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)

MAC Chatterbox Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Chatterbox Lipstick

MAC Chatterbox Lipstick ($15) is described as a bright, red-pink with an amplified creme finish. It's definitely vibrant, but it's not in the neon category (ie: Vegas Volt, Morange, Viva Glam Nicki, etc.) It's a medium, rosy pink that is really easy to wear and adds a bit of color and brightness to the face.

This is a shade I've had on my wishlist for a while now, and recently decided to pick it up as my 'Back to MAC' trade-in.

MAC Chatterbox is extremely pigmented, creamy and applies smooth and even.

I love MAC Lipsticks in general, and I don't have a problem with any of their formulas. The amplified formula is definitely one of my favorites because of the bold, bright pigmentation, shine and the comfortable wear.

MAC Chatterbox on my lips

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick Review with Comparisons!

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick ($15) is described on the MAC website as an emotive blue-pink. It's actually a medium toned sheer, natural pink with subtle cool tones. What's fab about this pink is that it's not overly cool, so it's a pink that both warm and cool skin tone gals could enjoy. Cool-toned pinks aren't normally flattering on my tan skin (they seem to better suit me when I'm lighter) and I often find them difficult to wear, but Lovelorn actually works out well for me.

If you're looking for a barbie pink, Lovelorn isn't it. I find it to be a more mature pink (no, not great grandma mature) - possibly Creme Cup's sophisticated older sister? It's very natural, and kind of gives my lips a "my lips but better" appearance with a couple swipes of the tube. (Check it out on Bloomin Beauty, it looks gorgeous on her!)

Lovelorn is a Lustre formula, which is one of my favorite lipstick formulas for a few reasons - The apply smoothly, don't accentuate dryness, feel great on, and although they are sheer, the color is very buildable for full coverage. Lastly, they have a shiny finish, so I never need a lip gloss layered on top. A simple wham-bam, and I'm done. The only downside is that the lasting power of the lustre formulas aren't the best. After a couple hours, I'm due for a reapplication.

MAC Lovelorn Lipstick on my lips

Nars Belle De Jour Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Belle De Jour Lipstick

Nars Belle De Jour Lipstick ($24) was one of my older favorites that has been sadly neglected in exchange for new and flashier colors. If you're a lover of nude lipstick, you may have been acquainted with this shade before, but for those who haven't, let me introduce you two.

Belle De Jour is a sheer, nude beige with warm undertones. It's the particular nude that had many running to stores to purchase a tube after Kim Kardashian mentioned it was her favorite nude lipstick in an interview a few years back.

I have many nude lipsticks, but not all of them are flattering on me. I think one of the main keys to wearing nude lipstick (aside from finding the right nude for your skintone) is finding a shade and formula that isn't going to erase your lips, but slightly lighten them a couple of shades. I know we all love pigment in the makeup world, but when it comes to wearing a lipstick shade that's lighter than your lips, lots of pigmentation can lead to a very unflattering result. (Hey, Is that milkshake on your lips?)

A Subtle Nude

I love that Belle De Jour isn't your average chalky nude. It doesn't make me look ill or washed out. It's funny how your coloring really plays a factor in the way certain colors appear. Without a tan (NC15-20), this color looks too orange on my lips - pinker nudes work better on my lighter skin. When I'm NC30-40, the pinky beige tones come out more, and I like it so much more.

Here it is applied on my lips. I applied a few coats to show the color better, but normally I'd wear one sheer coat.

Avon Plumberry Shine Attract Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

Avon Plumberry Shine Attract Lipstick

Call me crazy, but as soon as I twisted up this tube of Avon Shine Attract Lipstick, I wanted to take a bite out of it. Yep, that's right. I wanted to eat it. Doesn't it look like Jell-O? Or a Push-pop? The clear, surrounding layer is actually a stick gloss (for extra shiny lips), while the middle is the actual lip color.

Avon Shine Attract Lipstick is available in fifteen (15) shades: Shimmer Pink, Rose Pink, Mysterious Mauve, Plumberry, Cherry Pie, Guava, Nude Love, All Around Russet, Rose Bouquet, Fuchsia Flare, Wrapped in Raisin, Orchid, Passionate Red, Caressing Coral, Copper Connection.

I have it in the shade plumberry, which is a medium toned plum with fine shimmer.

Because of the clear layer of lipstick, the color is quite sheer with a shiny finish.

Essence #47 Prom Night Lipstick Review!

