If you’re bored and tired of this frigid gloomy winter, well, rest assured that you’re not alone. I can’t wait for the colors around me to come back. Speaking of colors, there’s a couple of new shades from Smith & Cult nails polish lately and they’re really pretty. As someone who’s never tried any Smith & Cult nail polish before, even though I keep seeing them in my local department store, I feel like it’s about time to venture to new nail polish brands and explore different unique shades that are outside my comfort zone. I’m talking about taking a break from my usual vampy red nail colors.
The Smith & Cult nail polishes are one of those chic nail colors that you just can’t help but stare not only at their interesting shades but also at their glamorous packaging. Such design for a nail polish. But the beautiful colors and beautiful containers come with a steep price. For $18 per nail polish, it’s definitely a splurge. However, having a few shades that you know you’re gonna use a lot and love for a long time makes it all worth it, like the three I got here.
These three new shades are not only Spring and Summer-ready shades, but also theyโre great transitional shades from Winter to Spring. Apart from that, if you’ve been following the “mannequin nails” trend, that is, matching your finger’s skin tone to your nails which gives a lengthening effect, then you’re gonna love two of the shades here.
I applied these nail colors using Smith & Cult’s very own base coat and top coat. My experience with both is just amazing. The Basis of Everything base coat settles very fast and it made my nails feel very strong. The Above It All top coat is one of the best top coats I’ve ever tried. It does what a top coat should do. It dries and sets the nail polish immediately and it makes for strong nails that shine. It’s perfect.
Peaceful Paranoia ($18) – This opaque dark cream with a pinkish/magenta sheen is probably one of the most perfect shade for that mannequin nails trend. It’s definitely gonna match to your finger especially if your skin tone is light to medium like mine. However, to be honest, I’m not so crazy about the whole mannequin nails trend, I think it’s just not a trend for everybody, and it’s a pretty difficult trend to pull off. If you’re a long-time reader of my blog, you know that I like mE nails red, scandalous, and vampy, LOL. So, you can imagine my reaction when I painted my nails with this cream-tone shade. But anyways, even if this color is too close to my skin tone, it doesn’t mean that I couldn’t love this. It took me a while to get used to this color though, but after a few days, I feel like it’s really not that bad. I could get used to it. But do I really need to psyche myself that much in order to love a nail color? hmmm… Anyway, apart from that, let’s talk about the longevity and overall impression that I got with this color. Once on my nails, I had a hard time seeing that pink/magenta sheen that comes from the nail polish itself, it’s almost like it only reflects from the bottle. After probably a week or so, I noticed a slight chipping on the side of my nails, but overall it stays on almost perfectly for more than two weeks.
Powder Posse ($18) – If I had mixed feelings about the Peaceful Paranoia shade above, this creamy pale lilac is a surprise love for me. I like this one a lot better than Peaceful Paranoia because at least this shade shows a bit of contrast between my skin and my nails. It’s definitely a shade lighter than my own skin tone, but it looks clean, sleek, and polished. It still looks like I have mannequin nails on but it also looks like I have nails for real. You know what I mean.
A Short Reprise ($18) – Lavender Mauve. This is my most favorite shade among the three. It’s so pretty and it’s not an aggressive “look at me” shade. It’s just simple yet stunning. This is indeed a nice transitional shade or a color meant for Spring and Summer. The tone of this reminds me a bit of Essie’s Angora Cardi, but this one has more lavender shade in it. Overall, this is a relaxing pretty nail color that you don’t see a lot in most nail polishes nowadays, but when you see one, you know you’ve got to have it.
I feel like I’m gonna be seeing some more Smith and Cult nail polishes popping in my drawer after this. I love this nail polish already. The formula is long-wearing, doesn’t have that much strong odor, and I get about two weeks or more of wear, and it’s also an 8-free nail polish. I also love the brush applicator, it’s much better than OPI, Essie, Chanel and Tom Ford’s, but I still love Dior’s brushes though, because those are fat and wide, so it’s easier for me to apply the colors on my nails. Other than that, I am now a convert of Smith and Cult nail colors and I highly recommend them. Yay!
