Festive Lip Edit

Who doesn't love a red lip? I love red lips in general, they suit my skintone, make me feel empowered and make me feel a little like Snow White. And I love them all year round but there's something about the festive period and Christmas that just makes me love them even more. I feel like it's the most appropriate time to wear a red lip and that everyone will automatically think you feeling that festive spirit even if you aren't. So today I'm sharing with you ten of my favourite and most worn red lipsticks that I'll be wearing from now until Christmas.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso 
Beso is my absolute favourite red lipstick ever. I always feel ridiculously happy when I'm wearing this as well as feeling more confident and put together. It's a liquid lipstick so it does dry down more than your standard matte lip but the formula's so comfortable to wear that you won't notice the difference. This is one of the brighter reds, with more of an orange undertone than a blue undertone but it still gives the same finish and you're bound to get a few compliments when wearing this.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiery 
Fiery is a deeper red shade that has more of a brown undertone running through it. This is perfect for those of you who aren't a fan of or aren't confident enough to rock a brighter red lip. It's darker tone still compliments a range of skintones and it's matte finish isn't uncomfortable or drying to wear. I do recommend wearing a lip liner with both this and Beso just to create a sharper, cleaner edge.

Kat Von D Everlasting Lipstick in Outlaw
Kat Von D's Outlaw is one of my favourite reds. It's bright, it's long wearing and it's comfortable. I wore this tons this time last year as it just screams Christmas. A little more orange toned than some in this edit but still not that orange it looks like a tomato red. It's nice in between with a lighweight formula that doesn't dry lips out or gather unattractively in the corners of your mouth. Guranteed to be worn a ton in the next few weeks.

Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink in Pioneer
If you want something that's going to last through your Christmas dinner, this Maybelline liquid lipstick is going to be your saviour. The SuperStay Matte Inks can withstand even the greasiest of foods without budging. It's formula is completely different to that of a normal matte lipstick, in fact it's a bit of a game changer, something I can't get enough of. It doesn't dry down to your traditional powder matte finish which makes it comfortable to wear for a good seven to eight hours without the need to touch up.

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte in Rich Ruby 
Maybelline's range of traditional matte lipsticks are amazing. And the shade Rich Ruby which is a dupe for Russian Red (coming up). It has a gorgeous blue tone to it that makes fairer skintones look even lighter (in a good way, think Snow White) and teeth look whiter. I love pairing this with big brows, big lashes and flawless skin. It's creamy formula sits comfortably on the lips and can easily be worn for hours without drying or becoming uncomfortable but the creaminess of it all means that it'll transfer easier than others I've shown.

Loreal X Balmain Lipstick in Domination 
I don't know if you can get this next lipstick still but I couldn't not feature it. The Loreal and Balmain collaboration lipstick in Domination is a perfect red for a multitude of skin tones. It's not a classic matte finish, it still has a little slip and slide but it doesn't transfer easily and you can happily wear it for hours at a time without the need to touch up or removing it all completely.

Gosh Velvet Matte Lipstick in Classic Red
This lipstick I know you can still buy. It's a classic blue toned red, my favourite kind in fact. Blue toned reds look stunning on so many different skintones and really add a pop to any look. This one is more of your traditional matte finish. It can feel slightly uncomfortable on the lips; not as uncomfortable as others, but a little bit of lip balm underneath or over top and you're good to go.

MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian Red 
MAC's Russian Red is one of the first true blue toned red lipsticks I fell in love with. It's that classic red shade that anyone can wear and it's comfortable matte finish means it can easily take you from day to night without the need for touch ups. It does transfer slightly but not as badly as the Lancome Absolu Velour that I was tempted to feature but decided not to after a horrifying incident last week with a tuna panini.

MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo 
Ruby Woo is one of those lipsticks that everyone recognises as soon as you utter it's name. It's one of the trickiest lipsticks ever to wear but with the right prep you can easily pull this legendary lipstick off. More of an orange red than the others, Ruby Woo is guaranteed to garner you a few compliments and I take my hat off to anyone who can wear it all day without feeling like ripping their lips off. I'd love to wear this at Christmas but my lips just wouldn't survive it.

