Quickie Review: Revlon Lash Potion Mascara

One item on my beauty to-do list for 2014 is to find my Holy Grail mascara. I tend to stick to Maybelline mascaras which work well pretty for me, but I've never been head-over-heels for any single mascara. Naturally, due to the short-lived nature of mascaras, I'm starting my hunt on the high street and I was attracted to this gorgeously packaged mascara from Revlon. On an introductory price of £5, I couldn't say no!

 

Isn't that a pretty tube? I like mascara tubes that aren't black as it makes them easier to find in my makeup bag. I know it’s not the nicest photo, but it’s so shiny I couldn’t snap it in direct light!

This mascara has, as seems to still be de rigeur in mascaras, a really large bristle brush. The bristles are spaced out to make 3 sections on the wand. I was sceptical of this huge brush as my lashes are quite short and I tend to have trouble with large brushes, especially on my lower lashes. I didn't find it bad on my top lashes and the way the brush is split into sections helps in not getting it all over your lashline, but it's not the easiest to use on your lower lashes.

I like the effect of this mascara on my lashes - it gives decent volume and length without being too much, although it does have a slight tendency to look spidery if you really want to build it up. On first application, I really enjoyed this mascara. It wasn't omgwow, but it was pretty nice…. And here comes the "but"! The staying power of this mascara is total crap! I looked in the mirror around lunchtime and had huge raccoon circles! I put it down to my new concealer, but didn't use that the following day and still encountered smudges. Boo! I don't wear mascara on my lower lashes everyday, especially during the week, but I’d like the option, thanks!

I’d be tempted to try out a waterproof version of this, but the smudging just makes this a total no-go for me – really, really not what I want in a mascara at all! Sorry Lash Potion, but Shantay, you don’t stay.

Have you tried any Revlon Mascaras? What’s your current favourite?

2true Prime Perfect–A Benefit Porefessional Dupe?

Beloved by many, the Benefit Porefessional primer has been a hit since it's release. I'm not a huge primer fan for many reasons but I do like to try the new hot thang on the block, and enjoyed a couple of mini bottles of Porefessional well enough. When I heard that 2true, a somewhat ignored budget brand from Superdrug, had released a dupe, I had to check it out!



That is a LOT of claims on the bottle right there. Hydrating and brightening AND mattifying? Protects from what exactly? Oh, companies. Just quit it already!



If you're familiar with Porefessional, this looks exactly the same! The product has a tint to it, but I don't feel it provides any coverage, so there goes the 'evens skintone' claim. It definitely doesn't brighten either - like most silicone based primers, you'll get a more matte look.

 Again, like Porefessional, a little goes a long way and it works really well to smooth out your skin and reduce the appearance of your pores and fine lines without feeling too heavy. If you're really oily, it won't do much for you in way of oil control but for me, I find it does help to prolong the wear of my foundation and stop the shin peeping through on my t-zone. I like to use it with a BB cream for a fuss-free face for work when I want to look a little more polished.

If you like Porefessional but can't stomach the £24.50 price tag or brave the scary Benefit ladies, I'd really, really recommend hunting this down. It's a fiver, y'all. And to my eyes (and face!), it's exactly the same.

Weleda Skin Food

I've mentioned Weleda Skin Food on my blog before, but never actually written much about it. Seeing as I recommend it all the time I thought I'd best get round to it so I can just point people here and stop repeating myself! This rather unassuming green tube has basically saved my skin. Let's see what the folks themselves have to say about it: 

 

"Weleda Skin Food is a nourishing and hydrating treatment for the whole body, especially hands, feet and elbows. This marvellous intensive moisture cream is a backstage beauty secret and been around since 1926. Suitable for vegetarians."

 

Let's get one thing out of the way first - I use this on my face. For most, this would be a great cream for the body but long-time readers of my blog will know I can get super-dry skin on my face, to the point of getting peely and sore. I initially bought this cream when my other half developed a little dry patch under his eye that wouldn't shift. As an aspiring makeup artist, I'm lucky to get product recommendations from other artists I know and Weleda Skin Food had been mentioned for problem dry patches and complexions many a time, so I bought it for him, but like many a beauty product bought for other halfs, it came back into my possession. I applied it one night when I had run out of my usual cream and instantly fell in love! 

