Testing out the Axiology Multi-Stick Color Cream

Axiology very kindly sent over several products for me to try out and review. As always the reviews are my opinion alone. As all of the products sent had over lapping uses but slightly different formulas, I am splitting out the products so that I can get a feel for the different formulas.

If you have never heard of Axiology, I would really suggest checking them out. They are a company that puts all of their products in packaging with no plastic or metal parts. Everything from the shipping box and filler paper to the outer product packaging to the product packaging itself is made of paper. The shipping box and outer packaging I ended up tearing up and putting in my compost bin as dry matter. And when I finish with these products, their packaging will also journey to the composter.

Which I absolutely love. For the Color Creams, the product is in a lip balm style package but instead of the plastic twist off bits to lift the product, it is all paper and you push gently on the bottom to cause the product to rise. It’s also why I don’t have a picture of all of the product pushed out to show how much is inside. I wasn’t confident it would push back down. But as there are no internal mechanisms, just a paper base, I’m guessing the entire tube is filled with the product. Which is nice to know.

The first product I chose to try out (after the first day where i went a little crazy and tried to try all of them at once which didn’t work due to over lapping uses) was the Color Cream. According to the Axiology website…

Plastic-free packaging meets nourishing color in this extra creamy multi-stick. Plant butters and oils such as soy butter and coconut oil deeply penetrate skin for long-lasting hydration with a rich and creamy finish. Naturally-derived, vegan & cruelty-free. Made with 10 simple ingredients. Handcrafted in Bend, Oregon.

Ingredients: Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil*, Hydrogenated soybean oil, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed wax, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil*, Sambucus nigra fruit extract, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, Tocopherol**, Azadirachta indica seed oil*

Since they mention the ten ingredients I thought it best to list their ingredients. It is a list I like as nothing on it gives me any issues. On the lips the formula is hydrating and highly pigmented. (I have the Shade True). It is a multi use stick so I used it as both a cream blush and a lipstick.

For the lips, it is a pigmented color that applies well. It actually applies like a lip balm actually and that is how it feels on the lips. It is creamy and lip balm-esque. It will leave lip prints but they are faint. You kind of have to rub to get a lot of color leaving. I’m not sure why you would rub your lips on a glass mug, but you do you. It left a little more color on a straw than on the lip of a glass I think because of the pressing action of using a straw. The two pictures below are of the Color Cream first applied and then taken again after lunch. the color fades but is still pretty decent.

While the lips are nice and really it felt like wearing a lip balm, for me this is best as a cream blush. For a light touch I dotted it on my cheeks and then blended it in. It blends well but you do need to go one cheek at a time. so dot one cheek blend and then switch to the other cheek and blend. then check and see if you need more. It is pigmented but it blends softly. Still start with a small amount of product and build up to the shade you want. It can be built up with multiple applications, but start with just a little bit and see how it blends.

I used this as my blush for the past two weeks so you can easily flip through the pictures to see varying degrees of pigmentation. I went kind of soft with the pics for this post since that is my preferred blush application. I like a tint of pink to keep me from being washed out but my skin tone responds better to the deeper tones so it is always interesting to play pigment color and pigment saturation off of each other. this actually has a really good balance. It has the deeper tone but it isn’t too heavy. It is very buildable though and while it doesn’t dry down super fast if you do one cheek at a time it works best for blending.

When used as a cream blush the Color Cream form Axiology also didn’t pull up any of my foundation. I rotated through several foundations an had no issues. As that can be a common issue with cream blushes (and other cream face products actually) I was pleased to see this didn’t have that issue.

Over all I was really impressed with this Color Cream from Axiology. Sometimes good ideas in sustainability don’t always translate to the best most usable products. I always hope for the best but there is often some disappointment. This had no disappointment. Fab easy to use packaging with an ethos I can get behind with a fantastically easy to use product inside. For me it was a great product.

I will probably end up using it more as a cream blush than I will a lip product, mostly because it is one of the best cream blushes I have tried and I really like it as a cream blush. And while I don’t have a lot of cream blushes that I like, I do have a lot of lip products I like. So scarcity determines use for me. I like knowing that if I don’t have a lip product handy then i can use it as a lipstick, but it will be for me a go to blush and an incidental lip product.

I also tended to use a lip brush to apply it as a lip product. I used the brush on the side of the product and the tp of the product dotted onto my cheeks for blush. Over all this Color Cream was a winner for me and I can’t wait to see how the other products sent to me in the package from Axiology work out. If they work even half as well as the Color Cream i will be a very happy camper.

It’s Lipstick Time!

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.

1- Guerlain Velvet Matte Lipstick

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.

2- Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Lipstick

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.

3- NARS Lipstick

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.

4- RMS Lip Balm

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.

5- Beauty Bakerie Lip whip Matte Liquid Lip

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.

6- M2U NYC Matte Liquid Lip

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.

7- ELF Matte Liquid Lip

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.

Is Cashmere slip as soft as it’s name?

Kristofer Buckle Cashmere Slip lipstick in Bardot (and yes I repainted my nails right after this picture was taken)

Oh my darlings, I am in love. I know I talk about lipstick a lot. I use it to control my urge to snack and I delight in trying new shades. I will confess I am more of a liquid lipstick kind of girl, usually. With a few notable exceptions.

Bardot by Kristopher Buckle is a notable exception.

I picked it up because I thought the shade looked nice and because it is supposed to be long lasting. It is both.

The full name is Cashmere slip long lasting lipstick in the shade Bardot (retail $14).

