Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters - Review



L-R: Raspberry Pie, Tutti Fruiti, Candy Apple, Cotton Candy, Berry Smoothie, Cupcake, Gumdrop, Lollipop, Strawberry Shortcake, Sweet Tart



The much hyped about Revlon Lip Butters finally started to make their way to Australian shores at the beginning of April. Naturally I had to get some, however I was not paying the Australian retail price of $21.95 each. I turned to eBay and purchased mine for a more reasonable price of $13.00 each.

I ended up purchasing 10 different shades. All up their is 20 shades available with a good variety of reds, pinks, plums and nudes.

Some of the shades are more pigmented than others. The more pigmented I have found to be the longest lasting. With some leaving a nice stain behind. I would get around 2 - 3 hours wear from these compared to around 1/2 - 1 hours wear with the more sheer shades. When first applied they are shiny but this is the first to go after some wearing time.

L-R: Raspberry Pie, Tutti Fruiti, Candy Apple, Cotton Candy, Berry Smoothie

 

L-R: Raspberry Pie, Tutti Fruiti, Candy Apple, Cotton Candy, Berry Smoothie




• 010 Raspberry Pie - Bright rose pink

• 015 Tutti Fruiti - Sheer orange

• 035 Candy Apple - Warm red

• 045 Cotton Candy - Sheer, cool pink

• 050 Berry Smoothie - Sheer rose pink

L-R: Cupcake, Gumdrop, Lollipop, Strawberry Shortcake, Sweet Tart

L-R: Cupcake, Gumdrop, Lollipop, Strawberry Shortcake, Sweet Tart



• 055 Cupcake - Sheer, blue based pink

• 060 Gumdrop - Sheer, pale purple

• 075 Lollipop - Bright, violet pink

• 080 Strawberry Shortcake - Bright, bubblegum pink

• 090 Sweet Tart - Bright, cool pink

Sorry about my colour descriptions - there is only so many ways you can say it is pink :) The swatches will give you the best idea of the colour.

Overall I really like the Lip Butters. They are a really easy lip product to wear. I love a pop of colour on my lips but sometimes traditional lipstick is too high maintenance and that's when these are perfect. I like how these aren't drying on my lips though they aren't as moisturising as a traditional lip balm. The do feel very buttery and smooth on the lips when applied though.

To me these are a more affordable version of Chanel Rouge Coco Shines and YSL Volupte Sheer Candy lipsticks.

There are a couple of downsides to the Lip Butters though. The price is an obvious one and this is coming from someone who does not hesitate to hand over $50 for a Chanel lipstick. I feel $21.95 is a bit steep for what the product is, especially when the USA is paying under $8.00 each.

Some of the paler shades are really frosty and some don't even show up on the lips. The other thing is they melt and break super easily. Just a little bit of warmth and they start to melt - I think they will need to be refrigerated during summer.

Overall they are a product that I really like and would repurchase in the future. I think Revlon has done a great job with the Lip Butters and have filled a gap in the market. Personally my favourites are Lollipop, Sweet Tart and Cotton Candy.

Have you purchased any Lip Butters? What do you think of them?

Lust Have It - April 2012

My Lust Have It box (or should I say bag?) finally arrived today. It was dispatched in Sydney on the 14th of April and has only just made it to country Victoria. Lust Have It informed me that AusPost 'lost' some of the shipment of boxes and only found them again on Tuesday this week. So no misgivings against Lust Have It but personally I hate AusPost - it's expensive and slack service. Okay now I am getting sidetracked...  