This is *so* soothing. It's got a very thick texture, so a little goes an extremely long way. If you're using it on the face, you'll find it 'drags' if you try to rub it in as it's so thick, so patting a light layer on will work best. I used to use this day and night, but it's done my skin so well that I only need to use this as night cream now, and not even every single night. It does take a wee while to sink in, but if you've got the skin type that needs this level of juice on the face, you'll appreciate that. It's not one for a rush in the mornings though! I've been using this since the end of last summer, and I can't even tell you how happy I am with how much more comfortable my skin feels. I've not had any dry patches on my nose or cheeks flare up this winter and I've not had any flaky patches across my nose for a long time, which were a long standing fixture for a while. I love you, Weleda Skin Food. I love you.

 

The cream contains lanolin, so it's not vegan, and almond and sunflower oils which some people may be allergic to. If natural*, plant-derived ingredients are your bag though, this may well suit you! It does smell a little though - to my nose it smells a little like Campari, or slightly herbal.The green tube is, let's face it, pretty fuss free, but I don't care. I want it to do fancy stuff to my face, not to my shelf.

This absolute angel of a cream is beloved by many famous faces - Adele, Victoria Beckham and Erin O'Connor to name a couple - and now I'm a total convert as well. If it's not going to suit your face, your elbows, feet and shins may just love it. If you're a makeup artist, you can use this almost as you'd use a face mask to prep drier skins. It’s a great price and will last you for ages. What else can I say to express how much I love this stuff?!

Weleda Skin Food costs £8.95 from Weleda for 75ml.


*I hate the term 'natural' when it comes to beauty products. Natural? So what! Cyanide is natural, FFS.

LoveMeBeautyBox: January

I'm really enjoying my LoveMeBeauty subscription... I'm three boxes in now and I'm really enjoying the face that you can choose your options - it makes me more excited to try my items!



Clockwise from left:

Anatomicals your nose smells rose body cleanser:

It's a shower gel. It smells like rose. It's cheap and cheerful - not an unwanted item, but at this time of year I always end up with more shower gels than I can a stick at! The cheerful packaging will brighten up my bathroom until I've run out of Lush's Christmas goodies!

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream:
I love love love my Weleda Skin Food (review coming soon!) and I've seen a lot of products with sea buckthorn in lately, so I was keen to try this. This is a small little tube, so perfect for your coat pocket or bag. It's a nice thick cream and it'll be coming along with me on my ski holiday

Essential Care Lemon and Teatree Facial Wash:

This was an added extra to the box this month - hurrah! Not suited for my skin type (sadly, as  it smells divine!) so I'll be palming this on off onto my boyfriend. who likes a nice face wash.

Pureology Colour Stylist Silk Bodifier:

Bloody hell, a hair mousse? I haven't used mousse since...god knows how long! The reviews on their website are a it mixed and seeing as the top rated one describes it as a 'moose,' I'm not sure what to think about this item, but I'll give it a try.

Cosmetics a La Carte Divine Lash Mascara:

Now *this* is what I was excited to try out! I've heard very good things about this brand and I'm on a mascara mission at the moment. I was very pleased to see a mascara with a SMALL WAND for a change. I've tried this out a few times and will do a full review, but let's just say I'm very pleased so far.

NYX Eyeshadow in Black Sparkle:

Meh. It's not that black. It's not that sparkly. I'd rather have had a neutral shade to be honest - this one is nothing to write home about, nor something I'd use regularly. A bit disappointing, but at least I know what I'm not missing!


So...a bit of a mixed bag this month, but the mascara was well worth the £10 subscription in my opinion!

Have you tried anything new or unusual lately? Fallen in love with any subscription box items?

 

Jessica…Dragit? Drag makeup experiment

Netflix added RuPaul’s Drag Race a week or so ago, so naturally I’ve been doing nothing else except watching that! I am absolutely fascinated with drag makeup, and even though I’m, you know, an actual girl, I kind of love doing it. It’s certainly a challenge to do and there’s a *ton* of stuff you can learn from doing it, so I kind of see it as a worthwhile waste of a couple hours!

I apologise for the nasty picture quality , but it’s dark and dingy here constantly, and I have a new camera I don’t know how to use yet. Score!

I went more old school, comedy drag than sexy drag which was fun to do!However, let’s just say there are a lot of things I’d try differently next time! I like how the false brows worked out, but I really need to suck it up and try to cover my own brows properly instead of finding creative ways to draw over them as this didn’t work out so well.  I like how the cheeks worked out (low contour inspired by Divine yo) but I can’t for the life of me work out that frigging nose thing all the queens do at the moment. Boo!

 

Next time I try this I’m not going to be scared like I have been, and I'm really going to pile that face on and let it bake! I just physically can't bring myself to apply that much makeup...yet!

