Lasting Finish Stay on Lip Contouring Pencil 047 Cappuccino by Rimmel London and Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox product reviews

I recently read that toffee lipsticks are the latest craze and will replace brown lipstick this year. Hoorar! I never really took to the brown lippy trend. I bought a dark brown lipstick some time ago from the Color Trend range by AVON which was more of a dark purple/brown blend. I've only ever worn it a handful of times as I'm not sure I could pull it off (I may revisit this lippie paired with the Lasting Finish Stay on Lip Contouring Pencil 047 Cappuccino by Rimmel London as I think it would be a better match than the Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox).

I spent a good while in Boots recently really trying out all of the brown lipsticks available to me. I tried them all on my hand (which, I know, faux pas you're not supposed to do). When I'd decided on a couple of colours only then did I put it near to my face and lips to get a better understanding as to whether or not the colour would match my skin tone. I finally thought I'd settled on a lippie and lip liner combo purchasing Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox (£17.50!) and Lasting Finish Stay on Lip Contouring Pencil 047 Cappuccino by Rimmel London (£3.50). I most definitely was not prepared for the hefty price tag that came with the Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox but it seemed like the best colour match for my skin. I recently tried the two out together and although they seemed to photograph well, I looked washed out as the colour was far too severe for my pale skin tone.

The Lasting Finish Stay on Lip Contouring Pencil 047 Cappuccino by Rimmel London is a dark brown/purple colour so there was a striking colour contrast between my heavily defined lips and the colour of the Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox. I essentially had to colour my lips in and colour over the dark lip liner colour, which of course was pointless applying it in the first place. As for the overly expensive Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox the colour was more a pale greyish mauve colour, definitely not the toffee colour I had expected. Honestly I looked ridiculous with these two paired together and wiped it off the first opportunity I got. Although Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox is a pricey lippie, I would say that it was worth the expenses. Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox was so creamy on my lips, I've never experienced a lipstick like it, it's just a shame that it accentuated my pale skin. I really wanted to like Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox but I think next time I need to spend a bit longer really figuring out what compliments my skin tone.

Have you jumped on the new toffee lipped trend? If so, what's your favourite shade/colour of lippie? Let me know in the comments below xx

December Glossybox product review

I think this is the first time in a while that I've used all of the products in the current Glossybox and have been able to review them within the same month of receiving it. I have a whole load of months' backing up that I need to review and I'm slowly making some head way on this.

I can't tell you how excited I was about receiving December's Glossybox. I also really enjoy it when Glossybox give us something a little bit different. I have accumulated a surplus amount of make up that I don't like/ can't use/ won't use so it was especially rewarding to find that  Glossybox are supporting the domestic abuse charity Give and Make Up. I shamelessly boxed up a whole load of make up that I've been trying to get rid of for some time and sent it all packing to women in much greater need than I. It's nice to be able to give something back.

I was expecting this months' Glossybox to be a little bit more Christmassy themed and although the box is adorned with a gold wreath, I didn't feel like the products reflected this prominent event. I had expected sparkles and glitter, which I can't say that I was too disappointed however that this wasn't the case. Surprisingly, the most expensive beauty product in the box was the somewhat conspicuously designed (and named) MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy retailing at £18. Now first things first, I looked at the packaging and thought wow it's a matt gold lipstick which is a really sophisticated look for a lipstick. Until I scrutinized it a bit more and realised that the shape and size of it reminded me instead of a bullet. Named MDM it's one letter short of being the chemical compound for ecstasy. Maybe it's just me but I personally wouldn't have designed or named something that could produce such powerful connotations. That being said I was excited to receive it. A couple of months' back Glossyboxers had the chance to choose their shade between a nude colour or a dark mauve colour. I of course possess both but figured I could never have too many nude lippies so I opted for Bossy. Sadly, MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy smells like cheap lipstick and also tasted cheap despite the hefty price tag. The colour is also misleading and is far from the nude colour that I had anticipated. When you apply MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy it appears to be more of a light mauve colour than a nude colour. I'd paired my MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy with my Mua make up academy intense colour lip liner in caramel which did not compliment the light mauve colour of MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy at all.

