtesting them, so what this space.

Xox

Lime crime unicorn lipstick- review and swatches

Liquid lipsticks are fabulous and all, but nothing really beats the luxurious decadence of a creamy lipstick bullet does it?

I've been wearing a few traditional lippies in rotation of late. I have a whole bunch of them I've been meaning to review, but I'm gonna talk about Lime Crime's new unicorn lipsticks today. Mostly because, being limited edition, a review on these kids is a bit more 'urgent'.

Ah. The girly toybox whimsical bullet we know and love. The packaging is the same as the discontinued original line of unicorn lipsticks, but the colours and formula are different. Instead of the rainbow of colourful hues offered before, the new range consists of more 'wearable' shades. This is good thing if you shy away from mint green lips, but maybe disappointing if that's totally your jam. I still have my wacky colours from the old line, so I'm more than happy with the current options. I picked the shade 'soft spot', a creamy nude.

Lime crime soft stop unicorn lipstick 

Aww. I definitely have a soft spot for this colour. It's flattering nude that would work well for fair to medium skintones, but could be paired with a darker lipliner for deeper skintones too. The formula is slightly more matte than the original line, which translates to a somewhat stiffer texture but also longer wear. It's opaque and feather resistant, and while it does transfer, it's so pigmented that you still have colour on your lips for a while. I found it to be neither drying nor hydrating. I'd suggest the old scrub and balm routine before application anyway, just because it makes for a smoother canvas.

So. If you feel like you might want to try one of these, get your skates on kid. They're limited edition.

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