Sephora VIB Haul

Hello there!

I feel like I haven't blogged in so long that this whole process feels so alien to me now.... /__\ how sad is that. Kudos to bloggers, or even YouTubers who are able to keep doing what they do so consistently over the years O_O

Today I'm bringing you the details of my Sephora haul :D I spent such a ridiculous amount. Sometimes I even wonder why do I buy all this makeup??? Especially when I just keep buying essentially the same things over and over again. I only like certain textures of base makeup. I only like certain colors of lipsticks and blushes. Whenever I make the effort to buy something that's really different I don't usually use them. A lot of things on the market are just the same stuff with different packaging and marketing campaigns... so why do I fall for them... why can't I just use up whatever I have first before I buy anything new??? I guess I'm trying to spring clean my collection and it kind of frustrates me seeing a lot of the unused stuff that I have to toss out. On the bright side though, this haul consists of mainly skincare XD which a girl always needs and will always use LOL.


So this is what my haul initially looks like.

1. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
2. SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion
3. Yves Saint Laurent ROUGE VOLUPTÉ - Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick in #13 Peach Passion - vibrant peachy pink
4. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine in #14 Corail in Touch - creamy orange coral
5. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar - Matte in Nylon - classic bubblegum pink with a neon twist
6. Origins Original Skin™ Renewal Serum with Willowherb
7. Yves Saint Laurent Volupté Tint-In-Oil in Pink About Me 8
For samples, I got Omorovicza Queen Of Hungary Mist, Guerlain Abeille Royale Face Treatment Oil, CLINIQUE Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer


In the end... this is what my haul comes down to:

I ended up with two bottles of SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion O_o , keeping the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, the Origins serum, and one lip product. Let me explain as we go :D


So first let's talk about the lip products, because to be honest, the one product I was most looking forward to was the YSL Tint in Oil... which, after much internal debate I ended up returning ~_~




So let's begin with the Tint in Oil. I got it in #8 Pink About Me. I know it looks like a purply color, but on my lips, it actually does not look purple at all. It was a really beautiful pink :) 

Freshly applied.


The stain. It looks nothing like the color on the applicator. Unfortunately I don't have any lip swatches =(


The formula of this product is quite interesting... it doesn't look pigmented at all. And when I first apply it to my lips, it really doesn't look like anything either-- it'd just look like I have a layer of clear , shiny gloss on. But as it sets, it kind of thickens up a bit (I'm not sure if thicken is the best word to describe it, please bear with my limited vocab XD) and the color turns a lot of opaque and actually shows up quite well (I have relatively pigmented lips too, so I'm impressed by the color payoff!)


So what's my problem with the tint?
The color isn't the problem.... I've tried it a number of times in store and I knew I loved the color. It's more of the fact I was disappointed with the moisturization (okay I just made up that word) and the way it stains. When I tried it in the stores I thought it felt amazing and super moisturizing. But after wearing it to work multiple times... I noticed it actually does not keep my lips moisturized. When the tint dries completely, it left my lips feeling very dried out (I was expecting a supple feeling that you get after applying lip balm...). And a little bit shriveled. I remember the first time that happened I didn't have any lip balm with me and my lips were in hell that day -_- it was so uncomfortable. Plus, I noticed the unattractive stain it left behind... let's just say the patchy colors of pink did not look pleasing at all with lip lines that were accentuated due to being dried out. I feel like I can't be too harsh about the tint part cuz I have not yet used a lip tint product where the stain wears off gracefully (YSL glossy stains don't stain so they don't count). But I would at least expect moisture from this product. Maybe it's the tint component for this product that makes the product not work out the way it's designed to. I feel like for those who actually reapply lip products consistently throughout the day probably wouldn't find this as an issue. Who knows. Another thing is... I realized I'm not really into glossy lips... at least not from the amount of glossiness this tint oil provides. I can easily look like I just had a greasy Chinese takeout XD I tried applying a tiny bit but what's the point -_- the color doesn't really show up that way. In the end, I decided this product is just not practical for me. So I kissed it goodbye (metaphorically) and took it back.



