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! :)

Givenchy Le Rouge Lipstick in Rose Dressing, Fuchsia Irresistible - Review, Photos, Swatches

Confession: In a bout of complete and utter shallowness, I admit that I was first drawn to these Givenchy Le Rouge lipsticks based solely on looks; I can't resist sleek, cool, edgy packaging, and this fusion of metal and leather certainly fits the bill! Further encouraged by Sephora's Chic Week sale, I purchased two of these beauties sight unseen. They were pricey, but I was fairly confident that the quality would be ace based on my previous Givenchy experiences. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed!

Here's the beautiful packaging (I love the stud detail as well!)-

Here is Fuchsia Irresistible, a fairly true fuchsia -

Rose Dressing, a muted, muddy rose coral -

The formula on these is so, so nice; they feel soft and rich and quite hydrating. The intense pigmentation packs a punch as well. The scent is kind of odd, and I think part of it has to do with the packaging - it is a combination of light but sophisticated vanilla (darker and spicier vanilla than, say, Mac's standard scent) and leather. Again, I think that's from the materials used in the outer lipstick cover and it's perfectly fine for my nose, but it may be off-putting for some.

Anyway, great product overall! I've also spotted these lipsticks in white leather for summer - neat!

Givenchy Le Rouge lipstick may be purchased at Sephora for $36 each.

Thanks for reading! Please follow if you enjoy this blog :)

Lime Crime Lipstick in Countessa Fluorescent - Photos, Review, Swatches

Lime Crime has been on my radar for quite some time but did not join my happy collection family until, funnily enough, I saw it in person, in Jaipur, India, thanks to a lovely Canadian fellow traveller we met! (Incidentally, the last photo in this entry was taken by her!) Typically I'm over the moon for sleek, modern packaging, but I dissolved into a puddle of cooing goo once I laid eyes on the shiny unicorn design and the girly pink. Take a look at how adorable it is -

:3 The color I purchased is called Countessa Fluorescent, and it's a bright neon pink -

Super awesome, no?!? It's a bit brighter in real life as my camera seemed to dampen the color a tad, but hopefully you can tell how lovely it is nevertheless. Besides the amazing, pigmented hue, the formula on this is wonderfully creamy, soft, and hydrating! Countessa Fluorescent smells of vanilla, similar to the MAC scent. 

You can purchase Lime Crime lipstick and other products from the site. Lipsticks are $15.99 each. 

PS - I mentioned Jaipur earlier and I must say, it's one of my favorite cities ever. Great people, beautiful architecture, and perfect weather in winter. We were bummed when we had to leave, and I can't wait to go back <3

MAC Fashion Sets Lipstick in Embrace Me, Silly, and Ablaze - Photos, Review, Swatches

I know people who are giant MAC fanatics, and others who wouldn't touch the brand if it were the last cosmetic company on earth; as with most things, I am not quite so polarized! I don't buy MAC products too too often but some collections do catch my eye, and I have a few staple items that I love and repurchase often. Additionally, MAC holds a special place in my heart for being one of the very very first brands from which I purchased makeup! 

So, today I have three lipsticks from the recent MAC Fashion Sets collection. I'm always looking for quality, bold mattes, so I knew I had to get these! Here's the typical MAC bullet, if you're unfamiliar:

First is Embrace Me, a deep, bright fuchsia -

Silly, a bright medium pink -

Ablaze, a medium orange-red with a hint of pink -

Top to Bottom - Ablaze, Silly, Embrace Me

As you’re able to tell, all three had amazing color payoff! The formula was very smooth and what I would deem just the tiniest bit moisturizing and certainly comfortable to wear. Like all MAC lipsticks, these had a mild vanilla scent. The most matte-like was Silly, though I would say the finish is more of a satin/matte hybrid – it still gives a mostly flat look but has just the smallest amount of sheen. Lovely shades overall, definite winners for those who like bright, bold colors and/or ‘matte’ finishes!

MAC lipsticks are available for $15 each. It seem that they are sold out on the MAC site and most places online but I would keep an eye on sites like Macy’s and Nordstrom, and check the counters as well!

What do you think? Are you a MAC girl or boy?

Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Lip Pencils in Tart, Velvet - Review, Photos, Swatches

I positively j'adore lip pencils and can hardly restrain myself when I stumble over new ones! Though I'm only reviewing now I purchased the following Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte lip pencils over a year ago and, based on my happy experiences, I am excited to try the new releases now available at Sephora. Woo! 

