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

Wet n Wild Megalast 2% Milk and Milani Lavender Jewel FX Nail Polish!

I love anything that sparkles, and when I spot a pretty glitter polish, it's pretty hard for me to not toss it in my cart. Despite the P.I.T.A. glitter polishes are to remove, I think they're so much fun! Milani has a big variety of glitter polishes to choose from. If you like smaller, more uniform glitter, you have to check out the Holographic and One Coat Glitter polishes. But if you're a fan of large, chunky glitter, the Jewel FX polishes are for you.

I recently picked up Milani Lavender Jewel FX Nail Lacquer, and decided to experiment a little bit with it today. I painted some glitter tips, and thought I'd quickly share my NOTD!

I used three coats of Wet n Wild 2% Milk, two coats of Milani Lavender Jewel FX and then used the Milani Art of Silver Nail Art polish to create a silver, glittery line across the tip.

From the left to right: Wet n Wild 2% Milk Megalast Nail Color, Milani Art of Silver Nail Art Nail Lacquer and Milani Lavender Jewel FX Nail Lacquer.

Wet n Wild 2% Milk is one of my frequently used "no polish" polish. Most sheer, light nail polishes apply streaky, but because of the thick, flat brush of the Megalast polishes, it yields minimal streaks. I've gone through so many Essie polishes, and haven't liked any of them. This one is only $2 and it beats them all! I also like using Sugar Coat for a pinker alternative.

I think I might get a couple more of the Jewel FX polishes. They are great glitters to use for a statement nail, as the glitter is really chunky and metallic - it almost gives off a foiled look.

NOTD: Wet n Wild Mega Last Salon Nail Color in 205B Sugar Coat.

 Wet n Wild Sugar Coat Mega Last Salon Nail Color 

Early this year Wet n Wild launched new packaging and an improved formula for their Megalast Nail Polishes. The new formula claims to be long-lasting, promising 5 days of wear. They came out with some new colors along with some of the old, with eighteen shades in total (or at least 18 on Wet n Wild's website).

I wanted to give the new formula a shot, and purchased the shade Sugar Coat, which is a pale, milky peach-pink.

The brush is wide and flat, curving at the tip for a one-sweep application. It's similar to the brush of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish or Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Polish. It's great for those with average to wide nail beds, but may be a little difficult for those with narrow nail beds. I really like the brush, and for my nails, it provides a very even application with less streaks.

 Wet n Wild Sugar Coat Mega Last Salon Nail Color 

(Three Coats with Seche Vite Top Coat)

Sugar Coat is a really nice natural shade that looks great on it's own or as a pale pink base for french tips. You really only need two coats, but once of my nails ended up a little streaky, so I ended up painting three coats.

The drying time is okay, it's not very fast, but with a fast drying top coat, your nails shouldn't smudge.

I really like this polish, and I'm hoping it lives up to it's 5-day claim. Regardless, a bottle only costs $1.99, so it's not a huge loss.

I'll be updating this post letting you know how long it lasts before chipping or peeling!

Have you tried any colors from the Wet n Wild Megalast line? What do you think of them?

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 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. 

Love this bright lip combo!

Wet n Wild 511B Nouveau Pink (First mentioned in my haul post here)

NYX Round Lipgloss in Doll Pink (Mentioned in my '09 NYX post here)

I love bright lipsticks, but the truth is... they make me nervous. For whatever the reason may be, bright lipsticks are out of my comfort zone. I do admire a good bright lipstick when I see one, maybe even purchase it, but it will just end up collecting dust in my lipstick drawer.

There are some days where I'll feel like being a little more adventurous with my lip color, and I'll toss on MAC Vegas Volt, MAC Morange, NYX Louisiana or OCC Divine Lip Tar without much thought. In the past month or so, Wet n Wild Nouveau Pink has pretty much replaced all of those other brights I like to wear - who woulda thought at 99 cents? It's such a flattering shade that really brightens up my face (and I'm pretty sure it makes my teeth appear whiter). It's really pretty on it's own, but I like pairing it with NYX Round Lipgloss in Doll Pink. It takes it up a notch. 

If you're terrified of brights (or red) like me, I recommend experimenting with the inexpensive brands before investing in a high end lipstick you may only wear once a year. Wet n Wild has great options for a low price. If you like the color, force yourself to wear it! Don't look in the mirror every 15 minutes while you're out, forget that you're wearing it. If you can get through a full day of wearing it before putting on something else neutral, you've passed the test! I bet you'll get some compliments too while you're out. Try it more often! ☺

What is your favorite bright lipstick?

