Maybelline Hot Plum Color Sensational Vivids Lip Color Review, Photos, Swatches!

Maybelline Hot Plum Color Sensational Vivids Lip Color

Maybelline Hot Plum Color Sensational Vivids Lip Color ($6) is a vibrant fuchsia pink with a creamy, balm-like finish. It's fairly pink for a lipstick named 'Hot Plum', so if you're expecting something more plum/purple, this won't be it. It's really gorgeous never-the-less, and if you love bright, cool-toned pinks, you'll love this lipstick.

The formula is wonderful. The lipstick applies smoothly and the color is almost opaque in one pass. It's also hydrating enough where I don't need to apply a lip balm first, though I wouldn't particularly consider it to be moisturizing (very few lipsticks are with my dry lips). It's lightweight, has a little slip to it and feels good on the lips.

What's impressive is the lasting power. The color stays strong for several hours and leaves a lingering bright pink stain behind on the lips once most of the lipstick wears off.

Would I recommend? Heck yes! I want every single shade in the Vivids line. They're all beautiful! If you want to see swatches of every shade, check out Beautezine.

Maybelline Hot Plum Color Sensational Vivids Lipstick on my lips

NYX Gala Round Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

NYX Gala Round Lipstick 

NYX Gala Round Lipstick ($4) is described as a soft blue-toned pink with shimmer. It's a very light pink, and applies a bit lighter than it looks in the tube. It's slightly too light for me, but it'd work great for mixing, and when worn alone it'd look best on fair, light and light-medium skin tones.

Sometimes light colored lipsticks can emphasize cracks and dryness on the lips and Gala does just that. If I want to wear Gala, I have to make sure to apply a good lip balm and scrub my lips to remove any flakes. Even after I've exfoliated my lips really good, it still shows a little dryness.

I really like NYX Round Lipsticks — they are great for the price, but not every shade is created equal. Some are very pigmented and apply great, while some (like Gala) take several coats for opaque color and can apply uneven. The majority of the Round Lipsticks I've purchased have been pretty good.

It's still overall a very pretty light pink, and if you're a lover of soft baby pinks, you might really enjoy this lipstick. I'd personally skip because of the formula.

NYX Gala Lipstick on my lips.

Guest Post: Revlon Candy Apple Lip Butter Review, Photos, Swatches!

Revlon Candy Apple Lip Butter

If there was a perfect season to break out the red lipstick, winter is it! Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter ($6-8) is a balm-like ultra moisturizing lipstick. Revlon Lip Butters contain: Mango, Shea, and Coconut Butter to intensely moisturize the lips. Revlon says, “Instant burst of rich color with a feather light feel. Available in 20 gorgeous shades.”

For a fun holiday shade I picked ‘Candy Apple’ a bright red/orange. Candy Apple has no glitter unlike some of the other shades; it’s just a beautiful glossy finish. One coat has sheer coverage, but with multiple coats the color is very buildable. Candy Apple is also very wearable, it's not an in-your-face type of red. Which makes the color perfect for daytime wear, or for lipstick new-b’s.

Overall, this is a brilliant versatile lip product great for a holiday color, it's easy to use, and has a lovely texture. It doesn't last all day (1-2 hours) but it’s easy to re-apply and you don’t have to worry about bleeding or smudging.

What’s your favorite holiday lip product?

Revlon Candy Apple Lip Butter on my lips.

Swatch of Revlon Candy Apple Lip Butter

Guest Post Written By Rendee

Rendee, a nursing student from Arizona has a huge passion for all things Beauty, DIY, and Photography related! You can check out her thoughts on all things beautiful at her blog Beauty by Ren. Another way you can stay can updated with Rendee's reviews, tips, and tricks is on Twitter @beautybyren.

If Rendee looks familiar to you, it's because she has guest posted before! Check out her Nars Mata Hari Blush Review.

Revlon Cherish and Charm Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains Review, Photos and Swatches!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains ($8.99) is a lip balm infused with a lightweight stain in a convenient retractable crayon.

