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: 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

Valentine's Day Inspired Makeup Tutorial

Ahh, love is in the air... and by love I mean an inordinate amount of money and the pressure to somehow make sex more exciting than usual. I'm only joking! I'm not a total grouch. Whilst it's absolutely true that you should be loving your significant other pretty much every day, it's kind of nice to have a day dedicated to it. And it certainly doesn't have to cost a lot of money. I for one am intending on making my lovely boyfriend breakfast in bed which I know he's going to love.
Regardless of what comes with Valentines Day there's no denying that it can be pretty inspirational with it's classic girly colour palette and patterns. Since I recently received this palette (only £1.99!) I decided that I was going to experiment with some pink shadows.

1-2

Gently pat the lid shade all over the eye. I used my Body Shop Eye Shadow Brush. Blend slightly outwards to create a more soft, rounded shape. Using the same brush, work the crease shade into the crease and bring it under the eye about half way across. Using a clean brush (or even your little finger as I did) pat some of the lightest shade into the inner corner.

3-4

Apply a liquid liner. I used Illamasqua Precision Ink in Havoc which is a deep red/purple shade and dries to a wet-look finish. Matte black would be fantastic and much easier to wear, but since we're experimenting I think Havoc is great! Slick two coats of black mascara onto the top lashes and one coat onto the bottom lashes. I then defined my brows and highlighted the arch on the brow bone using the Soap and Glory Arch de Triumph.

4-5

That's the eyes finished! Looking very sleepy. For the lips I wanted to tie into the colour palette but keep them quite muted so as not to overpower the rest of the makeup. Annoyingly I didn't actually have any pastel pinks in my collection so I had to get creative. I began by slicking on a thin coat of Rimmels Apocalips in Nude Eclipse and evening out with a lip brush (or fingers.) I then used Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie over the top by rubbing the product onto my finger and gently patting across the lips. I am absolutely thrilled with these lips! It just goes to show that you don't always need new products to get the desired effect and I'll be experimenting some more in the future with colour mixing.

Here's the finished look. Fit for Aphrodite herself! ;)

Products Used:

Face:

The Body Shop Moisture Foundation in 03

The Body Shop Lightening Touch Concealer in 01

The Body Shop All In One Face Base in 03

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light

Illamasqua Illuminator in Slay

Maybelline Dream Touch Blush in Berry 06

Eyes:

Technic Electric Beauty Ultra Violet Palette

Illamasqua Precision Ink in Havoc

Soap and Glory Arch de Triumph

The Body Shop Super Volume Mascara in Black

Lips:

Rimmel Apocalips in Nude Eclipse

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie

I really hope you liked my look and would love to see some links to your Valentine's looks! Obviously this is a bit "out there" with the red liner but I still love it and I did wear this out! Very brave for such a beauty and fashion backwards town but I felt great.

Lauren

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 Berry Smoothie

I promise these are almost over! Today I'm showing off Berry Smoothie. This is another shade that was a must-have for me when I first started looking at the lip butters.

In the bullet this appears to be a deep berry pink shade but I actually found this to be the sheerest of the four that I picked up, and it ended up being a very soft, flattering colour. It's quite similar to Macaroon but this leans more pink than peach. It doesn't have much shimmer in it either, it's just a very soft pretty sheen.

I definitely think that this shade looks a little glossier than the others but it's still fantastic for every day wear and I think it'll be a lovely shade for Spring. I can see this going beautifully with some pastel coloured clothing and light eye makeup. This felt really lovely and smooth on my lips. The lack of shimmer made this the lightest, smoothest one I've tried so far! Gorgeous formula. I have to say one note on the packaging, I know I've been singing it's praises, but I actually quite dislike the clear window in the top. It's really strange. I  know it's to help see what the shade is and it's a great idea, it's just looks so bizarre to me! I think Macaroon is still my favourite so far. Let's see what the fabulous Raspberry Pie has next time!

What do you think to Berry Smoothie? Are you as surprised as I am about how sheer this is?

Lauren

Quick Update: This shade can be built up to more of a berry tone with a few layers :)

Review: e.l.f Studio Blush in Twinkle Pink

I haven't taken much interest in blushers at all until recently, but now I'm noticing them every where and can't wait to build up a collection. I picked up this e.l.f Blush in my haul when the website had 50% off.

Twinkle Pink is a pretty rose pink with quite a bit of gold glitter. This looks seriously intimidating in the pan, but it's not even half as noticeable on the face. I wore it all day yesterday and I only occasionally caught a few bits of glitter in the mirror. (Mind you, it's been pretty dark!)
You get 4.75g of product for £3.75 which is a bargain no matter how you look at it. Particularly when you consider how many offers are usually on at elf. The packaging is neat and professional and sturdy enough for travel. It does contain a tiny mirror but I think that when you're applying face products you need to be able to look at your whole face at once so you don't overdo it. I won't be using the mirror but it's nice to have one included.