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trios Review!

Left to Right: Silent Treatment #335, I'm Getting Sunburned #334, Walking on Eggshells #380B.

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trios

Wet n Wild is a drugstore cosmetic brand that I've always been really familiar with. The first makeup items I ever owned, at the age of 12, were Wet n Wild. Throughout my adolescence, Wet n Wild was a brand I'd always go because it was convenient (sold at most drugstores) and the prices were always very inexpensive.

Throughout high school, I started to explore other brands and started to neglecting my Wet n Wild makeup. Many of the lipsticks were too frosty and the eye shadows were too sheer. In the past couple of years, Wet n Wild has really improved their quality and selection of products.

Aside from Wet n Wild's awesome Mega Last Matte Lipsticks, their palettes have been causing quite a "stir" in the online makeup communities. Call me a "Makeup Snob", but I was never really interested in purchasing any of the palettes myself, despite the rave after rave reviews I read. I think a big part of it is the flimsy packaging. I am a bit of a sucker for nicely packaged items, but the main reason Wet n Wild is able to keep their prices so low is because of their basic, mediocre packaging. I always assume that if I purchase a bronzer or eyeshadow, it will end up shattering in my purse and getting all over everything. Well, I put all of that to the side when I saw a 40% sale at my local drugstore and decided to splurge (yes, splurge a whole $5 bill) on a few palettes.

There are 12 different Color Icon Trios to choose from, and I ended up choosing the palettes that I figured are suitable for every day and go well together.

Left to Right: Silent Treatment #335, I'm Getting Sunburned #334, Walking on Eggshells #380B.

Silent Treatment #335 contains a light peach, a dark, neutral brown with golden shimmer and a mauve taupe. The most pigmented shade in this trio is the crease, and the least pigmented shade is the brow bone. All shades go extremely well together and I think it's an overall great palette to put together a quick look.

I'm Getting Sunburned #334 contains a frosted, cool pink, a deep-dark warm brown with copper shimmer (a good dupe for NARS Mekong) and a frosted gold. All three shades are very richly pigmented and is probably the most pigmented of all three palettes. The brown in particular applied very dark - almost black, so you only need the lightest touch of your brush.

Walking on Eggshells #380B contains a frosty off white, warm caramel brown and a champagne pink. Again, all three shades are richly pigmented. This palette is a great palette for subtle every day looks, especially for the daytime and a work environment.

As far as the shadows themselves, they are very soft and smooth. They applied and blended together very easily. When using a sponge applicator or brush, quite a bit of dust was created from the shadows, so the compacts can possibly get a bit messy after continued use. Also, because they are so soft, I'd be scared to death of ever dropping any of the palettes on hard flooring. (Although I read that the Silent Treatment trio passed Temptalia's drop test. Results will vary, I'm sure.)

I'm overall really satisfied with all three palettes and can't wait to share some looks with them! Definitely give one a try if you've been undecided.

Wet n Wild Willow Lip Liner Pencil Review + a Few Comparisons!

Wet n Wild Willow Lip Liner

Wet n Wild Color Icon Lip Liner comes in a small variety of everyday, wearable shades. There are six (6) shades in total, and my favorite of the six is #712 Willow.

Willow is a caramel nude shade that is suitable for a wide range of lip colors. It's a bit warmer than my natural lip color and works exceptionally well paired with warm nudes, peaches and pinks.

When it comes to lip liner, I prefer a dry formula opposed to a creamy formula, because the drier consistency pencils tend to hold up better through meals, beverages and average wear throughout the day. This particular pencil has a great formula. In comparison to MAC Lip Pencils, it's quite similar in texture, but a little less creamy. It doesn't glide as well as MAC, but it's not so dry where it tugs my lips and crumbles up. Overall, a fantastic deal for the price (99 cents).

Swatches:

Wet n Wild Willow Lip Pencil, MAC Hover Lip Pencil, MAC Subculture Lip Pencil and Sephora Nano #2 Lip Pencil.

Willow is actually very similar to all of the shades swatched, but it has the warmest tone of the four.

Wet n Wild Willow Lip Pencil, MAC Peachstock Lipstick and MAC Clear Lip glass.

