Lipstick Lover Review: Maybelline 'Summer Pink'

I bought this lippie quite a long time ago and as it sometimes happens, it got put in my collection and lost in my  lipstick drawer. However I was so happy to find this the other day when I was looking for something new!

Colour/Scent: It's a bright pink with silver toned shimmer, I couldn't detect any scent.

Consistency: Nice! Glides on and is very moisturising. It is almost a frost finish, however it isn't in the slightest bit drying. In  fact it has the most gorgeous pearlescent finish!

Pigmentation: Fantastic! The colour looks so rich in the bullet and it has fab colour payoff!

Packaging: Really nice pink and silver casing. Very pretty in a sea of dull black bullets!

Price? A bargainous £7.19!

Other shades available? There was loads in Superdrug when I was there, however I could only find this one on the Superdrug website.

Available from? Any drugstore that stocks Maybelline.

The Verdict... I am honestly pleasantly surprised with this! It has the most gorgeous multi-dimensional colour and some of the smoothest application that I have come across in lipstick. Honestly, I think this is nicer than the Benefit lipstick that I reviewed last time. When you look at the price difference, it may be definitely worth looking at some of the Maybelline offerings before shelling out on high end lipsticks. I definitely will be in the future now too! Also, I think this lipstick is cool/silver toned- something I never go for usually. However I think I suit them and I will be looking into more of the same in the future!

Have you tried any Maybelline lipsticks? Which are your favourites?

Lipstick Lover Review: Dior Addict 'Basic'

There has been so much hype surrounding the new Dior Addict lipsticks, and the gorgeous Kate Moss advertisements. Most reviews that I have seen of this have been the 'Kate Moss shade', which I may have chosen myself. My mum bought this for me on her recent holiday to Grand Canaria (hauled here) and I am so glad as I absolutely love it! :o)

Colour/Scent? This shade is the most subtle of the collection a soft rose pink with silver shimmer. I cannot detect any scent whatsoever!

Consistency? Sheer, almost comparable to that of a highly pigmented balm. According to Dior, they have a new 'mirror jelly' formula, designed to 'bring shine, volume and hydration to the lips'

Longevity? Due to the light feel of these, you would think it wouldn't last long at all, however they definitely last 1hr+.

Pigmentation? Not huge, however in one swipe (see above swatch) you can see the shimmer. In the lips shot below, I have layered this lipstick twice, maybe three times.

Packaging? Stunning! This is without a doubt the most luxe looking lippie I own/have ever seen! The casing looks clear to begin with, but in daylight as above it has this gorgeous rainbow effect.

Price? £22 / €28

Other shades available? 44 in all! This even shocked me :o)

Available from? Debenhams, with 10% off at the moment!

The Verdict... I love it! To be honest, I am not going to reach this for a colour pop. However I think this is the closest to a 'nude' that I will be comfortable wearing so it is ideal for when I decide to wear striking eye make up. It may be the photo, however I think this looks totally comparable to MAC Angel, what do you think? I would love to say that I will be buying more of the gorgeous shades available, but they are too pricey to collect them all!

Let me know your thoughts, I would love to hear them! <3

Love H xoxo

Smiley Stuff from Lately

 When my lovely blogger pal Hayley nominated me on Twitter for the Witch Friday Flawless Follower, and won I got to pick a little prize from their website. I picked the Blemish pen (currently under review), so a big THANK YOU to Witch for the lovely treat. However it was the name on the envelope that actually made my day... :o)

My parents went on holiday to Gran Canaria and arrived home last week with two lovely presents for me.

The first is this gorgeous mirrored mirror (eh?) with Hello Kitty engraved on, and my name! It came in a lovely black velvet pouch too, so it is ideal to bring everywhere with me. 

Also, I was super giddy to try out the new Dior lipstick that my Mum picked out for me, she has good taste!

It is in the shade Basic, a gorgeous pastel pink. The packaging is so luxe, I love it! Expect a review coming your way soon. 

Also, I was super kindly invited to a Xen-Tan event yesterday in Dublin! I met some lovely girls, Karen, Dee and Sinead and I was lucky enough to be given a sample to try out. Expect a thorough review on this very soon :o) Big thanks to Xen Tan for holding this event!

So, after my lovely weekend off I am unfortunately back to my desk for more studying today. Oh well, summer is just around the corner and I cannot wait!

Love H xoxo

Project Monthly MAC: April

If you are unfamiliar with this post why not check out last months Project Monthly MAC?

Basically though, once per month I will go to MAC and pick up a few well thought out items then blog about them and ask you all for advice for next months purchases.

Here is what I bought this month...

So, I decided to try MAC eyeshadows for the first time. I have been in my lipstick/gloss/blush comfort zone for too long and I needed to start experimenting more! I decided to get them in pan form and purchase a palette as I am back and forth between home and uni so much, I think the portability will be great. 

 Here are the pretties... I wanted a bronze lid colour and a nice brown crease to start me off. 

Then I picked up a lipstick, I had my eye on this shade for quite a while.

It is the perfect hybrid of Pinky red and coral (honest, I can see it!)

