NYX High Voltage Lipsticks: Review and Swatches

 So, remember how I was on that no-buy? Me either. But seriously, I've been trying to keep my makeup buying to a minimum lately, but if you want a little pick me up for the start of Spring, let me introduce you to the NYX High Voltage Lipsticks.

 

I tend to gravitate towards NYX when I want something reliable, for a good price, and easily accessible (found at Ulta/Target/drugstores/online). Not to mention they are cruelty free! These little tubes of lipstick will set you back $6 each (but watch out for BOGO 1/2 off lippies at Ulta). I believe these are NYX's answer to the Colourpop Lippie Stix (just my speculation) because they perform similarly and come in tons of colors (22!).

 

I picked up 3 of these recently and now that I have tried them out, I want more! 

There are no real claims that NYX makes for these, other than that they are creamy and vibrant (both true in my experience). They have a faint vanilla scent and last an average amount of time on me (around 3 hours).

 Stone is light brown color with a tinge of gray in it. It covers my medium-pigmented lips fairly well and is nice and creamy in consistency. I picked up this color because I have been seeing a lot of browns/grays in lip colors, particularly on Instagram, but I will in no way purchase from Lime Crime to get that trendy look (this reminds me of that Cashmere shade, I think it is called). It isn't the most flattering on my skin tone, but it layers well with pinks, and who knows when I may want to look a little ghoulish? Color aside, I love the consistency. These are creamy so they will not last all day (2.5-3 hours for all shades I have).

Playdate is a lavender and I love it! At this price point, especially if you can use a coupon or get a deal, why not pick up a fun color? This was much more pigmented than I was expecting and it is really fun!

Rags to Riches is the most 'normal' of the colors I picked out, but it is still a bit unexpected. See that gold sheen? I love that! This is a coral/pink with a light gold shimmer and I think it is perfect for the season.

Have you tried these? I want to pick up Wine and Dine, Dahlia, and Free Spirit next!

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick in Melted Peony

I was gifted this Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Peony by my mother when she decided she hated it. One woman's miss is another's hit? I hoped so.

 I had been interested in these since they appeared on shelves, but never really made the jump. Melted Peony ($21) is not a shade I would have chosen for myself, but I did think it was pretty and decided to try it out.

This is a true liquid lipstick and I was impressed with the opacity and coverage. The velvet tip for application is a nice touch and it has a slightly sweet but unidentifiable scent to it. Melted Peony is a medium pink and it looks slightly cool toned on my pale skin.

This is easy to apply, but I did not care for the formula. It almost feels greasy and a bit too slick on my lips and never really dried down enough to leave a stain behind on my lips. It wore for about 4 hours before fading slightly but just wasn't comfortable on me because I always felt something was on my lips.

I know many love this formula and I adore the shade range, but unfortunately, this was a miss for me. I can see how the texture of this shade can be appreciated, but there are many other formulas I like better. However, this color is so pretty that I wear it often, even if I dislike the texture. If you haven't tried one, give it a shot, as it seems to work for many others, but this is a very different feeling on the lips.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams in Monte Carlo and Transylvania Review and Swatches

The NYX Soft Matte lip cream is a beloved formula by those who favor mattes. I'm just dipping my toes into that pool, but I do have another shade of this lip cream and like it, so I decided to try out two of the newer, more daring shades from the line.

The Soft Matte Lip Creams retail for around $6, but there are always sales at Ulta on NYX where you can snag a Buy One Get One 50% kind of deal. These lip creams smell like vanilla and come with a doe foot applicator.

I picked up Monte Carlo (A bright red that, when layered, can turn slightly darker) and Transylvania (a reddened plum purple). Both formulas were not as easy to work with as my experience with the lighter shades in this range. They were a bit patchy, streaky, and took some layering.

Monte Carlo out-shined Transylvania is application and wear time. If you are careful, this can be applied straight from the tube, using the applicator to trace around the lip line and then fill in. This is two thin layers. It appears slightly creamy for a few moments and then dries to a true matte. If you want a crisper look, use liner and then the lip cream because this does feather slightly.

Transylvania was kind of a mess. It gathered in odd places, was patchy, and just couldn't apply smoothly. This is about three layers on my lips and each layer got a bit streakier.

Transylvania has a cool look to it, but the streakiness is apparent, even from a distance. There are just so many better performing purple lip products out there. I would, however, recommend Monte Carlo if you are looking for a true red matte. It takes patience to apply, but is well worth it. I have heard Monte Carlo is a dupe for the Lime Crime Red Velvet Velvetine. I can't confirm since I haven't tried the Lime Crime, but the end result looks very similar, and at almost a third of the price! Monte Carlo wore well for about 5 hours. I did not test the wear on Transylvania because I just didn't want to wear it with it looking all gross and streaky.

