Daily Favorite: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar

I have only good things to say about Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics lip tars. I picked up this beauty here from Sephora. It's called Strumpet and is a matte, seedless grape red. $18 for a 0.33oz tube isn't ideal - but a dab is all you need. It's a lip stain that really, truly stains.

The lip tar lasts for hours on me without need for touchup - although I would be careful the first few minutes not to let it stain my teeth or skin. Of course an oil based makeup remover and a little scrubbing should do the job if need be.

I'd post some swatches, but my camera is not agreeing with me today.

What's your go to lip stain or long lasting lipstick?

Jouer Nude Glisten Swatches and Pochette (Holiday 2011 Edition)

Jouer Limited Edition Nude Glisten Mini Moisturizing Lip Gloss

Lip Savvy ColorGlam Gloss Review

Lip Savvy ColorGlam Gloss combines powerful anti-aging, pain-free plumping, intensehydration, and radiant lip color in an easy-to-use fashion accessorizing pen.

Lime Crime Carousel Gloss Review and Swatches - Candy Apple

Lime Crime Makeup Carousel Gloss in Candy Apple ($17)

Lime Crime Makeup has long been known for the vibrant colors of their makeup, so when they came out with their Carousel Gloss, I knew I had to try one for myself. My first impression of the Carousel Gloss was that the packaging is absolutely gorgeous! I don't think my picture does it justice, but the bright and fine glitters create such a shine when you swirl the gloss around. Carousel is truly the correct name for this product. The color of the lip gloss itself is vibrant and pigmented, so I don't need to pair it with a lipstick at all.

eos Lip Balm Smooth Sphere Holiday Pack Review

Evolution of Smooth (eos) Lip Balm is an item most beauty lovers have probably heard of - partly because it is a huge hit among the beauty community - but mostly because it's unique appearance promises it to be a topic of discussion. This holiday, eos has given us another reason for discussion by releasing their limited edition Lip Balm Smooth Sphere Holiday Pack.

eos'Lip Balm Smooth Sphere Holiday Pack includes Limited-Edition Strawberry Sorbet (pink), Sweet Mint (green), and Passion Fruit (purple).

Ellis Faas Lip Colors Review: An Innovative Beauty

I have been interested in Ellis Faas since I heard about the brand from Lisa Eldridge. Every makeup item is liquid and packaged into a bullet-shaped pen. The idea of this makeup range is that every item has the same shape and can fit into a specialized container: the Ellis Holder. The Holder can fit eight Ellis Faas products, all of which are the same shape. I was sent three lip products to try, so I don't have the case at hand - but you can read more about the Ellis Holder here.

Ellis Faas Creamy Lips, Glazed Lips and Milky Lips

Ellis Faas lip products comes in three textures: Creamy Lips, Milky Lips and Glazed Lips. The Creamy Lips has a soft and velvety texture and is most similar to the classic lipstick. Milky Lips gives a more fluid and translucent appearance. Glazed Lips has a wet, yet long-lasting color that combines transparency and intensity without being sticky.

Every product - whether matte eyes, lips, or cheeks - comes in the same shape.

Although the idea of a universal shape and form for all of her makeup is interesting, what is even more so is Ellis Faas' choice of universal colors for her makeup. She based the entire collection of her brand on colors that by nature exist in every human body. From all tones of foundation to every lipstick and eyeshadow, the shades are inspired by colors that naturally occur in our bodies.

Every bullet comes with a brush applicator.

I enjoy the brush applicator it comes with because it makes for convenient traveling. This might pose as a problem for some people, however, because a brush applicator does mean that you will have to clean it. Although it has not happened to me, I have read that some people have problems with the pen clogging when they do not regularly clean it.

Application is extremely smooth and simple, but regularly cleansing of the applicator is recommended.

I really like the texture and design of these lip products, but at $35 a piece, I don't think I can appreciate them completely without the holder to store the pens. I think I will soon order a holder as well as a few face products to complete my set. I am amazed by the originality and vision of the Ellis Faas brand. The quality of the makeup itself is very good, but mostly, I applaud the innovation and the daring design.

Buying into the concept of the Ellis Holder and universally-shaped makeup requires that consumers use exclusively Ellis Faas products. For makeup junkies like myself, I cannot see myself carrying only the Ellis Holder and its counterparts in my purse. The fact of the matter is that there are too many beauty products that I like to have, to carry, to hold and to try. I am willing to buy Ellis Faas makeup for its good quality and design, but I do not see myself carrying just the bullet case around. If anything, I will buy an Ellis Holder to hold my Ellis Faas makeup on my vanity. The Ellis Holder can be lodged around on some days, but the day that makeup is revolutionized to universal packaging is far. Ellis Faas makeup gets an A for quality, design and concept, but the practicality it tries to instill is far from practical.

Each lip product or holder costs $35 and can be purchased at ellisfaas.com or various department stores worldwide. In the States, Ellis Faas are widely sold in Space NK.

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to me for testing or reviewing consideration. I am neither paid nor compensated for my opinion. My priority is always to my readers and I express only my honest opinion in every post.

