30 Days of Lipstick, Day 9: Clio Art Lipstick in Luminous Coral

I woke this morning to another sunny autumn day, so I decided to choose a lipstick that was likewise bright and cheery. I opted for Clio Art Lipstick in #51 Luminous Coral, which I also reviewed here: http://vibrantbeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-newest-makeup-obsession-clio.html. Clio is a popular Korean brand, and its Art Lipsticks are encased in the most chic, adorable tubes I've ever seen! Here's a picture of mine:



Clio Art Lipstick- the packaging is lovely! :)

 Luminous Coral is a sheer pinky-coral shade, that is comfortable and smooth on the lips. I can't remember exactly how much I paid for it, but I believe it was approximately $25 (at Cathy Phuong Cosmetics in the China Town Centre). Here is a picture of it in the tube:

Clio Art Lipstick in Luminous Coral

And here is a picture of it swatched on my arm:

Swatch of Clio Luminous Coral on my arm (MAC NC15 skin tone)

In terms of comparisons with other lipsticks in my stash, Luminous Coral is most similar to MAC Crosswires lipstick, which I reviewed here: http://vibrantbeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/30-days-of-lipstick-day-3-mac.html. The difference is that Luminous Coral offers a slightly more sheer and moisturizing formula and has slighltly less pink in it than Crosswires.

Here are a few pictures of me wearing it:

Me wearing Clio Art Lipstick in Luminous Coral

In sunlight...

The Verdict

Pros:

• This sheer, moisturizing formula is very comfortable on the lips
• A perfect shade of coral for fair skin
• Unique and beautiful packaging!

Cons:

• At over $20, this is a rather pricey lipstick
• Because Clio is a Korean brand, this lipstick may be hard to track down!

I hadn't used this lipstick in several weeks, and it was a pleasure wearing it today! Not only is it fun to show off the packaging during touch-ups throughout the day, but the formula also didn't leave my lips dry, despite the cooling weather. A perfect autumn treat! :)

30 Days of Lipstick, Day 8: MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Up The Amp

It's a blustery Tuesday and I've returned to MAC on the lipstick front. Go figure! Today I chose MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Up The Amp ($17.50 CAD at MAC stores and counters). I received it recently via a makeup swap, and I was eager to give it a go!

Up The Amp is a unique pinky-violet shade that is unlike any other in my collection. Here is a picture of it in the tube:

MAC Up The Amp Amplified Creme Lipstick

And here is a picture of it swatched on my arm:

MAC Up The Amp swatched on my arm (MAC NC15 skin tone)

MAC describes Up The Amp as a "lavender violet", which is pretty accurate, and its Amplified Creme formula offers a creamy, pigment rich colour with subtle shine. Indeed, Up The Amp feels smooth and comfortable on the lips and creates a high colour, semi-glossy finish. The shade is not something I would typically go for (as purples tend to wash me out), but Up The Amp seems to suit me better than most lipsticks in the purple family.

Here are a few pictures of me wearing it:

Me wearing MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Up The Amp

Under artificial light

With flash

In sunlight

The Verdict

Pros:

• Truly unique shade- bold, but still wearable
• Highly pigmented- a little goes a long way!
• Very creamy and moisturizing on the lips.
• Fairly long-lasting formula
• As with the other MAC lipsticks I've reviewed, this is a great quality for the price!

Cons:

• This purple-toned shade is definitely not for everyone! It may be especially difficult to wear for those with very warm/golden skin tones

So far I am really loving my new lipstick acquisition! As with the lipstick I reviewed yesterday, Up The Amp may not be a colour for everyday wear, but it's the perfect choice if you're aiming for a bold, edgy look that isn't too over the top. Try it out!

30 Days of Lipstick, Day 7: YSL Rouge Volupte in Tender Peach

Today's lipstick is one I have reviewed on the blog previously (see http://vibrantbeautyblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/ysls-rouge-volupte-lipsticks-let-us.html), but I was happy to feature it again! Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Volupte lipsticks ($38 CAD, at Sephora, Holt Renfrew, and The Bay) offer the most luxurious packaging I've seen. Really such a beautiful thing to pull out of your bag for a touch up!

 

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipsticks

The shade I selected for this balmy Monday was Rouge Volupte in Tender Peach #26. YSL describes the shade as a "light pinkish peach", which captures the colour well. It's a light-weight, creamy pinky-peach that creates a lovely nude lip with a retro feel. And as part of the Rouge Volupte line, it offers a "shade that drench[es] the lips with densely pigmented color and a unique color-shine complex, [that leaves] lips visibly smoothed, plumped, and radiant with luminous satin color". In other words, Rouge Voluptes offer highly pigmented shades with a subtle moisturizing sheen, and Tender Peach is no exception!

