A few cheeky additions to the MAC collection…….. Syrup, Craving, Crosswires and See Sheer

Literally, a quick in and out today. You know how much I love MAC lipsticks – well, certain formulations, anyway – and with payday looming I thought I would add a few to the collection.  Three out of the four are based entirely on a review by the lovely Estee of Essiebutton (and buying on recommendation makes me feel completely and utterly vindicated in spending the money……!). The shape of her lips is fantastic (and she's got gorgeous eyes, too - some people have all the luck!) and she really rocks these shades - it will take a bit more work on my slightly thinner lips but definitely worth it.

Syrup (Lustre) – according to the MAC website, this is a “cloudy pink”. It's not really anything of the sort - it's more of a sheer mauve.

Craving (Amplified Crème) – described as a “burst of plum”. Can't argue with that.

Crosswires (Cremesheen) – a “clean, pinky-orange”. Hmm, kinda sorta - more of a coral, I would say. Definitely a wearable one though, due to the slight pink tinge it has, which stops it leaning too warm.

See Sheer (Lustre) – “grapefruit pink”. No. No no no. This is another coral - sheerer than Crosswires, letting the pinky-ness of my lips to show through a bit, which stops it teetering into the abyss of "orange", from which there would be no return. I hate orange lipsticks.

L-R: Syrup, Craving, Crosswires, See Sheer

L-R: Syrup, Craving, Crosswires, See Sheer

Note to self - must invest in a lightbox. The colours have come out a little darker in the photo than they are in real life - not overly so, though.

As always, the Lustres provide a glossier, sheerer finish; Cremesheen and Amplified Crème still feel quite nourishing (or, at least, not completely moisture-stripping) but with medium to full coverage pigment and a little less slip than Lustres (and therefore better wear time – I average two to three hours if I don’t eat, drink or speak, whereas Lustres give me an hour at best).

Next on the list of wants – Plumful, Fanfare and Vegas Volt. I am definitely challenging my own personal status quo – I’m really embracing the “louder” shades, even if I do tend to wear them as a sheer stain during the daytime!  :-)

Any more I should try?

Jen 

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My two fave MAC lipsticks – Patisserie and Brick-o-la

Just a quick one today, as the actress said to the bishop.

I’ve said it before, but I don’t rate most of the MAC lipstick formulations.  There are only two I can really wear – the Lustres (which have fantastic slip, a subtle sheerness to the colour, and a five-minute wear time - sigh), and the Amplified Crème, which although isn’t actively moisturising doesn’t actually strip my lips like turpentine. Cremesheens are ok, but are essentially just expensive lipbalms, so why bother?

So, if I had to pick my favourite MAC lipstick then, it has to be one of those formulations – so I thought I would pick one of each to share with you feckers today. I wear both of these often, perhaps even more so than my beloved Burberry Lip Covers, which means these bad boys must be gooooooooood.  After my horror with the brownness of Half 'n' Half I must admit I haven’t bought many MAC lipsticks recently, apart from re-purchasing these two little darlings. I rarely finish a lipstick, so to be on second-rounds with ANY lipstick, regardless of how good they are, is no mean feat.

So, both beloved and coveted, but both perform very different functions.

"Patisserie" is described on the MAC website as a “sheer, creamy neutral pink”. The online swatches may as well be pictures of kittens for all the good they do, and this one is no exception.

In my experience, this lippie translates into a sheer peachy-pink on the lips, perfect for the “peaches and cream” looks I have been preferring of late (because they’re so bloody quick to do in the mornings). “Patisserie” doesn’t impart a great amount of colour, but definitely has a lifting and brightening effect on the rest of the face. A must-have for pale-skinned beauties - on deeper or more golden skintones, I would imagine the colour could get a little bit “lost”, due to it’s lack of punch in the pigment stakes.

 

Next, the amplified crème “Brick-O-La”. MAC describes this as a "mid-tone berry", which I also think doesn’t do it justice. It’s one of those not-really-reds that I tend to be favouring at work – a polished, darker look to the lips without going all out with a bright blue-based red. It reminds me a little of Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle (and we know how much I love that one!), a tad darker perhaps, but at almost half the price.

