New Product Review: NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick

I FINALLY got them, Glammies!  It seems like the new NYX Liquid Suede lippies have been actively avoiding me since they launched in late July.  It's mostly my fault - I totally blanked on the release date and of course they were all sold out by the time I remembered about them a week later.  It's all good though!  They recently released on Ulta.com and are still available for purchase.  So, for a little bit of background on the product, I'm going to let NYX tell y'all all about them:

Doll up your lips in plush and vibrant color! Our Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick glides on and sets into a striking matte finish. Velvety soft and waterproof, this long-lasting lippie creates a positively polished look with every swipe.

I'm in!  It's no secret that I'm in love with liquid lipsticks and I have been ever since the old school CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Lipcolor that came out in high school.  If you're a makeup junkie like me, you'll already know that NYX already has an incredibly line of matte liquid lipsticks called the Soft Matte Lip Creams, so what's the difference?  Well, the formula for these are more like the classic liquid lipsticks, in that they are supposed to be waterproof and long lasting, which the Soft Matte Lip Creams are not.  They come in 12 shades:

• Stone Fox;
• Life's A Beach;
• Cherry Skies;
• Soft-Spoken;
• Orange County;
• Sway;
• Sandstorm;
• Pink Lust;
• Tea & Cookies;
• Amethyst;
• Kitten Heels, and finally;
• Vintage

At $7 a pop, the price is certainly great, especially if you compare them to similar and very popular liquid lipsticks from Anastasia Beverly Hills or Kat Von D ($20.00 each).  I bought 9 of the 12 colors so that I could get a good sense of the color payoff and wear, and swatched them down below.

Overall, I would say that I like these lippies.  I'm in love with a couple of them (I'll expand on that later), but I don't feel like the entire line is a must-have.  

Let's talk about the formula first.  I did find it to be a lot more long-wearing than the Soft Matte Lip Creams, but they're still a lot more comfortable to wear than most liquid lipsticks.  Now, keep in mind that with something this long-wearing, the dry feeling on your lips is unavoidable.  With that being said, my lips didn't feel nearly as dry with these as they do with other liquid lippies, so there's a positive right there.  These did take a while to dry fully though, with some of them taking up to 5 minutes!  That's entirely too long for me to wait for my lips to set, and when they finally did, they weren't a completely matte finish.  The finish isn't a negative thing per se, but NYX did market them as so, so I was expecting a matte finish and not a satin one.  

Before I get into each individual color, I do want to put up a disclaimer: Although they are a liquid formula and thus more opaque than regular lipsticks, skin tone does need to be taken into account when looking at the color payoff.  I have a dark medium complexion with olive undertones (Mac NC35-40 depending on how tan I am), so please keep in mind that some colors may look a bit different on other people.  By the way, I didn't use a lipliner in any of these pictures, so y'all can get a sense of the true color of the lippies.

Love it or Leave it

Life's A Beach 

Life's A Beach is a true coral color.  I really didn't like the color because I felt like it looked almost neon against my skin, but it would look great on people much fairer than I am.  I found it to be really streaky in application, and I had to put on several coats to get some even color payoff.  After it set, I saw that it settled into the fine lines and was starting to patch.  LEAVE IT

Cherry Skies

This is a dark, wine red that I absolutely loved! I tend to gravitate towards these kinds of colors, so I knew that this one was a must have for me.  I didn't find it to be nearly as streaky as some others, but I did have to apply 2 coats to make the color even and opaque.  It's a great, vampy color for fall! LOVE IT

Soft-Spoken

This is a dusty pinkish brown color.  I was most excited for this particular lippie, because I felt like it would be the perfect pinky-nude color for me.  I was right!  It's hands-down my favorite out of the entire line.  I didn't have any trouble whatsoever with the application, and I was more than happy with the opaqueness and color payoff with just 1 coat.  LOVE IT

Sandstorm

Sandstorm is a true nude-brown that I had very high hopes for.  Unfortunately, the color was a little too cool and too close to my skin color for my liking.  However, I think it would be a gorgeous nude lippie for someone that's lighter than me, (I'm looking at you, Bex!)  I didn't have any problems with streakiness, but I did feel like it wasn't as opaque as Soft-Spoken.  This one is definitely a 2 coater. LOVE IT (just not on me.)

