MAC HEROINE MATTE LIPSTICK REVIEW AND SWATCH

This pretty little number has been cropping up for a while, and sprung up Summer last year alongside Ablaze and Silly. I missed Heroine at that point in my life and deeply regretted it. When I saw my friend at university had it, I needed it. So when it popped up again, and now looking as if to be a new addition to Mac's permanent range, I couldn't say no. Hello to my new best friend.

Heroine is a bright violet colour, which fits perfectly with the colour of fall - Orchid. It has a gorgeous texture which glides on the lips - No tugging here! It's easy on those dry, autumn lips, so there's no need to worry about it highlighting those nasty bits. This has intense pigmentation and really gives that pop to the lips. I honestly can't find a bad point to this lipstick as I just know I'm going to wear the heck out of it. It's truly gorgeous, and I can tell will flatter any skin tone as my friend at uni has beautiful black skin and she looks stunning! And I couldn't be any paler - So this is one for all! I recommend if you're looking for a good matt, fall lip colour then check this out at your nearest Mac counter!

Grab it online or in store for £15.50.

What do you think of this gorgeous shade?

Thanks for reading!

MAC ALLURING AQUATICS LIPSTICKS - MYSTICAL AND GODDESS OF THE SEA REVIEW AND SWATCH

I have to admit, when I saw this collection online I fell in love with the marine inspired packaging. I instantly needed one - or two - of these to add some colour to my mostly black packaging Mac lippies. I picked up Mystical and Goddess of the Sea to try out. The colours available are neutrals, other than Goddess of the Sea which is a gorgeous purple. Unfortunately, when the email was sent out to promote this collection online, the Alluring Aquatics collection had mostly sold out!!

Let's get down to the packaging. Wow. Something really quite unique, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't one of the reasons why I needed these in my life, even though these are my 26th and 27th Mac lipsticks... We all need a selection, right girls?

I love the gorgeous bright blue - with a slight green hint - chrome mirror packaging. This alone was a stand out for me, but then when you have a proper look there are pretty little water droplets on them!! Both of my lipsticks are completely different in the way the droplets are. One of them as loads of teeny little splashes as well as big ones, while the other is prominently big splashes with nearly no small ones at all. So I'd go ahead and say no lipstick is the same. Once you pop up the lid, the twist mechanism is black, compared to the original packaging which is silver. Also what I loved about it is that MAC was written in a deep turquoise which I felt was a lovely touch. 

However, I felt that the packaging itself felt a bit cheap, very similar to the Rihanna collection with the gold packaging. I'm not sure if that's me being picky as it looks stunning, but to me in the hand I wanted something with a good weight as it just felt a bit light and cheap. 

Goddess of the Sea is beautiful, a gorgeous purple with slight purpley blue shimmer which can't be seen once applied. I took this picture in natural sunlight and it appears a really pretty bright purple, but with no light the lipstick looks a dark purple. This is a cremesheen finish, one of my favourite finishes at the moment. It has a gorgeous creamy finish with amazing colour and leaving a lovely soft shine.

As you can see, it's a really pretty purple, but such a wearable shade. Usually I'll shy away from purples, but recently I've been loving them. It has a hint of red in the colour making it more easier to wear. I love this, and find this lasts ages. It feels lovely too and doesn't highlight my dry lips at all, which I find can be a problem with some of Mac's lippies.

This is Mystical, the most wearable of the two I've picked up. Again, in sunlight it appears brighter, but other wise it looks slightly more browner.

I love this shade, and I've been wearing it all day! Will become my daily shade, I just know it!! It has a creamy texture with a soft natural finish. It really gives me the 'my lips but better' look and compliments my pale skin, rosy cheeks and ginger hair. Perfect for summer. Again, this lasts me ages and doesn't dry out my lips at all.

Overall, I LOVE these and I'm so glad I picked these up,

even with the hefty £16.50 price tag.

Look out for Alluring Aqua in store soon.

Did you pick anything up?

What do you think of the packing?

Thanks for reading!! 

OCC LIP TAR IN CHLOROPHYLL - REVIEW AND SWATCH

I love my OCC Lip Tars and not long ago reviewed the bright pink shade, Nylon. I adore Lip Tars, so felt the need to go out and buy a strange colour to mix with colours to see what I could come up with. 

