Category: Lip Products

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Tom Ford Leonardo | Review and Swatches – Blogmas Day #9






















Tom Ford created a bit of a frenzy recently with the release of his Lips and Boys collection. 50 lipsticks only available for a few days… How could I resist? Since I am trying to save money right now (and I am constantly reminding myself that I am a student) I limited myself to just one shade. After way longer than I wish to admit, I had analysed every shade in the collection and finally picked myself up the gorgeous deep red that is Leonardo…
Leonardo is a very me shade, and that’s probably why I ended up picking it. It’s a dark red that’s a little bit of the blue-toned side, but less so that your typical deep red. I only have two other lipsticks from the brand, but I just can’t get over the formula of these. They come with a hefty price tag, but I don’t think it’s until you actually apply them that you really understand why. Obviously the packaging is truly drool-worthy, but these are probably the most creamy and luxurious lip products out there. The pigmentation is great and the lasting power is decent considering the formula (not that I mind whipping it out and reapplying).
The only thing to bear in mind about this collection – I believe it’s coming out again on the 26th December fyi – that the lipsticks are a bit smaller than the originals. They are 0.07 oz as opposed to 0.10 oz, which does actually make them better gram for gram, but it’s important to remember that you aren’t getting as much. The Lips and Boys lipsticks are £26, whereas the original lip colours are £37, so it is a considerable saving.

I for one will definitely be stalking the Selfridges website on Boxing day for these lipsticks. There were so many shades that I wanted and I am considering giving myself a nice post-christmas treat! Did you manage to snag any of these? What were your favourite shades?
–RachelElizabeth
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Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Grand Cru Review and Swatches | Blogmas Day #7

























You may remember, that I have already tried one of these. I have the shade Hot Pepper and I am in love – read my full review here. I had been meaning to pick up another shade for a while now, and on a trip to Boots, I was browsing the Bourjois stand and I decided to pick up one that really caught my eye. It’s safe to say that this was definitely disappointing.

The Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick in Grand Cru in the packaging looks like the most stunning deep red, which is one of my favourite types of shade to wear. So you can imagine my disappointment when applying this, to be left with quite a streaky, sheer finish. Hot Pepper was bright, opaque and looked so smooth on the lips, but unfortunately this was the complete opposite. It clung to dry patches and just generally looked quite bad. However, I did find when I used light layers of it and worked it into the lips it could be a nice stain on the lips, and in the picture below, I had applied several layers to even get that finish. Whilst I can still wear it in that way, I don’t think I will find myself reaching for this over any other dark reds I have, as it wasn’t the dark matte red I was hoping for.

It’s not nice giving a bad review of a product, but sometimes it just has to be done. What has upset me the most about this is that I love another shade in the range, and have heard so many people praise the rest of it. There are still some shades that I have my eye on, and I won’t (and neither should you) be put off by one dud shade. Have you tried any from this line?

–RachelElizabeth
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Sephora Cream Lip Stain 01 Always Red | Review and Swatches






















If you read Amelia’s, Lily’s or Anna’s blogs, then you’ve probably heard of the product in the title of this post. I have to admit that when those three mention a product, my ears definitely perk up and I immediately want to try it. So after they all couldn’t stop talking about a certain lip product, this was the first product I had to pick up when I was in Sephora in Paris.

The infamous Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red is a liquid lipstick that dries to a matte finish. Now this is a bright red, not for the faint-hearted. It’s not a blue-toned red, but I wouldn’t say that it is overly orange-toned either – it sits somewhere in the middle giving us a nice neutral hot red. As a bold (and red) lip lover, I was so drawn in by this colour when I saw it. It applies like a typical liquid lipstick – very creamy and somewhat shiny, but it doesn’t take long for it to dry down to a completely matte finish. What is also great is that you can layer this product without the product glooping on the lips (I’m looking at you Hourglass Opaque Rogue). However, it is the wear of this product that really makes it stand out for me. It is definitely not drying, which is a quality that has become somewhat associated with both matte liquid lipsticks and lip stains. It is also incredibly long-lasting and even lasts through meals (however if the meal is oil-based then it may break down the lipstick, but that is to be expected). I would say this one of the best lip products I own in terms of longevity, and it is safe to say, I am in love. 

