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/

Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipsticks - Swatches and Review

Although I love my Luminous Crème Lipsticks from Bite Beauty and was heartbroken that they were discontinued, I will admit that many of them do not last for a very long time and can thus be a bit high-maintenance, since it is essential to bring them with you whereever you go, because you will have to re-apply in often less than one hour. Nonetheless, they are extremely comfortable to wear, and I like the way that many of the colors look on me. It is for that reason that I consoled myself about the end of the Luminous Crème line by buying all of the colors I could have ever possibly wanted, which brings us to this swatch-fest to come.

I realize that it may seem futile to write a review on a discontinued line of lipstick, but the purpose of this is twofold. Firstly, I still hold out hope that the line will be re-introduced, since many people liked the Luminous Crème line and prefer them to even the newest Amouse Bouche line. Whereas I prefer the latter in theory, as I generally gravitate toward more pigmented, matte finishes, the former is great for people who like a sheer, many times almost glossy/satin finish. In addition, I use my Luminous Crème lipsticks quite a bit if my lips are particularly dry, as they are almost as moisturizing as a lip balm.

Recently, Bite re-released a few of the Luminous Crème lipsticks in bold (Zivoli, Tannin and Mulberry) and nude (Retsina, Musk and Fig) sets, and additionally, Cava was re-released by itself. This leads me to hope that Bite may re-introduce the Luminous Crème line at some point in the future, since both of the sets sold out in less than 12 hours on the U.S. Sephora site and within 24 hours on the Canadian Sephora site. 

Some of the Luminous Crème colors have already been reviewed in m review of the Mix and Mingle lipsticks, since some were available as mini-duos in those holiday exclusive lines. Those that were part of the holiday line and the regular Luminous Crème line will be listed below the new swatches.

Arm Swatches

L to R: Retsina, Musk, Fiano, Salut, Cava, Pepper, Shiraz, Cin Cin, Apricot, Zivoli, Mimosa, Kir Royale


My Naked Lips (for reference)



Retsina


Retsina is a very light, yet fairly opaque nude color that is very creamy but tends to emphasize imperfections. It also appears a bit streaky, which means that it requires a couple of swipes to reach opacity. That being said, lips must be exfoliated before applying Retsina, but as long as your lips are prepped properly, Retsina is a lovely color.


Musk


Musk is a pinky-brown nude that is much more forgiving than Retsina. Originally, I had been a bigger fan of Retsina, but I find myself wearing Musk more and more, since it is a much more natural-looking nude for my lips.


Fiano


Fiano is a yellow-based, sheer nude color that has a bit of sparkle to it. Had I known about the sparkles in this one, I would not have purchased it, but they are actually not noticeable at all in everyday life, so Fiano functions almost like a lip balm for me, seeing as how it is so sheer. I had started wearing this in place of lip balm a while ago, but after a day of being in my purse, I smashed the bullet upon application, so I don't dare to take this out of the house for fear of breaking it even more.


Salut


Salut is ever so slightly more opaque than Fiano, but it is also a more yellow-based, sheer nude that works almost like a balm on me. The only difference between Fiano and Salut is that Salut does not have any sparkles and that it is somewhat darker than Fiano, albeit not noticeably so.


Cava


Cava is a gray-based lilac nude that is also on the sheer side of things. It only provides a light tint to my lips, which is nice for days when I am looking for a twinge of color but not a bold lip.

Somehow Cava decided to break on me when I did this arm swatch. It is a bit warm here, but I did not think it was that warm. However, I have the feeling that some of the colors, the nudes in particular, are softer than some of the others.

Cava is now the only lipstick of the Luminous Crème formula that is currently available, although some of the others appeared briefly in sets.


Pepper

Pepper is a good, warm-toned MLBB color for many people with lighter skintones. I really like Pepper, but I tend to favor cooler tones on the nude side of the color spectrum.

Pepper is another one that has proven to be rather heat sensitive. Although it has not yet broken on me, as Cava and Fiano have, it has come close in the summer heat, and the side of it is full of dents from the bullet bending into the packaging.


Shiraz

Shiraz is a gorgeous cool-toned MLBB color that works for many people with lighter skintones, as well. It is much like Pepper, but it is cool-toned, while Pepper is warm-toned. This is my go-to MLBB color for when I just want my lips to be about the color they are after I work out.

Although Shiraz does not seem to be quite as heat sensitive as Cava or Pepper, this one has also shown some signs of denting and bending in the heat.


