MAKEUP REVOLUTION | Iconic Pro Lipsticks

It's been a little while since I featured a Makeup Revolution product on here, so I thought I'd share these beauties with you as they particularly caught my attention.

Makeup Revolution have an 'Iconic Pro' series - and so far, everything I've experienced from this range, I've really loved - especially their Lorac Pro dupe, the Iconic 1 palette (so pretty!).  New to the Iconic Pro range are these lovely lipsticks.  They came in little matte black boxes, and the lipstick casing themselves resemble the MAC lipsticks in their shape, but with a glossy black finish and rose gold detailing - perfection!

The formula is very different from most of the lipsticks in my collection, and is fairly hard to describe... I'd say they're on the more sheer side, but with a soft buttery almost vinyl like texture/finish.  The range of shades is impressive (20 in all) and only cost £2.49 each, which really is fantastic.

// Excuse my skin - I don't believe in photoshopping my images //

Despite them being more on the sheer side, you can see it's not terribly hard to get good coverage out of them.  Of the shades I was sent, the pink (It eats you up) and the red (Duel) are my favourites and the ones I'd be most likely to wear again - I'm not really a fan of nudes that are lighter than my natural lip colour, they just don't suit me.

Again, the texture of these is really unique, very vinyl like, or even slightly waxy but more buttery than waxy - I really liked it.

If you'd like to take a peek at their full range, you can find their website here.

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NEVE COSMETICS | DueBaci lip pencil & lipstick

A few weeks ago I had a bit of a surprise delivery from the lovely people over at Neve Cosmetics in Italy, featuring some of their new releases.  When I opened the pack, I might have squee'd a little bit! Inside were 3 mineral eye shadows from their new Pop Society collection (a collection inspired by the 80s - the eye shadows will be on the blog in the next 1-2 weeks), and 2 of these innovative lip pencils.  Now, I'm not sure if I've had my head in the sand or not, but I've not seen anything like this before.  It's a lip pencil at one end, and a different colour lipstick (in pencil format) at the other end, pretty innovative if you ask me!

The two shades at each end compliment each other pretty well and do have completely different formulations.  The lip pencil/liner is quite dry, which is much like all lip pencils, it has great pigmentation and is pretty soft (but not cray cray soft!).  Then the lipstick end - this was surprisingly hydrating for a pencil, and fairly glossy too (you'll be able to see that in the pic of it on my lips, further down the post).  Again, colour payoff is great, they're far from being sheer!

 Swatches L-R - pink lip liner, pink lipstick, brown lip liner, brown lipstick

I'm not sure which I prefer, I love wearing bright pink lipsticks, but I'm not sure if this shade is quite 'me'. I do love the look that the redish lip liner gives the look though (I'd applied it first, from the edge of my lip and filled in my lip about half way), there's a bit of a colour pop going on and intensity that the different colour gives it, more definition too.

Then we come to the brown shade - for me, this is very 90s, quite on-trend with the whole Kylie Jenner look, however, it was a little dark for my skin tone as I'm SO pale (if you have a look at my April Favourites YouTube video you'll see it in action!), I think this would really suit someone with more of an olive skin tone, more Mediterranean :)

As for price, these come in just under £7 each, which is great when you consider you're getting a lip liner AND a lipstick, and don't forget, all Neve products are cruelty free too, and cruelty free is never cheap.  Just a little fun fact, did you know that Neve, in Italian, means 'Snow' so really they're 'Snow cosmetics' - how lovely is that!?  P.S you can read all my previous Neve Cosmetics reviews here.

What do you think of these?

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NEW BRAND | KISS COSMETICS

// excuse my imperfect skin, I don't believe in photoshopping //

An exciting new makeup brand is launching called Kiss Cosmetics.  Myself, along with a handful of other bloggers, have been working with them over the last year or so in the run up to their launch. I've been extremely lucky and I was sent one of their new releases to review, a lipstick (or KISStick as they're calling it) in Frisky Fuchsia - a gorgeous raspberry shade (there are 10 shades in the collection).  Price-wise they're similar to brands like Max Factor with this lipstick coming in at £7.00, putting it firmly in the middle of the high street.

