I have to admit it has been a few minutes since my last visit to the Wet ‘n Wild website. I have an old school love for the brand. They were the first makeup that I ever used. the drugstore around the corner from my house carried them and I think my first makeup item in every category of makeup came from Wet ‘n Wild.
And later, even when I branched out from the brand to try new things, there were always products that drew me back. I still have and use a couple of their Icon Eyeshadow Palettes.
But it had been a while since i went on the website, until i saw the Sesame Street collection drop. There were so many cute things I could not resist adding a few to my cart. It was only later that I realized I picked up the makeup bag and a bunch of lip products.
What can I say? I find it hard to resist lip products.
just the lipgloss on bare lips
And Honestly, when it comes to this Happy to Be Me lip gloss, I am really glad I didn’t resist. There are four shades: Fairy Tales which is a light pink tone, its a 10/10 which has purplish tones, Big hugs which is clear and Fun sized which is a darker pink than Fairy Tales.
I went with its a 10/10. I chose it because I have plenty of clear lip glosses and plenty of pinkish lip glosses but at the moment I didn’t have one that leaned lavender.
over a matte red lipstick
Plus I loved the count when I was a kid. Him and Oscar the Grouch. I am actually regretting not buying the Oscar the grouch make up sponge holder at the moment, but that is another story.
And I can’t regret buying this lip gloss. The scent is Pina Colada. At least that is how it smells to me. There is no scent listed but to me it smells like pina colada and I kind of dig it. i think because it has the slight purple tone i expected some kind of berry.
The wand is a bit thinly padded, but it goes on well. The lip gloss is smooth and not at all sticky. There is no real taste and after a few minutes the scent does fade. After the gloss wears off my lips still felt moisturized a bit instead of dried out which is the sign of a really good lip gloss in my opinion. It isn’t as nourishing as my vitamin e infused lip gloss/balms are, but it doesn’t leave my lips feeling dried out.
And while it is on my lips it looks great. Here it is pictured both on it’s own and over a matte red. On it’s own it is a lip gloss that is not just shiny but has some sort of holographic-esque shine. over a matte lipstick it looks even better. Personally I think this is a product i will be reaching for all summer. I like to wear lip glosses in the summer, but to be honest most of the lipsticks i purchase are mattes. I love knowing I can put on a favorite matte lipstick and then summer-fy it with a coating of this Wet ‘n wild lip gloss. It cuts down on the number of lip products I keep around, ensuring I can use them all before they expire and I really can’t complain about that. So is it a ten out of ten? Oh yeah, Ah, ah, ahhhh.
This is one of the prettiest packages I have seen. The box was black and gold and the lipstick was inside looking like it was ready to claim to be the elixir of life. While I love my lipstick, I probably would go that far.
But it is pretty.
And I do love my lipstick.
This is the Ace Beauty Perfect Pout Liquid Lipstick. It is in the shade Manifest. Normally shade only matters to the person wearing it, but in this case I think it does have a little bit of a bearing.
And that is because of the wand. The wand is long so it can reach the bottom of the container. Which is nice as i would like to be able to use all of the lipstick inside. It is angled, which for me makes for easier application. And for me, because of the length I need any advantage I can get. The longer the wand the harder it is to control application.
Here is where the shade comes in. Manifest is a neutral shade and neutral shades are a little more forgiving. I really adore deeper berry shades and some of them can get extra mess because the darker color shows all of your mishaps. The formula is still the same but user errors are more apparent.
With the neutral shade this looked great. I am slightly concerned about my application with a darker shade due to the length of wand. So the shade you choose may play a roll in how much you like wearing this liquid lip.
As far as formula goes, it is a smoothly applying shipped formula that feels more like a lip mousse than lip paint. It is thicker and it helps to hid some of the imperfections if you have any dry patches or rough spots on your lips. The lip pics are close ups so you still see things but from further away than a few inches it really does a good job of blending them out so they look smoother and less textured. There is no bleeding into the fine lines around the mouth. The formula will dry down so there will be fewer lip prints but it never dries down all the way so it does remain comfortable to wear. It is a very creamy formula. In fact the only thing that you have to watch for is making your lines correct with the long wand.
And really all that takes is a slight bit more concentration. It is a minor consideration at best, but is was the only real issue I found with this lipstick I was very impressed with Ace Beaute’s Perfect Pout and will be ordering a darker shade. I will just work on steadying my hand.
That’s right! It is time for my favorite lipsticks of this year. I use the term pretty broadly. There are bullet style lipsticks, liquid lippies and even a tinted lip balm. I love lip products. there is just something fantastic about applying a lip product. well a good one. For me it can lift my mood when I am feeling down or even change my mood from work mode to after work mode. I don’t know what about it that changes things, maybe it is just the color. But I have always loved lipsticks. And looking at the collection of the products that made my list of products I am kind of amazed at the range. In my favorites list I have both one of the most expensive lip products I own and one of the least expensive ones. I tried several expensive lip products this year i didn’t like. I also tried some inexpensive ones I didn’t like. And I found some in all price ranges that I liked. Maybe that is what I really like about lipsticks. Good is good, average is average and good is fabulous, and there is some in every price range. I’ll start with the Bullet style Lipsticks.
