Sorry for my little hiatus, as mentioned in my goals post I tend to have phases of obsessing over beauty and then phases where I want nothing to do with it. I’m excited to get back into sharing my thoughts on beauty, but spoiler alert, we’re starting with quite the doozy.
Color: The 01 shade is a classic YSL shade; bright red as described by the Sephora website. Normally I would add a little more of my own thoughts but honestly, I think bright red is about as descriptive as you’d need! It’s got a pinky/orange base to create the incredible vibrance.
Finish: On application, due to the way the formula is (more on that later), it is high shine but dries down to a completely matte finish.
Packaging: The sample packaging I have varies from the full size packaging, unfortunately! My product is a clear tube with a shiny gold lid and a black YSL sticker on it. The full size tatouage product is a square shape, with a gold metal lid and “YSL” engraved into it. I will admit it does have a beautiful and luxurious look to it!
Applicator: The applicator is another huge difference between sample and full size, which I can’t help but wonder might be why application was so different and uncomfortable. The sample size product is a regular fluffy doefoot, which absorbs a lot of product and I think applied way too much. The full size applicator looks to be flat and mostly plastic, with just a small bit of fluff for comfort on application; I imagine this also regulates how much product will apply onto your lips.
Another old lip product that I dug out of my stash to review is this one! I’m sure I got this through one of the many Sephora lip kits I purchased back in the day, so it’s nice to finally be knocking some of these old product reviews out.
Color: Milky Way is a super interesting color! On my hand the swatch looks like a light peach, but on my lips it has a very strong grey undertone and looks much more cool toned. I was surprised with how different it actually looked! It’s just slightly warm enough to not make me look totally dead.
Finish: This lipstick has a cream finish; it’s not super shiny like a gloss, but has more shine than a satin.
Packaging: While this is a mini, I believe the packaging with the full size was the same. It’s a shiny black plastic, with a sharp rectangular shape. The brand name is printed on the cap in black as well, and the bottom has a sticker with information.
I’ll be honest, as much as I enjoyed reviewing the past few products, I’m so happy to be back to liquid lipsticks! Even though they’ve lost popularity in the mainstream, I still have a ton of love for them. I’ve never had issues with most of them feeling too dry, and they’re so easy for me to wear and forget about!
Color: American Woman is described on the Sephora website as a chestnut rose, which is very accurate! It has a lot of pink in it, but I still get a distinct peach to it as well, which I think comes from the chestnut part. It’s another color in the same family as MAC’s Velvet Teddy & Pat McGrath’s Omi.
Finish: Unsurprisingly with a name like “power matte”, this lipstick goes on thin and shiny but dries down to a completely flat matte.
Packaging: Even though this is a mini, the packaging is the exact same between mini and full size. It’s a rectangular acrylic tube with a small clear window on each side. Everything else is a matte black, but not their usual soft touch packaging. The lid has NARS listed across the top, with one letter on each side.
Applicator: The applicator is so unique! I don’t believe I’ve seen anything like it. Instead of a usual fluffy doefoot or paddle, it’s a small soft applicator that is thin and pointed.
The fun thing about this lipstick is that I was curious to know when I bought it, so I went back and looked at all my old Sephora orders. The bad news is that I bought it in person so I couldn’t find exactly when I bought it, but the good news is that I had a lot of fun browsing old makeup that I purchased back in the day! It’s surprising how much I actually don’t remember buying.
Color: Omi is described on Sephora as a “mid-tone rose”, which sounds relatively accurate to me. I would say it has a bit more of a peach to it than the name suggests, but I imagine to most people this would be a rose. It’s not super light or dark.
Finish: The finish of this lipstick is, as the product name implies, a matte. It does have the tiniest bit of satin to it in the swatch, but on the lips it just looks like a matte.
Packaging: The packaging is definitely the most iconic part of these lipsticks! This is just a sample size, so it doesn’t quite match the luxury of her full size products, but the appearance is still the same. It’s a glossy black tube, with a pair of gold lips as a bit of flourish on the front. The inner tube is a gold color that matches the lips.
Applicator: The shape of the product is a standard bullet.
Listen, I know what you’re thinking: Karissa, why are you reviewing a product from a brand that is completely defunct? And I would reply that yes, it is kind of silly to be doing that since you as a consumer can no longer purchase it. However, I am acutely aware of makeup waste, and in my mind, if I have a product that I don’t do any sort of review or use in any sort of capacity, it adds to that drastically. I want to make sure that even if a product is no longer available for purchase that its original purpose of being purchased for review is satisfied.
I hope that even if you can’t buy some of the products I review, you’re still entertained or learning something!
Color: Nori is an oxblood. It’s a very deep reddy-brown shade; on my lips it actually does look more brown than red, but there is so much red pulling through that I can’t confidently call it a brown.
Finish: The Amuse Bouche formula is a cream lipstick. The finish isn’t high shine like a gloss, but definitely reflects light, creating that pretty creamy look.
Packaging: The packaging of this particular lipstick is a mini, but the full sized packaging is identical to this, just bigger. It’s a soft touch matte grey tube, and the cap has a piece taken off (a bite taken out of it, if you will), reminiscent of the standard shape of a bullet lipstick.