I used a whole bunch of crap for this, but if you’re gagging on my eleganza and need to know what I’m wearing please just say and I'll let you know.

MAC Magnetic Nudes Collection: Autoerotique and Fairly Precious

As soon as I saw the promo images for the Magnetic Nudes collection, I knew that Autoerotique was coming home with me! I love a peach toned anything, and I LOVE a MAC blush. Blushes are one of my favourite items MAC do –I’ve never had a dud from them, the range is fantastic, the finishes are fab. I also love the one other Extra Dimension Skin Finish I have (Whisper of Gilt, holla!) and I picked 'Fairly Precious' from the collection in the hope it would become a new favourite for me.

MAC Extra Dimension Blush in Autoerotique.

MAC describes this as a “dirty coral rose.” That’s pretty bang on – I had it in my head it would be a little less red and a little more peach than it is. I’ve never tried this formula of blush before and in the pan, it almost looks like a plastic blush – it looks very hard and smooth! It’s a little stiffer than some blushers but still picks up well and blends onto the face. MAC also says this is “a liquid-powder blush with prismatic reflections.” Um… okay? I guess this is referring to how the blush is made, because there's nothing liquid about it - it's a powder blush.

MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Fairly Precious

 

Again, MAC describes this as ‘liquid-powder.” I really have no idea what that is supposed to mean. This highlighter is “Peach with a dimensional pearly sheen.” Like other Extra Dimension Skinfinishes, this has a buildable shimmer and can really be piled on into a strong sheen on the face. If that ain’t your thang, it work well subtly applied too.

These are swatched fairly heavily here – there’s good pigmentation without them being crazy, a good thing in a blush in my opinion! The texture of Fairly Precious is smooth with no chunky glitter or shimmer and I had no problem with getting good payoff from Autoerotique despite how hard it looks in the pan.

 

 

I’m wearing both here and I love how they look! Fairly Precious is actually pretty pigmented on it’s own on my skin colouring - I actually wear this on it's own as a blush most of the time, but I do like to buff a little bit of Autoerotique in the middle which is how I'm wearing it here. I've been wearing one or the other of these pretty much since I recieved them, which is a good sign of them becoming favourites as I don't normally go more than two or three days without reaching for Sleek Suede blush.

According to the site, Autoerotique claims six hours of wear, and Fairly Precious claims ten hours of wear. I’d give it MAC on both of those – I can put these on at around 7am and they'll both be hanging on when I got home at 7pm. So long wearing, check. Gorgeous, check. Annoyingly limited edition, check.

Did you pick up anything from this collection? What are your favourite highlighters?

AmazingCosmetics AmazingConcealer Review

I'd heard about this brand on YouTube a while ago and remember thinking you must have pretty big cahoonas to call yourselves 'AmazingCosmetics' if your products were anything but. I happened across this set on clearance in TK Maxx and picked it up out of curiosity.

 

 

 

 

AmazingCosmetics claims that "AmazingConcealer is a full coverage, water-proof concealer that makes all skin imperfections disappear...has a complexion-perfection, highly-pigmented formula that gives a natural-looking finish and full coverage for everything from dark circles to blemishes'.”

 

 

I can't find the kit online anymore, but these are two of the 'Little AmazingConcealers,' containing 6ml each. They also offer a larger, 15ml option for their concealer. The kit had a branded clear bag, a concealer brush and a small clear jar which I cannot see the use for in relation to this kit! The value of this kit excluding the jar and bag is $74, so around £45. I got it on sale for a fiver, so go me!

 

Fair Golden, Medium Beige.

 

The shades in this kit were 'Fair Golden' and 'Medium Beige.' Fair Golden isn't a dead-on match for me, but it was workable enough for me to review and test the product. There are 20 shades in the range, all with their undertones listed on the website which is great for those who can't try it instore. The shades are grouped into 'fair' 'medium' and 'tan,' which kind of craps on their claim of 'no skintone left behind.' (This is bullshit, companies, y’all hear? Bullllshiiit. It can't be true, so just don't say it.) Anyway… as you can see from the swatch, a little goes a long way! This has an unusual texture –  it’s almost like a thick gel.

 

On my right, no concealer. On my left, concealer. Well, duh.