This is the most expensive lipstick I have ever owned. I will admit that part of that is the refillable metal case. The case and lipstick are sold separately. I thought the lipstick might come with a case sheath that you replace with the refillable one when you just order the lipstick. When it arrives though it just has a small plastic cap like the lid of a lip balm over the tube. It will keep it from drying out if you don’t want to purchase the refillable case or want to purchase it later. I actually ordered them separately to split the cost. I am thrilled with both though and i will be refilling this case whenever i use up this lipstick. The shade I order may change (although i love this dark red, but the formula of the product is fantastic. It is a treat, but while it is expensive it is worth it as a special indulgence. The formula is creamy and pigmented and it is incredibly long wearing. It is also fantastically comfortable to wear.
This is a good creamy matte formula that is amazingly comfortable to wear (its a trend with my favorite lippies so you will hear that a lot) The pigmentation is great It will fade a little if you eat lunch but over all I found I could apply it at the beginning of the day and still have the vestiges of it on my lips at the end of my work day. It was clearly faded, but still there. This is a sample size I am using up, but there is at least one full size in my future.
I have always liked NARS lipstick and I have used them periodically throughout the years both in the bullet style and the liquid versions. They were always a little bit drying but the color pay off was worth it. And I usually had a lip gloss around to put on top when i wore them. They reformulated their classic lipstick and now the dryness has been eliminated. The same color payoff remains. It is like running into an old friend who got a fabulous new hair cut and looks fantastic. You know that excitement you feel for them? It is the same thing I feel for this new version of the NARS lipstick. Hello old friend. Welcome back. You look fabulous. Tell me your secrets.
This is a tinted lip balm so I thought it deserved to be in this line up rather than the lip treatment category. Mostly because I will wear it as a lipstick on a low makeup day. It has a light tint. The shade I have Darling Lane is a my lips but better shade. It is comfortable wear, gives just the right amount of color for a low makeup day and it helps to keep my lips hydrated. I am a big fan of this lip balm and keep it in my makeup bag even when i am not wearing anything but a dusting of powder over my skin.
This is a fantastic liquid lip. It glides on well and neatly with no clumps or splutters. It has a pointes tip to the wand that lets you outline your lips so that you can make sure you put the color exactly where you want. It dries down relatively quickly, but still leaves you the time to adjust it before it dries so you aren’t stuck with off kilter lips all day. It also lasts all day and is amazingly comfortable.
while this does have more of a rounded tip on the wand it is still an easy formula to control and apply. I would still use a lip liner with it, especially if you are going for a darker shade. It dries down really quickly, but you can adjust it if you move quickly. It is a really good comfortable formula. it will fade a little throughout the day but you won’t be leaving lip prints everywhere.
Coming in as one of my least expensive products, this matte liquid lip from ELF is also one of my favorties. The red Vixen shade is a true red and it locks into place for the entire day. it will fade after lunch, but a quick reup sets it right. The want has a point which is very good for the darker shades. With those I love outlining my lips before I apply the shade to my lips. It is less important with the neutral shades, but the darker the color the more slip ups show. And with this you really have to watch the slip ups. I will often still use a lip liner with this because it dries super quickly. It is nice for not leaving lip prints everywhere, but you really need to watch those edges on your first application. Use a little insurance and start with a lip liner, then go over the liner with the point of the want if you really want it to match and then fill in the lips. It is a great formula, it is just the dry time that you have to watch.
And that my darlings is the list of my favorite lip products from 2022. All of them are formulas I would purchase repeatedly. You may notice that I pretty much focused on Matte lipsticks. For me I really like matte lips. I also have a lot of lip-glosses. For me it is easier to buy matte lipsticks and if I want them glossy to just top with a clear gloss. That way i get the best of both the matte and the glossy worlds. For me, it just works out for me.
Beauty Bakerie sent a lovely package to me with products to try and you know my love of lip products made me dive right for this. The fact that it is a perfect holiday red just made it extra fabulous to try out. I am starting to put together my holiday look. Thus far I have the heels and the earrings, everything in between is a mystery. So holiday shades are top on the list to try.
And this Lip Whip Matte Liquid Lipstick in Mon Cheri does not disappoint. The red is a true blue red,, which is the type that does look best on my. A lot of the pinky reds look a little too pin on me and just don’t look quite right. But color aside, there is a lot to talk about with a lipstick.
First, there is application. With a dark liquid lipstick the wand really matters. I have one gorgeous liquid lip that has a rounded tip at the end of the wand and no matter how careful I am I make a mess with it. I often look like a three year old who got into their mother’s makeup.
“I’m pretty too mommy!” is fun but not usually the look I am going for when attending a meeting or going out with friends.
