Lipstick Sundays : Mentholatum Lipice Lip Moisturizer in Kissy Pink

I discovered that I had already blogged about the Mentholatum Lipice Lip Moisturizer back when I FIRST bought it, but there were no swatches. Anyway, it was a good revisit down memory lane (reading the old entry), and how my thoughts had changed since I first bought it! Will include old photos here as well in case you don't want to check the old entry. ;)

About 2 years back, Lipice launched their Watercolor Lip Moisturizer series, which (to me) was a more vibrant lipbalm (in fact, more like a very moisturizing lipstick!) than their existing lip balm / lip tints. Even the packaging was more towards lipstick than towards those clear lip tints that Lipice is more known for. I got "Kissy Pink" (Watercolor #3) in the range because it seemed more unique compared to the other colors. I have lots of pink lippies anyway, this one looked more orange!

 

 

As you can see from the above packaging, it looks like the tube is going to be really geometric / angular. Instead, the real tube is actually just a boring, normal tube shape. The interesting shape in the packaging is all plastic packaging! -___-" 

 

The 4 colors in the range are: 

#1 : Vintage Pink
#2 : Fantasy Pink
#3 : Kissy Pink
#4 : Sexy Pink

Quoted from my previous entry: "IMHO, Sexy Pink is a dark blue pink that does look a little bit old school to me. I think it would suit mature ladies better (this would be me? hehehe. No, I mean older than me! Like 35 and above... but I doubt those ladies would wear Lip Ice). Vintage Pink is a very "standard pink" color... nothing special about it. It's a classic go-to shade, so if you have absolutely NO pink lipsticks at all, you should probably choose this. 

Kissy Pink is a very vibrant coral color, and I doubt my boyfriend would think that this color equates to kissiness. ;) I chose it because it's an odd color, and cheap lipsticks are good for odd colors that you don't wear too often. Classic shades deserve something more expensive (my own personal rule of thumb). Fantasy Pink was my second choice, but it is more to a red shade than a pink shade."

 

 After using the lip moisturizer for quite some time.... I would say that I was actually pretty wrong about saying that there is not much difference between the "before" and "after". Either that, or something changed the more I use it! Now, I feel that the color is SUPER VIBRANT with just one application. It kinda scares me. You know what? I think that it's because my lip moisturizer / lipstick is more "melted" now, so more comes off with a single application? The color in the tube looks nuclear orange, but the effect on the lips is a more vibrant coral. It's quite obvious, but not some crazy, bright orange color.

I quite like it! I think that it's pretty moisturising & gives a pretty nice color coverage at the same time. When I bought it, it was RM11.90. Heard the price has now gone up to RM14.90. I'm quite interested to try another one now...

 

As always, ending with a picture of the close-up. 

 

 

The secret to the lasting moistness in the lippie? Super Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramide , and further enriched with Maxilip and Vitamin E to help reduce fine lines and keeping lips supple. For me, really no complaints about the moisturisation qualities. I should probably not keep lip balms and lip tints around for so long though... but it's finishing! FYI, I have no idea why I've used the lip moisturizer til such a shape (check out the ultra pointy tip in my pic above!)... I still think it melted somewhat in my handbag.... 

Read more...

Lipstick Sundays : Nivea Fruity Shine in Pink Grapefruit

Wow, can't believe I haven't blogged about one of my fave lip tints ever - the Nivea Fruity Shine in Pink Grapefruit! Well, actually I've blogged about the Cherry Fruity Shine a year back. Interesting to review my last post and find out that I only have half of the stick left (compared to what was photographed, not based on original size)! I actually carry both Fruity Shines with me in my handbag, and both colors are so usable that it doesn't matter what I'm wearing - when my lips feel dry, either one is suitable to be used!

You can see how "loved" it is by how much of the letters on the packaging have been scraped off... probably thanks to being carried around in my handbag, with keys and coins and what not.... 

Like the Cherry Fruity Shine, this also has a fruity scent that is absolutely delicious smelling. Not a sharp citrus, but a sweet fruity type of smell. Not super fake, so scent-wise, I like it more than the Cherry already. It is a very moisturising type of lip tint that gives great color and shine as well, thanks to all the micro glitter.

