Dry Boring Lips? Revlon Lip Butter - Moisture & Colour

Revlon Lip Butters - Pink Truffle & Creme Brulee on NC40 skintone

If you've read my previous post on the lip butters you would have noticed how much I disliked them, but all has changed now!! I don't know whether it's because my lips are more dryer, or the fact I'm enjoying a more glossy lip (because I love matte lipsticks), or whether it's because the shade I tried (peach parfait) had chunky glitters which felt awful on my lips made me dis-like this product. But whatever it is I somehow gave it another shot and ended up loving this!!

I've only had these for a few days and I seem to keep reaching for them. I love the glossy/balmy/sticky/smooth/moisturizing feeling, my lips feel hydrated and lovely. The colours are so amazing, I may pickup a few more!

I decided to choose shades that I'd wear often (esp because these products are not matte and I usually go for a matte lip). So I didn't want to choose colors that would just sit around, and boy do I have a whole ton of lippies, I'm a lipstick junkie! 

I chose creme-brulee, which I actually thought would not work on my skintone (NC40) but surprisingly it does. It looks beautiful alone, or with a lipliner underneath. It's sheer but not so sheer you can't see the colour, nor opaque that your lips look horribly pale and dead. It gives a lovely creamy, shiny glossy nude affect and can be worn with a lovely mid-tone or full smokey eye.

The other colour I chose - pink truffle is gorgeous! I can see it working on all skintones. It is a beautiful 'my lips but better' shade which is a neutral rose pink with brown hues and looks natural. A great everyday easy thrown on lip, or something that can be worn with a smokey eye to balance out the rest of the face. It's ideal for all looks I think. On the lips it may look a bit dark, but believe me with the rest of the face it looks perfect  - whatever the makeup you may be wearing.

MAC Lipstick dupe? Revlon Matte Lipstick Mauve It Over

Revlon Mauve it Over dupe for Mac Kinda Sexy??

I popped into MAC the other day and tried on Kinda Sexy - it is a matte finish which I love and a neutral beige/peach shade. Later I popped into Superdrug and the matte lipstick by Revlon in the shade mauve it over caught my eye- I tried it and instantly I thought DUPE!! Therefore I couldn't resist but purchasing it.

It cost £7.49 and it's matte finish is smooth and glides on and is not drying whatsoever!

As you'll see swatched it looks vert dark but on the lips it looks so natural and beautiful - a nude shade that does not look pale and corpse-like.

MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection - Lipsticks

So MAC have a new Marilyn Monroe collection, which in fact is quite a well thought out one, since her makeup is a classic one in the beauty industry.

To me, the lipstick is what sticks out as her iconic red lip is what she is most famous for.

Aswell as a bright orange red there are three other pinkier and deeper shades of red and also a surprisingly frosted nude

Pure Zen

Love Goddess

Deeply Adored

Scarlet Ibis

Charmed I'm Sure

Swatches coming up very soon!!

MAC Viva Glam Nicki Dupe & Alternative

I was rummaging through my lipstick collection and had wondered whether I had anything similar to my new and well loved viva glam nicki.

I came across two shades,

Barry M Lip Paint in Pink Ribbon, I wouldn't call this a dupe though. I'd say it's more of an alternative if you don't want something too bold and in your face.

I than mixed two Nyx round lipsticks  - Narcissus and Louisiana.. Narcissus is more paler and more of a bubblegum pink and Louisiana just deepens it slightly and takes that 'lady gaga' accent away from the shade.

with flash
barry m, mac, nyx

without flash
barry m, mac, nyx


However the shades are still of colour, the NYX round  lipsticks I felt to be a dupe should have more of a coral tone to it.. so I thought I'd try the lipsticks using a coral lipliner

NYX Coral lipliner & Barry M Pink Ribbon
(More coral and less bold)

NYX lipliner coral & NYX round lipstick in Narcissus and Louisiana 

                                                                                                 

MAC Viva Glam Nicki

Swatches of the two alternatives with NYX Coral Lipliner

Left to Right
Barry M Pink Ribbon, MAC Viva Glam (No lipliner),  NYX Narcissus & Louisiana mixed

Left to Right
Nyx Louisianna, Nyx Narcissus, MAC Viva Glam Nicki, Barry M  Pink Ribbon 

MAC Viva Glam Nicki - £13.50 : Satin finish = demi-matte, not too drying, long lasting, not much shine, applies smoothly, sweet scent, luxurious.. FAVE!

NYX Round Lipstick  Narcissus, Louisiana - Around  £2.99: Very Creamy and moisturising, but can melt and get messy (just like in image), affordable, easy to wear, not very durable and long lasting

Barry M Lip Paint Pink Ribbon - £4.49: Similar to MACs satinb finish, demi-matte, no shine, long lasting, bold colour but not too bright and in your face like vivaglamnicki, a good alternative if you're not a fan of bright barbie coloured lips but want a similar shade that's more appropriate, affordable, may not be available worldwide, cute small packaging

MAC lipstick dupes - Cremecup, Angel Fabby & Bombshell

For ages I have had my eye on Angel and Cremecup and had been into the MAC store many times, trying them on my hands and lips but always leaving empty-handed because I find they look too ashy on my complexion. I then sought to get something very similar but slightly darker which would give the same look on my skintone.