If you live in a country where Sephora is readily available then you have to check this out. I cannot rave about this product enough, and I would even go so far as to say that is one of the best lip products I have ever tried. And don’t worry UK folk, because Sephora ships to us poor makeup-deprived souls. Have you tried any of these out? It’s safe to say I need more of these in my life…
–RachelElizabeth

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Laura Mercier Lip Transformer Trio in Ruby Spark | Review and Swatches

So we’ve reached the time of year where gift sets are coming out in abundance. Whether you’re in the market for buying some christmas presents, or you want to try some new products out for yourself, these gifts are great value for money. My mum knows I love Laura Mercier, and in the past she has treated my with some of the body product gift sets which I have adored. For my birthday this year, she surprised with me with this lip product set, and as soon as I saw it was all about the red lip, I was very excited…

The Lip Transformer Trio in Ruby Spark contains three products: a mini Lip Pencil in Ruby, a mini Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Red Amour and a full size Lip Glacé in Ruby Spark. Let’s begin with the lip pencil. It is a deep neutral red, which is a great autumnal shade. It is incredibly creamy to apply, making it really easy to fill to whole lips in without dragging or drying out the lips. The Crème Smooth Lip Colour was also a hit for me – like the name suggests it was creamy and a dream to apply. It has good but not 100% opaque pigmentation, which I think is really nice for a more nourishing formula. In terms of the colour, its your classic blue-toned teeth-whitening red which is perfect. And surprise surprise, the Lip Glacé is also a hit. This isn’t the first time I’ve encountered this formula – I got a mini version in a set last year. And I have to say this is a really nice formula – it has decent pigmentation, but what I love most about it is that its not sticky. That’s probably the main reason I don’t often wear lip gloss, so when I find one that’s not, I get very excited. 
























Above I have used all three products on my lips to show you the whole lip look! If you, or a loved one, is a big red lip fanatic, then this is definitely worth considering. What’s great about this set is that you can choose a matte, satin or glossy red lip, giving you all you could need to perfect your look. And let’s be honest, I don’t think anyone would complain receiving something from Laura Mercier…

–RachelElizabeth
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Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lost Cherry | Review and Swatches
























 We can’t deny that matte lipsticks are all the rage right now. Every brand seems to be releasing their own take on this trend right now, and Charlotte Tilbury was no exception. The gorgeous Matte Revolution lipsticks have been all over every bloggers Instagrams and I have been lusting over every shade. I never got around to picking one up for myself, but my lovely sister surprised with one for my birthday and it is safe to say that I was beyond excited to wear this shade.

Lost Cherry is a bright yellow-toned pink. I don’t know whether it is my colouring or my taste in lipsticks, but it doesn’t show up as bright on me, and I would say it is a warm everyday pink. The formula is outstanding – the whole premise of this lipstick is that even though it is matte, it is still luminous from within. It is soft and creamy, but still looks matte on the lips. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that this is a hydrating formula, but it is far less drying than all other matte formulas I have tried. Let’s not forget the stunning rose gold packaging… But I think that speaks for itself. 



I definitely would recommend this formula whether you are a matte lipstick lover or not, it is a stunning opaque formula, and there is a colour for everyone. Have you had your eyes on these?

–RachelElizabeth
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Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils | Swatches and Review

So last week, you may remember I wrote a rave review about Red Essential from the new Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil range (in case you missed it, you can read it here). As you may have gathered from that post, I fell head over heels in love with it and I knew I had to pick up more shades to see if the formula was consistently as brilliant. It also helps that Boots are currently offering 3 for 2 on all Maybelline products…

Minimalist is probably my least favourite of the four I own. It is a light neutral pink, but what I’m specifically not too fond of is the slight golden shimmer running throughout. I also found the formula of this one a lot stiffer and dryer than the others and also lacked the intense pigment that all the rest have.  I also found that this wore off significantly faster that the rest in the range. I’m not saying that this is a complete dud – I will still wear it for a natural daytime look, but I was hoping for something much more creamy and opaque.

Nude Perfection is another one of those Kylie Jenner 90s lip colours that everyone is obsessed with right now. On me, it is a dark brown-toned nude with a slight hint of pink coming through. This one was extremely creamy and pigmented to apply and has a nice demi-matte finish. It was relatively long lasting, but didn’t hold up through eating quite as well as the brighter shades. I can definitely see this becoming one of my go-to lip shades.

Fuchsia Desire is a hot fuchsia pink with blue undertones. Out of all of the colours that I have picked up, I would say that this is the creamiest and smoothest to apply. It is extremely pigmented, but it also has a slight sheen and is not as matte as Nude Perfection or Red Essential. However, the shine does wear off when worn for long periods of time but the colour definitely sticks around, even through eating and drinking. This is a stunning shade if you’re into your hot pinks or you fancy giving one a go.
Minimalist
Nude Perfection






















Fuchsia Desire






















So on the whole, apart from Minimalist, this formulation has got my seal of approval. The consistency in the range is a little irritating, but I can overlook that due to some of the amazing shades they have got. This has got me very excited for the Soft Matte lipsticks that every single American blogger and YouTuber seem to be talking about at the moment to be released in the UK. We will probably be waiting a while though… Have you tried any of the colours from this range?

