Wednesday, September 25, 2013

My Lips but Better (MLBB) lipsticks - pinks and nudes

My lips are very pale naturally and without lipstick or gloss, I can look quite sallow and tired. With the new season, I have been digging up my old stash of lipsticks and buying a couple more (because who doesn't need more lipsticks? :)). When I was browsing through them I realized I tend to buy the same tonal family of lipsticks - rosy/mauve pinks that can be categorized as My Lips But Better.
Here are some of my favs, mostly from the drugstore.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Warm Me Up ($6 US $8 CAD)
The Color Sensational Lipsticks come in several categories: Neutral, Pinks, Reds/brights.
Warm Me up is from the Neutral line (indicated by the brown lid) and is a perfect "warm" pink. It is quite opaque and lasts at least 3 - 4 hours on the lips. The shade looks more orange in the tube but on my lips it gives a nice rosy color. It does have a scent - something like artificial vanilla. It's not too overwhelming for me but those who are sensitive to smell may not like it.

L'oreal Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in Forever Frappe and Unending Kiss ($9 US $12 CAD)
This is a super matte long wearing lipstick range that I really enjoy. Typically the long wearing lipsticks are 2 part system, that tends to have a gloss that you need to wear throughout the day. This does not give that glossy look; however, the color pay off is great. It is tad drying on the lips compared to other lipsticks but not uncomfortable. The lipstick stays on for at least 4 - 5 hours. If applied with heavy hand, the lipstick can chip off the lips.

YSL Rouge Volupte in Shade #3 & #23 ($34 US $39CAD)
Rouge Volupte is a very luxurious, opulent line of lipsticks that a true makeup junkie would own at least one tube of. The case is a heavy embellished gold tube with the shade band in the middle of the tube. The lipstick itself is super creamy and buttery on the lips.
Because my lips are on the white side, the true nude shades in the range do not suit me (makes me look very pale and sickly). #3 is called Ultimate Beige and is a orange-y toned beige on my lips.
#23 is called Luscious Pink and is a good nude for my skin tone. It is a darker rosy color and brightens up my face nicely.
Due to its slippery texture, the color lasts only about a couple of hours and despite them feeling buttery, can be drying on the lips. 

Shiseido Perfect Rouge in BE740 ($25 US, $30 CAD)
This is also a beige-toned nude lipstick. The Lipstick is encased in a beautiful metal tube. The lipstick feels smooth on the lips and the color pay off is great. It lasts at least 3 hours on my lips. I tend to prefer rosy MLBB shades than beige shades so this has been in my makeup drawer for the last little while.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Fiend ($22US $26CAD)
UD has launched a new line of lipsticks and this shade is described as muted rose. This lipstick is amazing. The metallic tube is heavy and has a nice "click" of the lid. The lipstick is very opaque and the color clings to the lips for hours. This shade is probably the brightest of the ones mentioned here. It is not drying and does not flake or fade weird. I am looking to purchase more shades (muted tones: Naked 2, Rush, Rapture).

L to R: maybelline warm me up, L'oreal unending kiss, YSL #3, #23, Shiseido BE740, UD fiend 

 Top to bottom: UD, shiseido, YSL 23, 3, L'oreal, Maybelline 

Maybelline warm me up
L'oreal unending kiss
YSL shade 3
YSL shade 23
Shiseido BE740
Urban Decay fiend 

Monday, September 9, 2013

Brand spotlight: elf

elf (http://eyeslipsface.com ) is a budget friendly make up line which has the infamous $1 makeup products and brushes. It has come a long way and has been constantly expanding its line. Now elf makeup can be as expensive (?) as $8 for the mineral foundation. The products are sold in Target but I tend to order directly from their website, as there aren't any Canadian retails that carry this line yet. The site always has some kind of promotion (either free extra products, shipping, or 40% - 50% off with a certain $ purchase). I almost always purchase the Studio line products when there was the 50% off sale.
Some of the products are surprisingly awesome, some are okay and a few are horrible.I have had better luck with their Studio products than the original $1 line (Essentials). I have used up most of the products so do not have actual photos of them. elf makeup is definitely for those who like to try new things or trends in makeup or those who are budget conscious about makeup. It definitely adds to the fun of being a makeup junkie :)

Essential Blush Brush ($1)
It was enticing to buy a makeup brush for $1; however, this is a poorly made and not very useful. The bristles are rough and started to shed right away. The brush is not dense enough to pick up the blush and gave a streaky look. 

