Shine Bright Like a Diamond... Spring Colors: NYX Glam Lipstick Aqua Luxe in Glory

There are some stuff that I wish I did or knew about when I was in my teens... and after trying out this lipstick from NYX, I added 'Wearing super shimmery lipstick' to the list!



What NYX says about this lipstick:

"Light up the room—with your lips. Silky, smooth, and packed with concentrated sparkle, our Glam Lipstick Aqua Luxe is your go-to glam tool for sexy, shimmering lips."

Price: $7-8 CAD approx


My Experience:

As per NYX, Glory is a rose pink with silver reflects. I don't exactly get what they mean by silver reflects but I am assuming it is the same thing as silver shimmers, cos that is what this lipstick has - gallons and gallons of shimmers. I am not sure if it is just the silver, cos I felt it had some gold also.



Glory in my opinion is a pale pinky peach shade - more peachy than pink. A beautiful color in itself, NYX raises this shade out of ordinary by adding that KA-POWW factor which is the extreme shimmer factor.

I got this lipstick along with Aqua Luxe gloss after seeing the video by Gossmakeupartist [check below] :



It was more of an impulse purchase and I fully knew what I was getting but still I was surprised at the shimmer effect of this lipstick. Actually this is more of a Shimmer Lipstick with Color.



Normally I am not a fan of shimmer; but when it is so beautifully done, you have to appreciate it. Seriously :) Wearing this lipstick is enough to add a wow-factor for a party look. This would be something you can think of, for your prom makeup etc [though not if you plan on any kissing, unless your date don't mind looking like a disco ball :)]

How I wear this lipstick: Because of the silver shimmer & the color, for me this is more of a day wear than a night wear. I wouldn't suggest wearing this lipstick alone; I apply a coat of a peachy or pink matte or satin finish lipstick and then apply this over the color, for effect.  If I wish to tone down the shimmer effect, I apply another coat of lipstick over a layer of this and apply a clear gloss.

Just one swipe - and you can see how much shine it gives!

 Why you should buy this lipstick: For $6, this lipstick is a great option if you wish to create an effortlessly bling-y look for a party. Neutral eyes, coral/peach blush & this lip-color would be a great combo that would suit most complexions. The shimmer is not harsh, cheap-looking or gritty.
The color applies very beautifully and there is no patchiness at all. This stays for max 1-2 hours without food or drinks - I don't expect it to, cos of the creamy shimmer finish of the lipstick.

Why you shouldn't buy this- The shimmer is an obvious reason for any matte finish lover. Another is that the shimmer sticks to your skin. Being very soft & almost like a highlighter-type finish, the shimmer stays even when the color fades. So if you are wearing this lipstick, I would advise keeping a good wet wipe or makeup remover handy.

I tried wiping it once and this is what is left - can you see how soft yet shimmery it looks?

 Overall: Rihanna, were you thinking of this lippie? Cos you can shine like a diamond or at least almost as pretty well, if you wear this lipstick. If you like a fun lip color or if you like shimmer, then you might want to try this lipstick. After all, it is recommended by Wayne Goss :)

Spring Colors: MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner Pencil in Rosewood 2c

Nothing add that chic factor to your look like a well defined contoured lips - do you agree? I think so. That is something I learned from my Makeup artist training & experience - how much each features add to the overall value of the look.

If you ask me how to look natural yet chic & sophisticated very easily by playing up just 2 features of your face, I would suggest focusing on your eyes to add emphasis [mascara, a dark eyeshadow or heavy eyeliner] & having a well contoured defined lips  with a natural lip color. 

Of course, if it is just 1 feature, I would select eyes :)

Now, where I was going with all that yak-yak was - having a lip liner is essential to defined lips & here is where MUFE's lip liner comes into the equation.

From Sephora website:

" What it is:  A creamy, non-transferable lip liner for long-lasting glide-on precision.

What it does: Stop worrying about your lip liner smudging or fading. This non-stop, highly pigmented color is waterproof and stays put. It glides on with vitamin E and jojoba wax, making it is easy to shape and define your lips. 

What else you need to know: Waterproof, highly pigmented, and smudge-proof, the Aqua collection of long-lasting lip and eye colors was created for the Parisian Aquatic Ballet. Tested under water for five hours, Make Up For Ever’s longest wearing makeup has an extensive palette of high-performance colors with non-stop results. Pair with Aqua Rouge for an unstoppable long-lasting lip."

