Best Lipsticks Shades For Winter

January 6, 2015January 5, 2015 - Vicki 6 Comments

Favourite WInter Lipstick Colours

Top WInter Lipsticks

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Mrs Mia Wallace*

This beautiful bright ruby red lipstick was part of Urban Decay’s Pulp Fiction Collection. The colour is so intense & I love it. I’m not one to normally wear such bold colours but this is so pretty I love wearing it. The formula is creamy and feels smooth and nice on the lips, this colour does bleed a little but nothing a lip pencil can’t help with. The packaging is as luxurious as the product, it comes in a sleek black bullet with UD embossed on the lid & inside you get a pop of purple.

If you have tried any of the Revolution Lippies let me know what colours you’d recommend as I’d love to try a few more.

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Galaxy

This gloss is a deep plum colour and it looks extremely pigmented and glossy on the lips. It’s really pretty for nights out and I find it easy to apply with the doe foot applicator, but be careful you don’y apply to much. I tend to wipe most of the excess product off the applicator before applying it to my lips. Do note that a little goes a really long way with these. This tube has lasted a year so far & I still have so much product left.

Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick in Hot 401*

This is a very pretty deep berry shade, it is so long wearing and applies very smoothly on the lips. It is marketed as a CC Lipstick as it has the moisturising qualities of a lip balm and the pigmentation of a lipstick and I find that this formula looks quite glossy on the lips. I like the formula a lot & like how hydrating it is without compromising on pigmentation Can I just say how luxurious the packaging is too, it has a magnetic close and I love the deep red bullet.

Winter Lipstick Swatches

Collection Lasting Colour Lipstick in Sugar Plum

This is my favourite affordable lipstick, its a bold pink colour and looks fresh and pigmented on the lips. It brightens up my look & feels nice on the lips. I wouldn’t say this formula was long wearing but I don’t mind reapplying this throughout the day. Its a pretty colour so I will forgive its not so good staying power.

DHC Premium Lipstick in Rich Raspberry*

I wore this a lot in the Summer but I think its the perfect shade for Winter too. I love berry’s all year really. If you like your lipstick to be hydrating, easy to apply and fresh looking then you will love this one. I find that it lasts a nice amount of time on me, a good couple of hours. If you are eating and drinking they will wear off as they’re a satin finish and quite buttery on the lips but topping them up is so easy too! The packaging of this lipstick is beautiful, the casing is a stunning mix of gold and silver with etched flower detailing. They look very pretty and feel luxurious.

Lord & Berry Twistick in Shut Up*

I love lip crayons and this one is my absolute favourite. They’re a 3 in 1 lip product with the moisturising benefit of a lip balm, the colour of a lipstick and a gloss finish. Perfect! Shut Up is a berry pink and it’s pigmented and very easy to apply. I always have this in my handbag as its so easy to apply on the go & I think the colour is flattering day or night. You can build up the pigmentation to look quite bold or just sweep across your lips for a wash of colour.

Korres Lip Butter in Wild Rose

Such an old faithful of mine. I have been through a couple of these. Its a lip balm with great pigmentation. I like that it doesn’t fell sticky or greasy on the lips. It adds a beautiful pinch of colour and I find that although it is a lip balm in texture the colour is quite long-lasting. Wild Rose is a pretty red berry colour and perfect for daytime. I want to try a few more of these as I just love this one and think they’re great value for money. I featured the Korres Lip Butter in my Winter Makeup edit if you’d like to read it

I have to say I have been enjoying quite a few Korres products lately & its a brand I want to try more from so if you have recommendations let me know.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Barry M Stain Paints

September 15, 2014April 12, 2017 - Vicki 16 Comments

I was lucky enough to win 3 Barry M Stain Paints* on Twitter a couple of weeks ago and I have been wearing all 3 shades so much. I have tried Barry M nail polishes, blushers and eyeshadows but never their lip products. I’m really impressed by these new Stain Paints and really hope they add a few more shades to the line, because at the moment there are only 3 colours.