Okay, let’s start grilling this bad boy! Under the eyes, the coverage is pretty darn good. No arguing with that - it combats both the darkness and the redness in my undereye area well. However, I find this really hard to work with under the eyes. As said, a little goes a long way, and this stuff is pretty thick. I find it too thick to blend out with a brush, and it’s difficult to blend a small amount out with your finger on a delicate area under the eye when the texture is a little tacky. I found it creased up before I could finish blending it out, which made it a pain in the butt to set with powder. I’m not convinced on this as an undereye concealer for me personally, but I’m going to try and make this work because I like the coverage and texture a lot.


On the face, I like this much better. I find the consistency much easier to work with on a smaller area, and the little brush that came with the kit is useful for blemishes. You really need to use the tiniest little bit and tap it over your blemishes – if you’re used to working with OCC Lip Tars, that’s how little an amount we’re talking here. Start with the teeniest blob and go back for more if needed. Because you need so little to gain coverage, a tapping motion works best when applying this concealer and that'll cover your blemishes a treat!

 

 The website claims all sorts in terms of wear – that it’s waterproof, for example. Unfortunately I don’t find it particularly long wearing – not to say that it’s bad, but when you’re expecting it not to budge all day and it needs to be touched up in the afternoon along with the rest of your makeup, it does miff you a wee bit.


Would I recommend this? Hmm… possibly. For some, this is going to be really great – a little goes a long way, it covers well and there is a good shade range for fair-medium dark skintones. So that'll make it a winner for a lot of people. However, while it wears pretty well on blemishes, I think there are much longer wearing concealers on the market and of course, this is something that is very dependent on your skin type anyway. For my undereye area, I find it difficult to apply and set.  When it’s not on sale, it’s pretty darn expensive at $28 for the smaller tube, and obviously for non-USA people, it’s going to be a pain in the arse to get hold of! It’s a nice addition to my makeup bag, especially due to it's size and the amount you need, but I was really dissapointed with it under my eyes and wished that it lasted longer on the skin.

Have you tried anything from AmazingCosmetics? What is your favourite multi-purpose concealer?

Quickie Review: Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lipgloss in Black Ruby

I’ve done gone all fancy! After falling in love with a Chanel Glossimer I received as a Christmas gift, I had a hankering to try some more brands of high-end gloss and this little number from Bobbi Brown caught my eye.

 

 

The packaging for the Bobbi Brown glosses is really nothing to write home about. It’s sleek enough I suppose, but there’s something about it that considering it’s price point is a little disappointing. I can’t quite put my finger on it.

 

Here’s a very thin layer of the gloss…

 

 

…and a thicker layer. Bobbi Brown describes this as ‘“crimson with gold pearl’'” which I think is pretty much spot on. The gold sparkles aren’t hugely apparent but they really add to the shine of the product and make it look much more luxurious on the lip.  I would have thought ‘Black Ruby’ would have been a little deeper but I guess this could be described as a slightly blackened red. It’s a beautiful shade and one that'll go well with a simple taupe eye and a slick of eyeliner.



In my opinion, if a gloss doesn’t look better layered you’ve pissed your money away, and I found a perfect pairing for Black Ruby with a 99p liner from LA Colours, of all things! It’s a slightly metallic red-plum shade (the name’s worn off) and this is how I’ve been wearing Black Ruby. This combination got a lot of face time over Christmas!

This is a gorgeous colour and I’m pleased I bought it, but something about this one doesn’t make me want to rush down the to Bobbi Brown counter for more. The shimmer is gorgeous but the sheen of the gloss itself could be more shiny for me. I'd expect something more reflective for a 'high shimmer' gloss. It’s not gritty but I do notice that after wearing it, some glitter/shimmer is left on my lips which quite frankly is annoying.  The gloss is non-sticky, buildable and has a really pleasant mint scent. It’s a pretty darn nice product, but for the price I’d rather spend an extra £3 and get another Chanel Glossimer instead.


Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lipglosses cost £18.00 and I got mine from House of Fraser.

Quickie review: Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in Savage Grace

For Christmas, the lovely Rachael sent me a gorgeous package full of the most adorable Sanrio candy (if you think that’s still around you’ve got another think coming!) and this absolute stunner of a gloss from Chanel! I was very touched she sent me something so lovely and was really excited to wear it!

 

 

That double C, though. Chanel makeup just makes me feel damn fancy, there’s no two ways about it! So, the packaging is undeniably beautiful, what does it look like on the lip?

 

 

 

Click to embiggen and see the sparkle! This is one layer of the gloss applied using the doefoot wand it comes with. Chanel describes Savage Grace as a ‘deep shimmering garnet.’ Garnet, Chanel? Garnet is red, homeslices. This shit is pink. And a beautiful pink at that.