Anyway, here are my lovely little Bite starlets, Tart and Velvet -

Tart is a tomato-paste red, with a hint of orange and a dusty quality to it -

Velvet is a bright light rose -

These lip pencils are pretty spectacular - they go on quite easily, smoothly, and feel like butter! I love the soft, rich texture, and the pigmentation is superb. The finish is shiny more than matte as the name indicates, but it's still quite pretty. Additionally, the formula is moisturizing and long-lasting. These are winners and have converted me to Bite Beauty! I'm curious to try some of their other products as, based on the pencils, I doubt they'll disappoint.

Bite High Pigment Matte pencils are available at Sephora for $24 a piece. 

Thanks so much for reading, I appreciate it! Have you tried Bite? What do you think?

BONUS -

Bite claims that this lipstick contains resveratrol, which "fights free radicals with potent long-term antiaging benefits". Hmm. Being the anal scientist that I am I can't help checking the research to confirm this claim. So, armed with my skepticism and my institution's journal subscriptions, I searched the literature.

I should mention that red wine is a particularly strong source of resveratrol. Bite points out that one lip pencil has the resveratrol content of five glasses of wine - which is great, if you want to spend $24 on a lip pencil just to eat it (personally, I'll take the wine), if it even does benefit your health in any significant way.

So does it?  Well, the evidence is spotty at best, and many positive outcomes have been the result of animal model experiments (for example, in one study resveratrol was found to have increased the life-span of obese mice fed high-fat diets). Animal models are useful in many ways, but mice are not humans (obviously 8D); it's incorrect to extrapolate to humans without additional studies, and when human trials have been performed, the effects of resveratrol have been inconclusive or much less significant. So Bite's claim of "potent" anti-aging benefits are exaggerated at best. And, again, the proposed benefit comes from consumption of resveratrol, and not topical application.

In conclusion, take Bite's claim with a grain of salt and cast it aside with the many other unfounded beauty claims out there ("xyz mascara increases your lash volume by 923678687%!!!1"). I like my evidence like I like my men: strong, replicable, and peer-reviewed (that doesn't really work, does it 8D), and the evidence here is inconclusive (in addition, the long-term effects of resveratrol have not yet been studied). So please, err, don't eat the lipstick. 

[I've not included my sources because this is a beauty blog, darnit, and not a fancy scientific paper (also... laziness D:), but if anyone is interested, I am happy to provide links!] 

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.

Nars Velvet Matte and Velvet Gloss Lip Pencils in New Lover, Frivolous, Club Mix, Sex Machine, Mexican Rose, Dragon Girl, Toundra - Review, Photos, Swatches

It has come to my attention that, at some point over the last few years, I have gathered a small but substantial army of Nars lip pencils! I swear I don't know how this happened 8D I do like these products, though, so I though I'd throw up some photos of the shades I have in case anyone was curious.

Club Mix, a sheer warm grape

New Lover, a sheer medium strawberry pink

Frivolous, a sheer pink nude

Sex Machine, a matte muted mauve

Mexican Rose, a sheer, vibrant hot pink

Toundra, a matte, rusted bronze

Dragon Girl, a matte classic red

L to R: New Lover, Frivolous, Club Mix, Sex Machine, Mexican Rose, Dragon Girl, Toundra

My favorites would have to be Mexican Rose and Dragon Girl. Mexican Rose is a lovely mid-vibrant, everyday hot pink that gives your lips a burst of color without being too over the top of neon for the workplace. It is my most used Nars lip pencil! Dragon Girl is simply a gorgeous, gorgeous creation - this is my go-to matte, blue-based red. I love the matte look (so vintage and classy) and I feel Dragon Girl is subdued enough, without losing the sexy sophistication often associated with these hues, to be a good fit even for those apprehensive of reds. My least favorite is Toundra; I got in on sale for $5 and I'm glad I didn't spend more! It is very unforgiving to dry lips, and is not a good complement to my skin tone.

The Nars Velvet Matte Pencils wear really well (about 4 hours) with even, non-splotchy fading. Dragon Girls and Sex Machine are comfortable to wear, though, as mentioned earlier, Toundra is drying. The Velvet Gloss pencils have a pleasant texture - smooth and soft. They don't hold as well as the mattes (only about 2 hours), but they're still really nice and shiny.

Both the Velvet Matte and Velvet Gloss Nars Lip Pencils sell for $24 regularly at Sephora (here and here), the Nars online store, and at some department store makeup counters.

What do you think? I'm a fan, and even more so because they come in pencil form!

Thanks for looking! :)