Urban Decay 'Stark Naked' Comfort Matte Lipstick

Hey!


Yesterday was National Lipstick Day, so in honour of that I thought I would upload a lipstick review. I've had the Urban Decay 'Stark Naked' Comfort Matte Lipstick for many months now so it is about time!


With lipsticks, I like to have an easy nude colour that is quick and easy to put on when I am getting ready in a rush and don't have time to spend on perfecting my lipstick. After my favourite BareMinerals lipstick was discontinued, I needed to find the perfect new nude for this job. And this is what I chose. 

Make Up Wishlist

Bad times when there is lots of make up you want to buy but you need to save money! And then the list just keeps building up and up...Here are a few on my wishlist/radar:

Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte 'Cher' Liquid Lipstick

Hey!

Sometime last year my friend and I were talking about Gerard Cosmetics and I mentioned that if I were to buy one of the liquid lipsticks, that I'd go for the shade 'Cher'. My wonderful friend remembered that and bought me it for Christmas! This is my first product from Gerard Cosmetics.

The range of Hydra Matte lipsticks, which you can guess from the name, claim to be a comfortable and nourishing formula whilst still being matte and long-lasting. The packaging looks luxurious with a gold cap and frosted glass, making it one of my favourite looking products. I absolutely love the frosted design! The shade 'Cher' is described as a 'Muted Purple'. 

I'll begin by saying that I absolutely adore the shade. It goes nicely with my purple hair and it surely is a unique colour in my collection. It applies rather easily with a little time to play around with before it dries completely matte. You're able to layer it up too to build up the colour and make it darker. The applicator is shorter than the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks that I own but not too short to make it difficult to apply.

Lasting time I find fairly good. It it non-transferable, which makes it kiss-proof(!). This type of lip product I like to use when I'm wearing make up for a long duration as it doesn't come off as easy as say a lipstick. Eating dry snacks and drinking water is fine, it is just when I am eating a big meal that it comes off on the inner parts of my lips. However, it is easy to reapply and doesn't look patchy.

In conclusion, I really like this lipstick and the formula. I would happily buy more liquid lipsticks from Gerard Cosmetics as this one has become one of my favourites and will continue to use it regularly. 

Lipstick Declutter!

Hello,


I have too many lipsticks! So the other day I decided to make myself go through them all and get rid of any I don't need anymore. I counted I had 29 lip products in total and my little basket was overfilling, so it was time to cull...

The photo above is a photo of my entire collection of lipsticks, liquid lipsticks, lip liners and the one lipgloss Juicy Shaker from Lancome. Here are a few of interest that will definitely be staying:

Urban Decay Comfort Matte 'Stark Naked' Lipstick- A creamy, matte, nude perfect for when you're running late and have to do your make up quickly.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick 'Lolita'- I have already nearly finished one. One of my favourites out of all my lipsticks as it's a beautiful nudey-brown colour.

Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Lipstick 'Rock Steady'- A creamy, shiney red from the Gwen Stefani collection. I adore the packaging!

Kiko Milano Endless Love Lipstick 'Soft Marsala'- From their Valentine's Collection. The lipstick is in the shape of a heart! Although mine is slightly ruined by a terrible ex who decided he would "stamp" the heart on his face...How ironic.

Now on to the items that I decided to get rid of:

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie 'Break Away' lipstick- This lipstick is discontinued and I am so gutted! These are the first lipsticks I've ever finished and were perfect for days where I needed to do my make up super quick. Also good for nights out because it wouldn't noticeably come off when drinking.

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick 'Dark Night Waterl-Oops!'- My second ever lipstick! It's a beautiful purple but it's so old now that it is 'wet', applies patchy and feathers immediately. It has to go!

BarryM Cosmetics Lipstick '37 Black'- Younger me wanted a black lipstick to rock. It is sooo patchy! I have the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick 'Witches' now which is 10x better so this is going to go.

Rimmel Super Lustrous Lipstick (Colour Unknown)- The most terrible lipstick I've ever used. I recieved it in a Glossybox and it's so patchy and streaky that I won't even bother giving it to someone else. It looks like the 'concealer lips' trend from years ago on me so I am just not digging it.

