First Look| L'oreal Pro Matte Gloss

You'll notice that I have a "thing" for these certain nude colors and drugstore brands are starting to cater for this "thing." I mean, brown and warm nudes are universally flattering, aren't they? 

Tati on YouTube had great reviews for the L'oreal Pro Matte Gloss ($9.99 each) and I picked up 2 of the 3 nudes online: Statement Nude and Bare Attraction. I didn't trust the germ-fest of opened tubes in Ulta. I'm on the lookout for Nude Allude to complete my collection, but L'oreal offers a bigger range that includes deep berries, reds, and pinks. 

They're not quite liquid lipsticks (apocalyptic world-proof) since they feel like a gloss when you press your lips together. Still, it will look like a matte lipstick in the mirror. See what L'oreal did there with the name? They last for 2-3 hours before touch-up and they don't make my lips peel or crack though they do make my lips feel "tight" after an entire day of wearing and re-application.

Overall, they go on like a Jeffree Starr or KVD liquid lipstick with less staying power, if that makes sense. They aren't tacky or sticky and the wide doe foot applicator makes getting corners and edges a cinch. The best part? They don't have the typical L'oreal lipstick scents UNLESS you really take in a deep whiff. Otherwise, they're scentless and tasteless!

Here are swatches in different lighting. From right to left: Statement Nude, Bare Attraction, KVD Lolita, KVD Lolita II, Colourpop Grunge, TF La Creme in Sweet Maple, MAC Velvet Teddy. 

Under warm indoor lighting:

Natural (gloomy) lighting. You'll see that the KVD lipsticks actually set matte very quickly, while the L'oreal products stay glossy for a while longer and look like the other lipsticks in the line up. 

Flash. 

TLDR: These are the best "liquid lipstick" dupes that I've found at the drugstore so far. Soon, everyone will be able to rock the matte brown and nude lip trend without spending $20 and upwards at a department store. 

xo Be

First Look | MAC MUFE NARS

Summer is here! I do have a few items from a recent haul to show you, and since these are mostly new to me, I'd like to also give you my first impressions of the products.



This is my small after-vacation haul. I planned to pick up a few thicker opaque concealers for dark spots, as I don't have dark circles unless I have been up for 2 days straight. Even then, I am fortunate enough to not deal with severe raccoon eyes. I do have Maybelline's Age Rewind concealer in Medium, but I suspect it is for undereyes as the formulation is not as creamy and stay put as I like for acne scars and blemishes. I also picked up Makeup Forever's Aqua Rouge out of curiosity and their iconic HD Foundation in my summer shade. Lastly, thanks to recs from essiebutton, I decided to give MAC'S Crosswires a chance.





This is MAC's Studio Finish concealer in NC30. I like that it's in a pot, but this could get unhygienic very quickly. The color match is spot on, the formulation is thicker than cake batter, and it seems to cover everything with ease. This retails for 18 dollars.





Next is NARS's Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger. The lighter choice seems like a perfect match for NC25, but I already have a concealer for the winter. This color is also a great match for NC30-NC35, and I believe it can be used as both an undereye or blemish concealer. The formulation is a creamy liquid that is not too thick and spreads easily on the face. The doe foot applicator is precise, and the packaging is very purse friendly. This retails for 28 dollars. Yikes!





This is Crosswires from MAC. Yowza, it's a bright watermelon pink! I expected much less pigmentation from a Cremesheen formula, but it's a pleasant surprise. This color fares better alone on the face, being much more pigmented and brighter than I thought. It retails for 15 dollars.





This needs no further introduction; it is Makeup Forever's HD Foundation in N123. I am usually N120 in the wintertime (for NC20 to NC25) but I needed a much darker shade for my new tan. 123 actually looks much darker and more golden than 127 while they are the same shade. I would say this fits an NC30 to NC35. I have had a great experience with this foundation especially for photography. It is a thin formula with medium coverage and long lasting capabilies. Sadly, it retails for 42 dollars.







