NYX Cosmetics Liquid Suede Metallic Liquid Lipstick in Pure Society

Hey guys! I really need to stop promising to regularly update this blog because with how crazy, unpredictable, horrible, and lovely life has been for the past few months I've continued to need to focus on myself and my future which consequently has left little physical or mental time for this blog.  However things have been a bit better lately and as a result....here is an update! From now on the only thing I can promise is that I haven't forgotten about this little project and I will continue to bring you updates on makeup whenever I am able.

Amazingly an Ulta has opened in my tiny rural hometown which of course required a visit.  One of the items I picked up was one of NYX's new liquid suede metallic liquid lipsticks. 

I chose the color pure society because, well, look at it! This shade is an absolutely gorgeous metallic berry and I am so in love.  When I put this one I feel like this color was made for me.  It goes so well with my skin and the metallic effect is purely magical.  However while this color is beautiful....DO NOT EAT WITH THIS ON.  Oh my goodness, I had a breakfast sandwich while wearing this and I ended up with berry lipstick everywhere except on my lips.  It was on my chin, my nose, my sandwich, and all around my mouth. It was a mess.....

I honestly wasn't expecting this to happen as it does not transfer when kissing your hand but add the tiniest bit of oil into the equation and this lipstick is destroyed.

Overall I love this color and I love the price, I am just severely limited in when I can wear it as it cannot involve eating of any kind.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Dopey and Cheap Thrills

Hey! First actual review post in waaaaayyyy too long! I thought it fitting to do this review on some products that I use almost daily.  I fell in love with colourpop quite some time ago when I tried out their eyeshadows and their ultra matte lipsticks.

So today I will be sharing with you two ultra matte lips: Cheap Thrills and Dopey, plus a bonus swatch of one of their eyeshadows in Girl Crush!

Cheap Thrills is a ridiculously lovely matte mauvey purple.  I wear this when I was something a bit more muted but am feeling a bit more adventurous.  It is just purple enough to turn heads but not too intense that it is work inappropriate.  This will last through drinking and most meals however anything too greasy will result in some fading, so bring it with if you plan to grab a greasy breakfast sandwich before work! As you can probably tell from the product picture, the silver on the packaging will get scratched off if you frequently toss your products in your purse or travel bag.  This doesn't bother me but it may bother some.

Dopey is my new everyday lipstick.  It is my current My Lip But Way Better shade right now.  If I am just throwing on some quick powder foundation and mascara this is what I will probably be throwing on my lips as well.  Additionally this tends to be my go to when I do more intense eye looks.  Its staying power is pretty much the same as Cheap thrills, perhaps a little better.

And here is the eyeshadow I have on in the two previous pictures.  This has become my everyday eyeshadow as well, whether I put it on all by itself or I use it as a base for more interesting looks, I have already hit pan on this baby. It is a gorgeous matte greyish taupe color.  I love it for my cool pinkish toned skin.

The best thing about Colourpop though has to be the price.  Their Ultra Matte Lips are $6 and their shadows are $5 and they are almost always running some kind of deal or discount.  I really can't recommend this brand enough.

Mary Kay Pink Satin

I just realized I never did a review on this Mary Kay lipstick!  This is one of the last ones I purchased before giving up on being consultant due to moving to a city for graduate school.  Before I purchased Pink Satin I did not own a single high end nude shade. Because of samples I knew I already liked this color so I had no doubts about adding it to my collection!

This is a really nice color to throw on when I find myself wearing a dark outfit with dark eyes.  It is soft and subtle and gives my lips a nice pink tint all day.  The only issue I have with it would be more my own skin's fault than my own.  As the day wears on and my foundation begins to fade it looks very odd compared to my naturally pink skin, so I try to only wear this if I know I won't be in a situation that will compromise the integrity of my foundation.  Additionally as you can tell from the image if your lips are super  chapped this won't look great up close, but from a distance any lip imperfections are barely noticeable.  

Overall this is a pretty decent light pink shade that I would give a try if you find yourself at a Mary Kay party!

