Kung Hei Fat Choy everyone! How’s your Astrology this year? ๐ Mine? It’s forecasted that there will be more lipstick hoarding this year, LOL. Speaking of lipsticks, here goes another Yves Saint Laurent lip product to love, the YSL Rouge Pure Couture The Slim Matte Lipstick ($39). When I first saw this product both online and in-store, I was like “Nooooo, please stay away from me, in heaven’s name….” Haha! Oh well, fast forward, a couple of weeks later, I’ve been fangirling this lipstick a lot and I think, this should definitely be included in the list of lipsticks that sparked joy for me this Winter (see the list HERE).ย
You guys know that I’m a big fan of YSL lipsticks and I review them a lot here in the blog,ย Whenever I see a new YSL lipstick, I get weak in the knees, LOL. They’re pretty much my Achilles heel, and with the new Slim Matte, I feel like I found another matte lipstick to obsess about. Lord help my soul… ๐
The new YSL The Slim Matte lipstick as the name says is a slim square/diamond-shaped lipstick with a true-matte texture. It is extremely pigmented on the lips with just one swipe and it has a nice soft cushiony feel. It pretty much feels like nothing on the lips, totally weightless and super comfortable. I never noticed my lips feeling dry whenever I wear it. I find that the color stays on my lips for almost the whole day and it still remains on my lips after eating and drinking. I only noticed a very minimal to almost zero transfer and this lipstick doesn’t bleed or feather. I find the slim design to be really easy to toss inside one of my mini bags and it looks luxe, minimalist, and sleek. However, that same design may be tricky to apply on the lips at first because of its many angles, but once you get the hang of it (tip: use one of the angles to line your lips) then you’d find that this lipstick does and has it all.
I love all the shades available in this lipstick, but I decided on a few nudes since they’re super saturated. I think I spotted a nice wine-red color (my fave) but I skipped on that one because I have too many of those shades already. I did see a lot of bold colors in the lineup, like deep reds, saturated plums and different variations of pinks and corals.
17 Nude Antonym – nude rose mauve, my most favorite among the three. Will be wearing this a lot from now on. I think it’s a perfect universal nude for everybody.
The YSL Slim Matte Lipstick still has the same mango-ish scent/flavor that you’d come to know with most YSL lip products. When comparing it to some other similar matte lipsticks that have been released recently, two products came to mind. One is the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme Lipstick (reviewed HERE) and the other one is the Rouge d’Armani Matte Lipstick (swatched HERE). The Chanel Velvet Extreme feels a bit drier than the YSL Slim Matte, while the Rouge d’Armani Matte may be just a tad drier as well since the YSL Slim Matte has a bit more cushion it, but it’s almost hard to tell the difference between the two. I feel like they’re so neck and neck with each other, although the YSL Slim Matte (I think) has better color range in the lineup since you’ll find more wearable nudes and reds, but the Rouge d’Armani Matte is only limited to 102 Androgino as its universally flattering nude shade, and some of its shades look totally different when applied on the lips, read the review HERE.
Now, you’re probably wondering, how is this lipstick different at least formula-wise with the original YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats Lipstick? (reviewed HERE). The YSL “The Mats” have a bit of shine to it compared to this YSL The Slim lipstick which is totally just plain matte.
Overall, I find this lipstick to be one of the best matte lipsticks I’ve ever tried. It’s right on point with its wear time, it looks beautiful, luxurious, easy to store/carry, and the shades are absolutely beautiful.
Hi guys, I am back from a momentary pause. My website experienced a downtime a few days ago, but I am here now, still alive and kicking. So, what have I been doing lately? Apart from going through the whole #snowpocalypse saga, I binge-watched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo in Netflix and I suddenly got an idea. Meet me, Marie Apartment (LOL) and I am here to talk to you about the lipsticks that spark joy for me this Winter. And nope, I didn’t throw away my other lipsticks that didn’t spark joy. I still keep them, and I will always keep them all because, in all honesty, these lipsticks always give me joy. But for this Winter, I’m rounding up my faves in liquid lipsticks, balms, lip pencils and lipsticks. This is kind of an exhaustive roundup so grab your favorite drinks and chill. Take note that since I’m a lover of matte lipsticks, almost all the lipsticks here are mostly matte.
I use these lipsticks mostly in rotation, and also, depending on my activity for the day, I tend to pick the shade that would look best and appropriate on me for that occasion. And if I’m undecided, I would just pick the shade that’s giving me all the feels (LOL), unless of course, I have no feels on that day (LOL again), then that’s another story.
Excited to see which lipsticks made the cut? Keep reading (You’ve been warned :-)).
CHARLOTTE TILBURY/SHISEIDO/BITE BEAUTY/FENTY BEAUTY
Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick in 508 Semi Nude (0.14 oz: $26) – cinnamon. My most unforgettable lipstick ever. One of the most beautiful things that happened lately in my life happened when I wore this lipstick, so this totally sparks a thousand joy for me. This shade is not exactly semi-nude, but more like a muted cinnamon, and the tube of this lipstick is heavy and magnetic. For more of this lipstick, click HERE.
