Category Archives: Lipstick (red)

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream Review & Swatches

I love a good liquid lipstick, so I’m very happy that several have been launched over the past year or so , both high-end and drugstore. Offhand, I can think of five – these NYX Xtreme Lip Creams are from early 2012, Wet n Wild recently released its Megalast Liquid Lip Colors (review), Shiseido’s Laquer Rouge was launched late last summer (review), Armani’s Lip Maestro – which I will eventually try! – is from last November, and Guerlain’s Rouge G L’Extrait, which looks lovely but so pricey, is from last summer. The UK also has Rimmel Apocalips liquid lipstick, which I hope makes it to the US soon.

Packaging-wise, there isn’t much to say about the Xtreme Lip Creams – they’re in a standard tube with a doe foot applicator. I found the applicator easy to use, and was able to apply the lipsticks with it, though a lip brush does lead to a more precise application.

I initially purchased two shades, but I liked them so much I went back for three more, so I currently have five shades, out of the eleven in the range.

Nude Peach Fuzz // Buttery Nude // Bonfire // Spicy // Absolute Red

As you can see, the Xtreme Lip Creams are quite pigmented. I love the the pigmentation and the texture, because I am able to achieve full coverage with a very thin layer. I find thin layers of lip product to be the most comfortable to wear, plus a thin layer is least likely to migrate outside the lip line and more transfer-resistant (though these do not really dry down, and thus they do transfer).

It’s also worth talking about my least favorite thing about the liquid lipsticks — the scent. It’s sort of plastic-y and unpleasant, though it does fade quickly. It’s not enough to keep me from really enjoying the product, but if you’re more sensitive to smells than I am, it may really bother you.

In the lip swatches, you can see that the palest color (Nude Peach Fuzz) settles into lip lines a little bit and doesn’t look great – however, the four darker colors don’t have this problem at all, and look smooth and even on the lips.

Nude Peach Fuzz

Buttery Nude

Bonfire

Spicy

Absolute Red

Another nice thing about liquid lipsticks is that they’re easy to mix to create new shades – just dab a little bit of product on the back of your hand, mix, and apply with a lip brush!

Do these Xtreme Lip Creams look like something you’d be interested in?

Mid/High End Red Lipstick Swatches & Comparisons

I’ve swatched many of my drugstore red lipsticks – this post has swatches of $2 and under drugstore red lipsticks – but I haven’t swatched all of my many, many red lipsticks. I’ve decided to change that! I’m starting with my mid/high end red lipsticks in this post.

The hardest part was actually deciding what qualified as red. I picked out the lipsticks that look red to my eye, and included a couple sheer reds, and lipsticks that others says are sheer red on them (even though they aren’t very red on me). I excluded anything I would categorize as a vampy shade or as predominantly berry, pink, or coral, even if it has red tones. I included liquid lipsticks, but excluded glosses – I’ll swatch my red glosses in a separate post. This left me with eleven shades.

First, skin swatches:

Nars Cruella // Shisedo Nocturne // Chanel Dragon // Rouge d’Armani 400

Illamasqua Encounter // MAC Deeply Adored // NARS Vesuvio // MAC Unknown Pleasures

Poppy King Medieval // MAC Viva Glam Cyndi // NARS Gipsy

And lip swatches:

Nars Cruella // review

Someday I will re-review this; I link to it frequently, and it’s such an old review! I still love it just as much I did when I first bought it. This is my pick for a matte red.

Shisedo Nocturne // review

Chanel Dragon (discontinued) // review

Rouge d’Armani 400 // review

I still adore this one too – it’s my pick for a non-matte bright red.

Illamasqua Encounter (discontinued) // review

MAC Deeply Adored (limited edition & no longer available) // review

It’s a pity that this was limited edition – it’s really a great color. If MAC brings it back and you’re looking for a deep red, I would recommend it without hesitation.

NARS Vesuvio // review

MAC Unknown Pleasures (LE & no longer available)

I picked this up a CCO (a makeup outlet store that sells Estee Lauder brands), and I love both the color and the texture. Again, wish this were permanent! This shade bridges the divide between red and vampy.