In keeping with the nude theme I tried the Revlon Nail Enamel in Gray Suede (which at no point in the name does it suggest that it would be a nude colour). The large bottle makes the colour appear nude or neutral but once applied it seems to dry a pinkish nude colour. I am normally a huge advocate for Revlon products lippy and nail varnishes included but the Revlon Nail Enamel in Gray Suede was just disappointing to say the least. It took three applications to create the thick pinkish nude colour as the nail varnish is very light and watery. Unlike other Revlon nail varnishes that I've tried out the Revlon Nail Enamel in Gray Suede does not dry instantly which I later found out when I smudged two of my nails. The accidental smudging of course will be a result of the many coats that I had to apply which made the varnish especially thick but Revlon Nail Enamel in Gray Suede still seemed to take a while to dry quickly even with one application.

So far a disappointing little box which is only reassuring me more that I 've made the right decision in cancelling my subscription next year. Next I applied the Gosh Copenhagen Mono Eyeshadow in Dark Green which is green and sparkly so is in keeping with the Christmas theme, at last! I'm also slightly sceptical of green eyeshadow having predominantly blue eyes (they're multi-coloured but the blue is the most obvious colour that you acknowledge first). I always remember that silly childhood rhyme: blue and green should never be seen except with a colour in between which used to put me off wearing green (this of course is not the case now however). I was quite excited to try the Gosh Copenhagen Mono Eyeshadow in Dark Green but unfortunately it just does not stay put. There was obvious colour transference onto my eyebrows from wearing Gosh Copenhagen Mono Eyeshadow in Dark Green for even a short period of time. Interestingly, the emerald green colour complimented my blueish eyes but as it wipes away so easily it won't become a feature in my make-up bag.

This leaves me with two products that I've never used before and was slightly unsure of as a result. Left to try in the box was Essence Light up Your Face Luminizer Palette retailing at £3 and Lipcote's new innovative product Browcote retailing at £6.99. I've never in my life used a highlighter or contour kit so I was completely unsure as to how to use the Essence Light up Your Face Luminizer Palette. I needn't have worried however as there's a handy step by step diagram on the reverse of the packaging which correctly shows you where and how to highlight. The Essence Light up Your Face Luminizer Palette is split into three colours which you sweep across the cheekbones, the T-zone and chin area which are designed to highlight the skin and make it appear brighter. Shades 1 and 3 complimented my skin tone really well and noticeable brightened up my eyes. Shade 2 however was far too pale for my already paling skin tone and left a huge amount of glitter across my cheeks. I used shade 2 to sweep across the cheekbones in place of my usual bronzer which did nothing for my appearance. In my opinion the Essence Light up Your Face Luminizer Palette is marketed to transform you throughout the party season so it was a great accompaniment in the December box. It is of course too light for my skin tone so I may use it if I run out of bronzer.

Lastly, this brings me onto Lipcote's Browcote Eyebrow Waterproof Sealer which is the best thing ever! Browcote is essentially a clear mascara that you sweep across your eyebrows once you've groomed and styled them The Browcote dries instantly and hard but my eyebrows have never looked more on point until now. Browcote eliminates any colour transference or fading and your eyebrows look on fleek all day (a term I hate but I feel that it actually does describe my eyebrows perfectly). I love Lipcote and I was hoping for big things with Browcote and they have definitely not disappointed me with their new branch off product. At £6.99 I will definitely replace it when it eventually runs out.

