Review: Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick in 6

I've reviewed a couple of pieces from this brand before and have generally found their products (so far) to be of a really fantastic quality. Deborah Milano are the leading cosmetic company in Italy and are currently breaking into the UK market. I really recommend a browse around the site which you can find right here. A couple of weeks ago they got in contact with me about their line of lipsticks and asked if I'd like to review one. I requested a pretty pink and got exactly what I asked for! 

Deborah Milano often has this curvaceous feminine shaped packaging (also present in my favourite mascara, review here) which I really love. It's so unique and makes the products easy to find amongst my modest but still somehow overflowing stash. The colour of the packaging is another plus for the same reason. I love when lipstick packaging diverges from the usual black tube and this translucent magenta plastic is no exception. The packaging itself feels solid but not heavy and closes securely. I've left this rolling around the bottom of my bag on more than one occasion (oops) and it's in perfect condition.

Engraved cosmetics are usually left just to high end companies so I was pleasantly surprised to see the cute flower insignia of Deborah Milano etched onto the tip on this lipstick. I find it's little touches like this that really elevate cosmetics into one of life's little luxuries and makes the act of purchasing and wearing them that touch more exciting. So shallow but I love it!

I imagined the colour of this lipstick to be a little deeper in tone but I'm not at all disappointed in the shade choice. This pale, creamy pink is a perfect day time shade to add to almost any look. I'd liken the texture to that of the Revlon Lip Butters (think more creamy Raspberry Pie than shimmer-loaded Peach Parfait) and as such, it doesn't last an enormous amount of time but does glide on smoothly and is extremely comfortable to wear. As an extra plus it's hypo-allergenic and has an SPF of 15 which has certainly been a benefit in these past weeks. This lipstick has all the shine of a thin gloss with none of the stickiness and so I find it perfect for slicking on before bolting out of the house in the mornings!

Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick £8.50*

Final Verdict: Creamy, shiny, fuss-free colour that doesn't last forever but goes with everything.

What do you think to this lipstick? Have you tried Deborah Milano yet?

Lauren

Review and Swatches: Rimmel Apocalips in Apocaliptic, Celestial, Stellar, Big Bang and Nude Eclipse

Pretty much everyone has heard of the Rimmel Apocalips by now. Hailed as a revolution in lip colour, these super pigmented lip lacquers exploded onto the market and onto a ton of blogs very, very quickly. I know a lot of people got bored very quickly of reading about these and I'll admit that whilst I'm not a fan of seeing the same products over and over, I just can't help myself clicking every single post that features them! I must be mad. It took me a week after release to finally track some of these down since my woefully poor local Boots and Superdrug simply didn't stock them. It's enough to drive a beauty blogger crazy! But eventually I had a nice little collection of the colours I "needed" (wink) and wanted to share my thoughts on them.

 

It's been said a hundred times but the packaging really is super cute and very functional. The clear base is ideal for displaying the colour and the meteoric lids fit wonderfully with the apocalyptic theme. As do the fabulous names. A* for marketing. The lids fit nice and tightly and I'm not at all worried about it coming undone. The wand itself works as an almost perfect applicator for this product and the well inside the doe-foot catches just the right amount for one full application. I've read some reviews saying that the applicator felt clumsy and applied too much product but I have to disagree. I work from the back of the applicator and begin applying to the centre of my lips. It's then just a case of flipping it over to add more product and smooth it over bit by bit. It's very easy to add too much if you don't go slowly and applying anything other than a thin layer will make a total mess (trust me. Oops.) The colours are undeniably beautiful but I do wish they had included a strong orange colour because Luna looked a little pale for me personally. Just think of the awesome names they could have for an orange! The only real negative I have at this point is the rather bizarre scent. A plastic/watermelon hybrid which does nothing for me. I really do hate melon.

Apocaliptic

 

Celestial

Stellar

 

Big Bang

                                 

Nude Eclipse

Nude Eclipse was such an enormous disappointment for me. It was just so wrong for my skin tone and for some reason it felt much drier than the others. you can see in the photo how it settles into my lip lines and just looks awful. As if I needed any more proof, the first time my boyfriend saw me wearing this he said "Why do you look like a chav?" Yes that's right, he thought I'd done concealer lips. Kill me now. However, I do quite like using this to blend with other lipsticks to create more of a pastel tone so it's not all doom and gloom.