The wand on this Lip Whip is a triangular shape with the divot in the center to hold product. The point is pointy enough that I can outline my lips and then fill in the rest of the lip which makes it neat to apply with no messy bits. And in case you are wondering I do know that in the picture my bottom lip is slightly crooked. I didn’t notice until after several hours of wear and decided to leave it. It isn’t as noticeable when zoomed out and usually when I go into fix something like that I just end up with giant clown lips instead of actually fixing the problem. That is of course user error and not something anyone else can be blamed for.
Incidentally. if you ae someone who when you apply dark lipsticks ends up thinking that they look like they are frowning even when they aren’t (my lips tend to do that) try not going to the outer corners of your lips. Leave about a pinkie’s width of unpainted lips in the corners. It isn’t noticeable unless you walk around with your mouth wide open like a landed fish and it stops the darker shades from making you look like you are frowning. If you think your pinkies are too big, use a pencil. Put it across your lips and use that for gauging distance. I don’t have many fabulous makeup tricks, but this is one of my favorites.
My other favorite is that if your lips are not perfectly symmetrical, which mine aren’t, then instead of pressing them together after application, put a tissue or cloth between your lips to blot instead of rubbing together. It keeps the lines you took care to draw exactly where you put them.
So application went well with this Lip Whip, how did it do with the fine lines?
Fabulous is the answer. As you can see from the photo, there is no seeping into the fine lines. I was thrilled with that and honestly nothing more needs to e said other than Fabulous.
Drying down is an issue with liquid lips and I can say it is a bit of an issue with this one. This does dry down relatively quickly so any corrections you need to make, make them quickly. You have a little adjustment time, but not much. when it dries down it goes matte and it stays in place. At the moment my lips are in good shape. I use a lib scrub twice a week and an overnight lip Mask (Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask) every night before bed. In the winter it is the only way to keep my lips from chapping. when this dries down you will see any rough bits your lips have. It is the same for every liquid lip though so this shouldn’t be a surprise. I personally liked the level of dryness that this Lip Whip Gives. It isn’t too dry but it is a solid dry. With red lips I prefer this because i hate leaving bright lip smears all over things. It is less of a problem with a more neutral lip, or at least it doesn’t bother me as much, but i like this level of dry with a dark shade. It is a comfortable dry.
In this post you will see two lip swatches on my hand. One looks wet and shows the lipstick as it is first swatched. I then let the swatch dry to see how long it would last. The day I wore it, I washed my hand five times with soap and water, used hand sanitizer three times, followed by hand cream and then I took a shower and went to bed. The second picture of a swatch is the next morning. There is a little color fading. but the product is still there. So you can say it has some longevity to it. The color dimming when wearing it was minimal throughout the day for me. To remove it i did need a makeup remover though. Soap and water simply didn’t cut it. So that is something to remember, However, it did not stain my lips. When i used a makeup remover all of the lipstick came off with no stain left behind.
Which I found quite impressive. i figured anything that could hold on that long would leave a stain. It did not.
Over all I was very pleased with this liquid lip. It makes me want to try out some of the other shades. And for me, I love a matte liquid lip. If I want to brighten it up I can always apply a gloss over the top. This lip actually took well to gloss on top, just wait until it dries to apply the gloss. For me this is a clear winner and I will be purchasing more shades in the future.
Good afternoon my darlings. I hope you had a fantastic weekend. I actually had a really good one. Friday was veteran’s day here and we helped out at the VFW Barbeque/auction. It was fabulously good fun, if a bit cold and wet. The temperatures plummeted by about 15 degrees and the rain was constant. Luckily the wind wasn’t blowing. We were in tents with open sides (the pavilion sort of tents) and someone brought out some outdoor heaters (like the kind from restaurant patios not personal space heaters) so no one was overly cold, but that rain did add a bit of a raw edge. It was a big turn out though so that was nice.
It just wasn’t a late night.
It was fun though.
And this weekend I got a fantastic package in the mail from Beauty Bakerie. They sent over all sorts of goodies for me to try. While I will spread the items out for testing, I couldn’t resist trying them all today. And while I love the eyeshadow Palette color story and the color of the lipstick, I don’t think I would normally wear them together. I did today, just because I couldn’t wait to try them, but I think I will split them out and pair the lipstick with a different shadow palette. which is more a personal thing. The eyeshadow palette is bright and the lip is bright. With bright eyeshadow I tend to go with a more neutral lip and with a bright lip I go with neutral eyeshadow. I feel weirdly off balance when both are bright, or when both are neutral actually. But apparently I am already jumping into today’s look so let’s get started.
I am still testing out the Pores No More Primer. Well sort of, I know I like it and I love what it does for my pores, but i am playing with different foundations so i am using it as an excuse to keep it around. Today I used the No 7 Lift and luminate. It might have been a little more illumination from the pair than I usually prefer, but when the setting powder was added it worked really well.