The first thing that stands out is the shiny silver and black packaging, it really catches your eye. It’s a little different to the typical lipstick packaging and I really like it.

As I said BarryM have only released three shades so far & they’re

Infinite Pink – A very pretty fushia pink

Eternal Coral – A lovely red coral

Absolute Burgandy – A deep wine toned red

All three shades are really nice to apply, they glided on with ease and felt quite creamy on my lips. I wouldn’t say they dried to a matte finish as they have a slight shine to them. The formula didn’t feel drying at all and all three shades are very bold. So if you like to wear more subtle lip colours these won’t be for you or you might want to blot the colour so it’s not so intense. These offer you the pigment of a lipstick with the staying power of a lip stain. BarryM have done very well with these, I like all the colours but if I had to pick one favourite it would be Eternal Coral – for me this is the easiest colour to wear.

All three shades are very bold so these have been pushing me to be more adventurous with my lip colour. They pack a punch & I was surprised how little the colour dulled throughout the day. Even after eating and drinking the product was still bold on my lips and the colour wasn’t patchy or uneven. I would say these lasted a good 3 hours but after that they needed a touch up which on me is great as lip colours tend to fade & rub off so easily on my lips.

These Stain Paints are purse friendly but don’t compromise on quality. If you have a BarryM stand near you go and swatch these, they’re all beautiful.

BarryM Stain Paints £4.49 each

DHC Premium Lipsticks

August 9, 2014October 26, 2018 - Vicki 13 Comments

Cult Japanese brand DHC is very well known for their skincare and I love their Cleansing Oil and Eye Masks but they also have a makeup line which includes Lipsticks, Eyeliners, Blushers and a few other products. They have recently released a line of Premium Lipsticks and these come in 6 easy to wear shades. I have been testing 3 of the colours.

The first thing you notice is the packaging, they have a very high-end look and feel to them, the casing is a stunning mix of gold and silver with etched flower detailing. They look very pretty and feel luxurious. The only downside to the packaging is the fact they don’t have the product names on, the boxes have only the number and the lipstick themselves have neither.

The three shades I have are all quite muted and perfect as everyday options. These lipsticks are almost an extension of DHC’s skincare line and brand ethos in that they have an underline skincare benefit too as These lipsticks ‘fight the signs of ageing in two ways, firstly by using Pure Colour Technology which contains micronized pigment to deflect light, creating a plump and 3D lip effect and secondly by reducing the appearance of vertical lines with ingredients such as macadamia oil, olive oil and rice bran oil to moisturise, collagen and sodium hyaluronic to lock in moisture and vitamin A and geranium to protect and condition’.

All three of the ones I have are rich in colour and the formula is soft, hydrating and it glides on the lips effortlessly. They have a satin finish, no shimmer (which is good) they leave your lips looking fresh, plumo and with a pop of colour. The three colours I have are,

OE112 Bold Permission* – This is a glossy peach toned nude, this makes my lips look healthy and like I have lipstick on but nothing too bold. Its a nice nude with a hint of peach, its a great colour for warming up your complexion

RS107 Rich Raspberry* – This is the brightest of the three colours I have and it’s a stunning raspberry pink – true to its name. This looks so pretty on the lips and I think its the ideal Summer shade. It’s just such a bright, fresh looking colour.

BE111 Rose Gold* – This is more of a true nude although it leans more to a brown on my lips, this is such an easy colour to wear. Its most definitely a My Lips But Better colours. It makes my lips look plump, smooth and very healthy. I love having this colour in my handbag as I can apply it on the go, no mirror needed.

If you like your lipstick to be hydrating, easy to apply and fresh looking then these DHC Premium Lipsticks are for you. I find that they last a good amount of time on me, a good couple of hours. If you are eating and drinking they will wear off as they’re a satin finish and quite buttery on the lips but topping them up is so easy too! I have had these on rotation since I got them and have really enjoyed wearing them.

As I said the packaging is beautiful and they look a lot more expensive than they are.

These are really easy to get your hands on because Escentual have started stocking DHC skincare and makeup so that’s great news. You can also find them at DHC Online.