Aprils Lust Have It pack has a total value of over $70 which is again awesome of Lust Have It. This month included the following products:

• I Nuovi Glitteratti in Nude Glamour - full size $19.95 2.5g
• emerginC
• Kombucha Cleanser 3ml sample - full size $44.00 120ml
• Phytocell Detox Mask 3ml sample - full size $65.00 50ml
• Phytocell Moisturiser 3ml sample - full size $105.00 50ml
• De Lorenzo Elements Ocean Mist Sea Salt Styling Spray - full size $23.95 195ml
• True Solutions All Day Tinted Moisturising Cream SPF30+ 20ml sample - full size $60.00 100ml
• Spa Fresh Blends Romantic Discovery (size not stated) - full size $15.95 250ml

Another fab Lust Have It this month, more full size products and great samples. Will definitely use the De Lorenzo Ocean Mist, I love salt spray as it gives that nice beachy waves with very little effort. The I Nuovi cosmetic glitter is pretty exciting, I've never tried cosmetic glitter before but I love sparkle. The True Solutions tinted moisturiser will be good to try - I have been looking at buying a good one. Probably won't use the Spa Fresh Blends as I hate having a bath - I am a shower girl :). Probably won't use the emerginC samples either as I am trying to stick to one skincare routine.

In other news Lust Have It have brought out GlossyBox. Therefore GlossyBox will no longer exist in the Australian market. Personally I am not surprised that GlossyBox will cease operating. They did seem to be up to the challenge, the market for sample box subscriptions was flooded with companies and not all could survive. Hopefully this means a better Lust Have It :).

Another Lust Have It box full of value plus I love the blue makeup bag, it is very cute. As I said in another sample box review, I don't mind if Lust Have It make May a special since it is my birthday month (and my 21st)...

Are you subscribed to Lust Have It? Were you a GlossyBox subscriber? Will you be sticking with Lust Have It?

Too Faced Matte Eye Palette - Review

I have really been into matte eye shadows lately, I love how understated and elegant they look. So when I found out that Too Faced had released a palette of only matte colours I had to have it.

I purchased this palette from BeautyBay a few weeks ago for around AU$34.00 with free shipping. It took around two weeks to arrive. Too Faced products are also availble from Kit Cosmetics, Mecca Cosmetica and ASOS, though the prices are higher.  

The palette includes 3 cards with instructions on using the shades or you can just do your own thing. I normally do but if you are a beginner the cards would be helpful.

Each line of shadows is labeled with either day, classic or fashion. Indicating that with those shades it is the type of look you can create. I love how this palette contains a good range of shades. From white to black with many in between.



I have found these shadows to be nicely pigmented and easy to apply. I find an eye primer is not needed, though as always it will help your eye look to last. I have found though that they last the day and there is no creasing - but then I don't usually get creasing.

The shadows are very smooth and almost buttery like. The white shade (Velveteen Bunny) and the pink shade (Fresh Linen) are slightly chalky but I think that is more to do with the actual color than the quality of the shadows.



Taken with flash



The swatches above are in the same order as the palette and swatched on bare skin. I love the top three shades to create a neutral look for day or night.

Overall I am really impressed with this palette and glad I purchased it. I love matte shadows and it is great to have a whole palette of them. I am now considering buying more of the Too Faced eye shadow palettes, possibly Natural Eye.

Do you like matte eye shadows? Any Too Faced eye shadow palette suggestions?

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in 37 L'Exuberante - Review

When I asked at the Chanel counter for a long lasting, pigmented lipstick. The sales assistant suggested the Rouge Allure Velvet lipsticks.

Rouge Allure Velvet is a matte lipstick. Unlike other matte lipsticks though, these are very comfortable to wear. They aren't overly drying and actually feel quite creamy on the lips.

As always with Chanel products the lipstick is in gorgeous packaging. Sleek black and gold. The case is a click release, which means no lipstick being destroyed when in your handbag.



L'Exuberante lipstick on the left, Pretty Pink lip liner on the right.



I instantly fell in love with the shade 37 L'Exuberante (translates to 'the exuberant one'). It is a gorgeous bright pink that completely perks up your look. 

The sales assistant also suggested with these lipsticks it is best to use a lip liner. I don't normally wear lip liners. Not because I don't want to but because I can never find one that matches my lipstick. Luckily the Precision Lip Definer in 26 Pretty Pink matches L'Exuberante perfectly.