Applicator: The shape of this is a standard bullet lipstick; the point is a bit sharper than most other bullets so that does make a difference with a shade like this.
Ever since Natasha Denona launched their first eyeshadow palettes, I’ve been curious to try them. Unfortunately, if you know anything about this brand, you know that it’s pretty pricey. As interested as I’ve been, I haven’t been able to convince myself to purchase.
When I saw this baby palette pop up under $20, I knew this was my chance. In all transparency, I know that in terms of actual value I didn’t really save anything, but based on the size of my collection, spending less money for less shadows ended up being the best option. I also got it for 10% off during the VIB sale, so that was a nice little bonus!
Packaging: I think the packaging of this palette is really pretty! It feels like a nice, solid plastic. The lid is a thick piece of acrylic that flips up completely flat. On the front is simple black font with the brand name and name of the palette the shadows are from. The hinges also are solid and lock it into place so you can set the lid however you’d like. When closing the lid, it has a solid snap shut and doesn’t feel like it will pop open accidentally; it takes a bit of force to lift it. Not enough to be hard to open, but enough to feel like it’s secure.
The base of the palette that the shadows sit in is a beautiful shiny gold. On the back is a sticker with the product name, shade names, and product information.
I went from reviewing nothing but liquid lipsticks to luck of the draw giving me tons of lip glosses! Lip gloss isn’t my favorite type of lip product, so I’m very ready to go back to a nice, matte lipstick. However, I hope that all of you gloss people are loving these reviews!
Color: Vintage is described on the ABH website as a “victorian rose”. This sounds like a pretty accurate description to me! The color is a neutral pink. In the tube there is pretty obvious gold glitters, but I couldn’t find any hint of it in the swatch or when I had it on my lips. They only became apparent after the majority of the gloss had worn off, and all that was left was a little pigment and all the glitter.
Finish: This finish is akin to a liquified lipstick more than a gloss in my opinion. It’s very thick and creamy looking, with some decent shine.
Packaging: The packaging of this gloss is pretty simple. It’s an acrylic tube with the product information and brand name printed on the side. The bottom has a sticker with the color name. The lid is a shiny black.
Applicator: The applicator is a pretty standard one for these thick glosses. It’s a large, flat paddle as opposed to a traditional shaped doefoot.
I’m pretty excited to have a review of something that is potentially, slightly relevant still and that you can still buy! Plus, this product is totally unique to anything else I have in my collection! Kaja is definitely known for their innovative spin on products, and this is no exception.
Color: Hunny Bun is considered a “peppy pink nude” on the Sephora website. This feels pretty accurate to me! Based on the swatch below, it’s definitely pink, but I wouldn’t go so far to say it’s just a pink; it’s got enough neutral to it that those of us who don’t love a true pink will still enjoy this!
Finish: As this is a lip gloss stick, the finish is definitely glossy! It’s got a little bit more of a cream and opaqueness to it than a traditional gloss, but it’s definitely more shiny than a typical cream lipstick.
Packaging: Kaja really knows how to make things different! The packaging is a solid tube that matches the color of the product, with the brand name on the side along with product information. The bottom of the tube is a button that you press to click the product up.
Applicator: The shape of the bullet is completely unique! It’s shaped like a heart, which is totally adorable and makes the name “heart melter” pretty literal since this basically melts onto your lips with how soft it is!
Application: As absolutely whimsical as the heart shaped bullet is, it unfortunately is a bit difficult to get a nice precise line, and I often found myself going outside my lip line. It’s also a bit of a game of getting enough product pressed out through the button to actually coat your lips, without pushing out too much and potentially smooshing it everywhere.
Transfer: Without shocking anyone, there is a pretty decent amount of transfer on this product. It comes off on my straw when I’m drinking, my food when I’m eating, and if I kissed the back of my hand you best bet there would be a complete print of my lips! The transfer continues throughout the life of the product.
Fading: This product is pretty unique in the sense that while it has a lot of shine, it tends to last more like a cream lipstick than a gloss! It did transfer a lot, but I felt like it still maintained it’s beautiful shine and appearance through the transferring for longer than a gloss would. Still, after a meal or a few hours I’d say you want to reapply if you want to look like you’re wearing anything.
Comfort: While it is pretty comfortable, I feel like this sits a bit heavy on the lips, more akin to a cream lipstick than a gloss. I’ve never used a formula like this before, so it’s totally possible that that’s just how it is, but I could always feel that I had something on my lips. It doesn’t feel drying, but I’m not sure that it really feels super hydrating, either. I think it leaves my lips exactly as they were when I put it on.
Overall: As cute and fun as this product is, I’m just not totally sure where it fits into my collection! The color isn’t bad, but honestly still a little too pink for my liking, and the formula, while fun, isn’t really my jam. I’m either going to use a gloss knowing it’s going to disappear, or use a cream lipstick for that slightly less shiny finish and longer wear.