NYX Powder Blushes in Bourgeois Pig and Terra Cotta Swatches and Review

NYX Cosmetics Powder Blush ($5.99) is always a good deal when you can get them on sale. I recently picked up the last two colors I wanted in my collection: Terra Cotta and Bourgeois Pig.

These are smooth, but not the most pigmented blushes I own. I do like the sheen to them that make your skin look fresh and not overdone.

Terra Cotta is a great brown/bronze that makes a subtle contour on lighter skin tones. I wouldn't recommend this for tan or darker skin tones because the pigmentation is just not there. 

Bourgeois Pig is a bright rosy pink that is much more pigmented than Terra Cotta and gives a nice flush to cheeks.

Excuse my slightly derpy picture (no idea why I always look up in pictures) but Bourgeois Pig is on my left cheek and Terra Cotta is on my right.

If you are looking for some cheap blushes, I would definitely recommend Bourgeois Pig and Terra Cotta, but for lighter skin tones. Both wear well before fading at about hour 7.

Do you have a favorite drugstore blush shade?

NYX Butter Lipstick in Mary Janes: Swatches and Review

When I was doing my #28daysoflippies challenge on Instagram, my friend and fellow blogger Meesha at Strawberry Hearts Chocolate Darts (psstt...go follow her!) suggested I get NYX Butter Lipstick in 'Mary Janes' ($5.99)...and I tried...but unfortunately, all of my local NYX carriers were sold out, until recently. I finally got my hands on this gem and I was so eager to try it out!

Funny story, so I was messing around on Photoshop and now my picture looks like this, but with lipstick instead of a cat:

Photo Credit

I crack myself up haha.

Anyway, Mary Janes is a slightly deeper true red. Because of the creaminess, it makes your lips look full and this is easy to wear. Make sure to line your lips or use an invisible lip liner because the creaminess causes it to migrate a bit.

The above picture is one, rather light, swipe on my lips. This baby is very pigmented and fun to wear. I am so glad I added it to my red collection because of the formula alone.

Pucker up! I can't wait to expand my NYX Butter Lipstick collection further!

#28daysoflippies Week Two: Instagram Round-up Pink Week!

#28daysoflippies is half over...and this week is red week! But take a look at the pinks that made my final cut!

From sheer and baby, to bold and hot, my pink lippies took over my life for Valentine's day week!

Pink Lippies:

NYX Glam Aqua Luxe in Essential $6: Super shimmery and fun for a night out.

Lóreal Colour Riche in Blushing Sequin $8: Sheer watermelon with a shiny finish.

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss $5: Mauve pink with lots of glitter.

Beautifully Disney Spell Breaker $15: True cream bubblegum pink.

POP Beauty Plump Pout Fuschia Freesia $16: Luxurious on lips and a beautiful raspberry---smells a bit weird though but it doesn't linger.

Urban Decay Revolution in Anarchy $22: Creamy and in your face hot pink.

Too Faced La Créme in Jelly Bean $22: Raspberry with a comfortable wear and pretty sheen.

There is hopefully something for everyone across the board here! Let me know if you have tried any of these!

NYX Butter Lipstick in Cotton Candy: Thoughts, Review, and Swatches

Many of you have seen teaser pics of my haul including one of the brand new NYX Butter Lipsticks and the review is finally here!I have been a fan of NYX's Butter glosses, so the thought of a similar lipstick intrigued me. There is a wide range of colors, but I went against my normal shopping habits and picked out a very light pink.With 22 shades to choose from at $5.99 there is sure to be something to please everyone. I found this at Ulta, but the displays are already running dry! And they also don't have all the colors.

The packaging of these lipsticks is cuter than their regular matte lipsticks (which have the same packaging in black), but they still look a tad little-girlish and cheap. However, the color makes it easy to find in your stash. 

The smell of these is slightly sweet and a bit artificial, but you really have to sniff them to pick up on that. The formula of these is actually really nice. These are buttery and glide onto the lips well, providing a nice opacity of coverage. 

Cotton Candy is a very very light baby pink, so be aware of that, since it looks much darker than it appears on the lips. For this color, prep lips well. Other, darker colors in this line seem to be much more swipe and go.

Cotton Candy gives my pout a very springy and mod vibe. Butter Lipsticks are comfortable to wear, but only last me about 2 and a half hours. I just find them a little too light to really stick around, but I've never been one to mind reapplying a lip product on normal, non special event days.

Keep in mind, this wear time may only be for the lighter colors. I am hoping to pick up a darker shade to compare. 

Overall, I think NYX Butter Lipsticks are a great product at a nice price point and I have been reaching for Cotton Candy often since I have picked it up!