Lipstick Queen Medieval // review

This is a very sheer red; the swatch is several layers. Very easy to wear!

Mac Viva Glam Cyndi (LE & no longer available)

I’ve heard this described many times as a sheer red, but it looks more pink on me; still, I thought I’d include it for completeness’s sake.

NARS Gipsy

This is another (supposed) sheer red that doesn’t look red at all on me, though I do see sheer red in the skin swatch. I do love it though; it’s very flattering and goes with almost anything.

Still to come: red lipgloss swatches, and more (many more!) drugstore red lipstick swatches.

Physician’s Formula Sexy Glow Red Glossy Stain Review & Swatches

Physician’s Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain

Last week, I purchased the Physician’s Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain in Hot Pink. You can read my full review here, but the short version is that despite the tacky packaging, the fact that it isn’t very glossy, and doesn’t stain – I really liked it!

If you haven’t spotted these in your area yet, they’re available to buy online now at Drugstore.com.

So, a few days ago, I bought the red version too. For a full review of the PF Glossy Stains, please see my earlier review – this post is just swatches of the red.

PF Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain - swatch

PF Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain – Red

First, the color is a bright, pretty cherry red – which stays true, and doesn’t turn pink at all on me. Yay! It’s also a touch glossier than the Hot Pink shade, and even stains a bit more (though I think that’s just because reds tend to stain; it’s still more of a liquid lipstick than a stain).

Again, the PF Glossy Stain does not do what is promised – it is not ultra glossy, and it does not stain very well – but as a liquid lipstick, it’s a really lovely product, and I hope to see it released in more shades!

PF Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain - lip swatch

PF Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Glossy Stain – Red

MUA Shade 1, 8 Lipstick Swatch & Quick Review

MUA Lipstick; Shade 1, Shade 8

Continuing on with the MUA quick reviews, I have the £1 lipsticks in Shade 1, a saturated bold red, and Shade 8, a brighter red with gold flecks. These are smooth and pigmented lipsticks, and although I haven’t had a chance to test them for wear myself, I’ve heard good things about them! I have heard that they’re slightly drying though – which isn’t something that usually bothers me, as I’d prefer a long-wearing slightly drying lipstick over a short-wearing moisturizing one. All of the following swatches are in natural light.

MUA Shade 1 // MUA Shade 8

MUA Shade 1

MUA Shade 8

Shade 1 is definitely my favorite of these two – I love the intensity of the red! Many reds pull pink on me, but this doesn’t at all. I’m not generally a fan of frosty or shimmery lipsticks, so I was pretty skeptical about Shade 8 – but it actually has small flecks of glitter, which I prefer to shimmer. The red is much less saturated, so it’s not a personal favorite, but it’s more easily wearable for those who shy away from bolder reds.

Overall, these are great lipsticks at an affordable price, and I can definitely understand why they are so popular in the UK! I wouldn’t hesitate to buy more shades.

Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lipstick Review & Swatches

Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color

I’ve previously swatched Wet n Wild’s new Megalast liquid lip color for you; after testing three of the shades a couple times, I’m ready to share more thoughts and do a full review. First off, let me note that these are very pigmented true liquid lipsticks – they may be packaged like a lip gloss, but they are definitely not a gloss at all!

First – packaging. The Megalast liquid lipsticks are packaged in clear tubes with a doe foot applicator. The tubes themselves are fine, but the applicator pulls out far too much product. I had a hard time working with the liquid lipstick at first, and part of the problem was that I was applying a too-thick layer. A better designed tube would pull out less product and encourage a thinner application of the liquid lipstick. Here’s a look at the applicator:

Wet n Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color wand

See how there’s excess product?