I think this item is available only at Sephora. Price is around $23.00 for 0.04oz. By comparison, MAC lip pencil costs $18 for 0.05oz and another favorite of mine, Rimmel's East End snob costs $7 approx for 0.01oz. So definitely at the pricier end by ounce.

About 2C:

 

Rosewood - the name suits the shade. In Sephora website, the shade is marked as a 'Rosy Nude' - which I think is not exactly accurate; this shade is more of a rosy coral-y peachy shade. I know I didn't make much sense but this shade is such a unique mix of pink, coral & peach.

To see the peachy tint, you have to apply this on non-pigmented or well-concealed lips. On my pigmented lips, the pink & coral tones are more prominent. 

Why you should try this lip liner? I know, lip liners are not a must buy for most of us, even if its a pretty shade like this one. Now here is why I feel that you should give this one a try:

1. Great pigmentation in one swipe and applies very smoothly even on dry lips and even over lip balm!

2. Stays for a long long time - I got up to 4 hours with full intensity including some food & drinks. Even when it faded, it left a nice color behind.

3. A very universally appealing shade that can suit most lip colors and can match many shades of lipstick.

4. No scent,  no irritation. Does not dry out my lips if I apply this all over my lips.

Why you shouldn't try this? 

1. Did you read the price info?

Overall: I like this lip liner and this particular shade, so give this a try if you are okay with the price :)

The Face Shop Volcanic Clay Black Head Aloe Nose Strip

Once again, I am going to refrain from giving long reviews for products that don't really need it, so bear with me if you find this review very succinct.

I got this from my local Face Shop store for my husband, cos he has some serious blackhead issues on his nose. He doesn't like the good old 'squeeze & clean' technique so I thought I will try a nose strip. I have tried this nose strip from Face Shop 3 times now and here is my verdict: Too gentle to be useful 

If I say it didn't clean, I'd be wrong- it did but not enough to see a difference.

What I can find in favor of these nose strips are:

1. Easy to use & apply on nose

2. Face Shop is available internationally

Other than that, for the price [$16 approx for 10 pcs] this is not cheap enough to justify such average results.

 I am not going to buy this again; I have read some good reviews about their Charcoal nose strip, so may be I will try that next.

 

 

What not to buy: Bonne Bell Eye Definer in Midnight Bark and Glow

Instead of making you read through a lot of stuff on how I bought & found that this is not a great purchase, I am going to say in 2 lines why this is not something you want to buy:



1. Not easy to apply & tugs on eyelids [mine is oily and to tug on mine means this will really hurt drier skin]
2. Poor pigmentation & pathetic staying power - needs4-5 swipes to get a decent color & stays for 30mins!

Bonne Bell is a brand I came to know from Archie comics of my childhood, and when I first came to Canada & saw this brand at my local Walmart, I got this pencil mostly from nostalgic reasons.



Price is around $2 CAD.

There is nothing much to bore you with, except that this is just a waste of money. If you add a primer or powder your lids, the wear time may increase to 1-2 hours. Another way to reduce hardness is by using a lighter to heat the tip for a second or two. Considering that Essence has a better product for same price, I wouldn't suggest buying this. 



If you bought one and is wondering how best to use it without wasting that 2 dollars, here are my suggestions [for this & other dud pencils]:

1. If its a dark shade like Midnight bark, try using this as a brow definer. Lack of pigmentation may be a good thing for a brow pencil.
2. If it is a light shade, use this as a lip definer or lip color barrier. You can also use this as a color neutralizer for pigmented lips.
3. Midnight bark can be using for contouring your nose edges, where precision is more important.



As always you can use this as coloring pencils so give it to your kid!

Antique Gold & Olive Green, mix 'em together & you get - Inglot Freedom System Eye Shadow Pearl Square in 433

I don't know how many brands can claim a consistently high quality in all their products but I know one - Inglot cosmetics. This Polish brand is cruelty free and has one of the most awesome color cosmetics range. I have already reviewing 3 shades of their lip colors - 30, 47 & 65 .
I also have a blush, an eye brow cream & a lipstick from this brand and they're all awesome -expect reviews soon.