This was my first use of the Beauty Bakerie Setting powder (since it just arrived). First of all the packaging was adorable. I love the little flour bag it came in. I also like that the oat has a slight tint to it. It isn’t a dark tint, just a little something to take the bright white off the powder. While my skin does go lighter in the winter as my summer tan fades, I am not an extremely pale person in general. My skin has some natural tan to it. Often times I will find that a true white translucent powder is just too white for my skin. Sometimes I use it to lighten a slightly too dark for winter foundation, but sometimes it is just too white which makes it look powdery. I know lots of people talk about white cast with flash photos but to be honest, I rarely take flash photos so it is more of a powdery look that gets me. And I would rather look good in daily life than worry about a roving photographer. This powder looks good in daily life. It applied well and didn’t look powdery. It also knocked back some of the glow caused by layering two luminous products together. Fir a first use this powder worked well.
Also on a first use was the Iconic London Contour pot. It has one powder and one cream. Both are shades that I use for bronzer. Today I used the powder one and really enjoyed it. It came on a little strong but it did blend well. So it is something I am willing to work with. And I actually will be working with it this week especially as it is smaller than my other bronzers and we are coming up on Thanksgiving travel. So I want to see if it is worth traveling with.
I will be honest, when I saw the Blushlighter palette I was a little nervous. Actually my first thought was how pretty is the packaging, which is a common thought with Beauty Bakerie items. The blush however looked bright in the pan. But I wanted to give it a go. So in I went. It is bright and it is highly pigmented. But it blends out really well. I applied with my blush brush and then blended with a makeup sponge. (I am trying out the Eggs Beauty Bakery sent in the package this week as well and in the common theme, how adorable is that egg carton of makeup sponges? I’ll go into more detail with the sponges after I’ve given them a longer than first day trial, but nice thus far.)
The blending made me less nervous about the pigmentation. It is a blush that i will dip into lightly and then layer as needed. It is a bright enough color that a cautious approach is warranted but it really blends well and I think it will prove buildable as I get into it more.
I went with the pink toned highlighter. I have another highlighter palette from Beauty Bakerie and i love the pink toned one in there. This worked just as well for me. It is more of subtle glow than a streak of light. And for me, especially at this time of year, the pinks just look really good on me. They catch the light being more glow than glitter. I know it is not really a test as it is a color I knew would work well, but I will be rotating through the other pans so I am fine with going with the more familiar shade today.
This is the first Beauty Bakerie Eyeshadow i have tried and I really like that it is not that powdery. I did still tap my brush off, but there wasn’t a lot of loose powder left in the pan when i dipped in. I think several of the palettes I have tried have left a lot of crumbles after I dipped in so it was nice not to see that. I also didn’t have any fall out with the shades I tried. I like the colors. Oddly enough the name Sweet Potato Pie makes me think of fall but the color story feels more spring to me. I’m fine with that actually as I don’t have a lot of palettes I can say that about. The colors are pretty pigmented but not uncontrollably so. I was able to blend them well and it is a palette I look forward to playing around with. It has been a while since I leaned into a colorful palette so I am going to have to think about the shadows and how I want them to look. But it is a fun looking palette.
I don’t think the palette goes with the lipstick though. It is bright paired with bright. I do love the lipstick though. It may come off a little pink on screen but it is a fire engine red in person and I really like the color. The want has a nice point to it, which I find really helpful with brightly colored liquid lips. It just lets me apply them more neatly, with the pointed edge working almost like a lip liner before I fill in the rest. Because lets face it brightly colored liquid lips can get messy fast. I didn’t have any mess with this one. It dried down well and didn’t run into the fine lines around my lips at all. It has been very comfortable to wear today.
I think I am going to wear it this week and save the eyeshadow palette for next week. I know no surprise that I am drawn into the lips first. It is a fab shade and feels comfortable to wear. Plus I just love lip products. So bright lip this week, Sweet Potato Pie Eyeshadow next.
For Brows and Mascara I just went with two products I love and didn’t have to think about, the benefit mascara is rapidly turning into my favorite and I really love the iMethod Beauty stencils and product. I actually have to reorder the eyebrow creme as I am almost out. I also need to take some tweezers to my brows ASAP. When my bangs get long they are so easy to over look. And then I get the bangs trimmed and reveal them reminding myself I have forgotten them. It is the cycle of brows for me. But it is time for some brow clean up.
and that my darlings is me today. I know that was a whole lot of first use products but i couldn’t resist. They were calling to me. I will be spreading them out so I can concentrate on a few at a time rather than all (or mostly all) new. I can already tell I am going to love this lip. At least if today is any indication. But still, we shall see. Let the test commence. And now it is back to work for me my darlings. I hope the rest of your Monday is absolutely fabulous.
I know I hadn’t planned on posting a declutter series at the moment but I have to admit it felt good to go through some things. I hate having products I forget about and to be honest I really don’t like having this much makeup in my collection at one time. I like to be able to cycle through things a little more easily so that I can actually use everything I have in a timely manner.
Plus not having everything put away was driving me absolutely bonkers. i don’t need everything to be spotless, but i do need to know that there is a place to put everything. even if it doesn’t happen to be there at the moment. Also sorting through things inspired me and made me want to play a bit more with my makeup.
Truth be told I did go a little crazy with the eyeshadow today. I intended a quick and laid back look so i could indulge in a brighter lipstick but then i just got going. But I also got to see some of my old favorites in the drawer that I hadn’t seen in a while and forgot about because of the new.