The packaging feels really nice quality - it's sturdy and doesn't feel cheap.  At the base of the lipstick case there is a pot where you can see the shade (I like it when brands do this).  The lipstick is really well pigmented as well as being soft and buttery with a lovely sheen.  In the picture above I used my Karla Cosmetics lip brush to apply the lipstick and didn't need to layer it - this is how intense it was off the bat.  It wore really well, didn't bleed or go patchy, it just faded over time.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you want lipstick to last on your lips, apply it with a lip brush, you get a nicer application and it'll last better.

I had no idea what to expect from KiSS cosmetics, how good their products would be, and yes, this is only one thing I've tried but I really have been impressed with this.  It's good quality both the packaging and the product, it smelled nice and lasted well, and in my opinion has a good price point too.  I can't wait to try more from the brand and can't wait to see what products they release.

The best part, in my opinion, other than the lovely quality of this product and the fair pricing is that ALL their products are cruelty free.  You don't find many brands that are high-street priced that can say that.  The brand launches on the week commencing 20th April - you'll be able to shop them online from then here.

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5 Lipsticks for Spring

Ok I admit it, you might see a few easter/spring themed posts in the near future so I have an excuse to use the little chicks, I just can't help myself, they make my blog pics SO happy!

That aside, I do tend to write seasonal posts and this time, it's all about lipsticks, specifically pink lippies that are perfect for Spring.

Here's a closer look at what I picked:

Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake

- I love how buttery these are and longer lasting than you expect.  I'm not saying they're 'long wearing' per-say, but for a buttery balm in a lip stick I think they do pretty well, adding a pretty flush of colour. 

Urban Decay Naked lip gloss in Liar*

- Ok technically this isn't a lip stick, however, I adore this colour, and as it's part of the Naked collection, they go beautifully with the Naked eye shadow palettes, which are also perfect for spring, especially the 2nd and 3rd palette as they're cooler toned.

L'Oreal Caresse lip gloss stain in Lolita

- People seemed to really love or hate these, I think I sat somewhere in between - when it's fresh on I love it, but like any glossy type of product, I hate how my hair gets caught in it.  The product itself is lovely, and such a beautiful colour, a dusky pink with a subtle glittery shimmer.

Laqa & Co lip pencil (I think the shade is called Fairyblood)

I really like big fat lip crayons and these ones are great, they last really well on the lips adding a nice even application of colour and this colour is so perfect for spring.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector in 02*

Possibly one of my favourite lip products - the Clarins instant light lip perfection range, both these and the lipstick versions more recently released are absolutely lovely on the tips, plus they smell like white chocolate, so what's not to like?

Maybe I should have created a Spring look using one of these?  I can just imagine them with a pretty soft pink blusher, very light eye shadow, black liquid eyeliner and bold mascara :)

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*Post contains PR samples previously reviewed

MAC Retro Matte in Flat Out Fabulous

** Please note, the lipstick was applied using a lip brush, this will result in the lipstick looking lighter/brighter than if applied directly from the bullet - it also makes the lipstick last longer on the lips **

I don't have many MAC lipsticks, I kicked off my collection with Rebel, and then added Creme Cup, which I subsequently lost, and now I have another one to add to my collection.  I'm a big fan of matte lipsticks, they're my favourite, so when I saw this one crop up when searching online, I had to try it.

This, like any other MAC lipstick you'll have tried, is lovely quality.  Yes it's matte, which can often mean 'dry' but this isn't, it's surprisingly moist for a matte lipstick, and doesn't stain the lips too much either, unlike some.  It applies (with a brush) really nicely and stays put for a long time, another thing I love about matte lipsticks.

I really like the colour, although I'm not sure it goes that well with my freshly dyed red hair! Maybe if I applied it from the bullet it'd look better against my hair?  As much as I'm a total sucker for red lipsticks, I do really love a bright pink too - like the Illamasqua Eurydice matte pink, utterly gorgeous!

Overall I really love this lipstick and I'll definitely be wearing it more - I think it'll look much better in a couple of months when I dye my hair chocolate brown :)

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Brand Focus | Glo & Ray

** swatches are (L-R)  Valentine lipstick, Mysterious lipstick, Two Way Cake (pressed powder) **

Glo & Ray are a new brand a lot of us beauty bloggers have started to discover - they're high end both marked by quality and price.

