Review: Revlon Lip Butter In Strawberry Shortcake

The Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butters served as a launching pad for Wishlist.  They were a delight to stock up on, because they sold out so fast.We couldn't stock them fast enough! When so many of you were buying  Lip Butters from us, we were sitting there surrounded with countless Lip Butters and couldn't try any of them. Sad, right?

I just got my first one a couple of weeks ago. I didn't buy it through Wishlist though. I was in India in the first week of November and Revlon had just launched their Lip Butters there. You guys should be proud of me! I controlled the mad urge for buying any make-up other than Lakme (hey, you can't blame me. Lakme is on the wishlist of any cosmetic junkie who goes to India, right?). On my last day in India though, I panicked! I hadn't done enough shopping! So I ended up buying a lip butter for twice the price we charge you guys (it hit me after I came back to Pakistan! Tsk. I was so mad at myself!) Was it worth the (double) price?

Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake

It's only after trying one for yourself do you (finally) understand the hype. I'd tried Cotton Candy at the store and it wasn't that impressive. It had chunky bits of glitter in it, and didn't have enough colour pay off. When I tried Strawberry Shortcake I was blown away by the pretty shade. It's a beautiful cotton candy pink, with a hint of shimmer in it. Its a step up from your basic milky blue-based pink and it's a couple of notches down from being a bright fuchsia. Does that make sense? No? Basically,  it's smack down right in the middle of being the most wearable pink.

My lips tend to get very dry in the winter, and I love that I don't have to think about applying a lip balm (which I often forget) before applying Strawberry Shortcake. It glides on beautifully and doesn't accentuate the dry patches on my lips. Trust me, this is a relief. I love MAC's Creme Cup but it tends to settle in to the dry patches of my lips, and the result isn't very flattering. The only thing I have similar to the Lip Butters is my Dior Addict lipstick and L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipsticks. The L'Oreal version is just as balm (the texture is slightly thicker), but has more of an opaque coverage compared to the Lip Butters.

Starting from the Left:Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake & L'Oreal Caresse in  Lovely Rose

Are Lip Butters worth it? It depends on what you're looking for. Do your research before investing in a shade. Some shades are very sheer and some have amazing colour pay off (like the one I have). Aroosa, and  another friend of mine have Peach Parfait, and both of them said that it is just a sheer wash of colour. You can opt for super bright colours or play it safe with just a hint of colour on your lips. Either way, these are worth trying out.

You can buy Revlon Lip Butters for 950PKR from Wishlist. ( I got mine for Rs 1200 (600 Indian Rupees) :O ).

Review: L'Oreal Caresse Lipsticks In Tempting Lilac & Cheeky Magenta

I never find myself gravitating towards the Loreal stand for some reason. It's been so long since I've ever been excited about their new releases, or have even been consciously aware of them. There has been so much hype about the Loreal Caresse Lipsticks though and it was hard for me to ignore it. I wasn't excited about the lipsticks in general, but that changed when I fell in love with one of the shades. I happened to come across a swatch of 03 Lovely Rose and it was obsession at first sight. 

My cousin surprised me with sending me two Loreal Caresse lipsticks in Cheeky Magenta and Tempting Lilac. Both looked like something I would never try, and it felt like my cousin was giving me a silent nudge to try something new for a change.

These are Loreals version of the much hyped Revlon Lip butters. I haven't tried the lip butters so I can't compare the two, but the Loreal Caresse lipsticks are amazing in their own right. The packaging looks classy and expensive. They'd make a great addition to anyone's dressing table/vanity. The only  problem I have with the packaging is that it takes a little effort to remove the lid.  

The Loreal Caresse Lipsticks are cross between a lip balm and a lipstick. They literally glide on the lips and feel like butter. I am not someone who wears bright colours so when I saw these two I didn't know what to think for a second. Should I be excited or be running away? The ones I have looked really scary but once applied they weren't as pigmented as I thought they'd be.

 I've seen swatches of the Revlon Lip Butters and they're super pigmented and I was expecting the L'Oreal Caresse Lipsticks to have the same pigmentation,which they don't. These on the other hand are sheer but at the same time they have a decent colour payoff and give the lips a delicate shine. Also, these feel extremely soft and moisturising. 