Chlorophyll is more of a blue toned green and looks slightly witchy! Again it has the small nozzle like most of the new OCC Lip Tars and is best applied with a lip brush. As much as I love this colour, and how it makes some gorgeous purples mixed with pinks - This alone is one of the disappointing Lip Tar colours.

As usual it has that sweet peppermint smell and tingle on the lips, but when applied it goes sheer in some places, and has a habbit of sinking into the cracks - Not ideal. Even with a few layers it still seeps into the groves and still shows some pigment of the lips. This was such a shame, but for mixing purposes this is really lovely and makes some pretty shades. The saying power of this one is as good as the others, stays on all day - But this one occasionally has slight wear in the inner lip. This is from one of the earliest collections, so I'll let them off for the blip of this shade!

Do you have any OCC Lip Tars?

I have 2 more colours to show you,

a gorgeous red and pretty coral!

OCC LIP TAR IN NYLON - REVIEW AND SWATCH

For years I was so eager to try out one of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics world famous Lip Tars. After a lovely trip to meet the lovely Marvelle at BlogOfShadows I picked up a few Lip Tars which over the past few months I have just fallen in love with. In the next week I have 3 more Lip Tars to show you, and I cannot wait to get more.

Lip Tars are liquid lipsticks that come in a cute tube with a small nozzle, perfect for applying directly to the lip brush, or into pots to mix up your own colours. I've tried mixing colours up but have been pretty limited with 4 colours, but I recently bought a green shade, so things could get interesting!

I tend to use a brush to apply the lipstick accurately, but on occasion I use my finger to add a subtle hint of colour when I'm in a rush. 

I am a Lip Tar convert, and I cannot be without one in my bag. The lipstick dries to a semi matte/satin finish. The more you apply, the glossier it is. You literally need the tiniest drop of this bright pink to create an opaque finish. I am in LOVE with Nylon, and is usually compared to OCC's Anime and MAC's Candy Yum Yum. The wear on this lipstick is also brilliant and lasts throughout the day with little touch ups - I can even eat and drink with it staying put!

I have now come to the conclusion that I need more OCC Lip Tars in my life. Usually the one for the Mac lipsticks (I have 25...) I am slowly coming over to the Lip Tar ways. With so many finishes and colours to choose from, you can definitely find one that you love, or mix up your own colours!

Grab a OCC Lip Tar from Selfridges and see what the fuss is all about.

These babies cost £11.50, but worth every penny.

Have you tried Lip Tars?

What do you think of them?

DEBORAH MILANO SHINE CREATOR LIPSTICK IN LUMINOUS RED REVIEW

When the team behind Deborah Milano asked me to review a lipstick for them, I jumped at the chance. After choosing a gorgeous red shade in Luminous Red, or Shade 12, I did some research into the brand. Straight from Italy, Deborah Milano stock all the products you need from skin care down to your nails. With plenty of different products to choose from, they offer a great range of colours to suit any mood or occasion. 

When receiving this pretty shade of red, I was intrigued. I usually stayed away from glosses and matte lips are usually a staple look for me, but I was incredibly surprised with how much I enjoyed this lipstick. With the perfect amount of shine, this shade is perfect for the summer. It gives my lips a gentle glossy colour which isn't too bold, but can be built up for a more intense colour, or alternatively, muted down. I was over the moon with the formula, glides on like a dream and stays put throughout the day with the occasional top ups. It's smooth feeling on the lips and not at all sticky, which usually steers me away from any glossy lipsticks. The lipstick itself has a subtle sweet smell to it which is barely there when applied, and also has no taste. I also love the little vine-like logo on the top of the bullet, as seen below.

Overall, I am very, very pleased. The pink see-through packaging is pleasing on the eye, and has a summer feel about it. Perfect to throw in my hand bag as it's so easy to apply - even without a mirror. This is without a doubt my new beach lip shade.

Grab yours on the Deborah Milano website for £7.50*. Choose from a wide range of colours to find the perfect one for you.

MAC LIPSTICK IN SUSHI KISS FROM THE ALL ABOUT ORANGE COLLECTION

When the All About Orange Limted Edition Collection came out at Mac I was all over it. I've always been a red lippy wearer, but corals are just perfect for the summer sun. I picked up 3 from the collection; Neon Orange, Flamingo and as seen here, Sushi Kiss. I was won over by its muted coral shade and beautiful name. 