Next, color. I initially purchased two shades – both reds, and even though I didn’t like the texture, I wanted to like this product so much that I went back and bought a third shade! First, the reds: Cherry On Top is a darker red with shimmer, and Red My Mind is a brighter, shimmer-free red. The first swatches are freshly applied, which is why they appear glossy – this product is actually very matte once it has dried down. The second swatch (which is Red My Mind) has dried down, so you can see the matte finish.

left: Cherry On Top
right: Red My Mind

Red My Mind

And, here’s a close-up of the tube of Cherry On Top where the shimmer is (slightly) more visible:

Cherry On Top

And now, here is the third shade I purchased, High Pitched Wine – along with the reds. These swatches are starting to dry down.

High Pitched Wine, Red My Mind, Cherry On Top

Before we get to the lip swatches, let me attempt to describe the texture of these. You must apply very thin layers – if you apply a thicker layer, it takes too long to dry, and is very sticky until it dries, will transfer from one lip to another lip, and become very patchy. This is not wearable at all – it’s uncomfortable and unattractive. If you apply a thin layer and avoid pressing your lips together until it dries, these are wearable. You can wear them as one thin layer, or if you’re patient, you can do a second thin layer. Once these are dry, they barely transfer at all, and seem to be quite long wearing. However, I found them very uncomfortable to wear – they just felt very odd on my lips – and each time I tried them out, I removed them after 1-2 hours.

Cherry On Top
one layer (fully dry)

Cherry On Top
two layers (not quite dry)

Red My Mind
two layers (fully dry)

High Pitched Wine
two layers (fully dry)

As you can see, these dry very matte – especially Red My Mind and High Pitched Wine. Cherry On Top feels the same on the lips, but the shimmer adds dimension so it looks less flat.

Note that these are very waterproof and very smudge-proof, but not oil-proof; it’s not too difficult to remove them with an oil based remover. So, I’d guess that these would break down during an oily meal.

As you can probably tell, I really had trouble with these. I wanted to love them! I am generally a fan of liquid lipsticks, matte lipsticks, and long wearing lip color, but the texture of these just didn’t work for me. For $3.49 each, I’m glad I tried them. If you like this type of product, I’d give them a try – maybe they’ll work better for you than for me. Make sure to apply very thin layers and let each layer dry fully if you do try them out, and please let me know how they work out for you!

L’oreal Shine Caresse Gloss Stain Swatches, Review, Photos

All of the L’oreal Shine Caresse shades

This is Part Two of my review of the USA L’oreal Shine Caresse / Color Caresse gloss stains. For Part One (an overview of the product and a comparison to the YSL Glossy Stains), please click here. This post has swatches of all twelve currently available shades.

I’m very confused about the name for these – Target is calling them L’oreal Colour Riche Caresse Aqua Lip Lacquer, and Drugstore.com is calling them L’Oreal Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain. The good news is that if you can’t find them locally – you can currently buy them online at Target.com for $7.99 each, or at Drugstore.com (which has a lower free ship minimum) for $9.99!

I photographed the swatches both with flash and in natural light. Then, I wiped off the gloss with a damp tissue, to see the stain it left behind, and photographed the stain in natural light. You will see that the darker shades leave a significant stain, and the lighter shades do not – this is true on the lips as well as the skin. You can click to enlarge the swatch photos.

L'oreal 183 Pink Perseverance shine caresse swatch

183 Pink Perseverance
natural light, with flash, stain in natural light

183 Pink Perseverance shine caresse lip swatch

182 Pink Perseverance

Pink Perseverance is a pale baby pink with microshimmer. Applied on the lips, it is basically clear. It does not leave a stain. I do not recommend this one unless you really love the texture of these and want one to use as a clear gloss.

183 Pink Resistance shine caresse swatch

183 Pink Resistance
natural light, with flash, stain in natural light

183 Pink Resistance

Pink Resistance is a soft pink-coral with microshimmer. This is a good everyday shade – it’s quite subtle on my pigmented lips, but would be more noticeable on others. It is much softer in color than YSL Glossy Stain 12 Corail Fauve, which is brigher.