The other colours however are just total dreams. Mega pigmented, smooth and non drying. I think my favourite is Apocalyptic - it's similar to Revlon's Raspberry Pie on me but even brighter. The darker colours do have a slight tendency to bleed (particularly if you apply them as poorly as I do)  as seen on the Big Bang swatches. They have a gorgeous glossy finish which does matte down over time but I don't find that it becomes uncomfortable at all. They also transfer onto EVERYTHING, even when blotted. You absolutely have to check your teeth before leaving the house with these. They do last wonderfully though provided you don't eat. One sandwich later and you will definitely be rocking the heavy lip liner look so do top up after meals! I've worn Stellar out to drinks though and whilst my straw looked pretty butchered my lips were still practically perfect after 2-3 hours.

Final Verdict: Beautiful colours that look fantastic but will transfer onto everything. Try at least one if you can, you might just fall in love!

Love them or loathe them? Do you have a favourite colour?

Lauren

Review: 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Beehive | A.K.A The Most Perfect Shiny Nude Ever

I've been on the lookout for a perfect natural lip colour for ages and Beehive has been at the top of my wishlist for months. After a long fruitless search I just so happened to nip into Boots for a drink at St Pancras Station and the make up stands caught my eye (as usual.) Much to my surprise, there was the illusive Beehive. All nonchalant and beautiful. Needless to say I was ecstatic and it immediately went into my basket, along with a few other things... read about my day in London here.

I genuinely had no idea that the packaging had changed so dramatically from the old metallic turquoise tubes. I was totally unaware of the handy little mirror that popped out when I opened this! I definitely prefer the new sleek black look and find it much less garish than the old ones. They're still very easy to find in my collection because of the distinctive oblong shape and because this is actually my only lip product in black packaging. The only downside to the mirror is that it often pops out as you open the tube, but I've found that it's doing this less and less as I use it so I guess it's just a little snug at first. The lid fits very securely and there's a satisfying click as it snaps shut which I find very reassuring. There's no strong scent either, just a light typical lipstick scent that's certainly not offensive.

I had to take swatch photos from two angles here because the lighting washed the colour out a little. 

Ahh I love it! It was love at first swatch. Smooth, shiny and moisturising with a beautiful sheer peachy-pink tint. It's almost like a lip butter texture because it's so soft. I've worn this ridiculously often since purchasing and I love how full and shiny it makes my lips look. It's certainly not an opaque lip colour so the natural pigmentation of your lips will change the shade to what I like to think of as a custom match. It's so easy to slick on with any make up look and is the ideal finishing touch to a natural every day look. Wear time isn't amazing due to the texture but it fades very evenly and I really don't mind topping up every three hours or so. I generally try not to buy into blogger hype but this one was well deserved!

£4.59 from Boots and currently included in the 3 for 2 deal!

Final Verdict: The blogger hype is well deserved. A perfect sheer, shiny, neutral for all skin tones.

Have you tried Beehive? What's your neutral lip holy grail product?

Lauren

Review: Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Lipsticks in Fuchsia Flash, Shocking Coral and Neon Red + Potential MAC Dupes?!

A couple of weeks ago I was casually swatching everything in Superdrug with a little "new" sticker (as you do) and came across these lipsticks. Honestly, it was love at first swatch. Sadly I had no money (why do I this to myself?) but the next week my absolutely gorgeous, perfect, wonderful, shopping-addiction-enabling boyfriend gave me some money to treat myself! The first thing that popped into my mind was these beauties and before I knew it I was heading home with three new lipsticks. 

The Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Lipsticks are a capsule collection of bright, highly pigmented lipsticks within the Color Sensational line of lip products. Sadly there are only 5 shades currently available in the UK but I really hope they extend it to the full 10! I'm dying to try Vivid Rose, Vibrant Mandarin and Brazen Berry. The colours that I picked up on this occasion were Fuchsia Flash, Shocking Coral and Neon Red.

Fuchsia Flash

I have never in my life worn a colour like this but I regret not doing it sooner! I've seen a whole bunch of comparisons and this looks like a very good dupe of MAC's much loved Candy Yum-Yum but with a shinier finish. It's a beautifully opaque neon pink with blue undertones.

