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!

Chrome, Foil, and Metallic Nail Polish Swatches, Comparisons, Photos

It’s time for the next part in my nail polish comparison series! Today, I have metallics, chromes, and foils. If you’d like to see the previous ones, I’m collecting all the links from the nail polish swatch series on my Project Swatch Roundup page.

As before, I’ve included pictures that have the handle of the swatch stick, so you can more easily see the name of the polish. I also have a close-up of the polished tips only. In every set, the close-up of the tips is more color accurate. The number at the end of the stick is the number of coats, and no number means two coats.

First up: Bright silvers – here, my favorite is Maybelline Mirror Image, which is long-discontinued. I bought mine on Ebay. I also love Zoya Trixie – I love it alone, but also frequently use it as a base for silver holos. I would consider Zoya Trixie and Revlon Silver Dollar dupes.

silver chrome and foil nail polish comparison swatches

Maybelline Mirror Image, Wet n Wild Metallica, Zoya Trixie, Revlon Silver Dollar

I swatched these before I purchased Revlon Hypnotize – otherwise, it would fit right in! My favorites here are Revlon Gold Coin and Wet n Wild Deadly Dose (which was a limited edition from last Halloween).

gold foil nail polish comparison swatches

Wet n Wild Chrome Steel The Spotlight, Revlon Gold Coin,
Wet n Wild Chrome A Show at the Palladium, Spoiled I’m Ba-roque,
Wet n Wild Megalast Deadly Dose

I love copper polishes, and I really love all four of these. I can’t pick a favorite, they’re all different and beautiful to me.

copper foil nail polish comparison swatches

Sinful Colors Super Nova, Revlon Copper Penny,
Wet n Wild Chrome Penny For Your Thoughts, China Glaze Harvest Moon

I put too many polishes in one shot here, but these are all sort of similar, though none are dupes. All of these are pretty, but I don’t love any of these as much as the bright silver, gold, and copper polishes.

Note that I left the very last photo extra-large since it has so many swatches – click to see enlarge.

darkened metal foil nail polish swatches

Essence Date With the Night, Maybelline Metal Icon, Revlon Carbonite, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Oxide, ELF no-name (bottom says 25), OPI Brand New Skates, Wet n Wild Megalast Venemous Vixen, Revlon Steel Her Heart

Anything you especially love in here?

Revlon Brilliant Strength Swatches and Saran Wrap Marble Nails

Revlon Brilliant Strength Enthrall, Enrapture, Hypnotize, Tantalize

This week, CVS has Revlon all Revlon nail polish on sale for $4.99 with $3 Extra Bucks back, bringing the effective price of the nail polish down to $1.99 each – so I thought it was a good time to try out Revlon’s new Brilliant Strength polishes! I bought four shades, and I’ve done some quick swatches for you on swatch sticks.

Revlon Enrapture
two coats, no top coat

Enrapture is a tricky color – in some lights it looks like a reddened plum, in other lights it looks more purple. I was worried about brush strokes when I applied it, but they almost completely disappeared as it dried – and I’m sure that it would have an even smoother finish with top coat (I swatch without top coat in order to better show the polish’s finish). Enrapture is opaque in two coats.

Revlon Enthrall
two coats, no top coat

Enthrall is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but I love it. It’s a very dark blackened green with flecks of gold shimmer. It applied beautifully and was almost, but not quite, opaque in one coat (so I did two).

Revlon Hypnotize
two coats, no top coat

Revlon Hypnotize is an antique gold. It reminds me of Urban Decay Honey eyeshadow. Like Enthrall, Hynotize had very significant brushstrokes when applied, but they evened out as it dried. Again, top coat would give it an even smoother finish. Hypnotize is opaque in two coats.

Revlon Tantalize
three coats, no topcoat

Tantalize is a very shimmery grass green. It is significantly more sheer than the other shades – it took three coats to be opaque, and if they had been thinner coats it might have required four. It’s a very pretty polish though, so you might find it worth the effort!

