MAC Pedro Lourenço Collection

It seems that lately MAC has been releasing collection after collection; its almost impossible to keep up!  The most recent being Moody Blooms (available online now), MAC Lorde, and of course the Osbournes. But before the much anticipated "Kelly and Sharon Osbourne Collection" the Pedro Lourenço collection was released online.  Although the majority of the collection is sold out there are still a few select items available online, including one of the lipsticks featured below and a few nail lacquers.  The collection has an old Hollywood feel with beautiful shimmering nudes, and bold reds.  Since red is my go to evening lip color; both for an evening out and work I chose two out of the three red lipsticks available... but now I wish I had opted for all three!

The packaging in this collection is absolutely stunning.  The lipstick is encased in black rubberised bullets (very similar to the iconic NARS packaging) with beautiful deep gold accents; even inside the boxes!  They're sleek but not flashy.  I may even prefer it over the Alluring Aquatic packaging *gasp*

Ruby: "A midtone blue red"   This lipstick is what I consider to be a true red and I think every woman needs at least one red like this in their collection.  It looks beautiful paired with a neutral eye, bold lashes and liner.  This is the only lipstick from the collection still available for order!

Roxo: "Deep red"  This shade is a deep berry red; comparable to Diva.  It, along with the four other lipsticks released, is an amplified finish; my fav!

I adore both of these shades, but I regret not purchasing "True Red" from the collection before it sold out.  It was a beautiful orange toned red very similar to Lady Danger but with that creamy amplified finish I love too much.  Personally, I would chose an amplified lipstick over a matte any day.

Ruby (left) Roxo (right)

Did you manage to get any of the beautiful pieces in the Pedro Lourenco collection? 
What other MAC collections have you been drooling over lately?

Photos inspired by: Julia's Allure; she always has the most beautiful lip swatches

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |
xoxo

{Top 5} Favorite Beauty Blogs

Happy Sunday!

Today, as a continuation of a small series I've been doing over the last month or so I am sharing with you my {Top 5} Favorite Beauty Blogs of the moment.  I've been having so much fun with this series and sharing all my  favorites with all of you; but it's harder than I initially thought it would be because there are so many amazing people out there creating such amazing content.

These five blogs are absolutely beautiful and what they all have in common (ie why I love them) is their beautiful designs and gorgeous photography.  Be sure to visit these girls and show them some love; tell them I sent you!

Notes by Nicola

Beauty & Bliss

Chloe's Way

Paint By Numbers

Tattooed Tea Lady

Be sure to check out my {Top 5} beauty related YouTube Channels and Instagram Accounts as well!

There is one week left in my Coco and Lulu Giveaway! Submit your entry here

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |

xoxo

Back2MAC {Diva Matte Lipstick}

Who doesn't love hearing the term "free lipstick"?

No seriously! When all you have to do is hoard your empty packaging for a while? Count me in.

As "cliche" as some may think, MAC is one of my favorite makeup brands.  They have what seems like unlimited selections of finishes, products, colors, and collections.  It was the first place I went when I wanted to splurge on some nice products and to this day some of their products are my go-to, ride-or-die favorites.  

It seems like it takes forever to hit pan on those beloved eye shadows and blushes, but when you do make sure to save them.  MAC has a recycling program where you can return any six empty packages and exchange them at any MAC counter for a lipstick, or online/ in any store for a lipstick, lipglass, or eye shadow.  The only items excluded from exchange are pencils that you sharpen, and the eye shadow/ blush refill tins.  But if you use MAC brush cleaner, or eye makeup remover save those bottles too!

Look for the Back2MAC stamp on returnable items

Just last week I was lucky enough to do my second ever Back2MAC exchange!  And thanks to my mum gifting me all her stored up empties I'm only one empty away from my third.  This time around I chose Diva, an "intense reddish burgundy" with a matte finish.  Admittedly, it is more of a fall appropriate color than summer but I'm so in love with it- and we all need to break the rules every once in a while.  

And how great is it to bring in a bunch of garbage, and get a free lipstick?

Pretty damn great.

What lipstick would you pick for a free Back2MAC exchange? 

I have my eyes on Lady Danger or maybe Heroine for next time.

