Tag Archives: lipstick

My MAC Lipstick Collection

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I recently filmed a video of me swatching all of my MAC lipsticks. I honestly didn’t even realise I had so many until I started filming (thanks Back 2 MAC)! I always find these type of videos useful, especially when looking for what lipsticks actually look like on people. I plan to depot most of my lipsticks soon into a more convenient palette so I decided to film before the big event.

Most of these lipsticks were acquired from my local CCO and via MAC’s “Back 2 MAC” program. If you take any 6 empty MAC containers to a MAC store/ counter you can get a free lipstick (or eyeshadow in PRO stores).

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the video and let me know what your favourite MAC lipsticks are!

Nana Adomah

Bite Butter Cream Lipstick in “Marzipan”: A Review

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“I shouldn’t think even millionaires could eat anything nicer than new bread and real butter and honey for tea.”- Dodie Smith 

Bite Handcut Butter Cream Lipstick marzipan

Bite beauty marzipan lipstick review

Bite hand cut bullet lipstick marzipan

Bite butter cream lipstick on dark skin marzipan nw45 woc nc50

Top- bright daylight swatch, bottom- indoor swatch with flash

Bite butter cream lipstick in marzipan on dark skin nw45 nc50 woc swatch

“Marzipan” paired with a light application of MAC “chestnut” liner

I’m a big fan of Bite’s lipsticks and my interest was piqued when they rolled out their “hand cut” butter cream lipsticks a few months ago. Bite posits that cutting the lipstick bullet straight across rather than at an angle results in a creamier lipstick and by removing the waxy outer layer of lipstick, they can get straight to the creamier core. I’d have to say that they are absolutely correct.

I picked up the shade “marzipan”, a milky chocolate, and it is most definitely one of the creamiest lipsticks I own. It’s the perfect nude shade for my complexion and I love that it needs very little work to look good on my lips. It has surprisingly good staying power for such a creamy lipstick and it feels wonderfully comfortable on the lips. I usually wear it with just a touch of brown lipliner and I’m good to go.

However, I have two gripes about this lipstick. Firstly, the butter cream lipsticks are $28 each rather than the $24 Bite usually charge for their lipsticks. Granted, we are given slightly more luxurious magnetic packaging to justify this price increase but the decision to charge $4 more is really baffling.

Secondly, the shape of this lipstick is just awkward. I have pretty big lips and I have trouble reaching the corners of my lips and my cupid’s bow whenever I wear this lipstick. I’ve had to employ the use of a lip brush on many an occasion. It really makes me wonder how customers with thinner lips will fare.This leads me to wonder whether the shape is just a gimmick or if it really contributes to the creaminess of the lipstick.

However, as customary for Bite products, the lipstick is full of wonderful food-grade ingredients like shea butter, almond butter, pomegranate butter, argan oil, etc. and it is also organic. So if natural ingredients are important to you, you can most definitely rest easy.

Despite a couple of misgivings, I still highly recommend this lipstick. It comes in 8 neutral shades and they are all extremely flattering for most skin tones. Yes it’s pricy, but I think it’d be a nice product to pick up if you wanted to treat yourself.

Bite butter cream lipsticks are $28 and are available at Sephora.

Nana Adomah

MAC The Matte Lip Collection- Part 2!

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‘That always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they’re pretty. It’s like picking your breakfast cereals based on colour instead of taste.’ – John Green
MAC antique velvet lipstick dark skin

MAC whirl lipstick dark skin

MAC men love mystery lipstick dark skin

MAC men love mystery, antique velvet, whirl swatch on dark skin nw45 woc

L-R: Men Love Mystery, Antique Velvet, Whirl outdoor swatches in direct sunlight

MAC men love mystery, antique velvet, whirl swatch on dark skin nw45 woc black woman

L-R: Men Love Mystery, Antique Velvet, Whirl indoor swatches

mac antique velvet lipstick on dark skin nw45 woc swatch

Antique Velvet

MAC whirl lipstick on dark skin nw45 woc swatch

Whirl

MAC men love mystery on dark skin nw45 woc swatch

Men Love Mystery

As usual, MAC have gone into overdrive with their seemingly endless “limited edition” collections this year but The Matte Lip Collection is very welcome and best of all- permanent! Most of the lipsticks released in last year’s matte lip collection were limited edition so this is a very welcome change. I already own “Flat Out Fabulous”, “Ruby Woo”, and “Heroine” from the collection so I tried to be good and I limited myself to just three. I decided on “Men Love Mystery” (a pinkish violet), “Antique Velvet” (a reddish chocolate brown), and “Whirl” (a lipstick version of the best-selling pinkish brown lipliner).