Left to Right: Cremecup, Angel, Fabby, Bombshell

Well we all know Angel (frost) and Cremecup (creamsheen) are very identical in colour, Cremecup being more paler and Angel slightly muted. As a creamsheen formula Cremecup is certainly more creamy over the frost finishes. Next to Angel we have Fabby (frost) which has subtle gold shimmers running through it, but the pink is more or less spot on with Angel. Finally Bombshell (frost), in the tube it looks quite different to the other three but when swatched although there's an apparent contrast to it, since it is more of a warmer, slight brighter pink, it is still similar to the other three mentioned. It's slightly darker than Cremecup and just like Fabby has gold shimmers running through it - this shade I would say would be better for more olive, darker skintones who want that 'Angel' lip.

Barry M Fine Glitter Dust

GREAT FIND
GREAT PIGMENTATION
GREAT PRICE

Left: 24 Toffee Right: 22 Black Gold

These are the two i picked up because I wanted to do an intense smokey eye - I'll insert a pic if anyone wants to see an end result of this sultry look :)

I'm guessing these glitter pigments will be even more intense when used wet with water or fix+

They retail for £4.59

Can be found in: Superdrug, Boots or online at Barry M's website

Summer Blusher Review - Tanned/Olive Skintones

Although the heading suggests these blushers are aimed towards 'golden' skintones, most of these would actually be suitable for all skintones, including those that are paler and much deeper than my complexion. I've just labelled it for the more olive tone girls, because I think these blushers in the sun bring the best out of our skintone! :D

MAC Blush: Trace Gold (sheertone shimmer) - £17.50

elf Natural radiance blush: Glow - £1.50

NARS Blush: Taj Majhal - £21.00

Sleek Blush: Aruba - £4.30

Bourjois Blush: 03 Brun Cuivre - £7.49

From Left to Right: Sleek Aruba, NARS Taj Mahal, Bourjois Brun Cuivre, MAC Trace Gold, elf Glow

From the swatches you can see SLEEK'S ARUBA is a very strong fiery pure orange colour. It is a matte finish and has a very good quality, texture and finish for a drugstore brand. It's price is very reasonable and sleeks packaging is far by my favourite. I'm sure you'll guess that you only need a light hand with this.

When blended out it looks like a natural warmth wash of colour - that's why I think it looks best on olive/deeper skintones. Not only in the summer but I think all skintones should try this one out with a heavy smokey eye = LUSHHHHH!!! 

Next is NARS'S TAJ MAHAL, and just as it's name it is beautiful on indian skintones and deeper complexions. It is very similar to Aruba but has gold shimmers to it - because of this you need to be very light handed with this or else you'll look a mess!! The gold shimmers in it make it perfect for the summer time, not only does it give warmth to the face but a lovely glow (which bronzer gives to paler skintones). Although NARS blushers are pricey, it's worth it, as the product is so pigmented and a little goes a long way and the finish is so smooth and beautiful (best blushers on the market!)

We then have a more toned-down colour. BOURJOIS BRUN CUIVRE looks more rosey-toned when swatched (although it has been swatched heavily) but I'd say it has a browny-peachy, subtle hint of rose to it. It is quite sheer, but is build-able. On the skin it gives such a beautiful nudish peachy glow and smells sensational (like all bourjois products). On my skin it gives a natural glowy look, which is perfect all year round and esp in the summer! To myself, it has the texture of a mineralized blush and this little pot of goodness has lasted me years, and still has a long way to go till it finishes.

The palest blush of the bunch is MAC'S TRACE GOLD. It doesn't have the appearance of a cheapy shimmery, metallic bronzer. Although it isn't super-pigmented, I gotta say I love it because of that. This gives more of a glow than colour. Again it's a natural, nudish colour and works on all skintones (on deeper skintones as a highlighter). It's a sheertone shimmer, so although it has that sheen, it's not too strong and tacky and gives a beautiful sun-kissed natural glow to your cheeks and also makes them look more round and gives your skin such a healthy natural look. I love it!

Finally we have ELF'S GLOW. This blush is a must-have at £1.50!!! I know elf can be a bit of a hit and miss, but this blusher is AMAZING! It's got a fair amount of pigmentation to it and is build-able and surprisingly not too chalky either. It's a beautiful peachy-corally colour with loads of gold shimmers running through it - beautiful for spring and summer!! Think NARS's infamous Orgasm Blush but instead of the corally-pink shade it's more peach toned. It has a bit more gold shimmer to it than Orgasm Blush and therefore I think it's perfect for the summer as the gold doesn't look too overdone. On tanned/olive skintones I think peachy tones of blush work better than pinky ones and this just gives a lovely flush of colour and shimmer.