Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick (540 Hollywood Red)

Price: Depends from place to place, but the price my sister got it for was 1000 Pakistani rupees.

Packaging:  Such a nice and decent looking packaging. It kind of gives a high end lipstick look. And I really like the fact that the red line of the lipsticks have red and silver packaging and the neutral lippies have neutral kind of packaging.

New MAC Lipstick and Dupe

I was all excited for the unveiling of my new MAC lipstick. This one was on my most wanted list for ages and ages. As I was happily swatching it, it dawned on me that I had put up a post of a lipstick that was very very similar to it just a while back; in fact it was my last post. Okay I'm telling you already... the name of my newest addition is none other than MAC's infamous Velvet Teddy.

Color Studio Professional Lipsticks

There's love at first sight, and there is falling in love steadily; which is what is happening between this brand and I. I brought a brush from this line on the advice of my sister (reviewed here) and just recently, my sister-in-law and I were standing at the display, pondering what to buy.

 As we stood their leisurely swatching things, ladies were coming up asking the sales woman to give them lipsticks with the particular lipstick name. My sister-in-law and I looked each other, a little surprised. Was this range the new MAC? It certainly looked like it from the way things were going. So we just took the plunge. We tried getting our hands on a matte shade, but it was sold out, so we picked out two from the creamy finish line. We got the two shades in 'Tornado' and 'Runway'.

Maybelline Color Drama Velvet Lip Pencils

I thought that these pencils would a little bigger, but they are smaller than your average jumbo lip pencils. When I first caught a whiff of them online, I was intrigued since they looked very nice and were reasonably prized. They are not the retractable ones, they need to be sharpened. This is a plus for me since I like the tip to be sharpish to get a clean lip line.

It was a pleasant surprise to receive these from my sister-in-law (also co-author of this blog) though I believe she has left the heavy lifting to me...(I'm ducking).....nevertheless, I tried them out albeit just once. If you want to know my first impressions, read on.

Shades: 510 Red Essential and 210 Keep it Classy

Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Intense Balm

Having worn more or less matte lips consistently for a couple of weeks now, this morning I felt like a different finish was in order. Also, I was sleepy so I was looking a little lack luster as it were. The culprit I suspect, was that midnight dessert that chased away my beauty sleep only for it to come right back at me in the wee hours of the morning.

So I just went through my usual routine in a very routine way, but jazzed it up a little with the Rimmel Lip Balm Jumbo stick in 200 Keep Mauving. Although I had used it on a number of occasions before, I only just noticed its awesomeness this morning.

These are available in a variety of colours, all of them very pretty, but since I shy away from reds and pasty colours that totally wash me out, I picked up the browny pinky shade in Keep Mauving. I don't really see the mauve in it, but okay. 

My Brown/ Brown based Lipstick Favs

With the return of the brown/ browny nude/ brown based lips this coming season, I decided to go through my stash and fell in love of some my since forgotten and hardly used lipsticks and I just kept wondering why I hadn't been using them for some time. But here they are....

I love this entire color range so much, and it looks absolutely gorgeous on medium to dark skin tones, it's pretty for night events and goes superbly with gold eyeshadow.

Marsala 2015 Pantone Colour of the Year Makeup Picks

This year's colour is super awesome and one my favs in terms of makeup. It's a rustic wine shade. It looks amazing with medium to dark skin tones, but fair girls can pull it off too. It's festive, but toned down, it could also be used for everyday makeup. I just went through my stash and picked out a few of my wine/rustic hued makeup products that I just need to use more off (me being the neutral look kinda gal).

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick

I was so excited to get this product for two reasons, first off it is my first Too Faced product..yay! Next because whereas jumbo lip pencils (balm, stain, tint, long wear or otherwise) were all the rage, the new 'thing' are the liquid lipsticks that claim to be super long wearing and opaque. This line has six regular colors, but since they are a bit pricey, I decided to go for a color that I would get the most use out of. So on with the review:

Shade: Melted Nude

Revlon Matte Lipstick in 003 Mauve It Over

Matte lipsticks are back with a bang. I've always been partial to a good matte lip. This particular line from Revlon has something for everyone, whether you're a nude lips girl, to a hot red one. There are a couple of beautiful reds in this collection. But my personal favorite is the one called Mauve it Over. The name sounds so cute.

My Five Top Pink/Pinkish Lipsticks

Pink is such a versatile makeup color, and most used. It's pretty much a safe bet with most makeup looks.
These are my most versatile and loved pink/pinkish lipsticks in a wide range of shades. All of them are just classics and must haves.

From left to right:

1. Rimmel London Lipstick in 070 Airy Fairy

2. Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in 001 Lilac

3.Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 70 Adorable

4. Boots No.7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in 30

5. Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick 02

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick in 006 Ultimate Orchid

I featured this product in an Orchid schemed post I did a few days ago (click here). The reason was the most beautiful light mauve pink color that directly attracted me as being the most beautiful lip color for a no makeup makeup look. I am a huge fan of Revlon lip products, including their glosses and chubby stick type balms and their classic lipsticks, but sadly this one product just does not even come up to that mark even by a fraction.