I was so excited to finally get these in the post that I had to throw up some quick swatches on my lips. These are all without any sort of liner so you can see the true shade of the lipsticks. “Men Love Mystery” will definitely need a liner when I wear it out of the house and I’m thinking that “Whirl” will also benefit from one even though it’s not strictly necessary. “Antique Velvet” looks darker on me in person and I’m looking forward to rocking it in the Autumn/ Winter.

The three lipsticks I ordered are of the “matte” formula rather that the “retro-matte” formula so they are nowhere near as drying as Ruby Woo et. al. They feel comfortable on the lips but make sure your lips are nice and smooth before rocking them. I’m sure a few of these shades (“Whirl” in particular) will sell out but these are permanent so take your time if you’re willing to be patient.

MAC’s The Matte Lip collection can be found online now and in stores in a few weeks’ time. There are a whopping 22 shades and they retail for $16.

Are you planning on getting anything from this collection? Let me know in the comments!

Nana Adomah

Edited to add: Here’s a quick FOTD with me wearing “Whirl” today with “Chestnut” lipliner. Excuse the deer caught in headlights look. I can’t seem to take a good selfie these days 😦

MAC Whirl lipstick on dark skin NW45 WOC

“L.U.V Conquers All”: Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick Review

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“True love is usually the most inconvenient kind”- Kiera Cass

Kat Von D LUV

Kat Von D LUV on dark skinKat Von D’s Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in “L.U.V” is my third purchase in this line and it’s far and away my favourite. “L.U.V” is a purple/ pink that goes on wet like a lipgloss but dries to a matte finish that does not budge. I’d been putting off getting this shade for a while as I needed another purple/ pink lip product like a hole in the head but I’m so glad I finally caved.

I can put “L.U.V” on in the morning and (if I avoid greasy foods) forget up touching up for the majority of the day. Yes, it can feel a touch drying as most liquid lipsticks are wont to do but it is most definitely bearable. Making sure your lips are exfoliated and lightly moisturised before application will also go a long way towards combatting dryness. It feels pretty lightweight on the lips and it doesn’t collect in the corners of my mouth either. It can also be worn without a lipliner if desired but I am wearing it with OCC’s “Hoochie” liner in the pictures above.

“L.U.V” is a great colour for this time of year and I heartily recommend it to all my lipstick lovers out there. Check out this and the other colours in the range for $20 at Sephora.

Are you in love with “L.U.V”? Let me know in the comments!

Nana Adomah

MAC See Sheer Lipstick: Swatches and FOTD

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“Beauty is excrescence, superabundance, random ebullience, and sheer delightful waste to be enjoyed in its own right.” – Donald Culross PeattieMAC See Sheer lipstick

MAC see sheer on dark skin swatch

MAC See Sheer on dark skin NW45 swatchI’ve had my eye on MAC’s “See Sheer” lipstick for years. I fell in love with it back when I lived in London but I could never remember the name of it when it came time to purchase for some reason. I was looking for a lipstick as my free “Back to MAC” choice a little while ago when I re-discovered this lovely orangey coral shade.

“See Sheer” is the perfect no-fuss Spring/ Summer shade and the best thing is that I don’t need a liner to rock it! It’s part of MAC’s “luster” formulas and it has a decent amount of slip. It’s semi-sheer but you can easily build it up to a fuller coverage. It wears very well but it can settle into cracks and lines in the lips after a few hours.

“See Sheer” is one of those colours that I think will look good on everybody. It’s sheer enough to suit numerous skin tones but still gives good colour pay-off.

You can grab it at any MAC counter or online at MAC for $16 (when did MAC lipsticks hit $16? SMDH).

Have a wonderful weekend everybody!

