Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip in 19C Pomegranate Pink - Review & Swatch!

Make Up For Ever is well known for making long lasting makeup. A lot of these long lasting products are waterproof, including this new shade of the Aqua Lip liner in 19C Pomegranate Pink. I've extensively used and tested Make Up For Ever's Aqua Eyes formula, and I have to say, the two are quite similar!

The Aqua Lip formula is just as creamy and long lasting as the Aqua Eyes liners. The Aqua lip applies smoothly with no pulling whatsoever. I find the fact that it is so creamy makes it really easy to line your lips in one smooth stroke. Since I already have pretty full lips, I'm not big on lining my lips every day and only use lip liner when I'm going out. This didn't stop me from wearing this liner as a lipstick. I was a bit worried that the liner might dry out my lips so I added a bit of balm underneath and had no problems. The color is gorgeous deep fuschia/berry shade, and it is incredibly pigmented. I actually wore it in this post on my fashion blog in case you're curious! It's a bright shade, not for the faint of heart!

Swatch on my hand in daylight.

If you wear lipliner on the daily, I highly suggest the Aqua Lip. The formula is amazing, and the liner is incredibly long lasting. I even tested it to see if it's as waterproof as the Aqua Eyes and it definitely is. It would not budge one bit with water and lots of rubbing. The only way I got this off was with an oily makeup remover! But be warned, it does leave a bit of a stain behind!

Hope this was helpful to you! Don't forget that Google Reader (and Google Friends Connect as well apparently) is going away on July 1st! Please follow me on Bloglovin' if you'd still like to receive updates from this blog!

* I have received this product for consideration but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.

NCLA Designer Nail Wraps - A Review

I've always been a bit sceptical about nail wraps. Maybe I'm a nail polish traditionalist, but I've always been of the mindset that you should paint your nails and wait for the polish to dry. That's pretty silly because I hate waiting for polish to dry - I'm way too impatient for that. But when I got the chance to review the new NCLA Designer Nail Wraps,  I was intrigued. First off, all of the designs were gorgeous. I find most of the nail wraps out there aren't really my thing. I'm not a huge fan of animal print, snake skin print or flowers on nails, and that seems like what's mostly on the market at the moment. NCLA nail wraps however, have gorgeous designs that almost look like a piece of art. I settled on the It Don't Matter set because I'm a massive fan of black and white designs, and I figured it would match my wardrobe well.

As you can see, the set comes with instructions on the back. They're quite easy to follow! And they're also easier to apply than the previous nail wraps I've applied because the sticker isn't stiff at all.

It comes with an NCLA Nail file which worked really well for the application.

The set comes with 24 stickers in different sizes. If you apply them carefully. and most of the stickers fit your nails, you'll most likely have enough leftovers to do another manicure!

Here are my results!

I did waste a few stickers on application because I wanted them to look perfect, but I still have plenty left over for another manicure!

I'm quite happy with these results. The stickers did last a couple days, but then started to peel at the tips which kept catching in my hair, so I peeled them off. It didn't "look" like they were peeling off though, so I'm sure I could have left them on another day or two without them looking too bad. The nice thing about these is that they're really easy to apply and you don't have to wait for your nails to dry. Just make sure you place the base of the sticker properly on your nail and stretch the sticker over the rest of your nail. It's important to stretch it in order for it to fit properly. Then a bit of topcoat and you're done! I can see these being really useful for a night out when you didn't get a chance to paint you nails but want your tips to look cute!

The NLCA Designed Nail Wraps are available on Nail Polish Canada and ship for free!

Also, just a reminder (as I'm sure a lot of you will know) that Google Reader will no longer be as of July 1st. Should you want to keep following me, please do so throught Bloglovin'. I swear, I'll make it worth your while - I have loads of good reviews coming up!

* I have received this product for consideration but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.