 

And just for funsies, here it is layered over MAC Rebel lipstick. If this isn’t a damn gorgeous pairing I don’t know what is!

 

 

One swipe of this leaves a gorgeous colour pay-off and for a gloss, I’m really impressed with how it wears. It’s a fairly thin formula so it doesn’t feel goopy. It’s slightly tacky and I would recommend the finger trick as I got a little on my teeth the first time I wore it, but I wouldn’t say it was sticky. It’s non-gritty and doesn’t have a scent or taste to speak of. I’m much more of a lipstick person than a gloss person but I can really, really see why these are so popular – the formula is wonderful and if the rest of the shades are this gorgeous I think I’m in trouble! Yes, for a gloss it’s pricey but if you fall in love with a shade, I think it’s worth it.

Have you tried any Chanel glosses? Any recommendations?

Chanel Glossimers can be bought from Boots for £21.00

Some Recent Makeup Work/Publications

Thought I would share a few pretties here with you! The latter half of 2013 was quite quiet for me on the makeup front due to other commitments. but I’ve been very lucky that the shoots I have done have all been fabulous and I've come away with lovely memories and a few publications to boot!

 

Model: Abby Munro
Designer: BLACKMIRROR DESIGN
MUAH: Robyn Skinner
Photographerh: Richard Powazynski

 

Published in FJORDE Magazine. Click here to read for free.

 

 

(The model in black and white is our work, as is the blonde model in the bottom-left corner. They’re both Abby!)

 

Model: Abby Munro
Designer: BLACKMIRROR DESIGN
MUAH: Robyn Skinner
Photographerh: Richard Powazynski

Published in Kultur Mag.

 

Finally got some images back from a shoot with an amazing team this summer – everyone involved was so talented, so it's wonderful to see some publications come from everyone’s hard work. Please check everyone linked above out, their work is so beautiful! I was very honoured to work with the team.

Models: Kelly Knox and Labonya Siddiqui
Photographer: Gavin Kemp
MUAH: Robyn Skinner

A really interesting shoot, this one. Inspired by the iconic United Colors of Benetton shoots from the late 80’s and early 90’s, the photographer wanted to explore diversity. Kelly was born without her left forearm and Labonya is a burns survivor so each model brought a different perspective to the shot in terms of how we perceive people's beauty. It was really sobering to hear Labonya’s story and I hope the images go some way to showing that physical differences don’t make anyone less beautiful.  You may have seen Kelly on Britain's Missing Top Model and How To Look Good Naked.  

 

shoot name :: Wrath Reloaded … or the fifth Deadly Thing
photography & set design :: Marco Fazio at mjfstudio
filmmaker :: Patricia Vilani at Suspicious Behaviour
filmmaker :: Paul Sunich at Tracer7Films
art director :: Strawberry Love at mjfstudio
fashion designer :: Marianna Nardin at Blackmirror Design
make-up artist & hair stylist :: Robyn Skinner
art consultant :: Iggy Passenger
set design consultant :: Claudia Parker
construction coordinator :: Urim Mripa at DOT Bespoke
CGI designer :: Marco Vacca
key scenic :: Michal Mackiewicz
assistant photographer :: Debora Palazzo
assistant photographer :: Alfredo Ezquerra Sanchez
assistant photographer :: Laurent Azemi
assistant videographer :: Yhago Maia
model, arms & armour scholar :: Bella White
model :: Elena Miriam Tun
model :: Champ Imi
location and set construction :: courtesy of DOT Bespoke, London (UK)
oxidised finish for backdrop panel :: courtesy of Metropolis by IVAS, San Mauro Pascoli (Italy)

I absolutely loved everything about this shoot! Everyone worked so hard and really pulled it all together! The concept was 'Wrath,' with a baroque influence and references to Caravaggio and Italian art. I loved designing the hair and makeup for this shoot and making sure each character fit the bill and complimented each other and the concept nicely.

Well, that's all I have to show for now, but there's plenty more coming soon! Thank you for looking at my little artistic endeavours and please check out the work of all the lovely people linked here!

Quickie Review and Swatches: MAC Punk Couture Cremesheen Glasses

This is a bit of a 'mixed feelings' review. I both like the products and am quite disappointed at the same time!

