Portland Black Lipstick Company Lipsticks

I had been really excited about trying the Portland Black Lipstick Company's lipsticks because they are available in such unique colors and they look like lip balms. As a life-long lover of lip balm, I think I was drawn to these because of their packaging, even though this shape is actually not particularly practical for applying the colors to lips precisely. These smell strongly of mint, which is generally a nice scent in my book.


Packaging




Arm Swatches



My Naked Lips (for reference)



Blood Red

Blood Red is a perfect rusty-red color that I love. I am a big fan of this type of shade, and I am happy that I purchased this one, even though I do not really wear this lipstick much. This one is a lot stiffer than the other one that I bought, which makes it difficult to apply, but it has a matte texture that makes it more long-lasting. On a side note, Blood Red smells significantly less of mint when compared to Coffee, Black.


Coffee, Black

Coffee, Black is a great, deep brown color that is almost black. For some reason, I have far too many lipsticks in dark brown, which although I like them, will not get as much use as most other colors.


Artificial Amethyst

This color came as one of the two free samples that I got with my purchase of the above two lipsticks. This one is beautiful, as I am a giant fan of purples. However, the issue with this one is that it is shimmery, which is not generally my thing.


Chaiborg

Chaiborg was the other free sample that I received. I would not have picked this color for myself, but it has been fun to try this one out, as it is such a unique color.


Summary
Overall, these are beautiful, unique colors, and I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for something different. Due to the lip balm packaging they are a bit difficult to apply from the bullet, but other than that, they are a nice addition to any lipstick collection.


Disclaimer: I did not receive any material or financial incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.


Related Website
Portland Black Lipstick Company: http://portlandblacklipstickco.com/products/lipstick/

Ardency Inn Modster Long Play Supercharged Lip Color in Black is Blue

I had been eyeing Black is Blue from Ardency Inn's Modster Long Play Supercharged Lip Color line for quite a while before I bit the bullet and bought it. Although I do not see myself wearing this very often, but I love how unique the color is. I have a few blues that are somewhat similar, namely Illamasqua's Disciple and Kat von D's Poe, but because I was thoroughly disappointed in Disciple and Poe has too much glitter for my liking, Black is Blue seemed like a great alternative.


Arm Swatch

Even though the swatch was fairly opaque with one swipe, this is two swipes because the first one was a bit streaky, and I wanted to even out the color a bit.


My Naked Lips (for reference)




Black is Blue

Black is Blue is a beautiful pulple-y navy blue color that has a creamy texture and applies mostly opaque. At normal viewing range, the finish appears to be opaque, but in this close-up, you can see that it is a bit streaky. Because colors like this really need to be fully opaque to work, I find that a lip primer usually works well for keeping this in place and helping it reach full opacity without the streaks and without settling into lines, although even a primer will not fix the streakiness problem entirely. Due to its creamy texture, this lipstick is quite moisturizing over time, which is a nice change from other blues that I have.


Summary
Black is Blue is a gorgeous color, and if this is a good indication of the texture of other lipsticks from Ardency Inn, it has a nice, comfortable, moisturizing texture. The only issue is that because of this texture, the opacity seems to suffer a bit, and the color tends to gravitate toward lines. If a primer is applied, however, it seems to help the situation somewhat, especially at a normal viewing range. However, close-ups will reveal that the lipstick may not be as opaque as it appears from afar. Because this is a color that needs to be fully opaque to work well, it is advisable to cancel out your lip color and prime before application.

Honestly, I would not purchase this color again, even if I were to use this blue enough to warrent a repeat purchase. If this is any indication of the opacity and pigmentation of other colors in this line, I would also hesitate to buy any more either, as they run at $27USD a piece, which is quite high for a lipstick with less-than-stellar performance.


Disclaimer
This lipstick was purchased by me, and I received neither financial nor material incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.


Related Website
Sephora: http://www.sephora.com/modster-long-play-supercharged-lip-color-P382250?skuId=1619709&icid2=products%20grid:p382250

Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick

I was very excited to try this lipstick, as I had been eyeing the Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel lipsticks for quite some time before purchasing a lipstick kit from Sephora that contained a number of different lipsticks from different brands. This lipstick applies smoothly and has a creamy texture, and it has a nice vanilla scent that I rather like.


