Review: Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick

 

If you've been here for a while then you'll know I am a massive fan of matte lips and liquid lipsticks in particular. I've always got my eye out for the next brand to try their hand at them. So when Smashbox released their version, I was excited but the price tag and troubles with availability at my local Smashbox stand meant I took a little longer getting my hands on one. However I have one now and can tell you, I will certainly be purchasing more.

I'd like to say that choosing a shade was hard but I knew exactly what shade I wanted straight away. I'd been looking for a stunning deep burnt orange shade to compliment the upcoming seasonal changes and had looked everywhere. Until one night I was watching Makeupbyalli and she showed the shade Out Loud in a PR Unboxing. That was it, I had to have it. It was stunning and exactly what I'd been looking for.

Out Loud as I said is a gorgeous burnt orange shade that is muted yet bold at the same time. There is just enough of a red undertone running through it to stop it looking too garish on the lips. I was worried that it would be too orange on my fair skin but it doesn't and I think that's because it also has a brown undertone which makes it wearable for a multitude of skintones.

Most liquid lipsticks come with your standard doe foot applicator but not this one. The Always On liquid lipstick comes with a diamond shaped applicator which gives a more precise and defined finish. It holds enough product and you don't find yourself wiping off to much product before application. The shaping of the applicator means you can create a sharp defined line with or without lip liner to guide you and the pointed tip means you can really work in detail along the cupids bow and the corners.

This doesn't take long to dry down and once it does, it's not going anywhere. You can eat and drink but heed warning, anything too greasy will break it down and you may experience some fading or smudging but apart from that, this lipstick does not budge. I can't say that it's completely comfortable at all times but it doesn't dry lips out to that point where you want it off. But with all liquid lipsticks or matte finish lip products, it all depends on the state of your lips before you apply it. I find a bit of lip balm underneath this helps prolong wear, look and appearence.

At £19 a pop this cost a little more than I usually like to pay for a lipstick but it's worth every penny. I've only had this for two weeks but I've worn it a good six or seven times already. I just can't get enough of it. I will definitely be picking up more of these, I swatched the shade Bawse when I picked up Out Loud and was so tempted to buy both. If you want a highly pigmented, opaque in one swipe and long lasting then these are for you. Slightly higher end in price but worth it and with a wide selection of shades, there is bound to be one for you. I'd say keep your eyes peeled over my next few monthly favourites to see what other shades I may have picked up.

Autumn Lip Edit

It's the end of September and the weather's turning colder so it can only mean it's time for an Autumn Lip Edit.

Rosie For Autograph In Lady Rose: This is a perfect neutral shade that will take a look from Summer to Autumn. It has both brown and pink undertones that will suit a multitude of skintones, even those with a very skintone. When first applied it has a sheen finish but it does dry down to a semi matte finish that doesn't budge even when you eat or drink. Non drying, this doesn't become uncomfortable the longer you wear it and it's easy to reapply without clinging to any dry patches.

Kate Moss For Rimmel in 107: This lipstick always have a revival when September comes along. It's a perfect berry toned lipstick that suits everyone. It's dry matte texture is surprisingly comfortable to wear and it doesn't transfer or smudge. It can be tricky to reapply but it depends on the condition of your lips. If lips are chapped or dry then it can stick or fall into patches and leave darker patches on the lips. However if lips are in a good condition then you'll have no problems.

PS Love Matte Lipstick in Desire: This shade is a bit more unique shade. It looks like a burnt orange with a hint of red. Kind of like a pumpkin. It's a drier formula than most matte lipsticks and if lips are chapped or dry then this won't be for you. It will highlight dry patches especially when it's reapplied. However reapplication is minimal because this does not budge, even when eating or drinking.

NYX Matte Lipstick in Alabama: This is the one red lipstick that will take you from Summer to Autumn and through to Winter as well. It is a blue toned red that has a brown undertone to it and makes teeth look whiter. It's a matte finish lipstick but very comfortable to wear, doesn't try the lips out and doesn't become uncomfortable after a few hours wear. It has creamy, easy to apply formula that just glides on the lips and leaves behind a highly pigmented opaque colour.