Essence Liquid Lipstick 'Show Off'- The only item I can give away to someone. I got it in a Glossybox and the colour really isn't my style. I've given it to my sister Kelly who suits this colour far better.

So these are all the items I have gotten rid of. 6 may not seem that many but for me I am quite proud and now I have a bit more space in my lipstick organiser to add much nicer lipsticks in to!


*Since this post I have also managed to give away to my sister my Max Factor 'Cherry Kiss', true red lipstick. It is a nice lipstick but quite frankly I have too many red lipsticks and just don't get the use out of it. I am sure my sister will love it.



Thanks for reading!

February Favourites

I haven't done a monthly Favourites post in a long while so thought I'd bring it back again this month!

1. Monkl Shady Lady Eyeshadow Palette- This was a Christmas present from my friend Ruby. I have been enjoying a particular shade from the palette this month which is the first shade- a glittery silver. I have been loving this colour as a base colour on my eyelid and it goes well with multiple crease colours. On a night out I have used black to create a smokey eye and in the day time I have used a purple which I absolutely loved the combination of! I find this colour becomes more pigmented as well with a damp brush so prefer to use it that way. It also makes for a fab inner corner highlight!

2. Urban Decay Aferglow 8-Hour Highlighter 'Sin'- I bought this beautiful highlighter with a gift card after eyeing it up for 6 months. The packaging is stunning to match the stunning silvery highlight. It goes on sheer so you can build it up depending on how bold you want your highlight to be and is easy to blend. This also makes for a fab inner corner highlight.

3. Real Techniques Your Picks: Berlin 'Base Shadow Brush'- Although this is a base eyeshadow brush, I've actually been loving using it to blend out the edges of my crease colour. Although I do use a crease brush first to pack on the colour, I find it is far easier to blend the edges out for a less harsh line with this fluffy brush. I reviewed the whole set on my blog so be sure to check that out!

4. Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer- This is a cult favourite for all beauty bloggers and I am certainly late to the bandwagon but I can see what the hype is about now! I've been loving how easy it is to start lightly and then build it up if necessary. The perfect bronzer colour which is also good for subtle contouring.

5. Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick 'Exorcism'- I have been wanting this browny-red vampire colour for ages so when my friend Antonia bought it for me for Christmas I was ecstatic. It's not as good at layering as 'Lolita' is but nevertheless I still love it and it doesn't have to be a bold lip that takes forever to apply. LOVE this colour!

L > R: Monkl Shady Lady '01', Kat Von D 'Exorcism' & Urban Decay 'Sin'

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick 'Lolita'

Hey!


Your girl Briony is back! Beginning University overwhelmed me so much I didn't have time for blogging. However, I've started to really miss it lately so I'm going to try get back into it.


Many months ago I mentioned that my brother went to America and so I asked him to bring me back Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in 'Lolita', before it came to the UK through Debenhams. Today I thought I'd share my review on it!


First of all, can we just say that the 14 year old emo girl in me was screaming when I learned that Kat Von D had her own beauty line. Her artwork is incredible which is beautifully represented on the lipstick packaging in the form of roses. All the artwork on her beauty products just calls out to me.


Lolita is a beautiful brown nude- perfect to go with most make up looks. I absolutely adore the colour and the more layers it has, the browner it looks.


When I first applied this lipstick I didn't have much experience with liquid lipsticks so it was definitely difficult. However, the doefoot applicator is the perfect size for application and over time I have found it easier. By no means am I a liquid lipstick, application expert but I am certainly better! But put it this way- if I was in a rush to get out the door and needed quick make up this wouldn't be my go to lipstick.

The colour dries beautifully matte, which is my favourite finish, and doesn't feel too drying. It is definitely long lasting so I can trust it on a night out or when I am eating. The colour makes my lips look bigger and plumper too, which is a bonus!


To be honest, the only bad thing I can say about this lipstick is that after a couple of reapplications it starts to show up the lines on your lips. This doesn't bother me too much but it is something to consider. 

Overall I absolutely adore this lipstick and is actually my FAVOURITE lipstick in my collection. I always come back to it and I've already got a back up! The colour with a thin application is like no other colour I've seen. Love, love, LOVE!