Top - Brick-O-La; Bottom - Patisserie

Bare lips

Patisserie

Brick-o-La

I also quite like the look of “Cosmo”, but the online swatch is almost indiscernible from Brick-o-La so I probably won’t bother. 

MAC lipsticks are available in store or through their website for £15 each.

Jen

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QUICK REVIEW: Burberry Beauty – Lip Cover lipsticks: Antique Rose, Sepia, Brick Red

Another drive-by review today – about another product I love. Burberry seems to get all of their products right – whether it’s lipsticks, eyeshadows, or base products (especially the Fresh Glow which I have recently bought – review coming soon!). Everything is done with taste, class and ridiculously superior quality.

In the spotlight today are the Lip Cover lipsticks (of which I own three, which is nowhere near enough). Having also got a couple of Lip Velvets and Lip Mists, I can safely say that there is no bad apple among the formulas, but that they do very different things.

According to the Burberry UK website, “……….Burberry Lip Cover adds a touch of radiance. The lightweight combination of nourishing oils and gel dispersed pigment ensures intense moisture and long lasting colour. Burberry Lip Cover contains anti-aging ceramides for fuller lip definition. Apply like a normal lipstick or apply to the finger and press into the lips for an effortless natural colour.”

Although I have next to no idea what ceramides are, I think the description is pretty spot-on. The Lip Covers are more of a satin finish, meaning they are more nourishing, have good slip and keep my lips relatively hydrated. The drawback to this of course is the re-application – wear time for me is less than an hour, but to be honest when the packaging is this luxe and the product itself is so damn awesome, reapplying this bad boy is no chore.

The three shades I have are:

No. 11 Antique Rose – a soft dusty  mauve-rose, which applies a little “milky”-looking on me, but that disappears once it has settled for five minutes.

No. 12 Sepia – a lovely deep, neutral rose shade with brown tones that is dark enough to give definition and pizzazz, but not so over the top that it isn’t work appropriate.

No. 19 Brick Red – a deep, velvety red that can also be work appropriate if blotted, but can also be layered up for night-time oomph. Nowhere near as bright as it's Lip Velvet cousin, Military Red - so infinitely more wearable. I'll get a lot of mileage out of this one.

Swatch-tastic:

L-R: Brick Red, Sepia, Antique Rose

Top: Antique Rose; Middle: Sepia;  Bottom: Brick Red

Bare lips, for reference

No. 11 Antique Rose

No. 12 Sepia

No. 19 Brick Red

Due to the slippiness of these, and the opaque coverage (swatches below are one-swipers), I would recommend copious blotting and lip-brush application for these. I went for the “straight-out-of-the-bullet” approach for the lip swatches, and as you can see, it looks shoddy – not too bad for Antique Rose, but you need precision for the darker shades.

My wishlist is getting longer……. There are at least five other shades I NEED IN MY LIFE.

Burberry – is there nothing you get wrong?

Jen

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A little bit of luxury with Burberry lipsticks

Finally finally finally finally, they have arrived. They turned up at work this lunchtime so I have been champing at the bit to get these beauties home and give them a try.

Please note: I have yet to try them on my actual lips, so these are just my initial thoughts before giving them a more thorough and rigorous testing.

I really wasn't sure which ones to get - on the Burberry website they all look so goddamn gorgeous, it was hard to choose....... but I had to limit myself to a measly four - so I took the plunge with two Lip Velvets and two Lip Mists, to test the water.

The Lip Velvets are a relatively new addition to the Burberry lipstick collection, and are billed as being "velvety matte radiance, inspired by the most opulent of English fabrics". My initial impressions are one of amazement - Burberry seem to have genuinely got their description right, as the finish is a lovely satiny-matte finish which felt gorgeously soft to apply on my arm, but it also felt thick. This one could go one of two ways - my immensely dry lips tend to suffer with matte finish lipsticks, but this one feels like it could be the one my lips fall in love with, as it seems pretty non-drying (maybe not actively moisturising but then again what mattes are?).