Essence Prom Night Lipstick

I've pretty much been on an Essence buying rampage lately. I know Essence is nothing new to ULTA, but they're constantly coming out with new products and colors. And, since they're such an affordable brand, you won't be breaking the bank, even with your hands full

Essence Lipstick is available in ten (10) fun colors: #40 Look at Me!, #41 Femme Fatale, #42 Fairytale, #43 Kiss you, #47 Prom Night, #48 Red Carpet, #49 Like a Lady, #50 Creamy Nude, #51 Fifth Avenue and #55 Coralize Me!

Since you can never have enough natural pink lipsticks, I knew that #47 Prom Night would be one of those shades you can throw on your lips daily, and it'll pretty much go with anything. And, at $2, how can you go wrong?

Prom Night is a bubble-gum pink that leans a bit on the cool (slightly purple) side and has a slight frosty finish. I'm not a fan of frost. It makes me think of the 90's when everyone was rocking white, silver and lilac frosty lipsticks (Yeah, I was 11 or 12 years old rocking it too.) This lipstick only has a subtle frost, so don't fear. For those of you that own Rimmel Pink Blush Lipstick, it's pretty similar.

Essence Prom Night Lipstick

READ MORE! (there's a picture of George & Me @ Prom.. haha!)

MAC Lickable Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

 MAC Lickable Lipstick

MAC Lickable Lipstick ($15) is the newest pink that has been added to my collection. It's described on the MAC website as a bright, clean blue-pink. It's comparable to MAC's ever popular Girl About Town (described as a bright, blue fuschia), but it's a little less purple, so many reviews mention it's more wearable than Girl About Town. I thought it'd be similar to my recent fav - MAC Insanely It Sheen Supreme, but Lickable is more blue-toned, and Insanely It has a stronger rosy-red tone.

Lickable is a Cremesheen, so the formula is creamy, with good color payoff. It's semi-opaque, but can be built with a few more swipes for full opacity.

My obsession with bright pinks aren't quite over yet. Despite looking bright and intimidating in the tube, bright pinks lighten up quite nicely when mixed with lesser-intense, muted pinks. I pretty much mix MAC Creme Cup and Wet n Wild Think Pink with everything, and it always creates a more wearable pink that is sill vibrant.

I really like it and I think I'll be wearing it often. It's a very wearable bright pink that's not too in-your-face.

Do you own MAC Lickable or any similar shades?

MAC Insanely It Sheen Supreme Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Insanely It Sheen Supreme Lipstick

MAC Insanely It Sheen Supreme Lipstick ($16) is described on the MAC website as a watermelon pink. It's a pretty accurate description. It's a vivid, reddened-fuchsia pink with very fine hot pink/purple shimmer. The shimmer is so fine that you don't feel the grit on your lips. If you were a MAC fanatic in the Fafi days (2008), you might remember a gorgeous little lipglass called Totally It, this lipstick reminds me a lot of that color.

It seems like all I have been posting about lately is bright lipstick - but I swear, I think this is the last one for a while. Maybe.

Insanely It has been on my wishlist for a while now, and I actually like it a lot more than I thought I would.

You don't hear too much about the MAC Sheen Supreme line of lipsticks, and I'm not sure why, because they are amazing formulated lipsticks.

MAC Sheen Supremes are a hybrid between a lipgloss and lipstick. They have the pigment of a lipstick, are ultra-buttery upon application and have a finish of a lipgloss. I only owned one prior (Bare Again) and I have to say they are incredibly comfortable on the lips and they keep any dryness at bay.

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 

MAC Viva Glam Nicki Minaj Lipstick Review with Photos & Comparisons!

MAC Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick

When I got word that Nicki Minaj was coming out with another lipstick for MAC, I was really excited because I knew it was going to be something really bold and bright.

Ricky Martin teamed up with Nicki as well - which I thought was a pretty random collaboration from the get-go. Ricky, where have you been these past ten years?!

Anyways, when I saw the first swatches of Viva Glam Nicki early this month, I became incredibly excited and couldn't wait for it to launch. I added my name to the waiting list, and to my satisfaction, I was able to purchase Viva Glam Nicki online a day early.

(Image Credit)

Viva Glam Nicki is a bright yellow-toned pink. Finally a bright pink that isn't blue-toned, for us warm skinned ladies to wear without looking crazy!

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:

Current Products in my Rotation!

I've always been one to carry tons of makeup with me in my handbag, but in the past year or so, I've been carrying a lot less makeup with me in my bag, and leaving more at home. I use to literally bring with me every item of makeup I'd be wearing on a certain day, just "in-case" something happens and I'll need to fix it. Nowadays, I only bring a few items with me - a powder compact for touch ups, a lipstick and gloss, eyeliner and a couple brushes. (I haven't been ruining the lining of my handbags either - yay!)