Next, onto the YSL lipsticks

From left to right: #13, #14, #15. #15 was already in my possession prior to this purchase =D


#14 was love at first sight. I would say when applied lightly, the closest thing I have that's similar to it will be the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balmstain in 040 Rendezvous. However, Revlon is definitely more neon orange, and YSL is more orange with pink. 


As for shade #13...

When I swatched it on my arm, not gonna lie I couldn't really tell the difference between #13 and #15. O_O

Note: #15 is rather sheer and that's about the opacity of 3 swipes. #15 also has a more buttery finish. 






#13 and #15 look SO similar on my arm. But when applied to my lips, #13 actually shows up darker than #15. Pretty much the color you see straight from the bullet.

#13 is a gorgeous color and I've been eying it for years. But... it just doesn't look good on me. It's too nude for my liking. And since the color is lighter than my natural lip color... I have to make sure I apply a good amount to cover my natural lip color, and I found the formula to be a bit gloopy when applied straight from the bullet. I have to smooth it out with my fingers. Not that is a big issue cuz I tend to do that with all my lipsticks anyway. There's really nothing wrong with this lipstick... I just personally prefer more color on my lips, so don't let me put you off this lipstick. For me, having #15 is enough, since the nude effect is similar anyway. Well, now I can put my fantasies of this lipstick to rest /__\ 


Now... this OCC lip tar is a completely impulsive purchase -_- saw it on a YouTuber and thought it looked so pretty... but it just looked wayyyy too barbie pink on me!







Honestly when I swatched it on my hand I thought I would love the color! But I don't know... something about it just doesn't sit right with my skin tone. Too much blue?? Oh, and the formula is REALLY drying. Another big no no.



So now onto the products I ended up keeping

You guys are no stranger to this now. I'm already half way through my current bottle and I don't think it will make it till the November VIB sale, so I decided to pick up a bottle. I actually thought about stop using this product, but here's an update: I noticed it makes the back of my hand look so much brighter and smoother O_O which... you guys can't tell the difference, but I can!!

This year I made the resolution to start better taking care of my neck and hands... ppl all say a woman's neck reveals her age... but for me, I think it's hands O_o and I have withered looking hands to begin with. So I'm making an effort here lol. I just started applying any leftover of this essence to the back of my hands... and I noticed, the very next day, how much brighter and youthful my hands look. (☆_☆) Say whaat??!?!?!? So that's why I decided to keep using it, cuz it's doing something lol!!! Shame it doesn't do the same thing to my face. 


The SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion is definitely a VERY pleasant surprise for me. By just looking at the name you would think it's designed for acne prone skin. The only reason I was interested in this product is because someone (can't remember who) claimed that this normalizes their combination skin. Like from oily to normal. So I thought I would give it a try. To be honest, I have EVERY intention to return this if it doesn't help with my oiliness. Half of my mind was already set to return this because I felt like it wouldn't work for me.

Here's the funny thing-- okay it did not work in the respect of normalizing my skin, not at all. But... holy crap, this thing makes my skin so bright, so smooth, and so much more even O___O seriously, I could not stop looking at my skin for the first week O_O Basically, everything that the Facial Treatment Essence claims and fails to do for me, this does it for me. What the what?!?!?!  DID I MENTION THE PRICE OF THIS IS WAY CHEAPER THAN THE TREATMENT ESSENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Yes, I intend to make you deaf if you can hear me now)

The texture of this lotion is completely different from the treatment essence. While the treatment essence just feels like water, this lotion has a slippy feeling to it. I would compare the feeling to the Estee Lauder Micro Essence and IOPE Bio Essence, but minus the stickiness-- it's not sticky at all, and it feels very moisturizing  (*´∀｀*)

