Kat Von D Everlasting Lipstick in Lovesick

A recent trip to the US saw me floating next to the Kat Von D stand in Sephora, attracted to the Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks that every beauty blogger and their dog is writing about.  I also got attracted to the Lock It Foundation, but that's a tale for another day - possibly in a few months time, because every single branch of Sephora in the Bay Area was sold out of my shade.  Gah.

Anyway, back to the lipstick.  Everlasting Liquid Lipstick is one of those ultra-matte, ultra-long lasting lipsticks that are so, so hot right now, and the Kat Von D one has attracted quite the following because of the large shade range (28 shades!) and the availability of some unusual ones (hello, black goth lips) available in a retail store.  They cost $20 before tax, and given that my recent ultra-matte favourites are from Colourpop, and cost a mere $8 each, I decided to be restrained and only buy one shade of Everlasting Lipstick.

I chose Lovesick because it's a cool toned, mauve-y neutral pink, the kind of shade which goes with both heavy and light eyeshadow looks.  And wow, it's incredibly cool toned - if you're even slightly warm toned, you may find this shade makes you look dead.  If you're cool toned like me, it looks pretty good.

Texture wise, the lip cream is easily spreadable, and it's easy enough to outline and fill in your lips before it starts setting down.  Once set, it's almost unbudgeable - obviously, if you eat an oily thing it'll come off regardless, but normal eating and drinking are no match for this formula.  One thing I found compromised the wear was my habit of squashing my lips together immediately after applying lipstick - with this stuff, you need to walk around with your mouth open for a few minutes to let it set fully before you do any squishing, or it won't set properly, and it'll wear off patchily.

Everlasting Liquid Lipstick is just as good as Colourpop's Ultra Matte Lips.  It is, however, over double the price, and aside from way prettier packaging, it doesn't really bring anything that Colourpop doesn't.  Still, if you love a liquid matte lip, this one should be on your try list - Everlasting Lipstick really is lovely.

Disclosure:  Bought by me.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

The Clinique Pop Lip Lineup: Pop Lip, Pop Glaze & Pop Lacquer

Left to right:  Pop Lip in Berry Pop, Pop Glaze in Liquorice Pop, Pop Lacquer in Sweet Pop

Pop Lip in Berry Pop, Pop Glaze in Liquorice Pop, Pop Lacquer in Sugar Pop

Pop Lip in Berry Pop

Pop Glaze in Liquorice Pop

Pop Lacquer in Sugar Pop

Clinique are all about the micro-brands right now: after a million variations on the eternally popular Chubby Stick, we're getting a large number of Pop products, following the success of the original Cheek Pop blushes and Pop Lip lipsticks.  The two newest lip products are Pop Glaze and Pop Lacquer: Pop Glaze, £16, gives you a soft, sheer look, and Pop Lacquer, £16, takes on the liquid lipstick trend with a high pigment, high shine finish.

Pop Glaze is really just a watered down version of Pop Lip, and I don't mean that as an insult - it's simply a sheer version of the original, with translucent packaging, the same buttery texture, and soft, subtle tint of colour which is more than a Chubby Stick and less than a Pop Lip.  Pop Liquorice is a glorious colour, all squashed berries with a purplish tint, made very wearable thanks to the sheer finish.

I was a little disappointed when I saw I'd been sent a neutral Pop Lacquer - high pigment and high shine just screams for classic red, bold lips to me - but actually, I've ended up using Pop Lacquer in Sugar Pop much more than I thought I would.  The cool, creamy pink is just the right tone to cancel out the bluish tinge in my lips, and makes for an oh-so-pretty neutral spring lip.  The texture is a little on the thick side, as you'd expect for high pigment, but it's also rather squishy and slippy, which makes wearing it more pleasant - wear time, unsurprisingly, is a little shorter as a result, clocking in three hours before I need a touch up.

So there you have it: two new lip products to go along with the existing Pop Lip.  I've been trying to decide which I prefer, but actually, they're both pretty good - Pop Glaze probably pips Pop Lacquer to the post, though, mostly because it lasts a little longer and is lower maintenance, which is very important to me because I'm lazy.  Tried either of these?  Let me know what you think!

Disclosure:  PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

BUY THIS NOW: Avon Perfectly Matte Lipstick in Splendidly Fuchsia, Peach Flatters, Perfectly Nude, Adoring Love, Wild Cherry & Pure Pink

Splendidly Fuchsia, Peach Flatters, Perfectly Nude, Adoring Love, Wild Cherry & Pure Pink

Splendidly Fuchsia

Peach Flatters

Perfectly Nude

Adoring Love

Wild Cherry

Pure Pink

Avon can be terribly hit and miss with their makeup, but wow, these new matte lipsticks are a HIT.  A massive hit.  A beautifully matte, surprisingly comfortable, well pigmented hit.

