lip swatch – Karissa Talks Beauty

Hello friends!

I am of the opinion that theBalm is a pretty underrated brand in the beauty sphere! They have their popular products like the Mary-Loumanizer or their eyeshadow palettes, but everything else doesn’t seem to get quite the same hype. Today I’m sharing my review on one of their lip products; their creamy lip stain.

Color: Namaste is a deep, warm pink. It looks slightly more neutral upon application, but wears into a fuchsia throughout the day.

Finish: As the name suggests, this lip stain’s finish is definitely a cream, similar to that of a bullet lipstick but with less opacity. It’s not quite shiny like many glosses, but does hold a similar vibe to one.

Packaging: theBalm is definitely known for their cute, vintage looking packaging featuring various people, and this isn’t an exception. The tube is a matte grey plastic, with a cute sticker in it featuring a red head saying the shade name. Each shade has a different character on it, which is a nice touch.

Applicator: The applicator is your standard doefoot. I didn’t feel like the shape helped or hindered in applying this product.

Application: I found getting an even application with this color to be a bit tricky, as it’s not fully opaque. I had to be careful to not swipe back and forth too much, or I would risk pulling up the product I’d already put on my lips and making it look patchy. One layer was the best bet for getting an even application, however I still wasn’t completely happy with the evenness of it.

I also had a bit of difficulty with getting the edges of my lips, as product would want to bunch up and leave a thick line – with many other products it’s easy to fix, but with this one I had to carefully dab it away or risk a more patchy appearance. I found it easiest to press and rub my lips together to disperse excess product.

Continue reading “theBalm theBalmJour Creamy Lip Stain “Namaste” | Review” →

bullet lipstick, lip products

MAC Electric Wonder Collection Matte Lipstick “Life in Sepia” | Review

April 27, 2020October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello friends!

Last year, MAC came out with arguably the most beautiful collection known to exist, a.k.a the Electric Wonder. With gorgeous packaging and popular, wearable shades this was sure to draw the eyes of anyone interested in traditionally feminine, “instagramable” packaging. I, of course, was no exception!

Color: Life in Sepia is a cool, mid-toned brown. On the lips, it definitely has a grey undertone – this is the kind of color that most people either love or hate. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a vampy color, but it is definitely darker than a traditional nude.

Finish: As the name suggests, this is a matte finish. Even when it goes on there is very little shine, which quickly fades into a flat appearance.

Packaging: Unsurprisingly, the packaging of this lipstick is its selling point. It is a gorgeous pink marble, with veins of metallic gold scattered throughout. The inner portion of the tube is a matte gold, along with the small bit that peeks out and the MAC printed on it. The actual shape of the tube is a traditional MAC bullet lipstick.

Applicator: The shape of the actual lipstick is basic – just like any other lipstick shape with a traditional tear drop shape and a point.

Application: Applying this lipstick was as easy as any other bullet lipstick. Even after wearing it down a bit, I didn’t have problems with getting straight lines. One thing I will point out is that this particular shade is one that shows my natural lip colors on the edges if I don’t cover them completely. That just meant I had to be a little extra careful to make sure I got all the edges otherwise you could see pink, which looked a bit strange.

One other thing that is incredibly important to point out is the strong vanilla scent that MAC lipsticks have. This one is no exception – I could smell it upon application and for about 5 minutes after.

Continue reading “MAC Electric Wonder Collection Matte Lipstick “Life in Sepia” | Review” →

lip gloss, lip products

Ofra Cosmetics x Madison Miller Lip Gloss “Smiley For Ryleigh” | Review

April 20, 2020October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello friends!

I will forever talk about how much I adore Ipsy, and this is part of the reason why! I was able to get this lip gloss as part of my bag – I love being able to try new collections from brands I enjoy!

Color: This is a mostly transparent peach gloss with tons of glitter. There is a hint of peach color in the base, but for the most part it’s clear with shimmer.

Finish: The finish of this is shiny, but more so I’d say this is a glitter finish gloss due to the lack of base pigment.

Packaging: The packaging of this gloss is a beautiful matte white cap with a plain acrylic tube and Ofra written on the cap. The product information is white, printed on the tube, and appears to have Madison Miller’s signature on it.

Applicator: The applicator functions like a basic doefoot, however it does have an interesting curve to it and a bit of a “chair” shape. I’m not sure if that really improves the application, but it is kind of fun.