I was impressed by the wear time of this lip combination. I would say I get a good 6 hours of solid colour. I wore this lipstick and liner to my cousins wedding and I only touched up my lips once and I was eating and drinking. I think that is pretty awesome wear!

Excuse the messy hair and no make up..



When wearing this lipstick I apply the lip liner first and fill in my lips to give the lipstick longer lasting power. I then apply the lipstick on the top directly from the bullet. Only one layer is needed, that is how highly it is pigmented.

The lipstick cost $50.00 and the lip liner cost $44.00 available from Chanel counters.

Have you tried these lipsticks? Do you like matte lipsticks?

My Nails are Wearing... Revlon

Just a quick post to show you this really pretty Revlon nail polish. It is from the Autumn collection and is shade 230 Popular. It is such a pretty colour, it makes me think of fairies or something pretty and girly like that.

It is a pale pink base with large and small silver glitters. It went on surprisingly well, though 3 coats were needed to get full colour. It has worn really well too, 2 days in and no chips. I also like how it is smooth, other glitter polishes feel gritty but this doesn't.

What are your nails wearing?

BellaBox - April 2012

It is that time of the month again, when the subscription boxes start making their way to my letter box. This month BellaBox was the first to arrive. This months theme is 'be fashion forward with BellaBox'. It features the best of global skincare and beauty.

April's box contains:

• Comvita Brightening Range - Exfoliant, Serum & Moisturiser - 3 x 1.5ml samples -  $45 to $79 (30ml to 75ml)
• Ulta3 Nail Polish in Jade - Full size $2.00
• Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation in Petal - 5ml sample - Full size $55.00 (30ml)
• pureDKNY Verbena - 1.5ml sample - Full size $80 (30ml)
• OP Therapy Body Hydrator - Full size $19.00 (75ml)
• Hollywood Feet  2 Pairs heel cushions - Full size $9.95

This months has a good variety of products, something in all the categories - nails, makeup, perfume, skincare and body. The Comvita samples are pretty small. The body lotion is full size and an Australian made and owned product which I love to see. I love the colour of the Ulta3 nail polish, I have a couple of these polishes and have been impressed with the quality for such a low price.

The DKNY perfume smells really light and fresh. It is not something I would normally try but I quite like it on first sniff. I love the Hollywood Feet products, I love heels but hate how uncomfortable they can be so I am really happy to see these in my box. The Benefit foundation would be an awesome sample but it is too dark for my skin. I am not holding that against BellaBox though as I already own this foundation in the lightest shade and it is too dark for my skin. I must say I am really happy to see Benefit on board though - I LOVE Benefit Cosmetics.

Overall another great box. I am loving receiving these little surprises in the mail every month. Just a note BellaBox next month (May) is my birthday month, so I won't mind if you make the box extra special :)

Do you subscribe to BellaBox? Get the same products as I did?

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in 87 Riviere - Review

By now you should know about my love for the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre eye shadows (blogged about here and here). So when I found out there was a seventh shade exclusive to Asia, I just had to get my hands on it. At that stage I didn't even know what shade it was, I just had to have it. :)

I found a couple of sellers on eBay but luckily StrawberryNET had it in stock (and still do along with all the other shades). Once my loyalty discount of 10% was deducted it ended up costing only $36.90 (my others cost $48.00 from Myer) with free shipping. Love it!

As always Riviere is in a little glass pot and has the small angled brush included. The brush is surprisingly quite good and excellent for travel. Though the actual pot isn't so good with it being glass. :)

The colour looks quite grey in the pot but I would call it more of a sea foam green leaning towards blue. It is very smooth in texture, more shimmery then glittery. It is very similar to texture as 82 Emerveille.

Riviere is however much sheerer than the other Illusion D'Ombre shades. With this shade you really need to layer it to get an intense colour which I haven't found you need to do with the others. The swatch below is 2-3 layers. On my arm it did not look any good with just one layer however it looks nice on the eyelids.