Lots of people were excited by the Punk Couture release, especially those with a penchant for unusual or darker lip colours. I skipped the lipsticks (not that I could have got my hands on them anyway!) as I have purples, wines and blacks galore and went for the Cremesheen Glasses instead. Initially I wanted the black shade, Dark Outsider, as I love using these for layering and have misplaced my black Inglot gloss, and the green shade, Jet Boy, as I love green lip colours. On a whim I chucked No Apologies into my basket as well. In for a penny, eh?

Dark Outsider

Dark Outsider Layered over MAC Russian Red

I really enjoy black lipglosses. They do tend to be sheerer, and this one is no exception, but for once that's what I want from a gloss. You might ask why you want a sheer black gloss - well, if you've ever put your clear gloss over a black lip product and ruined it, that's one reason! They're also really fun for changing up red and berry shades.

So while this one is nothing overly exciting, if you like the Cremesheen formulas and don't have a black gloss for layering, I would happily recommend this one.

Jet Boy

^{Jet Boy layered over MAC Russian Red}

Oh, Jet Boy. This is the one I was really disappointed in. As mentioned, I know Cremesheen Glasses aren't big on pigmentation or anything, but I really, really wanted this one to show up more on the
lips in terms of the green sparkles. Compared to how it looks in the tube, it ain't shit. I do like how this one looks over red shades, however, and the grey undertone is really interesting, but what a let down!

No Apologies

No Apologies over a Sleek Matte Me Lip Cream

Again, this one is sheerer than I expected and not as sparkly. Due to the more conventional colour though, this comes off as a really pretty gloss. It still has the greyer undertone but I don't read it as
strongly as with Jet Boy on my skin due to the purple sparkles. I wore this on New Years Eve with a purple smokey eye and have actually worn it to work a few times as well. Again, I wish it looked more like it did in the tube. I really like it but wouldn’t normally pay the price for something so sheer. When it comes to lipgloss I tend to prefer more expensive ones but I still want the bang for my buck.

 

Dark Outsider, Jet Boy, No Apologies

So... would I recommend getting these? I find the formula comfortable, non-sticky and lightly moisturising and it lasts around 2-3 hours on me, which isn't bad for gloss with little tackiness to it, so that's nice.  If you're a MAC collector or like to use sheer tints to change your lip shade, yes, perhaps. If you want over the top sparkle or a really unusual shade on your lips, steer well clear. While I like the products and will use them, I wish MAC had chosen to release these shades in a different formula that offered more sparkle and pigmentation as these are way too expensive for what they offer.  If you like sparkly, unusual lipglosses and don’t want to spend these prices, I can’t recommend Darling Girl Cosmetics enough.

These can be purchased from MAC for £17.50 each.

Quickie Review and Swatches: Lime Crime Velvetine in Pink Velvet

 God damnit, I can’t resist the Velvetines*. Bold matte colours that don’t budge an inch are pretty much my bag. Even when I'm wizened and old, I want to be wearing this sort of slap.  Luckily for us makeup lovers, more and more of these ‘velvet’ products are popping up on the scene, including more budget friendly options. which is fab as the Velvetines sell out pretty often and can be harder to get hold of if you don’t live in the US.

 

 

Oooh, isn’t that lovely? Super bright! For those of you who haven’t used this type of product before, it’s a liquid lipstick that goes on wet and dries very quickly into a budge-proof matte product. And these things really *are* budge proof! If you want a lip colour and are planning on eating, light snogging, swimming (?!) or are going to be without a chance to touch up, these are going to see you through the day. I don't find these that drying for a matte, but I'd recommend prepping your lips beforehand, as I would with all matte lipsticks.

 

 

This is a terrible picture that I took when I was dicking about with my new camera, but as you can tell, this is from Christmas Day. I’d eaten a LOT of food at that point, and it’s still clinging on for dear life. If you need a colour that isn’t going anywhere, this will tick the box. Luckily removal has never been a pain in the arse for me, but an oil based lip remover (or like, pesto) will take it straight off if you're having trouble.

 

 

As per previous offerings, the product comes in a frosted glass effect tube with a doefoot applicator but they’ve changed the design on the lid. I don’t know if the rose design is going to be rolled out across all the colours or just for this shade, but I have to say I prefer the older design which I think is very sweet.

 

In the UK, Velvetines are £13.50 from lovemakeup.

 

Do you like this sort of lip product? What’s your favourite bright pink?

 

* I don't like the way the company owner or the company conducts themselves in lots of ways, but if I use a product from a company I can't really let myself be affected by that, or I shouldn't have bought it in the first place really should I? I’d always recommend Googling any new company you buy from, particularly if you like to support small businesses or like to use vegan/cruelty free products.