Here are a couple pictures of it in the tube (on the left in each):

YSL Rouge Volupte in (L) Tender Peach and (R) Rose Culte

Rouge Volupte (L) Tender Peach and (R) Rose Culte

And a swatch of it on my arm:

 

YSL Rouge Volupte Tender Peach swatched on my arm (MAC NC15 skin tone)

And here are a few pictures of me wearing it:

Me wearing YSL Rouge Volupte Tender Peach





With flash

The Verdict

Pros:

• It is rare to find such a highly-pigmented formula that feels so light and comfortable on the lips!
• Unique nude shade that doesn't wash out my fair skin
• Great for a retro '60s look- would go great with Twiggy-inspired mod eyeshadow
• Doesn't dry out the lips
• Irresistible packaging!

Cons:

• Very pricey!
• Not necessarily a wearable shade for every day
• May not be flattering on all skin tones

Overall, this is one of my favourite lipsticks! As I mentioned, it's not an everyday shade, but it's a great go-to when I'm wearing a smoky eye or if I'm attempting a mod, retro look. I realize these lipsticks are quite expensive, but if you're looking to splurge on a high-end lipstick, the packaging and formula of YSL Rouge Voluptes can't be beat! :)

30 Days of Lipstick, Day 6: NARS Sheer Lipstick in Dolce Vita

Hi, everyone! The lipstick I chose for this sunny Sunday is one that packs a big impact, despite its subtlety: NARS Sheer Lipstick in Dolce Vita. It comes in NARS' signature lipstick tube, which is compact and chic:
 

NARS Sheer Lipstick- love the logo on the packaging, but the matte finish on the tube leaves it prone to getting dirty!

I originally got Dolce Vita ($30 CAD at Sephora, Holt Renfrew, and The Bay, though I got mine in a makeup swap) because it has gained much cult status among makeup connoisseurs as being the perfect "my lips but better" shade. That is, its colour and finish are meant to mimic the tone and texture you'd love your lips to be naturally, with just a touch of oomph. Since I have fairly pale lips to start with (and am always on the quest for shades to enhance this pallor without looking too made up), this sounded like the perfect shade for me!
 Here is a picture of Dolce Vita in the tube:

 

NARS Sheer Lipstick in Dolce Vita

And swatched on my inner arm:

Dolce Vita swatched on my arm (MAC NC15 skin tone)- you can see that it's pretty sheer!

As you can see, Dolce Vita is a sheer, slightly warm muted rose shade. NARS describes it as a "sheer dusty rose", which is pretty accurate. The Sheer finish offers "sheer, long-lasting colour pigments [that] have been suspended in [a] translucent formula to provide a sophisticated shine" (as per NARS' description). Indeed, this lipstick is highly pigmented, but amazingly lightweight and breathable on the lips.  Here are a few pictures of me wearing it:

Me wearing NARS Dolce Vita Lipstick

In sunlight...

And yes, that is a cat with a bow tie on my sweater :)



The Verdict

Pros:

• Comfortable, moisturizing formula
• The perfect shade for that "my lips but better" effect
• Extremely versatile colour- can work with many different makeup looks!
• The texture and shade make lips look full, yet natural

Cons:

• At $30, this is fairly pricey!
• Although I love this shade, it would probably be fairly easy to find a drugstore version of this at a third of the price (though I'm yet to find one!)

In all, Dolce Vita is a shade I reach for often because it is so flattering and versatile. And until I find a less expensive dupe for this, it will be a mainstay in my collection :)

30 Days of Lipstick, Day 5: Boots No 7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Paradise

Happy Saturday, everyone! For today's installment, I chose a budget-priced lipstick with a unique shade and finish: Boots No 7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Paradise #35.  Boots No 7 is a drug store cosmetics brand from the UK, and has been carried at Shoppers Drug Mart here in Canada for a few years now. At one Shoppers location near my apartment, the Boots No 7 cosmetics line is being discontinued,and all of their lipsticks were priced at only $6! I took a chance and purchased Paradise because the colour looked interesting and the Moisture Drench moniker seemed to promise a lush, comfortable formula.

Here is a picture of the lipstick packaging- quite sleek, I think!

Boots No 7 Moisture Drench Lipstick

And here is a picture of Paradise in the tube:

Boots No 7 Moisture Drench Lipstck in Paradise

And swatched on my arm:

Boots Moisture Drench Paradise swatched on my inner arm (NC15 skin tone)

As you can see from the photos, Paradise is quite a unique shade, so much so that it is hard to describe! Taking my best shot, it is a warm pinky-plum with gold shimmer and a semi-matte frost finish. I fell in love with the shade from the first time I tried it on- so glad I gave it a try!