Drugstore Haul! Hair Dye, Lipstick, Lipgloss, Glitter + Crackle Nail Polish!

This post jumps around a little bit, but I didn't want to break it into separate posts. Hope you don't mind! Anyway, he's my haul from a couple of days ago. Everything was purchased from Walgreens. I purchased the Rimmel at 50% off and the Wet n Wild at 50% off with their current sale.

Clairol Nice n' Easy Perfect 10 Hair Color #5 Medium Brown

Pure Ice Crackle Nail Polish in Jetsetter

Sinful Colors Glitter Nail Polish in Nail Junkie 927

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Pink Blush 006

Wet n Wild Mega Matte Lipstick in Think Pink 901B

Wet n Wild Lipstick in Nouveau Pink 511B

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lip gloss in Pink Remedy 110

Clairol Nice n' Easy Perfect 10 Hair Color #5 Medium Brown. I've read pretty good reviews for this box dye, so I thought I'd give it a try instead of my regular Clairol Natural Instincts Brass Free Brunettes. I love my previous dye, but it just didn't cover the grays well enough. (Yes, I do have grays) I'm hoping that this dye will work better for that. I should be using it in the next few days.

[Outdoors, No Flash] Left to Right: Wet n Wild 901B Think Pink, Wet n Wild 511B Nouveau Pink, Rimmel Lasting Finish Pink Blush 006

[Outdoors, Flash] Left to Right: Wet n Wild 901B Think Pink, Wet n Wild 511B Nouveau Pink, Rimmel Lasting Finish Pink Blush 006

Wet n Wild 901B Think Pink is a warm, bubblegum pink. I rarely come across pinks that I really like because cool toned pinks don't suit my skintone, and it's difficult to find a warm pink that's light enough, opaque and has no shimmer. I actually already own this shade, but I purchased another as a backup because it was on sale for 50% off at Walgreens.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pink Blush 006 is also a bubblegum pink, but it's a bit cooler in tone compared to Think Pink. It's often compared to MAC Viva Glam Gaga (the first one).

Wet n Wild Lipstick in Nouveau Pink 511B is a bright, magenta-pink. Ever since I saw it on Jo, I had to have it. The formula is surprisingly nice for a 99 cents lipstick. It's creamy and applies evenly and has great color payoff. See it on Jomakemeblush by clicking here.

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lip gloss in Pink Remedy 110

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lip Gloss in Pink Remedy 110 is a medium toned pink gloss filled with very fine shimmer and the slightest bit of frost. I'm a bit underwhelmed by the color - pretty in the tube but does not show up on my lips and the color can't be easily built. I do like the fact that it contains an SPF (15) and has a large, flattened applicator. 

Wet n Wild Nouveau Pink Lipstick

Sinful Colors Glitter Nail Polish in Nail Junkie 927 has a teal-blue very sheer base, combined with chunky blue glitter, multicolored glitter and fine green glitter. I purchased this because it reminded me a little bit of a Butter London polish I really want called Henley Regatta.

Pure Ice Crackle Nail Polish in Jetsetter is a royal blue with a pearl finish. Honestly, I never really liked crackle polishes, and I never thought I'd purchase one. But when I saw a large display of Pure Ice Crackle Polishes at my Walgreens for $3.99 each, I thought I ought to purchase my first one to review. There were several colors to pick from, but I ended up picking blue. I thought it would look really cool over a green or lighter blue polish.. and possible over the glitter polish I had just purchased.

A photo I took with my cell phone at Walgreen's of the Pure ICE Crackle Polishes

I find it a little difficult to work with. I've never used any other crackle nail polish, so I can't compare, but it dries very quickly and starts crackling right away. I find that you have to coat your nail extremely quick, and if you go over the polish, it won't crackle as well. It crackles the best when the coat of polish is very thin.

Left to Right: A Generic bright, seafoam green polish with one coat of Sinful Colors Nail Junkie on top, China Glaze For Audrey with Pure Ice Crackle Jetsetter on top, A Generic bright, seafoam green polish (same as index finger) with Pure Ice Crackle Jetsetter on top, Three Coats of Sinful Colors Nail Junkie. All  nails have one coat of Seche Vite Top Coat, except for my pinky.

I actually liked how each nail tuned out. I think the glitter polish looks really pretty over the bright green, and I think it would look really pretty over a blue polish as well!

Do you own any of these products? Do you have any drugstore favorites you can recommend? Let me know in the comments! ☺