The Lip Product Addict {Tag}

Happy National Lipstick Day! 

I was recently tagged to do this Lip Product addict tag from the beautiful MJ from MJ in the Sky with Glitter and I thought no better way to celebrate today than with a lipstick related tag; that and a bold lip of course!

1. Favourite Balm / Treatment?

Oh, Burts Bees.  I love their Grapefruit "Refreshing" balm and am nearing the end of my third tube!  One treatment that I'm interested in trying is the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Champagne... It's rose gold, need I say more?

2. Best Eye-Catching Red?

I love reds.  But I have to say my most eye-catching would be Viva Glam Rihanna, I talk a little more about it here but the frosted finish is stunning.  Paired with the Viva Glam Riri Lipglass and were talking ruby-red perfection.  

3. Best Luxury & Best Drugstore?

When I think "luxury" cosmetics I think Chanel, I think Tom Ford, Dior and YSL.  None of which I own... So as for my most expensive lipsticks (which also happens to be one of my favorites) I have Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Bumbleberry.  It's formula is incredibly buttery and moisturizing and fades of evenly and naturally.  Bumbleberry is a deep "my lips but better" shade that I love for everyday.  Not to mention the sleek gold packaging feels very luxurious.  

Too Faced Bumbleberry

Best of the drugstore is easy!  Revlon Matte Balms have one of my favorite formulas; matte but not drying and extremelyyyyy pigmented.  Plus a lot of the colors in the Matte Balm line are dupes for popular MAC mattes as well.

Revlon Matte Balms (L) swatched next to popular MAC mattes.  More information here. 

4. Best MAC Lipstick?

Fabby is my most used color.  It's a mauve pink with pink frost- and a little transformer.  Put a nude colored gloss on it and it's the most beautiful neutral.  Put a pink toned gloss on it and you have a wearable light(ish) pink lip.  If you love the look of light pinks on others but aren't exactly comfortable wearing them yourself Fabby is definitely a shade you should look in to.  Perfect to live in your purse. 

Fabby swatched next to, then layered with Revlon Colorburst in Crystal Violet, taken from my Lip Duo Tag

5. The Most Disappointing?

For this category MJ chose the EOS lip balms, and I think I have to agree.  They're so cute and my favorite scents (Honey Dew and Sweet Mint) are always on my bedside table and in my bathroom but they aren't nearly as moisturizing as they could/ should be.  

6. Liner - Yes or No?

I love liner, but is it ideal for everyday? Probably not.  So as a general rule if I'm wearing a bold red, or deep berry color I will always have liner because it makes it more low maintenance and prevents the color from bleeding.  For more natural colors I usually skip the liner but do have a fav nude for those days when I want to take the extra step.  

7. Best gloss?

Yummmm, NYX Butterglosses, everybody's favorite gloss.  My favorite shade is Tiramisu (especially over Fabby)  I don't think theres anything I can say that hasn't already been said; they're buttery, soft, non-sticky, and affordable.  

8. Something extra!

Not everyday, not every week, but every so long my lips desperately need a good scrub!  I did invest in the Fresh Cosmetics sugar lip scrub but then did a little DIY science experiment and found that I could make a great one in my own kitchen.  So although I won't be repurchasing the Fresh one, I do enjoy using it in the meantime.  

Scrubbing and exfoliating your lips will remove any dead skin from the surface of your lips which will allow them to absorb moisture better, your lipstick to apply smoother and improve the overall condition of your lips.  Which we all need every once in a while!  If you're interested in my DIY pursuit you can read it here.  

Aaaand that's all I have to say! Thank you for reading, hopefully you learned something or discovered a great new product that you're curious to try now! Remember to bust out a bright pink or red lip this afternoon and celebrate National Lipstick day with a fun color choice!

If you're interested in doing this tag, please do so! I tag the following ladies and all of you as well:

Karen (KP Says)

Krystal (Little Beauty Bug)

Jasmine (Jasmine McRae)

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |

xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: MAC Dupes

Bargain:
noun

Something bought or offered for sale cheaper than usual or expected.
Creating a look for less 

 Or... my first thought: dupes.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm vs. MAC Matte Lipstick

Revlon (left) vs. MAC (right)

One of my favorite drug store products are the Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms, they're pigmented, they last a long time, and they're crayons! I'm a big fan of crayon style lipsticks or balms because they're not only cute but easy to work with. My sister introduced me to the Matte Balm line when she bought me "Shameless" for my birthday around Christmas time last year and when I went in to swatch the rest of the line I couldn't help but recognize a lot of similarities between them and some iconic MAC matte colors.  I chose five of what I believe to be the closest color dupes.

