e.l.f. Essential Lipsticks

Adding on to my swatching of e.l.f. products, here are hand swatches of 10 of their Mineral Lipsticks. The most inexpensive of the ranges, they are only $1.00, available here. Color pay off and texture tended to vary widely, although there were a few I was very happily surprised on!

Nostalgic, Captivating, Fantasy, Voodoo, Seductive

And the fun ones in my opinion...

Classy, Flirtatious, Fearless, Gypsy, Sociable

These are very soft and break very easily, and they don't always twist back down if you twist them up, packing is fairly cheap but then again, so is the price tag. And e.l.f. is ALWAYS having a sale. if you go to their site and they recognize you and you don't buy anything, they email you right away with a sale. Crazy talk.

My faves? Sociable, Gypsy, and Fearless just because it's summer and I'm into bright colors right now. Neutral wise I wear a lot of Seductive to work.

e.l.f. Matte Lip Colors

I've got 5 of the Matte Lip Color pencils. These are pretty cool, twist up pencils that provide good color pay off and are long lasting. They will settle into fine lines but can be reapplied during the day without balling or crumbling on the lips.

Natural, Coral, Nearly Nude, Praline, Rich Red (Bottom to top)

These all have great pigment and went on nice and smooth. They weren't glossy but didn't dry down to a complete matte finish. Perhaps suede? My lips didn't feel dry. The color lasted awhile, not all day, but you can reapply without it balling up or crumbling on your lips. 

Natural, Coral, Nearly Nude, Praline, Rich Red (top to bottom)

I tried to get a nice color representation on these so I've done them all out in sunlight.

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Natural

Natural is a neutral light pink leaning nude. Very flattering, easy to wear. Neutral. Slightly pink leaning against my yellow toned skin. Settles info fine lines like CRAZY.

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Coral

Coral is a orange leaning nude. Very flattering, I've worn this one often.

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Nearly Nude

Nearly Nude is a gorgeous neutral beige. Again, settled into lip lines like CRAZY. Made for someone with more plump lips than mine. So flattering though.

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Praline

Praline is a warm yellow brown, think Allie McBeal 90s brown. Nice throwback but not something I'd wear daily.


And the best for last...

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Rich Red

Rich Red is a bright pink toned cherry red. Goes on more sheer and glossy than I would have expected for a matte lip pencil but I think it makes it look more wearable. I can't wait to wear this all summer long.


e.l.f Studio Matte Lip Color pencils are available here for $3.00/ea. My faves? Rich Red. Then maybe Natural, and Coral.

Fashionista

Fashionista... I am not. But I do wear the color.

e.l.f. lip stain in Fashionista is a bright pink lip stain. Well, not really a lip stain, more like a long lasting lip stick. You may remember this post when I mentioned they were like the old school Cover Girl long lasting lip colors (or still are, I'm not that up to date on the Cover Girl lines except for their 3-in-1 foundation that I loooooooove, but don't get me started on that!). It applies to the lips in an opaque color, really likes to move so you can't rub your lips together, and then you let it dry and set. It doesn't soak into your lips like a true stain. There is a gloss to add but the color comes off a bit on the doe foot applicator which isn't a big deal. The color stays fairly well but by lunch time if you're talking or eating or drinking, it'll start to ball up.

elf lip stain Fashionista

Please excuse the pic quality. My camera is missing so all pics are from my iPhone.

elf lip stain Fashionista (right, solo. left, with gloss)

 And bigger photos...

elf lip stain Fashionista, no gloss

elf lip stain Fashionista, with gloss

elf lip stain Fashionista, without gloss

elf lip stain Fashionista, with gloss

And a lunch time selfie to my husband that day. Color wore fairly well although it seemed to get darker (maybe more of my natural lip color coming through?), gloss was long gone on my water bottle along with some color. You can tell the color is starting to ball up and separate at my lip wet/dry line. Oh well, it was fine while I wore it. And it's only $3 and that is if it's not on sale, which it frequently is, so who cares?