And finally, my NOTD is a saran wrap manicure using Enthrall as a base and Hypnotize on top. Here’s a -->tutorial --> – it’s really very easy to do, and gives a very pretty marbled effect.

Wet n Wild Fergie Metropolitan Nights Eyeshadow Review & Swatches

Wet n Wild / Fergie Centerstage Collection Metropolitan Nights Photo Op Eyeshadow

I was quite disappointed by first Wet n Wild / Fergie eyeshadow palette I tried (reviewed here), but I really love Wet n Wild’s eyeshadow formula generally, so I wanted to give the new collection another chance. So, I went back and bought a second palette, called Metropolitan Nights. Unfortunately, it turns out that the Fergie palettes have a totally different – and inferior – formula to Wet n Wild’s fantastic Color Icon palettes.

Note: I do not recommend the Fergie palettes, but if you can’t find them locally and want to try them out, they are available to purchase online now at drugstore.com.

The packaging of the Fergie eyeshadows is okay – it’s a bit prettier than the standard Wet n Wild packaging, but less depotting-friendly (since the eyeshadows aren’t rectangles). It’s sturdy and functional though, and that’s really all I ask at this price point.

Swatches (as always, done with a sponge tip applicator over bare skin):

The upper left is a sheer, shimmering white – the quality here is fine. The upper right is an extremely sheer gold with some glitter – I hope it was meant to be glitter only, because that’s really all that shows up! The glitter does not adhere to the skin – you would need to use some kind of sticky base. Continuing clockwise, the lower right is a matte blackened brown with some copper glitter – this one is quite pigmented. The problem here is that he matte shade in the center is also a blackened brown that is almost identical (though more sheer). I had high hopes for the lower left shade, a taupe shimmer, but it’s extremely sheer and doesn’t show up well on my skin tone. And again, the center shade dupes the lower right shade.

In general, I have little patience for eyeshadow that requires primer, which I realize is a personal quirk, especially given that I always do wear eyeshadow primer. But, since that’s just me, I also swatched this palette over Wet n Wild’s own eyeshadow primer (reviewed here), to see if it would help. It didn’t do much for the gold glitter – probably since that one has almost no color at all – but it turned the too-sheer taupe shimmer into quite a lovely shade.

over primer

Overall, I would not recommend Metropolitan Nights eyeshadow palette. The taupe shade is pretty over primer, but the palette quality is poor overall. And, after trying two of the Fergie Centerstage Photo Op eyeshadow palettes, I would recommend that you skip all four of them and stick with Wet n Wild’s Color Icon eyeshadows to meet your inexpensive eyeshadow needs.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum’ Express Mascara Review, Swatches, Photos

Maybelline the Rocket Volum’ Express Waterproof

I am generally a big fan of Maybelline mascaras, so I was excited to try Maybelline’s newest, called the Rocket (though the name unfortunately reminds me of ). I purchased the waterproof version in the shade Very Black (waterproof also comes in Brownish Black, and washable comes in those two shades plus Blackest Black).

Note: It’s listed -->online at Target.com --> now – it’s not yet available to buy online (as of 12/31), but you can use the in-store locator function to find it at a store near you.

Here’s a closer look at the brush, both without and with mascara:

The brush picks up the right amount of mascara – not too much, and not too little. There’s no need to wipe it off, and it doesn’t seem to get a glob of mascara on the end, which is great. It is quite a big brush – I prefer a smaller brush, as I find it easier to use on my corner lashes, but that’s just personal preference. As you can see, it’s a silicone-bristle wand, which I tend to prefer over traditional wands, though again that’s just my preference.

Here is my eye with no mascara, and with one thorough coat of the Rocket. I almost always curl my eyelashes and use a mascara guard, but I didn’t for the photo, so you could see how the mascara performed on its own.