Monavé Swatches: Lipstick, Foundation, Bronzer, Illluminizer

Mineral Makeup by Monavé

Bronzer in Rum #302, Loose Mineral Concealer-Foundation in Caroline and Hyeyeon

Beauty UK Lip Lust and Pearl Eyeliner Review

Beauty UK Lip Lust in Date Night and Pearl Eyeliner in Oceania

Lip Lust in Date Night and Pearl Eyeliner in Oceania swatched on my arm

Pearl Eyeliner in Oceania

Lip Lust in Date Night

Applicator is convenient for traveling.

The lip lust is very glossy yet non-sticky and non-drying. It is not seem to last as long as the sticky glosses. Date Night is a pretty, almost bubblegum but darker pink. It contains fragrance, which makes it smell a bit like strawberry. It's a nice scent - but like many others, I dislike added fragrance in my cosmetics. The glosses are sold by Beauty UK for £2.99 each.

Review Summary: Beauty UK Lip Lust

Pigmentation: Decent pigmentation for a lip gloss, but nothing spectacular. 4/5

Lasting Power: This is not a long-wear lip gloss. 2/5

Packaging: Squeeze bottle with applicator makes application simple. 4.5/5

Value: Not a bad price, but not cheap for the lack of longevity. 3/5

Overall: B-

I love the fine shimmer in the pearl eyeliner. The color is not something I would usually wear (I wear black liner mostly), but it can be subtle and easy to wear. It is liquid and will smudge when you first apply (so blend quickly), but once dried it does not fade or smear. It is not waterproof, but I have worn it for 6 hours without it budging. One thing I don't like is that it is difficult to make a really good thin line. If you are going for the thinest little line next to your lashes, I would not recommend this. Otherwise, it is a beautiful liner well worth its value. These pearl liners costs £3.49 each and will last you a long time.

Review Summary: Beauty UK Pearl Eyeliner

Pigmentation: Pigmentation is decent. 4/5

Lasting Power: Once it dries (within seconds), it lasts for hours without smudging. 4.5/5

Packaging: The packaging is cute and different, but could have been made more compact. 4/5

Value: I hate their pricing. A full sized jar costs $6.00 and you can get 2-2.5 grams without the sifter and 1.5-2 grams of product with the sifter. The sample jar costs $2.50 and gives you 1 gram of product. I think I would just rather get a sample jar every time. The fact that there is such a range in the amount of product you get bothers me. 3/5

Overall: B

If you live in the UK, you can find Beauty UK products at SuperDrug. Otherwise, you can buy them directly at the beautyuk website. It is a little difficult to try this brand if you are in the States because international shipping outside of Europe is £6.95 (Over $11).

Dislcaimer: This review contains products sent to me for review consideration. As always, everything I write is my honest opinion and I will only recommend something that I wholeheartedly like.

Disclaimer: This post contains product(s) sent to me for testing or reviewing consideration. I am neither paid nor compensated for my opinion. My priority is always to my readers and I express only my honest opinion in every post.

CoverGirl Continuous Color Lipstick Review

I just picked up CoverGirl Continuous Color lipstick in Bistro Burgundy and I am super impressed with it! Not so much because of the color, but because it feels completely non-drying on my lips. Its texture is very creamy and it glides on smoothly.

Here, I am comparing it with a sample of Clinique High Impact Rouge in Rosette:

CoverGirl Continuous Color Lipstick in 430 Bistro Burgundy and Clinique High Impact Rouge Impact Lipstick in 17 Rosette

Bistro Burgundy and Rosette

They are similar, but Rosette is more pink with fine glitters. Bisto Burgundy is a deeper red and a lot more moisturizing (though Rosette in itself is not dry). The staying power of both are similar: four to five hours at most. I am going to pick up a few more colors of CoverGirl Continuous Color lipsticks. It's definitely one of the better drugstore lipsticks I've tried.

Light application of Bistro Burgundy

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Color Review

Swatches coming soon (without my camera at the moment)

Maybelline Super Stay 24 is extremely long lasting and nondrying - though the color selection leaves something to be desired. I tried on Everlasting Wine and it was quite true to its name.  It stained my lips for well over 24 hours (something I'm not too happy about). I am sure it lasted so long because the color I tried was so dark and because I rubbed so much on... but it is ridiculous when washing my face with soap does not remove my lip color. I also swatched Wear on Wildberry, Forever Chestnut and Timeless Rose on my hand and it took several hand washes and scrubbing with makeup remover to remove the color completely. I would only recommend getting this product in a natural, wearable color unless you want to go to bed with deep stained lips. You can wear this one to the beach without fear.

Disclaimer: This post contains product(s) sent to me courtesy of bzzagent. I am neither paid nor compensated for my opinion. As always, my priority is to my readers and I express only my honest opinion in every post.

NARS Haul

My NARS order came in today, a day earlier than the tracking report. Yay! I love getting packages in the mail. It always feels like Christmas. Even though I paid for it and know exactly what I ordered, I still get so excited. And NARS packaging is great. The black tissue paper is a nice touch.