Any one else not any good at selfies? haha This is why I never do full face on here... 

Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in Nude

I love how a small step can make a big difference in your overall appearance. Nude or white liner to your waterline can really wake up your eyes or make them appear more open. Having small eyes, I don't really line my waterline much with dark colors, but this takes the pink out of my waterline which makes me appear more awake and alert. 

I love that this liner is super creamy, so there is no tugging at all, which me and my waterline are grateful about. Sharpens easily too.

Some with and without shots. No good face shots, sorry, but you can tell a difference in the nude color taking away the pink of my waterline and opening up my eye a little more. If you stand a bit away from your computer so you're not so up-in-my-eyeball you'll see it better.

Erases sleepiness! Better than coffee. Eh, well, let's just say it does because those days I need both to look awake! Who's with me on that?

Alway Smart Shade Butter Kiss in Berry Light

Almay has some really cool butter lip sticks - Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipsticks. I had a coupon for an Almay product (yes, I use coupons, I'm eye ball deep in student debt) and it was essentially free so I went for it.

I decided to get a lip product because they looked to pretty to pass up and I was intrigued by the coloring system. It's essentially based on color (berry, pink, red, etc) and skin tone (light, medium, dark). I figured I was a light and I was interested in the berry colors, so I grabbed Berry Light.

Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss in 10 Berry Light. Nails: Sinful Colors Winterberry.

Really gorgeous juicy berry color.

Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss in 10 Berry Light. One swipe on top, heavier swatch on bottom.

Butter lipsticks tend to be really soft and feel lovely on the lips. I want to wear them like chapstick and run them numerous times over my lips to get them nice and coated. I will say, with this one specifically (can't speak for the rest, I don't own any others), it was better with one swipe. When I kept going over same area to get more color, it started sticking in places as you can see in the above picture. It just wanted to clump. Not a big deal, but it doesn't give the best color pay off. But that's not what these are intended to do, so it's ok. Still feels great. Like a cross between a gloss and chapstick.

I likely won't buy another one. I don't wear lip products often and I drink water (or coffee) all day long so I like something with a stain in it also. It's nice to wear but I usually use it on the weekends when I don't care if I have color all day long and reapply like crazy!

Any experience with these?

NARS Hungry Heart

NARS Hungry Heart is a multitasker. I picked this up awhile back and I use it occasionally, although I'm not sure if the reason I don't use it more is because my skin tone is wrong for it or I don't get what it's for.

Standard sturdy black cased NARS packaging. 

Shimmer everywhere!

Just look at that shimmer! So gorgeous. 

Swatch on bare skin. You can see the difference in the yellow based left and pink/peach based right, both with gold shimmer. Very subtle but still packs a wow!

I've used these several ways. I've used them as highlighters, depending on what makeup I'm wearing. I've dusted them in the center of my eyelid for more sparkle. I've used them as eyeshadows alone. Since they're so sheer, they're not noticeable as eyeshadows, but are very sparkly for highlighters.

Am I using these wrong? I think I bought it just because I like sparkle but it's one piece in my bag that doesn't get used often. Any ideas? I'm willing to try anything! Maybe I should just use these to dust my decolletage before going out to give my girls some sparkles!

Nails: Orly Preamp

BareMinerals Mineral Veil Tan

Hello loves! I'm back after a hiatus of changing jobs and moving. Again. I seem to do this every few years. Hopefully this time it will stick. 

On to the real reason everyone is here! I adore Bare Minerals and recently purchased a compact version of their Mineral Veil. As I was color matched to Bare Latte 11 in their new "serum," and the girl at Ulta suggested the tinted mineral veil so the regular one doesn't wash me out. 

Fun little plastic sheet when you open it. I think it's adorable! Good color representation, has a yellow undertone. 

Make up remover soaked cotton  ball - def has some color in there. 