Where to buy: Mary Kay consultant

Price: $15

Colourpop Cosmetics Ultra Matte Lipstick in Tulle, Trap, Koala, and Mars

I was super excited for these Ultra matte lipsticks as soon as I heard about them for the first time.  I LOVE matte lipsticks, especially in a liquid formula, plus they are only $6! You really can't go wrong.  The only thing that could make something like that more perfect was if they were super opaque and lasted for hours.......oh wait! ;P

This formula is the bomb.  The lipsticks go on opaque and completely even for the lighter colors.  There is a bit of uneven color for the darker ones but another coat would fix that right up! Its honestly not even that noticeable in person so I don't bother with a second coat. These stay put on my lips for hours.  The only time they start to die is when I eat something greasy, but even then they hold up really well! I had the Pizza Hut lunch buffet and Mars was faded in the middle of my lips but from a distance, you could barely even tell I just devoured way too much greasy pizza goodness. Also they are transfer proof! I can kiss my boyfriend on the cheek as much as I want to and he won't get covered in lipstick! For $6 these are 110% worth every penny.  My only complaint would be the dryness, I may have trouble pulling these off in winter.

Tulle is a gorgeous deep brownish red.  It is absolutely gorgeous and will be amazing for fall. I could see this pairing with almost any of my fall outfits and I'm sure in a few months it will be an every day lipstick for me.

Trap is a very interesting slightly purple nude.  In yellow light it looks brown but in natural light the purple comes out a lot more.  I really adore it as a nude and can see wearing this with a dark smokey eye often.

Koala is a light pinkish purple.  This is honestly one of my least favorites because based on swatches I though it was be a bit more purple on me and less pink.  I think it makes my skin tone look a bit weird so I'm not sure where and when I'm going to be able to wear this. I don't mind how it looks in the pictures I took however so maybe I'm being too negative about it and it actually looks just fine, haha!

Mars.  An absolutely stunning deep pinkish red. I am in love with this shade and it is probably my favorite.  I wasn't even going to get it initially and just threw it in my cart last minute. I love this shade because it is bold and in your face but also goes with a lot of outfits.  I've worn this with all black, light green, purple....just....it somehow looks awesome no matter what I'm wearing.  I'm in love.

Overall I would recommend these, they have a great formula and the quality is fantastic for the price! <3

Where to buy: colourpop.com

Price: $6

Valentine's Day Nails

Ok yeah I know Valentine's Day was a while ago but with my camera dying I kind of have a backlog of posts. Oops! So even though its past here are my nails that I did for Valentine's Day!

For the base I used Formula X in Voodoo which is a absolutely gorgeous light metallic pink.  Then I took Demi by Zoya which is a dark berry shade and tipped each of my nails except for my ring finger where I instead drew a cute little heart.  I couldn't take this picture until a few days after Valentine's Day so I had to do a bit of touching up, that's why they look a little less than perfect.  Regardless I love my nails and I love these two polishes. Combined they make the perfect cute girly nail design.

NYX Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Tea Rose

So I've been eyeing this lipstick for a while.  And by a while I mean like at least a year.  I'm not sure why I never picked it up...I guess NYX just kept releasing so many unique and crazy colors that I spent my money on them instead.  Well not this time!!

I picked this up during a BOGO 50% off sale along with the Crystal Pewter liner.

This is my first time trying a lipstick from their matte line and I am seriously impressed.  I love it!  It glides on pigmented, matte, and does not seem drying.  The longevity is very nice as well, much better than the wicked lippies.  I am so excited to add this to my collection and I will be wearing it for my super important graduate school interview this weekend. I think it is a great my lip but better shade and is perfect for any professional setting.

Where to buy: Nyxcosmetics.com, Ulta, drugstores

Price: $6

Colour Pop Lippie To Go Set Featuring Grind, Frenchie, I Heart This, Bichette, and Brink

My wonderful friend got this set for me for Christmas.  I had heard about this cosmetic company and was literally thinking the morning before exchanging presents that I wanted to give the brand a try.  Such a perfect gift with really great timing!

You get 5 mini lipsticks, on one end is the lipstick and the other end is the lip liner.  They are exactly the same color so I'll only be swatching the lipsticks for this set.

Here are all the colors side by side.