Lastly, this is MUFE's Aqua Rouge in 18. I would say that this is the high end equivalent of the drugstore color/gloss duo pens. However, the gloss is very hydrating and essentially seals in the color for hours. My one gripe is that the product smells like artificial lychee glue. Nasty. On the positive side, 18 is a wonderful coral-orange that is lovely for summer. This sucker lasted through a meal at a burger joint. And if you know me, I don't eat my burgers like a lady. If you want long lasting shine and color that won't dry out your lips, this is absolutely wonderful if you can stand the smell. This retails for 24 dollars.

That is it for my first look post, I hope you found it helpful. If you would like an in depth review on any of the products above, please leave a comment and let me know!
I also have made a recent, mind BLASTING discovery and would love to share that with you if you're interested. It involves a very inexpensive brush...

Anyway, have a nice days guys! I'm back to packing my things for a move to LA and donating old clothes/shoes to Goodwill. I'm not sure if anyone wants to take my makeup, but I could have a blog sale if that's a way to get rid of the clutter.

Bye!

Review: MAC Cremesheen Glass

Richer, Lusher?

Is there such a product that makes me richer while plumping up my lopsided sausages?

Sadly, the answer is no. These cremesheen glass, or fancy tinted lip glosses, from MAC run about 20 dollars at Nordies. Surprising, since MAC lipsticks are only about 15 dollars. Good thing the mother offered payment in exchange for giving her advice on a new red lipstick shade and foundation. I recommended Studio Fix Fluid for a summer foundation and Viva Glam I (one of my recent finds) for a sexy red shade. She actually gave her SFF to me in an act of great charity, and upon seeing its finish on my skin, she had to re-buy. Women logic. SFF's full coverage and strong oil control makes flaw covering and tone-evening a one step process for lazy summers (no concealer or powder needed).

Anyway, I digress. Richer, Lusher is a beautiful coral/orange shade that looks lovely on its own or over a pink lipstick for more dimension.

PROS:

- Non-sticky. Lip gloss reminds me of the third grade. Sticky lip gloss reminds me of my third grade frenemy. Associations are powerful. This gloss doesn't stir up any old memories.

- Color is semi-opaque. In the tube, it looks like a heavy liquid gloop lipstick. The color payoff is a little less sheer than an actual Cremesheen lipstick but is more...

- Moisturizing. Even more so than its lipstick counterpart. The gloss can pair with any lipstick in order to prevent cracked lips or settled lip color.

- Doefoot applicator makes it easy to apply, though not precise enough without some reference to a pocket mirror.

- In general, a beautiful and subtle color that can lean nude for a smokey eye or brightening on its own. It is not opaque enough to clash with another lipstick but only helps amplify another lipcolor, either from a lipstick or lip liner.

- The Cremesheen Glass line has many beautiful, collectible, wonderful, obsession-inducing shades to choose from.

CONS:

- What the expensive heck? 20 dollars for a lip gloss? Good thing lip glosses last me for ages until I get annoyed at the sticky caps and throw them away.

Would I repurchase? Not likely. Would I purchase another shade in the collection? Yes, given that the color was absolutely to die for. I spotted many other lovely shades, but the price tag induced rational hesitance. My wallet actually screamed "No!" audibly. Just kidding. But 20 dollars for a lip gloss? Am I wrong for thinking that lip gloss shouldn't be more than 5 bucks under any circumstance?

Anyway, I am heading back to San Diego tomorrow to start my summer classes and clean up the house in order for a big move to another part of town. The upside is that I won't have to unpack anything, but I would still love to do a collective haul for you guys if you're interested. I'm not meaning to brag, a lot of the stuff I got were presents and gifts from my family for graduation who knows how much I love makeup and cosmetics. I got hooked up with some really great gems like a BeautyBlender, Origins face products, MAC products, and plenty of stuff from Sephora. If I do a collective haul, I'll be posting it up as a video on Youtube and link it here.

Tata for now,

Be