Here's the most interesting thing that this Clear Lotion does for me. It actually noticeably shrinks my blackheads O___O Yes, it is noticeable. Unfortunately, it doesn't make them go away (been using it for two weeks now so I can tell you that). However, it really does help them from getting bigger and blacker... do you know what I mean??? I think those who suffer from blackheads will all know what I'm talking about. It really keeps them in check O_o it's amazing!! Here's another interesting, and may I say, hilarious part though XD For the first few days, it made my nose, so, extra, oily. LOL. Oh the irony. I'm not sure if it's because it shrank my blackheads, effectively "unplugging" my pores (ohhh thank me for me visual) so my sebum had free rein XD but for the first couple of days I was so oily it was ridiculous. But I liked how bright and smooth and even my skin looked that I didn't care and went ahead and ordered a second bottle (it was the last day of the sale O_O) Good news is the oiliness kind of slowed down after the first week. By now it's been two weeks and I feel like my skin is almost back to its baseline oiliness. Will keep you guys updated on this :D  I am so surprised and happy with this product!!  I think after I use up this bottle of treatment essence, I'm just gonna stick with this Clear Lotion (●´▽｀●)  and as you can see in the picture, it's been two weeks and I barely used any. So that's another bonus... you don't need that much of this product! I didn't know how little product I needed, but if I did I probably would have waited off till the November sale to get the second bottle. Oh well. Did I mention it's way cheaper than the facial essence again?? Hahaha.Can I say enough good things about this product???? Lol okay I'm gonna stop. I'm just too excited hehehe.


A while back this serum was all over YouTube. Albeit knowing they're all sponsored videos, I didn't care cuz I've always adored Origins and I have faith in their products so I wanted to give it a try. Wanted to use this as my daytime serum :D

Erm, to be honest, I'm still too busy being obsessed about the Clear Lotion so this product hasn't really gotten any love from me Σ(☉A⊙ｌ|ｌ) I sorry serum!!! I have tried it like 3-4 times though... the only thing I noticed was the nice, refreshing, citrus scent. I think the effect of the Clear Lotion is just too powerful that I didn't notice anything when I used this O_o  I guess we'll just have to wait any see LOL. I feel like the SK-II products I'm currently using are already "nutritious" enough for my skin so I don't want to layer too many products on top in case I break out



Other things that were on my wishlist:

Becca Perfect Skin Mineral Powder Foundation (My shade is Nude)

 
Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Foundation Powder (My shade is #5)


So many powder foundations on my wishlist :D  But I still haven't finished my current one and I still have a backup of the Lancome one... so gonna work on those first lol.




Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Naked (nude pink)-- saw it on a YouTuber and it looked sooo pretty on her! It might pull off too nude on me though... I think I've tried it in store but can't remember so that's why I held off on it lol.



Ambient Lighting Blush in  Ethereal Glow (cool pink)-- I'm still loving my AL blushes so I'm looking forward to collecting this one :D maybe in November. I wish it comes in a smaller size or in a palette.

 



Anastasia Beverly Hills Pointed Eyeliner Brush-- Ehh I don't need another eyeliner brush. But it looks interesting LOL.



Hope you guys enjoyed this haul/review! Hope it wasn't too boring... since I didn't get any of the hot and exciting new products lol. There have been so many new releases that it feels quite chaotic O_O I have checked out a lot of the new foundation releases but for some reason I'm not really inclined to try any (as in I haven't gotten any samples... what is happening?!?!!?!) Maybe because I have too many already XD


Have a great weekend  and I will see you on Instagram or my next post ^_~


<3 Frances

February 2015 Empties

Hello everybody!!

You know what it is... so I'm just gonna get right into it (so sleepy... LOL. Just waiting for my yogurt mask to sink in). Here's my empties over the last few months =)

----------------That intro was clearly written on a different day LOL-------------------

1. Caudalie Polyphenol Anti-Wrinkle Defensive Serum

Another sample... honestly I used it up so long ago I can't really remember much about it. I think I've reviewed this in another empties before. Nice but nothing exciting? 


2. Dove Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo & Conditioner 

I think drugstore wise this is my favorite line of shampoo. Smells really nice too. But since I've gone back to using Aveda... I won't be repurchasing these lol. For drugstore though I definitely recommend it =)


3. Fresh Sugar lip balm

This thing is SO OLD. It's been like this for a really long time at the bottom of my drawer lol. I just decided it's time to toss it out. I remember really liking it back then =) The color is really nice. In terms of moisturizing/nourishing properties... it's very buttery and nice but I didn't find it amazing/mind-blowingly good. This was a free birthday gift from Sephora I believe. While I enjoyed it, I will never pay the full price for this product.


4. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle "Strong" conditioner

I usually get the "Moisturize" one but I spotted this and got curious. Couldn't resist a new product =P it was good... I think the same formula as the blue/moisturize one. Won't repurchase cuz I prefer the scent of the blue/moisturize one. 



5. LUSH "Big" Sea Salt Shampoo

I believe it also comes in a shampoo bar form, which I've also tried before. They're the same thing and I got the same experiences/results. Already did a review on Instagram so here it is

Review: LUSH "BIG" Sea Salt Shampoo. I'm not sure why but with sea salt shampoos, I noticed I only get good results when I use this very sparingly. My hair would feel fluffy, voluminous and weightless. However when I use it consecutively (like if I use it two days in a row), then the second day the result is just like my any other typical drugstore shampoo. Weird. Anyway so I only use this occasionally. I'm very 50/50 abt this product... Like I won't mind repurchasing and using it again, but I won't feel sad to do without it. For the price however, most likely won't repurchase 😆 also one thing I really hate is the container. No matter how tightly I screw the lid, it always gets loose and water would get in there. Really annoying 😒 #lush #seasaltshampoo #seasalt #shampoo #review #hair #beautyblogger

A photo posted by Frances (@bbudgie) on Nov 8, 2014 at 9:12pm PST

6. LUSH Fresh Face Mask

LOL. I was clearly obsessed with them hahaha. You can see that BB seaweed is my favorite :) The only one I don't have here is the Cosmic Warrior. I did purchase that one, but after using it two times, I just gave up. It smelled DISGUSTING. I kept feeling like I have bad/rotten garlic on my face. ME NO LIKE. I had to take it back and exchange it... I felt so bad /__\ I consider myself having high threshold for unpleasant scents but I just could not deal with the garlic one. Anyway, the ones I would probably repurchase besides BB seaweed would be Ayesha, Love Lettuce, and the Sacred Truth.


7. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Finally used up my 330ml bottle. If you want to see my past thoughts on this product... just go to the label section and look under SK-II, you will be able to find all of them lol. I clearly lied when I said in my last empties that I won't repurchase, cuz I did LOL. But to be completely honest, it's more of a psyche thing. It doesn't do much for me. I'm using it for preventative/anti-aging purposes. I feel safer having this... if that makes any sense? XD as a child I always saw my grandma using rice water to wash her face... and she had beautiful skin. So I really believe in the power of rice XD I tried using rice water to cleanse my face but it was so. much. hassle. -_- sense of security sure comes at a hefty price tag... LOL -_-"


8. Shu Uemura Depsea Water Facial Mist (Lavender)

I wonder if it's meant to say "deep sea water"??? LOL. Anyway, this product is OLD as well (haha prob shouldn't have tried to use it up but it smells fine XD). I got it in a value set ages ago. It was my second bottle.  I LOVE the scent of this... it's not the kind of gross lavender scent you get from some products, very relaxing. But otherwise it's just water and nothing special.  Anyway, while I enjoyed it, I for sure would not spend $25 on this... Just get Evian or Avene or something. They do the same thing and are much cheaper (minus the lavender scent though lol).


9. Chloe Perfumed Body Lotion

Sorry if the bottle looks nasty. This was a free sample size that I got from Sephora. This sample was the reason why now I'm obsessed with the Chloe perfume XD I got a new full size of this lotion in a value set from Nordstrom =D but I haven't used it yet haha. Think I will just stick to the perfume from now on (if I don't get tired of it that is lol) cuz I feel like having the lotion is kind of overkill.... aka too luxurious XD



10. REM Micro Polish Cleanser

Honestly when I saw this in my "empties bag"... I was like... huh??? Did I use this??? LOL. But then I remembered! I ended up using this to scrub my underarms (aka armpits... underarms sound so much nicer HAHAHA) to prevent ingrown hairs after epilating. So in short, good and effective, but too harsh for the face for my liking. If you think St. Ives scrubs are harsh, then for sure you wouldn't like this.