Bite Beauty Multistick in Mascarpone (0.17oz: $24) – deep salmon. I love Bite Beauty’s Multistick (seen HERE) and I like that this is so versatile. You can absolutely do a monochromatic look with just this shade. Just swipe a bit on the lids, lips, and cheeks, and voila! Lagertha (Vikings) is that you? LOL.
Bite Beauty Matte Crรจme Lip Crayon in Glacรฉ (0.05 oz: $24) – dusty mauve. My favorite shade from the Bite Lip Crayon, this color is so versatile and the formula is creamy and comfortable, not to mention the irresistible flavor that this lip product has. More details HERE.
Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in Thicc (0.06 oz: $18) – sultry mauve. One of the newest shades from the Mattemoiselle Plush line. This is such a pretty shade that can work with almost any skin tone and the lasting power of this lipstick is just amazing. Also, this feels comfy on the lips given that this is matte. More Fenty Beauty review HERE.
Dior Lip Glow in Berry (0.12 oz: $34) – sheer berry balm. This is probably the Dior Lip Glow shade that complements my skin tone very well since this has a mauve tone that adjusts beautifully to my lips’ natural color. More Dior Lip Glow shades and swatches HERE.
Dior Addict Lacquer Stick in 420 Underground (0.11 oz: $37) – pink nude. This is one of my favorites when it comes to natural or nude lipstick colors. It’s nude but kinda like a warm mid-tone nude with a bit of pink that is enough to complement and add some color to the lips. Great for everyday wear. See the lip swatch HERE.
Rouge Dior Ultra Rouge Lipstick in 843 Ultra Crave ($37) – terracotta pink. This lipstick is so long-wearing and very comfortable to wear. The Ultra-Crave shade really makes you wanna crave for more of this type of lipstick, and of course, the Dior red packaging is so elegant and sleek. Complete review HERE.
The two classic YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipsticks I love are the YSL Rouge Pur Couture in 28 Rose Boheme (0.13 oz: $38) and the 66 Bois De Rose (0.13 oz: $38). 28 Rose Boheme is a purplish pink that seems difficult to locate nowadays, but it’s still one of my fave purple pink lip colors. See lip swatch HERE. You can definitely find some other similar shades of this particular lipstick, like the 09 rose stiletto (lighter) or the matte version called 212 alternative plum (darker). The YSL Rouge Pur Couture in 66 Bois De Rose is my all-time favorite YSL lipstick color. It is pinky nude and it goes well with everything.
YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain in 409 Burgundy Vibes (0.18 oz: $37) – This is a full coverage high impact dramatic burgundy shade. Perfect for a night out or for an ultra-glam event. I promise you will never be forgotten after wearing this lipstick, LOL. See the lip swatch HERE.
The Giorgio Armani Lip Magnet Liquid Lipsticks in 507 Garconne (0.13 oz: $38) and 600 Front Row (0.13 oz: $38) are two of my staple liquid lipstick/lip stain hybrid. I always love the formula of these since they’re somewhat creamy and definitely comfortable. On top of that, they set into a satiny matte. Also, the wear of these is really good. 507 Garconne is a mauve berry. A perfect mid-tone mauve, while 600 Front Row is a rich brownish berry. You can’t help but stare at how beautiful this shade is. It’s one of those enigmatic berry shade that everyone could pull off. Lip swatch HERE
I haven’t gotten over my love for the Armani Lip Magnets, and here goes the new Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani Matte in 102 Androgino (0.14 oz: $38) and 201 Nightberry (0.14 oz: $38). Androgino is an antique rose and my latest favorite nude lipstick. This really works well for my light/medium skin tone and my pigmented lips. I also think that this is a very universally flattering shade because this has a versatile sort of androgynous undertone. On the other hand, 201 Nightberry is scarlet red. This shade is just to-die-for. It’s the perfect wine-red berry shade with a comfortable creamy matte formula that lasts for hours and hours. Not really sure if I’ll be able to get over the beauty of this lipstick, probably not, so I hope it’s forever. LOL. Lip swatches HERE
CHANEL
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in 118 Eternel (0.12 oz: $37) – Part of Chanel’s Fall ’18 releases, this new “extreme matte” formula is amazing. It’s super pigmented and it stays on the lips without the drying effect. The shade Eternel is the perfect nude pink from this line and I love it. Further swatched HERE.
Before the Velvet Extreme lipsticks, I’ve been a fan and will always be a fan of the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in 69 Abstrait (0.12 oz: $37) and 58 Rouge Vie (0.12 oz: $37). I also love the Libre shade, but that’s for the Summer. The 69 Abstrait color is a new addition from Chanel and it has a coral nude tone. It is a wonderful shade to moderately brighten the pout with a very comfortable original non-drying velvety matte formula. 58 Rouge Vie is a luminous matte red. It’s hard for me to pull off a true red lip color, but this one has a muted brick-like tone and with a comfortable matte texture, so this works for me since it flatters my skin tone. Lip swatch for Abstrait can be seen HERE.
