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.

MAC Pink Pearl Pop Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Pink Pearl Pop Lipstick

MAC Pink Pearl Pop Lipstick ($15) is described on the MAC website as a frosted mid-tonal pink. It's a very girly and subtly warm, vibrant pink, so if you're feeling like you want to wear something other than your average muted pink but don't want something very bright and in-your-face, Pink Pearl Pop is a great median. And despite what the description says, it's not frosty. The pigmentation is sheer, and buildable to medium coverage. It has a shiny balm-like finish.

I own many pinks, but I couldn't find a perfect dupe for Pink Pearl Pop. Revlon Perennial Pink Colorstay Mineral Lipglaze came the closest, as when I applied Pink Pearl Pop on my bottom lip and Perennial Pink on my top lip, I could hardly tell the difference, other than the lipgloss obviously being glossier. Pink Pearl Pop is a little more vibrant.

Pink Pearl Pop launched recently a couple months ago with the MAC Cremesheen + Pearl Collection, along with six other lipsticks and an array of Cremesheen Glasses. I had my eyes on several shades, but considering they are permanent products, I'm in no rush to get them all at once.

As with most Cremesheen formulas, Pink Pearl Pop feels moisturizing and comfortable on the lips.

MAC Pink Pearl Pop 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.

Edward Bess Secret Desire Ultra Slick Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

Edward Bess Secret Desire Lipstick

Edward Bess Secret Desire Lipstick ($32) is a beautiful, creamy natural peachy-pink. Although it looks rather peach in the tube (almost like Nars Belle De Jour) it's most certainly pink. It's soft, neutral and perfect for every day. Many like describing it as a "my lips but better shade, and for light skin tones it is! For medium -dark skin tones it'd work great as a nude.

I've never tried any other Edward Bess Lipsticks, so I'm not sure if the overall performance of the line can be determined by only one shade, but Secret Desire is very creamy, yet a bit slippery - kind of like a YSL Rouge Volupte, but not as drying and longer-lasting. Secret Desire has medium to opaque coverage and a lustrous finish. Even after several layers, the lipstick still manages to feel thin and so lightweight on my lips. It's an overall fantastic formula.

It has a light, sweet fruity smell which I can smell each time I apply it, which I've read is the scent of wild figs. I absolutely love the smell.

Edward Bess Secret Desire on my lips.

MAC Bombshell Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Bombshell Lipstick

MAC Bombshell Lipstick ($15) is a soft rosy pink with pink and golden shimmer. It's a frost formula lipstick, so if you don't like frost, this might not be a lipstick for you - but for reference, I can tolerate many of MAC's Frost Lipsticks as the actual formula is nice and they don't tend to be overly frosty.

The lipstick is smooth (non-gritty and dry like many frost lipsticks) and applies just as silky as any of their other formulas. It has a satin finish, but if it was a bit more glossy I'd love this lipstick so much more. I think it has a tendency to sometimes looks a little dull on my lips, but it's nothing a little gloss doesn't fix. I've read that it looks great when layered with MAC Nymphette Lipglass, although I just grab any similar pink gloss and it always looks nice.

I notice that when I'm tanner (NC35), it looks more cool toned on my lips, and when I'm lighter (NC25), it looks a bit more rosy. I think Pink Icing would've been an appropriate name, because that's almost what it looks like on my lips.

It's a fabulous shade for every-day, and if you're in the market for a frosty pink that doesn't make you look like a porn-star, check out MAC Bombshell.

MAC Bombshell Lipstick on my lips (around NC30 skin tone)

MAC Hot Gossip Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Hot Gossip Lipstick

MAC Hot Gossip Lipstick ($15) is described as a mid-tone pinky plum. It's a shade I would have never picked up a couple of years ago, and a shade I've overlooked ever time I'm shopping at the MAC counter. I'd like to call it a grown-up pink - your progression from baby pinks and nudes. It looks quite boring in the tube when you look at it in indoor lighting, but in the sunlight, you really get to see how complex and pretty this pink is. It kind of reminds me of a more pigmented, brighter and pinker Rimmel Airy Fairy.

Hot Gossip brings color to my face without being too bright, and makes my lips look a bit more noticeable and full. I think it's a shade that will work on many skintones from warm to cool, light and dark.

It's a cremesheen formula, so it applies smooth and is opaque with a few swipes of the tube.

MAC Hot Gossip Lipstick on my lips

MAC Saint Germain Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Saint Germain Lipstick

MAC Saint Germain Lipstick ($15) is described on the MAC website as a clean, pastel pink. It's a very blue-based (cool toned) pink, so it can appear a bit lilac-purple. It's a very "barbie" pink, that can be difficult to pull off, and most times is a hit or miss on most skin tones. I think it's absolutely beautiful on light skin tones (see Katy Perry below) and I actually didn't discover my love for blue-pink lipsticks until I tried one minus my faux tan (around the MAC NC15 coloring).

