Guide to Nude Lips

Hello again! So a few days ago I posted my Guide to Coral lips, and now I've decided to go nude. I think nude lips are always classic, either with a smokey eye or for a really natural, flawless look. They go with everything, they make your lips just a little better with little to no maintenance required. Here are my top picks for nude lips!

 Mayeblline's lipstick in 920 Nude Lust is a creamy, satin finish with no sparkle but a bit of gloss. It's a warm toned nude, and with a drugstore price I think it's a perfect everyday lip.

 Benefit's Skinny Dip is a shade from their older line, before it was re-designed. Although this shade is no longer available, I thought I'd include it because it's one of my most-loved lipsticks. It's a very shiny formula for a lipstick and although it isn't too long lasting, it's a really nice natural shade.

 MAC's Modesty is a Cremesheen formula, meaning it doesn't have any glitter but isn't matte either. This particular colour is gorgeous, especially beautiful in fall and winter because of it's berry-undertones.

MAC's Patisserie is a Lustre formula, meaning it has some gold sparkles running throughout the lipstick. It doesn't look too glittery, but you can definitely tell there is something sparkly going on. It's a beautiful shade anytime of year, either for some festive sparkle or to shine up a summer tan.

 NYX's Mega Shine Lipgloss in Natural is exactly that. It's very, very natural. It is an essential everyday colour, with a perfect formula, finish and colour. It is glossy, quite long lasting and doesn't have unnecessary sparkle.

 NYX's Xtreme Shine Lipcream in the shade Natural is basically the sister of the above lipgloss, but in a different formula. The lipcream is more pigmented and lasts a lot longer, but applied too heavily and it can look a bit cakey.

 Rimmel London's Apocalips Lip Laquer in the shade 100 Phenomenon is a more ligh-toned nude, with a similar formula to that of NYX's lipcream. It can be quite heavy, so the lighter it is applied the better. This nude is a bit less pink toned, and a little more yellow, so keep that in mind if you're in the market for a new nude lip colour.

Finally we have Hourglass' lipgloss in the colour "Child". It's a nice nude shade and quite light. This is perfect for people with lighter lip tones than my own, my natural lip colour is actually quite dark. This has a really nice, longwearing formula with the perfect amount of glossiness.

Swatches from left to right: Maybelline's Nude Lust, Benefit's Skinny Dip, MAC's Patisserie, MAC's Modesty, NYX's Natural Mega Shine Gloss, NYX's Natural Lip Cream, Rimmel's Phenomenon and Hourglass' Child. 

I hope you're enjoying this lip colour series! Let me know some of your favourite nude lip shades!

Guide to Coral Lips

Coral lips have been very majorly popular in the past couple of years. I think in the spring and summer coral can be really flattering, and a nice change from deeper plum toned colours. If I'm honest, I do like coral lips but they have never been a go-to look for me. I think pinks look a little better on my skintone, and I think orange-toned lip colours look better on darker skintones. Here is my coral lip colour collection and my thoughts on each product.

 First up is Elizabeth Arden's lipstick in a shade that has unfortunately rubbed off of the sticker. I don't think this lipstick is widely available as it's in a red rube and not a gold one. Its a warm coral-brown, with some gold flecks. It's a very warm-toned shade (and a bit of a classic grandma lip) but I think it looks lovely with tanned skin for an evening look.

 Next is Rimmel London's lipstick from the Kate Moss range in the colour 109. It's a matte warm coral which lasts forever on the lips and looks quite classy for such a bright shade. It can make dryness on the lips stand out a bit- but I think for a night out it looks really pretty.

 Maybelline's Colour Whisper in the shade "Coral Ambition" is a balm-formula and is actually quite a light coral shade. It makes wearing a coral colour a bit more wearable and the formula is really moisturizing. I like this shade in the summer months, perfect for day-to-day wear.

 NYX's Mega Shine lipgloss in the shade 162 Nude Peach is a very natural looking coral shade. The gloss formula is very shiny, smells nice, and wears for quite a long time for a lipgloss. It's a subtle coral but would look lovely layered over a more intense coral lipstick or lipstain.

 Benefit's lipgloss in Juicy Coral is a shade I got in a limited-edition palette years ago. This formula has some sparkle in it and is quite pigmented for a lipgloss. The palette actually paired it with navy blue eyes with I think is a really nice evening look, especially in the summer months.