The Lip Mists on the other hand are slippy, unctuous, balmy wonderment.  But don't be fooled - although the Burberry website describes them as having a "sheer illuminating finish with a subtle hint of colour", these bad boys still pack a punch when it comes to pigmentation. Again, I have yet to test them for wear, but I couldn't resist seeing how the darker shade (Blueberry) looked on my lips - I felt as though this would be a step outside of my comfort zone but I'm glad I went for it, it looks amazeballs.

Pics:

Lip Mist - 206 Blueberry

Lip Velvet - 310 Military Red

Lip Mist - 212 Nude Peach

Lip Velvet - 302 Peony Rose

L-R: Lip Velvets in Peony Rose, Military Red; Lip Mists in Nude Peach, Blueberry

Burberry cosmetics are available directly through their UK website at £22.50 each, or over the counter at Selfridges/Harvey Nichols, if you're lucky enough to have one near you.

Has anyone tried the Burberry cosmetics ranges? Anything you recommend that I try? I essentially just want you to validate my incessant need to spend money on shiny, pretty things.

Jen
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Make-Up Academy haul - finally!

Well, it's been a while! Such is the hectic and giddy life of someone that teaches other people how to be accountants. Anyway, I have finally managed to have a little play with the Make-Up Academy haul that arrived a couple of weeks ago....... thank you MUA, for allowing me to haul so many shiny, pretty things while only requesting the paltry sum of £18 from my bank account.

Anyway, let's have a look at what we've got.....

Firstly, the Glamour Days eyeshadow palette. Had my eye on this one for a while - after having had a brilliant experience with the buttery, shimmery goodness that was the Heaven and Earth palette, I was looking forward to trying some slightly more "outre" shades but not so much that I was stepping too far out of my comfort zone.....! The pretty purples and blues in this palette seemed ideal, and to top it off there are a couple of nice neutrals in there too. A good one for travelling, methinks.

Top row

Bottom row - there is a sixth shade on there, I promise...... it's just coincidentally the same colour as my arm!

Amongst the haul I also got some liners, a mixture both for lips and eyes. Again, wasn't expecting much from these, but the Intense Colour liners were creamy, pigmented and quite a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, the Intense Glitter ones were a bit hit and miss, but for 75p each (as it worked out after the discount) one cannot really complain, can one? I also got a liquid liner, which so far seems easy to apply and has a fabulous thin brush, but the pigmentation just feels a bit lacking and can apply a little patchy unless you do a couple of coats. Workable though, definitely.

L-R: Intense Colour - Red Drama, Royal Blue; Intense Glitter - Gold Nugget, Silver Glitter, Pink Glitter

Liquid Liner - shade 5

In a slightly different order in this pic, not sure why!!! L-R: Red Drama, Royal Blue, Silver Glitter, Pink Glitter, Gold Nugget, Liquid Liner in Shade 5 (Black)

Next, some single eyeshadows. Unfortunately, buying sight-unseen has been a bit of a gamble in this case, but I seem to have ended up with some decent colours that will make for some fabulous smoke eye looks. The only one that seems to let them down slightly is the black one, as it is more matte than the others is has a slightly chalkier texture and a less potent finish than the others. It'll do nicely for setting the liquid liner, though!

L-R: Shades 3, 11, 12, 15, 30

Same order as above, this time!  :)

Lastly, a bit of a hodge-podge of other random bits and bobs that fell into the online basket - I have this fantastic ability to justify additional purchases if I know I will be getting a discount on the items; and in this case it really made little to no difference seeing as everything is so inexpensive anyway!!!

Top: Lovehearts lip tints; Bottom: Lipsticks in shades 5 and 6, blush in shade 4

L-R: Lipsticks - Shade 5, shade 6; Blush - Shade 4; Lip Tints - Great Lips, Sweet Kiss, Hot Lips

The surprise in this bunch was the blush. Shade 4 looked almost overwhelmingly dark in the pan (in fact, almost the same as Shade 3 which I have already dismissed as making me look too "David Dickinson"), however when swatched, as you can see, it is a lovely gentle shade of subtle coral. It reminds me enormously of NARS Gilda (if anything, the MUA shade lacks the orange intensity of the NARS which, for cack-hands such as myself, is a Very Good Thing), but for a fraction of the price.