That comprises my Winter lipstick favorites. Did these lipsticks also spark you some joy? LOL, I mean, what are the lipsticks that spark joy on you lately? And what are your favorite lip colors for the Winter?
Hello Friends! Several weeks ago, I stumbled upon a sample of the La Mer Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation and I was really impressed with it. Before that, I think I may have only tried a few La Mer products, like their famous Creme de la Mer and their Moisturizing Soft Cream (reviewed HERE). But when it comes to La Mer makeup, the last one I’ve tried and reviewed was the limited-edition La Mer The Bronzing Powder (read HERE), after that, I don’t think I’ve talked about La Mer items lately until I tried the amazing Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation sample which was kind of life-changing for me.
I wasn’t really on the market for new foundations but since trying the La Mer Soft Fluid Foundation, I felt like I’ve got to have more of it. Since then, I also got curious about their Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation and have read good reviews about it. So, here’s a side by side comparison and contrast of two of La Mer’s bestselling foundations.
The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 + Refill in Warm Vanilla ($120) – This cushion in Warm Vanilla is definitely meant for light skin with warm undertone. On my skin, I don’t find it to be very warm or too golden, but more like a subtle one. The cushion itself has the same scent as the Creme de la Mer but perhaps slightly milder. It has a really lightweight feel on the skin, to the point that it almost feels like not having anything on the face. It has has a natural to dewy finish that doesn’t make your face look flat or cakey. Also, there is no need to dip the sponge applicator that hard on the cushion because there is a lot of product in this sleek compact. Since the coverage of this foundation can go from medium to full, you only need to lightly tap the sponge applicator to your face. I really love the no-mess fuss-free application of this, and I find the finish to be very complementing on my skin, it’s kinda like a second skin that lasts the whole day without giving me any breakouts and I get lots of compliment whenever I use this cushion. Most of the feedbacks I typically get are from people saying they like the way my skin looks, or that it looks more even and almost poreless and flawless. Can you imagine? LOL! I also love the fact that it’s so easy to take this cushion to my travels and it’s perfect for a quick foundation application or a retouch. On top of that, it’s great to use as an everyday foundation for that minimal “no makeup” makeup look, and though it’s pricey, I’m glad that there’s a refill and an additional sponge applicator included in its packaging. Overall, this La Mer Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation is definitely now in my holy grail list, but I feel like I also wanna test the Cle de Peau one which I heard is also good, and I’ll be giving you my two cents of the La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-In Foundation (seen HERE)ย when compared to these two high-end cushion compacts. In fact, since I’ve been loving the cushions lately, I’ll be reviewing my favorite cushion foundations both high-end and drugstore pretty soon here on the blog. So stay tuned for that guys.
The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 in Shell 11 (1 oz: $120) – Theย Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation sample shade that I’ve tried several weeks ago was called Natural 12 which really fits me well, but it did kinda pull a little too warm on me, so I got the regular size in Shell 11 shade which is meant for light skin with cool undertone and this shade seems perfect on me. My skin right now tends to have a neutral to cool undertone although I can still pull a mildly warm undertone like the Warm Vanilla shade of the La Mer cushion above, it just all depends on the product’s pigment, its tendency to oxidize with time, and of course the season. So far, with these two La Mer foundations, I haven’t noticed any extreme oxidation, and if there is, it’s probably very light. So back to this Soft Fluid Foundation, I find this to be very liquidy and very light, which kinda reminds me of the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (reviewed HERE) or the Dior Forever Perfect Foundation (seen HERE). These are the type of foundations that are weightless, set well, and almost feel like second skin. The La Mer Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation doesn’t settle into fine lines and doesn’t make you look like you packed on a ton of makeup. It has a soft luminous glow to it, kinda like a lit-from-within finish yet still very natural and the packaging is really luxurious with a heavy weighted glass material. The coverage of this foundation is medium and can be layered. I really don’t need to apply much of this on my face and I only dab a little bit of setting powder on top of it just to set the foundation well. My top favorites for setting powders are HERE. In total, I find this foundation to be very long-wearing and it stays on my face throughout the day without making it look too oily. However, this does have a weird alcohol scent blended along with its typical La Mer cream fragrance which really doesn’t seem to be so enticing to my senses, but apart from that, this foundation gives a nice youthful finish to the skin, giving you that “your skin but better” effect, blurring all the fine lines, blemishes, pores, and some other imperfections.
Final words, I love both of these foundations, but I think I may be slightly biased towards the Luminous Lifting Cushion because it’s easy for traveling and it’s perfect for a mess-free foundation application. As for the Soft Fluid, I adore its skin-perfecting effect, but the smell can be too much at times and it’s not ideal for traveling because of its heavy glass packaging. Both foundations are expensive but they’re totally worth it for their natural luminous skin effect or that effortless lit-from-within glow that lasts the whole day. They don’t slide off the face and they are definitely long-wearing. Because of these reasons, I think these foundations might be the best I’ve tried so far.
Have you tried these already? What do you think of the La Mer Makeup line in general?