First off, let's talk about the packaging - perhaps the only disappointing part of this otherwise excellent little lipstick.  The tube is simple matte black plastic, no problems there, but there's a clear window in the lid which reminds me of the Constance Carrol lipsticks I used to buy at the market when I was a teenager.  The window looks a little bit cheap, although practically it is helpful to see the colour inside.  Although the label on the bottom helps there too, and is far less ugly.

Anyway, packaging aside, the lipstick itself is rather impressive indeed for a mere £8.  The texture is soft, velvety and balm-like, and glides easily onto the lips, leaving a good level of pigmentation behind.  This isn't one of those matte lipsticks which goes on slick and sets down matte - it goes on matte, the kind of matte that's a velvety and almost powdery.  And it stays matte on the lips all day, remarkably sticking to the lips like glue - I wore it most days last week and was impressed to find that my lips are still perfectly matte, colourful and even at 5pm having applied at 7am.

So there you have it.  A beautifully pigmented matte lipstick, which lasts amazingly well, comes in some truly gorgeous shades (Wild Cherry is my favourite), and costs just £8.  Run to the Avon website and buy it now!

Disclosure:  PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

So Intense: OCC Lip Tar RTW in Black Metal Dahlia

I remember the excitement around OCC when their revolutionary Lip Tars came to the UK back in 2010 - their stand at IMATS sold out almost immediately, so keen for intense pigmentation were we.  Since then, they've added millions of new shades, a set of metallic shades, been and gone from Sephora, and launched Lip Tar RTW - a version which comes in a tube for more portable application.

I LOVE the new RTW format.  The product within is the same insanely pigmented fluid which dries down into a slightly glossy, full on finish, and the packaging, complete with doe's foot applicator, makes it much easier to apply the stuff without faffing about with a brush.  Bravo, OCC, bravo, for taking what was fundamentally an artist's product and bringing it to a more consumer-friendly format without watering down the product.

Also:  Black Metal Dahlia, eh?  This is one of the vampiest, deepest, most LOOK AT ME lip products I own, and I bloody love it.  Granted, it takes some careful application to get a clean finish, and you really need to be careful to use only a tiny dab to avoid a sticky mess.  I also find that because the colour is so intense, it bleeds a little into the tiny lines around my lips - a clear lipliner applied just outside the lipline solves that easily.

At £13.25, you're getting a whole lot of punchy lip for your money - Lip Tar goes a long way, so you'll find yourself using the little tube for a long, long time before needing to replace it.  And it's much less likely to make a mess of your makeup bag than the originals.  Highly recommended!

Disclosure:  Bought by me.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Lipsticks & Lipliners: Wonderland, Rock Steady, Ex-Girlfriend, Firebird

Rock Steady, Ex-Girlfriend, Firebird

Wonderland, Rock Steady, Ex-Girlfriend, Firebird

Wonderland

Rock Steady

Ex-Girlfriend

Firebird

Wearing Rock Steady lipliner + lipstick

Now, THIS is what I imagined when I first heard Gwen Stefani was collaborating with Urban Decay.  LIPSTICK, people, LIPSTICK.

There are six shades available, and I've got four to show you - Wonderland, a clean bright red; Rock Steady, a deeper ruby red; Ex-Girlfriend, a pinky beige nude; and Firebird, a hot blue based fuchsia.  Gorgeous, aren't they?  Firebird, granted, isn't quite my cup of tea, and Ex-Girlfriend is a nice if dupable medium pigment nude, but really, when I think about Gwen Stefani and lipstick, I immediately think RED, so do excuse me if I mostly talk about Wonderland and Rock Steady.

I was immediately drawn to Rock Steady, and I found it to be insanely pigmented, so much so that applying just the lipstick straight from the bullet generally results in a wavy lipline - you need a liner or a lip brush with this shade, it's just so intense every little wobble will show otherwise.  The matching 24/7 lipliner is a great match (obviously), and the combination of the liner and the lipstick makes for an intense statement lip which lasts well.  Not as well, though, as Wonderland - which doesn't quite need the same precision on the lipline, and easily lasts the whole day if you're content to end the day with a soft stain.

Overall, then, these lipsticks are much what you'd expect - bright, pigmented, creamy colours with great wear, and a statement finish.  Only Rock Steady really needs the matching lipliner, but if you want a really precise finish, it's worth having both.  At £16, the lipsticks are a veritable bargain if you want a long lasting red; the lip liners cost £14.

Disclosure:  PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Max Factor Marilyn Monroe Lipstick Collection

Ruby Red, Sunset Red, Berry Red, Cabernet Red

Ruby Red, Sunset Red, Berry Red, Cabernet Red

Cabernet Red

Ruby Red, Sunset Red, Berry Red, Cabernet Red

Ruby Red

Sunset Red

Berry Red

Cabernet Red

Max Factor's lipsticks are pretty good quality for their price point - and these Marilyn Monroe themed lipsticks are no exception.  The four shades of red include classic Ruby, warm Sunset, pinkish Berry, and shimmery rich Cabernet - my personal favourite is Cabernet red, which is gloriously rich and has a nice shot of deep red shimmer running throughout.