Pink Lust

Helloooo Barbie pink!  Although I wouldn't wear it on a regulr basis, this one is such a fun color, and incredibly bright.  Bright and opaque from the first swipe, you only need one coat for this lippie.  I did 2 for this picture because I wanted it to be hot, hot pink.  LOVE IT

Tea & Cookies

This was another disappointing one for me.  It's a light blush, baby pink color (it's advertised as pinky-nude but definitely not for my skin.)  This was another one that was incredibly patchy and streaky.  It had all the problems that I had with Life's A Beach, plus I couldn't get it to be opaque enough.  No matter how many coats I put on, I couldn't hide my natural lip color from peeking through.  LEAVE IT

Amethyst

This one is a true royal purple with a blue undertone.  Like Pink Lust, I wasn't expecting to be able to wear this color on a daily basis, but I feel like it's a fun color for those bold enough to wear purple lips.  Unlike Pink Lust, however, this one was surprisingly streaky even when I didn't apply too much pressure on the wand.  I had to put on 3 coats to even the color out.  LEAVE IT

Kitten Heels

Kitten Heels is a true, bright red with a blue undertone.  This one surprised me the most!  I don't usually like bright reds, because they tend to look orange on me, but I feel like this one stayed true to color.  It definitely had the best coverage out of the bunch and was perfectly opaque and smooth with just one application.  I'm a bright red lippie convert!  LOVE IT

Vintage

Vintage is a dark burgundy, almost plum color.  I know I'll be wearing this one quite a bit in the fall months because it has just enough brown undertone to make it bold but wearable.  This one was interesting in application though... I found this one to be streaky as well.  Luckily, it's such a dark color that it can hide all manner of sins, so it's not as obvious.  The streakiness threw me off a bit, but the color is so beautiful that I LOVE IT

Overview

Well there you have it!  Overall, I like these new NYX lippies... I just would leave some of the lighter ones on the shelf.  Do y'all have any of these?  How did y'all like them?  Let me know in the comments!

Glammie love!

~Jaz

1 Product, Multiple Uses!

Have you ever gone on vacation or been in a rush and forgotten your go-to products? And it isn't until you're already at the airport that you realize your cosmetics are in the makeup bag next to your front door, which was strategically placed there so that you didn't forget it...yeah, I haven't done that either!  In all seriousness, I have forgotten my go-to products before and realized it in the car ride to the airport or at my hotel room. Or maybe you have the memory of an elephant (take that as a compliment) and have never forgotten any product, right down to your teal eyeliner, which you may or may not use with the outfit you have planned for Sunday Brunch.  If the latter description is you, then maybe your makeup bag is weighing you down! Bottom line, no matter which category you fall under, this blog post may be helpful.

I have scoured the Internet, and now, I think I have a great collection of some I tips I already knew, some that I'm still playing with and some that I can swear by!  So, maybe you can rethink whether you need to bring all that makeup with you, or maybe, after reading this, you'll be able to make the best of what makeup you did remember to pack!

Lipstick Is The New Hero for Dark Circles!

Apparently, there is some serious science behind this.  If you look at a color wheel, you will see that orange-red is opposite from blue, and combining the two will cause color neutrality.

iStockphoto / Via Getty Images

Picking out the right color of red-orange or coral lipstick is something to play around with. The deeper your skin, the more reddish orange you can work with.  If you have a more medium or tan complexion, try to go more toward a warm coral, or if you have a light complexion, try a more yellow, peachy shade (and, if you are in this boat, maybe a color concealer would work better than lipstick).

The Blondeshell / theblondeshell.com

I've noticed that, if I go with a straight red, even after I blend it well, I still see a hint of pink popping out. A warm coral color is my go-to! Also, if you have the color you need in a cream lipstick, go with that, as compared to a matte lipstick, just because it's easier to blend.  Make sure you do the lipstick first with an eye shadow brush, and then put your foundation, concealer and powder on top in order to set it.  I like to blend my foundation and concealer with a beauty blender sponge.  This trick also works for any dark pigmentation left over from acne scars.  Now, you can say bye-bye to dark circles and spots!

Deepica Mutyala / Via birchbox.com

Highlight Like The Golden Goddess You Are!

The key to using an eye shadow as your highlighter is all about shimmer and not glitter.  Shimmer is a shade that will give you a luminous, subtle sheen.  Glitter is all about the sparkle, with tons of little particles reflecting light.  Unless you're a little girl throwing a princess party, you do not need any glitter on your face, unless of course you are Kesha (in which case, do your thing!).  I hope that most people who have eye shadow palettes have one of Urban Decay's Naked Series (if you don't, other neutral palettes will work, but we are using the Naked Series as a convenient example).  If you do have a Naked Series palette, either Naked or Naked 2, then you have a pan called Half Baked, which is the golden-bronze swatch with a shimmery finish. Use a highlighter brush and give your cheeks that soft glow!

Sephora.com / Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

Matte Is In... In More Ways Than One!

Matte lipstick and matte eye shadow are both components of a current and ongoing trend.  The best part of this trend is that you can use your matte eye shadow as a brow filler.  Taupe (Warm Taupe) works well for blonde and silver/white brows. 