These have been pretty popular in the beauty blogosphere over the past few months, and although I admittedly don't like giving into products that seem to be fads of the moment, I've read nothing but good things, so I had to give them a try.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains are available in (12) shades: Honey, Crush, Darling, Cherish, Lovesick, Sweetheart, Smitten, Charm, Rendevous, Romantic, Precious and Adore.

I have two shades: Cherish, a light, cool-toned pink. The cool blue/purple undertones are so strong that when built, it looks rather purple on my lips. With a light wash, it's a pretty natural pink. The other color is Charm, a light, warm peachy nude.

The balms are very firm/waxy and keep their shape well. Even after several uses, they haven't placed much of a dent in the tip.

I would have never expected these balms to be moisturizing - you never really think of a product labeled as a "stain" to be anything but drying, but these are shockingly moisturizing on my chronic dry lips. I wouldn't use it to replace an actual lip balm, but they keep my lips moist and don't dry them out.

The pigmentation is very good. They are sheer, but very buildable. After the color has been on my lips a while, Cherish stays just about the same color and brightens just slightly. Charm darkens a little bit from a light nude to a light coral. If I wipe my lips off, Charm leaves an orange-red stain behind, which is something I really don't like about it. It's not exactly the look you want if you're going for a nude lip. Cherish leaves a bright pinkish-red stain behind.

Berry Lips on a Budget - A Wallet-friendly List of Vampy Lip Colors!

Berry Lips on a Budget

If you want to experiment with dark, vampy lip colors this Fall and don't want to break the bank, I compiled a small list of some wallet-friendly options for you to give a try.

Speaking for myself, the only lipsticks I ever reach the end of are my every day shades, so when it comes to rocking trendy colors - such as hot pink, red, orange and deep-dark shades, realistically I'll never finish a full tube before they'll eventually get tossed. There's nothing wrong with splurging if you can fit it in your budget, but for something like a statement lip color that you probably won't get much wear from, you might want to look into the less expensive options to really get your money's worth. And, there are so many options at the drugstore!

The term "berry" is so vague as berry can refer to a huge range of shades. The colors I picked are very Fall appropriate wine/plum/berry shades, some of which should work on most skin tones. I apologize in advance that some are very similar.

Revlon Red Velvet Colorburst Lip Butter ($7.49) is a medium-dark, neutral wine-red with a shiny finish. With one layer it gives a sheer, semi-shiny stain. With a few layers, the color is completely opaque. The formula is moisturizing and feels great on the lips. This is one of the few darker shades that I can get away with without using a lip brush. It's one of the easier shades to wear because it's a very balanced red toned wine and doesn't wash out the complexion. I think it's a universally flattering shade.

Revlon Red Velvet

Revlon Bordeaux Colorburst Lipgloss ($7.49) is a rose wine/darkened raspberry with very fine golden shimmer and a glossy finish. It's sheer but buildable to full coverage. The formula is creamy, lightweight and feels comfortable on the lips. It makes my lips look fuller and juicy. This is easily my favorite from the bunch as it has a very "mod" vibe and there's a brightness about it that makes my face look healthy and youthful. 

Revlon Bordeaux

NYX Stella Lipstick Review, Photos, Swatches and Comparisons!

NYX Stella Round Lipstick

NYX Stella Lipstick ($4) is a soft, yet vibrant watermelon pink. Although not hugely noticeable, it contains some fine silver shimmer. On the lips, you can see small flecks of glitter here and there, but it's not a shimmery shade overall.

Because of my warm skintone, I'm very partial to watermelon (or sometimes I call them flamingo) pinks - basically meaning a pink with yellow (warm) undertones.

In my experience, NYX Round Lipsticks are creamy, pigmented and are very lightweight on the lips. They have almost a slippery texture due to the creamy, yet very lightweight texture. Stella is actually a bit different than the typical Round Lipstick I'm use to. Unless I happened to fall upon a dud, it's slightly drier in texture and has a semi-matte finish. The pigmentation is light with one swipe, but buildable to opaque when layered.

