NYX: Round Lipstick in Frappacino (632)

The Breakdown

Brand-NYX

Color- Frappacino (632)

Thoughts- This lipstick is the epitome of opaque. One swipe and your natural lip color is annihilated. This is due largely to the creamy consistency of the lipstick and the high pigmentation of the lipstick itself.

Unfortunately, since the lipstick is so creamy, the staying power isn't the best. I can go about 3 hours without having to reapply, but if you are eating or drinking you can kiss the lipstick goodbye. 

Overall- The color definitely doesn't suit me nor does the lipstick last long enough so it's a miss for me.

Star Rating- 1.5/5

Swatches

NYX: Round Lipstick in Pumpkin Pie (630)

The Breakdown

Brand-NYX

Color- Pumpkin Pie (630)

Thoughts- Pumpkin Pie has a light creamy consistency. When swatched on the arm/hand it is very opaque and nicely pigmented. However, when applied on the lips it swatches very sheer and unevenly and tends to highlight the imperfections. Also, the wear time is only about 2 hours w/o eating or drinking so it's definitely one that needs to be reapplied constantly.

Overall- As nice as it is in the tube, the color show more creamy orange than anything else in real life and I find that unless I pair it with a peach-pink gloss I won't wear it.

Star Rating- 2.5/5

Swatches

Revlon: Moon Drops Lipstick in Peach Silk (704)

The Breakdown

Brand- Revlon

Color-  Peach Silk (704)

Packaging- Shiny green tube that is sure to catch your eye

Thoughts- Peach Silk is a creme lipstick that feels very moisturizing and comfortable to wear for hours on end. It truly does moisturize your lips and glides on like a dream. Though a creme color, it doesn't settle as a milky creme, rather it has a lovely brightness that is a pleasant departure from other creme lipsticks.

I can squeeze about 4-5 hours out of this lipstick even with the addition of lunch and a few drinks, which is surprising since other lip products that are as moisturizing rarely last as long. This is likely due to the fact that you can turn it into a slight lipstain by massaging it into your lips.

Overall- I love this lipstick and tend to wear it in the Spring/Summer when I feel like being bright. It feels amazingly comfortable and I love the way it looks against my skin tone.

Star Rating- 4.5/5

Swatches

Revlon: Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in Smoked Peach (07)

The Breakdown

Brand-Revlon

Color- Smoked Peach (07)

Packaging- Matte lipstick tube with a silver label

Thoughts- Smoke Peach has a very small peach-pink micro-shimmer running through, so small that it's almost invisible. I've found that of all the Revlon Matte lipstick I own, this is my least favorite. The color itself is very milky and the finish when swatched is very chalky in appearance. The chalkiness highlights the imperfections in the lip and prevent it from applying evenly. However, this is wearable when paired with any gloss as the chalkiness then disappears.

Overall- I find that it's a little too chalky for the natural texture of my lips but I love the staying power and the combination of it with Revlon's Superlustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef.

Star Rating- 3/5

Swatches

With Revlon Coral Reef Lipgloss over

Lypsyl Intense Protection Lip Moisturizer

The Breakdown

Brand- Lypsyl

Color- Colorless

Packaging- Instead of the traditional twist up packaging, because of it's shape there is a sweet little bee that you slide up/down to move up some product.

Thoughts- The Lypsyl lip balm has a nice minty scent and flavor, similar to Burt's Bees but slightly more intense. Though slightly yellow in color, the balm itself does not impart any color onto the lips.

I found Lypsyl to be extremely moisturizing and I that could go up to 4 hours between reapplication. The oblong oval shape of the balm made it perfect for one-swipe applications without the need for a mirror. The motion sliding mechanism is smooth and what I liked best is the secure "click" you feel when you retract the balm all the way.

Overall- I like how moisturizing this is and how easy the balm is to apply to the lips. I found that it works better on my lips that Burt's Bees Wax or Carmex, especially when my lips are dry/cracked. I enjoyed it while it lasted, but it's a bit on the pricey side.

Star Rating- 4/5

Swatches

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My Travel Bag

So I'm went out of town for four days to watch my best friend graduate and I thought I might share what I brought in my makeup bag and for my skincare. Enjoy!