The lipsticks are in the Colour Elixir formula, which is plush and silky, and gives a medium pigmented finish.  A couple of passes over the lips intensifies the pigment, and that's what I've swatched above.  Wear time is average at about three hours before the colour fades down into a slight tint.

My only gripe is that the Marilyn Monroe connection is pretty damn thin - apart from the red packaging, there's nothing that distinguishes these lipsticks from the regular Color Elixir range, and there's nothing very Marilyn like other than the fact that the lipsticks are all red, and Marilyn is one of many famous wearers of red lipstick.

Overall, then, a great collection of reds, particularly at the very reasonable price of £7.99 a pop.  Any confirmed red lipstick lover will find a shade to love, and if you're new to red, each shade is neutral enough that choosing one should be relatively easy.

Disclosure:  PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Clarins Instant Radiance Spring 2016: Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Plum Shimmer & Rouge Eclat Lipstick in Pink Cherry

Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Plum Shimmer 

Rouge Eclat Lipstick in Pink Cherry

I love a new collection from Clarins, usually because there are guaranteed to be a couple of really cracking lip products.  Spring 2016 is no disappointment:  no completely new products, but new shades in two of my favourite Clarins lip products - Rouge Eclat lipstick, and Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector.

Rouge Eclat lipstick in Pink Cherry, £19.50, is a gloriously buttery hit of colour - Clarins claim that it's an age-defying lipstick, which I don't really get.  I do get the plush, hydrating texture, the medium pigmentation, and the pretty-good-for-a-buttery-lipstick 3 hour wear time.

Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Plum Shimmer, £18, is a sheer, berry tint which looks like a gloss, but is actually a very hydrating balm.  I absolutely love these things:  I've managed even to finish one or two, an amazing feat when your lip product collection is the size of mine.  Plum Shimmer, like its predecessors, is easy to wear, easy to apply, and keeps lips soft and plump.

So there you have it.  Two new shades of two lovely existing products for spring.  Find the collection now at Clarins counters nationwide, and stay tuned for a a few more pieces from the collection soon!

Disclosure:  PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

BUY THIS NOW: No 7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Pillarbox

If you're looking for an amazingly pigmented, punchy red lipstick with a comfortable matte finish which won't break the bank, go straight out and buy one of these limited edition Moisture Drench lipsticks in Pillarbox.

At £9.95, it's very reasonably priced, and I was expecting a reasonably average lipstick.  But wow, it's so pigmented, so glowingly, richly red that I can't quite believe it's so cheap.  Texture wise, it's thick and creamy, gliding onto the lips and leaving them feeling comfortable but not overly slippy moist.

I could keep waffling on, but seriously, if you love a red lip, you should go buy one of these immediately.  You'll be very, very impressed.

Disclosure:  PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

The Red Lip Diaries: B. Matte Red Lipsticks in Isabella, Dita, Suki & Alexa

Isabella, Dita, Suki, Alexa 

Isabella, Dita, Suki, Alexa

Isabella

Dita

Suki

Alexa

I do love a bit of B. The inexpensive, accessible yet high quality products are one of the best things to land at Superdrug in recent years, alongside the rather fabulous Makeup Revolution range.  B's newest lipsticks are super matte, high pigmentation, and every single shade available is red - perfect.

Texture wise, the lipsticks are a little bit waxy and draggy until they warm up, and even when they do they never quite become buttery and glide-y.  The draggyness doesn't matter too much, though, because the pigmentation is so high - this is easily one of the most high pigment high street lipsticks I've tried, particularly in such a matte finish.

They do feel a little tight and heavy on the lips, nothing too bad but you'll definitely know you're wearing them.  Wear time is pretty damn good - four hours before the colour faded, and even then it didn't fade too much, just wore down to a slightly more stainy effect.  Shade wise, Isabella is a fairly orange red; Dita is a slightly pinky red; Suki is a true blue based red; and Alexa is a slightly more wine red.

So far, so good, right?  This is where it goes wrong, sadly.  Whilst the lipsticks themselves are pretty damn good for their tiny £7.99 price tag, the packaging is awful.  The tubes are the kind where the cap is the entire height of the lipstick, and the bullet clicks into place inside the cap rather than screwing in.  This is all well and good, but the lipsticks started failing to click into the caps whilst I was swatching them, which meant that my swatching session finished with one of the lipsticks doing a good imitation of being a torpedo launched from a tube, and falling straight to the floor.  As a result I wouldn't trust these things in my handbag - the chances of getting red lipstick everywhere is just too high.

All in all, then, a good product spoiled by bad packaging.  Boo.

Disclosure:  PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.