The color is a very sweet pink, and for a 4.8g tube, it is really value for money. Mainly because I feel that I don't have to "touch up" my lip tint very often when I wear this. After taking photographs for this blog, I ate some cereal before going to church. I noticed that it didn't leave a lipstick mark on my cup, so I thought that I had already "ate" my lippie. WITHOUT topping up my lipstick, I went to church, blabla.. then when I ate lunch and wiped my mouth after lunch... was so surprised to see so much lipstick coming out onto the tissue! I don't know what to say man... maybe I was just super careful during my cereal breakfast? Anyway, I was impressed. :) And if you're wondering why I didn't top up my lipstick after eating... well, I didn't feel that my lips were dry. I'm really a lazy person... by the time I feel that my lips are dry enough to warrant a top up, it's usually in really horrid condition! -___-"

Close up!

 

I mentioned in my last blog entry that there is ONE more  flavor in the Fruity Shine range, and it's Pomegranate, in a reddish-brown type of color. So tempted to get it!! But you can see that I have still a lot of Pink Grapefruit left, and Cherry still hasn't finished after a year! I suppose I should really SPAM on my liptint next time! Anyway, I rarely see the Pomegranate one being sold in drugstores in Malaysia... 

One tube costs about RM5-RM6? Super worth it in my books! Nice scent, nice color, nice moisturising effect... what more can you ask for?

Read more...

Lipstick Sundays : Mary Kay Creme Lipstick in Natural

Whee~! I just came back from a lovely anniversary celebration with my husband, and it was erm... 75% sponsored from the hotel where we held our wedding! They gave us vouchers for an overnight stay as well as dinner at one of their restaurants. We probably wouldn't have to spend a single sen, but we really indulged ourselves at the restaurant, so that we had to pay the difference. -__-" At first, my husband felt silly about "staying over" at the place where we had our wedding (it's a mere 30-40km away from where we stay ... it's really not going out of town at all!), but I insisted. First of all, never say no to freebies. Secondly, it was going to expire soon and it's not like we had out-of-town friends asking for free accomodation.

Plus, even going for a staycation in the city makes you feel like you've really been on a holiday. I really enjoyed myself and it was fun just catching up on some zzz's and pampering my skin and trying out new products at the hotel, hehe. Yes, tried more samples so that I can blog about it here! =) And which girl doesn't like to dress up a little for a fine dining experience?

Since I didn't want to lug my whole make-up case for a 1 night stay away (my husband was already mocking me for bringing my HUGE VS carry-all - though I had my last laugh --- he really underpacked!), I decided to make full use of my Mary Kay samples. For dinner at The Club, I decided to go a little heavier on the eye make-up and a little lighter on the lips. I was a little dismayed when I saw that the sample the Mary Kay consultant had given me was called "Natural". As per my last entry on nude lippies, I really hate how "dead" they make me look. The beige-like color in the casing wasn't making me any happier.

If I was stingy, this small pot would probably last me two uses. Since I don't want to carry a half-opened lippie sample around, I spammed the entire thing onto my lips. It looks even more of a light beige in real life... and it smells like toffee! Very sweet and inviting, but not too artificial and sickening. I quite liked the smell! Another reason I was spamming all the lippy on was because I was afraid that if I used too little... it would look just awful. In the yellow lighting in the hotel room, after I was done, it looked like I hadn't done anything to my lips at all, just that it looks not-as-dry. And believe me, I had super dry lips at the hotel. After dinner that night, I was using a lip scrub, and after 45 minutes of scrubbing, I still couldn't get rid of all the dead skin wtf.

Anyway, I was pleased that it at least covered up the dryness though it looked more like a creamy, matte type of lipstick. Holy heck, I was pleasantly surprised with the results under white light!

I just love how the "natural" look is done with this Mary Kay lipstick! It really does look natural, but glossy and somewhat healthy. There's no shine in the lippy, so I guess just have to use a lot to make it look nicer. I'm sure if from a tube, one simple swipe wouldn't do the trick. It kinda looks beige, and also like the lightest pink ever. Yet, still suits my skin tone and doesn't make me look like I've lost blood flow to my lips. Love it! Once again, the Mary Kay consultant really aced it when choosing a color for me. :)

Close-ups of the lippy: 

Had to do some light PS cos really up-close, can see a bit of dry lips. Still adore how creamy this lipstick is and feels very comfortable. I can't really judge how long-lasting it is because I had to sit through a 90 minute meal which consisted of almost non-stop eating... by the time I got back to the hotel, it was obvious that I've donated my lipstick to the dining ware and to my own stomach. I'm sure if I was just sitting quietly at the office, it would've lasted a few hours, surely?

Mary Kay says that :
"This long-wearing, stay-true formula glides on easily with a lightweight, creamy texture for rich color impact that lasts. Plus, it won’t feather or bleed.

• Vitamin E and a vitamin C derivative help defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals.
• Provides instant moisture.
• Suitable for sensitive skin.
• Clinically tested for skin irritancy and allergy.
• Fragrance-free."