The packaging is really high quality, think NARS - most of their products seem to have a matte finish (packaging) with their Glo & Ray logo embellished on the product.  They're elegantly designed, and in my opinion, look pretty darn good in your makeup bag!

Lets take a closer look at the products.  

Glo & Ray Two Way Cake (pressed powder) - £19

This is a beautiful compact complete with a mirror and makeup sponge.  The texture is slightly different from other powders I've used recently, in that it is more like a loose powder that's been gently pressed - when I swirl my brush in it, it picks up and kicks up a lot of product, so you only need to be gentle and dab your brush in it to pick up the right amount of powder.  It's excellent at helping to set foundation and keep you matte and non-cakey all day.  It's a powder I've been reaching for quite a lot recently.  I have shade N00, which I believe is the lightest shade.  It's certainly as good as other high end powders I've tried, and better than some.

Glo & Ray Creamy Shimmer Lip Colours in Valentine & Mysterious - £12

Again, beautifully packaged, with a very satisfying 'click' when you put the cap back on (don't you just love that?).  These are easily on par with MAC lipsticks, but a few ££ cheaper - but they don't have the same range of shades that you'd find with somewhere like MAC.  Of the shimmer shades there are 7 different colours to pick from.  Both of these were beautifully pigmented and rich in colour. They weren't too glossy, and when applied with a lip brush, they lasted really well on the lips, at least 4 hours.  They were creamy and to a degree, hydrating.

So far all the Glo & Ray products I've tried I really like.  I've actually featured one of their blushers in my favourites, an amazing NARS Orgasm dupe.  They currently have a colourful kohl eye liner set I have my eyes fixated on - 5 eye liners for £28, and gorgeous colours :)

Have you tried Glo & Ray yet? What would be on your wish list?

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Makeup Revolution I ♥ Makeup | Lip L Lip Lava

The latest product to hit the ground running from Makeup Revolution (aside from the storm their makeup brushes seem to be causing) are their I ♥ Makeup Lip Lavas.  Pitched as a liquid lipstick, they're available in the five different shades pictured and for the bargain price of £2.99 each and with added vitamin e to help kip your lips soft and hydrated.

Of the five shades available there's a red, a nude, a coral, a purple and a pinky nude - all the shades have fantastic pigmentation, they come in a squeezy tube with a felt-type applicator where the product comes out of a hole in the middle (no idea what that type of applicator is called sorry!).

They applied beautifully (I used a lip brush) and lasted a really long time (approximately 4-6 hours before needing to reapply) .  You also get a decent 12ml of product, so lots of bang for your buck!

As I've mentioned before with Makeup Revolution, the only improvement I'd like to see is the name of the shade printed on the actual product, not just the packaging :)  Other than that, I think these lip lava's are really fantastic, they're great quality, hydrating, long lasting with great colour-payoff, and for only £2.99 - you can't really ask for more.

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Clarins garden escape collection

Now it's the beginning of the year, brands are starting to showcase their Spring collections, and the new Clarins collection couldn't be more beautiful.  I'm a big fan of their instant light lip perfectors, which I've been loving since their Autumn collection in 2013, so when this arrived at the door, I was pretty excited to give them a whirl.

Instant light lip balm - £18

Try not to think of these as a lipstick or a lip crayon, they're a lip balm with a soft tint to add a touch of colour to your lips.  They're available in 6 colours (01 rose, 02 coral, 03 my pink, 04 orange, 05 red and 06 rosewood).  They're packed with wild mango, vitamin e and shea butter which makes them super hydrating and nourishing, and have the most amazing scent like white chocolate.  They have a soft buttery texture, and feel just lovely on the lips.

So far the shade '03 my pink' is my favourite - it's soft and looks very subtle in the swatch, but on the lips it's a bit pinker.  They left my lips feeling very soft and hydrated and smelling divine!  Shop the collection here.

Joli rouge brilliant sheer lipstick - £23

Clarins have also added two new shades to their Joli rouge perfect shine lipsticks, 22 coral dahlia and 23 rose petal (the one pictured is 23 rose petal) - it's a beautiful pretty pink with little silvery sparkles in it.  Unlike the instant light lip balms which smell of white chocolate, this smells more like watermelon or a fruit punch (it's probably mango though as one of the main ingredients is mango butter).  This is also pretty hydrating for a lipstick, and gives the lips a gorgeous flush of shine and gentle colour.  It's not massively pigmented, but it's branded as a sheer lipstick, so you wouldn't expect that - it's supposed to be more soft and gentle, which is perfect for day wear.  Shop the lipsticks here.