My "every day" products change quite often, as I'm constantly trying new things. But to keep my most used products handy, I keep them all in one place for easy access. If a certain product isn't getting much use, I'll put it back in my storage system so I don't have a bin of overflowing products. 

Here's a peek at what I've been using lately!

NARS Pro Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (travel size) - I recently got this in a swap, and so far I like it. I don't find it much different than Urban Decay Primer Potion, but it's a good primer that keeps my eye shadow in place all day.
YSL Eyeliner Effet Faux Cils Longwear Cream Eyeliner in Deep Black - (reviewed here). This is my current favorite cream liner, and I use it just about every day!
Bobbi Brown Longwear Cream Eyeshadow in Stone - Stone is a light, taupe shade that is very soft and natural. I like using it smudged into my lash line for a very soft look. It's quite similar in color to MAC Groundwork Paintpot.
MAC Paintpot in Constructivist - Constructivist is a gorgeous bronzed-brown with a reddish undertone. Many times I use it alone smudged into my lash line, or as a base for my brown eyeshadow.
Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Long-Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Epatant - (reviewed here) I haven't had this very long, but I've been wearing it just about every chance I get. It seems to blend really well with my every day brown shadows.
MAC Brule Eyeshadow - Brule is a matte, soft ivory. I use it every day all over my lid before applying any other eyeshadow. It evens out the color on my lids and makes my lids a perfect blank canvas for my eyeshadow and liner.
L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows in Endless Pearl, Iced Latte, Bronzed Taupe and Amber Rush - These are pretty new to my collection, but they are everything that everyone has been raving about. They are wonderful, dreamy-smooth and intensely pigmented shadows. I love using Endless Peal all over my lid (as it's just like MAC Brule, but more pigmented). Iced Latte as a highlight, and Bronzed Taupe and Amber Rush in my crease. (I'll do a separate post on these later!)
Christian Dior Five Golds 5-Colour Eyeshadow Palette - (reviewed here) This is an older limited edition palette, but it's one of my favorite palettes. All 5 colors go together so wonderfully and when using this palette, I never need to reach for any additional colors. This palette has it all. If you can get your hands on one in a blog sale, swap, etc, I highly recommend it!

Swatches

From Left to Right: YSL Eyeliner Effet Faux Cils Longwear Cream Eyeliner in Deep Black, MAC Paintpot in Constructivist, Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Long-Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Epatant, Bobbi Brown Longwear Cream Eyeshadow in Stone, L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows in Endless Pearl, Iced Latte, Amber Rush and Bronzed Taupe, MAC Brule Eyeshadow, Christian Dior Five Golds Quint.

READ MORE!

Illamasqua Fable Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

Illamasqua Fable Lipstick

Illamasqua Fable Lipstick ($22) is described as a matte, bubble gum pink on the Sephora website, and a bright, rose pink on the Illamasqua website. It's for sure bright, in a pastel sort of way. It has a warm undertone, as it leans slightly coral rather than purple or blue. I can't really call it a bubble-gum pink, because in my opinion, a bubblegum pink would be like a bright, neutral or slightly cool pink. Fable is more of a bright, pastel flamingo pink or salmon pink.

Anyway, Fable is a shade I knew I would love because I seem to have a fascination with warm pinks that have a hint of peach or coral. They just seem to suit me the best, especially when I'm sporting a tan.

I'm a big fan of Illamasqua's lipsticks, even though I've only owned one prior; Illamasqua Obey, which is one of my favorites. All of the shades are packed with pigment in one swipe. In fact, most of Illamasqua's products have amazing pigmentation, which makes me so sad it's so hard to find in the US! I want to do some swatching! *sigh*

The only bad thing I can say about this lipstick, which is usually the case with light colored matte lipsticks, is that it can accentuate any dryness present on your lips. To avoid having shriveled lips, apply a generous layer of lip balm prior to application of the lipstick. If you're not a fan of the matte finish, pop a little lip gloss on top!

Covergirl Hot Passion Lip Perfection Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

Covergirl Hot Passion Lipstick

Do you have a lipstick, or any item of makeup that once applied, you instantly feel sexy? That's how I feel when I apply Covergirl Lip Perfection in #305 Hot Passion. I feel like popping some of my old cassettes in the tape player and gettin' my jam on. Rockell, perhaps?

(Rockell - In a Dream)

Haha! But, really, there is something about red that makes a women look and feel sexy.