L'Oreal Cheeky Magenta

 Cheeky Magenta is bright pink pink. On the lips it doesn't look as bright as one would expect, but still manages to pack a punch. It's something I have to muster up some courage to wear because it is a bold pink, and definitely out of my comfort zone. It's so pretty though and I have been wearing it a lot. This shade is so on trend right now.

L'Oreal Cheeky Magenta

L'Oreal Tempting Lilac

Tempting Lilac doesn't look anything like it's name suggests. It's a brown with a just a slight hint of purple.  It's not as pigmented as Cheeky Magenta is. On my lips it looks more of a muted 'my lips but better' colour with a brownish tinge-if that makes any sense. Trust me, I applied a generous amount. 

L'Oreal Tempting Lilac

Out of the two I like Cheeky Magenta better because even though it's a little out of my comfort zone, it's still pink. I love my pinks! The L'Oreal Caresse lipsticks are ideal for spring and summer because they feel light weight on the lips and will keep the lips moisturised. These last for about three to four hours (without eating or drinking).

These aren't available in Pakistan just yet, but according to the L'Oreal Pakistan Fanpage they're going to be releasing here "soon". I can't wait to get my hands on Lovely Rose.
I love the add for L'Oreal Caresse! You can check it out here. For all those wondering Barbara Palvin, the face of L'Oreal Caresse is wearing Aphrodite Scarlet in the advert (a great dupe for Diorkiss 578) and it's on my wishlist as well.
Is this something you're going to be checking out?

Review: Bourjois Contour Clubbing Waterproof Eye Pencil

These last few months I've been obsessing over finding an eye pencil or liner that actually stays on my waterline. I've tried a few high end brands from Urban Decay to NARS in the hope of finding one that works for me. I have watery eyes, and when I wear lenses it gets even worse. I bought the Bourjois 'contour clubbing waterproof ' pencil two months ago and it's fared better than any high end brand. 

The black one is a repurchase (proves how much I love it). The softness of this pencils can rival Urban Decays 24/7 eye liners. The Bourjois pencil is extremely pigmented and it glides on smoothly without tugging at the skin. The lasting power of these pencils is ah-mazing. These stay on for four to five hours before they start fading just a little. I don't mind the slight fading because I'm happy I don't get raccoon eyes. I've tried both these pencils with and without lenses. They work best with my glasses because, then my eyes aren't that watery. The only issues I have with this pencil is when I'm wearing lenses. After an hour or so it'll start spreading from my inner corner. That is the only place where I experience the spreading.

The softness of the pencil makes it easy for tight lining the upper water line. However the colour transfers to my lower waterline, which I find very annoying especially on the days when I just want to tight line my upper water line. 

My sister had the same problem as me, everything she tried gave her raccoon eyes. I suggested this to her and now her pencil lasts pretty much all day, without any hint of raccoon-ie-ness (note: she does not have to wear glasses/lenses). This is what I reach for to line my water line when I plan on wearing my glasses. Since I wasn't happy when I paired it with my lenses, I continued my search for perfection. Now Bobbi Brown gel eye liner is getting a test run. 

I highly recommend the Bourjois clubbing pencils for those who have problems with pencils/liners staying on the waterline. These come in a variety of colours and are cheaper compared to Maybelline and Rimmel pencils and are definitely worth a try.

Price: RS660

Available at Al-Noor Liberty. Pot Pourri, Al-Fatah. Hyperstar and Mall of Lahore

Review: The Body Shop Baked-To-Last Blush

Hi, my name is Sana and I'm a blush-o-holic!Ha!Ha! I'm obsessed with blushes and highlighters. I'm always on the look out for the perfect blush. A couple of months ago The Body Shop came out with their 'Baked-To-Last-Blush', and let me tell you this blush is perfection. If the promo picture doesn't draw you in, then the blush itself surely will. The Baked-To-Last line has two blushes in it. The first is '01 Petal',which is a pretty shimmery pink and the second is'02 Coral'.

Left:Petal blush with light hand. Centre: highlighter. Right: Petal blush with a heavy hand

According to The Body Shop its ideal for creating 'a fresh, flirty, natural-looking complexion'. The Body Shop claims its 'handmade and slow-baked for up to eight hours of deliciously rich color'. The shade I have is '01 Petal', a pretty pink with shimmer in it.I dropped my old one a few days ago causing it to break, and I purchased a new one soon as possible! It's that good.  One of the things I love about it is that it's a blush and high lighter duo. You can use the pretty pink shade on it's own or swirl it with the highlighter to create lighter/shimmery petal pink colour.The blush, when applied with a soft hand is a light shimmery pink and can be build-able to a bright pink pop of colour. 