Starting from the left:
Revlon Standout vs. MAC Viva Glam I
Standout tends to be a bit brighter on first swatch but you can build the color up to be almost a dead ringer for Viva Glam I, which has been sold by MAC since 1994(!)  A deep dark red which is classically beautiful, especially when paired  with a bold winged liner.
Revlon Sultry vs. MAC Craving and Twig
This is the shade that inspired this post. I picked it up from a local Shopper's and when I got home I noticed it was similar to my MAC Twig lipstick (far right), but I also thought it seemed similar to Craving (swatched directly to the right of Sultry and on my wish list.) Craving, even though it is an Amplified finish, is a much closer match because they are both more rosier- pink whereas Twig, a satin finish, is much more of a muted brown pink.
Striking vs. Lady Danger
I'm loving this red- orange shades especially for summer.  I find Lady Danger to be a bit bolder and orange-r on first swipe but once again Striking is easily built up for a bolder color.

(Striking/ Lady Danger repeated)

Shameless vs. Heroine

I've seen these two compared before and although they are similar were the biggest stretch for a match in my opinion.  Shameless is a tad darker and it is the only one who's texture is a bit chalky and uneven. 

Showy vs. Candy Yum Yum 

Finally, this is the match I was most excited about.  The colors truly are an exact match.  Showy is everything cult followed Candy Yum Yum is famous for a bright, neon, matte, blue- based pink.  It just may be my next purchase as I have been dabbling with Candy Yum Yum for a long time.  

Direct Comparisons:

	Revlon	MAC
Pigmentation	Bold and buildable	Bold
Scent	Peppermint	Vanilla
Longevity	Long wearing	Long wearing
Price	$6.99- $11.99 CDN	$19 CDN

My only dislike of the Revlon Matte Balms is the scent.  It throws me off to have such a bold color smell like a peppermint chapstick.  However, considering the price difference, I think I can get over it or at least work around it.  One final note is when washing the swatches off my arm I couldn't help but be impressed with both brand's staying power.  I took this photo after scrubbing them with a makeup removing wipe!

Don't forget to search #Bloggersdoitbetter on Twitter to find out how other "Bloggers Do Bargains Better"!

xoxo

Lip Duos! {Tag}

 A few weeks ago on Instagram I did my first ever photo challenge! It was created by @ahxo0209 and simply asks you to pick a different pair of lipgloss/ lipsticks everyday for a week! I loved that it challenged me to dig through my lipsticks to find/ rediscover some beautiful combos.

I thought it would be fun to do a recap and include swatches of each of my picks from the week as well as a swatch of them layered together! 

Day One: Nude

In the past I haven't been very comfortable with nude lips- but I finally found something that works with my olive skin tone.  MAC's Naked Bud is a lustre finish neutral that is easy and comfortable to wear.  MAC Nymphette layered on top gives it a pinkier- golden sheen.  Both of these swatches photographed a little oranger than they appear in person.  I consider them to be peach-y. 

Left to right: MAC Naked Bud, MAC Nymphette, both layered

This being said I usually prefer a darker nude! Revlon Sultry is a beautiful rosey- brown "my lips but better" color that when paired with NYX Tiramisu butter gloss (another perfect my lips but better color) creates an amazing day time color suitable for class, work, running errands, and everything else in between.  Tiramisu is one of those glosses that is just an all around star- it pairs well with almost every peach, pink, brown, and nude lip color in my collection.

Revlon Sultry, NYX Tiramisu, both layered

Day Two: Light Pink

Light pink is a little out of my comfort zone but this lip duo is perfection.  MAC Fabby has a frosted finish that the MAC website describes as a mauve. However, I feel like its a true golden- pink.  It's almost Nymphette in lipstick form (although that doesn't really translate in these photos).  I usually layer it with Revlon's Color Stay lipgloss is Crystal Lilac.  This color is so unique- a light pink with tiny purple micro shimmer within it that catches in the light.  