I'd love to know what you think of December's Glossybox. What are your favourites in this box? Let me know in the comments below xx

Four product lip liner and lipstick review

I went on a bit of a make up splurge recently and bought myself three new lip liners and a berry lipstick to jump on the vampy lip trend. I've been meaning to buy some lip liners for a while ever since I discovered the MUA caramel nougat lip liner is the perfect accompaniment to my Revlon nude lipstick. I spent a while in Boots colouring my hand in all shades of reds, pinks and purples to help me decide which ones to buy. Admittedly, I looked a little diseased when I went to pay with pink stripes all over my hand (which of course didn't go unnoticed by the sales assistant). After perusing all of the independent make up companies in Boots I eventually decided on the Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30, paired with a COLORsensational lip liner in Midnight Plum number 338, a No7 Precision lip liner in pink to compliment my Cherry Pop red Clinique lipstick and L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Couture Lip Liner Number 258 Berry Blush to compliment my favourite Rimmel London Moisture Renew lipstick in Lily Extase number 340. I've wanted to embrace last year's vampy lip trend for a while but never really had the time or funds to buy everything. I was really pleased with my £20 make up selection and couldn't wait to try them out.

                                 
                                                            
First up was the Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30 (retailing at £5.49), paired with a COLORsensational lip liner in Midnight Plum number 338 retailing at around £3.99. The Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30 had a nice creamy texture when I applied it to my hand unlike many of the other purple or plum lipsticks which were greasy and slippery. I was always told when I was younger that to get your perfect shade you should try it on your hand to see if the colour matches your skin tone. I've since learnt that this isn't an accurate method of trying new lipsticks out as the skin on your hand is different to that on your face (you might be more tanned on your hands for example). Ideally you're supposed to place the lipstick up to your lips so you can see if the colour compliments your face. You might look a bit odd doing this in the middle of Boots though and as I had a nude lip when I was trying out colours I couldn't do this little tip. I really liked the coloured sticker on the tube for the Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30 and it looks purple when you push it up. I applied the COLORsensational lip liner in Midnight Plum number 338 first which was a bit trickier than my usual caramel nougat lip liner. You really have to take your time when applying a coloured lip liner and it took me a couple of attempts to get it perfect. Initially, I'd invariably drawn on the skin around my lip so the colours didn't quite match up at first. The COLORsensational lip liner in Midnight Plum number 338 turned out to be the perfect compliment to Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30. As for the lipstick I was unsure at first whether I liked it but after I wore it a few more times I really liked it. However, I managed to unwillingly pick up the same shade of lipstick that my mam wears which really brings out the red in her hair but it seemed to just wash me out at first. The Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30 is more a reddy purple than a true plum colour which I was led to believe going off the sticker on the tube. It took a little bit of getting use to as the Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30 is really quite dark. It looked a little too wine stained at first for my liking. I would strongly advise using this lipstick or similar shades with freshly whitened teeth. My teeth aren't exactly gross but nor are they shiny pearly whites so the Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30 made my teeth look grey in comparison. I found that it depends on the shade of foundation as to how the lipstick compliments the skin tone and the more I wore it the more I liked the Rossetto Kate Moss lipstick. I've worn the Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30 a few times now and I really like the colour of this lipstick. The rich plum colour lasts ages and it looks really striking on. I love the Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in Rossetto Number 30 and the COLORsensational lip liner in Midnight Plum number 338 sets the colour off perfectly.

Next I tried the No7 Precision lip liner in fire paired with my favourite Rimmel London Moisture Renew lipstick in Lily Extase number 340. The lip liner is the perfect shade for to compliment my lipstick which I was really surprised with given that my lipstick is years old. I assumed that as the No7 Precision lip liner in fire was a precision liner it would be easier to apply to my lips. The lip liner is pointed at the tip to aid for precision but I actually found that it made it harder to apply. I somehow managed to miss a section of my lip when I applied it which was made more obvious by the strange outlined shape of my lip when I filled it in with the colour of the lipstick. The lip liner set the colour of the lipstick off and although it's fiddly to use at first I really liked the design of the lip liner. Unfortunately the two together didn't last very long after eating and drinking but when it was first on the lips both colours looked really bright and popping. I've previously reviewed my favourite lipstick which you can read about here so this review was more so focused on the No7 Precision lip liner in fire. Priced at £6.75 it's a perfect little lip liner the only downside is that it can't be sharpened.