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |

xoxo

Coco and Lulu by Cake {Spring Collection}

A few months back I discovered a great nail lacquer (perhaps the greatest)... in Chapters of all places.  I had never seen or heard of them before so after some quick Google magic I found it was created exclusively for Chapters by Canadian beauty brand Cake (woo hoo!) I had bought the shade Ma Belle, and after falling in love with both the color and the formula I ordered three more online from their most recent collection.  The collection available now is very Spring inspired with a selection of pastel colors; I chose a mint green in Call me L8R, a bubble gum pink in Omg I Love This Color, and a popcorn yellow in What RU Wearing?  How cute are those names?!

Side note: I always thought the best job in the world would be create cute names for beauty products.

OMG I Love This Color, Call Me L8R, What RU Wearing?

I am loving all three of these colors just as much as the first polish I bought; although they don't seem to be as long lasting as Ma Belle (which has more of a glossy finish)  These springtime colors have very creamy opaque color and last around two days before they begin to chip from everyday wear and tear.  

OMG I Love This Color:  I think I have every shade of pink in my small nail polish collection, and yet this color is unique.  It is a  very cool toned pink with lilac undertones.  While it's a beautiful bright color it's still pastel enough to be wearable on my fingernails (I like to chose brighter colors for my toes, while keeping it subtle on my hands)  

Call Me L8R:  Speaking of pedicures... I've been wearing this color on my toes every since I bought it!  It reminds me of colors that Essie has in their collection, like Mint Candy Apple and still I don't know how to describe it.  It's a beautiful creamy blue-y green minted color.  I get tons of compliments on it when I'm wearing sandals, and it looks beautiful with gold accents. 

What RU Wearing?: Once again, I can say that this polish is unlike anything I own. It's a buttery, ivory, creamy delicious yellow (my color descriptions are terrible today!)  It looks fantastic on my fingernails, especiall with a tan, and is a fun twist on a "nude" nail.  Once again, gold polishes and jewelry compliment this color beautifully.

Coco and Lulu polishes are quickly becoming my favorite formula.  In the past I've always had trouble applying lighter pastel polishes like these but these three give me no trouble and become completely opaque and smooth after two coats. Although they are more of a splurge; retailing for $8.50 each, I believe they're worth every penny.

Another note is that when you place an order from the Chapters website is you can ship to your local store for free and they will email you when your items are available for pickup. Shipping to store is a great option, especially if you're trying to save some $$$, but you can always chose to ship to your home if you'd prefer.

What do you think of these additions to my quickly growing Coco and Lulu collection? 
Have you entered my Coco and Lulu giveaway?!  Win your own bottle of Ma Belle here

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |

xoxo

250 Bloglovin' Follower {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}

I am so excited that there are 250 beautiful people subscribed to this little blog of mine.  

In order to say thank you I wanted to do something I've never done before and host a small giveaway.  

If you've been with me for a while, you might remember back in April that I reviewed a nail lacquer that I absolutely fell in love with (read why its so great here) Coco and Lulu is a brand exclusive to Chapters and I thought it would be the perfect item for my giveaway as not everybody had access to it, or had even heard of it before!  I went and picked up another bottle in my favorite shade Ma Belle and am looking forward to sending it off to one lucky winner!

Giveaway Rules:

1.  Open internationally (void where prohibited by law; all international entrants will be responsible for any duties/taxes upon arrival)
2.  Limited to one entry per person and any giveaway only accounts will be disqualified
3.  Each entry will be assigned a number.  The winner will be selected via Random.org, and contacted via the email they provided
4.  Once contacted, the winner must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected.  
5. To enter simply leave a comment down below- anything at all!- along with your name and current email address (in order to be contacted) 
6.  Giveaway will end 2 weeks from launch date (Sunday, June 15th- Sunday, June 29th)

I would love if you could tweet, share, and spread the word about this giveaway while it's going on- you can connect with me via the links below!  Thank you and good luck!