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry: This is another brilliant neutral shade that will suit a multitude of skintones, even those with a very fair skintone. It has a mauve undertone that'll give fair skintones a boost. It's one of the best matte finish lip products as it doesn't transfer, isn't uncomfortable to wear and so easy to apply. They don't transfer and even if it does then reapplication is easy and won't cling to dry or chapped patches. Plus they smell like mint which is probably the best scent for a lipstick.

So that's it for this Autumn Lip Edit. What are your autumnal lip products? Let me know in the comments.

Review: Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipsticks A16 Release

When Maybelline released their matte lipsticks this time last year I was overjoyed. And the shade I grabbed is one of my favourite lipsticks so when they announced they were releasing six more shades I had to get my hands on them. And I'm so beyond happy I did.

The two shades I picked up are Ruby Rush and Burgundy Blush. Ruby Rush is a dark blue toned red that really pops on paler skintones and makes teeth look whiter. And Burgundy Blush is a dark purple with brown tones that will really turn heads when the colder weather comes in. There are two more shades called Midnight Merlot and Berry Bossy that have caught my eye. They're both berry toned shades that will work wonders from the beginning of autumn all the way through to winter. And with quality of these lipsticks I'd be stupid not to pick them up.

 These lipsticks are exactly the same highly pigmented, opaque and creamy lipsticks like they're predecessors. There is no need to line the lips beforehand with these as the sharp edge of the bullet makes it easy to outline the lips as you apply it. These are really creamy to apply and one swipe will give you highly opaque colour that doesn't look streaky or patchy. And once they're on the lips it's almost as if they set straight away. They don't budge. Normally the sides fade slightly with most matte lipsticks but these don't even budge. And they don't smudge or smear like the initial releases in this line. They're not uncomfortable to wear and once they're on you won't even know your wearing it. I wore both for a good six/seven hour day and they didn't budge and I actually forgot I had them on.

If you're looking for a new lipstick/s for the upcoming colder months then I'd highly recommend picking the new Matte lipsticks up. There is a stunning range of colours and they are the same quality of some of the better high end lipsticks.

Have any of you tried these? What did you think? And what are your favourite shades? Let me know in the comments.

Review: Gosh Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks Autumn16 Releases

Last Summer Gosh released their first range of matte lipsticks and I fell in love. They were creamy, highly pigmented and incredibly comfortable to wear. At the beginning of the year they released several more that I'm yet to pick up and only last month released another five.

The five new shades are all very autumnal in feel and right up my street. I picked up the shades Cranberry and Grape. Both look very similar in the bullet but the difference is obvious on the lips. Cranberry is more of a berry shade with a hint of raspberry whereas Grape is darker and more red in tone. In the bullet it looks more of a burgundy shade but on the lips it has a purple undertone which gives it depth. All of the new releases will look fantastic on ladies with a fair skintone and create that perfect bold lip but they'll also look gorgeous on ladies with medium to darker skintones aswell.

As with this entire range of lipsticks they're very creamy and highly pigmented which makes application a dream but these latest releases seem to be even creamier and more pigmented. One swipe is enough for bold opaque colour that is matte in finish but not uncomfortable or drying on the lips. Easily the most comfortable lipsticks to wear all day long this also rarely need to be reapplied, even after eating and drinking. And if they do need reapplying then it's as easy as the intial application is. There is no chance of these clinging to dry or flaky patches and they won't look streaky or patchy in the slightest. They'll still be creamy, comfortable and opaque, giving a perfect bold lip.

If you're looking for new Autumn shades then I highly recommend checking out the entire range of Gosh Matte Lipsticks. There is a brilliant range of shades and for a brilliant purse friendly price you can rock a bold lip this Autumn. If you'd like to see the rest of the shades you can see them in my review here.

Top 3: Lip Liners

Welcome back to another of my Top 3 series. So far I've done Mascaras, Summer Fragrances, Eye Make Up Removers and Face Masks. So today I'm back with a product that is quickly becoming one of my favourites. Today I'm talking about my Top 3 Lip Liners. Lip Liners have quickly become an obsession of mine, they're so easy to use, there is a multitude of colours to chose from and you can wear them both on their own and under lipstick. To say it was tough to name my top 3 is an understatment. 