What do you think of this month's purchases?

Expect a FOTD using these soon :o)

NEXT MONTH: I want to buy...

Three eyeshadows that will make a black/grey smokey eye (black, silver/grey, highlight)

A pretty lipgloss (something coral maybe?)

A mid pink everyday blush

Any suggestions? I would love to hear them!

Love H xoxox

EDIT: Forgot to let you know! My 200 follower giveaway is starting tomorrow :o)

Lipstick Lover Review: 17 Mirror Shine 'Flirtini' & 'Peace'

I picked these lippies up absolutely ages ago (hauled here). I think it was the sheeny-shiny packaging that was my initial attraction, plus the fact that I hadn't tried any 17 products in years!

17 Mirror Shine: L-R Flirtini, Peace

as you can see, Flirtini has got slightly mushed.

Colour/Scent? Flirtini is Berry pink with subtle silver shimmer through it, Peace is an orangey peach colour with no shimmer.

Longevity? Maybe an hour? Not a long lasting product in the slightest.

Consistency? Just as you can see with Flirtini, the product is just the same as a normal stick lip balm as in if you stuck your finger in it, it would squish right down. (I am having trouble describing this, but hopefully you get the gist!) I used flirtini for one weekend and it just got destroyed. To put it in perceptive, I carry many lipsticks in my handbag for weeks on end, and I would use them a lot when going through a phase, and this has never happened before.

Pigmentation? Not bad, considering the consistensy. However it is not the type of lipstick you would use to build colour and put a gloss over, say. It is comparable to a pigmented lip gloss, in stick form.

Packaging? Nice metallic blue bullet with the 17 logo in hot pink.

Price? a very reasonable £4.59

Other shades available? 10 shades altogether, check them out here.

The verdict... I like these! I bought them thinking they would be more opaque, hell I even bought a lipgloss that day to go over Peace! Maybe they are aimed towards a younger crowd? I do think these would be brilliant for the summer though, on days where a full face of make up and lip colour aren't needed. Overall, they give a good wash of colour and are moisturising. Not bad for the bargainous price! NOTE: Don't use these with a heavy hand (like I did!).

What do you think? Have you tried these? 

H xoxo

Lipstick Lover Review: NARS 'Roman Holiday'

I was feeling a little disheartened today, as payday is Thursday I won't be able to go on a shopping trip (even a little one) this week. So, I am going to take this opportunity to review some different lipsticks that I haven't got round to blogging about! I am considering making this a mini series called 'Lipstick Lover' because as you all know, lip stick is my guilty pleasure!

NARS Sheer Lipstick 'Roman Holiday'

 Colour/Scent? A muted rose colour. No scent.

Longevity? As it is sheer, 1-2 hours (if you are lucky)

Consistency? Almost that of a balm, very moisturizing and it glides on lips nicely.

Pigmentation? Very pigmented, especially for this type of consistency! It is a very build-able colour too, one swipe gives a pinkish glow but it can be built up to become completely opaque (3 swipes).

 Packaging? Matte black box. The bullet itself is comparable to that of a Barry M lipstick, you know, with the almost velvet feel to it?

Price? £17.50 or €22.96 for 3.4g of product = £5.15/€6.75 per gram.

Other shades? ASOS currently stocks 19 other shades of lipstick in this finish. Plenty of choice!

The Verdict... Yes, I love this! It is my first dabble into NARS, and I am impressed. They are very pricey, even more expensive than MAC. However, I think this price is justified as it is an iconic lip product and a nice addition to my collection. The only problem with this is that it is super wearable and because of this I find myself reaching for it almost every day. This is bad because it is so expensive and I don't want to use it all up! 

Available from ASOS and NARS counters worldwide.

Project Monthly MAC: March (Saint Germain LS & Rubenesque PP)

In a world of "Project 10 Pan" and "Gloss Out", I thought I would break the rules and begin my own 'project' that encourages make-up purchases. Enter Project Monthly MAC! 

See, for a long time, I have been too angry towards the audacity of the prices of MAC in the Republic of Ireland, to make many purchases, usually waiting until I go to England to buy in bulk. Let me do a quick rundown of some prices here for you:

Lipstick UK: 13.50, using todays exchange rate on XE.com that should equal €15.58. Instead, we are charged EUR 17.50. Pointless mark up: almost €2

*Even Worse* I paid €19.00 for a Paint Pot that retails for 13.50 in the UK. Pointless mark up: €3.50

Needless to say, I am not impressed. However I wish to expand my collection and this is how I plan to...

Project Monthly MAC: The Rules

Once per month, I will be making a purchase at MAC. I will purchase up to three separate items. This purchase will be well considered and thought out, and I will not be swayed by MUA's trying to get me to purchase more! When the purchase is complete I will blog about it, and ask you lovely ladies what you think my next couple of purchases should be.

March

This month, I really wanted to buy a lipstick in a barbie pink shade. I had done my online research, and I had narrowed it down to Snob, Saint Germain and Viva Glam GaGa. When I swatched them in the shop I figured that Snob was too daytime and GaGa too sheer, so I settled on the very gorgeous Saint Germain.