It has a very striking resemblance to MAC Viva Glam Nicki. Nicki is more pigmented with one layer, but when applied sheer, they look almost the same. When built, the differences are barely detectable - Nicki is slightly darker and pinker in tone and Stella is the slightest bit warmer. Illamasqua Fable Lipstick is somewhat similar, but lighter (more pastel) in tone. Comparisons at the end of this post.

NYX Round Lipsticks are a great buy as they are cheap, perform well and come in a huge variety of shades. How "huge" do you ask? Well, as of right now there are 144 shades in the line. Yes, you read that correctly. There is a shade for everyone, and if you ever dreamt of certain shade, you'll most likely find it in the NYX Round Lipstick range.

NYX Stella Lipstick on my lips.

NYX Irish Coffee Jumbo Lip Pencil Review, Photos and Swatches!

NYX Irish Coffee Jumbo Lip Pencil

NYX Irish Coffee Jumbo Lip Pencil ($4.50) is a peachy-pink nude lip liner and lipstick all-in-one. It's the consistency of a creamy lipstick, but because of the small tip, you can apply it precisely to the edges of your lips without ending up with a smeary pout. This is particularly helpful with the darker shades that are more noticeable.

The color reminds me a little bit of NYX Orange Soda or similar peachy-pink, light cream shades. Since it's such a light shade, I find it works best when applied in a few light layers over a moisturizing lip balm or in conjunction with a clear or sheer gloss to sheer out the color and help it sit better on the lips. I wouldn't wear this alone, as when there isn't anything else on my lips, it accentuates dryness and can look uneven (unless I apply one sheer layer).

It's comfortable on the lips, and is similar in texture to the NYX Round Lipsticks. They are thin and have a glossy feel to them and a similar shiny finish. I don't find them particularly drying.

The tip doesn't wear down too quick, which is a good thing. I've had some lip pencils that wear down very quickly, and it's a pain having to sharpen all of the time.

Swatch of NYX Irish Coffee Jumbo Lip Pencil

NYX Irish Coffee on my lips (I applied a layer of clear lip gloss first, so it's a bit shinier than usual)

NYX Hippie Chic Matte Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

NYX Hippie Chic Matte Lipstick

NYX Hippie Chic Matte Lipstick ($5.99) is a bright pastel flamingo pink with a matte finish. If any of you are familiar with NYX Orange Soda, it reminds me of a pink version of it. Or, a lighter version of Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil.

I don't have any experience with NYX Matte Lipsticks (I've only used the Round Lipsticks) and although I tend to steer away from matte formulas, I really liked some of the colors of the matte lipstick range.

The problem is - when pale lip colors have a matte finish (especially when they are very pigmented), they can have the tendency to apply streaky and look chalky on the lips, unless it's a sheer, moisturizing formula.

When wearing Hippie Chic I have to make sure to moisturize and exfoliate my lips, so they are completely free of dryness and flakes. Dryness becomes very noticeable with this lipstick. Even after my lips are completely free of dryness, the color still manages to look dry on my lips unless I apply a layer of lip balm as a base.

To really get this lipstick to work, I like applying a good coat of Smith's Rosebud Salve (my favorite lip balm - has a glossy finish) and applying a few coats of Hippie Chic over top. I additionally like to apply a coat of lipgloss on top, because Hippie Chic has the tendency to hang out in the lip lines.

Hippie Chic is a super pretty color, so if you're willing to work around the not-so-great formula, it might be worth giving a shot. It could also work as a good mixing shade (as MAC Myth is a popular shade to tone down other lipsticks).

For matte lipsticks, I highly prefer Wet n Wild Mega Last Matte Lipsticks - and they are cheaper!

NYX Hippie Chic on my lips.

L'Oreal Blushing Sequin Colour Caresse Lipstick Review!

L'Oreal Blushing Sequin Colour Caresse Lipstick

L'Oreal Blushing Sequin Colour Caresse Lipstick ($9.99) is a vibrant pink with a slight neon pink/purple sheen. What drew me to this shade is the striking resemblance to one of my favorite lipsticks - MAC Insanely It Sheen Supreme. Comparisons are at the end of this post.

The majority of this review is duplicated from my previous post, reviewing the shade Pink Cashmere, as every aspect of the lipstick is the same, except for the color.