Revlon Liquid Lipstick in Ultimate Orchid

MAC Lipstick in Russian Red

I love my neutrals, be it eyeshadows or lipsticks. I tend to shy away from bright/vibrant colors when it comes to lipstick which is probably the only reason that I didn't own a proper pure red lipstick till now. I never even felt the urge to swatch them in stores and my eyes just used to skip over all those beautiful reds and bright pinks. 

theBalm Girls Lipstick in Amanda Kissmylips

I'm a huge fan of theBalm Instain Blushes and Eyeshadows, particularly the Balm Jovi Palette. I've reviewed that here. So naturally I was curious about the lipsticks. I hadn't heard about these at all. I wondered why. The colors looked decent enough, but to be frank only one stood out to me to be unique and different. But you have to hand it to theBalm for their fancy slightly questionable names (and packaging).

theBalm Girls Lipsticks

I have the one that is the third from the left. Yeah it is scary looking...

MAC Lipstick in Mocha

Do you ever feel irritated by the sales ladies at these department stores that eye you, sum you up, and hover over you sending a telepathic message "lady buy something or get out"? I just wish they'd let you at least take a couple of breaths and browse around, and then when you want to buy something or require assistance we will call you immediately. So one day when I saw a MAC store relatively empty, and only two ladies, both of whom were bust doing something behind the counter, I saw an opportune moment to walk around the shop and see if there was anything new. I even thought I'd treat myself to something if it takes my fancy. Armed with these thoughts I entered. Sadly, nothing really struck me as being outstanding. As I turned to walk out of the shop, one of the sales ladies came up (yes I was shocked that one of them did not approach me earlier) and asked me if I saw anything I liked and if she might help me with something. Since I had mostly decided I'd be hitting the road something struck me about her. It was her lip color. I had to ask...and she said it was her no fuss yet something with a punch, favorite Satin finish MAC lipstick. Really I thought, it was suiting her and as her complexion was close to mine I was baited and predicted that I'd soon be reeled in.

And so it was that I became the proud owner of MAC lipstick in Mocha.

My Perfect Shade of Fuchsia

With Spring right around the corner, I was looking around my lip colors looking to upgrade accordingly. I had done my perfect shade of red earlier, but red is a classic color, ideal all year round. For spring you look to more bright vibrant colors depicting the awakening of mother nature from her winter slumber. Flower buds breaking though and the sun that begins to reveal its true self from behind the murky clouds.

Keeping that festive mood in mind, I remembered this particular lip color that was just waiting to be pulled out from the makeup bag and put into plain sight to be used. It was a recent buy, but it got tucked away during the winter, and though it of course it would be nice with a subdued eye makeup in winter (which I actually do like), in spring, pairing it with pastels or colorful liner would be interesting too. I should mention I am a big fan of this entire range.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in 02 

NYX Dupes for some well known MAC Products

I was looking at awe at the new MAC outlet at my local mall, but I knew it was just going to break the bank going inside. Which got me to thinking. NYX makeup is so close to the quality to MAC if not even better in some cases. I had already heard of plenty of dupes for their range and so I thought to scour the net and compile a few more well know dupes for famous MAC makeup shades in the blush, eyeshadow and lipstick categories.

A dupe means a shade that is quite similar in color and finish to the original product, maybe with the slightest difference...sometimes you get something that is exactly the same. However with the product being 1/3 the price, what's the harm in a say, 5 % difference which is hardly noticeable once applied?

So then here goes:

My Five Lipstick Picks for the Cooler Fall/Winter Months

Frankly, I've never been one to wear any particular shades of lipsticks according to the season, but its a general trend to be sporting more mauve, plum, wine, purple and berry shades in the cold season. Peach, light pinks, coral and orange are more summery colors. So anyways, in accordance to this trend I picked out 5 shades for the current season.

And they are:

From the left: Viva Glam 3 (Matte)

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 02 (Satin)

Diana of London Extra Long Stay Lipstick in Best Star 08 (Matte)

Avon Color Trend Lipstick in Intimate (Satin)

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Midnight Plum 338 (Satin with micro glitter)

My Perfect Shade of Red

I've always been on the hunt for a red that wouldn't make me look like Bozo the Clown. So whenever I strolled into the malls I'd swatch the red just for the heck of it, convinced the red of my destiny probably did not even exist. None ever clicked..and none were just your classic red...they always had pinky undertones or corally, or orangy and though they were beautiful, they were not quite what I was looking for. Until I picked up this lipstick. It whispered to me almost and I knew I had found it. Ladies...I'd like you to meet the red of my dreams:

 

Maybelline 14 Hour Lasting Lipstick in 540 Ravishing Rouge

Favorite MAC Lipsticks- The Nudes

I've always felt it prudent that when thinking of buying higher end lippys, a color that is practical and able to be worn in every situation is the best way to go. Obviously nude lipsticks, i.e lipsticks that are close to your own lip color, maybe slightly darker or lighter are best situated in all case scenarios, be it natural, smoky or bold makeup. MAC lipsticks are not cheap, about 90-100 dhs these days. So obviously we have to choose wisely. Here my top 3 picks:

From the left: 

Half n Half (Amplified formula)

Viva Glam 5 (Lustre)

Blankety (Amplified)