Grind- a mid toned purple

Frenchie- a neon red

I HeartThis- a bright fuchsia

Bichette- a deep red

Brink- a pinky rose nude

Grind is quite the awesome color but unfortunately the formula isn't amazing.  As you can see on the lip swatch I had trouble getting the color to stay in the middle of my lips.  It also fades after a few hours or a meal to a neon pink.  I also found it to be a tad drying.  However, the color is nice and if you don't want to pay the $16 for MAC's Heroine, this is a good buy.

Frenchie! This is a very very nice red that glides on smooth and covers well.  There isn't anything too unique about the color but it definitely makes a really nice travel red.  It also fades nicely after a meal with only a slight darker red ring around the lips.  I can't for the life of me use the lip liner half of these, its almost too pointy, I can't get an even line.  However I'm hoping the more I use them and dull down the point the easier it will be to apply.

I Heart This is a pretty generic bright pink.  It is much more wearable than a Barbie doll or super hot pink shade but it is still fairly bright. However, I think it may be slightly dark enough to wear in winter, but for the most part I can see this being a mostly spring and summer kind of color. I think it goes really well with my skin tone. The color glides on easily and does not feel drying.

Besides Brink this is probably the second most often worn lipstick. It is such a nice deep and flattering red.  Its so easy to just throw on and go.  Unfortunately this lipstick can and will be defeated by a more messy meal meaning if I want a long wearing red lip I will still reach for MAC's Russian Red or JCat's Red Potion over this.  Regardless it is a very nice color to keep with my in my travel bag.  you never know when you'll need to rock a red lip on the go!

I thought Brink would be my least favorite because, ew, nude.   However I have worn this one the most so far!!  It is actually a very interesting nude that I feel goes with almost any makeup look.  I have it in my travel bag and wear it all the time when visiting my boyfriend because if we decide to do a little kissing he won't have to worry about getting red or pink all over his face :P

This color goes on smooth and opaque.  Its also non drying.

Overall I like these lipsticks and would definitely buy from this brand in the future as they offer a lot of unique colors for an affordable price.  The lipsticks for the most part are creamy, opaque, and non drying.  The staying power isn't wonderful, its gone after a few hours or a particularly messy meal but that is the case with most lipsticks in this price range so I'm not upset in the least.  They are a truly awesome Christmas gift, thanks Jaime!! <3

Where to buy: colourpop.com

Price:...I don't know it is sold out and they've taken it off the website.  However each full size lipstick or pencil is $5

J Cat Wonder Lip Paints in Always Late Rabbit, Ches Desire Cat, Mad Splatter, and Red Potion

I hope everyone had a happy new year!  I know I did, I went dancing with my boyfriend and discovered a love of the tango! :3

Anyway.

After getting Red Potion in my Ipsy glam bag I knew I had to have more of these.  The quality and staying power of a lip tar for only $5!? Heck yes.  

So with the 30% off coupon my mom and I picked up a few more of these lovelies. 

From left to right is Always Late Rabbit, Ches Desire Cat, Mad Splatter, and Red Potion

First up, Always Late Rabbit.  This is one of the ones my mom purchased.  It is a very nice bright but still wearable soft pink.  It goes on easily and is overall quite lovely.  I think my mom will get a lot of use out of this.

Next, Ches Desire Cat.  This is the one I purchased.  How could I turn down that gorgeous lavender?  And gorgeous it is! Just wow! You do need a bit more of this and the first shade to get full coverage compared to Red Potion but I don't mind because the results are gorgeous.  These two also do not last quite as long as Mad Splatter and Red Potion.

Mad Splatter is the color that came in my mom's Ipsy bag.  I'm glad I didn't get this one just becauase I already have soooo many bright pink lipsticks with a blue sheen.  However if you don't already own a color like this I would definitely recommend picking this up.

And of course Red Potion.  I'm recycling the image from my Ipsy review, sorry! Saving time, its the same thing anyway, etc etc. As far as quality, coverage, and staying power I still think this one is my favorite.  It was a bit of a bummer to learn the formulas were not all identical but I think all of them are still 100% worth the $5 price tag!

Lip brushes are not included so make sure you own one before picking one of these up!

