OCC Lip Tar in Strumpet

I can already imagine the weird search hits that I will get after this blog post title. But oh well, this OCC Lip Tar is worth it.

After hearing/reading so much about these lip tars I finally bought four of them last year - the Make-Up Designory store here in Ljubljana had a little sale on these (yay!) before they decided to stop carrying them (boo!).

The four colours that I got are:
- Strumpet (purple-red-pink goodness)
- Plum (a hideous grayed out plum/mauve - this looked quite promising in the tube but just looks awful on)
- NSFW (a bright, slightly warm-toned red)
- Pageant (it's a pastel-ly and bright pink at the same time, but looks darker and brighter on my lips)

Strumpet is the colour that I have so far worn the most, especially in the colder months - it's not quite purple, not quite red and has some pink in it as well and as you'll see in the photos below can look different depending on the lighting.

OCC Lip Tars are creamy liquid lip products that are very pigmented and definitely require a lip brush to apply - they do have a slanted tip (but I think the new reformulated packaging now comes with a very slim tip) that could be used for application but I doubt that it would work really well because you need a very small amount and need to apply it carefully as every little mistake shows. Even though the application requires more effort they make up for it in longevity - these are the most long-lasting lip products I have tried so far which is a good thing as having a tube and a lip brush and having to reapply these during the day doesn't sound so good.

As you can probably tell from the photo below there is some feathering but it's not nearly as noticable in real life and using a lip liner would probably help with this issue.

While the lip tars aren't moisturizing on the lips at all they aren't as drying as I thought they'd be (although using them everyday would probably show that they are not the kindest product to the lips). But for me the longevity, the lovely matte finish and the possibility of mixing different shades together make up for the not the most comfortable feeling on the lips.

 

I have Grandma on my wishlist next - the gorgeous coral: with that, Pageant and NSFW I'm all set for summer and I don't need to buy any other lipsticks now, who am I kidding, I'll shut up now. Have you tried any of the OCC lip tars? Let me know if you have any favourites!

Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick and Nail Lacquer in Lucky

Dior have just released a new range of lipsticks called Addict Extreme, divided into 4 shade groups, and a collection of four nail polishes that match the four stand-out shades from each Addict Extreme group of shades (Incognito, Riviera, Plaza and Lucky). As I finished a tube of the Dior Addict lipstick in Singuliere a while ago (and finishing a lipstick is quite an achievement, right?) I thought that as a little reward I'd try one of the new Extreme shades now and so I decided to go for Lucky. And yes, that matching nail polish just looked too pretty to pass up.

Dior Addict Extreme lipsticks are ment to give radiant colour, hold and shine. The texture of these is similar to the original Dior Addicts but it is not as gel-like and has more of a buttery texture that is a real joy to use. This is not an opaque lipstick but it's not too sheer either - to me the effect on the lips is similar to a stain topped with a lip balm, in that the colour is definitely there but it's kind of translucent. The glossy finish goes away quite quickly but the colour stay on the lips for a while (about 3 hours) although I would definitely not label this lipstick as exceptionally long-lasting. The scent of these is very subtle, slightly sweet and definitely not overpowering.

  

Lucky (536), the colour that I got, doesn't have any shimmer and looks like a bright redish coral in the tube but on my lips and when swatched it looks more like a warm-toned watermelon pink, very similar to how the colour looks like on Kate Moss in the ad.

As I swatched the colours in-store I wasn't surprised by the actual colour of this lipstick on my lips so I would definitely recommend swatching these first before buying them. What really surprised me with this lipstick was how nice and smooth it felt on my lips, it really softens the lip texture and *almost* makes the lips look slight fuller - and the good part is that even after the glossines and the colour faded, my lips felt moisturized.

The four nail polishes (Haute Couleur High Lasting Nail Lacquers) that were released together with the Dior Addict Extreme lipsticks are all very beautiful: Incognito, a cool-toned nude, and three bright summery shades: Riviera, orange coral, Plaza, pink, and Lucky (659) which is somewhere between red, coral and pink without any shimmer or glitter.

The application of this polish was very nice, the brush of the Dior polishes is very wide and has a rounded tip which I like, the finish is very glossy and it's almost completely opaque in two coats. I say almost because under certain lights I can still see the nail line on my nails. I could probably solve this by applying three coats (can't be bothered) or using a coloured base coat (I'm thinking of trying out the Butter London Nail Foundation). In these photos you can see what the nail polish looked like after four days of wear (applied using base coat and top coat) - not too bad, there is some obvious tip wear and you can see that the base of the nail is showing through but there wasn't any serious chipping until yesterday which was the sixth day of wear.

I really like both of these products - the colours are lovely and bright and the overall effect is very glossy and fresh. I'd especially like to try some of the other shades from the Dior Addict Extreme lipstick range because I find the finish of it really flattering.

I've also noticed that L'Oreal and Lancome have released new nail polish and lipstick formulas as well. The L'Oreal Colour Riche polishes and Lancome Rouge in Love lipsticks look particularly beautiful and might make an appearance on this blog very soon.