For brunettes, I would stay away from warm browns and go more towards an ashy brown (Rich Brown). I'd suggest a warm brown (Hot Chocolate) for auburn hair because the warm tone will look more natural than an ashy brown color.  And lastly, if you have brown black or jet black hair, I would stick to a charcoal brown (Smoke). All of these eye shadows, which I linked, are $12.00 on the Anastasia Beverly Hills website, except for the Warm Taupe, which can be purchased at your local Macy's in the Anastasia Beverly Hills pop-up store.  Or if you want to test the colors before purchase, head to the closest Macy's and test to see if these are the right shades for your brows!  The key is to find a neutral shade and to avoid any shadow with a shimmer or satin finish.  (Unless you're rocking the teal hair trend... in which case, don't let me stop you by telling you what color to do your brows!)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eye Shadows

Get yourself a small Z Palette, and you can call this your matte eye shadow/brow palette!

Prime Those Eyes With Concealer!

Do you see an oily shine on your eyelids that is looking back at you in the mirror?  You, my friend, may be suffering from oily eyelids, which means you cake if you don't prime!  Years ago, Urban Decay (as seen in the picture below) solved this problem with the eye shadow primer, but there have been times where I definitely forgot to pack this with me when I traveled.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer

Fear not because your concealer has got your back!  Stick to a heavy-duty cream concealer, which will fill your crease better than a liquid concealer.  I use my Benefit Boi-ing to take over when I forget my eye shadow primer.  I personally use my finger, but you can use your brush.  Just make sure you apply an even, and let it dry a bit before you start adding your shadow.  After that, may the power of makeup last all day for you!  Of course, I do recommend that you always use a setting spray (Model in a Bottle) to help your makeup last all day!

Go forth makeup lovers and enjoy these tricks!

Glammie Love,
Bex

e.l.f. Studio Moisturizing Lipstick

I don't know what it is about Target, but every time I walk in to buy a few things, such as laundry detergent, dog treats, Advil, etc., I always end up finding myself in the beauty aisle, trying to see if e.l.f. has put out anymore new and affordable products.  Great job, Target, for carrying this brand, you get me every time!

At this time, Target has started carrying (in-store only) five different shades of their Moisturizing Lipsticks, $3.00 each.  But if you don't live anywhere near a Target, you can still order it from the e.l.f. website, also $3.00 each.  The great thing about buying from the website is that you get to pick from ten shades!  However, if you absolutely cannot wait and want to run to the store and pick these babies up, here are the five shades Target offers:

From Left to Right: Pink Minx, Ravishing Rose, Rosy-Go-Round, Cheeky, Red Carpet

From Bottom to Top: Pink Minx, Ravishing Rose, Rosy-Go-Round, Cheeky, Red Carpet 

That shine means moisture!  All shades that I show are with lipstick only, no lip liner or gloss. Hopefully, this gives you an idea of how the pigmentation enhances the color without help from any other product.

Pink Minx

When I think of Pink Minx, I think of Bubblegum/Barbie Pink.

The thing about loving Barbies growing up is finding myself always drawn to them; the bad thing about Bumble Gum/Barbie Pink is that it doesn't look good on my lips.  Out of the five shades, this one is the most transparent.  I tried to layer it, but it just made them look more pale.  I think it would look great on someone with a lighter skin tone or for use as part of an ombre lip.

 

Ravishing Rose

This shade was my favorite until I tried Red Carpet, but I still absolutely love this shade!

It smells like there is cocoa powder, and as I applied it, it reminded me of the smell of Too Faced The Chocolate Bar Eye Palette.  Though its tempting, do not eat it! And if you have kids, make sure they don't eat it either!

Rosy-Go-Round

This is a shade you wear when you want to go out and enjoy some night life.  If you want a hot pink shade that's more deep than neon, then this is the shade for you!

It doesn't come across as a deep hot pink, but trust me it is!  It reminds me of a deeper shade of my Sephora Collection Rouge Cream Lipstick Mr. Lover, which Sephora describes as a bright fuchsia (although I think it's more of a neon hot pink).  Anyhow, if you are not feeling the neon and want a darker shade than the Rosy-Go-Round, this is the choice for you!

Cheeky

Cheeky is the most metallic shade.  If you played the "which of these things isn't like the other" game (with these five shades), this would be this shade that wins.  After all, unlike the rest, it's not in the pink or red family.

However, if you want to rock the bronze goddess look, this is definitely the shade. It gives such a nice, shimmery color.

Red Carpet

Lastly, there is one shade that steals the spotlight: Red Carpet!  Red Carpet is red hot.  It's sexy, it's bold, it demands attention!  This shade inspires confidence.

Similarly to Ravishing Rose, I get a hint of cocoa powder.  Just remember, as anyone who took High School Dance or was on the Dance Team knows, the cardinal rule is to use red lip liner.  It's highly recommended when wearing red lips because red lips smudge and smear easily.  I had to be extra careful to apply this without liner.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with these lipsticks,  I cannot wait to play them up with liner and gloss!
 Stay tuned for the next time Target and e.l.f. launch new products!

Till Next Time Glammies,

Bex