Swatched on bare skin. 

When the girl at Ulta used it, I loved it. I don't know if I've lost some color or I apply it heavier than she did, but it seems to dark on me now. I'm sure girls with darker complexions than mine would love this. I'm keeping it around for this summer when I get a tan, which is inevitable since I tan so easily, or I can likely use it as a bronzer in the meantime for some shaping! Overall great purchase, not sorry I got it!

Nails: Orly Preamp

Urban Decay Naked Foundation Shade 5.0

This foundation is not new to the world but it's new to me! Taylor over at Simply Beauty loves this and I remember her review and thought, I NEED to try this! I finally got around to purchasing it after trying it at Sephora (gotta love samples and makeovers!). 

I've been using this nearly every day since I bought it. I mostly use it with the Urban Decay brush it recommends using. At first I was stippling with the brush but pushing so hard the bristles bent and I put it aside and used a different brush for weeks. Then I went back to it and started gently stippling, and it made all the difference. I use one pump for my the "front" of my face, T-zone area and chin, which carries most of my breakouts and redness.  Then I use another pump (straight on to the brush, again) for the outer parts of my cheeks, forehead, blending onto my neck, and eyes. It doesn't perfectly cover under my eyes, but good enough for every day wear and it doesn't settle into lines like most concealers do on me. 

Urban Decay Naked Foundation Shade 5.0 on bare skin

My skin looks more yellow, which it is, as this shade has yellow or cool undertones. This is my usual undertone but you can't tell through all the redness. 

Bigger pictures, eek!

Bare face, no primer

Urban Decay Naked Foundation Shade 5.0, no primer

This foundation wears very well, all day with no migration. I do have to powder this down and once or twice during the day, even with primer, but I'm super oily and that is miles better than most foundations that are dissolved by the noon hour. It does make you very matte/flat so some highlighting or contouring is needed so you don't look like a mask. Love it!

Available at Urban Decay, Sephora, and Ulta, and I'm sure other places as well. I purchased mine from Sephora.

e.l.f. Lip Liners

e.l.f. Essential Feather Proof Moisturizing Lip Liners are pencil liners that are anything but moisturizing. Even swatching them on my skin had uncomfortable tugging and they broke easily. Spice, Bark, Mauve Lux, and Natural Blush were the only options when I purchased these, but there is a new color called Bitter that seems like a dark wine color. All are matte except Mauve Lux that had a little sparkle in it. The other three colors are really, really similar, despite what the website shows. Natural Blush if a little pinker, Spice is a little darker, and Bark is a little warmer. I haven't even used these yet because I'm afraid of what they'll do to my lips. Available here for $1.00 each.

e.l.f. Studio Lip Liner & Blending Brush are another set of lip liners that are in a black case, are twist up lip liners, and have a synthetic large brush on the other end to blend. These are a bit creamier and would blend better, but I haven't used the brush yet. I think it may be a good clean up brush for nails though. The darker colors, Red and Wine, are a bit harder to get even, but Nude Pink and Natural are gorgeous. All matte. Long wearing. Available here for $3.00.

I generally don't use lip liners unless I'm doing a bold red lip and want to make sure nothing migrates. I'll use these to color my entire lip and put a clear gloss or chapstick over it for long wearing color.

Urban Decay Triple Threat Smokey Matte Pencils

Urban Decay Triple Threat Travel Pencil Set Smoky Matte Edition is a set of three travel sized pencil liners. Not full size, but not the mini pencils that come in some sets.

The set includes Perversion (blackest black matte), Smoke (deepest gray matte), and Sabbath (deep navy matte). These pencils glide like a dream 

I enjoy changing up my liner color, but generally stay in the dark colors, but I have fun with blues, greens, purples, grays, browns, and of course black. I save the brighter colors for the weekends or double lining for going out!