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Catrice Ultimate Nail Lacquer in Browno Mars (860)

Catrice have just (and by "just" I mean a few weeks ago) released some new products and also added new colours to their existing product lines, including their nail polish range and with this they have also replaced their previous standard thin nail polish brush with a new, wider and flatter brush. 

The first two from the new Nail Lacquers that caught my attention were Browno Mars and Genius in a Bottle with Genius looking very similar to Chanel's Peridot in the bottle.

L: Direct sunlight, R: with flash

But firstly, I'd like to show you Browno Mars: a metallic bronzey brown with silver shimmer that in certain light leans very slightly purply but of course I couldn't catch that on camera. I'm very much tempted to call it a warm metallic taupe because the word taupe seems to describe quite a wide range of colours (taupe and peachy-pink are probably one of the most frequent descriptions for colours in makeup).

What I really like about this colour is that it mixes warm and cool tones and it looks different depending on the angle and on the light. The application was not a problem - two thin coats and I was done but I noticed that this colour started chipping sooner than some of my other Catrice polishes.

And now for the brush:

I really love the shape of the new brush - I didn't have any application problems with the old one either but the wider and flatter shape of the new brush just makes it even easier for me to apply the polish as nicely as possible. But I can imagine that especially those with smaller/narrower nails might not like this new shape at all.

The next Catrice polishes  I'd like to get are Grey's Kelly, Salmon & Garfunkel, Put Lavender on the Agenda and Hip Queens Wear Blue Jeans. Luckily for me and my wallet these are less than 3€ each :)

Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani lipstick in Plum 602

 
Last year when I was visiting Prague, I made a few sneaky makeup purchases as well (and the non-makeup related Staropramen purchases of course). One of the items was the Rouge d'Armani lipstick in the colour Plum 602. The CZK/EUR exchange rate was not very kind to my wallet but as this has become my most worn lipstick this Autumn/Winter I do not regret it at all.

 

I've wanted to try the Rouge d'Armani lipsticks for a while especially after reading so many favourable reviews on Temptalia, The Non-Blonde and Perilously Pale. I was looking for a deeper pink colour and asked the SA at the makeup counter for help and when she applied Plum 602 I just loved the colour and didn't even bother trying out any of the other shades.

Plum 602 is a plummy pink lipstick which in certain lighting looks more like a soft red, with silver shimmer and has a slightly glossy finish which disappears quickly. The interesting thing is that when the lipstick was still fresh and unused there was no sight of any shimmer, the shimmer only showed up as I started using the lipstick but luckily it's not over the top and barely shows up on my lips.

The colour is very pigmented and on my lips it leans slightly warmer than what it looks like in the bullet. The texture of these lipsticks is quite unique - it's not waxy or overly creamy, it's more of a gel texture but it glides on the lips without a problem and is completely opaque in one coat. Also, this might just be the most long-lasting lipstick I've ever tried - it stays on my lips for about five, six hours and even after that it leaves a nice stain and luckily is not drying either and it feels comfortable on my lips - the initial finish of the lipstick is quite glossy but shortly after the application it sets to a semi-matte finish.

 

Products used in the above photo: NARS Sheer Glow foundation in Santa Fe, Ellis Faas concealer in S202, eyeshadows from the Edward Bess Berry Chic palette, Maybelline Falsies mascara and Shu Uemura P Pink 30 blusher and of course Rouge d'Armani in 602 Plum.

The packaging is very beautiful - a heavy black metallic case with a magnetic closure that's whole lot of fun to play with.

I really love the texture, opacity and long-lastingness (is that a word?) of this lipstick and so I'm already planning my second purchase from the Rouge d'Armani line (maybe a coral pink or a bright red) and hopefully I'll be near an Armani counter in May (there are no Armani counters in Slovenia, boo).

Let me know if you have tried any of the Rouge d'Armani shades and what colours would you recommend from the line.

Mehs and Misses

I haven't done a favourites post in a while and it's not because there aren't any new and faithful old products that I've been enjoying using, it's just that there are too many and I still need to write full reviews of many products that I love so a full favourites post would be simply too long.

But! There have been a few products that I either didn't like at all or I just thought were so unimpressive so instead of writing ten little posts saying how product (A) is a "meh" or a "miss" I'll show you all these products in one post. So for a change, instead of making you want to buy stuff, I'm persuading you to save your money on these. You're welcome.

First up, the two skincare products which have been very disappointing for me, NUDE Skincare Replenishing Night Oil and Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. I know these two have quite a fan base: NUDE Replenishing Night Oil was voted as the best anti-aging product by the Beauty Bible and the Cleanse and Polish is one of those products that everyone seems to love (almost everyone, I guess) so perhaps it's not them, it must be me. The problem that I had with these two products was that they both irritated my skin, especially on my cheeks and around my nose and caused lots of redness, the NUDE Night Oil even gave me a nice red rash just on the top of my cheekbones. These products are both scented and contain essential oils which might be one of the reasons why they didn't work for me. The Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish would also probably be better for people with normal/dry skin as it doesn't wash off completely, and I also didn't find it very good at removing my makeup, especially my mascara. I think I'll just stick to my Bioderma Crealine Makeup Remover and the pure oils for some added moisture - I'm currently using the pure Argan Oil as a weekly nourishing addition to my skincare and it works really well.

