Nyx Liquid Suede and Lip Lingerie

Hey All

I've been meaning to share these on the blog for ages and it's one of those things I've not gotten around to. When NYX arrived in Cardiff it was a happy day, a cruelty free brand that everyone raved about. I couldn't wait to try it. On my first visit I picked up two of the Nyx Lip Lingeries, after swatching on my hand I was sold they had such a soft mouse like texture that I had to have them.

Since then I've gotten another and a few of the Liquid Suede. I've got the liquid suedes in seductive socialite and soft spoken and the lip lingeries in ruffle trim, push up and bedtime flirt (courtesy of L as she didn't get on with the shade!). These have lived in my handbag since I picked them up, with the exception of seductive socialite, I love this shade but it's not an everyday colour. When I wore it to work a colleague talked to me, stared at my lips and said your lipstick if very purple!

The liquid suede shades are so soft on the lips, they apply well (the applicator on nyx liquid lipsticks is a bit longer than a normal doe foot applicator so takes a bit of getting used to at first!) and last pretty well. These are some of the most comfortable liquid lipsticks and don't leave you with that dreaded lipliner look as these wear off.

The lip lingeries dry slightly more matte then the suedes but are still super comfortable these also really last!! These last on me all day. One thing to be wear of with these are the shades are very similar and the colour of your natural lips effects this. Bedtime flirt looks totally different on L and me.

Subversive Socialite

Subversive socialite is a rich blue toned purple, this is one of the liquid suedes so dries semi matte. I do find it needs two coats but it wears well and is easy to reapply, it doesn't go cakey when layered up.

Soft spoken

Is another liquid suede, this shade is super popular and I can see why. On me it's a rose toned nude brown. It's so easy and comfortable to wear and really finishes off most looks. 

Ruffle trim

Is the first of the lip lingeries and slightly more orange toned than it's showing here. I love this as it's not the tone of nude I normally go for. I've been wearing it loads though and the lasting power is amazing.

Push up

Is the lightest nude I can get away with without being washed out. Anything too pale doesn't suit me as my lips are naturally quite dark. I surprised myself with how much I like this colour!

Bedtime flirt

 You can see the difference in colour on L and I here. On L it's definitely more brown toned than on me. I originally had this in my hand when I bought the first two but decided against it. On me it's more pink than the other lip lingeries I have but still nude.

Next on my hit list is exotic. I love the slight red tone to it. These formulations are my favourite of all the liquid lipstick trends as they are matte without being uncomfortable!

Have you got any lip lingeries or liquid suedes? 

Love M

xxx

Sleek Matte Me in Old Hollywood

Hey All

Lately I've been very spendy so expect a few hauls coming up!! I was meeting some friends in town the other day and have 30 minutes before they arrived and accidently ended up in boots and superdrug and before I knew it I'd bought 2 lipsticks, a lipstick palette, an eyeshadow palette, a contour palette and a nail varnish. Clearly a lack of self control that day ha!

I tend to go to Superdrug more these days as they have a great selection of cruelty free brands (NYX keeps me going to boots though!). With the weather getting colder I'm getting drawn back into the darker shades and can't seem to resist the liquid lipsticks everyone is loving at the moment. As soon as I swatched old hollywood on my hand I knew I was going to buy it. It's such a deep red colour and perfect for the colder weather.

It comes in the traditional lip gloss packaging with the doe foot applicator you would expect for a liquid lipstick, It's really easy to apply direct from the applicator and get that straight line to the lips. It dries really quickly. I love the colour and love how easy it is to apply but it's not my favourite formula. For me it's too drying and does the flaking off the lips from the middle and leaves staining around the lip line. I prefer more mouse like formulas like the NYX lip lingeries and the liquid satins. 

Even though I'm not sold on the formula the colour is so amazing I will definitely keep wearing it. It just needs reapplying throughout the day to keep the colour looking it's best.

Have you tried the Sleek Matte Me lip products? Any tips on stopping it being so drying?

Love M

xxx

Rimmel Apocolips Lip Velvet Matte Burning Lava

Hey All

Hope you had a great weekend. Mine was pretty awesome. Friday night was spent with Wagamamas and The Theory of Everything (i was not prepared for that film to make me cry as much as it did) it was a great film though. On Saturday it was a sorting out type day and a quick pop into town where i finally grabbed some Chelsea style boots. I found a bargain in Fat face reduced from £80 to £25. How could I leave them there. I finally got some excursions planning done for Iceland, I leave two weeks tomorrow. I'm so excited to go now. Yesterday started off way earlier than I'd like for a trip down to the welsh coastline to walk along the cliffs. It was so windy at points but a lush walk and felt good to be out walking.