 My first choice/pick is the most budget friendly of the bunch. This is of Primark's Ps Love lip liners. Now I know that Primark may not be your first stop for beauty products but I am really impressed with them. This lip liner is creamy, highly pigmented, non dry and long lasting. I have a few shades from their lip liner collection but the red one is my favourite. It glides onto the lips and filling them in doesn't take forever as it does with some pencils. Yes it dries down to a matte finish but it doesn't leave lips feeling dry or flaky and it adheres nicely to any lipstick you put over the top of it. My favourite two lipsticks to wear it with is MAC's Russian Red or Loreal's Pure Red Collection in Blake's Red. And for a £1 a liner you can't go wrong. 

My second pick is a newer liner to me. This is the Essence Lip Liner in Femme Fatale. Yes I know, another red but red lips is my go to look when I can't think of anything else. What I like about this liner is that while it's wooden pencil type of lip liner it doesn't drag on the lips when you apply it. It's creamy, non drying and long lasting on the lips. Filling in my lips is easier than ever with this lip liner and it's a nice enough red that I can wear it on it's own or with a lipstick. And at only a £1 I don't mind if I go through this quicker than others. 

 And my final pick is a bit of a cheat. Instead of picking one shade I've picked a range of lip liners as I love so many shades from it. These are the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liners and are by far some of my favourite lip liners on the market. A twist up crayon form instead of a wooden pencil, these liners are even creamier and easier to apply than most. The slanted shaped head makes filling in lips easier as it covers more lip space than a normal pencil. And their shade range is to die for. My favourites from this range are Eastend Snob, Obsession and Under My Spell. They dry down to a matte finish on the lips and don't budge all day long. 

Have you tried any of these? Let me know in the comments if you have. 

Review: New Look Liquid Lipsticks

When I heard that New Look had a make up range I was sceptical. Then I watched a first impressions video from msbudgetbeauty and I was even more sceptical. None of the face products stood out to me and neither did any of the lip products which was surprising considering I always love lip products from new ranges. However a couple of weeks ago I was scrolling through New Look's website and came across these liquid lipsticks and knew I had to try them.

There are five shades in the range and as always I went for the two red shades. There was a plum shade I liked the look of but there also looked liked a hint of a shimmer to it which put me off. However I'm more than happy with the two shades I picked. They both look exactly the same but if you look closer you can see the difference between them. The shade on the top is just called Red and the one underneath it is called Burgundy. I prefer Burgundy as it's slightly darker and more blue toned than Red.

They both have doe foot aplicators which seem larger than normal which apply the colour smoothly and evenly. The colour goes on streak free and dries quicker than any other liquid lipstick I've tried. By the time I finished filling in my top lip, my bottom lip was already dry, it was that quick. And with that drying time comes a powdery matte finish that can feel uncomfortable if you're lips aren't properly primed but still long lasting. However if you're lips are primed properly you won't even know you're wearing this lipstick. It feels very lightweight on the lips even if you pop another layer on top and you can forget you're wearing it.

Unfortunately whenever I've worn these my lips haven't been in their best condition so they did feel drying on my lips but there were a lot of times I actually forgot I was wearing them. I did find that they flaked off when I ate my lunch and reapplication was a bit of a pain as it did end up looking a bit streaky. However a little bit of patience got me a long way and once reapplied, these felt better on my lips than they had when I first applied them.

If you're looking for a budget friendly liquid lipstick to dip your toe into this ever popular trend then I suggest you give these a test. Lightweight, long wearing and only £3.99 a pop, you can't go wrong with them. There are two nude shades as well if you're not a dark/red lipstick lover like me.

Available from New Look

Autumn Lip Edit

Every year come September 1st I pack away all my Summer Lipsticks and break out my Autumn Lipsticks. I even find myself counting down the days until I can whip out my forever cherished 107 from Rimmel. And alas it is time for me to share my Top 5 Autumn Lipstick picks with you all.