Nana Adomah

Purple Is Not Just A Noun: MAC “Gunner” lipstick review

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IMG_1533It seems like MAC have a new collection out every week and I don’t tend to get caught up in the hype but I knew that “Gunner” would be mine as soon as I saw the pre-release. I love purple lipsticks and I don’t have a shade like this so I bought it with no guilt!

“Gunner” is part of the Nasty Gal collection and it is one of a trio of lipsticks called “Stunner” (a true red), “Runner” (a plummy burgundy), and “Gunner” (a matte, deep purple). “Gunner” is so purple that it can lean blue in certain lights. It reminds me a little of OCC’s “technopagan” lip tar and it’s nothing like MAC’s popular “smoked purple” as I’d initially feared.

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Top: swatch with flash, Bottom: swatch in natural daylight

 

“Gunner” is matte but not a retro-matte so it won’t dry out your lips like Ruby Woo et. al. However, a matte lipstick is a matte lipstick so make sure your lips are in tip top condition before rocking this as it is very unforgiving.

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“Gunner” on myself paired with Urban Decay’s “Smoked” palette

I predicted that “Gunner” would be popular and it seems to be out of stock already on the MAC website but continue to check as they may replenish stock. The Nasty Gal collection is in selected MAC stores and online here.

Would you rock a purple lip? Let me know in the comments!

 “All the other colors are just colors, but purple seems to have a soul. Purple is not just a noun and an adjective but also a verb – when you look at it, it’s looking back at you.” Uniek Swain

Nana Adomah

Are You A Living Legend?: MAC The Matte Lip Collection Review

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L-R: Living Legend, Fashion Revival

I’ve been super over a lot of MAC’s collections over the past few years and I swore I wouldn’t buy into the hype but here I am, the proud owner of two of the lipsticks in The Matte Lip collection. I ordered Fashion Revival and Living Legend and I couldn’t be more pleased.

There are eight lipsticks in the collection with Heroine being the only one that is part of the permanent collection. I already own Heroine and I have numerous reds so Fashion revival and living legend were the only ones that jumped out at me. I ordered these online but I’ll be sure to pop into the shops on Friday, when they are released in MAC stores, to see what the other colours are like in person.

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L-R: Living Legend, Fashion Revival indoors daytime w/ flash.

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Daytime swatch no flash

Living Legend is a fantastic deep aubergine colour that swatched with full opacity in just one swipe. I’ve been on my dark lipsticks a lot this year so this is a very welcome addition. Fashion Revival is a dark raspberry that’s also right up my street. I was scared it was just a more matte version of Rebel (my all-time favourite MAC lipstick) but happily it wasn’t too similar.

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L-R: Living Legend, Fashion Revival, and Rebel

Rebel is definitely more purple and generally darker overall.

Now be aware of the fact these lipsticks are in MAC’s matte formula and NOT in their retro matte formula like I originally believed. The formula is slightly more matte than their amplified lipsticks but not a true matte matte like Ruby Woo or Flat Out Fabulous.

All in all, this is a nice collection by MAC and I’m sure they’ll sell in their shed loads so be sure to check them out when they hit stores this Friday. Look out for a FOTD featuring these very soon!

The MAC Matte Lip collection can be purchased here or in stores on Friday for $16 (yes we see you constantly increasing your prices MAC smh) and I highly recommend them. There are also six pro longwear lip liners and three blushes that are part of the collection so be sure to give them a gander.

Nana Adomah

NARS Audacious Lipstick in “Lana” Review

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I’ve been completely slacking on my social media game this summer so it came as a complete surprise to me when I was gifted one of the new lipsticks from NARS. I had no idea that there was a new line coming out but boy am I impressed.

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NARS audacious lipstick in “Lana”

 

The Audacious Lipstick Collection has been released in celebration of NARS’ 20th anniversary and there are 40 shades in all. Each lipstick is named after an iconic actress and I’m guessing that mine is named after Lana Turner. “Lana” is a bright orangey red and I still haven’t worn it out of the house but I’m determined to challenge myself. All my reds are blue-based reds so it’s nice to have a warm-toned one in my collection.

