Maybelline Vivid Lipcolors in Shocking Coral, Pink Pop, Vivid Rose, Brazen Berry, Hot Plum, Vibrant Mandarin - Review, Photos, Swatches

Being the shameless bargain-hunter that I am, I'm always on the lookout for cheap drugstore makeup products that are of stellar quality. (It also helps if the color options come with a healthy dose of pizazz!) No surprise, then, that I was super stoked to pick up a few of the new Maybelline Colorsensational Vivids!

This collection features ten gorgeous, vibrant hues, of which I purchased a whopping six! :o

First is Brazen Berry, a surprising favorite of mine. This isn't a berry, really, but a soft, cool violet. Love it!

 Hot Plum, a warmer, more red cousin to Brazen Berry -

Pink Pop, a cool light to medium pink -

 Shocking Coral, a warm, taupe-y coral -

Vibrant Mandarin, a bright orange-red. Don't be scared! While nice and vivid, this color is ultra wearable and I can't wait to wear it in the summer! In real life Mandarin appears a touch brighter and redder.

Vivid Rose, a fab pink-red -

L to R: Shocking Coral, Vibrant Mandarin, Vivid Rose, Hot Plum

 Pink Pop, Brazen Berry

What do you think? I love this bright, in-your-face line from Maybelline! I also love that they are very user-friendly as they are not completely creamy/opaque; you can certainly get full coverage with a couple of coats, but you have the option for a more subtle, semi-sheer wash with just one swipe. The formula is soft and fairly moisturizing, super comfortable to wear, and the scent is your standard vanilla. This ColorSensational Vivid collection is perfect for the upcoming beach-y summer weather, and a great transitional option for those that normally wear neutrals but perhaps want a pop of color for the warmer seasons. My two stand-outs here are Brazen Berry (a great bright violet) and Vibrant Mandarin, and I see myself reaching for them often in the next few months. Overall a great showing from Maybelline!

Maybelline's ColorSensational Vivid Lip Colors are available at most drug stores such as Walgreens and CVS (be on the lookout for sales; it's how I justified purchasing six!) for about $7.49 each, as well as through online retailers such as drugstore.com. 

Have you tried these only to fall madly in love?Are you also itching to head to the beach?!

Thanks for reading! :)

CoverGirl Jumbo Gloss Balm Pencils in Berry Twist, Haute Pink - Photos, Review, Swatches

These new CoverGirl Jumbo Gloss Balm pencils caught my eye the other day at Target (I don't actually know when they were rolled out, but they're new to me!). I love chunky lip pencils so this purchase was a no-brainer, really. Here we go!

Berry Twist, Haute Pink

Here's Haute Pink, a cool, sheer pink -

Berry Twist, a rosy raspberry -

Top to bottom - Berry Twist, Haute Pink

These are touted as colored, moisturizing balms and, for the most part, they live up to that description. These CG jumbo pencils provide a sheer wash of color that is very fresh and easy-breezy to pull off; not overwhelming or loud, by any means! I should mention that Berry Twist is very similar to my natural lip color, so I don't see much of a difference. However, I'm sure it delivers a whisper of pigment based on Haute Pink - I can quite clearly see the subtly pink tint, so I know it works! On me, both Berry Twist and Haute Pink were only moderately moisturizing. I do have SUPER dry lips and usually have to use a heavy-duty balm to whip them into shape, so it's very possible that for the average person these balms would suffice.

Overall, a nice product! Very shiny, low maintenance, and great for summer! What do you think?

CoverGirl's Jumbo Gloss Balm Pencils are available at drugstores for around $6.99. You can also purchase online from drugstore.com.

Hard Candy Nail Polish in Crush on Amethyst, Crush on Caribbean, Crush on Lava, Piece of Papaya, Crush on Tin - Photos, Review, Swatches

As soon as I set eyes on the new Hard Candy nail polishes, I knew they were bad news... for my wallet! D: Luckily they made my hands VERY happy, which is how I justified purchasing a dozen or so ;) Anyway, here is the first part of my haul. I'm pretty thrilled with these!