 

Shocking Coral

I personally think of coral as a bit more peach/orange than this but I was pleasantly surprised with how wearable this yellow based pink is. This looks so beautiful worn with pared down eye makeup and soft peach blush. For potential dupes I've seen it compared to MAC's Impassioned and Party Parrot.

Neon Red

An orange based red. The colour in the bullet for some reason looks a lot darker than the colour when applied. It's a little difficult to tell from this image but I assure you, it's very orange based! From what I've seen online the colour looks extremely similar to MAC's Lady Danger which is one of the shades I've been lusting after for a long, long time. At least I know now it'll suit me!

First things first, big thumbs up for the cute neon/bright inspired names and packaging. The only thing I'll have a slight moan about is that because the colour of the packaging is identical they're a smidge difficult to differentiate. If you store your lipsticks upside down in an orderly fashion this obviously won't be an issue, but for my woefully disorganised basket of products I do have to check each one. Saying that, they really stand out amongst my other products so at least I only have 3 tubes to check! There is a slight, sweet scent too but nothing overpowering and it doesn't last when applied.

Most importantly, these are without a doubt the best lipsticks that I've ever tried. I know that doesn't mean a ton since I don't have that many actual lipsticks but regardless, I thought you should know! The colours are beautiful. Soft, shiny, opaque, super pigmented, long lasting, non-drying, creamy, non-feathering and I could go on like this all night. One of the massive pluses for me was the truly outstanding staying power. I can wear these all day and only have to top up after heavy meals. I've eaten sandwiches and drank from glasses and it doesn't really go anywhere (I was surprised too.) Admittedly, I do apply, blot, reapply for that level of staying power but still, pretty impressive. I also find them quite versatile too; a light blotting will create a matte effect and applying with some balm will create a sheer, pretty tint. I swear these will not leave my face for Summer 2013, I'm in love! I really think that this is evidence of the high street upping their game when it comes to lipsticks and I'm overjoyed to see it happening.

£7.19 from Boots or Superdrug.

Final Verdict: I adore them. Pigmented, creamy and long lasting, Please try one!

Have you tried any lipsticks from this line? What are your favourite drug store lipsticks?

Lauren

Review: MUA Lip Boom in It's A Situation

I've had this product for a while now and it's taken me a ridiculously long time to get around to reviewing it! MUA is a brand that I can always rely on to make good quality products for very low prices. There are always going to be some hits and misses but I had high hopes for this little duo product because I was so in love with the colour of the lipstick! 

You'll have to excuse the grey smudges every where, the product was taped together and it's made a friggin' mess. It's such a huge turn off for me! That aside, I actually really like the packaging of this product. The cardboard sleeve is neither here nor there for me personally. Alexandra Burke doesn't impinge on my consciousness and I couldn't tell you one of her songs with a gun to my head so I'm not sure why MUA bothered to feature her. They must have had to pay her to "work" with them and I don't think they got their moneys worth. I'm sure she's a lovely person and all but she's not someone that's going to influence what make-up I purchase. Only my fellow beauty bloggers can devastate my bank account like that, and my God I love you for it.

The Lip Booms come in long tubes with a lipstick on one end and a coordinating glittery gloss on the other. I love that the name on the tube is printed in holographic letters. It's sad but it's just so pretty and I definitely wouldn't mind pulling it out of my bag for touch-ups. The rest of the packaging is typical of MUA products, sleek, simple plastic that's either black or clear. It feels really sturdy and the lipstick doesn't slip out of the casing, even when I batter it in my make-up bag. The lipstick itself is a beautiful plummy-wine colour. Very vampy and will suit all skin tones as an evening lipstick or even a deep colour for dark skin tones during the day. It claims to be matte but there's definitely a slight sheen to it. The good news about that is that it doesn't dry out your lips, the bad news is that it doesn't last as long and it transfers very easily. The gloss is a rosy pink that is chock full of glitter. Like ridiculously, massive pieces of glitter. I'll just say straight away that I didn't buy this product for the gloss and I genuinely think that glitter this size shouldn't be anywhere on your face after 2001/the age of 11. It is a pretty colour though and I quite liked the strong sweet vanilla scent though of course it won't be to everyone's taste.