NYX Matte Lipstick in Pure Red  
And the final lipstick in this edit, is one I'm not so sure on but it's stunning shade may appeal to some of you. Pure Red from NYX is a classic red shade that verges between being a traditional matte and a satin finish. These are comfortable to wear but do require a touch up or two throughout the day. If you don't mind a lipstick that requires a little more maintenance througout the day then you'll probably get on fine with this one. I however need something more along the lines of Matte Ink or the Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks when it comes to rocking a red lip.

Top 5 Red Lips For The Festive Period

When Decemeber rolls around there is only one lip colour I'm interested in wearing. Red. I don't want to wear neutrals or pinks or those really beautiful burgundy shades. No it's all about the red lip. When I think of Christmas and make up looks for the season I just think of a classic bold red lip. So today I'm sharing with you five of my favourite red lip products that I'll be wearing a lot throughout the month.

MAC Russian Red 
No Christmas period can go by where I don't wear Russian Red. It's like the ulitmate Christmas Red. A classic blue toned red this will suit so many skintones and compliment so many make up looks. It's a matte finish lipstick but unlike others it's not ridiculously drying on the lips or hard to wear. It's surprisngly creamy to apply and won't transfer easily unlike other 'matte' lipsticks on the market. I would advise beforehand to wear a bit of balm before application just to make sure your lips are in the best conditon they can be.

Urban Decay Matte Revolution in Bad Blood
If Russian Red isn't for you then try Bad Blood from Urban Decay. It's the same deep blue toned red shade that makes teeth look whiter and suits a multitude of skintones. It's a lot creamier to wear than Russian Red and doesn't leave lips feeling dry or cracked. It's more rounded shaped bullet makes it look like application would be harder but because of it's smooth texture this actually applies easier than some standard bullet lipsticks.

Maybelline Creamy Matte in Ruby Rush 
This is the newest addition to my collection but as soon as I swatched this shade I knew it would be the perfect Christmas Red. It's another blue toned red (sense a theme?) that works beautifully on most skintones but looks particularly striking on people with farier skintones. It's ridiculously creamy to apply and one swipe leave behind a highly pigmented opaque colour. Wear wise this is probably one of the more comfortable mattes to wear and your lips won't be crying out for moisture whilst you wear it. It does transfer but because it's so creamy, reapplication is simple, quick and easy.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam 
Moving more towards liquid lipsticks this soft matte lip cream from NYX is perfect if you don't want a full matte finish but still want something that'll stay for a while. Whilst it doesn't budge from the lips, this stunning orange based red doesn't leave them feeling dry or looking cracked. It's doe foot applicator distributes product evenly for a smooth opaque finish. The perfect option for a no fuss lip.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso
And finally we have my personal favourite. Beso is a stunning red that is has hints of orange running through it but at the same time as the deepness of a blue toned red. This a true liquid lipstick and can be very drying on the lips if their not in the best condition. However if you look after your lips before you wear this then it's a stunning long wearing colour that you'll no doubt recieve compliments on. It has a standard doe foot applicator that is just a bit more flexible than others so it sort of bends as you apply it and creates a more even line. If you've never swatched this shade I highly recommend you do, it's gorgeous.

Review: Essence Lip Liners

Lately I've had a slight obsession with lip liners and am always on the look out for new ones to try. So when I saw msbudgetbeauty do a Essence haul and show some lip liners I knew I needed to try them.

And so far I have to say I'm impressed with them. I brought three in total and of course they're darker more red toned shades as that's the ones I'd get the most use out of. From top to bottom I got Soft Berry, Red Blush and Femme Fatale. Femme Fatale is my favourite of three as it was the perfect red shade for me but I was disappointed in Soft Berry. It was very patchy in colour and did not look anything like it did in the pencil. Red Blush is a very beautiful shade but one that I haven't worn as much as I don't have many shades that match this in my collection.

Now by now I know you're all wondering how a pencil liner can be just as good as a wind up/mechanical liner. And if I'm honest I have no clue either. Apart from Soft Berry these pencils are very soft and creamy to apply making filling in your lips a dream. The colours are opaque, vibrant and long lasting in one swipe. I love to fill my entire lips in with these colours and if they don't look like they need anything over the top I leave them on their own but if I think they're lacking that little something I add a lipstick over the top.