And the drawer now closes. Somehow the fact that there was just a tiny gap where it wouldn’t close all of the way really bothered me. I could ignore the mess of the products laid out over the surface but that drawer…
But that is done.
And i feel better for it.
Even if it wasn’t the plan.
So today…pretty normal actually. Loads of editing. It will be pretty quiet until after thanksgiving though, at least it usually is. Then once everyone shakes off the turkey induced somnolence everyone seems to realize that with the upcoming time off everyone plans to take there is a very limited number of working days before the end of the year is neigh.
I personally will be very happy to see this year fade into the history books and I am perfectly happy to get so focused on work between celebrations that the last of this year slips by unnoticed and unremarked. It is however the calm before the storm right now. everything is just ticking by as it should.
My mom was measured for her new hand this week and a plaster mold was taken. They took one before as well so that her new hand will look almost exactly like the one she lost to cancer. In even better news she had a visit with the oncologist and she is now completely cancer free. She’ll still need the check ups but for now it is gone. All of it has been removed and she is once again cancer free. As excited as everyone is, this was her third bout with cancer this year so we are holding off on the celebration at the moment. She wants to celebrate when she gets the new hand instead of now. I think because it will take a few months and there will be a few more follow up check ups between now and then so she can be really assured that it is gone and not coming back.
Which makes sense.
So we are holding off official celebrations and cautiously optimistic while sighing heavily in relief.
But oh, how sweet that relief is.
It is very difficult to fight a disease. It is also very difficult to stand on the side lines and know that the only thing you can do is encourage someone you love while they fight a disease. While we should always support people going through something like cancer, if you have someone in your life who has family going through something like cancer, I encourage you to offer them a little support and encouragement as well. I will never minimize the effort it takes to fight a disease, but standing there forced to watch while being able to do absolutely nothing is not a comfortable situation either. I’ve had a lot of friends and loved ones I can lean on, but sometimes that is not always the case. If you can be there for someone like that I highly urge you to do so.
okay that is my serious moment. Let’s talk makeup shall we? I know I could use something lighter.
Today I decided to use the hair sticks I picked up from Shop Miss A. I really like them and will be getting more soon as I need to replace some very worn ones. I put a close up picture of these below in case you want to see what they look like up close. I know me wearing them doesn’t show you much.
We will start with the primer. I found this still sealed in my makeup drawer and realized I had never tried it out. I have no reason why other than I think it came in with three other primers from subscription boxes and it was just shunted to the side. I like Dr. Brandt skincare actually and the pores no more line specifically. This primer has a skincare line scent to it, very fresh and clean. It has a slight tint and I was very impressed with the pore blurring it did and hope that the skin care element will keep it from becoming pore clogging. It is a bit luminating as well and would probably work well under a more matte finish foundation or aid in creating a dewy look. While I am no longer going for straight up matte there is a limit to how dewy I will go. this doesn’t take me over the edge.
I did pair it was a foundation that does have a little luminosity to it, and if still worked well for me. I could tell you the trial was intentional but really, I love this foundation and when it came out after my declutter I just couldn’t resist wearing it. I know I wanted to lean more into the foundations that are almost empty so that I can clear them out, but this is one of my favorite foundations. So today, I used it.
The Milk Makeup bronzer is nice. I went a little heavy with it today. More so than i intended actually. It needs to be warmed up by your hand before being applied if you want a smooth application. I had it in my hand an was ready to apply when the phone rang. I kept it in my hands and played with it during the phone call and after I applied it. The warmer it gets the more product applies, so if you have warmed it up, go light. It did blend out really well although i feel one cheek has a darker line than the other.
the Dominique cosmetics cream blush also needs to warm up before application. even if you are using a makeup sponge to apply it I recommend running your finger over the surface to get it warm first. I used both my finger and the makeup sponge. I took the product from the pan with my finger to my cheek and then used the sponge to blend it out. It blends beautifully and i love this color for my skin tone. I am using the Natural Rose by the way.
I ordered this Lime Crime Palette before I went home and it did arrive before I left. I only got to use it once though before I left and then it got buried. I wanted this palette since I saw it and it didn’t disappoint. I enjoy Lime Crime’s shadow formula. The brushes need one tap to prevent fall out. the pigmentation is rich but not over the top. Sometimes I find the more highly pigmented shadows to be a bit much for me to control. I prefer formulas that are buildable. These shades are rich but they are not so pigmented that I feel out of control. The silver does tend to have more fall out than the other shades but it isn’t much. it also seems to occur during the first application phase. Thus far I haven’t notice any drifting throughout the day and I’ve had the shadow on for several hours now. I’ll continue to watch it, but it seems to be working well. I did go a little heavier than I intended. I tried one shadows and then went ‘Oh lets try this. And then I kept going. I think I used six out of the eight pans. Which is not my normal application. But I was in the mood to play so I did.