If you're interested, you can purchase a tube online for USD$15. That should be around RM50. For myself, I am really keen to check out other colors or maybe even buy this color. I think I will check out Mary Kay soon since it's so near my office any way. There's quite a few products from them that I like!

Read more...

Lipstick Sundays : Life On The A List

Before I start off my usual Lipstick Sundays post, I just want to say that... Benefit Cosmetics is having a sale at the moment, and if you key in SNEAKPEEK during the checkout, you only need USD$90 to qualify for free international shipping instead of the usual $125 limit. =) I didn't really have much intentions to splurge... initially. But nowadays I feel so un-motivated to online shop for clothes (cos out of shape), so I usually end up browsing the beauty selections. I finally got my "lust list" Thrrrob blusher during the sale, and when I was browsing around, I found that they also have "last chance" offers for sets that they won't produce anymore. One thing that I noticed about most of their make-up sets is that the lipgloss that they bung in is "Life On The A List".

A LOT of people rave about this ultra shine from Benefit, saying that it's such a perfect color, such a go-to shade, etc etc etc. In the end, I didn't want to spring for a full-size ultra shine, so I was glad that a set that I picked out in the last chance page had a mini sample of it. Score! Or so I thought... til I checked my Ticket to Glossytown set and I already have it. Doh!

I really should keep a better inventory of my stuff. I never really noticed it before because I had automatically classified it as an "unwearable" shade because it's really more towards a nude lippie than a "bubblegum pink" (that's what Benefit calls it!). I really dislike nude lippies because I feel like it makes me look so pale, it can't hide my chapped lips well (er... cos it's so see-thru, lol) and it just doesn't suit my skin color.

So here is how it looks like :

It looks like such a sweet, pink color, doesn't it? But super, super light. I think it would look nice on Caucasian ladies. But since I'm more olive-beige than white, I really think it makes me look like I'm on a sick bed. It completely washes out my entire face and makesme look sooooo.... un-made up. Sorry for the depressed looking faces, I guess I wasn't in the mood after putting it on, hahaha.

Some might even think that I have no lippie on... I assure you that the condition of my lips are terrible, so I'm thankful for that bit of glossiness and moisturising effect. No complaints on the brush (a silky, brush -fibrous- tip) and it goes on smoothly, like my other ultra shines. Only the shade! And I can't believe another one is coming my way. Thank goodness I really didn't spring for the full-size. Probably going to give away the new one!

For previous Ultra Shine reviews, check out:
So Frisk Me
Kiss You

Read more...

Lipstick Sundays : Lip Ice Sheer Color Strawberry

Whee! I'm finally finishing ANOTHER lippie, hahhaa. I have a friend who uses one lipstick a year (and she's very loyal to that shade the whole year round). For me, I hardly finish anything cos I keep skipping from one color to another. This item has been in my bag for ages, never got around to reviewing it because at one point, a lot of bloggers were all about Lip Ice. Let the hype die down a bit before I post my own review. ^^

I bought this lip balm for its "color changing" properties. Straight out from the tube, it looks like it's just a simple no-color lip balm. However, when it hits your lips, it turns to a pinkish color. Advertising shows that it becomes a "sheer pink color" but I find it pretty BRIGHT and JUICY. This is why I don't use it that often - cos I find it too youthful for me. However, I still go to it because I find it super moisturising! Seriously, it makes my lips feel super soft and kissable - no wonder that Lip Ice says it is the #1 lip balm in Malaysia.

This is how much lipbalm I have left --- yes, it is FULLY extended already, hehe. *proud of myself for being consistent*
 

You can see how my bare lips look like in the previous post - this is how it looks like with just Lip Ice on. Yup, it looks plain color, but it really gives my lips a juicy bright pink shine.  I have super dry lips, so up close you can see it's still pretty dry lah, but at least it gives a shiny appearance that can cheat people from afar. Besides, I believe that the more I use this product, the more it helps to moisturise my lips. Maybe, it won't be so dry with continued use... *hopeful*

Aside from using it on its own, I also like to use it on top of less-moisturising products. For example, today I used the Jelly Pong Pong Supermodel Stain in Nymphette. It usually gives a  light stain, but it's not moisturising at ALL. This is a picture of my lips with just the Nymphette on my lips. You can see that it doesn't look moisturised or shiny at all :

And this is how it looks like with just a layer of Lip Ice on top. Super makes a difference, right?!