Primark Matte Long Last Lipstick In Movie Star 
This is the newest addition to my Autumn Lipstick collection and I'm so glad I stumbled across this in Primark. I wasn't a fan of the first lipsticks I tried from Primark, streaky, transferable and containing way too much glitter, but this one is practically perfect. A deep orangey red shade this is a perfect transitional shade from the many orangey coral shades of Summer. It does transfer which is annoying but I find that this isn't drying on the lips and doesn't go streaky if you reapply or build the colour.

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm In Sultry
My next pick this Autumn is one of my all time favourite lipsticks. I love all of the Revlon Colourburst Matte Balms but Sultry is my absolute favourite. A deep mauvey shade with a hint of brown, this is the most neutral you will see me go with my lips during this time of the year. Non drying, long wearing and easy to apply I find myself reaching for this without even thinking about it. I'm looking forward to the Revlon Autumn Lipstick launches that they keep teasing at over on Instagram.

Kate Moss For Rimmel in 107 
And of course what Autumn Lipstick Pick would it be without one of Rimmels most popular shades mentioned. 107 from Kate Moss' Matte Collection is a go to berry toned lipstick that most people break out every September. I am definitely one of those people. A beautiful deep berry tone, this lipstick is flattering on every skintone. Applying this is like second nature to me now and I think that this is my third lipstick in the eighteen months I've been wearing make up consistently. Non drying, long lasting and non drying I can easily wear this all week long and not even notice. Definitely a shade I recommend picking up if you're looking for a new Autumn Lipstick.

PS Love Velvet Matte Lipstick Crayon
Continuing the berry toned theme, my next pick is another new colour I've added to this years collection. Primark lip products got my seal of approval when they released these matte lip crayons. Easy to apply, creamy on the lips and long wearing I fell into budget lipstick heaven. This crayon is very similar to 107 from Rimmel but it ever so slight darker in tone. Still it's a beautiful berry shade that compliments a majority of skintones and goes perfectly with many outfits as well.

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Standout
Now if you've been reading my blog for a while now you'll know I'm a big fan of blue toned red lipsticks. And to say narrowing it down to one from my many was a hard task. I chose this out of them all as it was the only blue toned red I owned that had a hint of orange in it still. If you're holding back on cracking out all your Marilyn Monroe inpsired reds until Winter has truly set in then this is a perfect lipstick for you. As with Sultry, this lasts practically all day on lips and doesn't leave them dry or flaky. It's perfect for a dramatic lip that doesn't scream to over the top but is still wearable now as the light reflects the hint of orange hidden within.

So that's my Autumn Lip Edit? Were any of my picks yours? Or do you have any recommendations for ones I haven't tried yet? As always, let me know in the comments.

Review: Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick

When I first heard that Maybelline were finally releasing their matte lipsticks here in the UK, I rejoiced. I'd spent so long watching all the American Beauty Girls talking about how amazing they were but not able to test them for myself. So at the end of August when Maybelline released them I had to get my hands on one.

And I can safely say that it was well worth the wait. Maybelline released six beautiful shades, each one highly pigmented and creamy to apply. I only have Divine Wine at the moment but will definitely be buying Siren In Scarlet, Magnetic Magenta and Rose Rush. Divine Wine is this beautiful burgundy red shade that is perfect for Autumn/Winter.

When applied to the lips, it's ultra creamy and opaque in one swipe. The colour pay off is brilliant and I love how it makes my lips look slightly bigger than they actually are. It doesn't dry down on the lips in the way a normal matte finish does but doesn't transfer like a sheen finish. It's comfortable to wear and doesn't go streaky on the lips if you drink unlike other dark shades I've tried. I would advise a lip liner with this to just make the edges sharper but it's fine without one as it doesn't bleed or feather. I do find though with this lipstick that because it is so creamy it can smear slightly. I know I said they don't transfer and they don't but I can sometimes look in the mirror and there will be a dark smudge just outside my lip line. Now I don't know if I've done it or if it's the lipstick but it's another reason a lip liner would be advisable.

If I was to recommend one lipstick this Autumn then I'd recommend this shade from Maybelline definitely. Non drying, long lasting and perfect for the season ahead I say give them a swatch when your at a Maybelline counter.

Have any of you tried these? Did you like them? Let me know in the comments. 

Available from Superdrug and Boots