DHC Premium Lipstick – 2.4g for £13.00 – currently in the sale for £10.40

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However, if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Top Essence Makeup Picks

July 17, 2014July 17, 2014 - Vicki 20 Comments

I have been working my way through the very generous goodie bag I received at the Essence Makeup Launch last month. There have been so many gems & a couple of misses too but I thought I would share with you 8 of my top picks. If you didn’t already know Essence is a very affordable German makeup brand that’s very popular not only in Europe but also worldwide and they have launched in all branches of Wilkinsons in the UK & also online. So we are all able to get our hands on them, very exciting.

Quick & Easy Sponge Nail Polish Remover £3.00

A lazy girls best friend, quite a few brands are doing these now just a big sponge soaked in nail polish but they’re so handy for quick nail polish removal & this Essence one is budget friendly & works a treat. It is also acetone free

Essence Kabuki Brush £4.00

Black & Pink …. how cute right! This is comparable to my elf Kabuki Brush which I have used almost daily since buying it 2 years ago. This Essence one has been taking its place, I apply my bronzer or face powder with this & its does a very good job. No shedding and the bristles are soft. I have washed it a couple of times and it comes up clean & goes back into shape.

Essence Colour To Go Nail Polish in 128 Lets Get Lost £1.60

I love this colour & this is the shade I picked at the event (as they had lovely ladies doing nails). Its a stunning vibrant summery blue, this lasted so well on my nails I wore it for a full week with minimal chipping. I now have this colour on my toes and my love for it is only growing. I have to say that if there was one thing Essence does very very well its all things nail related. They have a huge selection of polishes, decals and everything you could want for nail art. I have used a few polishes and I haven’t found a dud yet.

Essence Studio Nails Better Than Gel Nails Top Coat £2.50

OMG! This is my new favourite top coat, it has replaced my Orly and I can’t see me picking up anything else. This applies very glossy and dries in a couple of minutes to a very hard but ever so shiny finish. I have applied this over every manicure since I came home with it & its helping my manicure stay in place and looking fresh for a week at a time. It really is living up to its name.

Essence Quad in 05 To Die For £3.00

This is a good neutral quad, the two darker colours are a lot more pigmented but if you wear a primer and take a little more time over applying the lighter 2 shades you can get them to work. This a great quad for achieving a brown smoky eye. The two light shades have a slight shimmer to them & so to does the more copper toned brown, then you also get a fantastic dark brown matte colour. The lighter colours give a little fallout but nothing that can’t be cleaned up when you have finished, all the colours are easy to apply and to blend. I’ve really been enjoying using this quad & want to try a few more colour options.

Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in Blush My Lips 12 £2.30

This has to be my favourite product from the whole goodie bag. Its a bright pink creamy lipstick. It goes on the lips so smoothly and the colour is vibrant and beautiful. This is long wearing & thats on me (I’m terrible for lippies wearing off so fast & going patchy) but this one is great. The packaging feels more expensive than it is & the lipstick doesn’t have that cheap scent that many budget friendly ones have. Its a big hit with me & I have a few other shades that are also just as good but this pink stood out for me, it pretty & the perfect Summer shade.

Essence Big Bright Eyes in highlight it ….. pearly £2.00

This is a cream coloured pencil which is fantastic under the brow bone or in the inner corner of your eye to brighten & highlight that area. This has a lovely creamy texture and a pretty iridescent finish so it catches the light. A staple in your makeup bag, especially if you like your eyes to look fresh & bright.

Essence Eyebrow Tweezers £2.00

Not as exciting as the pink lip stick but never the less still a vital part of my beauty regime. A good pair of tweezers is a must & these look cute and get the job done. Enough said ….. tweezers that work & look cute

If you have tried any products from Essence let me know what you loved & also what not to buy.

I received these Essence products at a recent event. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Let's talk beauty

Unbiased beauty product reviews & tips

Lipstick

Best Lipsticks Shades For Winter

Barry M Stain Paints

DHC Premium Lipsticks

Top Essence Makeup Picks