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |
xoxo

The Lust List: Summer Edition

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer:
This is one of those products that has been on my shopping list forever.  I always swatch it in store, get excited, put it in my basket and then put it back every time, thinking to myself "I'll just get it next time!"  It has a beautiful consistency and is supposed to have the technology in it to diffuse light, and soften your completion.  Retail: $32.00

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Polish:
I find that my skin always clears up in the summer time; it's amazing what a little sunshine and vitamin D can do for your complexion!  I always like to revamp my skin care routine around this time of year and I'm yet to find an exfoliant that I absolutely love.  First Aid Beauty (FAB) is a brand that's new to me and this facial polish (doesn't that sound fancy?) uses natural exfoliants that are supposed to be gentle enough to use daily.  Sounds to me that it could potentially become a new summer skin care essential.  Retail: $30.00

Buxom Show Some Skin Weightless Foundation:
I've been using my Naked Skin Foundation on a daily basis but as the weather gets warmer I think I need something with a natural finish and offers some SPF protection!  I love BB creams and this foundation claims to "combine the benefits of BB and foundation with light to medium coverage and SPF 30"  which sounds pretty damn good to me.  Retail: $41.00

Benefit Gimme Brow:
I love the idea of this product; it's meant to give you a natural brow effortlessly, which I like (who doesn't), and it's waterproof.  I've read some great reviews and I think it would be perfect for summer time when I want to do the bare minimum but still look put together.  Retail: $26.00

Benefit POREfessional:
(Not pictured) This is another one of those products that has been on my shopping list for so long.  I received a sample with purchase from Sephora a hundred years ago and immediately fell in love.  It probably has the best texture out of all the primers I've tried... But it seems that primers are always the things I put off purchasing.  I guess I would rather buy a powder or a foundation than something that goes underneath it.  Retail: $37.00

Have you tried any of these products? What's on your wishlist this season? 

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |
xoxo

The Girl Behind the Blog {Beauty Blogger Tag}

I've read quite a few "Beauty Blogger Tag"s and thought it was such a great idea as a blogger to introduce yourself better to your readers and for readers to get to know you a bit better behind the screen.  I've found a couple different variations all of which tagged the reader to participate if they were interested (yay for me!), but I couldn't decide which version I preferred... Problem solver that I am- I merged three and came up with a "customized" version.  

... The Girl Behind the Blog:

Is your hair naturally curly or straight?

Naturally I have a relaxed wave- but not the cute kind.  I usually throw it up in a "sockless" sock bun for school or run a straightener through it for 5 minutes if I don't have a lot of time to devote to styling.

Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon?

Ha. Haha. Woops.  Long story short is I had a very bad DIY experience which has made me vow never to box dye my hair again.  So yes and no; I used to but not any more.

Do you DIY mani/pedi or go to a salon?

Every once in a while I'll treat myself but for the most part I DIY at home.

Do you polish your toes in the winter or just the summer?
All year round! Toe nails without polish just look so naked!

How long does it take for you to put on makeup?
For school? Maybe 5-15 minutes. 

A night out of special occasion? Any time between 15 and 40 minutes.

Do you do a full face of makeup every day?

Define full face.  My bare minimum is usually BB cream or a light foundation, bronzer, blush- I rarely skip mascara though!

Will you leave the house without makeup?

Not unless I am running extremely behind. 

What are your Top 5 beauty products?

Arg, as if I can pick five. Currently I would say:
MAC Mineralize Products (blushes and skin finishes)
MAC Lipsticks
Revlon ColorBurst Matte Lip Balms
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder aaaaand
Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Fragrance

Name a beauty routine you barely do

Do fake eyelashes count as a beauty routine?

 
When going out somewhere do you leave getting ready until the last minute or not?

If I'm being honest, it depends how excited I am about where I'm going.  If I'm not into it, I'll put it off until the veryyyyyy last minute

How organized is your makeup and nail polish collection?

I'll admit my makeup and nail polish is not as organized as I would like it to be but this just has to do with the fact that I currently live in such a small apartment.  I have big plans for a vanity once I get a larger place and would love an Original Beauty Box.  They're beautiful, high qualify, large acrylic drawers that I would invest in in a heart beat, however I'm having a hard time justifying her $60 flat shipping rates to Canada.   

How often are you on Blogger? 
I check at least once a day!

How did you come up with your blog name?