I finally got my Sephora Play! box this month and I couldn’t be more excited. However, I have mixed emotions about this month’s contents. I’m a bit dismayed because I feel like Sephora keeps me sending me the same one or two products over and over again. I wanted something new for a change, so I’m quite disappointed about that. On the other hand, I’m happy with the other products that I got because they’re something new, and it’s definitely fun to explore and test a product that you would never imagine trying before.
Check out what I got
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb ($48) – If you love Belif’s The True Cream Aqua Bomb, then there’s no reason for you not to love this Moisturizing Eye Bomb. Its got the same refreshing irresistible scent that the Aqua Bomb has, and it’s really great to moisturize the skin around the eyes. It even soothes puffiness and it’s great to layer under eye makeup. It is gel-based but its hydration can go a long way. I love that this doesn’t have a sticky residue feel once it gets absorbed by the skin. Overall, this is such a good eye cream and I really love it, so I’m planning to have this in its regular size pretty soon.
Sephora Collection Rouge Matte Lipstick in Rebel Chic (0.10 oz: $7) – I’ve tried this lipstick line from Sephora before, but I’ve never tried the Rebel Chic color. At first, it seemed too much of a dark vampy red for me, but when I applied it to my lips, I was actually quite in love with the color. It’s vampy yeah, but it’s also a sexy vampy red wine shade. It’s not too emo or too gothic and it actually works quite well with my pigmented lips. The matte texture is comfortable, lightweight, and not so drying. I also kinda love the slight berry flavor of this lipstick, on top of that, the color doesn’t even bleed or transfer. I am definitely smitten with this.
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Rose Gold (0.05 oz: $29) – I love Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eyeshadows (swatches HERE), I think they’re one of the best eye contouring product you can buy nowadays, but when the mini rose gold color keeps appearing in some of my Sephora Play!, I feel like Sephora could do better at curating their subscription boxes, or at least pay attention to what has already been sent to their respective subscribers. Anyway, since I already have this Rose Gold shade in its regular size, I’m just gonna give it to someone else. I just hope Sephora would send me something new and something different next time.
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Let’s Go Crazy (0.086 oz: $27) – While I’m not crazy about this vivid pink shade, I am actually in love with the texture of this matte lip pencil. The color is so bold, so pigmented, and so staining. I love how the color remained on my lips for hours and hours and it doesn’t feather. It’s also very easy to apply and line the lips because of its pencil design. However, I don’t like the fact that I have to sharpen this all the time. It would be nice if Nars would update the packaging and make it more of a twist type at least attach a built-in sharpener at the bottom.
Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee Cologne Absolue Pure Perfume (mini/0.34 oz: $26, 1 oz: $85, 3.3 oz: $140, 6.7 oz: $235) – This may have been a repeat product from my previous Sephora Play, though I’m not quite sure. Anyway, I’m not really a vanilla scent fan because I don’t quite like the scent of most vanilla perfume’s drydown. But this Vanille Insensee from Atelier Cologne is different. It is subtle and it’s quite fresh, which doesn’t make my nose turn up. The blend of vanilla, jasmine, and lime is enough to make this scent distinctive, warm, and sophisticated. It’s definitely not your typical sweet vanilla type of scent, but more of a sexy, elegant, and stylish type. I feel like I could wear this and not get annoyed because the vanilla tone is not overpowering, and the drydown is quite powdery.
Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Peeling Gel (3.4 oz: 48) – I’ve never heard of this product before, so imagine my excitement and curiosity when I received this in my Sephora Play! box. This gel has a faint fresh scent that looks like any other gel cleanser in the market but once you scrub this on your face, you’ll get a different kind of impression. This literally peeled and scrubbed off dead skin cells from the surface of my face. It polished my rough skin and it makes it so smooth, and ready for any moisturizer. I also noticed some of my blackheads and whiteheads resurfacing, which makes me conclude that this product is a very good exfoliator. Oh, I’m afraid I’ll be buying this in its full size soon.
That sums up all the products that I got for this month’s Sephora Play subscription box. As you can see, there’s are interesting products that I love, but there are also a few products that I wasn’t so crazy about. What did you get for this month’s Sephora Play?