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New super-luxe packaging

The Audacious lipsticks are far removed from the plastic casing of the regular NARS lipstick line and these are made of a sleek, matte, black metal with a sexy magnetic closure. The NARS logo is embossed directly onto the bullet and it is also faintly etched onto the outer metal casing. Unfortunately, these lipsticks have also been hiked up in price to $32 compared to the usual $26 of the regular NARS lipstick line. $32 puts the lipsticks right next to the Givenchys, the YSLs, and the Diors of the cosmetic world and I’m sure that this may act as a deterrent for some. However, to be fair, NARS has at least tried to let you see where the extra money has gone.

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Fully pigmented in one stroke.

The lipstick has amazing pigment and you get full opacity in just one swipe. The best thing about it is that you barely feel as though you’re wearing anything at all since the formula is so lightweight. I have no idea how NARS managed to pack so much pigment into such a thin formula but I’m very impressed.

I would class these lipsticks as a “nice to have” rather than a “must have” so definitely go ahead and splurge only if you have the extra coins. These come in an impressive range of shades and they are a nice addition to the NARS line albeit at a very high price.

The NARS Audacious lipsticks can be found at Sephora or at NARS.

“I have a real love affair with lipstick. It gives you more power.” Francois Nars

Nana Adomah

The Only Shame Is To Have None

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Urban decay shame lipstick

I’ve had this Urban Decay lipstick for months so I have no idea why I’m only just now writing about it. This was probably my most worn lipstick all Winter and I see no reason why I shouldn’t rock it well into Summer (makeup trends be damned). “Shame” is a lovely deep burgundy colour thats’ part of Urban Decay’s new(ish) Revolution line. There are 23 colours available in the range

Shame glides on beautifully and has a really nice satin finish that isn’t quite a lustre nor is it a matte. It’s highly pigmented and you get really intense colour with just one swipe. The inclusion of jojoba oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and avocado oil keep lips nicely moisturised and you don’t get that horrible dry feeling that some lipsticks leave.

The best thing about this lipstick though is that you can get more than 5 hours of wear without having to touch up! There’s nothing that irks me more than having to constantly touch up my makeup and this is a huge plus in its favour.

Urban Decay Shame dark skin FOTD

Wearing “Shame” with MAC’s “Vino” lipliner

The packaging is a sleek metallic pewter with Urban Decay’s signature purple on the inside of the tube. The lipstick is formulated without parabens, sulfates, and phthalates and retails for $22 at Urban Decay or Sephora. This has absolutely been one of my favourite purchases and I cannot recommend Shame enough. 

Nana Adomah 

Brand Focus: Bite Beauty

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Bite Beauty lipsticks

Bite Beauty is a brand I only came across last year and in this short time, they’ve yet to disappoint me. They make some of the most comfortable lipsticks I own. When I say “comfortable”, I mean you hardly feel as though you are wearing any lipstick at all when you have them on. They are very moisturizing and the pigment packed into each tiny bullet of lipstick is insane.

Bite Beauty is an all-natural company and each lip product is packed with all kinds of food-grade level goodness, hence the name Bite. The lipsticks are individually hand-crafted and they contain great ingredients like shea butter, manuka honey, argan oil, grapeseed oil, etc. The lipsticks also contain resveratrol, which “fights free radicals with potent long-term antiaging benefits”. Each Bite lipstick has the same amount of resveratrol  found in five glasses of red wine! Additionally, Bite Beauty products are free from parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates and triclosan.

Bite Beauty lipstick bullets

My Bite lipstick collection isn’t huge but it’s well-loved. I have the luminous creme lipsticks in vento (a bubblegum pink), tannin (a burgundy), and the limited edition VIB Rouge mini lipstick made for Sephora VIB Rouge card holders. I also recently purchased the two luminous creme lipstick duos in neutral and vivid. The neutral comes with lychee (a very light neutral pink) and musk (a pinky brown), while the vivid comes with palomino (a vibrant magenta) and violet (a pinkish purple). I also have a mini of the cashmere lipstick cream in sancerre (a bright fuschia with red undertones).

From top-bottom: musk, lychee, violet, palomino

From top-bottom: musk, lychee, violet, palomino

The mini duos are a great way to try out the Bite lipsticks in a cute and portable package. As you can see from the swatches, the pigmentation’s insane and they just feel so nice on the lips. They are a great price at $12 each and since each regular-sized Bite lipstick is $24, you can try out two colours for half the price of one! Continue reading →