Where to buy: jcatbeauty.com, Ulta

Price $5

Ipsy Glam Bag December 2014 Review

Well...another month...another Ipsy review starting with a rant. Sigh.  I've been a subscriber for 1.5 years and EVERY time I get a nude lip product I rate it "not for me" and EVERY time I get a bold or bright lip product I rate it "love it".  Yet out of the 4 shades of NYX Butter Balms, which do I get? Take a guess....the nude.   I am so pissed.  My mom who doesn't even like bright lip colors got the hot pink. Customization, yeah freaking right Ipsy. I'm pretty disappointed this month. Nevertheless...here we go....

As you can see I switched out my gross Marshmallow nude balm for Parfait with my mom.

The bag this month is super adorable. It a black pouch with a pink zipper and heart keychain. I will definitely be reusing!

1. Beauty Without Cruelty Facial Cleanser

"Beauty Without Cruelty 3% A.H.A. Facial Cleanser is a lightly-foaming, soap-free cleanser that removes dead surface skin cells, daily impurities, and excess oil without over-cleaning your skin. Nature's own alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) gently and deeply clean and actively clarify your skin without disturbing it's natural balance. Pure premium Oshadhi aroma-therapeutic essential oils tone, condition, and calm, leaving your skin clean, clear, and refreshed."

3/5

First the good:  It cleanses? So that's a plus I suppose. The smell is also ok, not wonderful, just ok.  It smells like some sort of herbal thing, I can't really tell.

The bad: The big one is that its for normal to oily skin and my skin is insanely dry.  Both times I used this even my moisturizer couldn't fend off the nasty dry flakes.  Maybe I'll store this away until summer and try again then, it just isn't good for winter time.  Its also pretty runny, as you can see from my swatch it wouldn't stay put long enough for a picture.

Where to buy: Amazon, Drugstores, Vitamin Shops

Price:  $12 ($2.82)

2. Cailyn Cosmetics Just Mineral Eye Polish in Orchid

"Made with 100% raw mineral powder, this highly pigmented satiny powder not only colors your eyes with shimmery, gorgeous hues, but is also safe to wear long hours. "

4/5

I love everything about this product except the color.  I wish Ipsy would have a nude and a bright option for every eye shadow and lipstick color.  Anyway this is a similar color to the Be a Bombshell eye base thing from last month but the formula and application is miles better.  It applies very easily and opaque with the little applicator and has a foiled finish.  You just dip the brush in and give it a shake to replenish the  color.  This stayed on all day.  I would definitely buy this in a different color if it wasn't so expensive.

Where to buy: cailyncosmetics.com

Price: $15

3. NYX Butter Balm in Parfait (switched for Marshmallow)

"Dip your lips in a sheer wash of color with NYX Butter Lip Balm. One swipe leaves dry lips feeling supple and hydrated."

4/5

This probably would have gotten a 2/5 if I wouldn't have been able to switch with my mom but because I really like the new color I'm rating it high.  Besides it being a very nice shade, it is also very moisturizing, comfortable on the lips, and long lasting for a balm.  The only con would be the chubby stick makes precision application difficult.

Where to buy: NYXcosmetics.com, Ulta, Drugstores

Price: $4

4. StyleSexyHair 450 Blow Out Spray

"Protect those tresses! Sexy Hair’s 450° Blow Out Heat Defense Blow Dry Spray protects hair from heat damage up to 450°F. In addition to outstanding thermal protection, it also conditions for smooth, sleek styles, detangles for improved manageability and strengthens hair. Helps to decrease blow dry time and adds weightless shine."

I can't rate this because I can't use it.....

I don't blow dry my hair and I haven't straightened it since getting my pixie 2 years ago. I don't even own a hair dryer.  I tried spraying it in my hair before styling normally but it did nothing.  Guess this one is going to my mom or a friend who uses a blow drier.....:/

Where to buy: Sexyhair.com, Ulta

Price: $19 ($7.69)

5. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara

"Like a pushup bra for your lashes, tarte’s best-selling mascara lengthens, curls, volumizes and conditions to deliver a 330% increase in lash volume instantly. The high-performance formula is also infused with naturally-derived olive esters to help nourish and protect lashes. "

4/5

I don't really have any complaints here...it isn't too wet, it isn't too dry.  It lengthens and adds volume.  It loses a point because for me Urban Decay's Perversion is my 5/5 mascara and it isn't quite as good. Otherwise its a pretty solid mascara!