I am a little disappointed with this order though. Just a little. The mini lip gloss trio I was supposed to receive turned out to be a mini lip gloss duo in Dolce and Striptease. :( I won't complain because it was a free gift and NARS probably ran out, but I wanted the gloss in Turkish Delight. I like Striptease so it isn't all bad.

In case you missed my previous NARS post, I bought the blush for $26 plus tax and everything else (including shipping) was free. Yay deals! Here is what I got:

NARS blush in orgasm. 

Orgasm is my favorite blush color from NARS. The name is quite risqué, but the color is fair and flattering. This powder blush is finely pressed and goes on very smoothly when applied with a fluffy blush brush. Orgasm is probably best on people with lighter skin as it won't show up well on darker skins. When it works for you though, it will give you a believable peachy pink flush. It's light but vibrant with a slight hint of sparkles without the glitter mess.

NARS half size nail polish in orgasm.

I have not tried the nail polish yet, but I think it is very nice that the freebie comes in half the size of the original (retails $16), not a little sample size. Don't let the photo fool you, this nail polish is a beautiful orange-tone pink with fine gold iridescence.

The cute little pouch that the nail polish came in.

I was pleasantly surprised that NARS threw in this black pouch. This will be useful to store small makeup items. :) 

Mini Lip Gloss Duo in Striptease/Dolce Vita

The mini lip gloss duo is no trio, but not too bad. Each gloss color is 0.07 oz, 1/4 of the full size tube. Surprisingly, this little duo contains half the product of a full lip gloss. Either the mini duo is bigger than it seems, or NARS makes their regular products look like they contain a lot more gloss than they do. Striptease is a pearlized beige sheen that is perfect as a sheer gloss. It pairs well with a nude lipstick, but Turkish Delight is more vibrant and glossy pink, which I find more flattering. Dolce Vita, a dusty rose with good consistency, is great to soften a red or brown lipstick. This is my first time trying Dolce Vita and I've got to say that I love it. I think it looks fantastic by itself. The earthly tone makes it glamorous and natural at the same time. NARS lip glosses are a bit sticky, but worth it for its vibrant color and good staying power. 

My attempt at swatches with a phone camera. *shakes head* Bare lip gloss.

Have you been shopping lately? Is there anything you have been dying to try?

Nude Lipstick Comparison: MAC, Revlon, Nyx

MAC Creme d'nude

I am doing a review of my nude lipsticks today. I only have three at the moment, but they are similar enough for a comparison review.

NYX Circe, Revlon Nude Attitude, MAC Creme d'nude

MAC Creme d'nude - This is my favorite nude lipstick. It is a pink-toned opaque beige. It feels super soft and moist upon application. Because it is creemsheen, it is glossy and slips around my lips quite easily. I wish it had more staying power because it will transfer onto any surface it comes into contact with. In addition, it is quite opaque and sheer, so I must apply generously for good coverage. Of course this lipstick does wear perfectly well with a good lip liner under it. This is one nude that I feel comfortable wearing without a gloss. I have never been able to do that with Myth, a satin finish, because it can get chalky alone. Beware of Creme d'nude melting. It is so soft that it will easily melt and break in the heat.

Revlon Nude Attitude - I read somewhere that Revlon's Nude Attitude is similar to MAC's Myth or Creme d'nude, so I wanted to give it a try. It's a matte lipstick, which I adore for the season. I love the packaging, with the see-through plastic on top of the lid. It was all so perfect when I got it. The color looked beautiful when I opened it. Matte always gives a very clean look. As soon as I applied it on my lips, however, I knew that it wasn't for me. I found it drying, chalky and orange. I understand that mattes will emphasize dryness, but this lipstick practically sucked the moisture from my lips. It also left me with orange nude lips, kind of like a tan gone wrong. Now I know that this is not that case for everyone, but this lipstick just doesn't cut it for me. I use this lipstick only after a good lip scrub and lots of lip balm in addition to a slab of shiny gloss on top. I won't be repurchasing though. It's not bad for a $6 lipstick, but I can do without it.

NYX Circe - This is one of NYX's round lipsticks that are sold for less than $3 at Cherry Culture. You don't expect too much from a $3 lipstick, but I always find NYX products to be excellent quality for their price so I gave this one a try. Circe is a brown taupe nude. It is clearly darker than the other two colors with less indication of pink or peach. It is less sheer than Creme d'nude, which I enjoy. It covers my lips up very nicely and gives that covered up nude without the concealer consistency. Surprisingly, this lipstick is extremely soft and moist. It does not dry out my skin when I wear it. The downfall is that it does not last and I have to reapply throughout the day. Regardless, I prefer this over the Revlon Nude Attitude for its color, moisture and price.

From left to right: Creme d'nude, Circe, Nude Attitude

Do you like nudes? What is your favorite lipstick? Please recommend one to me. ;)
I am always in search of a moisturizing lipstick. Like, always.