Have you tried any of the NYX Butter Lipsticks? Thoughts?

NYX Butter Lipstick in Cotton Candy: Thoughts, Review, and Swatches

Many of you have seen teaser pics of my haul including one of the brand new NYX Butter Lipsticks and the review is finally here! I have been a fan of NYX's Butter glosses, so the thought of a similar lipstick intrigued me. There is a wide range of colors, but I went against my normal shopping habits and picked out a very light pink. With 22 shades to choose from at $5.99 there is sure to be something to please everyone. I found this at Ulta, but the displays are already running dry! And they also don't have all the colors.

The packaging of these lipsticks is cuter than their regular matte lipsticks (which have the same packaging in black), but they still look a tad little-girlish and cheap. However, the color makes it easy to find in your stash. 

The smell of these is slightly sweet and a bit artificial, but you really have to sniff them to pick up on that. The formula of these is actually really nice. These are buttery and glide onto the lips well, providing a nice opacity of coverage. 

Cotton Candy is a very very light baby pink, so be aware of that, since it looks much darker than it appears on the lips. For this color, prep lips well. Other, darker colors in this line seem to be much more swipe and go.

Cotton Candy gives my pout a very springy and mod vibe. Butter Lipsticks are comfortable to wear, but only last me about 2 and a half hours. I just find them a little too light to really stick around, but I've never been one to mind reapplying a lip product on normal, non special event days.

Keep in mind, this wear time may only be for the lighter colors. I am hoping to pick up a darker shade to compare. 

Overall, I think NYX Butter Lipsticks are a great product at a nice price point and I have been reaching for Cotton Candy often since I have picked it up!

Have you tried any of the NYX Butter Lipsticks? Thoughts?

NYX Lush Lashes Mascara in Voluptuous

NYX has been releasing a slew of new products lately, which is awesome! I love that they are affordable and cruelty-free and have cute packaging. For me, their products have been mostly hits with some misses. I was really crossing my fingers for a hit with this $6.99 mascara.

There is no smell to this (which is specifically stated as new to this formulation) and it seems as if the formula is all the same, except the brush changes depending on which one you buy (this is just my observation, not something stated by NYX). I love bigger brushes, so I chose the fluffy voluptuous wand. 

The formula is rather dry, which I normally like. This means no flaking or smearing and it lasts all day on me.So what's the catch?Well, it isn't volumizing at all. It really does nothing but provide a bit of separation and a bit of dark color. That's all.

The best I can say about this is that it makes for a great natural look...but I wouldn't waste the money, at least not on the volumizing one. Some of the other brushes look promising!

Have you tried this new line of mascaras from NYX?

NYX Lush Lashes Mascara in Voluptuous

NYX has been releasing a slew of new products lately, which is awesome! I love that they are affordable and cruelty-free and have cute packaging.  For me, their products have been mostly hits with some misses. I was really crossing my fingers for a hit with this $6.99 mascara.

There is no smell to this (which is specifically stated as new to this formulation) and it seems as if the formula is all the same, except the brush changes depending on which one you buy (this is just my observation, not something stated by NYX). I love bigger brushes, so I chose the fluffy voluptuous wand. 

The formula is rather dry, which I normally like. This means no flaking or smearing and it lasts all day on me. So what's the catch? Well, it isn't volumizing at all. It really does nothing but provide a bit of separation and a bit of dark color. That's all.

The best I can say about this is that it makes for a great natural look...but I wouldn't waste the money, at least not on the volumizing one. Some of the other brushes look promising!

Have you tried this new line of mascaras from NYX?

Jenna Hipp Essential Nail and Hand Cream: My New Fave!

In these winter months (yes...even in sunny California), my hands are getting really really dry.Thank goodness for my new favorite hand cream---Jenna Hipp Essential Nail & Hand Cream which retails for the shockingly low price of $20 for 3 of them.Yes. Three 4 oz tubes of this heavenly stuff at Costco. Go. Go and run my lovelies.

Not only are the tubes cute and rather expensive looking, but the formula was developed my Jenna Hipp, celebrity green nail stylist, who has worked on covers of the biggest magazines as has a nail wrap line with NCLA. Cool.But let's go back to the green part. This is a healthy hand cream without all the gross stuff.No Parabens, Synthetic Dyes, Phthalates, PEG, and no Artificial Fragrance. Also, it is cruelty free and 20% pure shea butter. Awesome.This stuff works overtime and has left my hands so soft. I seriously want a vat of this to just roll around in. There is a slight fragrance, mostly coming from the myrhh plant, which I love the fragrance of, but it is really unobtrusive and natural.Pick up the set and keep all three for yourself, or give the other two away to your besties!
Also....it is a miracle...but there is actually stuff going on on my other two blogs! And it will continue!
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