The packaging claims that the product has been designed to be used four ways, as a sheer gloss, full matte colour, colour and gloss or gloss applied to the centre to give the illusion of fuller lips. I honestly think that wearing this gloss in the centre of your lips isn't going to fool anyone. It's glitter for goodness sakes, there's nothing subtle about it. The lipstick is absolutely beautiful though, really creamy and opaque. However, It does cling a little to dry patches. I applied this once and had to take it off and exfoliate my lips before trying again because it just looked awful. It does also feather slightly so it may not be a great one for mature skin without a liner or clear buffer. It lasts a good 2-3 hours or so before fading and requiring touch ups. You absolutely will need to touch up after eating though. It transfers very easily and would need powdering to set it. The gloss isn't overly sticky and doesn't actually look too bad once applied over the lipstick. The only problem is the grittiness and the fact that the glitter clings on long after the lipstick has disappeared, so you end up with a wine coloured stain and bizarre pieces of glitter stuck all over your lips. It's not a good look. I also ended up with glitter on my chin and one of my cheeks and I don't even know how it got there. This product would have been so much better if it had included a sheer gloss in the same colour as the lipstick rather than the glitter. It would have faded much more naturally and looked a heck of a lot more elegant. But, it is only £3, and it's okay for a bit of fun so I can't moan too much!

Final Verdict: A bit "meh" really. I wish MUA had brought out It's A Situation as a regular lipstick in their current line and this could have been a very different review. Nice for younger girls and would make cute party favours.

Have you tried any of the Lip Booms? What's your favourite MUA product?

Lauren

Review: Models Own Matte Hyper-Brite Lipstick in Orangeade

Models Own is a brand that I've only recently started dabbling in. I've picked up several of their nail varnishes in the past couple of weeks and I've picked up and put down a ton of their lipsticks. I didn't quite fall in love with any particular colour so did the responsible thing and bought more nail varnishes instead. It just so happens that fate intervened and I found myself the owner of Orangeade after I won a giveaway from the lovely Fiona at The Beauty Fiend, so thank you Fiona!

I did think about waiting for a more appropriate season to try this but decided that I'd be damned if I was going to let the weather dictate my beauty choices!

I was a little bit apprehensive about the packaging of this lipstick. Clear packaging is a bit retro for me and brings to mind the cheap, brandless makeup that you get from distant relatives when you're 11. But I've been proven wrong before and it's happened again. This packaging is extremely sturdy and the plastic is thicker and therefore heavier than all of my other lipsticks. I also like that you can clearly see how much product you have without the need for nerve-wrackingly twisting it up to breaking point. It actually makes a lot of sense to   package lipsticks in this way! It has an easy to use twist-up base and sits up-right comfortably.

It's a true orange shade. I had to have a little play to get this to sit the way I wanted it to. The first layer was quite sheer and even patchy in some places. After layering it up a couple of times to even out the colour, I love it! I've never in my life worn orange lipstick. It's something that I've always dismissed as being unsuitable for me due to my pale skin and I mostly just lusted after it when seeing it on gorgeous latina models. I now genuinely feel that this is a shade that can work for all skin tones. I'm not sure how bright it would be on more pigmented lips but it would definitely still be a gorgeous colour! I can't agree that it's matte though, there's certainly a shine to it. I think it's this shine that prevents it from being drying. I always condition my lips anyway but this lipstick was very comfortable to wear. Lasting time is quite good. It does transfer quite a bit but will stay on for around 4 hours. I wore this out around the shops in the day time (in the dead of Winter!) and felt very daring and edgy. I actually got a few smiles from strangers so I think Orangeade may have literally brightened their day!

Final Verdict: This is a lipstick that requires a bit of effort but I feel like the work pays off. Definitely recommend!

What do you think of this colour? Have you tried any other Models Own lipsticks?

Lauren

P.S. I had a comment from the lovely Naomi about seeing this on so here's a quick FOTD showing how I wore it:

Very simple eye make up and straight hair! Sorry for the poor quality.

Review: Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie

Raspberry Pie is the very first colour that I dreamed of owning when I first saw it on The Sunday Girl and is the last of the colours that I currently own!