Hey! A lot has happened in the lipstick department lately. There’s all sorts of new releases in terms of balms, glosses, lip pencils and of course lipsticks. On top of that, we’ve only really just started, there will be more to come as Spring slowly approaches. Imagine all those big, bright, and colorful shades for the lips, every brand releasing their own “new for spring” lip products non-stop. It’s gonna be a fun year of lipstick hoarding. Well, so far, right now there are several new releases already and they’re worth looking into. We’re still in Winter, so a lot of these shades are of course in their typical winter tones, but they come in different textures and effects. For this review, expect a couple of mattes because these matte lipsticks, be it liquids, balms or pencils will definitely not go away. Right now, there’s a ton of mattes with really comfy textures, and they’re just getting better and better with time. Also, in this review, you’ll find innovative products like a lip gloss that adapts to your lips’ chemistry, a bunch of wear-alone lightweight glosses that are very pigmented, enough to last several hours of wear, and you’ll also find comfy lip pencils that have impressive pigments.
Here they are:
The Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in Red Berry (0.1 oz: $26) smells and tastes delish and it’s super hydrating. The brush applicator is chubby and the texture is not only great as a gloss, but also as an everyday lip balm. It’s made of oil, but it’s very comfortable on the lips. Even though the Red Berry doesn’t show much on my pigmented lips, I still like the minimal hint of color that it has shown. The packaging is very cute and handy as well. The Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Lip Gloss in Star Dust (0.25 oz: $36) is such a luxurious lip gloss in terms of packaging and formula. It can be used as a gloss alone or it can be layered on top of your favorite lipstick. It’s expensive but I think if you find the right colors, then it’s worth it to have at least one or two. The formula is very lightweight and makes your lips look so luscious and plumpy. Also, the brush is interesting because it’s kind of a spiral type so you can apply the gloss on either side of the brush continuously and easily without having to flip it. Additionally, this gloss has a slight floral flavor to it, which doesn’t really bother me at all. The Star Dust color, though very pink with shimmer on the tube, actually is very sheer and on my lips, it becomes a medium rosy pink, and it sort of changes tone depending on the ambient light. Becca Liptuitive Glow Gloss (0.16 oz: $25) is one interesting smart lip gloss. Similar to the Dior Addict Lip Glow, this gloss is supposed to react to your lips’ chemistry to produce that ideal pink, be it a rosy pink or a muted plum. For me, it took about 3 minutes for this gloss to show that perfect pink, and I actually quite like the effect very much. On my lips, it’s more like a muted medium pink which seems to complement my skin tone. I also love the unique blue-tinged cushiony formula, which is lightweight, comforting, and hydrating. This is also great on top of any matte lipsticks, and it brings out that lipstick’s shade even more. Try it with Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick below, and you’ll see.
Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Fresh (0.035 oz: $28) is a deep pink mauve. This latest matte lip product from Laura Mercier is super pigmented, so easy to apply, and so long-lasting, but it can be quite drying on the lips. It definitely needs a good lip gloss like Becca’s Liptuitive Glow above. I find that I had a hard time finding my ideal shade from this line, even though there are several shades to choose from. I think the lighter shades are too light for me, and the darker shades are too dark. However, I’m impressed by the pigment of this lipstick. It can hold a whole dinner, plus desserts, drinks, and more. And with its packaging similar to Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eye Colour (reviewed HERE), the application is easy, precise, and fast. It even comes with a built-in sharpener. The Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in Spanked (0.06 oz: $18) is a very pretty dusty rose shade that is sure to work on any complexion. It is one of my favorite shade in this review by far, and I also like its cute packaging. Though a bit small and slim, it actually makes for a precise application on the lips, and even though it’s matte, it’s really creamy and comfortable. The lasting power is wonderful too, plus there’s no annoying scent or aftertaste. Another matte lipstick formula that I love is the Sephora Collection #Lipstories Lipstick in Labyrinth City (0.14 oz: $8), which is a mid rose-brown shade that is quite similar to Fenty’s Mattemoiselle Plush in terms of texture and shade. This particular lipstick is also very creamy for being matte, and the shade is very flattering for all skin tones. Longevity and pigment are great and it’s very affordable. Such good lipstick at such nice price. I just wish that Sephora will not discontinue this line, because this range has different shades and textures to choose from, and they’re good quality with good pigments that are not tough on the wallet.
