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! :)

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!

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Green With Envy, Go-Go Green - Swatches, Photos, Reviews

You may have seen a display at your drugstore of the new Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquers. I picked up a few the other day, and swatched my two greens so far:

Maybelline Color Show in Green With Envy, a pale sea-green creme:

Go-Go Green, a bright yellow-tinged grass green:

Both were swatched with two coats. Color me ultra-impressed with the formula! These were super creamy and pigmented, very nearly one-coaters. The consistency is fantastic - neither runny nor goopy, streak-free (the blemish you see on my pointer finger is an unfortunate tear in my nail and nothing to do with the polish itself), and easy to control with the brush. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is probably the best drug-store formula I have tried. The colors are gorgeous, and I particularly love Go-Go Green for the summer. Especially for the $4.99 price tag, these new Maybelline polishes are an excellent buy!

I have a couple more shades to show you in the near future (one which has a funky matte-/rubberiness going on), and I have high expectations based on these two colors. Can't wait!

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquers are available at drugstores for $4.99 each.

Thanks for reading! :)

Maybelline Baby Lips Balm in Cherry Me, Pink Punch - Review, Photos, Swatches

You may have seen a new tinted lip balm at your local drugstore called Maybelline Baby Lips. Regardless of the... off-putting... name these little balms are quite handy and convenient, and I must say that I do enjoy them despite my nomenclatural misgivings. I purchased two, Pink Punch, a bright pink, and Cherry Me, a cherry red, for $2.99 each.

Packaging is nothing revolutionary, just what you would expect for this type of product. They each contain SPF 20 and according to Maybelline's claims moisturize dry lips for up to 8 hours.

L to R: Cherry Me, Pink Punch

Cherry Me

Pink Punch

L to R: Pink Punch, Cherry Me

I very much like Pink Punch - the color is more of a standout than that of Cherry Me, and the formula is smoother and slicker. As for 8-hour moisture... Well, I don't think even my beloved Jack Black can live up to that! I would say Pink Punch soothes dehydrated lips for about 4-5 hours before wearing away. It's an excellent tinted balm, providing a wash of shiny pink color while working efficiently to counteract dryness.

For whatever reason I don't find Cherry Me to be all that moisturizing; in fact, I can only wear it for about an hour before my lips get uncomfortable and cry out for a heavier balm. This one is quite unwearable and unpleasant for me, and if I didn't know Pink Punch and Cherry Me are both Maybelline Baby Lips balms I would never guess they are from the same collection or even brand - strange that two products from the same line can have such opposing reactions on me when worn! This one was disappointing compared to the excellent Pink Punch.

I'm conflicted. Pink Punch is really good - hydrating, slick, and offers a pretty and subtle veil of color. It may be my chemistry, but Cherry Me was quite horrid, uncomfortable, and didn't work for me at all. Or, this may have just been a fuddy-duddy tube that passed unnoticed through quality control. Either way, $2.99 isn't a large investment, and I wouldn't mind trying my luck with other shades in Maybelline's line.

Have you tried these balms? How did they work for you?

For those who celebrate it, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I feel like I'm still recovering and trying to get back in the swing of things. Here is our table, full of delicious, festive goodies (two turkeys were involved!) -

Good food, good company :) How was your Thanksgiving?