Unlike some of the other shades you get exactly what you pay for with this one. The bullet is a rich raspberry pink (shock) and that's exactly what I get on my lips.

It's rich, glossy and completely opaque in one swipe. Perfection! There's no shimmer in this one, it just has a beautiful high-shine finish. It's very smooth and moisturising and lasts the longest of the ones that I've tried at around three hours or so. This is one of my favourite lip colours of all time and I don't wear it nearly as much as I should. It's so well pigmented that it will look great regardless of the pigmentation of your lips and I can't think of a skin tone it wouldn't work well with. I particularly think that dark skinned beauties would look gorgeous in this. I really can't sing the praises of Raspberry Pie enough.

Final Verdict: If you love the colour, get it!

So that wraps up my mini series of lip butter reviews! See the others using the links below:

Peach Parfait/Macaroon/Berry Smoothie

Lauren

Review: Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Macaroon

When I was standing in front of the Revlon stand a couple of weeks ago I was holding Peach Parfait in one hand and Macaroon in the other trying to decide between the two. I did the smart thing and of course bought both. No regrets!

 I have said it before and I'll say it again, I really like these products. The packaging is cute and functional and the lid colour corresponds (loosely, they're all quite similar really) with the colour of the product. I decided to review the four colours I have separately because I don't want to have too many enormous posts on here as I'm sure it'll start feeling like hard work when reading! In my mind, Peach Parfait and Macaroon were the two "neutral" pinky-peaches that would suit almost all skin tones. I wasn't at all disappointed, they're both really beautiful and easy to wear shades. Bizarrely I find that this shade leans more peach on me than Peach Parfait - which became a soft pink. It also doesn't have as much shimmer, which makes it even easier for me personally to wear during the day.

Application was very smooth and easy but I had a little difficulty with the shape of the bullet because for some reason mine dipped in the centre. I haven't experienced this with any of the other shades, I think it's just a design fault on this single item. The formula doesn't enhance any flaws and feels very light and moisturising on the lips. Wear time isn't amazing (around 2-3 hours) but it was slightly better than Peach Parfait. I think between the two shades this one just manages a photo-finish win. It's a bit warmer which I find suits me better. 

Final Verdict: Lovely colour that would suit most skin tones but will probably flatter pale ladies best.

What do you think to this shade? Do you prefer it to Peach Parfait?

Lauren

Review: e.l.f Studio Matte Lip Colour in Rich Red

I know that I'm absolutely bombarding you with reviews at the minute but I have so much mounting up in my "Can't use until photographed" box! I hope I'm not driving you all insane. Today I have another item from my elf haul which I cannot believe was a whole month ago! Time is just flying by. I kind of picked this up on a whim because although I love red lipsticks, it's not a colour I wear very often. I really liked the way that this one was presented and I don't have many matte lip colours so this is something a bit new to me.

It's shaped like a lip pencil which makes for really precise application. I love how neat and sleek the packaging is, it's going to look right at home amongst all my pencils! It has a base in a colour matching the product (which is always a plus) and twists up from top section.

Isn't it gorgeous?! It looks almost neon bright here but I'd describe it as a true post box red. It does dry almost completely matte, I took the photo towards the end of the day and the light was quite blue. It's picking up a sheen for some reason. It was a dream to apply, really creamy and smooth and it doesn't settle into my lines at all (although I have read some reviews where people found that it did, so bear that in mind.) The shape of it made it so easy to get a really precise line. I applied this without any kind of lip balm underneath and I didn't find it drying in the slightest. It lasts absolutely ages and once dry I found it doesn't transfer onto glasses which is fantastic! The only niggle I have is that the product itself was a little "wiggly" in the packaging, it wasn't flush to the sides so I wouldn't dare extend it any more than I absolutely had to. I'm certain it would snap off! For £3.75 this is a must have product for me. I only wish they had a better selection of shades, all of the others are quite pale and I'd be terrified of the concealer lips effect, especially with a matte formula. This would be amazing if it were available in some berry and plum shades. Or even some really exciting brights for Summer! I'd be snapping them up in a second.

Final Verdict: if you're a lover of classic red lips, you'll love this. Definitely recommend.

What do you think to this look? Have you tried any of the other shades?