This is one of those shades that I believe anyone can pull off. I have glowing snow-white skin and this looks lovely. It's still bright enough to be noticed, but its soft shade of coral keeps it subtle. The fact that this lipstick is a Satin finish means it glides on beautifully with plenty of pigment and a creamy texture with a healthy, glossy finish. I have dry lips currently and luckily for me, it doesn't enhance or show that in the picture below at all. This little shade of sunshine lasts a long time on my lips, but needs occasional top ups after eating, drinking, and the standard stuff that wears lipsticks down. This is a gorgeous shade, and I thank Mac for that! This beautiful shade of peach is perfect for the summer days on the beach and would team with a tan perfectly.

Sold out online, but you can still pick up yours at your nearest counter if in stock, or on other various online sellers, and even Debenhams.

SLEEK PRODUCTS REVIEW - POUT PAINTS IN PEEK-A-BLOO, CLOUD 9 AND PINK UP. DIP IT EYELINER IN PASTEL GREEN, GOLD AND BLACK.

About a month ago I was asked to do the makeup for a Musical, Pippin. With crazy colours and mental make up I made this an excuse to find a few more bright make up essentials to add to my kit. I had been meaning to get my eager hands on the Sleek Pout Paints for a while but never got round to it, and always went to Mac for lipsticks. I was also drawn to the gorgeous Pastel Green Dip-It eyeliner, so I obviously needed that too.

First we have the Pout Paints, my new obsession. Of course I had to pick up Peek-A-Boo, a true blue shade. I then added Pin-Up, a appropriately named red, and Cloud 9 a bright white. The one thing I really don't like about these is the taste and smell. It really reminds me of rubber gloves. Or is that just me? The application on a few were also a bit tricky. Also, these don't set like most lipsticks which is a big issue for me, so be careful not to smudge! Let's break the colours down.

The colour is dispensed from a little tube, so I advise

a little lip brush to apply!

Peek-A-Bloo

Peek-A-Bloo is a bright blue shade which I needed! It was perfect for the stage make up of Pippin, and people told me how good the blue lips looked. It really stood out on stage which was perfect. Application of this product wasn't too bad. After using a brush to apply the product to the lips I had to work the product in well to avoid streaks. Like all the Pout Paints it has a not-gloss-but-not-lipstick feel. It's more of a very high pigmented thicker gloss, that's not overly sticky. I was so impressed with this shade and how good the colour was. It's also quite glossy, but not as glossy as Pin Up is. I also added this colour, Cloud 9 and Pin Up to create a violet shade which looked so lovely.

Cloud 9

Cloud 9 is a bright white. This was a little tricky to apply due to it's pigment, and as you can see the lipstick isn't as evenly applied as I would liked it to have been. However, I'd never wear the white by itself so I wasn't too fussed, but for the purpose of the review the white wasn't as pigmented as I wanted. I found it was a little thicker compared to Peek-A-Bloo. I use the white to make more pastel colours, or get creative with gradients. Cloud 9 is still a glossy shade, but the least out of the lot. Just let down by how streaky it looks by itself.

Pin Up

Pin Up was my star buy. When I tried it on, I was completely in love. The bright blood red shade looks stunning, and is crazily pigmented. I'm a sucker for a red lipstick, so I was so impressed with how this looked. It looks really good just over my natural lip line to create a more plump look. This is a glossy red - And I normally stay very clear from gloss - But I just love how this looks. There was also only a teeny bit of  bleeding, so a thumbs up from me. A dream to apply with a brush, easy application and spot on with the consistency. What's not to love? I can't explain enough how much I love this! My new favourite red for sure. Move over Mac's Riri Woo, there's a better red on the block. The thing I found with these Pout Paints was how it will go on your teeth for the first few moments off application, but after blotting the inner part of your lips and a little wear, this does stop happening. That aside I found the Pout Paints really long wearing. 

Let's get creative. With the Peek-A-Bloo all over and Cloud 9 in the inner lips, you can create a ombre effect. The styles are endless with these Pout Paints.

Mix it up a bit to choose a colour for any mood or occasion.

 L-R, Pastel Green, Black and Gold.