Next, the makeup stuff that I disliked: the biggest disappointment was the Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer in the colour 03 - the packaging is of course pretty, the colour looked very nice as well, it even looks very pigmented in the swatch but this thing is sticky like crazy, the pretty colour doesn't transfer to my lips and it looks just like a clear, goopy gloss. Did I mention that it's sticky? At least it has a pleasant scent, that's really the best thing I can say about it.

The Lipstick Queen Fifteen Minutes of Fame - Pop Art Glosses were a big meh for me: I got these a while ago from a Space.NK sale and these really are nothing special, again quite sticky, the pigmentation is sheer-medium which is why they tend to look a bit patchy when applied. They don't last very well on my lips either. And they look all bubbly and weird in the swatches below. I really love the Queen Jean lippie from the brand but I'm sure I won't buy the glosses again.

I love Catrice nail polishes so for a change I wanted to try one of their lipsticks but I wasn't as impressed: the colour I chose was Be Natural! from their Ultimate Colour range, a neutral peachy beige colour that is probably too light for me as it  just stays on top and doesn't "mix" with my natural lip colour. It also disappears very quickly and manages to accentuate every bit of dryness on my lips - it might be just due to the shimmer finish but I think that for now I'll stay away from Catrice lipsticks (I do have a review of one of their newest nail polishes coming up and that one is luckily a completely different story) .

Chanel Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Magic Night: There's nothing horribly wrong with this eyeshadow but there's nothing really great about it either. It looks so pretty in the pan, such a vibrant deep purple, but when swatched and applied to the lid it's really nothing special - it's not very pigmented, not the most blendable eyeshadow in the world and just overall not good enough, especially for the price. I'm probably mad though for wanting Taupe Grise now, am I?

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-2: I bought this concealer compact a little more than a year ago and it still hasn't won me over. I just came to conclusion that this one works best for any discolorations where the texture of the skin is actually healthy and ok - for example, it's awful on blemishes or dry red patches because it is so very dry and thick that even if it corrects the redness it accentuates the not-so-perfect texture. I have been using a sample of the Ellis Faas concealer now and it's just so much easier to apply and blend. I'll keep the Secret Camouflage though for when I just need some colour correcting.

Catrice Ultimate Colour in Be Natural!, Paul & Joe in No. 03, Lipstick Queen lipglosses in 14 and 15, Chanel eyeshadow in Magic Night

What were some of your most recent mehs and misses? And don't be shy, tell me if any of the products mentioned in this post are actually your favourites!

You've got Mail - Getting Cheeky with it!

Say hello to my first Mineralize Skinfinish in the shade Redhead! Now MAC is not available here in Slovenia (Shock, horror!) but I do have a few products from MAC which I either got on my travels or as gifts. I remember when I first started reading beauty blogs and Makeup Alley, how interested I was in MAC, I knew all the info on their newest collections and was putting together the not-gonna-happen wishlists. About 3 years ago which seems like decades in MAC terms, there was a lot of talk online about their new Brunette, Blonde, Redhead collection, especially about the of course limited edition Mineralize Skinfinishes. The Blonde and Redhead MSFs were now repromoted with MAC's Naturally Collection and lucky me, I was the winner of the giveaway held by the truly wonderful and lovely Jessica of Getting Cheeky blog so Redhead is now the newest cheeky addition to my makeup shelf.

  

Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead consists of four different coloured stripes, ranging from gold to warm pink/salmon. All the colours are shimmery and very smooth and pigmented. I remember I've previously read some reviews describing the MSFs as being glittery and chalky, but luckily the texture of this one is very nice and for my skintone the lighter shade works well as a highlighter and I can use all the stripes mixed together as a blush.

In these photos I've used the following products:
- NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe
- Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in Beige Clair (53)

- Max Factor Eye Khol in Natural Gaze on the waterline
- Essence Longlasting Eye Pencil in Hot Chocolate on the upper and lower lashline (love, probably the nicest dark non-shimmery brown eyeliner I've ever tried)
- the lighter shade of the Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Brunette in the crease
- Maybelline Falsies mascara (another love)

- Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon (also known as Audrey's lipstick)

and of course MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead on my cheeks.

I really love the colour of Redhead and even though it is quite shimmery I like the sheen that it gives my skin and I think it would look amazing in the summer paired with a bright coral lipstick (and hopefully better looking skin, damn you, below zero temperatures and central heating!). 

Ingredients of the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead

Thank you again Jessica, this little pan of glowy goodness couldn't have come at a better time!