 L'Oreal's Colour Caresse Shine Stain in the shade Coral Tattoo is a really nice, long wearing shade with buildable coverage. You can go for a more sheer coral look to a really deep, almost red shade. It's a versatile product and I did a full review if you want to see here.

Swatches from left to right: L'Oreal's Coral Tattoo, Benefit's Juicy Coral, NYX's Nude Peach, Maybelline's Coral Ambition, Rimmel's 109 and Elizabeth Ardens no-name lipsick.

Do you think the coral lip trend will continue to Summer 2014? Let me know!

Manicure Monday Week 11

Hello everyone!
Here are my nails for week 11! (I'm trying to get better at this weekly post thing!)

 First up is Essie's "Mesmerized". It's a really beautiful denim-blue shade which is bright enough to make a statement but matches everything really well. I think it's quite a classic blue which looks quite classy- and not too childish. I think it's a very nice spring shade!

Next up is Essie's Lollipop. I decided to try this on after writing a Valentine's Day Nail Polish post (which will be up on February 12th!) and I really love it. It's a very classic red, with more orange and pink tones instead of the blue toned, more burgundy red. I think it's a lovely statement shade which looks lovely with gold jewelry and a black outfit! It adds a perfect pop of colour!

That's it for Week 11 Manicure Monday! Have a good week guys!

Vision in Violet Purple Lips

Hey everyone,
So around Christmas time I picked up a Maybelline Colour Elixir in the shade 040 Vision in Violet. When I was buying it my sister said "Uh, Megan are you sure about that colour?" and I replied, "Yeah, of course, it won't be THAT pigmented!". I was wrong. This isn't just a 'Vision in Violet', it's full-on neon purple in a tube. I tried it as soon as I got home and immediately regretted the purchase. I didn't think it was at all wearable but I actually really liked the colour.

 The packaging is a tiny little tube with an insert that looks like a lipstick but in a clear plastic casing.

 The description on the bottom clearly states the shade and number. I like the packaging because if you had multiple shades you could easily differentiate between colours.

 Here is the colour on my lips. Pretty purple. Almost at a Halloween level... but I really love it! I think the shade is nice because of the blue undertones, it really makes your teeth look white. I also think the shade is great with a pretty simple eye makeup. Just slap on some winged liner and I think this shade will really pop.

Although it might not be something I will wear day-to-day, I think it's a really nice option and a pleasant change from pinks and reds. I also think purple can be really versatile, and easily worn in all seasons. This Maybelline Colour Elixir has a great, glossy formula, the shade is fabulously pigmented and overall I think the orchid shade is perfect- and the 2014 Colour of the Year! 

I hope you enjoyed reading, what do you think about purple lip colours?

Makeup I Keep In My Handbag

Hey everyone,
So lots of "Beauty Guru's" do the whole "what's in my purse?" tag, taking nosy people into their purse and showing everything they have in it. I am nosy, and as much as I like looking into other peoples purses, I don't much feel like having you look around mine. No offense, but it's messy and I found 3 tic-tacs in the bottom, as well as 4 hair elastics and (wait for it) 8 lip products. EIGHT. Why in the world would I need all of those on a day-to-day basis? I don't know, but regardless- I'm going to make it a little easier on myself and just show you the products I keep in my makeup bag... in my purse.

 Quick overview of the products and makeup bag itself- this one came with a Sephora Christmas gift set, I like it because it is super girly and sparkly (and my purse doesn't have a zipper so I try to make everything look as nice as possible).

 First up is a redness powder from Clinique. It is yellow to counteract redness, and is just a matte face powder that works no matter how much makeup I'm wearing, no matter what shade my skin is at that time or if I'm not wearing makeup at all. It combats oiliness, gets rid of any shine and has a big mirror which is perfect for any other makeup I may need to apply on the go. I also threw in a Royal & Langnickel Blush Brush, a very inexpensive but useful brush I'm not overly concerned about if it gets spilled on etc. It works really well for it's job, it's the only brush I have with me.

 Next is a Clinique Gift-With-Purchase. It's a mini hairbrush that folds up into a neat little compact. It's perfect for in my purse, especially those days when you're wearing a scarf and your hair bunches up on the back of your neck creating a birds nest knot of hair. Probably one of my least favourite things to happen, but this little brush has saved my hair on many occasions.

 Next up is a purse essential... Antibacterial hand gel. Mine is from Bath & Body works and smells of "Holiday Frost", or "Joy", I'm not sure. To me it just smells better than regular alcoholish scents and is awesome for those sticky situations (after restaurants, gross bathrooms etc etc).

 I also carry Maybelline's Dream Lumi Touch concealer in the shade Light. I keep it just in case I look a bit tired, need to touch up the coverage on a blemish or if I'm not wearing eyeshadow and my eyelids are looking particularly oily. It comes with a convenient 'click' pen, which in desperate times can be used to blend the product in.

 I like keeping a mini-mascara in my purse because I feel like mascara can really make you look awake and alive, especially after a rough night out. It's perfect for those times where you need to go from one place to another and aren't wearing makeup. Throw on some mascara and lipbalm and you look a little more prepared to leave the house/workplace etc. I have Lancome's "Hypnose Star" mascara, not my favourite but good for on the go.

 I like keeping a rollerball fragrance with me, either to touch up my scent or just to reassure myself that I smell okay. This is Vera Wang's Princess, one of my all time favourite perfumes.

Finally is a lipbalm. This is EOS minty lipbalm, I chose the minty one because even if I don't have tic-tacs or gum this helps me feel a little fresher while keeping my lips moisturized.

I also usually keep my lipcolour(s) of the day (or week) in my purse to touch up, but since it isn't consistent I won't add one in here.

I hope you nosy people have enjoyed a little peek into my purse, let me know what essentials you carry with you!

Wet n' Wild "Comfort Zone" Palette Review

I've heard really awesome things about Wet n' Wild's eyeshadow palettes. They have quads, and bigger 8-pan palettes for really good prices. I bought my "Comfort Zone" palette at WalMart for less than $5.00, and I think for 8 good quality eyeshadows it's a steal.

 Here is an overview of the palette. It has 8 shimmery shades, the left side neutral and the right side more green-toned, and a little less wearable (while still being quite subtle). It's an excellent palette because it gives you a guide to where the shadows are supposed to go, and you can follow the easy guides on the back of the palette or create your own look.

 Here's a pretty poor photograph of the back of the palette, but you can see the handy guide- and even a little legend showing you what colours you can use to create looks ranging from "Sweet" to "Wild".

 I swatched the entire palette from top left to bottom left, and then top right to bottom right. The shades are very pigmented, soft and blendable. You may want to be careful because they can be a bit powdery- and since the colours are all sparkly you may end up with some glitter under your eyes.

 I created a natural look using the left side of the palette, all of the colours were nicely pigmented and very blendable.

 I didn't apply any colour to my lower lashline so I could see how well the shadows last on my lids and if there is any fall-down.

 Here is a close-up shot of my eye, you can't see much, but the crease shade in the palette really does create nice dimension (especially since I usually prefer matte crease shades).

And here's a dorky little picture to end the whole thing. I paired the eye look with my new Maybelline lipstick (review can be found here), and a little bit of Laura Mercier gloss in the shade "BabyDoll".

Manicure Monday Weeks 9 and 10

Bit of a pathetic 2 weeks to be honest. Only took 1 picture of my manicure, but that's because I'm experimenting with a new brand and want to do a full review. So, here is the one manicure I wanted to show you... oops.

This is Essie's Wicked, a dark black/purple shade, one of my favourite winter colours. To make it a little more snazzy I used Essie's "Jazzy Jubilant" on my ring finger. It's a really pretty glitter shade, with specks of pink, silver, blue and purple. It's suspended in a clear polish, so it works well over any nail polish shade. I've had this manicure on for 4 days now, and I thought I'd add how well it's lasted. There is some minor wear on the tips of the nails, but no significant chips at all.

Clindets Acne Treatment Weeks 8 and 9

These past 2 weeks have been pretty good as far as this acne therapy goes. I've reduced my usage significantly- using it about 3 times per week. I've noticed a huge difference as far as the dry patches on my skin are concerned. My chin is still breaking out pretty regularly, it's the place I get the most acne, but I think it's under control and pretty easy to deal with as far as makeup/coverage goes.
Not having dry patches is making a noticeable difference in how my makeup looks, and for the past week and a half I've only worn BB cream. I love that my skin is moisturized, relatively acne free and all I have to worry about is the natural redness on my cheeks which can only be fixed with makeup.
I've only got 3 weeks left dealing with the treatment, but I still have one prescription refill which I intend to use just to keep on top of my acne and to prevent it from coming back. I haven't exactly stuck to the rules (using twice a day?!), so I don't know if I will have "permanent" results, but to be fair if there was really a 12 week permanent acne cure everyone would be using it.
I think I will have issues with acne on the lower half of my face for a while, but the Clindets therapy has certainly made the breakouts less aggressive and cleared the upper half of my face almost entirely. I think I will update the next 3 weeks, and also do monthly checkups after I have finished using the wipes regularly.
Let me know what you think, I'd be interested to see if anybody has used Clindets and how they review the treatment and maintenance.
Thanks for reading!

Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask Review

I got this facemask in my stocking at Christmas, and I think a facemask is a great way to feel like you've sort of pampered your skin a bit. It's just a little sachet facemask, you can get similar ones at drugstores everywhere, this particular one is by Montagne Jeunesse and I'm not entirely sure where my Mum picked it up (but I have a feeling it was maybe Ulta?)
Anyway, here's a little review on what I thought about the mask.

 So here is the packaging. I had the Green Tea Peel Off mask, and it looks like a clay/mud mask.

 You can imagine my confusion when it turned out to be a thick, gloopy gel like consistency. I gave it a whirl anyway, applying the glue-like substance all over my face. It was quite hard to apply because I couldn't really see where I had applied the product, and I assumed for a peel-off mask it had to be applied quite evenly.

 Eventually I figured out where it was though, because my face became so shiny it literally caught the light. Like if I turned my face near a mirror I blinded myself with the reflection.

 Thought I'd capture the questionable statement on the back of the package. Unfortunately it's no joke, the mask is particularly "juicy" (the word actually makes me uncomfortable), so much so, that my boyfriend said "Megan your face is dripping", sure enough I look up into the mirror and a drop of gloop lands on my lap. Not a selling point really.

 Favourite part of the whole process, 20 minutes of absolutely nothing. Not that I could do much, because the mask was drying quickly and I could barely open my mouth. However I think sitting up meant that the mask slid down my face, onto my jaw and that part never seemed to dry, also dripped off of my face...

One really good thing is the "no testing on animals" and "vegetarian friendly" reassurance on the back. I think all cosmetic products should have a similar stance, and it's something I look for when buying new items. 

Overall the mask did leave my face feeling quite soft and smooth, the process was something unique- certainly something I'll do when my boyfriend isn't home next time. It's a bit of a pain that the packaging is so deceiving, but I'll look past it since the mask retails for less than $2.00. 

It's a cheap way to take some time to relax, but I recommend making sure you're alone and don't mind looking like a slug for 20 minutes.

Maybelline Nude Lipstick Collection

Maybelline recently came out with a lipstick collection using their Colour Sensational lipstick formula. It's basically their main formula of lipstick, and every so often they bring out limited edition shades, or add new colours to their permanent line. The "Vivids" by Maybelline was a huge success, and the colours were so popular that it is now a part of their permanent line, and now they have released a new collection called "The Buffs".
"The Buffs" is essentially a line of lipsticks that are all nude shades, ranging from a very pale shade (Bare All 910) all the way to a very deep shade (Espresso Exposed 955).
My lips are quite dark for my fair skin tone, so I picked up the shade Nude Lust, 920.

You can find the whole collection online here.

 It comes in a standard Maybelline bullet, and the tube casing is regular but all of the Buff collection has the same casing colour (a nude shade, of course).

 Here are the details of the colour, it is the third darkest shade in the collection.

 As you can see it blends in pretty well with my skintone. It's a bit too yellow-based for me, so I think I'd top it off with a pinkier lipgloss just to stop it looking so bland.

 The formulation is creamy, it's a satin finish and doesn't feel too drying on the lips. I love Maybelline lipstick formulas, I own more Maybelline lipsticks than any other brand.

 This picture was taken in my bathroom, with regular indoor lighting. I think the shade here looks perhaps a bit too pale for me, just because my lips are dark for my skintone.

In better lighting you can really see how pale it is, but it doesn't look too washed out. You can see that the formulation is quite pigmented, and has a nice subtle shine. Because the lipstick is so creamy, it doesn't last as long as a matte finish, but also won't dry your lips out. I think you could get a good 2-4 hour wear out of this before having to re-apply, but keep in mind a nude lipstick wearing off won't stain your lips like a pink or red, so you may need to touch up more often.

I think the idea of The Buff collection is a good idea, it gives women a cheaper option for a nude lipstick, and I think a good nude shade is a staple in a makeup collection. The formula is excellent, it has a nice finish and having 10 shades in the range is quite good for most skin tones. 

I would rate this a 4.5 out of 5, only because my shade was a little too yellow-toned.