11. Shiseido Pureness Matifying Moisturizer

Used to be my favorite moisturizer for the summer =) super light, watery gel consistency. But after I discovered the SkinMD moisturizer, which in my opinion is very similar to this, just gonna stick with SkinMD instead cuz it's much cheaper =D Don't get me wrong I still think this is a good product especially if you have oily skin and just want something super super light, but it's just not that cost-effective for me.



12. SK-II Skin Signature moisturizer and Cellumination Deep Surge EX

These are super old as well... and the reason why I only used them up now is because I forgot about them -__-" I actually bought these sample size jars from Sasa.com a long long time ago. I remember trying out the Skin Signature and it broke me out in red little bumps all over my face (usually happens when a skincare is too rich for me I believe). Tried the Cellumination one and same thing. Was gonna try and sell them but that never happened lol so it they were just sitting in my drawer. Anyway I ended up mixing them with my body moisturizers XD heyyy why not. Might as well get my money's worth (not really... but you know XD) I loved it when I used the cellumination one on my body O_o I can definitely feel my skin much smoother and hydrated when I used that one. Can't tell the difference from the Signature one. Anyway, since these don't work for my face, I'm obviously not planning on purchasing the full size items. Maybe I will revisit them in 5-10 years or something lol. 


13. Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Edge Meister Mascara and Innisfree Skinny Microcara (Waterproof)

Edge Meister-- Y'all know Majolica Majorca makes my favorite mascaras... but this isn't my favorite from them. Reason being it's packed full of fibers and I found that with fiber-rich mascaras, as they start drying out (as you keep using them... not because the caps don't screw tight lol)... the fibers just kind of stick out and poke my eyes. This mascara is no exception. Will I repurchase? Well... I did. A LOT of them O_o but it was because they were on sale for 15% off!!! And usually MJ mascaras don't ever go on sale!! So I went cray cray even though they're not my favorite haha. Did a review if you guys want to see this mascara in action. I neither recommend or not recommend this mascara... depends on how you feel about fiber mascaras.


Innisfree-- I actually used up two of those, but I have no idea where the other one went O_O must have tossed it out by accident. Anyway, since I did use up 2 of them, obviously I repurchased XD I liked it a lot initially... but I noticed as these dry up, they get quite clumpy. Really not the most flattering look. I guess I don't mind this particular mascara... the lengthening/volume are quite impressive... but I just don't like the formula as I make it half way through the tube. I think it's worth checking out, and I am currently working on using another one up, but I'm not planning on repurchasing. Oh by the way, no curl hold.


14. Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream

It's quite thick and you can see it contains some oils because as you squeeze out the product, you can see a bit of the separation. I enjoyed it but I think I just got tired of it toward the end lol. It was nice though =) Really good for winter. Not planning on repurchasing. 



15. GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment

Little sample I got from Sephora. Talked about it before if you want to check that post out. It exfoliates well, does nothing to extract blackheads, but makes the bumpiness of my nose (from blackheads) smoother. I liked it, but you all know what I think about GlamGlow... wayy over-priced. $69? You've gotta be kidding me.



16. Albion Skin Conditioner, Eclafutur, Exage Moist Crystal Milk

Albion Skin Conditioner-- You all know how I feel about this toner so not gonna elaborate. LOVE. Not a toner person but still get a high from using this every morning XD

Eclafutur-- This to me, I think is kind of like the Clinique Smart Serum that I raved about. Got these samples when I was in Japan, and I wish wish WISHED that I had tried it then =( cuz I would've gone back to purchase the full size bottle. My skin was visibly smoother, brighter and plumper the next day after using it. And I noticed it helped with healing as well (which is why it reminded me of the Clinique Smart Serum). The only thing though is I don't know if it helps smooth out flakiness, which is the main reason why I am smitten with the Clinique Smart Serum. And price point wise I think it's wayy more expensive than Clinique. This to me is a luxurious product... if I can ever get it at this low Japanese currency... I will pick it up. But I'm not gonna go out of my way to purchase it (I had ample of opportunities to purchase it while I was in Taiwan but the price was so inflated... so... NO).