The Description…

Full impact color. Cashmere Slip^® is a creamy, richly pigmented lipstick that delivers bold color for up to 8 hours. Easy to apply, this luxurious formula glides on smooth and wears comfortably.

I will say the color is very pigmented and it glides on as smoothly as the cashmere it is named for. In the swatch picture to the right, I only did one swipe across my hand to get that color. I wore it for a seven hour stretch without any noticeable diminishment of color so I suspect it would go the full eight hours without an issue.

Be Bold. Be Confident. Be Fearless. Be Anything. Shop now at KristoferBuckle.com!

I find the thinner stick shape of it easier to apply where I want it than many of the bullet style lipsticks. I really like the way it felt on my lips. It practically melted in so that I felt like I wasn’t actually wearing any lipstick instead of leaving a waxy feel to the lips. The waxy feel is why I tend to lean more towards liquid lips in general. This did not have that problem at all.

The shade Bardot is a perfect neutral color and I think it is one I will definitely be reaching for as my go to neutral. I was a little disappointed that there are only six shades in the line, but I have my fingers crossed that at some point they will expand the line. For now, I am just going to enjoy the one, all-purpose neutral.

Disney Lipstick Review

That’s right, today I return to one of my favorite loves, lipstick. Magical lipstick, it is both my anti-snacking device and often my mood indicator. Feeling tired and schlumpy? Time for untinted lip balm. Feeling sassy? Well, hello intense pigments. How are you doing?

It is a much more reliable gauge than a mood ring let me tell you.

This is especially exciting for me because I put a moratorium on buying lipsticks for a while. I felt I had enough and was risking spilling over into the far too much category. and when you get there, the chance that some of them will go bad before you can use them up arises. and that is a sad, sad death for a lipstick.

So I told myself to avoid buying lipsticks until I cleared out some space by using things up. Which I did. First, I concentrated on using up as many of the small sample sized lip products as I could. Then I used the lipsticks and liquid lips that were already starting to look a little low. A few lipsticks were already close to being nubs and I had a couple where it was actual work for the lip wand to actually reach the product. Once those were finished up and a sad parting of the ways occurred there was a lot of extra room.

Sadly there were two liquid lips that smelled off and just didn’t make it. Admittedly I think I had them for several years past their expiration date.

The end result?

Space in my lipstick container and three new lipsticks. The three, as you can probably guess, come from the Disney Villains Collection from Colourpop. They retail for $8 each. For the record I have no affiliation with the brand. I just saw the lipsticks, wanted the lipsticks and bought the lipsticks.

I confess I love colourpop’s liquid lipsticks, but this is my first go round with their traditional bullet style lipsticks and I was impressed before I even applied them. Not only is the packaging great, but the tube of lipstick feels rather substantial in the hand. Given the price point I expected a thinner, lighter weight and lets just say it, cheaper plastic. It is not. The tube feels luxurious in the hand despite being at a similar price point as many drug store lipsticks.

But packaging is one thing, it is the product that counts, no?

me with evil Queen, and yup, I finally got a haircut

The first one I tried was the Evil Queen lipstick. Truth be told, it was the reason I went looking at the collection in the first place. While I may be more of a berry toned girl, my baby loves red lipstick. Or as he likes to call it, lipstick colored lipstick. The problem is that most reds are a little too orange-y for me. so I have periodically been questing. This red is a red with blue undertones and on me it is a true red. So the color right away, I liked. The formula for this (and all three to be honest) is creamy and applies smoothly, but not heavily. The only draw back for me is that even after blotting, the red tends to leave lip prints. I wore it for several hours and while it didn’t fade away, it never truly dried down enough to stop leaving marks. Oddly enough though, it didn’t smear on my lips. While I love this one I think I will wear it when I am going out but not planning to eat or drink during the outing. It wears well, but I really don’t like leaving a trail of lip prints.

Surprisingly, that was not a problem with the other two lipsticks. Hades went on as smoothly as the Evil Queen and felt just as creamy. But after a quick blot and a few minutes to settle, the formula stayed put and didn’t leave lipstick all over my coffee mug. It is a lovely nude shade that is perfect for when I want to go crazy with the eyeshadow and don’t want my lips competing for attention. Not the most exciting, but terribly useful for my collection.

The third lipstick, Dr. Facilier, while not my favorite villain, is actually my favorite lipstick of the trio. It is a muted mauve shade that can be worn pretty much every day in my opinion. It is a good day to day shade, not to bright for office hours and not to bland for going out after work. It is the no worries shade which for me at least is really hard to find.Like the other two it applied smooth and creamy on the lips and didn’t feel heavy or waxy or sticky. while it had more color than the Hades neutral, it too stayed put after a quick blot.

not my favorite villain, but maybe my new favorite lipstick, Dr. Facilier

If my trio is anything to go by then it is just the red formula that has the lip print trail issue. which is good to know because with the success of these three I think I might want to look into more of colourpop’s lipstick line. Do the princesses live up to the villains? In life rarely so, it always seemed to me that villains act and heros merely react and far too many princesses are just victims of circumstance and moved through the story like a package. but that’s another issue all together. I will probably also be trying their non-disney lipsticks at some point to see if the regular formula stacks up.

Me with the Dr. Facilier lip, please ignore the wet hair, I took the pic in a hurry before I forgot. sigh. Not my best but I love the lip.

But that will have to wait. For now I have three new lipsticks in my collection, all of which I will use. I still have several older to use up so for now, I will curb my addiction once again and use what I have and what drops into my life from subscription boxes before making another purchase.

Unless I find one I just can’t resist. As sad, but almost inevitable possibility. But at least for now, my love of lipsticks is temporarily sated.