I don't really know. It's so hard because when you're trying to start a blog it feels like every great idea you have was somebody else's first.  I wanted something short and sweet... Lipstick is my favorite beauty product thus The Love of Lipstick.

Do you read comments posted on your blog?
Yes, absolutely.  I read every single one and get excited that people have read/ taken the time to comment on something I have written.  I always try to reply to every comment and appreciate every bit of feedback that I recieve.

Why did you start blogging and how long have you been blogging for?

I would say I started blogging for a number of reasons.  First, would be my love for makeup and beauty and not really having an outlet for it- boring my boyfriend and roommate to death wasn't really doing it for me (or them) so getting involved with the beauty blogging community and interacting with people with similar interests seemed like something that I would really enjoy doing (also maybe a way to justify my beauty "budget").

Second, there are so many girls on YouTube that I love to watch and inspire me. I love what they do via vlogging and thought I would take some baby steps to get involved.

Lastly was my need for a hobby, something other than my studies or work for me to enjoy during the day. I'm a newbie blogger. I've been blogging for about 4 months now!

What is you favorite thing about blogging and being a Beauty Blogger?

Like I mentioned above, my favorite thing about blogging so far is having an outlet to share my passions and interests within a community of people who are genuinely interested in not only what I have to say but also very similar things.  I also love how much I learn from others.   

What kind of camera do you use for you photographs?
Some might kick me for this, although I have a Nikon DSLR I actually prefer to take photos for my blog using my iPhone or iPad.  It makes it so much easier to shoot, edit, and upload.


If you've been thinking about participating in a Beauty Blogger Tag I encourage you to do it! You're welcome to use my "mash up version" or take a look at one of the three I used for inspiration: Novarellie , Chloe's Way, and Beauty and Things.

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |
xoxo

{Top 5} Beauty & Fashion Instagram Accounts

Good morning! 

For those of you who missed the last one, I've decided to start a mini- series every second Sunday where I share my current favorites; bloggers, their blogs, and other social media outlets.  Last time I shared my Top 5 Favorite You Tube Channels, and today I wanted to share my favorite Instagram accounts.  This was incredibly hard for me to narrow down to only five because there are so many gorgeous accounts out there. 

These girls not only have gorgeous photos, but also post fashion, beauty, and skin care tips on their feeds. Not to mention they're gorgeous themselves. If you don't follow any of them I highly recommend you do!

FAOBEAUTY

SASSAFRASS

CARALOREN

NORVINA

OLIVE&PIPER

If you're on Instagram leave your link below! I think it's such a great way to connect and share your content, and I'm always looking for new accounts to follow.  You find find me at the
link below, or by searching "theloveoflipstick" 

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |

xoxo

#BLOGGERSDOITBETTER: Finding The Perfect Bronzer

Bronzers are beautiful; when using a product that compliments your skin tone can achieve the perfect sun-kissed glow.  However, the trick can be finding the right product in order to avoid looking orange, muddy, or dirty.

To help with your search here are four tips/ tricks to find and apply the perfect bronzer:

Know the difference between contouring and bronzing 
Contouring is the strategic placement of bronzing products in order to make your face look slimmer, your nose smaller, and your cheek bones more pronounced.  Contouring is generally done in the hollows of your cheeks (right under the cheekbones), your hair line, down the sides of your nose, and along your jaw line. A good contour mimics a shadow so as a general rule using a cool-toned brown is best.

Bronzing is dusting bronzer around the areas of face that the sun naturally hits, giving you an all over glow and a slight tan.  Around your hairline, above and on your cheekbones, and down the center of your nose. In contrast to contouring, warm browns are best when bronzing because a tan adds warmth to your skin tone and warm colors will look the most natural.


Using the right tool
For contouring purposes a small and precise brush works best.  Popular among many is the NARS Ita Brush, but it seems hard to get your hands on.  I rarely contour but when I do I chose the MAC 109 rounded contour brush, or the Sigma F86 Tapered Kabuki (which is technically a concealer brush but the dense tapered brush makes application easy)

While bronzing your face a larger fluffy brush will give you a sunkissed glow and ensure you apply an even amount of product.  One of my favorites is the Real Techniques Blush Brush.  It's also a tapered, tulip shaped brush with synthetic hairs that diffuse colors seamlessly into the skin.