For me this isn't a colour I would have normally gone for but I quite like it. It is very wearable for day and night. On a plus I don't have any colour like this in my make up. Though it is not as good as other shades I don't regret buying it. I think it would be a great addition to any make up lovers collection.

Have you tried the Illusion D'Ombres? What is your favourite colour?

Sally Hansen Easter Real Nail Polish Strips

Just a quick post to show you the super cute Sally Hansen Easter Nail Polish Strips I just applied to my Mums nails. They are so cute and so Easter-y.

They are the design called 'Not A Peep'. It is a silvery white base with little chickens in metallic colours. They applied really easily with no hassles. I love how there is no drying time with these.

These are limited edition so may not be available any more but I couldn't not show you the cuteness that they are.

Hope you all have a Happy Easter!

Happy Easter & My Nails are Wearing... Essie & OPI

Ah it's Easter, possibly my favourite holiday. The one time of the year you can wear bunny ears and eat your body weight in chocolate and no one frowns upon it. I am a somewhat recently reformed chocoholic so I am looking forward to indulging in some of that sweet goodness that I think can be like a drug.. Yummy, I want chocolate just writing this! 

I decided today, after seeing so many fabulous looking Easter manis I would attempt one. I went simple and chose dots - I do not have a steady hand at all so It had to be easy for me. I am really happy with how they came out though.

I applied one coat of Essie First Base Base Coat. Then I used Essie 743 Nice is Nice, which is a gorgeous pastel purple and alternated with Essie French Affair which is a pale, pastel pink. Over this I then applied a coat of OPI RapiDry Top Coat. For the dots I used OPI Alpine Snow and a skewer as an improvisation for a dotting tool (I need to get some nail art tools). Finally I applied another coat of RapiDry to set everything.

I hope everyone has a Happy Easter (if you celebrate it) and a great long weekend. Hopefully the Easter Bunny will treat everyone well and you have enough chocolate to have a chocolate induced coma (joking!).

I Lost my MAC Virginity!

I am a little embarrassed to admit that this is my first ever MAC purchase! I had many reasons to not had purchased MAC before but I think I am overcoming them.

I used to think MAC was expensive but have since realised that it is actually decently priced. The main reasons though is that there is no MAC counter anywhere near me! It is a minimum of 3 hours to the closest counter and then that is in the city (Melbourne) and I hate trying to get around the city. The other reason is that there is such a wide range I don't where to begin with what to buy.

I decided that I had waited long enough to make my first MAC purchase so I headed to the MAC website. I instantly decided that my first purchase would be the Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick. As I am a pink lipstick lover it was a no brainer.

All profits from the MAC Viva Glam range go towards helping people affected by HIV/AIDS. A great looking lipstick and helping people at the same time? I was sold, the lipstick was in my cart and the credit card was out!

Viva Glam Nicki is a bright yellow pink. I was a little unsure how it would look as I normally go for blue based pinks but I am really happy with it. This lipstick has a Satin finish which is semi-matte. I have found this lipstick feels a little dry on my lips but then I have really dry lips to begin with. I have found this lipstick lasts a good 2-3 hours on my lips before wearing off. I do feel like this lipstick is a little heavy on the lips though.



Excuse the dodgy lip photo

This lipstick is definitely brighter than shown in the photo. However it is not too bright, it is still a very wearable lipstick.

I really like the packaging on the MAC lipsticks, it looks like a bullet and the pop of red with the black is kind of sexy. :)

This lipstick cost $36.00 and is limited edition. I believe it is available from all counters/stores and online.

I am really pleased with my first MAC purchase and am now excited to buy more products. Luckily I will be in Melbourne the first weekend of May for my cousins baby shower and my 21st birthday. I have decided I will spend a day at Chadstone shopping. I will definitely be visiting the MAC counter, along with many others.

Have you purchased this lipstick? Any MAC products you suggest I try? Anything I should check out at Chadstone?

March Au Revoirs

I cannot believe it is already April - this year is going much too fast. I haven't emptied many products this month. I think because starting my new skincare (blogged about here) at the start of March I haven't been using up any samples I have laying around.