–RachelElizabeth

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Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Red Essential | Review and Swatches

When I was in Boots the other day (are we surprised?) I was browsing the Maybelline products and spotted something I had never seen before tucked away in the lip section. They was nothing to say they were new and I haven’t heard anything about these anywhere, so the blogger in me was very excited about this unknown potential treasure. When I read on the label Intense Velvet Lip Pencil, I instantly thought these may well be a dupe for the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, which I love (post on Red Square here). I am having a serious matte lip moment, so I had to try one of these out…

The Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Red Essential is a deep, slightly cool-toned red. It sits somewhere in the middle of the classic red lip and a deep vampy shade. I was very surprised at the formulation of this lipstick – despite it being incredibly matte, it was very smooth and creamy to apply and feels similar to the Nars offering. It isn’t terribly lightweight on the lips – it definitely feels like you are wearing lipstick – but I wouldn’t say that it is uncomfortable to wear. Although it isn’t hydrating by any means, it was not particularly drying compared to some other matte formulas. I was blown away by the lasting power of this formula; it wore incredibly throughout the day with no signs of awkward fading in the centre of the lips and even held up well through eating and drinking. 


I am over the moon with this unexpected purchase and I couldn’t recommend this lipstick enough! And I haven’t even mentioned the best part… they are an absolute steal at £4.99. I am without a doubt going to pick up some more shades to test out and review as I am completely blown away. Good job Maybelline.

–RachelElizabeth
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Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak | Review and Swatches

As I mentioned in my last lipstick-centric post here, I just haven’t been reaching for the bold lip colours as much these days. I have been all over the darker nudes and peachy pinks and some on the new shades I’ve been picking up have already shot up there with my favourites. This one in particular is becoming very highly valued in my collection…

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak is a warm toned peachy pink. Its quite a hard one to describe because its bright but very muted and wearable – almost a muted neon. As you may be able to tell, I had hit the fake tan bottle pretty hard before this photo was taken and I think this shade looks great when my skin is that little bit deeper. In terms of the formula, there isn’t much to say other than it is incredible. I have tried one other shade from the line, F-Bomb (blogged here), and it is just as good. They are so incredibly creamy, pigmented and long lasting, and I honestly cannot fault this range. 


Short and sweet, this stuff is amazing and you need at least one of the range in your life if you’re a lipstick junkie like myself. 

–RachelElizabeth
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Mac Velvet Teddy | Review and Swatches

I, just like everyone else right now, am loving Kylie Jenner, especially her makeup. She and many other celebrities are bring back the 90s in a big way, and these darker matte nude lips are everywhere at the moment. When Debenhams had the offer for £5 off any lipstick to celebrate national lipstick day, I decided to take the plunge and order this which has been the top of my wishlist for quite some time now…


Mac Velvet Teddy Lipstick is described as a ‘Deep-tone beige’ with a matte finish. It is definitely on the brown side of nude, and for my skin tone (currently around NC25) it is a dark nude. As far as the formula goes, it isn’t as drying as some matte lipsticks can be. It is in no way hydrating for the lips, but I don’t find that it dries out the lips particularly. It applies incredibly creamy and smooth, and is comfortable to wear. The great thing about a matte finish is the longevity; even though this is a lighter colour, the wear time is still very good. I would say that this lasts around 4-6 hours on me, depending on eating and drinking habits, and with lipliner, this will stick around most of the day. A lipliner I would recommend that is practically the same shade is the Kiko Precision Lip Pencil in 300 Caffe Latte.
























I’ve been gravitating towards lighter lips rather than my usual love for bold lips, so expect many more blog posts on all the new lipsticks I’ve been picking up! Are you into this dark nude trend?

–RachelElizabeth

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The Best Lip Glosses Ever? | Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss Review

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not the biggest lipgloss fan. For one, I prefer the look of a more matte finish lip product on me, but most of all, I don’t like the feeling of lipgloss on my lips. With most formulas I’ve tried, they are far too milky, separate on the lips and are way too sticky. However, despite my somewhat rocky relationship with lipgloss, I wasn’t quite ready to give up on finding the perfect formula. And I think I may have just found it…

The Revlon ColorBurst Lipglosses retail for £7.99 making them an absolute steal. I have four shades of the range (which is actually quite extensive), and the formula is pretty darn consistent throughout. Papaya is a bright coral shade, which leans more on the red side of coral than the pink, and has a subtle  golden shimmer running through it. Adorned is an extremely bright blue-toned fuchsia with pink and purple shimmer. Bordeaux is a deep wine shade, with the same subtle golden shimmer as Papaya. Peony is a peachy-pink with lots of golden and peach shimmer. 


The best performing shade of the four is by far Adorned. It is probably the most pigmented and smoothest lipgloss I have ever tried, and it wears for such a long time. The other three shades are still beautiful lipglosses. The formulation isn’t too sticky, but is still very long lasting. They smooth over any imperfections on the lips and just make your lips look very luscious and full. 























From left to right: Papaya, Adorned, Bordeaux, Peony

If you like lipgloss, you will love these. Because they are so pigmented you can wear them on their own, but I personally like to layer over lipsticks for an even longer lasting lip look. 
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