You can buy this lipstick online Debenhams for £16.00. I've since bought another Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick and I'm very likely to buy more!


What do you think of these liquid lipsticks?

New in My Make Up Collection

Hello all!


I've got some new items in my make up collection that I want to share with you all. 

First of all is the Zoeva Rose Golden Eyeshadow Palette. I've been eyeing up the Zoeva eyeshadow palettes for months and I finally bought one because I wanted to treat myself after pay day. I decided on the Rose Golden one because my friend has it so I've seen in person how stunning it is! I bought it for £18 on BeautyBay and amazingly it arrived the next day. 

The next few items have been excitingly anticipated by me for so long. As a former emo kid I have adored Kat Von D for many years so as soon as I knew she had her own make up line I was amazed. It was like her packaging was made just for me, with how great the products are being a bonus! My brother went to America with work for 2 months so I asked him to pick me up the Kat Von D Lolita Everlasting Liquid Lipstick and the black Tattoo Liquid Eyeliner which he did. He bought me 2 of each which gives him major brother points! Funnily enough the day after he told me he bought them Debenhams announced they were going to start selling Kat Von D Beauty in the UK, so you know full well you will see a lot more of her products on this blog.



What is new in your make up collection?

My First Sephora Haul

Hello all!


Recently I found myself in a Sephora store in Paris. This wasn't the first time I had been in a Sephora store (my first time was in Spain last year), but this is the first time I have bought anything from there. I never knew I could be so excited over a store!


As soon as I went in to the store I hunted down their own brand make up products. I have seen loads of bloggers and YouTubers talk about their liquid lipsticks so I knew I wanted one. I haven't used a liquid lipstick before! I picked up two matte colours, 'Always Red' (a true, bold red) and 'Strawberry Kissed' (a lighter, slightly pinkier toned red). Unfortunately there wasn't many colours left so I didn't get to try out many colours and had to get two reds. I really wished they had some nudes in stock because I probably would have got a red and a nude! However I love them both and I am glad I got them. Of course, reviews will follow!

The next item I picked up was a face mask. Again, I've seen plenty of bloggers and YouTubers talk about the Sephora masks so I felt really intrigued to buy one. I would have liked them all but in the end I chose the Avocado face mask which claims to give intense nutrition to skin and give relief to sensitive skin. I chose this one as I have never used avocado in a mask before and most of my masks are for targeting acne so I wanted something different. I think I will use this if my skin is quite dry and/or sore!

The last item is a primer. I hadn't planned to buy a primer but that day I realised that I had lost mine! I thought that I had left it in Berlin where I was previous, but when I got back to the UK and emptied out my bag I found it! Such a relief. But anyway, I decided to go for the Sephora Prep & Perfect Pore & Fine Line Filler Blurring Effect Primer (phew!). It is a tinted primer that doesn't feel particularly silicone-y and I will let you know what I think of it soon.

That's all for now. I hope this will be the first of many! My brother is currently in America for work so I am hoping he will pick me up some stuff from Sephora there which you can't get in Sephora Europe. 

Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani 'Rock Steady' Lipstick

Hello!

Ever since I saw the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani range I knew I had to have something. I used to absolutely adore Gwen Stefani in my childhood and was always singing her songs! I also love Urban Decay so it's a good mix. Gwen is known for her bold lips and I nearly *always* go for a bold lip so I knew she would have a colour I'd love.

The packaging of her lipsticks are quite unique and are inspired by Gwen's love of black and gold graphic prints. This has differently angled lines of gold and black which gives me a very rock feel and I love it.

'Rock Steady' is a warm, deep red with a sheen to it which isn't quite as dark as the bullet shows. I've seen it described as glossy but when I think of glossy I think of as shiny as a lipgloss so I don't agree with it. I think it has a sheen to it which focuses mainly on the middle of the lips. The lipstick is a cream lipstick making it really easy to glide onto the lips and gives a slightly slippy feel as opposed to it feeling really dry like some lipsticks can. It is also extremely pigmented and you can achieve an opaque, bold lip straight away.

I believe that this lipstick looks good with and without a lip liner; although I prefer to use it with. This is because I sometimes find after eating oilier food the lipstick can bleed a little at the edges of my month which can be easily fixed anyway. The range does have matching lip liners but I use a far cheaper alternative by pairing it with a L'Oreal red lip liner. 