Online shows it costs RM14.90, but I believe you can get it cheaper from Watsons / Guardian cos I ALWAYSSSSSS see discounts for Lip Ice in the pharmacy. I'm really tempted to get another Lip Ice after I finish this one, but maybe not a color-changing one because I find the results rather unstable. Like, you can see how dark it looks like on my lips right? But the image below is what packaging says my lips will look like. Not a match at all, lol.

Oh, there's also a fake-y strawberry scent to the lip balm, I didn't like it at all initially. However, kinda used to it now. Either that, or it's fading away. The gentle beeswax formulation gives long lasting hydration and is suitable even for sensitive lips. It's also thanks to shea butter, macadamia nut oil, jojoba oil, ternifolia nut oil, and aloe vera oil extract that lips stay moisturized, smooth & healthy. Finally, vitamin E helps to soothe and protect lips from the harmful environment. All in all, I find it a really good product, just that the sheer color-changing version is not suitable for me. It's definitely interesting though, and I think that the color-changing differs from person to person (does it change based on body heat? Lol! Kinda reminds me of mood-lipsticks). Maybe it would look really good on you? :)

Read more...

Lipstick Sundays : L'oreal Glam Shine 6 Hours in Strawberry Mix

First off --- Happy Mother's Day!!

Bought this new lipgloss when I was in Singapore last year because I thought that there was a buy-one-free-one deal. Which turned out to be ... not quite right. I've used Glam Shine from L'oreal before, in fact it was the first lipgloss I ever managed to finish. I chose the "Strawberry Mix" shade this time because it was one of the darker reds available, but in fact, it's not super red anyway. I'm looking for a really good, brilliant, red lipgloss, so if you have a good suggestion, do tell me!

The formula has not changed much from the previous Glam Shine that I've used - it's still REALLY sticky and very glossy and shiny on the lips. The only difference that I can tell is that the Strawberry Mix shade comes scented with a sweet, fruity smell. It's pretty strong and synthetic, but I'm ok with it so I don't mind it too much. If you hate scents of any kind, do take a sniff test first before you commit!

 

As before, the applicator is like a doe-foot applicator, but slightly more heart-shaped and ... er... furry. It's not excellent for precision, but it really does help transfer a LOT of the gloss onto my lips. As you can see from the above picture, the gloss is filled with lots of glittery / shimmery bits, so this really helps give the brilliance and shine to your lips. Great for me and my dry lips --- it makes my lips look so plumped up instead! 

And with the stickiness in the lipgloss... yeah, I think it would really last 6 hours! Not that I have actual proof, cos usually halfway through I'd have eaten lunch and subsequently, my lipgloss. =) Some people actually reviewed this lipgloss as NON sticky. Are you kidding me? This is one of THE stickiest lipglosses I've ever come across. Maybe there are worse ones on the market and I've been incredibly lucky?? Anyway, my hair is always in a ponytail nowadays, so the chances of having flyaway hair stuck to my lips are low.

In conclusion, love the shine, the JUICINESS, but wish the color was more pigmented. To me, it looks way more "red" in the tube, but when it's applied to me, it just looks like a darker pink. Brilliance and shine is a must though, and again, this is becoming one of my go-to lipglosses for sheer wearability. 

Me without any lipstick on. You can see that my lips are dry, pale and erm... raw.

 

Picture with lipgloss on... very shiny right? And definitely brings more color to my face. Look so un-made up in the first picture.

 

Another picture with Strawberry Mix on on a different day. Same amount of shine and brilliance, but with a lighter touch, so it doesn't look so red. 

 

Close-up.

Read more...

Lipstick Sundays : Cherimoya Lipstick in Her Majesty

Got the "Her Majesty" lip shade from Cherimoya last time I bought a bunch of makeup from Nyx. It was super cheap, like less than RM10, and I just thought "why not?" If it sucks, it would not have been that bad of a mistake, and if it turned out good, it would be another alternative to Nyx lipsticks. I chose "Her Majesty" because it was a bright and shimmery, I thought it would be a fun weekend color. Not like the muted apricots, peach and pink-reds that I usually wear to work. This is the swatch from the website :

The packaging is a bit ho-hum, but really, what do you expect from a lipstick that could cost less than my average lunch during the work week? =p The tube is just a simple black matte plastic with some slight curves. The brand is stamped in with slightly raised letters... all in all, pretty low-key.

 

I was pretty surprised with how BRIGHT the shade is right off the tube. And SUPER DUPER SHIMMERY. Honestly, this is not a plus for me. Yes, I was looking for something brighter than normal, but it looked a bit too plasticky when applied. It only starts to look better after you've eaten something. Or maybe I'm just getting too old for fun colors. I don't think the name "Her Majesty" suits this kind of shade ... it really should be more regal...! :) Anyway, I wanted a pink shade, so pink was *really* what I got.