Exage Moist Crystal Milk-- it's called a "milk", which kind of leads you to think it's a moisturizer, but it's not. I think this is one of the best selling products from Albion. This is supposed to be an enhancer... or something. Kind of like Lancome Genifique-- you apply it after toner, and before everything else. It's supposed to help prep your skin, help all other products penetrate your skin much deeper and thus more effective. Honestly... felt no difference XD But it was only two samples, who knows. It'd be such a splurge if I do purchase it, but I'm not really convinced of the necessity of it. 



More Skin Conditioner


And more LOL. Told you the Albion MUA gave me so many samples. =)


17. Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Body Wash.

I like =) I didn't repurchase this particular scent but I got the grapefruit one. I think as far as drugstore goes, this is pretty good. Doesn't dry out my skin, but it also isn't moisturizing to the point that you feel like there's a layer of residue.


18. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentrate

I bought this because Pixiwoo always use it LOL. It smells very pharmaceutical. Emm... it really didn't blow me away. I think it's really nice for the winter. I can see why dry skin ppl would love it, but it's just okay for me. This thing is old too... I ended up using it as a body moisturizer as well XD


19. Banila Co. Clean It Zero

Little sample as well. Of all the cleansing balms I've tried (wait actually, have I even tried anything else other than REN?? I think the other stuff I tried were cleansing creams not balms LOL) this is probably the only one I would consider purchasing/recommend. But since I prefer cleansing oils. I won't purchase. Smells nice, effective. And I would think it's quite affordable! =)


20. Majolica Majorca Mascara Primer, Innisfree Skinny Microcara (not waterproof)

Oops, should've grouped this with the other mascara products. Oh well lol.

Majolica-- Fav mascara primer.

Innisfree-- Got this thinking it'd shorten my makeup removal process. WRONG. Since it's none-waterproof... it refuses to come off with cleansing oils. Well it does come off eventually... but that's with extra extra EXTRA massaging. Gawd such a pain in the ass. I ended up just using my cleansing oil to remove everything else, then hop into shower and let the warm water do its job. But then since I have mascara primer underneath... I have to pay extra attention to wash my eye area with my facial cleanser to make sure there is no residue. My regret purchase lol. Should've just stuck with the WP version.


21. Za Ever Brows

Yay!!! Finally used it up =DDDDD Well you can see I have a teeny tiny bit of product left, but it's to the point that the plastic part scrapes against my brows when I try to fill them in, so it's time for it to retire =D first brow product I've ever used up!! So excited XD Prob wouldn't be my first brow product to use up if I hadn't make a conscious effort to though. Liked it. Worth checking out. Not my fav. Review here.




22. Clio Kill Brown Waterproof Brush Liner

So... I didn't use up this product per se... It dried out on me =________________________= I prob got less than 20 uses out of it... what a waste. I think I mentioned on my Instagram that for a liquid/pen eyeliner, I was impressed by its lasting power. I still think it was good for a liquid pen standard, but as I tried it out more, it started smudging out on me more. Don't know how it managed the minimal smearing the first few times I tried it =/ anyway. I know some ppl absolutely love this product. To each and their own. If you've never had smudging problems with liquid pen eyeliners, then you will probably like this (I wouldn't say love cuz it's on the drier side... it wipes off when repeated lined... and the color is not very opaque/intense). I just ended up using it to line my upper lash line. To me, huge waste of money, cuz Clio is on the more expensive side for drugstore. Regret.


 Whew! I actually didn't think I had that many products, but I guess I did LOL. I thought I'd be able to just breeze through this mini review/empties post, but man it took a lot longer than I thought. I hope you guys enjoyed it and it was helpful to some of you. Until my next post, take care, stay warm, and be safe everyone ^_~


<3 Frances

Umm... Random Lip Product Swatches? Aritaum, Clio, VDL, Revlon, 3CE, Loreal, Maybelline

Yellow peeps!