Hot Passion is a true red that isn't 100% cool, or warm. It meets somewhere halfway. Upon application, I can tell right away that it looks cool with a blueish-pink undertone. But, when applied heavier, it starts to give off a little warmth. So, it's not entirely cool or warm. I actually attained this lipstick from my beautiful cousin, who is around the MAC NW15 coloring (with auburn hair, blue eyes & rosy cheeks), and she found it looking too warm/orange for her liking. I love it though, on my MAC NC20 coloring. Not to mention, it makes my lips look very full!

Yagolicious Bonita Lipstick in the shades Blue Rose & Matador Red.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: 

Flaunt your Bonita lips in rich color formulated with Vitamin E.Our exclusive formula smoothes out fine lines and creases in living color. Bonita Lipstick is one of Yagolicious Cosmetics best selling lipstick and one of the top sellers for Yagolicious Cosmetics.

I've been on a bright lipstick kick lately and can't seem to get enough of them. Granted, I don't own many, but I have my eyes on several; MAC Impassioned - yes, I'm the only person in the world that doesn't own it, Illamasqua Frenzy, Petulant & Indulge Intense lip glosses, Every obnoxious colored OCC Lip Tar, to name a few.

So, these Yagolicious Lipsticks were right up my alley with their intense color, in the shades Blue Rose and Matador Red. In fact, they are actually Yagolicious' best sellers.

MAC Creme Cup Lipstick Review!

MAC Creme Cup Lipstick

MAC Creme Cup Lipstick ($15) is described on the MAC website as a light, blue pink. It's a Cremesheen formula, which is one of my favorite formulas despite the fact that the formula is very soft, and prone to melting in warm temperatures or slanting if too much pressure is applied during application.

Even though Creme Cup is blue-based, the blue undertones don't seem to be very strong. I find blue-based pinks incredibly difficult to wear on my skintone, but Creme Cup is my perfect, bubblegum pink. It's fairly similar to MAC Hue on my lips, but the color is a bit brighter and more opaque.

With one swipe, it provides a nice wash of light pink to the lips that isn't too pale, and with additional swipes, the color can be built to full coverage.

MAC Creme Cup on my lips

Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24) is a vivid coral pink (described on Sephora as pink cantaloupe) lipstick pencil with a matte finish.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils combine the convenience of a pencil with the application of a lipstick in a jumbo-sized crayon design. These pigment-rich sticks provide a matte, creamy finish enriched with emollients, vitamin E, and silicone.

After seeing Bolero featured on Temptalia, I knew it would be a shade I was going to love. Although, it did look super dry on her lips.

I'm not sure if the formula differs shade to shade, but Boleo is pretty drying, as are most matte finish lipsticks. To keep my lips from drying out, I'll apply a layer of lip balm on my lips prior to application of the lip pencil and it keeps my lips from drying out and the lip pencil from looking uneven.

My favorite way of wearing Bolero, is with a warm lip liner (such as MAC Stripdown, Hover, Spice, etc) and clear gloss on top. It also looks great when mixed with a baby pink lipstick/gloss.

The color seemed all too familiar, and when I swatched it next to some of my other favorties.. well, I realized why I liked it so much in the first place. Haha! It resembles Illamasqua Obey the most, just with a touch more pink. It's a color that I find very flattering on my skintone, as it really brightens up my face.

Swatches from left to right: YSL #26 Tender Peach Rouge Volupte Lipstick, MAC Everhip Lipstick, Illamasqua Obey Lipstick and Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil.

If the pencil wasn't so drying, it would probably be one of my favorite lip products. But, because I have to prime my lips, it is a little inconvenient when applied on the go, or for touch-ups. Still, I really like it and I'm happy with it!

Have you tried any of the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils? What did you think?

MAC Freckletone Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Freckletone Lipstick

MAC Freckletone Lipstick ($14.50) is a warm, sheer, nude peach with a shiny finish. It's a lustre formula, so if you're familiar with the MAC lustre family - it's smooth, creamy and feels great on the lips. I usually have to layer a lipgloss over most of my lipsticks because I love shine, but I don't need anything extra over Freckletone. The pigmentation is sheer, but buildable to medium coverage. It never quite reaches full coverage, but it can get two-thirds it's way there.

Freckletone was one of my first MAC lipstick purchases, and I've used it off and on for years. It's one of my favorites to wear when I'm tan (MAC NC30-NC40 range). It doesn't seem to look right on me when I'm lighter. When I'm around NC15-20, it looks a bit orange/brown on my lips. I think it's best geared toward medium to tan skin tones. I love pairing it with an equally warm lip liner, such as MAC Spice or Stripdown Lip Liner. It also looks great paired with warm-toned blush and earthy-toned eyeshadows.

MAC Freckletone on my lips