Today's post is on a product that became instantly loved by bloggers and until Christmas eve I didn't own any of them. As soon a I saw apocolips I loved them. The strong colours, amazing pigmentation, lasting stain and glossy lips really seemed like the perfect lip product and after trying L's I was even more convinced even so I told myself I had enough lipsticks (said no girl ever!!).

On Christmas eve I realised I hadn't taken a red lipstick back to my parents house it seemed like the perfect opportunity to pick them up. Plus they were on 3 for 2. Picking colours took a while but after seeing the matte version I opted for these as I had found the original ones transfer a lot when glossy especially onto teeth.

Burning lava is your classic pillar box red. I wouldn't say it has any blue tones too it but it doesn't make the teeth look yellow because of this.

As with the original apocolips it has the doe foot applicator with the dip in it so it picks up enough product. The shape of it also helps to get a good line around the lips and has a good enough point to define the cupids bow.The matte colours apply to the lips so smoothly. They glide on and don't drag and feel dry on the lips as some matte textures can and don't flake off the lips. I do also find the texture easy to work with to get a well outlined lip. The only problem I have is the colour can sometimes bleed a little so before applying I usually just apply a little bit of an invisible lip liner. The pigmentation is as you would expect from this range. I love the bold colours.

I prefer that the matte colours don't transfer as much as the glossy colours but have kept all the good features that everyone liked with the original apocolips. The colour will initially transfer to a glass or something while it sets but not as badly as the glossy version. It leaves a great even stain to the lips but I do find myself reapplying as the first time it fades I find it gives the ring around the lips. If I then reapply it'll fade and stain the lips all over. I love wearing this to work if I'm going out after work especially as I know by then I have a fuss free perfect red lip.

Have you tried the matte version of the Apocolips?

Love M

xxx

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella

Happy Friday lovely people!

I've got a lovely quiet(ish) weekend lined up where I'm meeting some old friends for lunch and aside from that it's going to be relaxation and bliss on the cards.....and a whole lot of catching up on tv! This new job has taken up a lot of my time doing extra reading and trying to keep up with my gym and classes so I'm looking forward to catching up with everything else.

A few weeks ago both myself and M nabbed ourselves one of the Space NK Gift With Purchase bundles that I haven't even begun to get through; free stuff is so much fun. But obviously we had to spend £150 to get said gifts and this became my opportunity to snap up some much raved about Nars products. I'd never used any whatsoever before this so had quite a wishlist and proceeded to cross some of them off; I've previously posted about the infamous Orgasm blush - post here - and now you can read my review of the nearly as famous Lip Pencils.

It didn't take much convincing for me to add this to my basket, Anna from VDM who I'm sure you all MUST be aware of always looks gorgeous wearing hers so as we are the same colouring it was a no brainer.

Cruella, as if I could leave it after seeing that name! Brings back all the memories of the oh so glamorous Ms Deville and the colour is perfectly fitting.

It's a matte lip pencil, there is also a satin and a velvet gloss lip pencil range (come back for a future review of a satin pencil also!) and so I snapped up one from each range for comparison purposes....obviously.

The pencils themselves are typical in NARS design with monochrome packaging but have the added advantage of having a coloured base; this would be great when choosing between nude, red, pink etc but may be problematic with differentiating between reds...however I don't own enough of them at this point to worry about that!

The Lip Pencils are super easy to use, I have used liner with this one as I have a similar colour to match it but they haven't bled a single time i've used them so are good enough to use without one. The colour is so pigmented and although the matte did feel quite dry on application compared to other lip products, it didn't actually dry my lips out any further.

Clearly they are easy to use, you just need a larger sharpener to get the pencil in (rumour has it UD's Grindhouse is the best - added to wishlist!) and it's so easy to apply the colour that you could even slick on a layer whilst on the bus - though you'll definitely need to check you are in the lines for a colour this bold!

So how does it look on?

These photos were taken with minimal make up apart from the lip pencil and I love the slightly vampy look!

I love the colour, it's a perfect red and I can see me wearing this a lot in future. Even though these photos were taken in natural day light the colour in reality did seem to be darker than the photos show but nevertheless you can see the finish.