My Naked Lips (for reference)



Sinful Cinnamon

Sinful Cinnamon is a beautiful brown-based nude that smells wonderful and adds a nice hint of color to my lips. It is said to have a matte finish, which is not entirely true, but it is not as creamy or satiny as other lipsticks, so I would describe the finish as more of a semi-matte finish. Over time, I find this lipstick to be slightly drying, so I always need to have a lip balm on hand. However, it is a nice MLBB color for people with lighter skintones.


Summary
I really like this color, and I love the way that this lipstick smells and feels. The only thing that gives me pause about buying more of these in the future is that I am not sure whether these lipsticks are gluten-free or not, and because my lips tend to dry out inexplicably with this one, I suspect that they may not be gluten-free. This, however, remains unconfirmed, as my internet search has ended inconclusively, and I have not yet contacted Buxom to check.


Disclaimer:
I purchased this lipstick as part of a larger kit, and I received neither financial nor material incentives for this review. All opinions contained herein are my own.


Websites:
Sephora: http://www.sephora.com/big-sexy-bold-gel-lipstick-P398927?skuId=1740075&icid2=products%20grid%3Ap398927

Ulta: http://www.ulta.com/matte-big-sexy-bold-gel-lipstick?productId=xlsImpprod13631023

Manic Panic Lipsticks - Helen Wheels and Daughter of Darkness

I had been eyeing some of Manic Panic's lipsticks for quite some time before I finally decided to bite the bullet and purchase a couple. They are said to be cruelty free and have fairly matte finishes, so I was convinced that these would be a great addition to my lipstick collection. Although they are lovely colors, the smell bothers me somewhat. It is not exactly unpleasant, as such, but I detect something like the smell of dough, which makes me a bit nervous, seeing as how I have a gluten intolerance and have not been able to get any definitive answers about Manic Panic's lipsticks being gluten free. For this reason, I do not wear these as much as I likely would otherwise. 


Arm Swatches


My Naked Lips (for reference)



Helen Wheels

Helen Wheels for some reason looks more red here than it does in person. In person, it looks more rusty and orangey than it does in this picture. This one is a bitt stiffer and more matte than Daugther of Darkeness, but it seems to also be more pigmented and more matte.


Daughter of Darkness

Daughter of Darkness is a deep wine-berry color with a hint of brown. I thought it would be matter and darker than it is, but it is still a beautiful color.


Summary
Overall, these are nice lipsticks that are highly pigmented. Helen Wheels is beautiful, and it is one of my favorite lipstick colors. Based on the two that I have here, it seems that the different colors have different finishes and varying degrees of pigmentation and matteness.


Disclaimer: Both of these lipsticks were purchased by me, and I received no financial or material incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.


Related Website
Manic Panic: https://www.manicpanic.com/

Too Faced Lipsticks La Crème Color Drenched Lipsticks

Too Faced La Crème Color Drenched Lipsticks are extremely comfortable to wear, and they have a nice vanilla scent to them, which I find to be quite pleasant. The colors that I have so far are on nudes, and they are all on the sheer side of the finish-spectrum. Because they are fairly moisturizing compared to other lipsticks, they are a nice alternative to lip balm in a pinch.

Although I have more of these at my parents' house, the only ones I have here are the nudes, which are very sheer but nice for a hint of color.


Arm Swatches

L: Naked Dolly; R: Nude Beach


My Naked Lips (for reference)




Naked Dolly

Naked Dolly is a light peach-based nude that adds a hint of color. Because it is so sheer, it would likely work on a variety of skintones.


Nude Beach

Nude Beach is a light pink-based nude that also only a smidgen of color. Again, because it is so sheer, many people could probably make this one work, although I must admit that I much prefer Naked Dolly to Nude Beach.


Summary
Overall, I think that the Too Faced La Crème Color Drenched Lipsticks are a nice addition to any lipstick collection, particularly if you are someone like me who prefers wearing lip balm to lipstick most days. The nudes are a very nice and sheer and would likely be good for wearing when lips are drier to restore moisture.


Disclaimer
These lipsticks were purchased by me, and I received no financial or material incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.


Related Websites
Sephora: http://www.sephora.com/la-creme-P374933?skuId=1777762&icid2=products%20grid:p374933

Too Faced: https://www.toofaced.com/p/lipsticks/la-creme/

ColourPop Lippies and Lippie Pencils - Nudes to Browns

ColourPop lippies and lippie pencils are a great addition to anyone's makeup collection because they are high-quality cruelty-free, gluten-free products, which, at $5 USD a piece, are very affordable. They are generally highly pigmented and buildable to full opacity.