Brighten up your summer with Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge #16

When I say this lipstick is hella bright, I mean it. Bright lipstick is very "in" at the moment, and Make Up For Ever isn't missing out on the trend. One of their newest Aqua Rouge in #16, a bright fuchsia pink, claims to be waterproof and smudge-proof. And I have to say, I quite agree with that statement! As stated in my previous review of the Aqua Rouges (here), these babies do not budge. The only way these are removed are with an oil based cleanser.

The packaging is simple and practical. I've always liked Make Up For Ever's packaging and I have a strong suspicion that simple packaging is what keeps their prices down.

I tested this lipstick for a night out and it did not budge after numerous (yikes) glasses of wine. After 5 - 6 hours of general snacking and drinking, I could see a bit of fading inside the lips, but it did not leave a "ring" of color around my mouth. There is seriously nothing worst than that. It also faded nicely and didn't leave my lips too dry, although they did need some balm after my regular face cleanse. I can safely say that this is a smudge-proof, waterproof lipstick. It didn't even smudge under water. You could most definitely wear this at the pool or beach, and/or sweat a lot without this budging. I recommend the Aqua Rouges if you're the type of gal who likes a bright lip 24/7.

Please excuse the after-work, post sickness face. I just got over a cold and my skin is feeling the effects!

As you can see in the pictures above, the lipstick can be worn with, or without gloss. I've worn it both ways, and personally, I think I like the glossy version better. Normally I'd go for matte, but I think the pink is much more vibrant when glossy. And while the addition of the gloss makes this lipstick a little less transfer proof, it definitely doesn't smudge easily. You'd have to really want to try to smudge it in order to make it move. Besides, who else is over mattes for summer? I know I am!

I'm not sure the pictures capture how bright this lipstick is - it's REALLY bright. And fun! I'm definitely looking forward to wearing it this summer, especially for a night out dancing!

Hope this was helpful, and happy Monday! 

* I have received this product for consideration but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.

Laura Mercier Stick Gloss in Rosewater - Review & Swatches

When it comes to summer, who wants to wear thick, heavy lipsticks. The answer is, nobody. And I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of gloopy glosses either in sweltering heat. This is why a product like the Laura Mercier Stick Gloss are perfect for summer.

The Laura Mercier Stick Gloss in Rosewater is a gorgeous true strawberry pink. It does contain a bit of shimmer, but nothing that is obvious on the lips. In fact, when you apply the lipstick to your lips, it really makes them look plumper and fuller. I think this is due to the combination of different shimmer in the lipstick.

The packaging is very simple. I kind of like it that way!

Swatched on my hand.

Overall I'd recommend this product. It's comfortable to wear, doesn't dry out my lips, and the color is very flattering. I wouldn't say this is pigmented, but it definitely has some color to it, much like the Rouge Coco Shines from Chanel. In fact, the texture is quite similar, but I'd describe the Stick Gloss as being creamier. This has been traveling in my handbag for well over a month and is being well used.

Thank you for reading, and I hope this was helpful!

China Glaze's Keep Calm, Paint On

If there's a color I've been loving in the past month, it's mint. And what a better way to express my love for the shade than on my nails! China Glaze's Keep Calm, Paint on is a gorgeous greeny mint color, with fine silver shimmer running through it.

This is my last pick from China Glaze's Avant Garden collection which I love. Like the others, this polish lasted well on my nails, but the formula was a bit gloopier than the others. Regardless, it wasn't too troublesome, and the gorgeous color more than made up for it!

Happy Monday!

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Vouvray - Review, Swatches & General Love

I'm going to start this review off bluntly, and simply say that Bite Beauty makes some of the best lipsticks I've ever tried. The texture is what (mostly) does it for me - it's creamy but not slippery, it's moisturizing but not glossy, and it's completely lightweight and doesn't feel cakey in the least. And on top of everything, as if it wasn't enough, it wears off beautifully, with no awkward flakies (we've all been there). If I could only own Bite Beauty lipsticks, being a beauty junkie, I'd be content.