Makeup Bag

~Face~

Rimmel Fix & Perfect primer

Clinique Almost Makeup in 04 Deep

MAC Studio Careblend/Pressed in Medium Plus

Maybelling Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfecter in Medium

e.l.f Blush in Tickled Pink

MAC Powder Blush in Prim & Proper (LE)

~Eyes~

e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

BareMinerals i.d Weather Everything

e.l.f. Lash Curler

Personalized MAC Quad w/ Satellite Dreams, Brule, Amber Lights & Sable

Maybelline Colossal Volume Express Waterproof

~Lips~

Jack Black Lip Balm in Lemon & Chamomile

Revlon Colorstay Liner in Blush

Revlon Colorstay Liner in Clear

Wet n Wild Creme Liner in Berry Red

MAC l/s in Viva Glam V

MAC l/s in Bust Out (LE)

MAC l/s in Impassioned

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Lilac Pastel

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef

Skincare/Misc

Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer in Normal/Dry

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion

Baby Oil for Makeup Removal

Contact Lens Solution

Eye Drops

Cotton Squares

Dove Ultimate for Sensitive Skin

Cetaphil- Moisturizing Lotion for All Skin Tyes

The Breakdown

Brand- Cetaphil

Oil Free- No, contains Macadamia oil (who knew?)

SPF- None 

Packaging- A large bottle with a standard (non-airless) pump.

Thoughts- This is a lotion meant for the entire body so it is definitely thicker in consistency that a standard daily facial moisturizer. It starts out opaque, as all lotions do, but blends in to a nice non-colored surface.

This is meant to be a body lotion, but I find that it works great as a facial moisturizer as well. I have a "strawberry nose" despite my skins lack of acne based problems, meaning that I have a plethora of blackheads that stubbornly reside on my nose. I was using an Aveeno body lotion, convinced that it did the same thing as the facial moisturizers, only to find that the Aveeno was a major cause of my issue. I have very dry skin and I didn't trust a daily facial moisturizers to get the job done, so I went on the hunt for an all over lotion. Since using this, my strawberry nose situation has decreased about 80% and I'm liking the results.

Despite the fact that it does contain oil, it works great under ALL liquids foundations both water and oil based. It absorbs so quickly and thoroughly into the skin that I haven't had any issues with my foundation separating or the wear time being affected. 

Overall- I love that this stuff has a pump almost as much as I love how quickly it absorbs into the skin. It's a bit on the thicker side of facial moisturizers so I wouldn't go mixing it with my foundation, but this is awesome as a prep step under foundation. Also, I find that I have to put this on once after I leave the shower (I'm a morning shower person since I gym it up at around 5am) and then once again 5 minutes before I put on foundation to keep my skin moisturized the entire day.

Star Rating- 4.5/5...It's almost perfect, if only I needed just a single layer of product.

Swatches

Olay: Complete All Day UV Moisturizer - Normal

The Breakdown

Brand- Olay

Packaging- A bottle made of thick plastic, somewhat hard to squeeze but the moisturizer is thin enough not to need too much pressure

Oil Free?- Yes


SPF- 15

Thoughts- This is a light moisturizer that has a slightly thinner texture than more day moisturizers I have seem. It is definitely a lotion and not a cream and is very easy to work into the skin, it only takes a few seconds of massage. It also has a slightly cooling effect, which is nice when you're doing your makeup while half-awake/asleep in the morning.

This is the formula for "Normal" skin. I have also used the "sensitive" version and have found no real difference in how they work. This also happens to be oil free, so for those with slightly oily skin or skin prone to breakouts, this might work in your favor.

If you own oil free foundations, this is a great moisturizer to mix in with it. I have learned that you mix like with like, so an water-based foundation + oil-containing moisturizer and vice versa doesn't really work out. It's nice if you want the coverage of a tinted moisturizer but you don't want to shell out any extra dough to have one.

Overall- I find that this works best being mixed in with my foundations. I have really dry skin and this didn't work well enough for me that I can use it as my only daily moisturizer. That being said, this is what I use to doctor my own tinted moisturizer.

Star Rating- 3/5...Great to mix with foundation, not so great for all day moisture.

Swatches