As for lasting power, because it is a sheen lipstick it doesn't last as long as a matte lip would. If I'm not eating and drinking it is fine but if I do eat and drink the colour on the sides and corners of my mouth will go. Drinking a drink through a straw is okay but if I'm drinking out of a cup it will go. Because of this I always make sure I bring the lipstick out with me and will reapply after I've finished eating. Layering the lipstick is fine and it doesn't go funny like some lipsticks can do (I find that with MAC ones).

In conclusion I do like this lipstick. It is very pigmented so makes a wonderful bold lip and it is a red and finish that I didn't already have in my collection. Nearly all of the lipsticks I own are matte so this is something different, but not too different, for me. It hasn't got the best lasting power after eating but reapplying is perfectly fine. Just watch out for any of the colour bleeding! Maybe if you're going out all day you could bring a cotton bud with you just in case.

The lipstick is £16 making it one of the most expensive lipsticks I have. I'm glad I bought it and it would be something I'd see as making a good gift for a real make up lover or for someone who also had a love for Gwen Stefani years ago!

Do you have any of the products from the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani range?

March Favourites

Let's get down to business! Can anyone name what film that's from? But anyway, here are my March favourites:

• Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lipstick 'Rocksteady'- I got this lipstick new this month. I was quite ill at the beginning of March so decided I needed to treat myself to something to cheer myself up. So this happened. I will be reviewing this very soon but sneak peek: I really like it! Plus, can we all appreciate how beautiful the packaging is?

• Lancome Juicy Shaker 'Meli Melon'- This is something I'd never thought I'd ever own or like. I don't like lipgloss and I don't like pink. So how did this happen? My first product from Lancome which I won in a giveaway and it is honestly one of the most fun make up items I've ever tried. Review coming soon!

• W7 Go Colour Corrective Concealer 'Green'- I've had this since sometime last year and the reason it is in my favourites this month is because I'm so surprised it has lasted me so long. I use green corrector concealers on the majority of my face nearly every day so I love how long this has lasted. Probably the one I've used the longest! You can read my review on it here.

• Dark Places by Gillian Flynn- Oh. my. god. This book. I don't want to leave any spoilers, but lets say this book left me feeling shaken up. I read this in under 24 hours because I was so incredibly gripped by it. I felt so many emotions reading it and I do cry at books a lot, but never have I ever felt so shaken up by a story before. I literally sat in silence for 5 minutes after finishing trying to come to terms with what I've read. A few graphic scenes, but definitely an enticing read!

What were your favourites in March? Here's to April: my birthday month!

Rimmel The Only 1 'One-of-a-Kind' Lipstick

The Only 1 range claims to have high impact colour, be long lasting and moisturising to wear. This is why they're called the Only 1 range as they say that these lipsticks do everything that you would want from a lipstick and would be the only ones you need. The range are in black, sleek packaging with a circle of colour near the end which matches true to the colour of lipstick. 

'One-of-a-Kind' is a bright red berry shade which is one of my favourite colours to wear. I have unintentionally bought so many lipsticks in a berry shade! It is a matte colour, not so matte as the MAC ones but matte with a slight sheen. I do really enjoy this colour and wear it often, especially to work. The colour pigment is certainly high and creates a very opaque lip. The lipstick bullet is slanted which I like as it makes it easier to apply and work around the shape of your lips. 

In addition to loving the colour and the shape of the bullet, I also like how it feels on the lips. I agree with the claim that it is moisturising as it glides on the lips wonderfully without dragging. It does not feel drying at all and doesn't give that 'tight' feeling some lipsticks can give. The application is easy and you don't really need to layer it on. 