Where to buy: Sephora, Ulta, tartecosmetics.com

Price: $20 ($8.33)

Total price of this month's bag comes to $37.84, a bit lower than usual but still over 3x what you pay.  Kinda sucks that I can't use one of the products though. I hate when that happens but I guess its just the luck of the draw.  

Mary Kay Lip Gloss in Berry Dazzle and Red Passion

While I no longer am selling Mary Kay, I do still love many of their products.  My mom recently made a purchase from a consultant and the free gift at the moment is a set of 6 mini lip glosses! It is seriously so cute!  Well my mom dislikes crazy sparkle glosses so she let me take my two favorites, the two sparkliest and most pigmented of the bunch, Berry Dazzle and Red Passion. 

I've always preferred Mary Kay glosses over a lot of others for their pigmentation, longevity, and feel on the lips. These two are no different.  Berry Dazzle, a brand new shade (which I am a bit sad about because I think it replaced Berry Tart, my all time favorite gloss) is a sparkly raspberry gloss with specks of orange and blue glitter. While Red Passion is a reddish orange gloss with orange and pink glitter.  The glosses pictured are just sample sizes, the full size is much larger.

erry Dazzle is very very nice on its own.  It offers great pigmentation and coverage for a gloss and I don't think the sparkles are too out of line for this season. These glosses apply easily and don't feel sticky.  The smell is a big strange, but it's not bad.

I did a wear test with Berry Dazzle and after 4 hours of wear the  color was faded as expected but a pleasant and even pink tint was left on the lips with a trace of sparkle.  Even after devouring a sandwich right after this picture a bit of tint was still left behind.  

Next is Red Passion, this one existed back when I was a consultant but I never actually tried it until now.  I'm sad that never occurred because I looove this gloss. I don't think I'd wear it alone very often because when I wear red I like to go bold not subtle, so fortunately it looks amazing over a red lipstick! Perfect for Christmas!

As pictured here.  I applied Red Passion over J-Cat Beauty's Lip Paint in Red Potion, creating a.....Red Potion of Passion? Haha...

Overall I  really like these glosses and if you go to a party where these are being offered as a free gift with a $40 purchase I think it would definitely be worth it to purchase enough to get these samples! The set also includes a gold shimmer (Beach Bronze), a peachy shimmer (Fancy Nancy), a slightly shimmery pink (shock tart) and a light brownish pink (Cafe au Lait). I am only 90% sure of these other colors though so don't hold me to it! :D

Where to buy: Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant

Price: $14

Formula X Nail Polish in Voodoo

While black Friday shopping I picked up one of the $10 black Friday deals at Sephora.  I got the Formula X nail polish duo in Voodoo and Juju.  I plan on giving Juju as a Christmas present so I only have Voodoo to show you today, sorry!

I've been wanting to try Formula X for a while after hearing such great things about its staying power and well...after giving it a try I currently have a love hate relationship with this polish.

Pros:  It is an absolutely gorgeous color.  The pink is so soft and dainty while also having an interesting sheen to it.  Its just so neat! It is also insanely opaque.  I could have only applied one coat to get a full layer of color but out of habit I applied two anyway.  Because of this I could see this being a great polish to do designs with over dark nail colors.  I'm already planning a black nail with pink polka dots look!

Cons:  This has no staying power.  My Zoya polishes usually chip after 3 or 4 days even after doing dishes.  This started to chip after 24 hours. WHAT. I thought oh maybe it's just a fluke and patched up the tips, well every day I've worn it more and more and more chips formed.  I am pretty bummed  that a nail polish at Sephora has the staying power of a drug store polish.

To stop the annoying chipping I patched up the damage as well as I could and added a coat of Zoya's Pixiedust polish in Lux to the tips, creating a super cute sparkly pink manicure.  My nails make me feel like a princess <3

So my final verdict....maybe other Formula X  shades are better but this one is best used for nail designs rather than a simple all over color because of its great coverage but lack luster staying power.

I don't think I'd buy another one of these at full price unless I was sure the staying power would be improved, but at $5 I'm not mad about this purchase

Where to buy: Sephora, formulax.com

Price:$12.50

Pink and Green Birthday FOTD!