Application: Application of this gloss is pretty easy. I dipped into the tube twice; once for each lip. Since the base is mostly clear I wasn’t too worried about going outside of the lip lines. One thing I do want to caution is that it can look streaky and clumpy upon initial application until you “blend” with the doefoot – so I’d be careful about applying without a mirror. You could also rub your lips together to distribute the pigment a bit more, but it was something I had noticed. This is me being nit picky!

There is a very sweet vanilla scent that dissipates after application.

Continue reading “Ofra Cosmetics x Madison Miller Lip Gloss “Smiley For Ryleigh” | Review” →

lip products, liquid lipstick

Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick “Babe Alert” | Review

April 6, 2020October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello friends!

Aside from primers, one product that really worked for Smashbox was their liquid lipsticks! So many people discussed them when they first came out, and even years later I still hear people talk about these being a favorite formula.

Color: Babe Alert is a corally-pink nude. It’s got a warm undertone, and is mostly pink but feels more wearable than what I’d consider a “true pink”. Sephora and Ulta both describe this as a “nude rose” – I’d say more rose than nude.

Finish: This lipstick dries down to a completely flat matte finish. Even upon initial application the actual appearance of the dry down was pretty quick; there wasn’t any period of shine.

Packaging: The lipstick that I have is a sample size, but the packaging is similar between the full size and sample size. It is a large square acrylic tube with a black cap. The label is printed directly on the tube and doesn’t appear to be a sticker.

Applicator: The applicator on this lip product is a tear drop shape with a hole (also known as a well) in the center that holds extra product. It’s got a bit of a fuzzy texture to it but I didn’t find that there was any problems with that making the edges less crisp.

Application: Applying this lipstick is very easy. The teardrop shape made getting a sharp line simple, and the well holds enough product to cover both lips without having to dip back in.

I did feel like even with applying the normal amount that comes on the applicator, the product felt thick going on. This, in turn, played in to the amount of time that it took for the product to dry & I believe also played into how it looked later on.

Continue reading “Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick “Babe Alert” | Review” →

bullet lipstick, lip products

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick “Fire & Ice” | Review

March 30, 2020October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello friends!

One thing I love about really popular, classic brands like Revlon is that they’ve been around long enough to establish cult products. One such product, though less popular than another red of theirs, is Fire & Ice!

I was fortunate enough to find this color on clearance, and knew I needed to snatch it up right away!

Color: Fire & Ice is a warm red that leans a bit coral – there is a strong orange-pink undertone to it.

Finish: This lipstick is a cream finish. I’d say it would lean a bit more towards matte than lustrous like a gloss, but it’s not quite satin. Interestingly, it’s also relatively sheer.

Packaging: The packaging looks incredibly classic. The tube is a glossy black, with a clear window on the top of the cap so you can see the lipstick color when looking down at it. When you pull the lid off it’s a shiny gold with Revlon printed on it.

Applicator: This is a standard cut bullet; there’s nothing special or unique about the shape.

Application: I found application on this lipstick to be as easy as any other traditional bullet lipstick. The point is just sharp enough that you can get a crisp line relatively easily, though I imagine that the more you wear it down the harder it will be to get that even line.

One thing that I struggled with was needing to build up opacity on this particular color. I would typically swipe about three times to get the opacity level I wanted. While it would look opaque from normal talking distance, when looking up close you could definitely see the darkness of my lips poking through still.

Continue reading “Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick “Fire & Ice” | Review” →

lip products, liquid lipstick

Jolii Cosmetics Luxe Creme Matte Lipstick “Focoso” | Review

February 17, 2020October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello friends!

I found the brand Jolii Cosmetics on Ipsy, and would absolutely never have heard of them had I not gotten this liquid lipstick in a bag. Before even trying this out I bought another three colors, so you’ll be seeing more reviews in the future!

Something I would like to point out is that the Jolii Cosmetics website states that this product is Made in Italy; however, the label on my lipstick states that it was Made in China. I emailed to get clarification but never heard back from the brand. With the recent controversies with BoxyCharm & Ciate London, I thought this was important information to share if it could influence your purchasing decision.

Color: Focoso is a purple-based brown with neutral undertones. I’d say the brown makes it look warmer, while the purple balances it as a generally cooler color. On the lips it definitely pulls more red-brown.

Finish: The Luxe Creme Matte formula is one that dries down mostly matte but still has just a touch of sheen to it. As it wears throughout the day the sheen does disappear and leave a completely matte look.

Packaging: I love the packaging of this lipstick! The gold cap and frosted tube really makes it look lux. My one complaint is that the words on the tube seem to be rubbing off, similar to the way that ColourPop lip products do.

Applicator: This applicator is just a basic doefoot, but it does work well with the mousse formula. There is no need for a well or pointed edge to make application easier.