I initially chose the muted tones because I wanted to use my Guerlain lipstick. I love the color and adore the formula but I like to pair deep lipsticks with lighter shadows and deeper shadows with neutral lips. The eyes went a bit more than anticipated but I still used the lip. I love this formula. It is the most expensive lip product I own which is why I don’t have multiple shades of this formula. However i will use this up until it is a nub and then break out a lipstick brush to use the last remnants of that nub. And then I will purchase a replacement for the refillable container. At some point I might pick up a second one in a more neutral color/ If I do I will have a hard time not just alternating between the two lipsticks. It is just that good.
This formula is extremely comfortable to wear, dries down just enough not to leave lip prints everywhere (it still leaves a little trace since it is a bullet lipstick that doesn’t dry down all the way), and it lasts all day. it has a 16 hour wear time listed. I haven’t ever worn it for 16 hours straight but i plan to do a wear test and given that I don’t need touch ups in an 8 hour work day I expect it will perform well. And now that I have waxed poetic about my lipstick I will head back to my editing and leave you to get on with the rest of your day. I hope you have a fantastic one, you deserve it.
I have used various products from The Balm for years. I really enjoy their shadows, I am okay with their blushes although they aren’t my favorite and I adore their Bahama Mama Bronzer. For years it was my go to bronzer. But I have to confess, as much as I love lip products, I had never gotten around to trying out their lip products.
It was an oversight.
bare lips
In the August Look Fantastic Box thee was a Meet Matte Hughes Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick from The Balm in the box. It is in the shade Honest, which if I am being honest, is a bit to pinky-coral for me. However it did give me a chance to try the formula.
Opening the tube there is a distinct scent of peppermint. I will never complain about the scent of peppermint. I really enjoy it. However I usually associate it with plumping glosses. I checked, this is a matte lipstick, not a plumper. which is fine. I love liquid lips in general so the peppermint is just a bonus.
lipstick. (also this foundation settles into lines so please ignore that)
The application wand is a doe foot style but it is slightly angled for better application. Application itself was smooth and easy. I was somewhat relived to find the color was not as bright a coral as I feared. I applied and then blotted. Blotting is habit after lippie application for me. I actually have to remind myself not to do it after clear lip gloss.
I think the blot made the liquid lip dry down a little faster than it might have done other wise but removing any excess. the lippie did dry down relatively quickly which I found nice. It didn’t leave a lot of lip prints around, but I did notice that it did fade throughout the day. There was certainly a reduction in pigmentation towards the end of the day and in fact it was mostly gone at the end of the day. If worn when out and about I would probably reapply after lunch. As it was after lunch that I noticed it was mostly gone. I do think that part of that might be due to the shade. As it faded it more or less started to match the pink of my lips. I would actually like to test the long wear aspect with a darker color.
It is however a very comfortable to wear formula and even though this is not my shade I did enjoy the formula and would certainly look into picking up more of the Meet Matte Hughes Longwear liquid Lipstick in the future.
I love a good plumping lip gloss. Buxom Cosmetics and Colourpop So Juicy tend to be my favorite but I’ll admit, I will pass by the Soap and Glory rack in the grocery and somehow mysteriously find that one of their plumping glosses has mysteriously found it’s way into my cart. I wonder how that could have happened…
And yes I suppose that a part of it is that I like having plumped lips. Part of it is also the fact that I adore the scent of peppermint and oddly enjoy that little tingle I get when I apply the plumping gloss. I also don’t mind having a good clear gloss on hand.
TYS Beauty was a new brand to me and finding new to me brands is one of my favorite parts of subscription boxes (I think this one came in an IPSY). This is the TYS Beauty Lip Treat Lip Plumper. According to the product page…
In just one sweep, this iridescent treat leaves your lips looking instantly fuller and brighter. It’s peppermint and ginger root formula work together to stimulate circulation and create a prickly sensation improving the size and color of the lips. Additionally, this plumper is packed with nourishing ingredients like vitamin E, vitamin B and antioxidants to help hydrate, soothe and provide a long-lasting glow. Â
First off, I like the look of the tube. The clear plastic top and the iridescent sheen to the gloss just combine to look pretty. I find it quite appealing. I also like the wand. if you look you can see that the doe foot has a curved dip. When using it to apply this hugs the lips and makes the application a lot easier.
I’ve noticed a lot more liquid lip products are starting to have this kind of dip and I for one really appreciated it (especially in darker lip shades) as it makes application so much crisper. It is less of an issue with a clear gloss, but still appreciated.
The scent of the gloss is peppermint and ginger mixed which is quite pleasant. And then it goes on the lips. It is a lovely gloss with a slight iridescence which I really enjoy. The tingling is quite a lot and it does last a good twenty minutes. I always kind of liked the feeling so i don’t mind. As for plumping. The below pics are taken before application and then after five minutes of letting the product sit on the lips.
bare on left, gloss (after five minutes) on right
There may be a little plumping, but it isn’t much. The tingle is intense though. I like the shine and the look of it. When applied over a matte lipstick the shine is there but the tingling is a bit less (still present, but muted.) As it is a gloss it will wear off when you drink liquids. As it is clear it just leaves smudges on the rim of a glass. However I have noticed that if I take a sip from a glass after applying this and then go about my morning and then come back after the gloss has worn off my lips and take a sip from the same glass, my lips will start to tingle. I actually surprised myself a few times while testing this gloss out.