Happy Birthday to me! Even though I have a week worth of finals ahead of me, I never let it get me down.  

I was planning on reviewing my Sephora birthday gift for today but because I left it at home, I won't be able to use it until the semester is over...I'm so good at life....sigh.

So instead, in honor of my birthday I wanted to share with all of you one of my favorite looks!

I feel so insanely fabulous every time I wear this.  The colors can also easily be changed up to match whatever outfit you are wearing.

To do this I first put Ever in Your Favor by Shiro Cosmetics all over my eye lid.  Then I take Blackheart from Naked 3 and put it in my crease.  I add a bit of depth to the outer part of my eye using Blackout by Urban Decay.  Next I draw a wing with my (brand new just opened!!!!) Jesse's Girl liquid liner.  I finish it up with a sweep of Fringe from the Electric Palette under my eye.

On my lips is NYX lip liner in Plum with Starlooks Odetta on top. 

With a green cardigan and my dark pink Turkish scarf I feel awesome today!

Starlooks Guilty Pleasure Lip Trio with Charm, Odetta, and Guilty Pleasure

Look what finally came in the mail! Eeh!! Starlooks offered a special Guilty Pleasure lip trio set through Ipsy and for only $24 with free shipping how could I pass up a lip liner, lipstick, and lip gloss!?

The products came in a super cute white bag with a 10% off my next order coupon code.

The lip set included the Guilty Pleasure lip gloss which I received the sample size of in my October glam bag, Odetta a soft pink matte lipstick, and charm a dark lavender lip pencil.

Let's check out some swatches!

I had gotten a nude pink Starlooks liner in a previous Ipsy bag and absolutely loved the formula so I was very excited about getting this.  I think out of the three this is definitely my favorite.  It is such a beautiful matte lavender that I think looks freaking great on me. The formula is very creamy, easy to apply, and can easily be worn alone without appearing dried out and gross like most lip liners tend to look upon solo application. Also obligatory wink to show off my awesome wing.

Next is Odetta, the matte lipstick.  As far as being matte I don't think it really is...the lip liner definitely but the lipstick has a bit of a sheen to it, which overall isn't' a big deal.  I had never tried a Starlooks lipstick so I was quite anxious to give this a try. I wore it out on a walk with my boyfriend and it lasted perfectly throughout our hour walk and my cappuccino. The formula is very impressive, creamy, yet still has enough stick to it that it doesn't just slide right off as soon as I try and drink a coffee.

Because I'm lazy I'm reusing the picture from my glam bag review.  It's the same product so I didn't see a point in taking an all new set of images. Anyway, this lip gloss drove me to buy the lip trio so obviously I like it.  It has decent pigmentation and staying power for a lip gloss and the soft pink can be worn alone or over top of most lip colors so it's very versatile.

Finally the moment you've all been waiting for....all three together! The purple undertones of the lip liner show through even when having a pink lip stick and lip gloss over top, which is awesome because I love purple.  It is a bit darker and less purpleythan the lip swatch they posted to their Instagram, but I still like the color so I'm not going to complain.  These three together definitely create a very nice, sophisticated, natural lip color.  Honestly I can see myself skipping the lip gloss over this and just wearing the lip liner and lipstick together and saving the lip gloss for solo lazy day use. This is mostly just personal preference as when I wear a full face I tend to prefer my lips being as matte as possible.  

Here is a side by side of Odetta alone, Charm alone, and then all three together.   I think this helps show how much of Charm shows through in the final look.

And finally here are the swatches after rubbing away at them, as you can see all three even the lip gloss left a stain, yay!   Also this is the lip trio after a few hours and two very delicious spinach lasagna roll ups (excuse the sauce on the corners of my mouth).  It evenly fades to a lighter pink, its nice knowing I can wear this through a meal without getting that dreaded lipstick outline.

The lip trio set is sold out, as per usual with the Ipsy special offers but the individual products can still be purchased.

Where to buy: Starlooks.com

Price:

Lip liner- $13

Lipstick- $14

Lip gloss- $13

I've loved every Starlooks product I've tried so far....I may just have a new top brand! :)