How's everyone doing? Hope you guys are keeping warm. It's been bloody freezing here (don't ask me why I said bloody.... I think it must be the fake British in me XD)

I totally did not think there would be such a long gap between this post and my last... what can I say... I have dry eyes and sitting here staring at the computer is just such a pain these days. But anyway, since it's snowing hard today and I have nothing else to do but nest... I thought I'd come up here to distract myself from my urge of stuffing my face XD 

This post is gonna be pretty random XD hence the questionable title. Too lazy to think of a good title since there really isn't a cohesive theme here. But I just really want to share what some of the lip products look like on :) Oh by the way.... I forgot to do arm swatches of the lipsticks... as well as I forgot to take individual pics of the lip products -_- me is so scatterbrained. If you guys want arm swatches let me know. Otherwise I'm just not gonna bother, lol.

And before I start, I want to quickly mention that I did photoshop these photos. If you guys go back to my other posts, you can see there's always this ginormous blood vessel in my left eye (so it will be the right eye on screen). It's a permanent thing/nothing I can do about it, but it's been getting worse since my eyes have been SO DRY. Anyway it really bothered me so I just decided to photoshop it out. It doesn't affect the swatches so why not lol. Just want to be transparent with you guys... although it really isn't a big deal at all. Nobody will prob notice anything if I didn't say anything LOL.

As usual, here's me with my bare lips.



I have to pose with this. Had all the lippies that I wanted to show for this post in this bag. SO ADORABLE!!!! Who else here loves Stitch? =DDDDD


Oh I should also mention... the pics are kind of washed out... please keep that in mind. I tried =( sunlight did not want to work with me.


1. Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Pink Peony

It's a neutral pink. It's slightly pinker in person. It's so washed out here that it looks like a nude pink... although it does translate a bit more nude pink on me than arm swatches.


I actually don't like this lipstick as much as I thought I would... I think it's probably because when I first tried it... I was more tanned than now so it looked more flattering then. Now that I'm back to NC20... I don't find this shade particularly flattering. Eh, I don't know. It's a nice lipstick though but there's just something off about it. The formula is good though... moisturizing and buttery. Also minty. Although I don't find the formula any more superior than drugstore lippies, say like Revlon lip butters.






2. Aritaum Honey Melting Tint in No. 2 Sugar Syrup

This, is the worst swatch of all the lippies in this post. Not true to color at all. Why did I bother posting this -_-" it looks almost like the Tarte lipstick here but it's not remotely close in real life. It's a very neon peachy pink. Very cutesy and gives your lips that young look. I tried and tried but it just would NOT translate through the photo. Please imagine the color to be more vibrant and neon.


Not true to color!


Not true to color!


Not true to color!
 

Not true to color!
.... I REALLY TRIED. I swear -_-


3.  Aritaum Honey Melting Tint in No.3 Strawberry Chips

Again, this photographed HORRIBLY. It's a bright pink, also on the more neon side.


Not true to color! Funnily this actually looks a bit more like No.2 Sugar Syrup in real life cuz it's so washed out lol.


Imagine this color to be more intense and brighter... it's so washed out. But I feel like this one at least shows up a bit better than No.2 =_=


Not true to color!

I think I might just have to find another time and see if I can photograph these lippies better. Cuz they are so gorgeous and it kills me that you guys can't see how bright and pretty they are! Super flattering in my opinion. Did I mention I love the formula as well? By the way they smell like peaches :D 


4. Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color in #7 Soft Coral

... You know what, now I look at it, this looks exactly like MAC Ravishing OMG!! Bobbi Brown perhaps look a bit darker/more orange in the tube... but they look pretty much the same on my lips. Oh gosh XD

Formula is okay... your typical creamy lipstick. Not excessively drying but also not moisturizing.


Oops, sorry for that stray hair lol





5. VDL  Triple Shot Tint Bar in 101 Triple Pink

I actually surprised myself by how much I like this color. Generally not a fan of pale/light pink on me, but I think this lipstick is pretty! And surprisingly the triple color/gradient lip thing actually works O_o so it's not a gimmick product LOL. These pics are kind of washed out too... but I think the effect is there.








In person, the pink in the person looks much darker and the gradient is much more obvious. Looks so blended/one color here.




6. Innisfree Creammellow Lipstick in #8

My lips were getting really dry at this point from putting on/removing all the lipsticks... so they weren't taking the color well /__\  so excuse the patchy application. Patchiness aside, isn't this red color gorgeous? Definitely one of my favs!