If I was to recommend trying a colour from this range it would have to be Femme Fatale. It's a beautiful red shade that will work under so many lipsticks and on it's own on so many skintones. Matte, non drying and vibrant, these lip liners are the perfect item to have in your collection, especially this time of the year. Oh and did I mention, they're only a £1 a liner. I know, it's ridiculous how inexpensive these are yet they give brilliant results. I highly recommend trying this out when you're near an Essence counter next.

Have you tried these? Did you like them? Do you have any colour recommendations for me? Let me know in the comments.

Top 5 Red Lipsticks

It's December and to me December means two things. Christmas and red lips. As it's coming up to the festive season I find myself wearing red lipstick everyday as I find it makes me feel more christmassy than I already am. So today I thought I'd share with you my Top 5 Red Lipsticks that I will be wearing up obsessively until Christmas.

MAC Russian Red
It wouldn't be a Top 5 Red Lip post without this lipstick. This is one of my holy grail lipsticks. It's matte, it's red and it looks gorgeous on, what more could you ask for from a lipstick. If you treat yourself to one slightly higher end lipstick this year I recommend it be this one. A long wearing matte formula that doesn't dry lips out, you can eat, drink, kiss and much more with this on and it won't budge. It's one of those beautiful classic blue toned reds that suits so many skintones and makes teeth look whiter when worn. Definitely one to swatch when you're in MAC next.

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Standout 
My second red lipstick is one from the high street. It's the Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Standout. It's more a tomato shade than a blue toned shade but I love how this wears. It's long lasting, non drying and is so forgiving on the lips. They can be the driest lips in the world and this will still glide beautifully across the lips and leave them looking hydrated and saturated with colour. It also comes in a chubby stick form so it's easy to apply and you don't have to worry about wearing a lip liner underneath if you don't want to.

MAC Ruby Woo 
Now this is probably the most unforgiving lipstick in the world and I advise only wearing it when you have ultra moisturised, smooth lips. It's MAC's Ruby Woo another tomato red shade that looks beautiful on a host of skintones. Unfortunately it's a bit of a pain to wear as it's a Retro Matte finish and is like putting powder on your lips. I love wearing this colour but hate the dragging sensation on my lips when I apply it.

Maybelline Color Drama Lip Pencil in Red Essential 
Up next is another high street lip product that gives high end results. Meet the Maybelline Color Drame Lip Pencil in Red Essential. It's another blue toned red shade that suits every skintone, especially all you fair girls out there. I love how creamy this is to apply and how it doesn't dry lips out when your wearing it. Being in pencil form means it's easy to apply and can even be used a lip liner if you don't have one at hand but need to line your lips. It's an brilliant inexpensive dupe for the Nars Matte Lip Pencils so if you've had your eye on them these a good alternative at half the cost.

Urban Decay Matte Revolution in Bad Blood 
And finally my latest red lipstick has well and truly made it into my holy grail lipsticks. This is the Urban Decay Matte Revolution in Bad Blood. It's a mixture of a classic blue red and a tomato red which makes it such a unique shade of red. The bullet itself isn't shaped like most lipsticks which I thought would make it harder to apply but it's just as easy and the creamy formula of this means it glides on and gives lips a rich pigmented colour that doesn't streak or bleed. It's a long lasting formula that isn't extremely drying on the lips but at the end of the day you do know you've been wearing it. I know this is one I'm going to be getting a lot of wear out of.

So that's it for my Top 5 Red Lipsticks. Have any of you tried any of these? What are your top 5 lipsticks? Let me know in the comments.

L'Oréal Does Matte Lips

When it comes to high street brands and matte lips there is a distinct lack of products out there. So I thought I would start a series where I try out all the matte lip products that each brand have to offer. The first brand I'm going to go with is L'Oréal for no other reason that it was jotted down as an idea in my Blog Idea Book. 

When it comes to matte lip products L'Oréal don't have a very wide selection unlike other brands which will come later in the series. However the matte products they do have I'm impressed by and am going to talk you throw them below. 

This is my latest L'Oréal addition but it's very quickly become my favourite. It is one of the L'Oréal Color Riche Lipsticks. It's in the shade 430 Mon Jules and was a new release earlier in the year when L'Oréal did a shade shake up with their Color Riche Lipsticks. This is one of about 5 shades that they released with a matte finish. A dark burgundy red, this is very creamy and easy to apply to the lips. However it doesn't dry down to a true matte finish, at best it's a satin finish as it doesn't budge but doesn't have dryness that comes with most matte finish lipsticks. If you're looking for a new dark lipstick for autumn/winter then I recommend you swatch this when you're next at a L'Oréal stand. 