Choosing a shade
When choosing a bronzer look for a product 2 shades darker than your skin tone.  This will ensure it's not too dark, which can become muddy; or too light, which may not show up at all.

Like mentioned briefly above it is also important to note the undertones of the products your choosing.  On lighter skin products that are too warm in tone can appear orange.  On most skin tones a golden bronze will work, but if you're really fair (with cool, pink undertones) a more peach tone will compliment you nicely.


Choosing a finish
Once again, generally speaking there are three finishes to chose from:

Matte: Best for contouring, or also what I reach for when I'm using a blush with a lot of shimmer in it.  When using a matte bronzer you run the risk of looking flat, which is why I pair it with a shimmer blush or a highlight.  I like Too Faced Chocolate Soleil in Medium/ Deep but there is also a Light/ Medium shade for lighter skin tones.
Satin: The most natural looking finish.  My favorite go- to bronzer right now is MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Dark Golden.  Not technically a "bronzing powder," but since it is a skin finish (two shades darker than my skin tone!) it's a very natural- looking option.  It blends like a dream and gives the sun-kissed glow we've been talking about.  Satin finishes will also be the most forgiving if you go a little overboard.
Shimmer: Beautiful for the summer time; a bronzer with a shimmer in it will give you a glowing highlighted effect.  NARS Laguna Bronzer is my go to product for a glow-y look as the powder blends out beautifully and isn't too shimmery.  L'Oreal Glam Bronze in Brunettes is a more budget friendly option that gives a beautiful highlighted flush of color to the skin.  

Choosing a finish is completely a personal preference so don't be afraid to play around and try a variety of products in order to find one that works before for you.  Although you can find excellent products in the drug store I'm a strong believer in shopping in places like Sephora that have associates to help you test and try on product (and even return them within 30 days if it's not working for you)

What are you favorite bronzers/ bronzing products? Which finish do you prefer?

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful sunshine.

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |
xoxo

"Prom- spiration"

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know this past Saturday was my beautiful little sister's prom.  It was such a busy, event filled day; with hair appointments, out of town company, photos down on the beach, and a parade finishing with a red carpet. 

Because it was such a busy day I only managed to snap one photo of her make up before she was swept off to the next thing (then the next, then the next)  I'm kicking myself now because I wasn't in a "blogger's" mind set (more of a frantic, busy sister) and didn't take the "blog quality" photos I had planned to in the first place.  However, I wanted to write this post anyway and also include some details.  For all the beautiful girls who graduate this year, or in the near future, and are looking for a little inspiration.

The Makeup:

Eyes:

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot (Layin' Low)

Urban Decay Easy Baked 

Urban Decay Smog and Darkhorse

MAC Dazzlelights

Rimmel Scandleyes Eyeliner (Nude)

Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner (Blackest Black)

Benefit They're Real!

Tarte Lights,

Brows:

Anastasia Beverly Hill Brow Wiz (Ash Blonde)
Brow Powder Duo (Medium Brown)

Face:

Too Faced Primed and Poreless Primer

L'Oreal True Match Lumi (N3)

Naked Skin Foundation (4.0)

Garnier BB Cream (Light/ Medium) mixed all 3 to match a spray tan

Nars Laguna Bronzer

MAC Warm Soul Mineralize Blush

MAC Global Glow Extra Dimension Skin Finish

Lips:

MAC Creme de la Femme

Revlon Snow Pink

The Dress:

Mori Lee by Madeline Gardner: Papparazzi Collection Style 95010

The Hair:

Inspired by Demi Lovato's red carpet up-do here

The Jewels/ Accessories:

Necklace and Earrings:  This beautiful set was actually our Nana's, who wore it on her wedding day; and is the same jewellery I wore on my prom day as well.  When I graduated I had earrings converted from clip ons to studs.  They are clusters for borealis stones which pick up whatever colors they're surrounded by, especially pinks, yellows, purples, and of course blue.

Shoes: Le Chateau

Clutch: Unknown (borrowed)

The Sister:

The Red Carpet:

It was such a beautiful weekend, I'm so happy and blessed to have been a part of it.

Congratulations to all the grads graduating this season!

| Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin |
xoxo