It is an Amplified, so you know it is going to be super pigmented. A little goes a long way with this little beauty!

Next I really wanted to try a paint pot. I planned on getting Bare Study but when I swatched it in the shop, it was far too pale to show up on my skin. Instead I bought Rubenesque.

 Honestly? I shouldn't have bought this. It is barely visible on my eyelid at all, it would be pointless as an eyeshadow, and can really only be used as a base. Here is a picture of my eye with the product on... Would you think it is just a bare eyelid? I would...

Sorry, bad eyelash day! :o)

However, I understand why I was confused as it looks soo pretty in person; a beautiful peachy gold with pink shimmer, what's not to like!

What the HELL am I supposed to do with this paintpot to make it worth the price?

For Aprils Project Monthly MAC, I am going to buy one (or all) of the following, and I need your help!!

Blusher - I have Fleur Power, so something lighter I think (not as light as Well Dressed though)

Lipstick- Something darker, perhaps Girl About Town. Maybe something more daytime, either. A  rosy pink?

Eyeshadow- Just a nice golden lid colour. :o)

Please leave your recommendations in the comments below (or if you think I should buy something totally different!), this project will only be fun with your input! :o)

H xxx

To add to this insanely long post, I'd just like to let you know about a little Guest Post I have written on Charli's blog 'Secrets Behind the Closet Door'. You can have a nosey here.

Payday Treats! Vol II

This month, I decided to try some 17 products as I haven't before and maybe because they were 3 for 2 at Boots! As I am experiencing what can only be described as a lipstick binge lately and as I was instantly attracted to the shiny packaging (I swear I was a magpie in a past life). I picked up two "Mirror Shine" lippies...

L: Peace I thought this sheer coral colour would be a good place to begin to experiment away from pink. The colour looks scary in the tube, but it is a peachy pink when swatched. Very wearable and very cute!

R: Flirtini As I have been using this lipstick in the past couple of days, it somehow has got smushed in my handbag. :o( However it truly is a lovely hot pink with silver shimmer through.

** Just for reference, I would not describe these as full on lipsticks, as the consistency and longevity is closer to that of a gloss. However they are very moisturising and a dream to apply. Gloss-stick?**

Both avaliable here.

What possessed me to purchase 5 lipglosses in one day? God only knows, anyway they are all very lovely :o)

Click to enlarge, to see swatches etc.

 L-R Sally Hansen Diamond 12hr Lip Treatment in 'Promise' This gloss claims to act like a balm and moisturize lips for up to 12 hours.. hmm, we shall see! Love the packaging and sparkly deep pink colour, however the applicator is not fantastic as the fibres look like they are static or something. On the plus side, it smells exactly like Malibu (the drink), that's always a plus! Avaliable here.

No7 Liplicious in 'Sherbet Twist' After I bought my 17 products, I was given a €7.50 off No7 voucher. Instead of getting myself a free eyeliner or something as usual, I decided to try out a No7 gloss. This contains SPF15 which is always good. It is a mid-pink with gold shimmer, I like! Avaliable here.

Rimmel Kiss Off in 'Wild at Heart' A genuine hot pink with what appears to be a blue undertone. Pleasantly surprised by the applicator. Overall I'm gonna put it out there and compare this to a MAC Dazzleglass. 

Maybelline Shine Seduction in 'Pink Whisper' A sheer pale pink with iridescent shimmer. Nice twist up applicator, not very pigmented though.

17 Ultimate Volume Gloss in 'Peach Melba' I got this whilst thinking it would go on perfectly with the 17 Peace lippie above. However, I think it will look even better over Sellout below... 

 This is a prime case of when one is just not enough! 

Urban Decay Lipstick (Classic Collection)

Sellout - A reddish nude.

Jilted- A plum-ish hot pink with blue shimmer.

Both of these shades are highly pigmented. Beautiful packaging and attention to detail! Full review to come :o)

That's it for my payday haul this month! As I have said before, there is no better way to celebrate a payday than shopping! 

Love, H xoxo

Green is the new Pink? - 'Barry M Touch of Magic' Review

I am honestly not the type of girl that buys into novelty products, especially of the make up variety, however after reading up on this product I simply couldn't resist!

I first came across this product online, and I was instantly intrigued. It is not, before you start thinking I'm insane, a "green lipstick". It is a Touch of Magic green lipstick! Basically , according to the Barry M website, this is a waterproof formula with added Aloe Vera. The product, when applied, reacts to your lips' alkali level and will turn a shade between a light pink and deep red.

This is how the product turned out on me...

I really like the shade, a "hot" pink with a glossy finish. I can vouch for the fact that the shades differ remarkably. My mum, for example, results in a deeper berry shade. I must also comment on the gloss finish of this lipstick. It is very light in its application and feels very moisturizing, especially for a product that claims extreme longevity (8 hours?!).

My only small piece of advice? Try before you buy! The resulting shade mightn't be for you.

Product avaliable here.

Happy New Year!

Love H xoxo