Super plumper it is not, however it is a very good lip gloss with a holographic shine to it and with the vitamin e in the mix it did leave my lips softer than when I first applied it. If your lips are in any way chapped avoid it because it will make your lips feel like they are being attacked by bees with their stingers dripping with acid. Otherwise it is a nice pepperminty sting that I quite enjoy along with a nice lip gloss.
It is no secret that I love lip products. I love lip scrubs lip masks, lip treatments and any variety of gloss stick or cream. My inability to walk past a lipstick display in the grocery store and not add a lip product to the cart is one of the reasons that even if I don’t do any other declutter that year, I have to do a lip declutter on an annual basis. It also doesn’t hurt that I love free shipping and with companies that have a minimum to get free shipping I often find myself adding a lip product to make the free shipping limit.
And I can’t lie, sometimes I am drawn in purely by the lipstick packaging. And Yves Saint Laurent has some pretty packaging. Their Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick comes in a sleek square gold case with the black YSL logo placed on the front. While I do like decorative bits, I also appreciate the clean lines of this packaging. There is something I just find very appealing about it.
The shade I tested is #70 Le Nu in a satin Finish. The product description reads…
What it is: Rouge Pur Couture delivers rich and luxurious color in a satin finish.
What it does: In just one stroke, luxurious and highly pigmented color dresses the lips with intense hydration and antioxidant care. In a signature couture jewel-like packaging, Rouge Pur Couture delivers the promise of edgy style and ultimate feminine strength.
For me the color on the lips is slightly lighter than it appears in the tube. Personally I have found this to be true with most of the YSL lipsticks I’ve tried. As i am the queen of picking the wrong shade of lipstick in the store, I kind of find it helpful to remember. This formula looks more neutral in the tube and applies slightly more pink. I tend to favor darker neutrals and berry shades so this color isn’t ideal for me, however with the use of a darker lip liner I can make it a very good shade for me.
It is an easy fix and one I don’t mind doing. Especially since it is a very moisturizing formula. Since lip liners tend to dry my lips out, pairing them with a moisturizing lipstick is actually ideal. And if it gets me a better color on top of that I am all for it.
But the color is lighter on the lips.
It is true to the description in the only one swipe will cover the lips. It is full on color as you apply it. Multiple passes aren’t needed which means the product will last a little longer. It doesn’t dry down so you will leave lip prints on glass rims and you will have to reapply after a meal. However even after the lipstick wears off the moisturizing effects remain. It is a really good formula that my lips love.
There is however one problem. And its a big one.
While the scent of the lipstick is light and quite pleasant, the taste is not. Even if you are someone who manages to never lick your lips during the day, simply pressing your lips together after applying your lipstick is enough for the taste to slip into the mouth. Or at least it was for me. And once in the mouth, I was tasting perfume for the rest of the day. I also slightly lick the center of my lower lip when I am thinking actually. I don’t have mu tongue hanging out, but i will curl my lower lip in and run my tongue over it (I also occasionally make strange sounds with my mouth when i am thinking, but only when i am working alone as it annoys others.)
So the taste of perfume in my mouth was unpleasant and constant. It is the one drawback to this Rouge Pur Couture lipstick from YSL. And unfortunately for me it is a deal breaker. Everything else is fabulous, but i just can’t stand the taste. I will occasionally reach for this lipstick, to use it up, especially on days when my lips feel a little on the dry and chapped side, but I won’t be reaching for it often, and when this tube is empty, it won’t be replaced.
I have a weakness for lip products. I think part of it stems from when I was little. I would always get horribly chapped lips when I was a kid and they would crack and belled and be painful. And then I was given lip balm and it was like magic. Or at least the good ones were. The bad ones felt like scraping a glue stick across your lips and often hurt to apply unless you kept them in your pocket for a few hours letting your body heat half melt them so they could more easily apply. The good ones took away the pain.
I’m fairly certain that is where my love affair with lip products started. And while I am often pulled in my colors and claims, like the lip balms of old, not all lip products are created equal. I find it helpful to look at the lip products before the holiday sales kick off. I know, I probably don’t need to be ordering any more lip products. However, when it comes time for check out, I often find myself just a tiny bit short of hitting the free shipping mark. while a lot of places have free shipping around the holidays as standard, a lot don’t or they have a minimum purchase threshold for free shipping.
At those times I generally look around for one more small item to just put me over the edge and into free shipping range. Nine times out of ten, it ends up being a lip product. On most sites they are among the lest expensive items and let’s face it, I never really object to getting a new lip product. Hence the pre-black Friday lip review.
So let’s look at a few of this year’s winners.