Application: I found that because the formula was relatively thick instead of being watery like many liquid lipsticks, it was easy to apply and get in a smooth line. I never had to dip back into the tube for more product, and it went on evenly and opaque in one swipe with enough for both lips.

Continue reading “Jolii Cosmetics Luxe Creme Matte Lipstick “Focoso” | Review” →

bullet lipstick, lip products

Colourpop Creme Lux Lipstick “Belle” | Review

September 23, 2019October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello friends!

In true Colourpop fashion, when I ordered from their website I just had to get free shipping, so I put a few things in my cart to make it up to $30 – no surprise the stunning Disney collection helped get me there!

Color: Belle is a deep mauve-pink with warm undertones. It’s definitely on the neutral side in terms of a pink, but I don’t think I could say it’s a nude like I had originally thought when purchasing. Colourpop’s website describes it as a “rosy berry”, which I think is very accurate.

Finish: Despite the name of this lipstick being “creme”, I think the finish is closer to a satin-cream. It’s not as creamy looking as other bullet lipsticks, but there is a bit of shine so it’s not a flat matte either.

Continue reading “Colourpop Creme Lux Lipstick “Belle” | Review” →

lip products, liquid lipstick

BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipstick “Hemp” | Review

July 12, 2019October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello Friends!

I have a habit of buying lipsticks from Marshall’s on the regular, and I thought that this was a really beautiful color to try! When this formula first launched, I heard a lot of buzz about how nice these were, so I wanted to test it for myself!

Color: Hemp is a pale peachy nude with a pink undertone. In some lighting it looks more nude, and in others it pulled very orange; almost coral. I would still consider this a bright peach nude though!

Finish: After first being applied it has a demi-matte appearance, but it did end up drying down to a very flat matte like a traditional liquid lipstick.

Packaging: I think the packaging of this is really beautiful! It has a black cap and stripe, with a tube that fades from frosted to clear.

Applicator: The applicator of this is a long, flat and rounded tip doefoot that works well to gather enough product for application.

Continue reading “BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipstick “Hemp” | Review” →

lip products, liquid lipstick

Tarte Sugar Rush Sugar Coat Velvet Liquid Lipstick “Cupcake” | Review

June 28, 2019October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello friends!

This year, Tarte has come out with a sister brand called Sugar Rush, which appears to be for a younger audience. The prices are cheaper, and the packaging is a lot more fun and childish-looking compared to a lot of their normal products (depending on which specific collection you look at!).

Color: Cupcake is a my lips but better shade! It’s a medium mauve color with slight warm undertones that look just a touch orange on me. The color is mostly brown.

Finish: True to it’s name, the finish of this is definitely a velvety matte. It doesn’t look like a traditional matte lipstick finish, but there’s not any shine to it.

Packaging: I really love the packaging of this! The entire tube is a soft material that feels slightly NARS-ish, but the color matches the lipstick shade and product information is printed directly on it. It’s very basic otherwise, and the logo is black with that cute diamond symbol that signifies the Sugar Rush collection. The top of the lid has a golden diamond.

Continue reading “Tarte Sugar Rush Sugar Coat Velvet Liquid Lipstick “Cupcake” | Review” →

lip products, liquid lipstick

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip “Viper” | Review

June 21, 2019October 20, 2022 Karissa

Hello friends!

A while back, I made a giant Colourpop order, and part of the reason was for the free lipsticks you would get for spending a certain amount! This was one of the lipsticks that I was excited to get for free.

Color: Viper is described on the Colourpop website as a “true dusty rose”, which is mostly accurate! I’d add that there’s a definite purple appearance to it when it dries down completely, whereas I would consider rose to be a more pink shade. It’s also darker than how it looks in the tube, which is a bit deceiving, so be aware!

Finish: True to its name, Viper is definitely a matte lip. It’s got the very traditional, completely flat matte appearance which ends up clinging to every single crevice in my lips.

Packaging: The packaging of this is very basic; just a plain tube, silver chrome accents, and shiny writing for the label. I’ve had this lipstick for long enough that the writing has actually completely faded off – you can still see where it was, but there’s no actual indication from a quick glance anymore.

The stopper in this particular shade seems to be defective. There’s a ton of excess product that appears to almost be leaking out despite the fact that I always keep my Coloupop lips upright. I’m assuming that it’s just from me having to wipe the extra product from the doefoot off and it staying at the top of the tube. My wand is also really messy looking and overall I’m not super pleased with it.

Continue reading “Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip “Viper” | Review” →