I am ever more wowed with the MUA offerings. Although initially I may have been a bit dismissive of the whole "cheapo makeup" thing, thinking it would only appeal to (and benefit) the lowest common denominators of society (snob? Moi?), consider me suitably chastised - I am genuinely impressed with pretty much everything I have come across so far. For the prices, I don't think you can go far wrong and to be honest, even if you do, what's a pound between friends?

MUA is available in various Superdrug stores, and also on their wesbite.

Did anyone else avail themselves of the superb discount.....?

Jen
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NARS sheer lipstick - Tzigane

I love all things NARS. I know, I know, I have expensive taste. I even love the products which perhaps aren’t worth the money……….. (Brightening Serum, I’m looking at you). But if there is one NARS product that is definitely worth a look, it’s their lipsticks.

There are four formulas available – satin, sheer, semi-matte and pure matte, and I love them all. Even the mattes (which I would normally back slowly away from without making eye contact, for fear of my lips flaking just by being in the same room as a matte lipstick).

This is one of my favourites – Tzigane.

One of the sheer formula lipsticks, Tzigane is one of the most moisturising lipsticks that I own, and despite it’s formula title is actually quite an opaque colour on my lips. Staying power is slightly above average for me – a couple of hours (which, considering I am such an inveterate tea drinker, is pretty damn good), but I can eke it out to three hours if I apply a lip-liner underneath (I like NYX Peekaboo Neutral with this one).

NARS describe the colour as a “pink brandy”, which is cute but not entirely correct. It’s a slightly rosy muted brown, leaning slightly warm as it has a hint of peachy undertone. If I recall correctly, this was originally part of the Spring 2011 collection.

The black, rubberised packaging picks up every single fingerprint and speck of dust. Robust, though.

 

Left: bare lips            Right: NARS Tzigane

 

It works fabulously with a simple neutral eye (I usually go for a wash of champagne shimmer on the lid and a mid-taupe blended crease, with lashings of black eyeliner), and the NARS Gilda blush as it suits the undertones of the lipstick perfectly.

My heart tells me I need to get a load more of these lippies, although at £17.50 a pop I may have to take out a third mortgage (I have already got a second mortgage on the go after having bought a couple of NARS blushers…..!).

Next on the list to try – Pago Pago, Dolce Vita, and Outsider.

NARS lipsticks can be purchased directly through their website, or at Space NK. 

Which NARS lipstick formula do you prefer? Or do you think they are overpriced nonsense….?

Jen

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Make Up Academy - mini haul

A very, very quick one -  I was very excited to place an order on Superdrug’s website last week for 13 items, and for it to cost me the princely sum of £17.

Yes, you read that correctly – seventeen pounds.

I think I am a bit late to join the Make Up Academy (MUA) bandwagon. Lots of other beauty bloggers have got there before me and probably evaluated them a lot more clearly, succinctly, humourously and sexily.

I couldn’t wait for this package to turn up – I was desperate to see how the £1 lipsticks could be anything more than coloured blobs of wax. As well as seven lippies, I invested (ha!) in a few blushers, a mascara, a nail polish and an eyeshadow palette (the highly acclaimed set of neutrals, “Heaven and Earth”).

So far I haven’t thoroughly road-tested anything, but was so excited by the whole prospect that I ripped the package open and swatched the first things I could get my hands on – the lippies.

Detailed reviews of everything, along with slightly better swatches, will be coming over the next couple of weeks – watch this space! In the meantime, cast your eyes over this pile of cheap and cheerful gorgeousness.

L-R: Shades 7, 8, 10, 11, 14 (Bare), 15 (Juicy), 16 (Nectar) - yes, some of them are just numbered but the newer shades have names, too

MUA cosmetics are available directly through their website, or some branches of Superdrug. I for one will probably buy one of everything – I’ve definitely got my eye on the new Undressed eyeshadow palette, which is hailed to be one of the better dupes for Urban Decay’s famous Naked.

Jen

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MAC lipstick - Half 'n' Half

Wowsers, it’s been a while. Have I REALLY not thought about makeup in all this time? Well………….. yes. Of course I have. Silly question, really.