Coming back to this eyeshadow, I got this mostly out of curiosity - my migraine triggers prevent me from wearing eye shadows most of the time :( I know, not the best situation for a makeup lover! But I couldn't resist picking up at least one shade & this looked pretty safe to me.

When I got it in 2012, the price was around $5 USD approx for the refill but now its $8 CAD in Inglot Canada website- nice to see there is no serious price difference in the last 2 years.

My Experience:

This is such a gorgeous color, I am addicted to it. I think this may have the honor of being the only eyeshadow I would repurchase. 433 [wish Inglot would be a bit creative and start giving names] is an olive-green-antique-gold shade that effortlessly adds an allure to your eyes.

Kudos to Inglot for making this a pearl finish with strong golden tones - without that, the color may have fallen flat & would have been suitable only to fairer skin tones. But because of the antique-gold-tones of this shadow, this color easily suits most skin tones.

The quality of this eyeshadow is superb & is gorgeous enough to be worn as a single eye color, even for a night-out. The pigmentation is amazing, it blends well without any fallout & can be applied wet or over a primer/base for more emphasis.

Just one swipe and not over any primer- I wanted to show how pigmented this is without any aid!

Anamika [Wiseshe] mentions in her post here  that 433 is a dupe for M.A.C Sumptuous Olive - in which, this is definitely the better alternative considering MAC costs around $10 for 1.5gm while 433 costs $8 for 2.7gm!

Apologies for no eye-swatch. If I am wearing eye-shadows I have to take the risk of triggering a migraine, so I have to wait for a clear Aura before I apply it - which didn't happen the day I was taking pics.

 Overall: What are you waiting for? Go, go, go...

Oh Mi Amor... Spring Colors: Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick Duo in Vivid

Ah, my beauty..past compare.. 

Remember Bianca Castafiore from Tintin comics, the diva who makes Snowy howl, singing [or yowling] this song from Faust? I am reminded of the song [not the yowl] here as I look at this beauty from Bite Beauty.

Bite Beauty doesn't need an intro - they are famous now for their high quality lippies & for me, the best part is they are from Toronto :) :)
I am tempted to visit their Geary Ave location,; they don't have an online store & as far as I know, they retail only through Sephora.

This lippie duo is available from Sephora for $15 CAD [Awesome right?].

What Sephora says about this lipstick : This mini duo of twist-up bullets offer neutral or vivid lips on the go. Wear them individually or layer to create your own custom look. With every application, antioxidant Resveratrol fights free radicals with potent long-term age-repair benefits. Each lipstick contains the Resveratrol equivalent of two glasses of red wine, reducing fine lines and wrinkles on and around the lip area over time.


My Experience:

I love this lipstick. Let me put that out 1st.

Okay, now here are some stuff I don't like, which I will clear 1st before I start gushing about it. First of all, I don't really care or believe about Reservatrol crap. If I am using a lipstick, I am using it for color, look etc, not for its skin care benefits. I use my lip balms or the new lip mask stuff from Korean brands for that. So, having Reservatraol which may be a wonder drug, doesn't mean a thing to me & I think to most lipstick lovers. Which makes me wonder why Bite has used it as the focus of their ads, instead of how awesomely pigmented their lipstick is! Talk about focusing on the wrong stuff!  Also if you read this article from Brightest Bulb in the Box [a must-read blog] , you'll get to know what the nonsense is about. Anyways, if that's how BBeauty wants to do their stuff, oh well!

Second of all.. for a brand that sells through Sephora, their packaging sucks! A boring greyish outer cover and a dull greyish-black case doesn't scream 'From Sephora' to me. Look at Too Faced, look at UD..come on, Bite Beauty, if nothing else go for the safe black!

Whew, now that is out of the way - let me talk about this gorgeous lipstick duo.
Palomino - my favorite of the 2- is described as a 'vibrant magenta' in the website & I agree. A stunning shade that will suit most skin tones & brightens up your look very easily.

Look at that color - I need this lipstick in my life.. Gimme more...n more...

Violet is described as a 'magenta violet' but I feel its more of a neon blue-toned pink rather than a violet. This is a more difficult color to carry for a day cos of its neon-ish look unless applied sheer; it looks great for at night.I have not tried this in full intensity as I feel it would suit me if I were 18 instead of 30!