After having tried their Lip Library (reviewed here) and their Color & Shine to Go Minis (reviewed here) and loving both of them, I was ready for a full size lipstick commitment. Sadly though, my local Sephora (which is 1.5 hours away, but luckily where my family lives) did not carry Bite Beauty lipsticks. I've been known to buy lip products without swatching often in my life, but lately, as I begin to slow down, I like to swatch and take my time to decide whether I like a color or not. So, imagine my surprise when during my last visit at my local Sephora, a shiny new Bite Beauty display was looking at me. With brand new testers! I swatched, pondered, and decided on Vouvray, which Bite Beauty describes as a "ballet pink".

Vouvray is a cool lavender pink and not usually a color I would pick out for myself. However, I wanted something that would jazz up my collection a little. Too often I wear a pink lipstick and find it kind of unsatisfying, mostly because it doesn't add anything to my face. Vouvray's coolness gives my un-pigmented lips that little extra pink they need to look alive. I love it.

Swatched on my hand.

On my lips.

I cannot recommend Bite Beauty's Luminous Creme Lipsticks enough. They are amazing quality and are well worth their $28 price tag. I'd put my money on Bite Beauty before Dior lipstick any day, and I love Dior lipsticks!

Have you tried Bite Beauty lipsticks? What do you think of them?

My Inglot Surprise Experience - Shades 422, 376 and 402 Swatched & Reviewed

As some of you might have seen on my Instagram, a few weeks ago, I visited Quebec City and accidentally found an Inglot stand. For a beauty addict like me, you can imagine my excitement. I couldn't believe it! Inglot?! In Canada? My shopping companions were looking at me like "what's the big deal". It's okay that they didn't understand, because I knew you beauty lovers would! I tried not to go too crazy and picked three gorgeous colors out of their numerous options. I have to say though, that the lightest shade (#402) of this trio is one of my all time favorites.

For those of you who don't know, Inglot uses a freedom system where you can pick out how many shades you want and insert them into a palette, which is included in the price. The shadows are reasonably priced, and you can choose between square pans or round pans. The sales associate suggested I pick the square pans because there is more product in them than the round pans, but are the same price.  The packaging is sturdy and the top part, as well as the shadows/bottom of palette, is magnetic. I've read that it is hard to remove the pans from the packaging, but I had no problem prying them out gently with a butter knife.

Shades # 422, #376, #402. Excuse the smudge on #402. The packaging makes it really easy to accidentally touch the shadows with your fingers.

Swatched, #402, #376, #422

First off, the quality of these shadows are great. They are smooth and creamy, but do not create any fall out during application. They are also some of the longer lasting shadows I've ever tried on my oily lids. Shade #402 is my favorite of the three. It is absolutely gorgeous on its own - I don't even feel the need to add a crease shadow when I use it. Its effect reminds me a lot of MAC Woodwinked, but it is much cooler in tone. Shade #376 is a beautiful purply grey matte shade that blends wonderfully. Matte shades can sometimes create problems when blending due to their dryer texture, but when I swatched #376 at the Inglot booth, it was so smooth I knew I needed it. I love using this in the crease and outer corner to create a bit of smokiness. Shade #422 is a bronze shimmery color that can look green tinted in some lights. It's just as smooth as the other shades and is gorgeous when applied in the crease. Weirdly enough, these three shades really compliment each other - and I didn't necessarily pick them out to go together.

The three shades together - #402 all over and blended up to the crease, #422 in the outer crease, and #376 in the outer corner/outer lashline.

As you can see, #402 has a beautiful sheen on the lid. If you're picking up ANY Inglot shades, please pick up this one. You won't regret it!

After writing this review, I'm now regretting not picking up more shades! They are truly some of the best shadows I've worked with. They also get major points from me for being long lasting. And hey, if you're in Quebec, go check out the booth! The girls working there were really nice and helpful.

All and all, my first Inglot experience was great and I highly recommend you visit a booth (if you can!) to swatch these beautiful shades!