Here are a few pictures of me wearing it:

Me wearing Boots No 7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Paradise

In sunlight

The Verdict:


Pros:

• As its name suggests, this lipstick offers a moist, non-drying finish on the lips
• Highly pigmented (a little goes a long way!), which is not always the case with drug store lipsticks
• Unique shade! Another that's perfect for fall :)
• Great value!

Cons:

• This lipstick does have somewhat of a frosty finish, which may not be everyone's taste
• It may be somewhat hard to find, especially if other Shoppers locations are discontinuing the line

Overall, I am very happy with this product so far! For the price, it offers a colour- and moisture-rich formula that is a pleasure to wear. If you can find this range of lipsticks at your local drug store, I recommend that you pick one up!

30 Days of Lipstick, Day 4: MAC Satin Lipstick in Rebel

Ok, so I made it a hat trick: MAC three days in a row! I was hoping to mix things up a bit, but I just received a lovely new lipstick in a makeup swap and I was dying to try it out! This new goody is none other than MAC Satin lipstick in Rebel ($17.50 CAD at MAC stores and counters). It is a unique deep violet-berry-magenta shade with a rich, opaque finish.

Here are a couple of pictures of it in the tube:

MAC Lipstick in Rebel: A pretty good colour representation, but a bit blurry...

A clearer picture of MAC Rebel lipstick, though the shade is not as brown as it appears here

And a swatch of it on my arm:

MAC Satin Lipstick in Rebel, swatched on my inner arm (MAC NC15 skin tone)

MAC describes Rebel as "vivid pinkish purple", but I find it to be more nuanced than that. As I mentioned earlier, it seems to have elements of red, pink, violet, berry, and purple all at once! Although this shade is definitely deep, its pinky-violet undertones keep it bright enough to not wash out my skin or make me look corpse-like (as some purple and deep-wine lipsticks tend to do). And its Satin finish provides a to-die-for semi-matte, highly pigmented finish. I find it to be a perfect rich shade of lipstick for fall!

Here are a few pictures of me wearing it:

Me wearing MAC Satin Lipstick in Rebel

With flash

In sunlight

The Verdict

Pros

• Highly pigmented colour- you only need one swipe for colour-drenched lips!
• I can see this as being flattering on both warm- and cool-toned skin
• The finish is not too matte, so is not drying on the lips
• MAC's  price point can't be beat for the quality!
• A perfect shade for fall/winter :)

Cons

• This shade could definitely scare off those who prefer more subtle lips (though I urge you to try this- you may surprise yourself!)
• Because this colour is so bold, you may have to pair it with a lip liner to keep the edges looking clean. I used MAC Lipliner in Whirl.

Overall, I am very happy with my newly acquired lipstick! It is unlike any other berry/purple-toned lipstick in my collection, and I can see myself reaching for it often during the coming fall and winter months.

Thanks for reading!

30 Days of Lipstick, Day 3: MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Crosswires

So I'm on Day 3 and another MAC lipstick is already making an appearance! MAC represents the largest contingent in my lipstick stash, so will probably be well-represented this month :)

The lipstick I chose for today is MAC's Cremesheen Lipstick in Crosswires. It comes in MAC's signature black bullet packaging. Simple, but sleek!

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick

MAC describes Crosswires as "clean pinky orange" and touts their Cremesheen line as offering creamy, highly pigmented, slightly shiny shades. Crosswires definitely lives up to this description; I see it as a vibrant pinky-coral with an opaque, creamy, colour-rich finish.

Here is a picture of it in the tube:

MAC Cremesheen Lipsitck in Crosswires

And a picture of it swatched on my inner arm:

MAC Crosswires Lipstick swatched on my arm (NC15 skin tone)

And here are a few pictures of me wearing it!

Me wearing MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Crosswires

In natural sunlight

The Verdict

Pros:

• Highly pigmented colour- a little goes a long way!
• A very flattering coral colour for those with neutral-warm undertones- really brightens the face!
• Again, I find MAC lipsticks to be a great value. Good quality and won't damage your wallet as much as other high-end brands :)

Cons

• Slightly drying on the lips after re-applying a few times throughout the day
• Because there are orange tones to this shade, it may not be flattering for those with cooler skin with pink undertones
• I don't see this as a year-round shade... This creamy coral screams summer!

Overall, Crosswires is one of my all-time favourite MAC lipsticks, and I wore it frequently over the summer. I may not grab for it as much during the winter, though, as I think it looks best with a slight tan and other bronzey makeup products. But, despite its only seasonal appeal, I strongly recommend this lipstick for anyone in search of a bold-coloured coral :)