I was really impressed by the wear time of these lip pencils too. I'm sure I went a good 6 hours without the need to reapply and that was through multiple meals/snacking/drinks and I think i reapplied purely for the feeling of knowing there was something on my lips!

I would fully recommend the matte range and am tempted to look at the other colours but must resist for the next month or so.....

The Matte Lip Pencils come in at £18 for 2.4g of product and are available in 21 colours.

Have you tried one of the matte lip pencils? What's your favourite colour? Any recommendations for future NARS purchases??

L xxx

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer in Kooky

When I dyed my hair purple a few weeks back I decided I needed some new lipsticks to match it as probably half of my lipsticks would no longer go with it. I picked up one of the new Rimmel Moisture Renew lipsticks which I'm absolutely loving (review here). I'd been eyeing up the Topshop velvet lips as it was the perfect purple but after spotting the MUA one for a lot cheaper I thought I'd give it a go.

The MUA luxe velvet lip lacquers are a liquid lipstick that dries super matte with full pigmentation that lasts. They are similar I imagine to the Lime Crime Velvetines. I'm still eyeing up red velvet to try.

I personally love a matte lip. I think matte looks great with bold colour but to get a perfect matte lip is a challenge. I hate it when it feels tight or dry on the lips or when cracks.

The first thing I love about these are the packaging. The frosted glass and simple and sleek packaging look much more high end than their £3 price tag. I also love that they are boxed! A waste of packaging yes but it always makes me feel like I'm getting something better.

Kooky is a very true purple. It has a very impressive pigmentation and comes out true to colour on the lips. With these less really is more. I find it best to wipe some of the product of before applying and go for a thin layer. The coverage looks better, it's less messy and it lasts better.

I find if I applied too much product it almost crumbled off my lips. I also wondered about applying a lip gloss over the top for if I wanted the great pigmentation but with a glossy finish. This didn't mix well. It just peeled off the velvet lip lacquer underneath and looked really messy.

I also find apply less feels more comfortable on the lips. When I apply it more thickly it makes my lips feel tight and almost more like I need to pout.

They do wear well with a strong pigmentation but wear time is dependant on whether you eat and drink as they do start to wear off from the inside and you are left with the outer parts of the lips being coloured.

These are great for strong pigmentation and matte finish without leaving lips cakey and dry when applied right. Overall I like them and will probably pick up the other colours. Kooky really is a great colour and a purple like this isn't something I'd have thought of picking up before but it has surprised me how many compliments I've got especially from people I wouldn't have expected?

Have you tried these yet?

Love M

xxx

Rimmel's Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 107

I've been a big fan of Rimmel and the Kate Moss collections for a while and have previously picked up the matte lipstick in 110, which is a gorgeous bright coral colour.

M is also a big fan and has been telling me for AGES to pick up a darker lipstick. I'm super pale with dark hair and the vampy look is something I've always wanted to try out but never been brave enough.
I think celebs like Megan Fox who wear this kind of look always look amazing, I mean who wouldn't want to look like this??

I've warmed up to the idea so much after seeing so many good reviews and so I picked up the Lasting Finish Lipstick in the Kate Moss range in 107.

The 107 lipstick is infamous with bloggers, recently Tanya Burr has done a tutorial for Rihanna and Megan Fox inspired make up and used this very lipstick. This confirmed for me that if i want to try the darker lipstick look buying a Rimmel lipstick wasn't going to break the bank at £5.49.

The bullet looks so dark it scared me a lot. I never used to be a lipstick person at all and now find myself with at least 20!
It was only a matter of time really before I tried a colour like this I suppose.

The colour came out exactly how I thought it would but it surprised me how much it suited me, I thought it might have looked a little bit weird but it actually didn't.

I like the finish from this lipstick, its matte but not overly so and that makes it a lot more wearable.
It stains your lips too so as the lipstick wears off the colour doesn't.

However as the lipsticks are matte they are somewhat drying. This annoys me as for day wear I have to apply lip balm in between to stop my lips from peeling which isn't always resolved with lip balm.



However for a night out it's perfect and I can't fault it.

I've worn it out a few times now with a black dress and heels and for an evening at the theatre in jeans and a blazer. It's so much more wearable than i thought and I can't wait to wear it again.

What do you think of darker lipsticks? Which is your favourite?

I'm going to have to get some more in the future!