Despite liking quite a few things about the lipstick, I do have some faults with it! The main one being- it smells so BAD! I had heard this before I received the lipstick but I still wasn't prepared! Fortunately you cannot smell it once it's on but it really does smell awful. I don't even know how to describe it. However, this does not stop me using it. The other thing I dislike about the lipstick is how it bleeds. Rimmel state that these lipsticks have really good staying power, and although it does stay on well if you don't eat or drink or only eat/drink a small amount, if you eat something slightly greasy or a big meal then it bleeds so badly! If I am at work and have a little snack and a quick drink in my break it is fine, but by the end of tea time it has bled into all the lines around my lips and smudged out at the corner of my lips. It then becomes hard to apply over top and fix and would be far easier to just remove and then reapply from the start. I would expect it to fade when eating a meal, but not to bleed so much! Plus this is in use with a lip liner. 

To conclude, there are things I like about this lipstick and things that I don't. I love this colour, the packaging, the bullet, application and how moisturising it is. On the downside it smells awful, bleeds and smudges like nothing else. Despite the downfalls I honestly do like this lipstick and I wear it very frequently. I wouldn't recommend it if you were going out for a meal but if it's just to wear throughout the day without a big meal then it is going to stay on just fine. I would buy another one of these lipsticks as the price is also great at £6.99 and I would buy it as a present. 

Have you used any of these lipsticks?

MAC | Sin Lipstick

I swatched this lipstick on my trip to Dublin so when I got home I bought it straight away! This is MAC Sin. It is a matte lipstick and on the MAC website is described as a 'deep dark blue red'. In my own words, I would describe it as a dark, bold brown with hints of of a dark red.

This lipstick just screamed my name! I am a lover of a dark, bold lip so this colour is very me. I mostly only wear matte lipsticks as it is my favourite finish and it is certainly very matte.  I love how it looks on my lips and I like to wear it when I'm channelling my 'inner goth'. It would certainly be a great colour for Winter and Autumn, however I would certainly wear this all year round. 

Unfortunately it does have some downfalls. It takes so long to apply!! It is a very dry texture as I do find with MACs very matte lipsticks. This means it kind of drags on your lips and probably wouldn't do so well on dry lips. Also, because of the colour you need to make sure you apply carefully because if you mess up the outline of your lips then it takes a lot to correct. I don't use a lip liner with this but I am certainly considering buying one for this to make application easier. It is probably the lipstick that takes me the longest to apply as you've got to get the shape perfect. A lip brush is your best friend with this! My other negative is that it is a lipstick you need to keep an eye on during the day for maintenance. If I eat or drink I lose a lot of the colour on the sides of my upper lip which is very obvious with such a dark colour. It's alright on my lower lip but you will need to reapply around the sides of your mouth. 

Despite it being a high maintenance lipstick, I still love it and do not regret buying it. It is one of my favourite colours to wear on my lips and I find myself always wanting to look at it! If you don't mind a bit of maintenance and have time available to you so you can take time to apply it right, then this lipstick is totally worth it. A steady hand is needed and practice makes perfect. It wouldn't be one you could apply quickly when you're running late but it would be the one to make a statement and bring your make up look together. 

Do you love a dark, bold lip? I do no matter what time of the year!

February Favourites

End of February already! February for me was interesting. In the beginning of February I went to Dublin, Ireland with my friend for 3 days and then I also had a lot of holiday to use up so spent a lot of time away from work. Here are my favourite make up items for this month:

• Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadow Rainbow Sparkle 126- When I went to Dublin I knew I wanted to check out Inglot from seeing a Irish YouTuber use them. I decided to get this rainbow one with 3 shades of blue as I love blue and quite frankly this is beautiful. I haven't actually used this yet but I am excited to have an occasion to use it! 

• Rimmel The Only 1 'One-of-a-Kind' Lipstick- I got this lipstick for Christmas from my sister. It is a deep red/berry shade which is my favourite colour to wear on my lips right now. I like how it matches my hair and it is a lovely smooth formula.

• MAC 'Sin' Lipstick- When I was in Dublin I swatched Sin and knew I wanted it so when I got home I purchased it from the MAC nearest to me. It is a matte shade and is a very dark, bold lip. It is shades of brown and red and although I would wear this all year round it screams Autumn/Winter at me. I do love a good dark lip!

• BarryM Flawless Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit- I've had this for a year now but would go through phases of using it or not using it. I am sharing this specifically for the bronzer shade as I have been really enjoying using it this month to the point where I have just hit pan a little bit. I am not usually one for bronzer or contour so I am slowly easing myself into it.

What were your favourites this month?