Pigmentation - Awesome, Semi Opaque to full color in 1-2 swipes.
Staying  power - Decent, upto 4-5 hours without eating. Even if it fades, it leaves a color. Especially for Palomino which tinted my lips for some good amount of time.
Application - This is where I go nuts about this lippie. So soft and silky on lips. When ads talk about luxurious feel on lips, they are talking about this. It glides... and you wanna keep it gliding..
Comfort for wear - This is an important factor for me. It has to sit pretty and nice on my lips or else I don't wear it. This passed the test with full marks :)

Other factors- No harsh scent, no harsh taste, no irritation.

The lipstick bullet is small and I like it that way. Makes it easier to get it done precisely. In fact, I hope Bite Beauty will launch more of these shades!

Overall - Gal, run..go check if Sephora still has it.
Meanwhile, dear Bite Beauty, stop trying to make me a pauper. I saw your Deconstructed Gloss collection and with great difficulty I stopped myself from buying [God give me the strength]

Here is an interesting fact.
This Duo -> $15 for 0.1oz i.e. 150 for 1oz
A full size luminous lipstick - $28 for 0.13oz i.e. 215 for 1 oz

Aint that awesome? Hope they release more shades! :)

Spring Colors: Medusa's Makeup Lip Gloss in shade Bite Me

Medusa  - what comes to your mind? A nymph-like pretty lady from the ancient times or a screaming face with snakes for hair? 
For me, it is the latter, so I am not very sure why a makeup brand would adopt a mythical monster's name.. 
Oh well, at least it sounds better than Bitch Slap :)

 

Being a regular visitor to Urbanoutfitters.com , I'd noticed this brand; so when I did a recent lippie haul [haul post coming soon!] , I got this shade Bite Me from their range. I must say, the shade names are pretty uninspiring - I would expected something with a Greek touch to add some piquancy :)

About the product: Price is $8 USD for 0.25 oz.

"This rich and luxurious gloss glides on smooth and moisturizes your kisser.
We have also added delicious flavors for each of our vibrant 12 shades."

My Experience:

I like that MM team have marked the scent/flavor name against the shade - so helpful! Seriously! For me, scent/flavor for a lip product is a break-deal factor & there are items I've thrown out cos of the weird scent.

Bite Me is a shimmery cherry red gloss shade with a Watermelon [Yayyy, I love Watermelon!] scent. The shimmer is not very harsh, so it is quite wearable. One good thing I noticed is that unlike some shimmer glosses [ Expect a review on one from NYX soon], the shimmer in this gloss is not a stay-around-and-make-my-face-a-disco-ball type. When the color fades, the shimmer also mostly goes away with it. 

MM website describes this as a Red, but its more a cherry blue-toned red with hints of pink in it. This applies semi-sheer, so if you are looking for a full colored gloss that gives the same opaque coverage as a lipstick, this ain't it.

I must say, I am happy with this cos:
1. MM is cruelty free- 3 CHEERS!
2. I like my lip gloss to be just  a glossy layer over my lipstick & not a standalone product. I know, I am old fashioned., but if I apply a lip gloss over my lipstick, I don't want it to blot out the lipstick color!
3. I like my glosses glossy but not sticky and this one is not sticky at all!

This doesn't stay for long, hardly an hour or 2, but I like the cute packaging and I don't mind reapplying my makeup. 
It doesn't have any weird sharp taste, no irritation and leaves my lips moisturized.

If applied alone,this gives a very sheer wash of color. 
I like pairing it over paler peachy lipstick shades to give some brightness to the lips. 

Overall: This is an excellent lip gloss for the price [$32 for 1 oz, Revlon SL gloss is $60+ for 1 oz!] and if you don't mind reapplying gloss every now and then, this is something you can try.

A time for sun-screens.. Target Store Brand Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 60 Spray

This was an impulse purchase from Target - they had some 2 for 1 or so sale happening and I am always in the market for sunscreens especially of high SPF.

I don't remember the cost but I think it was around $7-8 CAD for 2; anyways it was cheaper than other alternatives with the same SPF, so I picked it up.