The highlighter is a soft  mixture of light gold and cream. Gold high lighters are one of the hottest trends for summer '11. I use the highlighter with other blushes too and it works great. It's a universally flattering colour, that will look great on all skin tones. 

The first one with flash and the second without

The spherical powder duo provides a perfect glide of application. The blush glides on like a dream, and combined with the highlighter it gives the perfect glow-from-within look. High levels of pearl give a stunning visual effect both within the dome and on the cheek, giving a pearly pink metallic finish.

• 
  
• This is for RS1700 (18$), which is a little pricey for a blush, but keep in mind that you're also getting a highlighter with the blush. I can't vouch that the blush lasts for up to 8 hours as The Body Shop claims and definitely is long lasting. It comes in a round see through packaging. The upside to the packaging  is that you you can see the cute spherical design and colour of the blush. It saves the hassle of rummaging in your make-up bag, you can spot it instantly. The downside is that it's not very strong. I dropped mine and the blush scattered in to pieces. In comparison, I dropped my NARS blush (yes, I am a dropper) and the blush was undamaged.  Despite the flimsy packaging the Baked-To-Last blush is worth the money. I highly recommend it!!

Review: Sephora Mineral Foundation

Sephora Mineral Foundation
( click to enlarge images)

Sephora Mineral Foundation in Clair Light 10

I am blessed with great skin,but last year I started experiencing break outs. For someone who has never really had a problem with her skin, I started freaking out. I had never used foundation before-ever but with no choice, I had to invest in one.

I wanted one that felt and looked natural. A close friend advised to try a mineral foundation, and I ended up buying the Sephora Mineral Foundation. Sephora claims that this foundation is a hydrating, 97-percent-mineral foundation, that creates a matte, flawless, natural-looking finish. It is formulated without parabens and synthetic fragrances. It is suitable for all skin types and has a variety of shades to choose from for all skin tones.

After trying it the first few times, I was really disappointed. Even though it gave my skin a natural looking finish, I was disappointed at the coverage it provided. It really didn't do much to cover up the pimples on my face. I used it with a Sephora Primer to achieve a better finish but still did not get the results I was looking for.

However, I did end up falling for it when my skin cleared up (and I was left with a pimple or two). My skin looked flawless and radiant in the pictures and there were no tell tale signs of pimples, acne scars or redness. The Mineral Foundation does have a hint of shimmer to it, which gives the skin a luminous glow. It goes on better without a primer (atleast in my case). It provides light to medium coverage-which if you try to build it up can get cakey. It can also be used as a concealer for problem areas with a concealer brush.

The Sephora Mineral Foundation retails for 18$, and for this price the amount of product is very little. The Mineral Foundation pot is just slightly bigger (0.11oz) than The Body Shop Lip balm pot. The packaging is strong and light, and can be carried in your bag for touch ups. The sifter from which the foundation comes out is ideal because the perfect amount pops out.

This foundation is on sale on the Sephora website. It now retails for 5$ (original price 18$). For 5$ this product is excellent.  The only downside to it that it doesn't provide buildable coverage, other than that I think Sephora did a pretty good job.

-Sana

Trend: Orange Lips

One of the easiest ways to make a statement is with bold lips and that's what Summer 2011 is all about. Bright orange lips are really big this season. I know, most people would normally stay away from orange lips. One of the easiest ways to try this look without going out of your comfort zone is with Revlon Colour Burst in the shade Coral Reef. It is a soft orange shade and its the perfect way to stay on trend without having a splash of really bold orange on your lips. It's not something I would normally go for, but my cousin Nooria sent it to me and I just fell in love with it.

The lip gloss goes on very smoothly and it is not sticky. The colour pay off is excellent. You can keep it light and simple or build it up for a bolder look. Revlon Colour Burst in Coral Reef is the perfect way to try out this trend, because its not very pricey and its not super orange either. Also you can buy a few more shades in this line as well, I know I would. (Revlon also has a bright orange in its Colour Burst line as well).

Are you a fan of the orange lip trend?