All that to say, I don’t think this is a bad product at all! I actually think it’s pretty neat, and very unique. There’s a lot of people out there who I feel would enjoy this, but I’m still living my best matte liquid lipstick life, and this doesn’t really fit that the same way. Still, I might keep it around as an easy springtime option as that’s when I could see myself pulling it out.
Price Point: This lipstick can be purchased at Sephora or the Kaja Beauty website for $19! This has gone up since I bought it; I believe it was $17 back then. Either way, if you are die hard glossy lips, I think this could be worth a grab, especially when there is a sale!
A few years ago I remember the Makeup Forever liquid lipsticks launching to some hype, but it died down quickly and I really haven’t heard much since. Spoiler alert, I have no idea why, because I think I’m obsessed with this formula!! Read on to find out my specific thoughts!
Color: 105 is labeled as “Rosewood” on the MUFE website, which sounds like an accurate description to me! It is a cool toned neutral with a purple undertone.
Finish: As the name states, this is a matte finish. It goes on with a bit of a cream finish but does dry down quickly.
Packaging: I have a sample size, so the packaging is a bit different, but overall the look is the same. It’s a shiny black lid with an acrylic tube that shows the color of the lip product, with the name and information printed on the side.
Applicator: The applicator is your standard doefoot, but mine is a bit fuzzy! I don’t know if that’s because it’s an older product or if it came that way, but it doesn’t really make any difference in terms of application.
Application: The formula has a kind of soft, mousse feel instead of the usual liquid. Application for this is pretty simple, as the wand works with the size of my lips perfectly. This is definitely an opaque-in-one-swipe formula, so I easily pulled the wand out of the tube and coated my lips without having to wipe off excess or dip in again.
I did have a tendency to get a little messy around the edge of my lip, so needed to do cleanup, but it was so easy to just wipe excess product away without it smearing or staining. There is a soft, sweet scent that doesn’t linger once the product is dry, and it dries quickly.
Transfer: With the formula being a more mousse, silicone texture I found that there was more transfer than there normally is with a liquid lipstick. There was lipstick left behind on my straw and my hand if I kissed it, but as the top layer of product wore off the transfer did lessen.
Fading: Despite there being more transfer than usual, I found that there wasn’t too much fading and the color did maintain itself decently well. I would definitely consider touching it up after a messy meal or just checking up on it after about half a day if you want it to remain perfect, but I was comfortable with letting it fade naturally as it remained pretty even as it went.
Comfort: This liquid lipstick is so comfortable! The formula is more mousse then liquid, which lends to it drying down without sinking straight into my lips and pulling all the moisture out. Wearing this two days in a row without putting on any sort of balm did leave my lips feeling a bit dry about 5 hours into day 2, but this is easily remedied by just taking care of your lips (shocker!).
Overall: As alluded to in the intro, I’m in love with this formula! The color is lovely, it’s super easy to apply and isn’t patchy, and lasts while still being way comfortable. This is definitely one that I’d buy full size and encourage anyone who loves a high quality liquid lipstick to do the same!
Price Point: This lipstick can be purchased for $20, but only from the Makeup Forever website. I was surprised that I couldn’t find it anywhere else, and I think that this formula might actually be discontinued in favor of their new liquid lipstick formula. I can’t say that one is better than the other since I haven’t tried the new one, but I can say that if you love the idea of a comfortable, long lasting liquid lipstick, it’s worth shopping directly from the site!
A few years ago, I had the not so bright idea of purchasing tons of lip kits to bolster my collection – while it’s pretty cool to have a big collection, it also means that I need to eventually work through said collection and review them all, and then decide if they’re going to stick around or move to a new home.
This is one of those products that came from a Sephora kit, and now that I’ve tried it I’m so sad I waited so long to test it out!! Spoiler alert, I really enjoy this.
Color: The Urban Decay website describes Naked as a “nude-pink cream with a pearly pink shift”. For me, when this is on my lips it does look more nude than pink, but my lips are also pigmented enough that there’s not much color payoff for me either way.
Finish: The finish of this product is quintessential “gloss” – it’s exactly what you think it would be. It’s got a sheer color payoff and a lot of shine.
Packaging: The packaging for my sample does vary quite a bit from the actual lip gloss packaging. The sample is a small, round acrylic tube with a silver cap and silver printing with the product information and brand name.
The full size product is a large, square silver tube. It has panels that are acrylic and you can see the actual product through it. The cap is also silver, and has the urban decay logo embossed in it.
Applicator: This lip gloss has a standard doefoot applicator, which I don’t feel is the best for this product. It does appear that the actual applicator for the full size is a flat paddle that holds more product, which is more beneficial to this particular formula.
Application: Application of this isn’t difficult, but does take a little more time due to the applicator. The product is kind of thick, and when dipping the wand in and then taking it out there’s only enough product to cover one lip, and I actually had to dip back in twice to cover my top lip.
There is a minty scent upon application, and for about 10 minutes after I did feel like my lips had that cooling sensation that mint will provide. It didn’t feel too intense or like I was uncomfortable and had to remove it, but if you’re especially sensitive to mint I would suggest skipping on this gloss.
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