Mac Fabby, Revlon Crystal Lilac, layered

Day Three: Coral/ Orange

MAC Coral Bliss is one of my favorite lipsticks, it's the perfect balance between coral and pink.  For the purposes of my Instagram photos I paired it with my well loved Arbonne lipgloss in Posh, which pulls out the pink undertones.  But after I posted the photo I stumbled across my Maybelline Color Elixir Gloss in Breaktaking Apricot, which looks very pink when swatched alone however when layered with Coral Bliss they create a true coral color.

MAC Coral Bliss, Arbonne Posh, layered, Maybelline Breathtaking Apricot, layered with Coral Bliss

Day Four: Bright Pink

I included a lip swatch of MAC Pink Nouveau on my Instagram so I really felt like this Elizabeth Arden gloss deserved the spot light.  It brightens any lipstick and is gorgeous all on its own (which is not something I say about many glosses).

Elizabeth Arden Pink Pout

Day Five: Red

I talked about these two colors recently in my "Secret to Long Wearing Comfortable Red Lips" post so you won't be surprised about why I chose to include them in this tag. They're my favorites! Both are blue based reds. Rihanna's Viva Glam is frost finish and Viva Glam I is matte. 

MAC Rihanna Viva Glam, MAC Viva Glam I

Day Six: Purple/ Berry

Shameless is perfect on it's own.  It does tend to bleed so I usually line my lips with MAC Currant lipliner.  For the odd time I want to pair it with a gloss I found two options for two different looks.  Revlon's Sugar Violet isn't very pigmented on your lips therefore it gives a beautiful sparkle and shine without altering the color beneath it drastically.  My other gloss is Maybelline's Color Elixir Raspberry Rhapsody which lightens Shameless and pulls out fuchsia tones in the color.  

Revlon Shameless, Revlon Sugar Violet, layered, Maybelline Raspberry Rhapsody, layered with Shameless

Day Seven: Your Most Unique Color

Finally, my most unique color.  I love these matte lip crayons by Bite Beauty (I feel like I've said that about every product I've mentioned).  The shade Grape is a violet shade but in the right light or layered with the right lipstick or gloss is can be such a pretty pinky-purple.  I mentioned on Instagram that I don't usually pair this with a gloss- but if I were going to Sugar Violet plays with the pink undertones in Grape and adds a beautiful sparkle.

Bite Beauty Grape, Revlon Sugar Violet, layered

What are your favorite lip duos? Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram!
@theloveoflipstick

xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: Going Nude This Spring

You may have heard about (or seen) the "Bloggers Do it Better Challenge" recently that Gemma from Touch of Belle has so wonderfully orchestrated.  When I heard about it over Twitter I thought it was a great opportunity for a newbie like me to not only continue to be inspired and have motivation for my posts but also connect with like-minded bloggers.  

What's unique about this challenge is that Gemma provides us with very broad topics- for example, the first one (this one!) is "Bloggers Do Spring Better" which allows each participant to have a creative license and write about absolutely anything and everything.  As a result a network of  connected blog posts with the same theme is established. I love it!

I've been thinking about this post for a long time and I'm almost embarrassed about how late it is- considering it was supposed to be posted this past Monday.  However, since I've been so incredibly busy with a full time practicum and am just now finding the time to sit down and focus on myself for a second I figured it was better to be late than never! *drumroll*

Blogger Do Spring Better: Going Nude

A trend that I've noticed and loved this spring is nude which actually something that is a little new to me.  Is it not the constant struggle to find the perfect nude?  

Maybelline's Dare to Go Nude Limited Edition Spring Collection

Sephora's nude picks for Spring as seen on Instragram

This being said I think when the weather warms up everybody needs some color! Thus for my first even Bloggers Do it Better post I have decided to marry the nude Spring trend with beautiful shades of rose-y pink, and gold with my top Spring picks!

Lips:

A little while ago I was doing a "Lip Duo" tag on Instagram, in which I featured everyone of these little beauties while talking about Nudes.  I can't help it. I love them.  I think the one thing they share universally is how comfortable they are- which is really important to me!  