These Dip-It Eyeliner from Sleek are pretty good. I love the gorgeous gold and I find that the pigment in that beauty is spot on. However, Black and Pastel Green let me down slightly. Pastel Green is a pretty mint green with a slight hint of shimmer, but wasn't as pigmented as I'd like and found it a little streaky to apply. But once getting the grips of it, I could achieve a pretty spring-time look. I love that the Black shade is completely matte, but it lacked in intensity. However, I reach for it a lot for a smokey eye as it just suits a smokey look perfectly. The staying power on all of these are pretty good, and last the day, although with teary eyes or oily eyelids these can smudge slightly. These are handy for my kit, but the bottom note is that I probably wont repurchase these again, but there are worse eyeliners out there on the high street - So these aren't that bad.

Overall, my best buy was the Pout Paints, especially the beautiful Pin Up. Grab the Pout Paints for £4.99 each online with the Dip-It Eyeliners for £4.49. Or grab them at your nearest Superdrug.

SILLY MAC LIPSTICK FROM THE FASHION SET COLLECTION

I was all over the Fashion Set when it came into Mac stores and my lovely mum treated me to this beauty. I'm a massive fan of mattes so I was so thrilled to see that all lipsticks from the collection were matte just like Ablaze. In the traditional Mac lipstick packaging, Silly is a true bright 'Barbie' pink. This shade of pink is pretty similar to Candy Yum Yum when I swatched in store, another one of my must haves, but slightly more pastely. It's almost a neon pink, but still has a slight subtleness to it, but this is no way for the people who shy away from bright colours - This will certainly add a kick of colour to any collection. I have worn this a lot with a smokey eyed look in the sunny evenings and it's perfect for holidays. Even though matte is my favourite finish from the Mac lipsticks, it's slightly drying and has a habit of clinging to some dry areas on the lips, so a good exfoliate before application wont do harm. 

Currently sold out online, you may be able to pick it up for £14 from your nearest Mac store.

LAVENDER WHIP CREMESHEEN MAC LIPSTICK FROM THE BAKING BEAUTIES COLLECTION

I had been wanting a lavender shade lipstick for ages, but never found the perfect one. I went to Mac to view the Baking Beauties collection which I loved online, and fell in love with this beauty, appropriately named Lavender Whip. I also picked up a Pearlmatte Powder from the collection which I have reviewed.

Lavender Whip is a Cremesheen finish which means the formula is really creamy and slightly glossy. There's also a slight hint of shimmer, but nothing noticeable. This bluey pink purple hue is just stunning. It's really lovely on my lips and isn't drying at all. It doesn't highlight my dry areas on my lips too which is a plus. I love the pastely purple colour it gives my lips which isn't too over powdering, and because of the formula you can add a subtle wash of colour to your lips, or build it for more of an impact. This is my most used colour at the moment and I've worn it for the past few weeks and I just can't get enough. It's the perfect subtle summer colour that still adds a pop of colour to the face. 

You can't get this pretty shade online, but you can still pick it up in store for £14. It's limited edition, so pick it up fast! What do you think of this lavender colour?

MAC LIPSTICK IN SHEER SEDUCTION DAZZLE FINISH FROM THE TEMPERATURE RISING COLLECTION

Sheer Seduction is the name of this golden beauty from the Temperature Rising collection from Mac. The finish of this shimmering shade isn't the usual, but in fact a Dazzle finish, which had me wanting to buy it more. The lipstick is a pretty golden bronze packed with miniature sparkles. Among the bronze shimmer are a few small violet and pink iridescent shimmer which really makes this shade unique. I adore this shade, and I just love how different it is. I'm very pale and I can still wear it, but it looks gorgeous on a tan. I used this shade recently in a photoshoot with Nicole which you can see here. The glittery lipstick really suited her tanned skin. When on my lips it still looks a bit pinky, but I think that's due to the slight pink glitter and how pink my lips naturally are. 

Even though it's a bullet of glitter it's not scratchy at all. It's really buttery which I'm really impressed with. There's nothing I had more than a really glittery, scratchy lipstick. I usually shy away from glittery shades, but this was simply to beautiful and elegant to pass up - I needed to add it to my growing collection of Mac lipsticks. The wear on this is really good as well, but can need a few top ups after drinking or eating, but it still has better wear than a lot of other brands of lipsticks. 

See the rest of the collection here, and grab your lipstick in Sheer Seduction at your nearest Mac store for £15.50. Currently sold out online.