184 Rose On and On
with flash, natural light, stain in natural light

184 Rose On and On

Rose On and On has microshimmer. I am not familiar with any of the pink YSL Glossy Stains, so I’m not sure how this compares – but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a similar shade. I’m not much of a pink lip person or a shimmer lip person, but this is surprisingly lovely.

185 Lilac Ever After shine caresse swatch

185 Lilac Ever After
natural light, with flash, stain in natural light

185 Lilac Ever After

Lilac Ever After looks more pink to me than lilac, but I don’t mind – it’s lovely, very natural. It has microshimmer which is easily visible when swatched, but seems to disappear on the lips. I would definitely recommend this one as a great everyday my lips but better shade!

186 Berry Persistent shine caresse swatch

186 Berry Persistent
with flash; natural light; stain in natural light

186 Berry Persistent

Berry Persistent is a purple / berry shade. It reminds me of Wet n Wild D-Vinely Chilled and MAC Rebel. It’s brighter than YSL Glossy Stain 1 Violet Edition (swatched here). This one is my favorite!

187 Infinite Fuchsia shine caresse swatch

187 Infinite Fuchsia
with flash, natural light, stain in natural light

187 Infinite Fuchsia

Infinite Fuchsia is a gorgeous deep pink that leaves a vibrant, very long lasting stain. I don’t own a similar Glossy Stain, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one existed.

188 Coral Tattoo
with flash, natural light; stain in natural light

188 Coral Tattoo

Coral Tattoo is very bright, and very orange – it isn’t coral on me, just straight up orange. I bet it’s similar to YSL Glossy Stain 8 Orange de Chine (reviewed here on Delicate Hummingbird), which I don’t own, though the YSL may be redder.

189 Pink Rebellion
natural light, flash, stain in natural light

189 Pink Rebellion

Pink Rebellion is a blue based pink – not usually my type of color, but this is bright and pretty. It has no shimmer, and leaves a lingering stain. I think it might be similar to YSL Glossy Stain 15 Rose Vinyl, but I’m not sure (I used to own that one, but no longer do).

190 Endless Red
with flash, natural light, stain in natural light

190 Endless Red

Endless Red is a true ruby red, similar to many red lipsticks. I don’t own any of the red YSL Glossy Stains, but I think it’s similar to 9 Rouge Laque (swatched here on Karla Sugar).

191 Stubborn Plum
with flash, natural light, stain in natural light

191 Stubborn Plum

Next up, Stubborn Plum. Any visible shimmer is because I swatched this after On and On rose – this has no shimmer. It’s cooler, more purple, and lighter than On and On Rose in swatches, but they do look similar on the lips. I thought it might be similar to YSL Glossy Stain 4, but it is much pinker and lighter.

192 Everlasting Caramel
natural light, with flash, stain

192 Everlasting Caramel

Everlasting Caramel is a red based brown. It is definitely quite brown, and not a shade I ever wear. It might be more suitable for someone of a different skintone than I am. I’ve also heard that brown lipsticks are making a comeback! It also layers very well with the other Shine Caresse glosses – here, I’ve layered it with Endless Red to make a warm reddish brown which is very wearable:

everlasting caramel / both layered / endless red

And finally:

193 Eternally Nude
with flash, natural light, stain in natural light

193 Eternally Nude

Eternally Nude is a sort of orangey nude – I don’t think I like this one. I don’t think any of the YSL Glossy Stains are similar.

And, here are all twelve gloss stains (or Aqua Lip Laquers perhaps) together – the swatches are in the correct numbered order.

L'oreal Shine Caresse Stain Gloss Swatches - All Shades

L’oreal Shine Caresse Swatches – click to enlarge

If you are planning to swatch these , beware of staining – the staining on my arms took several rounds oil then scrubbing to remove! The most vibrant and long lasting stains are from Berry Persistant, Endless Red, and Infinite Fuchsia.

Again, I absolutely recommend these both as a dupe to the YSL Glossy Stains and as a fantastic product in their own right! My favorites are Berry Persistent, Endless Red, and Infinite Fuchsia – but really, they’re all lovely.

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