 This is one of the newer products that L'Oréal have brought out but for me it's also one of the most disappointing. The L'Oréal Infalliable Mega Gloss is a replacment for their Glam Shine Lip Glosses. Unlike the Glam Shine Glosses they had a selection of matte shades and the first thing that disappointed me was that all three shades were very similar in colour. I have the shade 407 Smoke Me Up a brilliant deep raspberry shade. The applicator really impressed me and reminded me a lot of the YSL applicators but apart from that this product really didn't impress me. As a liquid lipstick I expected it to dry down to a long wearing matte finish but it didn't and transferred at the slightest touch. It was also hard to apply and as much as I love the colour I don't find myself reaching for this as much as I hoped. 

The last matte offering L'Oréal have is their largest collection of matte lipsticks. It's the Collection Exclusive Pure Reds collection. It consists of four different matte red shades and it's truly a brilliant collection. More matte than any other product, these are still creamy and apply beautifully to the lips. It doesn't feel drying on the lips and whilst there is still a slight bit of transfer it is barely noticable unlike other lipsticks. I have two shades from the range, Blake's Red and Liya's Red. Blake's Red is that blue toned blue and reminds me a lot of MAC's Russian Red whereas Liya's Red looks like a blue toned red in the bullet but actually is more tomato red on the lips. I'll put a picture of Liya's Red underneath.  It may only have a small shade range but this collection really does have a shade to suit anyone. It's another range I recommend swatching when you're at a L'Oréal stand next.

 Overall I like the L'Oréal matte lipsticks but not as much as I do other ranges that are available on the high street. There is also a new Pink Matte Collection but I haven't tried it out so didn't think it fair to mention it. I will be doing a full review though when I've tired it. 

Have you tried any of these products? Did you like them? Or did you prefer other brands? Let me know in the comments. 

Review: Lancôme L'Absolu Velours

Over the last few weeks I've been accumulating some new lip products. There is a mixture of new releases and older products that I've only gotten round to trying now. So as I'm free from work for the week I thought I'd post a review on each collection or product each day this week. So let Lip Product Week commence.

This purchase was entirely down to Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup, she feautred this in one of her videos and I knew that I had to have one. It's slightly more higher end than I'd usually go for but when I swatched it in Boots I knew I had to have one. If you're wondering what the it is, it's the Lancôme L'Absolu Velour liquid lipstick.

The shade I went for was 197 Velours De Grenade, a brilliant blue toned red. I swatched this in the shop and was not only impressed by the shade but by how opaque it applied to my hand. A small amount of this goes a long way and one swipe leaves lips covered in an opaque coat of vibrant colour.

The doe foot applicator is big enough to help application but not too big that you get it everywhere you didn't want it. The pointed end makes it easier to create a line, whether it's drawing in your cupids bow or touching up the lip line. As well as being pointed, the applicator is very flexible and you don't have to worry about it not working with the shape of your lips. I love the flexibility of the doe foot as it makes it ten times easier to create a smooth line, especially when I'm drawing in my cupids bow. One thing to watch with the applicator is that it can sometime apply too much product but I always wipe any excess off on the inner rim of the tube so I get a smooth, non streaky colour. I'll pop in a close up of the applicator so you can see it in more detail.

It does take a few seconds to dry but doesn't smudge or go streaky if you accidentally bump it. Afterwards you're left with a vibrant, long lasting and non drying formula. And that's what I love so much about this product. It doesn't dry lips out, I've tried many a matte red lip and by the end of the day my lips feel chapped and dry but not with this one. When it dries down it dries to a velvet finish on the lips that feels comfortable to wear for long periods of time. It does transfer ever so slightly but it's barely noticable on the lips. It does feel quite slippy on the lips but doesn't go streaky if you press your lips together or smudge it by accident.

I'm not sure if it's just because I'm not really into buying high end make up or if it's the product itself but I think I expected more for the price. I have a few more less pricey products that to me give better results and are easier to work with but if you're a fan of high end make up or even of Lancôme then I suggest you look into these.

Have any of you tried this? Do you have any recommendations of similar products? Let me know in the comments.