So onto the empties:

• Pantene Aqua Light Shampoo & Conditioner - I used to use Pantene growing up but I started to hate that heavy feeling (we know what I am talking about) so I haven't used it for years. My Mum actually purchased this put it in the shower (so I cannot take full responsibility for this empty). I have really enjoyed using it. I find it cleans my hair well and is easy to wash out. I will (and have) repurchase this.
• Loreal Elive Smooth Intense Anti Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner - I purchased this when Elive was on special and couldn't get the one I normally get. The fact this has Argan Oil in it had me excited to use it. I hated it though, it was much too heavy for my hair. I will not repurchase this - I will stick to my favourite Elive (Re-Nutrition Nourishing range).
• Evo the Great Hydrator Moisture Mask - I got this in a Lust Have It box and hadn't got around to using. I really liked how it left my hair feeling, I just hate the leaving it on for 5 minutes part. I would consider purchasing this.
• Australis See You Later Nail Polish Remover - This is a great remover for stubborn polishes (hello, glitter), they are removed effortlessly. The only problem is it has Acetone in it. I felt like it was drying my nails when I used it. I will repurchase this to keep in the cupboard for stubborn polishes but I wouldn't use it all the time.
• Chanel Beaute Initiale Eye Gel - This was a sample from the lady at the Chanel counter when I purchased my skincare. I have really liked using it, I feel it has helped with my dark circles and puffiness under my eyes. This little 3ml tube lasted me a month, being used twice a day. I will definitely purchase this in the future, but won't have to for a couple of months since the generous lady gave me 3 of these tubes.

So that is my empties for the month of March, not too many products but still a few. I think to work on using up some make up products though, I rarely if ever finish something make up related.

Did you empty any products in March?

We Have a Winner..

Thank you to everyone who entered my very first giveaway! I really appreciate the people who read my blog regularly, I hope you are enjoying reading it as much as I am writing it.

If you need a reminder this is what you entered to win:

• Finding Mr. Bright set

• Bad Gal Lash 4ml Mini in Black

Thirty-nine people entered for a total of 170 entries. I used random.org to draw the winner.

Congratulations to:

nightlace

I will be in contact with you soon to get your address so I can send you your prize! I hope you enjoy it. :)

Again thank you to everyone who entered. Don't be disappointed if you didn't win. I have plenty more giveaways planned for the future. That will definitely include some awesome brands *cough* Chanel *cough* YSL *cough* :) So I hope you stick with me.

Clarins Instant Light Blush in 01 Vitamin Pink - Review

I recently watched a newly uploaded YouTube video by Lisa Eldridge. Lisa created a look based on make up she has done for Clemence Poesy. I really liked the blush she used, it was a new release from Clarins. I made a note to check them out next time I was at Myer.

In Lisa's video she used 02 Coral Tonic. When swatching I decided to purchase 01 Vitamin Pink. There is also a third shade which is a browny colour, which personally I am not interested in (I am a pink girl :)).

When I first applied this blush I applied far too much, I looked a little clown like. I discovered that this liquid/cream blush is highly pigmented. Only a small amount is needed to be applied and blended into the cheek area. I did find that it does settle into the skin after around 10 minutes and doesn't look as full on as when first applied. You are definitely able to layer this product.  

This blush does have a lot of shimmer in it so it is like a highlighter too. I love a multi use product :). I was impressed by how well it lasted and how natural it looked on the skin once blended. I would say it lasted all day on my face giving me a nice healthy glow.

The packaging is nice, to me it looks a little like a mini lip gloss. It has a large doe foot applicator making it easy to apply. I do think though once there isn't much product left that the packaging may be a little difficult, but we'll see. 

Heavy swatch on left, blended swatch on right.

These retail for $47.00 each for 7ml of product. The display said that they were limited edition so head to your nearest stockist soon. I know I will be, I think I want to pick up 02 Coral Tonic too!