The Colour Caresse formula is in some ways like Revlon Lip Butters - they are a lipstick/lip balm hybrid, applying to the lips smoothly like a lip balm, and providing a good amount of color like a lipstick. They are sheer upon the first swipe, but the color can easily be built. The pigmentation is comparable to the MAC Lustre Lipstick formula.

Blushing Sequin on my lips.

L'Oreal Pink Cashmere Colour Caresse Lipstick Review!

L'Oreal Pink Cashmere Colour Caresse Lipstick

L'Oreal Colour Caresse Lipstick ($9.99) is a new spin on L'Oreal's popular Colour Riche Lipsticks. They deliver a pop of luminous color to the lips, with a smooth, lightweight, non-heavy or sticky feel and a shiny finish.

Pink Cashmere is a light-medium vibrant pink with a subtle glowy sheen.

The Colour Caresse formula is in some ways like Revlon Lip Butters - they are a lipstick/lip balm hybrid, applying to the lips smoothly like a lip balm, and providing a good amount of color like a lipstick. They are sheer upon the first swipe, but the color can easily be built. The pigmentation is comparable to the MAC Lustre Lipstick formula.

Pink Cashmere on my lips (it's a bit more vibrant in person)

Maybelline SuperStay 14-Hr Lipstick in Please Stay Plum.

Maybelline SuperStay 14-Hr Lipsticks launched at the start of the new year, and frankly, we haven't heard too much buzz about them.

Maybelline already has a Stain Gloss and Lip Color (the standard double-sided sponge applicator lip color with a clear conditioning balm on the opposite end), but they added a lipstick to the line, promising 14 hours of non-drying, comfortable wear.

Available in 20 shades: Perpetual Peony, Ultimate Blush, Fuschia Forever, Eternal Rose, Beige For Good, Never Ending Nude, Ceaseless Caramel, Consistently Truffle, Lasting Chestnut, Pout on Pink, Ravishing Rouge, Eduring Ruby, Timeless Crimson, Continuous Cranberry, Keep Me Coral, Infinite Iris, Till Mauve Do Us Part, Please Stay Plum, Endless Raisin, Wine and Forever.

I have Please Stay Plum, a deep, creamy wine.

I think the 14-hour claim is really alluring, as we all want our lipstick to last all day, but it also makes some of us weary because usually along with "long-lasting" lipstick formulas, you're usually left with lips that are shriveled, crying for moisture.

Covergirl Flashy Blastflipstick Blendable Lip Duo Review, Photos and Swatches!

Covergirl Flashy Blastflipstick Blendable Lip Duo

Have you spotted the Covergirl Blast Flipsticks on the racks yet at your local drugstore? Covergirl launched these lip duos at the start of the year, and to be honest, I dismissed them after spotting them at Walmart back in January because A) I didn't spot any barbie pink, and B) I wasn't too fond of the packaging. How shallow I must have been!

Well, I recently got the chance to try one of them, so I can share my thoughts with you all!

If these tubes look familiar to you, it's because the packagaing has a striking resemblance to the Covergirl Smokey Shadow Blasts I reviewed a couple years ago (Which I thought were pretty cool but gave my eyes an allergic reaction. My eyes were waterworks every time I wore them!). It's basically a double ended lipstick wand, with a darker cream shade on one end, and a lighter, shimmery shade on the other. Both colors can be worn separately, or you can layer the lighter shade over the darker one.

There are thirteen (13) shades in total: Whisper, Pucker, Glimmer, Flashy, Vixen, Perky, Tease, Cheeky, Stunner, Snap, Smooch, Minx and Intense.

I own the shade Flashy, a deep purple with a blue duo-chrome, and a light, shimmery magenta. This wouldn't have been my shade of choice, but it's a fab combination for deep to dark skintones!

Covergirl Flashy Blastflipstick Blendable Lip Duo

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters Review, Photos and Swatches!

Revlon Lip Butters

I'm so excited to finally review these lip butters for you all. After seeing them featured on just about every blog known to man, I figured you all would be bored of seeing them, and neglected purchasing any. But, after finally trying them, I'm totally head-first on the lip butter bandwagon. I want more - heck, I want them all.