I think this red color is the perfect beginner red if you've never dabbled into red lips :) you can definitely build up the intensity, or wear it thinly for a more natural look like I did in these pics.

By the way... the formula of this lipstick is really interesting... I've never had any lipstick like this O_O it feels kind of "dry sticky"... it's really hard to describe because it's not like a super buttery lipstick that can be a bit sticky because it's so soft... it's more "sticky" in the sense that you can feel a very firm coating on the lips.  Sorry if that doesn't make any sense XD but it's a lipstick that you can feel that it's there once applied. I also wouldn't consider this formula moisturizing. It's on the drier side but not as drying as a matte lipstick would be.











7. Clio Lipnicure in #5 Revenge Pink

Haha, sorry for the uneven application. It looked pretty even in person, but I guess not XD







Can you tell by all these extra selfies that I ADORE this color? =D






LOVE this color. But keep in mind that all the photos are a bit washed out and it's more vibrant/in your face in person lol.




Personally, I do not like using this lipnicure on my bare lips. I have to apply this OVER some lip balm because otherwise, I can taste the product, which is like tasting fragrance (ever accidentally get perfume on your lips? That's what it feels like, ugh).

I don't find this product exceptionally long lasting?? So I don't really think it lives up to its name. Even when I apply it directly over my bare lips, it doesn't really set or stay. Also, when I apply it directly over my bare lips, I find it really hard to blend out cuz it's so dry and thick. I'd have to blend it out with some lip balm.
 
When it's applied over some lip balm, it's staying power is just like any other lipstick-- it comes off as you eat/drink/talk.


8. 3CE Lip Laquer in Dahlia

One of my favorite colors over the winter. Actually can't believe I forgot to include in my January favs -_-  Got too excited over my Japanese makeup haul lol. Gorgeous gorgeous deep dark red that is not intimidating at all... in fact, it's really perfect for dark gradient red lips!










Yep... my lips were not having it. They were so dry T_T






Formula-wise... it's slightly on the drier side, since it does give matte finish.

I actually have another 3CE lip product that I wanted to show you guys... but I could not find it when I was taking pictures for this post -_- so it will have to wait. I used to never be able to understand how some girls say "I have no idea where such makeup product went!" ... I'd be like... how can you not know?! But now I'm guilty of becoming one of them XD Especially now I have the habit of taking out lip products with me... they get lost so easily in the purse... in my pockets... etc etc. Haha


9. Maybelline Super Stay 14HR Lipstick in 065 Ravishing Rouge

May I formally introduce you guys, my all time favorite red lipstick? =) a true red lipstick, that is XD


MAC's Ruby Woo and Russian Red have nothing on this lipstick. It complements me the best!










10. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 415 Pink In The Afternoon

It's a dusty pink color. Hahaha I forgot to take lip swatches for this lippie... but yeah basically just posting these pics here to show you guys that...  I'm not crazy about this color lol. Does not go with my skin tone. Prob a good choice if you're going for smokey eyes though.

But Revlon Lustrous Lipsticks have pretty good formula and a wide range of colors... Definitely a line that I'd recommend checking out :)


11. L'oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick in 202 Coral Encore

Heads up: STRONG FRAGRANCE. 






I like the formula! It's slightly thick but moisturizing.





12. Maybelline  Matte Lipstick in 680 Mesmerizing Magenta

Not sure if this is discontinued... cuz it was like half off/rollback price when I got it last year. Not crazy about the formula... it has a certain slippy feeling to it. Also not really feeling the color. It smells like very sweet vanilla lipstick haha, so it has a certain plastic-y scent to it.








13. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 720 Fire & Ice

One of my all time favorite orange-y reds. Again, never introduced it on my blog before cuz I was waiting to write about it in my red lipstick collection post, haha.




I look like I was in pain. Or having a facial spasm. HAHA.





Alrighty folks! Hope you guys enjoyed this post. I'm gonna continue to nest... and do a little bit of baking =D

See you guys in the next one! Stay warm and safe!


<3 Frances