ColourPop Lippie Stix Lumiere: Swatches and Review

Welcome to my first makeup-related post of the new year! Some of you may have seen on my Instagram that I recently hauled a few things from ColourPop cosmetics, which is a brand based in Los Angeles and I have been hearing tons of buzz about (and they are cruelty-free!). I had to check them out!  

   I was going to post a review of all of my Lippie Stix at once, but through testing, I have found that they each perform differently for me, so they will be reviewed one at a time. This particular lippie stix is called Lumiere, and was created with @Kathleenlights to be a universal dusty mauve. Think a totally wearable MLBB (my lips, but better) shade, but matte. These retail for $5 each, just like everything else on their website.

 These are twist up, slanted thin crayon-type applicators and I like this because A) I might actually finish a lippie because of this and B) they are small and easy to apply and even line lips with the edge of the bullet. Warning: don't twist up too much because one of mine did break right away.

 

I'm usually not a matte person, well, not lately anyway. My lips in London were always so dry and chapped that wearing a matte was impossible, even after exfoliating. The good news about this particular matte shade is that it does not emphasize dryness.

I tested it by applying it to my lips without any balm or anything underneath and my lips were already moderately dry. This went on creamy and didn't tug on my slightly dry lips. The color was a flawless matte mauve that was so flattering. And it smells like vanilla.

I then went to brunch (with biscuits and gravy, yum!) and this stuff barely moved. A few hours later I had chinese food, but there was still a pretty stain left on my lips. In total, this wore well for 5 hours on me (including two meals) but if you don't eat or drink anything (you'll never catch me without some type of food), it will last much longer.

 

I got compliments galore and for the first two hours, this wore comfortably. After brunch, it started to get dry, and by hour four I had to put some balm on top. It didn't look dry on my lips, it just felt dry and tacky and I couldn't handle that. But that is matte territory; everyone has their limits.

Good news is that the balm didn't move the color, just made it slightly glossy, and I got a little bit more comfortable wear, pushing it to 5 hours.

I really love Lumiere. Really really. This is an easy to wear matte, but it may get a little bit dry on you, and I totally get if that is a deal-breaker. For me, this is a lip I will wear to go out for a few hours, but it is not comfortable for all day unless I put balm on it.

Have you tried any ColourPop lippie stix? I have three more shades to show you soon! If you haven't signed up for their emails yet, ColourPop sends you a $5 off coupon, which is a free product!

Happy MLK Monday!

I'm Back!

Hey friends, new and old, if you are reading this, a sincere thank you for sticking with me during and now after my extended leave from the blogging world. This post is a little update to get reacquainted. Yay!

What is going on in my life:
Well, I just got back from having the time of my life in London and completing my schooling. A lot is up in the air right now and it is definitely a scary time, so my blogging is going to reflect that.
How?
First of all, I am starting a low-buy this week. I have placed a few orders for some goodies, but other than that, I am cutting down. Rules are 3 items used up = 1 new item. For essentials (foundation/mascara) I can replace those. 
I hope to get rid of some of my clutter, shop my stash, and save my money for life as a post-grad. I still love makeup and this blog, but things are going in a different direction.
What direction is that, Margo?
For starters, less reviews because less new products. Also, beyond a few sponsored reviews that I will be posting soon, I want to move away from that. Blogging to blog again. I've never been dishonest in any reviews, but now I can have more freedom and less pressure.
So you'll see more looks and generally just more fun stuff. Expect some nerd/fandom to creep in here too.
Since I have been away, my makeup tastes have changed. I used to be all over the map--gimme more more more! But you will see more focus on skincare and quality, not quantity.

But as far as reviews go, I will be reviewing what I have hauled recently (London/Xmas/hauls), so here is what you have to look forward to:   Glossybox review  Colourpop  IT Cosmetics Sleek Makeup OCC Tarte BareMinerals   I am also going to get back to reading all of your blogs again, and I can't wait! See you all back here soon!