Revlon Lip Butters are a hybrid of a creamy lip balm and a lipstick. They are super "buttery" smooth, pigmented, hydrating and pack lots of shine. Whats more to want? And you wonder why they have everyone going nuts. Plus, the packaging is pretty cute and they're affordable at around $6.

These Lip Butters are available in twenty (20) shades: Pink Truffle, Sugar Frosting, Raspberry Pie, Tutti Frutti, Brown Sugar, Peach Parfait, Candy Apple, Red Velvet, Cotton Candy, Berry Smoothie, Cupcake, Gumdrop, Creamsicle, Cherry Tart, Lollipop, Strawberry Shortcake, Sugar Plum, Sweet Tart, Creme Brulee and Fig Jam.

I own three - Strawberry Shortcake, a natural pink, Sweet Tart, a vibrant, watermelon pink and Red Velvet, a deep, vampy red.

Revlon Lip Butters from left to right: Strawberry Shortcake, Sweet Tart and Red Velvet.

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer Lip Balm Review, Photos and Swatches!

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer Lip Balm

I was recently chosen to be a Ladies Home Journal Beauty Ambassador for their first-ever reader beauty awards! I'm so honored and excited to be apart of their program, and in the meantime, I have a bunch of lip products to share with you (courtesy of Ladies Home Journal) that I'll be posting about throughout the week. The first lip product I'll be talking about is Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer.

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer Lip Balms is a product I've always noticed, but never purchased. I always figured they are a little expensive for a lip balm, and would end up going to the dollar rack and picking up a tube of strawberry Carmex. It's funny how certain products that get no hype in the beauty blogosphere get neglected on the racks, because had I known sooner, I would have picked up a couple a while back. Formulated with moisturizing ingredients such as: Coconut and sunflower oil, Vitamin E, Beeswax and Shea Butter, these lip shimmers are 100% natural. 

These lip balms are flavored with Peppermint, so they give your lips a nice, cooling sensation and slight tingle that sticks around for a bit. That may or may not be your cup-of-tea, but I love lip products that provide a small burst of refreshment to my lips.

Lip Shimmers are available in twelve (12) shades: Cherry, Plum, Strawberry, Caramel, Champagne, Fig, Guava, Peony, Radiance, Raisin, Rhubarb and Watermelon.

I own five, three of them being newly released shades - Cherry, Plum, Strawberry, and two shades that have been around - Caramel and Rhubarb.

Strawberry is a soft, natural pink, Caramel is a sheer, bronzed tan, Plum is a deep raisin, Cherry is a sheer, warm red and rhubarb is a cool-rosy red. For those of you freaked out by shimmer, don't fear because these little tubes are incredibly subtle. Caramel is the only shade that's noticeably frosty, but it's not overwhelming. (See swatches at the end of this post)

My favorite color from the bunch is of course Strawberry, as I'm a lover of easily wearable light pinks.

From left to right: Strawberry, Caramel, Plum, Cherry and Rhubarb.

From left to right: Strawberry, Caramel, Plum, Cherry and Rhubarb.

Wet n Wild Within These Adobe Walls Megashield Lip Color Review, Photos and Swatches!

Wet n Wild #372S Within These Adobe Walls Megashield Lip Color SPF15 

Wet n Wild released a new line of lipsticks to their permanent range this past January called the Megashine Lip Color with a SPF of 15.

These lipsticks are promised to deliver sheer to moderate coverage and comfortable wear, while keeping the lips moisturized with it's buttery soft texture. (Contains: Vitamin E, Amino Acids, Avocado Oil, and Rice Bran Oil.)

There are fourteen (14) shades in the line-up: #360S Birthday Suit, #361S Peachy Keen, #362S Make Me Blush, #363S Arrest Me Copper, #364S Bare-ly Legal, #365S Ring Around The Rosy, #366S Pink Slip, #367S A Currant Affair, #368S That's Berry Beautiful, #369S Salsa Lessons, #370S Lolly Popstar, #371S It's A Girl, #372S Within These Adobe Walls and #373S Pink Cham-pagne.