Anyway, I wanted to introduce you to a little bit of disappointment, in the form of Half ‘n’ Half. This is on MAC’s permanent line, and is an Amplified Crème formula. I find that this (along with the lustres) is pretty much the only formula of MAC’s that I can wear, due to scabby-lip syndrome (although that has been tempered somewhat after finding my my Holy Grail lip balm).

Not sure what the name is supposed to reflect – the fact that it is half brown, half pink? Or that it’s a relatively moisturising formula, that it feels like half lipstick, half lip balm? Or the fact that it’s half the price of a high-end lipstick, therefore it doesn’t matter if they’re half the quality? Hmmm.

It’s not that I hate them. I don’t, I quite like them. I just think that they could perhaps be a little bit better for the price – I’m not expecting the staying power of a Chanel Rouge Coco, or the pigmentation of a Dior Addict, but I think there are just too many little disappointments in this product.

On me, lasting power is about an hour (but please do bear in mind I am a tea addict – one hour on me could very well translate to a lot longer on someone that doesn’t average at least a cup an hour).

Pigmentation and moisturisation from the Amplified Cremes is, in my experience, a lot better than the Lustres (which have a little bit too much slip for my liking). And to be fair, Half ‘n’ Half is one of the better ones I have tried (a lot better than Shy Girl, for instance, which is so drying is feels like it’s going to pull my lips off whenever I apply it). But it’s still not great.

So, a little disappointment with staying power, a little disappointment with the pigmentation, a little disappointment with the moisture……… but then again they are only £13.50 so I suppose you can’t expect miracles.

On the MAC website, this is described as a “creamy pink”, and the online swatch would seem to confirm this; however, despite the fact that my lips are quite pink anyway, on me this wears brown. Very, very, very brown. The disappointments are just racking up.

Here it is, for your viewing pleasure:

Awwwww, look at it - looking all classy and understated

Brown.

See, what did I tell you? Brown. A little tiny bit of pink in there (but that's more due to my lip pigmentation than the lippie); it's mostly brrrrrrrrrrrowwwwwwn.

One thing I will say – I do really like the packaging. Small and sleek, relatively sturdy, and the lid stays on no matter how long I leave it in my handbag and dump stuff on top of it.

In conclusion – ok for the price, and the range of colours and finishes available is nothing short of amazing, but I think on balance I would rather have one Rouge Coco than two of these.

MAC lipsticks are available through their website for £13.50.

Jen

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On-lip NYX lipstick swatches - part deux

Following last week’s swatches, I have finally trudged my way through the collection. I don’t have as many as I thought I did – some have found new homes, some have found their way into the bin – but still took a while to get through!

I have really enjoyed swatching my way through my lipstick drawer – it has made me remember some old friends, and dust off some colours that I thought I would never be brave enough to wear; seemingly, courage comes with getting older, as I now would have no qualms about wearing any of these. Yep, even the mother-fudging bright pink at the end.

Some of them, the shimmer finishes in particular, would benefit from being applied over a nude lip-liner as the slip can be outrageous. Although it means your lips won’t dry out too badly, it does mean that the colour can, and will, end up in your eyebrows.

Anyway, swatcheroo:

Chambord - shimmery nude, leans brown

Mars - satin finish nude, leans verrrrrry brown

Doll - muted, mauve rose (satin finish). One of my faves

Georgia - lightened baby pink, icy shimmer

Tea Rose - neutral, milky-but-not-too-milky rose pink - LOTS of slip, but perfect with a dark, smoky eye

Milan - lovely, but somewhat pointless, colour - my lips but....... my lips. Slightly darker, perhaps.

Darling - shimmery, icy taupe with minimal pink tones. Not for me, sadly - CORPSE FACE!!!

Miracle - I love this one. I hate that I couldn't get it to photograph properly - it's an in-your-face fuchsia pink with slight coral undertones. Not one to wear with a smoky eye or a bright blush colour, unless you wanted to potentially be mistaken for Toni Basil - and who am I to judge you?

So whaddya think? Any that take your fancy?

There are a few more I've got my eye on - and for £3.50 each, how can I resist?

Jen

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