From left to right:

NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu: This gloss is perfection.  It's just light enough to wash over a dark color to lighten it up for day time and just dark enough to deepen a lighter color.  Plus, just as the name indicates the texture is butter.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Sultry:  I found that this color is very similar to Mac Twig Satin lipstick (I have a comparison post in the mix) but much more of a rosey shade.  The earthy/brown undertones make it easy to wear day- to- day.  This is the closest I've come to a "my lips but better" color.

MAC Lustre lipstick in Naked Bud: This lipstick is limited edition from the Fantasy of Flowers collection released recently.  It's described as a "neutral sheer nude" on the Mac website.  Personally, I find it has just a hint peach undertones which is perfect and what I think makes it the only true nude lipstick I've ever purchased.  The lustre finish is so comfortable and honestly I have nothing negative to say. Well, actually, It wouldd be nice if it wore a little longer but I take beautiful color over longevity any day.  I like to pair it with either my NYX Tiramisu gloss or Mac Nymphette for more of a golden-peach color.

Tiramise, Sultry, Naked Bud

Cheeks:

From left to right:

MAC Warm Soul: This is the definition of the perfect blush.  It's universal.  I can reach for this color no matter what my lip/ eye color is and it never fails me.  It's a beige toned blush with the smallest flecks of gold shimmer.  In the winter I sometimes skip bronzer and just dust this along my cheeks for a healthy glow.  

MAC Superb:  Another limited edition MAC product from the Magnetic Nude collection and also the first ever Extra-Dimension Skin Finish I tried.  What I love about this is it's almost impossible to overdo when you apply it with a brush or like below you can apply it with your finger for a much more concentrated pigment-  both on the cheekbones or directly over blush you just glow. Its beige-y, it's peach-y, its even purple-y in some lights.  Whatever it is it I can't get enough.

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil:  Not the first time I've mentioned this bronzer! (Read more about it here)  Well suited to the name it is a milk chocolate-y shade, soft, natural, blendable. Did I miss anything??  What I have been doing lately when I'm in a rush is taking my Real Techniques blush brush (any tulip shaped blush would work) and mixing both Warm Soul and Chocolate Soleil on my brush applying it in a tapered shape to my cheek bones.  Boom.  Instant fool-proof cheeks.

Warm Soul, Superb, Chocolate Soleil

Eyes:

From left to right:

Naked 3: The infamous naked palettes.  How can you talk about nudes without mentioning them?  I got my Naked 3 palette from my loving boyfriend at Christmas this year. I chose not to swatch it because you can find thousands and thousands of similar photos with a quick Google search.  The versatility of this palette is unreal.  The rose- gold theme makes it unique enough to be able to create a look exclusively with its colors or complement any other shadows in your collection. 

Urban Decay in Sin: When I think Spring and Summer I think cream products.  So I decided to chose two cream shadows and bases to include in my Spring picks.  This primer potion is actually the sample I received within my Naked palette but I've been keeping it in a sample pot to get the most use of it.  The color is so beautiful that I will sometimes just wear it alone with some mascara, but pair it under any of the Naked 3 shades and you've struck gold.     

Maybelline 24H Color Tattoo in Pure Nude: I heard alot about these color tattoos before I decided to finally go out and actually try one.  I picked the lightest color "Pure Nude" which may or may not be limited edition with their Dare to Go Nude collection I pictured above.  I think this shade is comparable but just a touch lighter to Mac's Paint Pot in Bare Study which my mum has used for years under her shadows.  The formula is super blendable so the only issue I took with this is I found if I wore it alone with no shadow on top it creases after a few hours.  What I love about any light cream shade like this is it is not only beautiful by itself but will also intensify the colors of any pigments you place on top.

Sin, Pure Nude

Nails:

Finally, my favorite manicure lately is Essie Eternal Optimist which is an oldie but a goodie.  I think of it as kind of a dusty rose shade. Which sound un-appealing but is actually really flattering on your nails (especially if you have more of a tan/olive undertone in your skin like moi) and since I'm a sucker for an accent nail Nicole OPI The Next CEO gives a pop of sparkle. 

Oh Spring, love love love.  Writing this has me so excited for the change of seasons.  Thank you again Gemma for organizing such a great project.  I look forward to the next one and I promise to be on time! If you are interested in seeing any of the other Spring interpretations (they range from cooking, to personal memories, to beauty, etc.) search #BloggersDoItBetter on Twitter and maybe even get involved yourself or if you have already published one send me your link below!

xoxo