Crush on Amethyst, a brilliant medium purple with complex (and stunning!) gold accents -

Crush on Caribbean, a shimmering turquoise blue. Again, more beautiful and complex than my photos can show -

Crush on Lava. Gah, you know how people describe things as having the color and gradient of beetle wings? This really, really does resemble that, and it's gorgeous. Crush on Lava is a violet red that shifts orange/gold/brown. Beyond. Words.

Piece of Papaya, a warm coral/pink with gold flecks -

Crush on Tin, a baffling but intriguing mix of slate, forest green, gold, and brown -

WOW. I'm impressed with all of the shades shown above! I had no issues with the formula (all swatches are two coats) and the texture is smooth and pigmented. These new Hard Candy lacquers are high-quality, affordable drugstore options for nail fanatics seeking unique, non-traditional shades and at $4 a piece, they're practically a steal! It's damn near impossible to choose a favorite, but if pressed I would say my heart belongs to Crush on Lava and Crush on Tin. All are fabulous, though, and I will no doubt put them to good and heavy use. Now to prevent myself from scurrying off to buy all 48 hues in this new Hard Candy release... 8D

All 48 new Hard Candy polishes are available at Walmart for $4 each. Have you checked these out yet? What do you think?

Thank you for reading, and please consider following me if you enjoy the contents of this blog :)

L'Oreal's Colour Riche Caress Stick Lipstick in Pink Vinyl, Blushing Sequin - Photos, Review, Swatches

Busybusybusy! D: I will try to get a few good, substantial posts in before my vacation, though!

Today I have for you two of the newish L'Oreal Colour Riche Caress Stick lipsticks. They come housed in pretty but fingerprint-prone gold packaging and, as far as I could tell, are available in 16 hues. I purchased two shades similar to what I like and tend to wear: Blushing Sequin, a warm bright rosy pink with a tinge of red; and Pink Vinyl, a cool pink with a touch of lavender. 

Blushing Sequin:

Pink Vinyl:

L to R: Blushing Sequin, Pink Vinyl

Alright. So, the shades are fairly lovely - sheer, easy to pull off, and providing a subtle wash of color. Unfortunately, the formula on this lipstick was terribly uncomfortable to wear. Immediately I felt stinging. (An allergy, perhaps?) It was mild, but still not something I want to put my lips through when I have other options. I found these drying and the texture to be slippery, very nearly slimy. Pink Vinyl disappeared within 1 to 1.5 hours of application.

Needless to say, I do not recommend L'Oreal's Colour Riche Caress Stick lipsticks despite wanting desperately to like them. I love sheer, balmy lipstick hybrids with a punch of color, and that's what I hoped these would be, but there are better options available. If you want to try out these lipsticks, they are available for about $9.99 each at drugstores.

L'Oreal Colour Riche in So Chic!; Sally Lustre Shine in Lava; Maybelline Color Show in Downtown Brown - Swatches, Review, Photos

Some of the new drugstore fall nail polishes have been catching my eye (calling to me, if you will) every time I've strolled past the displays. Here are some of my recent purchases!

L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polish in So Chic!, a peachy nude with gold shimmer (two coats). $5.99 in drugstores:

Sally Hansen Lustre Shine in Lava, a shimmery red/gold/pink/fuchsia/orange multichrome (two coats). $7.99 in drugstores:

Maybelline Color Show Nail Color in Downtown Brown, a frosty, shimmery warm brown with blue/green duochrome flashes (two coats). $3.99 in drugstores:

All of these ROCK, my favorite being Maybelline's fun and unexpected Downtown Brown. The formula on all of these was super awesome, more or less, smooth and buttery and easy to manipulate. I'm pleased to note that drugstore brands have recently been presenting us with increasingly interesting and complex shades, guaranteed to intrigue most nailphiles regardless of their budget. With the nail lacquer market as tight as it is, companies are forced to develop more creative and unique shades without sacrificing quality. The results of this heightened competition, such as the shades featured in this post, are lovely!