Because it's very light (pastel), and it's a very opaque formula of lipstick, it can look a bit harsh as it can completely block out the color of your lips (much like any pastel - such as MAC Fleshpot or Myth), but when applied sheer, and combined with a pink lip gloss on top, it's so much more wearable.

MAC Saint Germain on my lips.

NYX Sand Pink Lip Liner, MAC Saint Germain Lipstick and MAC Like Venus Dazzleglass.

MAC Supreme Style Sheen Supreme Lipstick Review!

MAC Supreme Style Sheen Supreme Lipstick

MAC Supreme Style Sheen Supreme Lipstick ($16) is described as a light coral with pink and a frost finish. The coverage is semi-opaque, which is almost hard to distinguish because the base color is so similar to my actual lip color. At a glance, it looks sheer, but it's actually quite pigmented. It reminds me a bit of a pinker version of MAC High Tea. It's a great natural shade to pair with dramatic eyes.

This shade plays off the natural shade of the lips a bit, so if your lips are redder, the color may appear more rosy. I like applying a tiny bit of MAC Lip Erase on my lips to tone down the color for a perfect, glossy nude.

If you aren't familiar with MAC Sheen Supremes, they are an ultra-creamy, moisturizing formula with a shiny finish. In some ways, they kind of remind me of the texture of Revlon Lip Butters (but creamier) — they feel like a soft, creamy lip balm, yet the coverage is opaque. I absolutely love them, and if you are particular to softer, glossy formulas of lipstick, you will love them too.

MAC Supreme Style on my lips.

MAC Costa Chic Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Costa Chic Lipstick Review

MAC Costa Chic Lipstick Review ($15) is described as a frosty, light coral. On the lips, it's very bright — borderline neon. I''m never really a fan of frost; especially in lipsticks, somehow I always feel like an overload of frost cheapens the product. I know many of us cringe at the thought of looking like we're rocking a trend from the past decade, but Costa Chic is an exception. It's one of the few frost finishes that I will wear — it looks fab when topped with a sheer pink lipgloss, and if you aren't feeling very daring, you can wear a similar coral (maybe MAC Everhip) and rub a little bit of Costa Chic on the middle of your bottom lip for some highlight and dimension.

I love mixing my bright corals with a pale shade such as MAC Myth Lipstick; it creates a bright, creamy, light watermelon pink. Love! You can really use any other shade, light pinks work well with it too!

MAC Costa Chic on my lips.

MAC Blossom Culture Sheen Supreme Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Blossom Culture Sheen Supreme Lipstick

MAC Blossom Culture Sheen Supreme Lipstick ($16) is described on the MAC website as a soft pink with (white) pearl. It has a hint of coral, so it will work exceptionally well on warm skin tones. It's semi-opaque, and seems to enhance my natural lip color, while bringing a little bit of color to my face. It's a natural shade, making it great for daily wear, yet the hint of coral adds a little bit more. I think it's a great summer shade and will pair well with bronzed cheeks and pinky-coral blush!

If you aren't familiar with MAC Sheen Supremes, they are an ultra-creamy, moisturizing formula with a shiny finish. In some ways, they kind of remind me of the texture of Revlon Lip Butters (but creamier) — they feel like a soft, creamy lip balm, yet the coverage is opaque.

I love MAC Lipstick, and I'm crazy about Sheen Supremes. If you're a MAC fiend like myself, I urge you to check them out. I'm sure you'll fall in love too!

MAC Blossom Culture on my lips.

Dolce and Gabbana Darling Passion Duo Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

 Dolce and Gabbana Darling Passion Duo Lipstick

Dolce and Gabbana Passion Duo Lipstick ($34) is a 2-in-1 hybrid of rich cream color and satin gloss. The outside lipstick layer provides most of the color, while the middle gloss layer provides shine. Darling is a glistening, warm peachy-pink with a cotton candy pink center. It's a lipstick that falls in the natural/nude category, and one that I find to be very sophisticated. It has light pigmentation (buildable) and leaves my lips glowing!

Although it's not the first time this type of design has been created, and with my personal experiences, 2-in-1 products tend to be failures (usually exceeding in one aspect and falling short in the other) - automatically I think of cream blushes that "can also be used on the lips", which usually ends up in dry, shriveled lips, but perfectly stained cheeks. Well, my good ol' friend D&G hit the nail on the head with the passion duo lipsticks, as the overall formula isn't anything short of fabulous.

The formula is silky smooth and feels great on the lips. The moisturizing ingredients in this lipstick seem to sink into my lips quite well without further drying them out.

The lipstick does have a noteworthy scent/taste of roses. Although it's not crazy strong, it's there. Imagine the scent of Guerlain Meteorites on your lips - that's exactly what it's like.

Darling is actually one of the sheerer passion duos, so the lasting power is very average. I've read that the more pigmented (darker) colors stick around much longer. If you're looking for a sexy, warm red, check out Incognito. (View Crystalis007 review & lip swatch - omg!)

D&G Darling Lipstick 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.