Essential Liquid Eyeliner ($1)
Non waterproof eyeliner but yet gives a very black line and for $1, it is great. I prefer waterproof liners just because my eyelids are oily. Otherwise would be a good choice for those wanting a cheap liquid liner. 
I have done a review on this on my Eyeliner post here.

Essential Nail Polish ($1, now $2)  
Very surprised at the quality of this polish. It is a standard nail polish that has a good pay off. 

Studio Cream eyeliner ($3)
I bought the Espresso thinking I would want a dark brown liner to try. The color was too sheer and the gel dried out quickly. I would not repurchase.

Studio Eye primer and liner ($3)  
Unfortunately this did not work for me at all. The primer moved around and did not hold the shadows in place. The liner did not provide the budge - proofing I needed. I literally threw it out after using it only a couple of times :(


Studio contouring blush and bronzing powder ($3)
This is a dupe for Nars Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer. The blush has visible flecks of shimmer which is not that noticeable on skin. The bronzer is too shimmery for my liking. I have hit pan on the blush and still do use it once in a while.
contouring blush and bronzer powder 


















Studio Blush ($3)
I purchased several shades of these blushes. Again they are somewhat of a dupe for Nars blushes. They are super powdery and the colors are not as intense as the Nars blushes. Even the available shades are reminiscent of the Nars line. The shimmery blushes have large shimmer particles that do not look so flattering on the skin. The ones I like are Tickled Pink and Mellow Mauve.

Studio High Definition Powder ($6)
This is the only powder from elf I have purchased twice. Supposedly this is a dupe for Make Up Forever HD powder. The powder is very finely milled and while white in the tub, translucent on the skin. It helps to minimize oil and sets the make up for the day.



Studio Bronzers ($3) in Warm and Golden
Each palette has 4 different shades of bronzers, which you can use separately or swirled together. Golden shade is the lighter of the two and the colors are not too intense. The bronzer like the blushes are really powdery. It stays on about 3 - 4 hours on my combination skin.

Warm Bronzer 


















Studio undereye concealer and highlighter ($3)
Bought this on a whim and only used a couple of times before trashing it. The concealer is too thin to give proper coverage and the highlighter did not highlight but just blended into the skin.

Studio complete coverage concealer ($3)
The palette looks very promising with 4 different shades of concealers and a little brush. However, it does not give proper coverage and even with  multiple layers the concealer would not stay on the skin long. This made into misses of 2012.

Studio brush set ($45, on sale for $30) 
My favourite purchase of the elf products! I love all the brushes in this set. The 11 piece will give you all the makeup brush you need for your makeup wardrobe. They are made of synthetic nylon bristles and work very well as intended. I love the blush brush and the powder brush. They are soft and easy to work with.  There are 5 complexion related brushes and 6 eye related brushes. Some of the eyeshadow brushes are tad too small for my liking but overall this is a great buy.

Face brushes from the Studio Line Brush set 
Smaller (eye) brushes from the set 

Sunday, September 8, 2013

L'Oréal Telescopic shocking extension mascara vs. Voluminous CarbonBlack mascara

I used to love the Voluminous mascara from L'Oréal for a long time. Lately in my run to Superstore I picked this one up along with the newest mascara from L'Oréal, Telescopic Shocking Extension. As usual both I picked up are waterproof formula.
The Voluminous mascara has a typical mascara brush. I think it's called Teddy bear brush.
What I like about this mascara is the ease of use. With a couple of coats you get volume and length. The carbon black color is definitely very dark.
The Voluminous mascara performs better after a few weeks after you open it. The formula is wet when it is first opened, and once the air hits it, the formula dries out a bit and helps to cling to the lashes better. This mascara can be built up without giving stiff lashes.
Here I used the mascara without using an eyelash curler. What I don't love is that the tips of the lashes have this weird bent look.
Voluminous mascara - with its Teddy Bear Brush



I have seen the Telescopic mascara for years but was not as interested because I am more interested voluminizing mascaras rather than lengthening. However since having watched a number of YouTubers raving about the mascara I had to give it a try. 
The brush is pretty slim plastic bristles with flat sides. The package does not  show how to use the brush. I sweep on the mascara with the flat side first and use the bristle to comb out the lashes. Even though it's meant to be a lengthening mascara, this gives decent length and volume. This mascara has a drier formula thus need to work quickly otherwise the lashes will clump.
Again, I used this without an eyelash curler and it gave me decent curl. After 2 - 3 coats, the lashes are longer, thicker and fluttery. Even my short lashed friends like this mascara as it definitely makes a difference.