Elf say: The soft sheer texture blends into the skin for a silky finish. Designed to be worn alone or layered for more depth. Highlight your complexion with a subtle healthy glow!

Generally I have to agree with them. The blush is super soft and not at all gritty, despite the substantial amount of glitter in the pan. And it does work as a highlighter. And it does give me a nice healthy glow with fairly subtle colour pay off. No lies there. However, the wear time isn't amazing. It started to fade around 4 hours on me. Admittedly, I was outside a lot and it was raining... so I think it needs another chance to wow me for longevity!

As you can see, it looks very glittery when swatched thickly on my arm, but blends out into a very wearable peachy pink.

I applied this using just my fingers and am really happy with the coverage! The sparkle is much more subtle on the face.

I think this gave me a really nice warm glow and the glitter wasn't too much for me at all. Even for shopping in Sainsbury's on a dull December day! I really like this and I'm glad I made the decision to buy it. It even kind of makes me look like I have cheek bones!
If you're looking for something matte, obviously this isn't it. But if you don't mind a bit of sparkle, I urge you to give this a try.

I'm hoping to pick up the shade Fuschia Fusion next which leans a little more purple/blue.

What do you think of this shade? 

Lauren

Review: elf Lipstick in Flirtatious, Sociable and Posh

As you all know I recently placed a rather substantial order with elf during their 50% deal and I'm loving the products! This week I've been putting three of the lipsticks through their paces...

First up is Flirtatious. This is a lovely warm pink colour which I think is going to great for spring. I didn't 100% love this with my skin tone but I'm giving it a chance to grow on me. It's a bit paler than it appears in the bullet but I didn't mind at all. The formula was really creamy and pigmented. I applied straight from the bullet and in a couple of strokes it was opaque. As with all of the elf lipsticks I'm reviewing today, whilst lovely and moisturising in itself, it does cling to dryness, so make sure to properly exfoliate and moisturise your lips with these colours! I also noticed that it doesn't adhere very well to the lips if when I'm wearing a balm.

Sociable is bright pink shade with a small amount of silver shimmer. This looks really pretty on and I even wore it yesterday with my Challenge Look but it is the most dry lipstick of the three. I'm fairly certain this is down to the shimmers. Again the pigmentation is really nice.

Posh is my favourite of the three. It's a creamy, moisturising deep red shade that fades to a beautiful stain. I think this will be perfect for any Christmas parties!

All of the shades transfer really easily so be sure to blot and reapply a couple of times. Elf lipsticks retail at£1.50 each from the elf website and are fantastic value for money. I've found that they wear for around 3-4 hours before they need reapplying.

Which colour is your favourite? Which elf lipstick should I pick up next?

Lauren

NOTD: MUA, Plum Noir

I picked this shade up in my fairly recent Superdrug/MUA haul and it was staring at me longingly this morning. I usually try nail varnishes in the order that I buy them, so I'll always wear them at least once, but I put this one off for a bit because honestly I was worried that I would hate it and I didn't want to hate anything from MUA! Luckily this was absolutely not the case and I couldn't be more thrilled with the results!

It's a really beautiful purple magenta and just perfect for this season. I can also see it being a nice Summer colour because of how pink it leans.

£1, MUA website or Superdrug

Ignore the revolting ex-sticker patch. I toyed with trying to edit it out but I'm a complete novice and I'm certain it would have ended up looking even worse!

The thing that I was worried about most with the MUA polishes is that the brush applicator would be of a really low quality. In actual fact, this is my favourite applicator that I've ever used! It's shaped in such a way that it fans out slightly across the nail. I can paint my little finger in one stroke. The formula of this is quite nice too, I'm wearing two coats here and it's mostly opaque - one of my fingers on my right hand just would not even out, even after 3 coats, but I'm pretty sure it was down to my poor application. My only small negative is that the blocky top made it slightly difficult to manoeuvre around my nails, but this is only a little gripe. For just £1 this varnish is fantastic. I'm already on the look out for my next MUA nail purchase.

What do you think of this shade? Which MUA nail varnish should I pick up next? Suggestions please!

Lauren

P.S. Hello to all my new followers!

Review: Barry M Lip Paints: Part 2, Vicious Violet

The second lip paint that grabbed me was a seriously raunchy deep pink/purple shade called Vicious Violet. This was again part of the Ultra Moisturising range.

It's not very easy to tell from the picture but this actually has tiny pieces of bright pink shimmer running through it which just looks gorgeous. Out of all my colours this is the one that I was the most excited about trying. Just as with Flamingo Peach, Vicious Violet applied really smoothly and evenly. The colour is super pigmented but it came out quite a bit more pink than what I was expecting from the bullet.

I am seriously impressed with this colour and I feel like I'm going to get a lot of use out of it. I also feel that it made my teeth look whiter, but I think I may have just been blinded by the colour. It's definitely a great Autumn/Winter lip shade. It also made me feel super vampy!

Will you be picking up Vicious Violet any time soon?

Lauren