As well as these products, in their garden escape collection they've also launched a stunning blusher and a 6 colour eye shadow palette (amongst other things) which are worth checking out, you can see their whole collection here.

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Makeup Revolution Atomic lipsticks

L-R: Atomic Lipstick Ruby, Atomic Lipstick Make Me Tonight, Atomic Lipstick Make It Right, Atomic Lipstick Magnificent, Atomic Lipstick Serpent.

Today there's more new releases from the force that is Makeup Revolution!  These are perfectly timed for Halloween too - in case you're looking for some deep dark lipsticks to go with your outfit!

Each of these will set you back £1, so you could have the whole Atomic collection for £5!  Yes, some of the colours are a little out there, not shades I'd wear day in day out, however, the red is gorgeous and very wearable as well as massively pigmented - just look at that colour payoff!

Nostalgia time - back in the day, in the late 90s I used to wear a lot of proper purple lipstick, in fact it had a holographic sheen to it (looking back, it wasn't a good look), I'd team it up with a purple dress and hit the local night club (I was 18/19)... sadly, I don't have a picture to hand to show you, it's back at home, but trust me when I say it was a popular look at the time, maybe not so much now :P

*If* I get time, I'll try and do a Halloween makeup look before the big day and use one of these shades, I'll have to get my creative thinking cap on ;)

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*This post contains PR samples

Makeup Revolution amazing care lipstick in love nude

As much as I'm a BIG collector of lipstick, I don't own many nudes, in fact, my favourite nude (MAC Creme Cup has disappeared after only 2 uses, it must have fallen out of my bag), and I wear lipstick even less often (I'm normally all about the eyes - probably because they're a better feature than my lips).

One of the reasons I tend not to wear lipstick that often (apart from not having great shaped lips) is because they're nearly always dry, despite wearing plenty of lip balm - so lipsticks tend not to look great on me, as much as I might enjoy the look of them.

That's what I like about this lipstick, the conditioning balm with argan oil surrounding the colour. Makeup Revolution make these in a range of different shades, but what I like about this one is it really is a your-lips-but-better shade, almost like a softly tinted lip balm.  Obviously, depending on the colour of your lips, this will look different on people - me, I have pale lips with very pale skin (as you can see) and this colour is a near-match for my natural lip tone.

The conditioning balm is really effective and not too greasy (like the way vaseline can be), but more hydrating.  That's not bad for £3* :)

Yet again, another great Makeup Revolution product... on the back of how many great products of theirs I've tried, I have just purchased their 32 colour eye shadow palette in 'Flawless' - lots of neutral and berry tones in there, looks perfect for Autumn, I can't wait for it to arrive!

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Michael Kors lipstick and lipgloss

Just lipstick

Lipstick with lipgloss over the top

Just the lipgloss

Excuse all the lip pics!  I thought I'd review the Michael Kors lipstick and lipgloss together, as when layered up they're pretty spectacular!

The lipstick, by itself is surprisingly hydrating and buttery, as well as really well pigmented.  The buttery texture and hydration is thanks to the shea butter and vitamin E, that's what makes it feel so luxurious.  I have the shade 'Bombshell', an intense deep pink.

When you layer the lip gloss over the top, in shade Siren, it really comes to life and gives more depth as the gloss has very small shimmery particles in it - think of the glaze on a krispy kreme donut (the one with the pink glaze) :)  The lip gloss is pretty sticky, not to the extent of the MAC dazzle glass (the stickiest lip gloss I've ever seen) and it's easy to remove.

The lip gloss by itself has a lovely finish and pigmentation, it's not overly intense making it very wearable.

You can expect to get a good few hours of wear out of these before needing to reapply.  Both of these I applied directly from the applicator/bullet - I think I would have got better results with the lipstick if I'd applied with a lip brush, but that's just my personal preference.

Both are lovely products and feel very luxurious, and then there's the gorgeous packaging, how luxe are they!?

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*This post contains PR samples