I don't know if it was the dim lighting of my CVS, but none of the shades really appealed to my personal taste. Several of the shades have a frosty finish to them, and frost just isn't my thing.

I did manage to find a shade that I thought would be suitable for daily wear - Within These Adobe Walls, a warm, coral-pink. There is no shimmer or frost, just a lovely cream formula.

Wet n Wild #372S Within These Adobe Walls Megashield Lip Color SPF15 

Wet n Wild Dollhouse Pink Mega Last Matte Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

Wet n Wild #967 DollhousePink Mega Last Matte Lipstick

Last week I posted about one of the new Spring shades of Wet n Wild's Mega Last Matte Lipstick (Don't Blink Pink) and I loved it so much, that I decided to go back and try one of the other bright pinks that was released.

Dollhouse Pink is a very vibrant blue-based pink. It's a sister of MAC Pink Nouveau or Pink Friday, so if you've always been curious about trying one of those shades, this is a great alternative to play around with, since it's only a couple of dollars. It's slightly brighter than the two, but it can be tweaked a little bit.

Aside from the awesomly vibrant color, it's very pigmented and applies completely opaque. It has a matte finish, but it's not a dull matte (more of a satin).

It's definitely an in-your-face bright, but it can be toned down by applying a couple of dabs on your lips and blend with a clear lip gloss wand. It actually looks absolutely gorgeous that way, and probably the way I'd wear it the most.

Wet n Wild Don't Blink Pink Mega Last Matte Lipstick Review!

Wet n Wild #966 Don't Blink Pink Mega Last Matte Lipstick

If you haven't tried a Wet n Wild Mega Last Matte Lipstick by now, you ought to put some shoes on and check out your local store. Even though these little lipsticks are on the "lower"end of what your local drugstore has to offer, I believe they are some of the best!

Alright, so the packaging maybe isn't the best, and sometimes the lipstick bullet isn't completely secure (definitely double check before you purchase it by turning it upside down), but the variety of shades and the formula is awesome and comparable to matte lipsticks from the high-end brands.

There are a few new shades that popped up in the line, well, four that I'm currently aware of. All of the shades are bright and vibrant for the upcoming season. 

The shades are as follows: #965 Cherry Picking, #966 Don't Blink Pink, #967 Dollhouse Pink and #970 Purty Persimmon. 

Although I'd love to own all four, I only picked up one for now, which is the lovely Don't Blink Pink.

Don't Blink Pink is an intense, bright berry pink. It reminded me of MAC Impassioned in the tube, but a more pink, less red version. 

75% OFF Select Milani Cosmetics at your local CVS!

As a beauty blogger, I pretty much have a weekly routine of checking out my local drugstore makeup aisles, taking note of all of the new sales and product displays. My drugstore of "choice" is CVS Pharmacy, as most of the time, I fine a little gem in the rough, ticketed to a price too good to pass up.

Sometimes there aren't any good sales going on, but I always make sure to quickly scan each brand section, looking for a little neon orange sticker. That wonderful little sticker means that the item is a whopping 75% off. 

So you can imagine my excitement last night when several items on the Milani Cosmetics Display had orange labels on them! In my opinion, Milani is an awesome brand. You don't hear too much about the brand because they don't do much advertising, are hard-to-find, a little pricey, and they rarely ever go on sale! 

Not everything is on clearance, but there is a good number of bronzers, blushes, nail polishes, nail art pens, eye liners, lipsticks, etc, that are all a part of the amazing deal. 

*Note, if you go to your local CVS and don't see labels on the Milani cosmetics, make sure to take some (select) items to the price-checker, as they should scan the clearance price.

Onto the goodies I purchased!

Milani Minerals Blush is a talc-free pressed mineral powder blush. It's lightweight, pigmented and has a smooth finish. It's available in 4 shades: Sunset Beach, Mai-Tai, Luminous and Sweet Rose. I purchased 3 of the four shades, and have yet to test them out on my face, but I'm excited to try them! I've known for a while that Luminous is a dupe for Nars' popular Orgasm Blush. They do appear quite similar.

Heavy Swatches of the three shades: