Tuesday 30 December 2014

Revlon Haul

Christmas is the time of the year when people are supposed to be generous, give to others and spend time with family. The next day is what I like to think of as the selfish Christmas, the day when you can treat yourself a little bit, Boxing day. Many retailers try to get rid of old stock in order to make room for something new. The city goes mad with shoppers as they all try to get special deals on many goods that would not usually be on discounted prices. I too like those many shoppers decided to see if bargains awaited for me. The cosmetics industry did not disappoint, and I am quite happy with some of the Revlon products I purchased. I own/ have owned some Revlon products such as lipsticks and face products. I do have mixed feelings for these, as I love some of them, however others not so much. This post will discuss none of that though. I will only focus on the items I purchased, and this includes lip glosses, lip stains, lipstick and a mascara.

First on the list are the Colorburst lip glosses. These came in a pack of four, so I couldn't really choose the colours from the entire range. I did buy them though because I loved some of the options.


This first Colorburst is in the colour Peony (008). Initially this was the one I liked best just by looking at the box it was in. It looks like a very peachy pink, very natural, and something I could wear on a day to day basis.


When I tried it on, the colour did not impress me as much as I thought it would. The reason for this is, it wasn't as pigmented as I wanted it to be. The gloss only enhanced the pink on my lips, and made them look quite shiny, it did not really make a major difference. I would recommend wearing this gloss over some lipstick or if you wish to achieve that no make-up make-up look. Sometimes I do like to line my lips and add gloss for more definition, Peony is a little bit translucent for this though.


This next shade is called Orchid (012). It is very similar to Peony, but a little bit more on the pink side rather than the red.


Wearing this one is also nice for an everyday natural look (at least for my pale skin tone). I prefer it more than Peony because it looks more pigmented and less translucent, which means I would be more likely to wear it on its own. Conveniently I can match it up with a suitable lipstick or with some lip liner. I tried to take the photos in the same light. I guess I failed a little bit in terms of image quality because Peony and Orchid look almost identical in the lip photos, but they are different on my lips.


My first impression of Adorned (060) was that it looked like a shade I wouldn't really wear. The colour is a very strong hot pink with a lot of blue or violet like sparkles. I thought that this was clashing and would not look that nice on lips.


When I tried it on I actually fell in love with it. It surpassed my expectations. This is not a colour that I would usually wear considering the brightness and intensity. Adorned proved me wrong, and changed my opinion. The consistency was rich and made my lips plump, which is what I like in a good lip gloss.


Lastly there is Embellished (056). This was my other favourite colour from when I first saw the box. I love deep warm, dark tones, and I thought that this one would not fail me.

Like Peony, Embellished was not very pigmented, and I did not like it as much as I thought I would. I would recommend applying this one in addition to a lipstick. This does depend on your natural lip colour though If you have a different tone to your lips than mine, or less pale skin than mine, then it might be good on it own.


Over all I am happy with these Colorbursts, but not ecstatic. I was hoping for some of them to be more pigmented than they were, nonetheless the application was smooth with all. The viscosity was quite nice and there was no undesirable scent.

The next set of products that will be outlined are the Colorstay moisture stains. I am so happy that I have finally got my hands on some of these.


What is also really exciting about them is that their names are after major cities around the globe. I shall start off with the lightest (of the ones I have), Barcelona Nights (015).


This stain promised to be exactly what I hoped it would be, fun looking, and vibrant but not too bright. I would most likely be wearing this one in summer, or for a semi-casual special occasion.


Going darker, and a little more red is the beautiful New York Scene (045). This is my favorite, it is something that I can imagine myself wearing in winter on an everyday basis, or for a red lip occasion.


It was slightly lighter when I tried it on, I do find that I have to layer a little bit, but the colour is worth it. All of my photos were taken in bright natural light, so this stain can appear darker in shadier places.


I was very excited to find out that there was a purple coloured one in the range. This one is called Parisian Passion (005). Like New York Scene, I can easily wear it during the colder times of the year or for evening occasions . It is also a great colour to pair with a dark lipstick or lip liner.


I did find that I had to layer this stain like New York Scene. What happens though, when you wear it, your lips get stained, so the more you layer the longer your lips will remain stained (or it can be harder to take the stain off). I wore these for a whole day, and they do stay. The sheen does fade, especially after meals, so I did have to reapply. What is also tricky with these stains is that they take quite a bit of effort to take off as I mentioned earlier. I layered New York Scene and Parisian Passion on my lips several times, so it was almost impossible for me to take off the stains. Overall I am very happy with all three of these products, probably my favorites from this haul. They made my lips feel so fresh and smooth (and remain in this way for a long while). They did have a slight fresh scent to them, and this for me, added to the freshness factor upon application.


I do own lipsticks from Revlon, however none from the Colorburst Lip Butter range. The reason for this is, I always thought that this range would be too shear and lack in pigmentation. There was a Christmas gift pack with a ColorBurst Lip Butter (that included nail polishes I wanted), so I got it. If it is something that I learned after this purchase is to never judge a book by its cover.

Not only did the lipstick look bright and pigmented, once I applied it, it looked so much better. The colour that came in my package was Sweet Tart (090).


When I first opened the lipstick I thought that the colour on my lips would be similar to Barcelona Nights or Adorned. To my surprise, the shade turned out to be a soft almost pastel pink. The consistency was also amazing, I got excellent coverage as well as good shine on my lips. I have not tried other colours from this range, but I think I will now because I am extremely happy with this product. The colour and consistency combination make it a great lipstick that can be dressed up or down, suitable for various occasions.


This next and final product is not a lip product. I thought I would review it anyway because it can be worn on its own in a simple look with most of the lip products mentioned. It is a Revlon mascara called Lash Potion  Volume + Length Mascara by Grow Luscious, in the colour Blackest Black Noir Intense (001). I have not owned any Revlon mascaras before, I'm a little too picky when it comes to mascaras, so I play it safe and experiment little. This mascara though came in the pack with the Colorburst Lip Butter. I was feeling curious and wanted to try something new, so I had another reason to get the pack.


When I first opened the bottle I was impressed by the brush, it was quite big and wide with many bristles. I know I am more likely to trust a mascara with a wider brush, because mascaras with thinner brushes have usually failed me. So far so good I thought, next up, it was time to try it on.


I applied one coat on my top lashes only. There are pros and cons to this mascara. What I love about the Lash Potion is that my lashes were clump free, they also extended a fair amount (possibly could have extended more if I applied more than just one coat). The volume I was not as happy with, I prefer really full lashes, and this mascara did not provide the volume that I had hoped for. I would suggest this mascara to be worn if you want to achieve a really natural look; there is a bit of volume, enough length and no clumps. My recommendation is to match the Lash potion with a lip product such as Orchid, or New York Scene for a casual look.


Overall I am pleased with these products, and would wear most of them on a regular basis.




Sunday 21 December 2014

Golden Shock Lipstick

Christmas is just around the corner and everyone is ready to celebrate, the city becomes decorated with round and dew drop shaped ornaments, and it is also the time of the year when businesses release limited edition Christmas products. Like most makeup brands, Dior has released the Golden Shock collection. One of the products in this range is the Diorific Golden Shock lipstick, it consists of two colours ( a matte and metallic ). I was in love when I first laid my eyes on it, the colours in the range were amazing and the idea of a two-tone lipstick was quite unique.


I decided to purchase the colour Daring Shock, and I have to say I am not disappointed.


In the first row of the image below are my lips with the bold matte colour. In the final row are my lips with nothing but the shear colour. The middle row however shows my lips with an ombre effect. The way I applied the colours was by first lining my lips with the matte side, followed by filling the inside of my lips with the metallic, and then finally adding more of the matte to blend the two colours and to create a smooth gradient. Initially I thought this lipstick had two tones for this purpose which is another reason why I bought it. I believe that the way you are actually supposed to apply it is by firstly using the matte followed by the metallic on top.


(I tried to get the best light possible, however this was a little bit tricky for me, but I did the best I could! sorry ):    )

Overall the application is extremely smooth, the colours are great for the Christmas season and the durability is satisfactory.

As I mentioned before, I fell in love, and I am not falling out of it for this lipstick.


Wednesday 29 October 2014

Trick or Treat!



It is that time of the year when children can enjoy wondering around their spooky neighborhoods. They enjoy the spooks. They enjoy the orange of the pumpkins, the leaves. They roam for treats as the night falls.




Then there is me, all the way in the southern hemisphere where the days are getting longer and there is not one bit of orange in sight. The scent of spring is everywhere, and to boot many people don't even celebrate Halloween.

I love this time of the year though, and for that one special day I like to pretend that it is autumn (at home). I don't really have much time for parties, mainly because of personal commitments, I will however make some time for a horror film.

In spirit of this celebration I have also decided to decorate a little bit, and I have found some pretty cute decorations. I would go all out, but haven't got the time.



 My choice of sweets includes the usual body parts, in the image below you might be able to see vampire fangs, a thumb and a brain. Then there are the pumpkin marshmallows which I cannot wait to open! Other treats that I will be snacking on as I enjoy the spooks this coming Friday include; snakes, marshmallows, more hard lollies and my all time favorites, sherbet lemons!




I also love dressing up. This year I am keeping it simple with some spiderweb eyelashes, cute devil horns, dark makeup and of course some blood.


That is all for today, have a super spooky awesome Halloween!




Sunday 26 October 2014

Something New

Here I am sitting with a huge pile of work, and I just want to relax. To be honest I have not had a break at all this year. I really want to pursue in a new hobby, something relaxing and enjoyable, so even if I can't take a lot of time off, I can escape somewhere shortly without feeling any stress. I feel as though starting a blog might be a good idea. I can express myself in any way I wish, and that is wonderful considering a lot of activities in my life don't really allow me to do this.

I might start off with a little introduction about myself, firstly, I am into anything artistic. Now, this is a very broad statement, but I can't help but like so many things. I really enjoy cooking, designing, drawing, painting, trying out a lot of make up looks. I also love to enjoy what others have to offer with their creativity. Other things I like include music, summer (I absolutely hate winter, I always get sick and want to hibernate throughout it), fashion, a little bit of gaming, and exploring new places. A small random fact is that Esla from Frozen is one of my Disney idols. She is amazing, and yes she is far from perfect, but that's what makes her so interesting, and I love the journey she goes through  as she builds her inner strength.




I guess the theme of my blogs would be something along the lines of beauty and fashion or on adventures I like to take. I think it will depend on my mood and what I am inspired by in the moment. For now though time to return to my actual reality and crunch through tasks that have been calling out to me ever since I started writing this.





Adios



Fruity Marshmallow