Lastly, I tried the L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Couture Lip Liner Number 258, Berry Blush alongside my Elizabeth Arden Moisturising Lipstick in Bold Red 41 Matt. I went to a Gatsby themed party recently and I had all of my accessories planned including my lipstick and make up look. I had intended to use my Cherry Pop Red Clinique lipstick that night but I had unfortunately misplaced it. My back up plan was to use my Elizabeth Arden Moisturising Lipstick in Bold Red 41 Matt which you can read about here. I won't go into too much detail about the Elizabeth Arden Moisturising Lipstick in Bold Red 41 Matt but I was constantly reapplying it on the night. After drinks and food my lipstick slipped off and it was a constant battle to maintain the red colour. I had even blotted my lips together at the start of the night, applied the L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Couture Lip Liner Number 258, Berry Blush and applied Lipcote to seal the colour in. Although the lipstick seemed to stay put it wasn't as bright and popping as I would have liked. As a result of this constant slippage the L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Couture Lip Liner Number 258, Berry Blush wore off fairly quickly. Priced at £3.99 the L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Couture Lip Liner Number 258, Berry Blush was the most aesthetically pleasing with the pink snakeskin pattern on the pencil. Despite the bright pink pencil I was pleasantly surprised to find that the L'Oral Paris Colour Riche Couture Lip Liner Number 258, Berry Blush is the perfect compliment for my orangey red lipsticks. I've yet to try the L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Couture Lip Liner Number 258, Berry Blush with my Cherry Pop red Clinique lipstick which I will do at some point and alter this review.

      

  
I really liked all three lip-liners but found that the COLORsensational lip liner in Midnight Plum number 338 went on much easier than the other two that I tried out. I have since found out that it is easier to apply lipliner by moving the head with the pencil rather than drawing an outline of my lips. My arms shake a lot and I find it much easier to move my head with the pencil rather than draw it in as I often miss sections of my lips doing it this way. Applying lip liner takes a bit of time and practice so it's best to apply it when you have a bit of time and not rushing around

Let me know what you thought of this multi-product review in the comments below xx  

MUA Make Up Academy Intense Colour Lip Liner in Caramel Nougat product review

I mentioned in my November Glossybox review that I needed to buy a lip liner to compliment my new nude lipstick. After a few uses of the lipstick and sporting noticeable outer pink lips I decided it was time to succumb to a lip liner. Shamefully, I'd never heard of MUA until I received the eyeshadow palette in November's Glossybox yet it seems that MUA is everywhere now. I decided to pop out to buy a lip liner and ended up in Superdrug purchasing the MUA Make Up Academy Intense Colour Lip Liner in Caramel Nougat for just £1. As I didn't have the lipstick with me (a rooky mistake) I was trying to compliment the shade of the lipstick with the lip liner from memory. I was torn between the cheap MUA lip liner or a dearer lip liner at around £6 which I think was by Maybelline. I can't remember the colour of the Maybelline lip liner but I remember thinking at the time that it was probably a closer match to the Revlon lipstick in Nude Attitude as both have golden and pink hues to the colour.

As luck would have it the MUA Make Up Academy Intense Colour Lip Liner in Caramel Nougat is a great compliment to the Revlon lipstick in Nude Attitude. I've recently understood the importance of a complimentary lip liner and vow to use lip liners alongside all of my coloured lipsticks in future. It's important to not over do the lip liner though as it has resulted in looking a little too pink in comparison to the Nude lipstick. Lightly follow the contours of your lips with the pencils and then fill in the middle with your chosen lipstick. My lipstick look is so much more defined with a lip liner and especially when using a nude colour I'm not left with an outer shade of pink and two completely different colours. The MUA Make Up Academy Intense Colour Lip Liner in Caramel Nougat is a handy little lip liner as it comes packaged with sharpener (not that I need one as I have two Bourjois Paris sharpeners with covers) but nevertheless it's still quite handy to have. One application of the MUA Make Up Academy Intense Colour Lip Liner in Caramel Nougat is sufficient to set off your colour and is a favourite within my make up bag.

I hope you liked this short review and if so feel free to leave me comments below xx