My eyelashes are sort of wonky right now, maybe because I was using Rapidlash and stopped, so I have some longer lashes and some shorter lashes – that’s not the mascara’s fault! I think the mascara performs pretty well, but not perfectly. It’s hard to tell from this angle, but it flattens out my eyelashes some rather than enhancing curl. It doesn’t clump much, but it does a little bit. It adds a little volume and a little length, but nothing spectacular.

On my other eye, I curled my lashes and used a mascara guard (in addition to protecting my lid from smudges, a mascara guard helps the brush comb through lashes, which helps separate them and get them all going in one direction instead of being all wonky and heading all over the place). This was the result.

I think this is a much nicer result – still some very minor clumps, but a much better curl (of course).

I’ve been testing the Rocket mascara over the past few days, and I haven’t experienced any smudging, smearing, or flaking – I’ve even taken a nap in it and woken up with perfect mascara. Maybelline’s mascara formula and I get along really well! It removes easily with cleansing oil or makeup remover.

Overall, this is a solid choice for if you’re looking for a new mascara, but nothing to run out and buy immediately. If you prefer a large, silicone bristled brush, this might even become a favorite. Personally, I like this mascara enough to continue to use it, but I won’t repurchase because I prefer a smaller brush.

Wet n Wild Fergie Perfect Pout Lipstick Swatches & Review

Fergie Daily, Bebot Love, Old School Glam, Saraghina, Fuchsianista, Ferguson Crest Cabernet, Pagan Angel

As part of my initial Wet n Wild buying spree, I purchased D-Vinely Chilled Ferguson Crest Cabernet lipstick (reviewed here), which was unfortunately mislabeled as D-Vinely Chilled! I love it so much that I went back and bought six more of the Perfect Pout lipsticks! The only ones I didn’t buy are the two pinks and one shade that appears to have shimmer. These are now available to buy online if you can’t find them locally.

The one thing I don’t like about them is the packaging – it looks cheap, and since the bullet doesn’t retract all the way into the tube, if you aren’t extra-careful, you can easily nick it when putting the cap back on.

These lipsticks look similar to Wet n Wild’s Mega Last matte lip colors, but they are completely different – the Perfect Pout lipsticks are semi-translucent and slightly glossy. All the colors I purchased are shimmer-free (Fuchsianista has a slight duochrome) and have excellent pigmentation. I’ve tested a couple of the shades for wear, and the lighter shades last 2-3 hours, while the darker shades last 4-6 hours. The two nudes and the black do not leave stains; the other four shades do leave stains, which last an additional couple hours after the lipstick fades, and last through a meal.

I have swatches of seven of the shades. The three missing shades are a light pink (V.I.P. Pink), a darker pink (Penthouse Sweet) and a wine color that appears to have shimmer (Ferguson Crest Cabernet).

Fergie for Wet n Wild Perfect Pout Lip Color Swatches (note mislabeled shade)
Fergie Daily, Bebot Love, Old School Glam, Saraghina, Fuchsianista,
Ferguson Crest Cabernet, Pagan Angel

The reason the Pagan Angel (black) swatch is so messy is that the tip of that lipstick broke off while I was swatching it – I’m pretty sure it was already broken when I bought it. Since the other six shades are completely fine, I don’t think this is a systemic problem with the lipsticks, but please comment if you have this problem too!

Fergie Daily, Bebot Love

Fergie Daily

Bebot Love

Old School Glam, Saraghina

Old School Glam

Saraghina

Fuchsianista, Ferguson Crest Cabernet

Fuchsianisa

Ferguson Crest Cabernet

Pagan Angel

Overall, I would definitely recommend these lipsticks to everyone – I just love the texture and finish! My favorite colors are Ferguson Crest Cabernet and Old School Glam.

~~I believe that these are currently only available at one specific Walgreens in Los Angeles (at Sunset & Vine), and will be hitting drugstores nationwide in January.~~

These are now showing up at Walgreens drugstores nationwide!