Top of the list has to go to bareMinerals. while the rest of this list won’t be in top ten order, I do feel that I need to put them first as there are three bare minerals lip products pictured above. One is the Gen Nude Liquid lip (black cap), the second is the mineralist lip gloss balm, and the third is a bullet style lip stick also from their mineralist line. The glosses aren’t overly stick and they are comfortable to wear. The lipstick has great staying power and while it does fade throughout the day, as pretty much all traditional style lipsticks do, it leaves your lips feeling nourished. While I love the color and look of these products, the thing that puts them at the top of my list is simply the fact that my lips feel great even after they are gone. There is something in the product that is nourishing. And going into the winter, having a nourishing lip product is an extra bonus. If you are looking to try them out, they also have some amazing holiday lip kits on sale right now. As well as some great deals.
While bareMinerals does take the blue ribbon prize this year with both liquid and bullet styles, lets split the liquids from the solids here. There are five traditional bullet style lipsticks that I put on my repurchase list. These are not only the ones I am happy to add to my shopping cart to reach the free shipping mark, but products that I will go to the brand website specifically to purchase. They are:
Bite Beauty Power move soft matte lipstick: I am so relieved to be able to put this one on the list. I love the formula but for a while it looked like Bite beauty was not selling them any more. Just when I was about to give up and realized that I was just going to have to use the last nub of lipstick up and say goodbye, Bite beauty brought their lipsticks back. These lipsticks are nourishing, long lasting and they both smell and taste good. I know tasting makeup usually isn’t a thing, but with lipsticks it sometimes matters. If you don’t like the taste of traditional lipsticks, I suggest giving this one a try.
Lorac Alter Ego Satin Lipstick: This is a great covering lipstick that won’t dry out your lips. It has a nice vanilla scent and is incredibly easy to wear.
Wet ‘n Wild Megalast lipstick: While this doesn’t give extra nourishment to the lips, I was surprised and very pleased with the coverage and longevity of the color. It is a very comfortable lipstick to wear and an excellent product to keep on hand. I generally find the wet ‘n wild lipsticks jumping into my cart as i peruse the aisles when I am at Target. Sometimes after a bad day, a new lipstick does make me feel a little bit better. And This ois one that one break the bank. At the moment they are even harder to resist picking up. If you follow the link to the Wet ‘n wild Site you will see that the normally $2.99 lipsticks are now $1.99. That is certainly a sale I can get behind. And I have been thinking about picking up some more of their color icon palettes as well. So I suspect several lippies will find their way back to me. At the moment they have free shipping on orders $25 or more. they also have a free gift with a $25 purchase (Use Code:WWGIFT25) and a gift with $35 purchase (use Code: WWGIFT30)
MAC: I know, MAC lipsticks are not a new try for me. they were in fact my very first non-drug store lippie. I used to pick them up as a special treat to myself. They have several varieties to choose from. At the moment I am really loving the Love Me Lipstick line. It is very comfortable to wear and non-drying. I will say though that there is definitely the possibility of me going for the retro line should I make any MAC purchases in the near future. Although to be honest, while I like their other products, I generally shop MAC for lipsticks. Their other products are good, but it is the lips that are the usual draw for me towards the brand. And right now, that is towards the Love Me Line.
Buxom Full Force Plumping Lipstick: While Buxom Lips haven’t been in my life as long as MAC has, they run a close second. They are a product that I will always repurchase. The main lipstick I have now is a very neutral shade tha I can’t wear on it’s own. I use it as a base for a lot of other products though. It wears like a really good matte lipstick, but it has the plumping action that I really enjoy. It is a great base for other products and it is a good topper to tone down too bright shades. It is a lipstick that works well on it’s own and still plays well with others. As the shade I have is too neutral for me, it is mostly a helper. I am eyeing several shades that i can wear on my own though and I suspect i will end up with quite a few of them.
There are two glosses in my list and they are:
Colourpop So Juicy: Also a plumping gloss and also a standard. It looks great and fabulously glossy on the lips bare or over another matte product. I personally like to use this as my pre makeup ritual. I’ll apply it right after the shower and then let it work it’s magic while I dry and style my hair and get everything else rady. Then I will take it off at the last second and put whatever lipstick I want to use on over it.
Roen Kiss my liquid lip balm: Despite the name it is not a lip balm. it is a gloss. A very peppermint gloss. I personally like it as it projects the scent of peppermint making it seem as though I have fresh breath even when my mouth is closed. Plus I like peppermint. It is also nice when you are wearing a face mask. Kind of personal air freshener you wear on your lips. It is a nice gloss. There are no balm benefits though, despite the name. If you like peppermint, I’d take a look at it, if not, I’d avoid it.
And here we enter the hole stretch my darlings. That’s right, the liquid lips. And to be honest they are all on this list for exactly the same reasons. They are compfortable to wear. They do not dry out my lips. They all dry down enough not to leave lip prints behind and they are long lasting. So what are these four fabulous products?
And there you have it my darlings. The lip products that have made it to the top of my list. while i want most of these products in multiple shades, I suspect that when I delve into the Black Friday. Cyber Monday sales, shades of these products will be added to make up my free shipping quota, brcause when the formula is good, multiple shades aren’t a hardship.
Ms. Mimsy Reviews 