If you’re looking for that perfect fool-proof lip gloss with tons of shades to choose from, then take a closer look at these Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss Moisturizing Glossimer (0.19 oz: $30). It is indeed one of the best glosses I’ve ever tried, and I’m not even a gloss type of girl. In fact, I haven’t loved a gloss lately until I decided to try this. For a long time, I have stayed away from lip glosses because I find that most formulas can be quite sticky on my lips, and they’re not that comfortable to wear. All that recently changed when I tried these Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses. They’re comfy and they almost feel like there’s nothing on the lips. They’re also staining for a gloss, so you can wear them as is, or you can gloss them over your favorite lipstick. Some shades have shimmers but are still very natural to wear, also, the brush applicator is thick and rounded, which covers the whole lips for easy application. The formula is thick and it makes the lips look a tad plumpy, so the overall effect is a natural, luscious, healthy-looking lips. The colors last a long time too. Most of all, they make me love lip glosses all over again.
716 Caramel – non-shimmery true caramel shade. complements my natural lip color and adds a nice natural shine.
722 Noce Moscata – slightly shimmery and a bit lighter than Caramel. Ideal as a gloss over your favorite lip color.
724 Burnt Sugar– shimmery copper-brown. Great to wear alone.
Matte liquid lipsticks never get old, and the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigments (0.18 oz: $26) are one of those improved and better-formulated matte liquids out there. The texture might be thin and watery, but you’ll find that all you need is really just one coat on the lips and you’re set. The colors are comfy, very pigmented and very long-lasting. There are lots of flattering wearable shades from this range as well, plus, the brush of these is very precise.
Walk This Way – rose pink, great for lighter complexions.
Save The Queen – dusty mauve, nice shade for light to medium or medium skin tones.
If you’re into balms, then you’ve gotta try the new shades of the Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balms (0.12 oz: $34). There are new shades and textures released recently, and they’re awesome. They’re as great or even better than most lipsticks, simply because they’re comfy and hydrating, plus they have good pigments and staying power, so your lips stay moisturized and stained without having to reapply much. For the swatches and the complete review, please click HERE.
Matte Pink – sheer matte ballet pink, feels cushiony and non-drying, great as an everyday lip color.
Ultra Pink – sheer bright pink, a very cute mid jelly pink that gives a youthful shade to the lips, it’s very well-pigmented and doesn’t require much reapplication.
The Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST 007 ($38) is a nice set if you want a great wearable matte liquid lipstick plus a really stunning glitzy gloss that’s sure to wow everyone. This duo is pricey but I think for their beautiful shade and texture, the price is on point. Also, the whole set’s packaging is really unique with all its glittery sequins in it. Not really sure what to do with the sequins, but they’re cute. I find that you don’t really need to wear the two shades together, as each shade is superbly beautiful on its own. I’m impressed by their staying power, color, and lightweightness.
Divine Nude (cool mauve pink) – This shade is a wow, a perfect warm nude shade for that light to medium skin tone, so pretty, so natural, and so elegant. But that’s not the only thing that impressed me. That texture is so soft, smooth, comfy and it never dried my lips. A single coat gets the job done, and the brush is nice too with its decent size and shape. P.S. I am starting to really love Pat McGrath’s lip products because of this.
Astral Vinyl Gloss in Bronze – A real shimmer through and through. It’s blinding, it’s reflecting and it’s out of this world. Such glittery buildable shade, which can be worn over a lipstick or alone. I like that it feels light and non-sticky, but the application can be annoying though because it doesn’t have a brush in it.
Apart from the Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipsticks, here’s a really promising lip pencil to love. The Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon (0.07 oz: $26) is the perfect lip pencil/crayon if you’re talking about texture and lasting power. It’s buttery soft, easy and precise to apply, and has good pigments overall. The only thing I don’t seem to love about this is that most of the shades have a metallic pearly sheen to them, which is not bad if you want some dimension on your lips, but I wish some shade are in true mattes.
Send Nudes – a dark metallic plum-brown shade which is kinda hard to pull off, but its bold color is beautiful. I do think that this is a great shade for darker skin tones.
Night Mauves – a soft pink pearly-sheen mauve which is very pretty and very wearable for all complexions.
Bottom line, if you’re looking for that hydrating gloss this winter, I highly recommend the Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss because they’re long-lasting and they have a nice staining power to them. I would also look into the Cle de Peau for that gorgeous array of shades. For balms, the Dior Addict Lip Glows are a must. For comfortable matte lipsticks, look into Pat McGrath, Fenty Mattemoiselle, or Sephora #Lipstories.