My Experience: 

This is a no-nonsense sunscreen - it does the job, but don't expect it to do anything much. This is a clear spray but what Target doesn't say in the bottle is how oily-ish it can make skin look. It applies kinda sticky, so don't use it unless you have 10-15mins for it to set or unless you are going for a walk in the beach & don't care how you look! May be this would be a good deal for very dry skinned ladies, I don't know.

 I use this on days when my skin feels more than usually dry and I have 10mins to spare before starting on my makeup routine. Don't ever spray it on to your face - it can hurt eyes like hell. Also it irritates my eye area, so don't apply near eyes or mouth [very very very yucky taste]. 

The best use is of course for body - my suggestion is to avoid using this for face, it ain't worth the hassle of application.
Since I don't sun bathe or swim in 2 piece, I can't say how this water resistant this is .

Overall: Good for body, not for face. Nothing to write home about. Okay dokey.

$2 Makeup: Jordana Easy Liner in Black

Jordana cosmetics is an US based brand and I have already reviewed 3 products from this very affordable brand here, here and here . I was not very happy with their Quick Liner for eyes but I have read some rave reviews on their Easy liners and their new 12 HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil. 

Like most other affordable US brands, like E.L.F, Milani, NYX etc, Jordana is also not easily available in Canada [Sighhhh]. A few items are available at local dollar stores and this is one I picked. 

Easy Liner for Eyes is priced at 1.99 USD and is available in 13 shades. 

My Experience:

This is an average product and I really don't have much to say on this. Pigmentation is not great but not bad either. Its all about perspective- after all, it is unfair to compare a $2 eyeliner's pigmentation to that of an Urban Decay or MAC. 

This didn't tug on my eyelids but I cannot honestly say that it glided or was very creamy. My complaint with this one was it took some time to build up the color. 

Also, staying power is average. It stayed for about 4 hours on my lid - but then my lids are naturally oily. I would suggest setting this with a powder. 
There was no irritation, this is a retractable liner, so no worry on sharpening. 

Overall: This is an okay eye pencil. I don't like it as much as I like my Essence 16 hr eye pencil but for $2, this is a nice to have option. They have some nice colors also.

Spring Colors: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Demure

Revlon's Super Lustrous range is as iconic as the brand itself; recently Revlon launched their Legacy Collection which I hope, will hit the Canadian shores soon.

Since I already reviewed the range here in my post on Ginger Rose , I am going to just talk about this lipstick. Also, I doubt if Revlon really needs my thumbs up to sell this line of lipsticks!


About the product: Demure was launched as part of Revlon's Fire & Ice collection, I think in 2010 and is now in their permanent line. Price is around $9-10CAD which changes with Retailer and any promotions.

My Experience: 

Have you ever lusted after something you couldn't really use but so so really wished you could? [Keep it clean ladies, I am talking of Makeup :)] Well, for me this lipstick if one of my major love-to-but-cant-have makeup beauties.


I would love to rock a peachy nude lip color - I just cant. Unless I go for a flawless look with contouring & highlighting, I just look washed out & weird, instead of the chic look this lipstick can so easily give to ladies with the right complexion-skin-tone-mix. This color would suit most skin tones, but ladies like myself with uneven skin tone especially darkness around mouth or chin, should be wary of using this color.

Demure is a peachy nude [yawn, sorry to repeat it again!] - not the pinky peach that is pretty common- but a true peachy shade with hints of orangey coral that applies on lips with a frosty satin  finish - not gaudy or anything; very summery.

Like all SL lippies, Demure glides on pretty well and applies a sheer-to-medium coverage in 1 swipe. If you are lucky to have non-pigmented lips, or is interested enough to take the trouble of neutralizing your natural lipcolor, this would be a great color for a nice Spring/Summer day.

I don't know why, but this color reminds me of a lazy day at beach. IMHO, this color goes well with a neutral eye/coral blush & golden highlight look.

One beautiful aspect about this lipstick is, it stays true to the color- on my lips it comes across as the same color it is in swatches and in tube.

However, my lip pigmentation peeks through, so on the rare occasions I get enough time to prep self, I apply a concealer [though not in this pic]. If you dislike applying concealers, get the lightest nude shade to mask your lip pigmentation or use a white lipstick like Snow Queen from Portland Black Lipstick company.


Overall: If you can rock this color, you are lucky. Go grab it!