So... this is how it looks like on my lips. You see what I mean about the plasticky-ness? It just seems to make my dry lips look dryer!

But one plus point - I do have to say that it was very smooth and creamy, easy to apply! :

I guess I won't be repurchasing Cherimoya stuff after all. It *was* too cheap to be true. Going to have to find ways to make this lipstick werk though... maybe apply a gloss on top? Spam loads of lip balm before applying it... ?

Read more...

Lipstick Sundays : Mary Kay Creme Lipstick in Dusty Rose (Satin)

I didn't just pack face wash samples to Singapore.... I took along make-up samples as well! I got a whole bunch of make-up samples from Mary Kay last time, including this cute lipstick sample. It is a Creme Lipstick in the shade Dusty Rose (Satin). Quite rare to see lipstick samples come in "containers" like this, usually they have something lip-shaped that they expect you to apply by "kissing" on the paper (which I feel very dubious about, surely it will smear all over my face?). There was once I got the cutest mini lipstick ever from Cleo magazine. That was very nice! That's probably the nicest way to give lipstick samples.

This shade is a pretty pink-coral that is more vibrant than my other lipsticks. I love that it is very creamy indeed, but it is also not as moisturising as I would love it to be. In fact, it went on very thick, and felt a bit uncomfortable at first. After a while, I loved how bright the color was, so I didn't mind it so much. For me, a bit of a terror to apply this if you have dry lips. It's definitely gonna crack and show! If you need it, put on more lip balm.

Though I don't see any glitters in the lipstick, there seems to be quite a nice shine in the close-up picture below. Not a bad lip color! Really thank the Mary Kay consultant for choosing such a nice shade for me. :)

 

Sorry for the bad picture above, but that's how you put on the lipstick! There's just a mini pot of the creme lipstick, and something that looks like an earbud to dip into the pot and dab on your lips. It's damn messy to carry around with you for touch-ups though! I would say that this sample is good for two usages. 

 

In the above pic, the upper right hand side of my lips are purposely left uncolored so you can see the difference between the lip color and my original lips. :) Argh, not a very flattering pic cos you can see that my lips are quite dry!

 

 Fully  made-up!

 Close-up...

Mary Kay says that :
"This long-wearing, stay-true formula glides on easily with a lightweight, creamy texture for rich color impact that lasts. Plus, it won’t feather or bleed.

• Vitamin E and a vitamin C derivative help defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals.
• Provides instant moisture.
• Suitable for sensitive skin.
• Clinically tested for skin irritancy and allergy.
• Fragrance-free."

If you're interested, you can purchase a tube online for USD$15. That should be around RM50. A bit pricey for my drugstore lovin'... maybe I will ask them for another color sample next time. 

Read more...

Lipstick Sundays : L'oreal Shine Delicieux Lipstick in Sweet 905

Wow, I'm on a L'oreal roll, aren't I? This time, it's the L'oreal Shine Delicieux Lipstick in "Sweet 905". My sister randomly gave me this lipstick cos she got it from some event. That time, she doesn't use any make-up at all! Not even lipstick --- she prefers her Body Shop lipbalms. She has since changed (she uses lipstick), but she still doesn't use eye make-up. The only time I saw her with full face make-up is for her wedding, I think. :) Maybe that's why my sister has good skin, cos she doesn't pile junk on it like I do. :(

The lipstick is a pink shade with some purple tones as well. When applying it, there is a strong smell of candy, which to me is quite a turn-off. It doesn't have a lot of glitter, but it leaves a smooth, shiny finish which hides my dry lips well. This means, I don't have to spam a lot of lipbalm before applying it, thank God.

The tube itself has a very smooth texture, and is slightly rounded.... it was very hard to get a picture of it lying on all the cute stuff I was piling into the background. It kept rolling out of focus! So blame the shape of the tube, not me. :P To me, the packaging is not as classy as the last two L'oreal lipsticks that I had reviewed. But it suits it, cos I think the Shine Delicieux range is supposed to be more fun and youthful.

This is how it looks like on me, super close-up:

You can see that it is quite shiny, and the purple is not apparent. It's more towards pinkish. However, I feel that in real life, I seem to note the purple more. The shine is also less sparkly and more muted, so it's suitable for work. Personally, I find it looks good in photos, but not so much in real life. That's why I don't pick up this lipstick most of the time. :( Sorry, sis.

Read more...