L xxx

Revlon Mauve it Over Matte Lipstick

Hope you've all had a great bank holiday weekend! L and I have had a great one and were suffering yesterday so forgot to write a post.

Today is my newest lipstick to add to my now ridiculously large collection *cough* over 50 *cough*. In boots a few weeks ago they had some of the Revlon line on 2 for £10 including the new lash potion mascara which retails for £9.99. As I hadn't tried it before I decided to pick up a new lipstick as well.  

I've been wanting a more matte nude lipstick for a while. I love my Mac Fanfare lipstick (review here) but sometimes find it is too shiny for some looks. I remember seeing good things about the Revlon matte range on YouTube so decided to give it a go.

After swatching all the matte shades in Boots I settled on Mauve it over. It looked like a great neutral lipstick and felt soft on the hand.

The packaging is simple and classic in black and gold but what I really like it that the top of the lid is see through so you can easily tell the colour. This works great for me for the way I store my lipsticks.

On the hand the lipstick looks slightly more orange toned than it does on the lips. I find it to be very similar to my natural lip shade. It is a almost rose toned lipstick.

Even though it has yellow tones I don't find it makes my teeth look yellow which is always a good thing. I find blue toned neutral shades just look strange on my skin tone. I love the way the lipstick applies. It glides onto the lips and is opaque in one swipe. I find it doesn't really dry my lips out either which is always a bonus.

I love how natural the colour is and find this so easy to wear for everyday and going out. I wore it when I was a bridesmaid a few weeks ago. I love it for a night out as I find it just completes the look without taking anything away from a dramatic eye look. This lipstick has stayed in my handbag since I got it as I find it just easy to wear.

I'm loving this formulation and now want more of the shades.

It's still on offer for 2 for £10 in boots so technically free if you want to try the new Lash Potion. A great choice if you want a new everyday lip colour.

Love M

xxx

Review: Kate Moss for Rimmel Matte Lipstick Collection with Swatches

When I saw the advert for these lipsticks I knew straight away I had to have shade 107  a gorgeous plum shade perfect for Autumn winter. I loved the shades of her previous collection so when I went to pick it up I picked up the nude shade 113. Somehow I have no will power and recently picked up the other 3 too. 

They are all gorgeous shades and I love the bright red packaging with the black accents on. These lipsticks are all matte. They apply well with very strong pigmentation.

The whole collection provides a colour for everyone. From nudes to reds to plums. They are a little drying but with a matte lipstick I don't expect much else. They last well, look amazing on the lips and are very reasonably priced. Both Superdrug and Boots have these on offer at the moment on 3 for 2 or buy one get on half price. Here's the link for boots.

Shade 101 is a gorgeous baby pink. It is a soft shade that doesn't look to pale or to barbie on the lips. This is a very wearable day shade. I find myself reaching for this a lot as it's so easy to wear with any look. It reminds me of an affordable matte version of Mac Angel (you can see my review here)

As soon as I saw this shade 113 I wanted it. It's a toffee nude shade that is perfect for pairing with a smokey eye. When I saw it I was instantly reminded of my current girl crush Mila Kunis (eye inspired look here) I do find sometimes it reminds me a little of a concealer lip so I've been reaching for lip gloss to put over the top. Lately I'm loving a bit of lip gloss which I never though I would. It does annoy me when my hair blows in it though. Any tips on how to cope with gloss I'd love. The other day a fly actually got stuck to my lip. Not a good look!

Shade 110 was one L picked up before me. I wasn't sure if it would be too orangey on me but I actually really like it. It's a coral red orange shade. It's quite bright but does look really nice on. The red tone to it makes it much more wearable on my skin tone.

Shade 111 randomly is named one mine. I'm not sure why this one is and the others aren't. This is a true piller box red. Excuse my messy application. This is a lipstick that could do with a lip liner prior to application. I think this will replace my current red favourite Diva Red by Rimmel. I love a red lip. When I wear it through the day I feel like a power women. I love it.

Last but by no means least shade 107. A beautiful deep plum shade. This is perfect winter berry shade. I love wearing dark colours through the colder months. Even though I'm pale I personally think they look ok on. I try to wear a subtle eye though so it's not to much.

I really like all the shade in this collection and think they will all be worn a lot. Have you picked up any of them yet? Do you mind a matte lip? For a gorgeous colour I'm more than happy to put on a little lip balm. 

Love M

xxx