Urban Decay 24/7 liners are fantastic. They go on smooth without tugging or skipping (which I can appreciate with my aging eyes) and they give you time to blend (if you're into that) and then they dry down after about 30 seconds to be smudge proof! Fantastic. Love. Buy them. Now.

Available at UrbanDecay for $19. I bought mine from Sephora.

e.l.f. Studio Lip Stains

e.l.f. Studio Lip Stains promise long lasting color with the option of a clear gloss topper. All stains are two ended.

The nice thing about the gloss is it can be removed if you'd rather just have the stain in your purse or pocket and they cover nicely with regular balm or chapstick. Lipglosses, including the one they give you, tends to remove the color in patches and ball up on your lips. Not pleasant.

I've swatched them in groups of four just for comparison sake. Four are nude browns, one with shimmer. The other four are pinks and a red, one with shimmer. 

Mysterious, Bombshell, Heartbreaker, Lucky Lady
Nails: Orly Preamp

Mysterious, Bombshell, Heartbreaker, Lucky Lady

You can't really see it in the swatches, but Bombshell has a fine golden shimmer and Mysterious has a chunkier silver glitter.

And the fun ones!

Red Carpet, Fashionista, First Date, Birthday Suit
Nails: Pink Cheetah 

Red Carpet, Fashionista, First Date, Birthday Suit
(I wish Birthday Suit had been a nude color, would have
a little cheeky! No pun intended.)

Fashionista has a fine shimmer, the rest are cremes.

I've worn a few of these and they definitely aren't stains. They feel more like a long lasting lipstick.  Remember the original Cover Girl long lasting lipsticks? Same thing! I prefer to wear them alone  because most glosses tend to make them ball up and remove the color.

So far my favorite are Red Carpet and Heartbreaker. I wear Heartbreaker almost daily, but I've noticed the nudes are almost identical on the lips.

As I do lip swatches, I'll add them here for reference. Any color requests?

Available here for $3.00.

EDIT:

Fashionista!

elf studio lip stain in Fashionista, no gloss

elf studio lip stain in Fashionista, with gloss

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara

I've been on the hunt for a new mascara. I've been trying out Buxom Lash Domination, Urban Decay Perversion (with and without Subversion), Too Faced Better Than Sex, all because my beloved Maybelline Falsies Flared is drying up again and I'm looking to replace it. I really like tube mascaras because I have lots of trouble with regular and waterproof mascara formulas. My eyes are very sensitive and tend to water a lot so regular mascaras run, but I'm also very oily and despite primer on my lids waterproof formulas tend to run on me. Tube mascaras stay in place very well until you're ready to take them off AND they don't leave behind lots of mess under your eyes or require lots of chemicals or rubbing to remove.

I've recently only ever used Blinc Mascara but it really does nothing for my lashes except darken them. No lengthening, volumizing, or separating. I've tried layering it over regular mascaras that do more for my lashes, but then removal is a mess.

I recently recommended tube mascara to a friend and found out L'Oreal has their own, including a primer, which really intrigued me. I bought mine at the local grocery store for around $10.

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara in 575 Blackest Black

There is a waterproof version, I believe. This color was the only option available. 

Per the package, Step 1 is a nourishing and protecting base coat. Step 2 is an ultra-lengthening topcoat.

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara, Step 1 primer wand

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara, Step 2 mascara wand 

 And the money shots!

Bare eye, Primer, Mascara

Overall, it didn't do a lot for curling or separating. My lashes tended to clump together. I did find that painting my lashes like a regular mascara did work as well as rolling the wand from base to tip, which separated and gave me more product. It looks more messy up close but when standing 2-3 feet from it, my lashes look thicker. I've worn it almost every day since I've tried it using different techniques and I really like it. No more little smudges under my eyes and I don't have to use any special remover to take it off.

I'll continue to try my other mascaras but I really like this one!

Nails: Essie Pink-A-Boo over Models Own Pastel Pink 



Note: Not cruelty free.