The lippies come in different finishes, ranging from matte to hyper glossy to créme to satin. They have a scent like vanilla which is not overpowering and seems to fade over time.

Because I have far too many of the lippies and lippie pencils to swipe and review at once without rubbing my lips raw between swipes, I have divided mine into color groups: nudes to browns, oranges and reds, pinks and berries, and other non-traditional colors.

Today, I am beginning with the nudes and browns. First, you will see the arm swatches, followed by the lip swatches. Normally, I do not swatch lipsticks with liners to show their truest colors, but in this case, whenever I had the corresponding liner, I have swatched the liner with the lippie. As you can see below, not all lippie pencils match the lippies completely because some are presumably meant to complement the lippie colors without matching completely.

Nudes to Browns

L to R: Last Call (Lippie), Brink (Lippie + Pencil), Oh Snap (Lippie), Lumiere (Lippie), Baewatch (Lippie), Wet (Pencil), Get Paid (Liner), Tootsie (Lippie + Pencil), Cookie (Lippie), Button (Lippie + Pencil), Choker (Lippie), Ruffle (Lippie), Mosh Pit (Lippie), Taurus (Lippie + Pencil), Grunge (Lippie + Pencil), Pitch (Lippie)

Primer

This time, I decided against posting a picture of my naked lips for comparison, as the primer is clear. As such, it does not add any color or shine to my lips. At first, I thought that the primer might be a good substitute for a lip balm, but it is more matte than a balm, which makes it good for helping lipsticks to stay in place.

Last Call (créme)

Last Call has a creamy finish and is a beautiful, cool-toned nude that might wash many people out a bit. I really rather like this one, and I could see myself wearing this on an everyday basis.

Brink (Lippie to Go Lippie + Pencil Duo)

Brink is a warm-toned peachy nude that is quite lovely. However, this one, as with my other Lippit to Go Duos, tugged quite a bit on application and felt a bit drying.

Oh Snap (matte)

Oh Snap is a very light nude that has peachy undertones. I was very excited about this one, and it did not disappoint. It is not a classic matte, as it is a bit more creamy, but it is not too creamy and stays in place well.

Lumiere (matte)

Lumiere is said to be a mauve, which is fairly accurate, but I had pictured it being less pink on my lips. It is a beautiful color, nonetheless, and it is comfortable to wear.

Baewatch (matte)

Baewatch is a light berry pink that I would not have purchased on its own, but it is lovely and comfortable to wear.

Wet (Lippie Pencil)

I only have the Lippie Pencil in Wet, and alone, it is quite matte and dry, as you can see. However, it works very well as a liner for my greige lipsticks. I would not recommend wearing this alone, as it would be too drying, but as a liner, it is great.

Get Paid (Créme Gel Liner)

I am honestly not sure whether this was supposed to be for the lips or the eyes, as I have two colors that I received as free samples, and there is a good possibility that they are for the eyes. That being said, Get Paid is a beautiful copper that could be paired with a gloss for a dramatic effect or used to layer with other lipsticks for an interesting twist on other colors.

Tootsie (matte + Lippie Pencil)

Tootsie is a lovely nude greige that I adore. I am so glad that I have both the pencil and the lippie in this one because they match perfectly and complement my complection.

Cookie (matte)

I was excited to get my hands on Cookie. It is a yellow-based light nude that I thought would be gorgeous. Unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed to find that it separates at the middle of my lips, where they are a bit more moist. No matter how many swipes I applied, I always ended up with this patchiness in the center of my lips. The primer would likely help this issue somewhat, but as I tend to be more lazy with my nudes, that is more effort than I wanted to put in for this particular color.

Button (Lippie to Go Lippie + Pencil Duo)

Button is a peachy nude that is a nice color, but again, just like the other duos that I have, it is more drying than the full-sized lippies.

Choker (créme)

Choker is a nice, light nude that is creamy and easy to wear. In terms of opacity, it isa bit sheer and almost patchy, but because it is so nude, that is not as noticeable on my lips. On more pigmented lips, this may, however, be an issue.

Ruffle (matte)

Ruffle is one of the colors that I was the most excited about, as it is a unique tan-brown that I have not found from many lines, except my Bite Beauty Multistick in Honeywehat, which is fairly similar.