Lauren

Review: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in Honey and Crush

 Just like with the lip butters, I'm a million years behind every one else buying these. But why not share them anyway? I've only picked up two shades so far but now that I've tried them, I want MORE. These are possibly my favourite lip colour products of all time. (Big thing to say, but it's true) I love the look of stains but like a lot of people I just find them impossibly drying and because they're so uncomfortable I always end up adding lip balm or sometimes even gloss, which of course completely takes away the intended effect.

Regardless of my raving, there are some substantial negatives. First up, the bizarre menthol scent. These smell like vapo-rub. If you don't what that is, imagine really strong mint crossed with antiseptic. How nice is that? It's not overly terrible though and you can't smell it once it's applied. I've read a few reviews with people saying that they actually like the scent, but for me, if you're going to scent makeup it should be something less clinical. Secondly, the price. £7.99 isn't an enormous amount of money, but it is substantial for a high street product, particularly when you only get 2.7g of it. I'll be honest and say it's a lot of the reason that it's taken me so long to buy any. Luckily a lot of the Revlon range is on offer for £5 each at Boots at the moment which is a far more palatable price for me!
Here they are on me:

Honey surprised me. I was expecting a much more muted almost neutral shade. I actually got a bright, but still undeniably pretty, pink. I do like it, but I think I'm still on the hunt for a more nude shade. Crush is such a stand out gorgeous berry shade. It's deep and vampy and not for the faint of heart. I got a few looks for wearing this outside in the day but I'm going to interpret it as jealousy. Who can blame them? 

The formula of these is to die for. It's a lovely, smooth, lightweight balm with an inbuilt stain. Long after the sheen is gone, a beautiful pink stain adorns your lips. And wow at the lasting power of these babies! I am amazed. I've had Crush on all day and I still have vibrant pink lips. I also love how you can build these shades up to create a darker, stronger colour. Also have to compliment the packaging, I know it's pretty much directly swiped from the Chubby Sticks, but there's no denying that it makes a great housing for the product. The silver twist up section at the base is really nicely incorporated into the design. My only gripe is that the lid doesn't fit on the opposite end of the stick. I don't know about you, but if I can't put the lids on the back end I put them down and it takes me half an hour to find them again. Things literally disappear if they touch the floor. Guess I'm just gonna have to be extra careful!

Final Verdict: get one! or two or three...

What do you think to these? Are they better than the Clinique Chubby Sticks?

Lauren

Review: Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

I know how late I am on the bandwagon with these, but they were £5 each at Boots and I just couldn't resist picking some up! There's lots of reviews out there but here's mine of Peach Parfait:

Everyone loves the packaging on these little beauties and I can see why! I love that Revlon have matched the lid to the colour inside and the shape and design give it a more "high end" feel. It feels nice and sturdy and I don't worry about the lids falling off in my make up bag. Special mention also for the adorable names. They're all very "sweetie" inspired and just add to the overall deliciousness of the product.
This is actually the shade that Emma Stones wear in the advert but I have no idea how they made it look as orange as it does...

I'm not the palest girl in the world but I was still surprised at how warm and pink this turned out on me. The photo seems to exaggerate the pinkness though, it was a tad more peachy in real life. I love the shade anyway so it's not a huge problem, I just really feel like the photo should have been a more accurate portrayal of what colour you get. It's a warm coral/pink with substantial champagne/gold coloured shimmer. It glided on very easily and feels very comfortable to wear. I agree that it is definitely more moisturising than a regular lipstick, but doesn't touch my usual lip butter in that area. The colour pay off is really nice, I thought it would be a bit more sheer than it is but I was pleasantly surprised! Wear time isn't amazing but I never expected it to be - after around 2 hours I'm left with more shimmer than colour and it's completely gone soon after that. It's such a lovely natural colour though, I really don't mind having to top up. I wore this for work last week and it was very pretty and appropriate, I even got a few compliments!

I think it's just become a go-to lip colour for me. I can see myself wearing it down to nothing by the Summer. The only small negative is the price. At £7.99 this is definitely at the higher end of drugstore prices, but there's usually a great offer on (at Boots or Superdrug), so I've never paid that much yet for one of these. If you don't have any yet, go get some!

Which is your favourite lip butter shade?

Lauren