Cin Cin

Cin Cin is a sheer orangey-coral-red color that is nice for anyone not wanting to go full-out red. I first bought this when I heard that the Luminous Crème line was being discontinued, as I had not had any desire to try out this color before that, but I am very glad that I got this one after all. It is great for a flush of color on days when I am not in the mood to line my lips for my reds or other bolder colors.


Apricot

Apricot is a somewhat sheer warm-toned red that is almost like a darker version of Cin Cin. I love this color, as it is sheerer than many of my reds but dark enough to make my lips pop.


Zivoli

Zivoli is described as a "brick red" (Sephora), which doesn't really fit very well in my opinion, as Zivoli looks like a typical blue-based sheer red to me. This one is similar to the VIB red color that Bite and Sephora had released a few years ago, but it is sheerer than the VIB red.


Mimosa

Mimosa is a bright, warm-toned red that is bolder and applies to a more opaque finish than all of the previous colors. Mimosa is said to be a dupe for Candied Maple (Canada-exclusive LE) and Cayenne in the Amuse Bouche line. It was released along with Belini and Kir Royale as a limited edition color shortly before the Luminous Crème (LC) line was discontinued. For that reason, I am a bit sad that I only have the sample size from one of the Sephora Rewards sets and that I never bought the full-size before the LC line went out, because since Candied Maple is one of the few lipsticks that I have used up completely, I know that this one will not last long for me, and it would be nice to have this color in the LC finish.


Kir Royale

Kir Royale is another one that applies fully opaque and is quite bold. It is a berry red that leans purple/magenta and was also a special edition color that was released shortly before the Luminous Crème line was discontinued like Belini and Mimosa. It seems to be a close dupe for Jam in the Amuse Bouche line.


Summary
Overall, the Luminous Crème lipsticks are wonderful. They are moisturizing, creamy and lightweight, and they feel like a lip balm. The nude colors seem to be a bit heat sensitive, and they do not need a liner in my opinion, but the darker colors are better paired with a liner (although I am normally too lazy to use a liner with them). I really hope that Bite decides to bring back the LC line because it differs enough from the Amuse Bouche (AB) line that both would most likely still sell very well. For example, I love the LC lipsticks, in particular when my lips are drier or when I am looking for a sheerer lip. 


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


Related Websites:
Sephora: http://www.sephora.com/bite-beauty?node=1050000

Bite Beauty - GTA - Swatches and Review

Bite Beauty GTA is a Canada-exclusive color that is a tribute to Toronto (i.e., the Greater Toronto Area, I've been told). Luckily, even though I am not currently a resident of Canada, I was able to acquire GTA from someone who volunteered to help non-Canadians get ahold of Canada exclusives from Bite Beauty. That being said, I am very grateful to that person for helping me feed by lipstick addiction because this color is gorgeous.



Arm Swatch



My Naked Lips

(for comparison)


GTA


GTA is an orange-based warm-toned red that is similar to Candied Maple and Mimosa, only slightly more orange than either of those two. It applies smoothly, and opacity is reached in one swipe. It has the creamy finish of the rest of the Amuse Bouche line, and its weartime is comparable to the other colors in that line (for me 2-4 hours). As you can see, I did not use a liner or primer here, but I would recommend both for more precise application.


Summary
GTA is a beautiful red lipstick, which, in addition to Candied Maple and Mimosa, seems to be similar to Cayenne from the Amuse Bouche line. That beings said, for any non-Canadians, Cayenne would likely be an excellent alternative. I am personally a huge fan of reds, as Candied Maple is one of the few lipsticks that I have managed to use up completely, and I am always happy to add a good, bright red to my collection, since I know I will get plenty of use out of it. For those who are less enthusiastic about red lipsticks, this one can definitely be passed on, as it is not a particularly unique color.

GTA retails for $30CAD and is still available on Sephora's Canadian website (see link below) for sale.

Although I love this lipstick for everything it is, my one gripe is with its status as Canada-exclusive, as I am generally against having products that are country-exclusive in favor of a more egalitarian system of sales. I understand that many companies have country-exclusive products for various reasons related to shipping and customs laws and the like, and I understand that interational companies (like Bite and Sephora) can potentially sell their exclusive products for more money and gain more profit by making them exclusive, but I do not approve of these practices, regardless of which country these products are exclusive to.



Disclaimer
I purchased this lipstick myself, 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/amuse-bouche-in-gta-P409852?skuId=1849934&icid2=products%20grid:p409852