Mosh Pit (matte)














Mosh Pit is a nice MLBB color for me. It is a mauvy nude with a hint of brown that makes it wearable for any occasion.

Taurus (matte + Lippie Pencil)

Taurus is a lovely warm brown that was a pleasant surprise for me, as I have quite a few red-based browns, but this one leans more yellow than the others that I have, making it more unique.

Grunge (matte + Lippie Pencil)

Grunge is another slightly darker MLBB color or me. To me, Grunge can be worn any time, any place, which makes it a great addition to any lipstick collection.

Pitch (matte)
 
Pitch is a more classic, red-based brown, which is similar to others that I have. My only issue with this one is that itt was much more sheer than I expected, and it settled into lines quickly. That being said, this is the only one that I would not recommend, as it is not very unique, and it does not deliver opacity or matte texture. Then again, I suppose I could have gotten one from a bad batch.


Summary
Overall, the Lippies and the Lippie Pencils from ColourPop are a great deal. At $5USD per lippie and per pencil, these are absolutely worth trying out, and their pigmentation and quality matches that of many higher-end lipstick brands.

There are always new rotations of colors available at ColourPop, but many colors seem to re-appear with different names and only very slight color changes, which is why these swatches remain relevant, even if these particular lippies or pencils become discontinued.


Disclaimer
I purchased all of these myself, and I received neither financial nor material incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.


Related Website
ColourPop:  https://colourpop.com/pages/lips

Bite Beauty - Multisticks (Part 2) - Praline, Honeywheat, Nectar and Mochi

I have already posted about the first three Multisticks that I received to sample, and as I did not know that I was being sent those, I had already ordered myself these three when the Multisticks first came out a few months ago.

Each of them is highly pigmented and creamy, and all of them have a nice, powdery matte finish that reminds me a bit of the finish of the Nars Velvet Matte pencils, only these are not as drying as the Nars pencils, and these can also be used on the eyes or on the cheeks.

As an eyeshadow or a blush, these are powdery and beautiful, and as a lipstick, they can easily be built up to full opacity. They have very good staying power, and they have a pleasant, powdery scent that I cannot describe very well.


Arm Swatches

L to R: Praline, Honeywheat, Nectar, Mochi


My Naked Lips (for reference)





Praline

Praline is a gorgeous, creamy muted orange color that is beautiful on the lips. Theoretically, it would also be good for the eyes and the cheeks, as well, but when I tried to use it in all three areas, I looked ridiculous. I probably should have taken a picture, but I looked much too orange. On any of the areas alone, this would be pretty, but for my completion, it does not work in all three areas at once.


Honeywheat

As you can see, I had a bit of an issue with defining my cupid's bow with this one. That is the one downside of this flat tip that these have. Precise application is extremely difficult without a brush. Nevertheless, you can at least get an impression of what this color looks like on my lips. I don't think that I would wear Honeywheat on my cheeks, but I mainly purchased it for the eyes and the lips. I, personally, rather like the color on my lips, as it is a unique tan brown that is somewhat similar to ColourPop's Lippie in Ruffle.


Nectar

Nectar is a gorgeous, unique blue-toned purple that I was so excited to get for the eyes and the lips. Again, I do not think that I would wear it on my cheeks, but for the lips and eyes, it is perfect.


Mochi
 
Mochi is a gorgeous, classic red. I have a weakness for reds, so I knew I needed to have this one. This one can be used easily on the eyes, the cheeks or the lips, and I know that I will get plenty of use out of Mochi. I might even purchase some of the other reds (like Cerise) in the Multistick line.


Here is a full-face look with Mochi on the lips with Macaroon on the cheeks, Blondie on the eyelids, and Cocoa in the crease of the eye.



Summary
The Multisticks are wonderful, and I cannot say enough good things about them. The only issue that I have with using them is that I do not tend to wear a lot of eyeshadow, so I have to remind myself to get them out to experiment with them. As lipsticks, eyeshadows or blushes, they all perform exceptionally well, and they come in a great variety of colors that could work with a wide range of skintones and makeup color preferences.


Disclaimer
I purchased all of these with my own money, and I received neither financial nor material incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.


Related Websites
Sephora: http://www.sephora.com/multistick-P411038
Bite Beauty: http://bitebeauty.com/multistick/