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Winter Lipstick Favorites

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winter lipstick favorites

 

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

 

Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in Thicc

 

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Lips Liquid Lipstick in Show Girl (0.24 oz: $34) – warm deep berry. Always and will be in love with this shade. I love the thick whipped formula of this liquid lipstick and it sets into a velvety matte that won’t emphasize the lip lines. Lip swatch HERE.

 

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.

 

fenty thicc lipstick swatch

 

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.

 

BURBERRY/DIOR

 

Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Fawn No. 5

 

There are two Burberry lipsticks that I love in my life and they’re both from the Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet Line. One is Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Fawn No. 5 (0.2 oz: $34) and the other is Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Dark Rosewood No. 17 (0.2 oz: $34), seen HERE. These shades may not be available in Sephora anymore, but they’re still available at Nordstrom or at Saks Fifth Avenue. I just love how soft and natural-looking these velvety matte liquid lipsticks appeal on the lips, and they’re so moisturizing as well. You can never go wrong with these.

 

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.

 

burberry lipstick

 

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.

 

YSL

YSL Rouge Voluptรฉ Shine Oil-In-Stick

 

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain in 23 Singular Taupe (0.20 oz: $37) – deep nude. An Allure Award Winner and no doubt one of the best lip stains I’ve ever tried. I really like this shade a lot. It’s perfect for daytime wear and even to a nighttime formal affair. See the other shades 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 lipstick

 

YSL Rouge Voluptรฉ Shine Oil-In-Stick in 48 Smoking Plum (0.15 oz: $38) – further reviewed HERE. This is a perfect Plum shade that is so great for this Winter. The formula of this is so hydrating like it melts into the lips. The coverage is medium and it has a nice shine to it.

 

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.

 

NARS

Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencils in Walkyrie

I’m obsessed with two Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencils in Bahama (0.086 oz: $27) and Walkyrie (0.086 oz: $27). Bahama is pink brown and perfect for a warm nude everyday lip color, while Walkyrie is warm coral red creme that’s great for a date night lewk.

 

nars lipstick swatch

 

Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment in American Woman (0.18 oz: $26) – chestnut rose. From the name of this liquid lipstick, down to its shade, plus its comfortable matte formula, you can’t resist the charm.

 

ARMANI BEAUTY

Giorgio Armani Lip Magnet Liquid Lipsticks

 

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

 

armani lipsticks swatch

 

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

 

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.

 

chanel lipsticks review

 

Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder in 960 Avant-Gardiste (0.3 oz: $30.00) – seen HERE. This is a red berry shade. I absolutely love the unique formula of this. It’s powdery, it’s staining, and it’s long-wearing. Perfect for that ombre lip effect.

 

Chanel Jumbo Longwear Matte Lip Crayon in 267 Impulsion (0.04 oz: $37) – A deep blue-toned red with a smooth and creamy lip crayon formula. It’s so pigmented that it’ll stain the lips for the whole day. A little bit goes a long way. Further swatched HERE.

 

Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in 174 Melancholia (0.2 oz: $37) – deep berry. Also a very staining lip color and you don’t need to apply a lot. It’s so lightweight on the lips and it’s non-drying. See the lip swatch 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?

 

Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick Review And Swatches

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Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick review

 

Hello Everybody and Hello to all lipstick lovers! I finally got the Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick (0.14 oz: $26) during the Sephora Holiday Bonus Sale, which is still ongoing and the next round will be coming up this weekend (more details and my wishlist HERE, will be adding another wishlist soon). It’s always great to take advantage of these sales so we can finally get that lipstick or be it any makeup our hearts desire. For me, I’ve been wanting to try this Shiseido matte lipstick because as what I’ve said before, someone recommended this to me and the reviews in Sephora have been great so far, even though there’s not a lot, and also, I haven’t really found several beauty bloggers talking or raving about this lipstick which is kinda strange because this particular Shiseido lipstick is actually an Allure Best of Beauty Winner this year.

 

Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick

 

To tell you a bit of story as to how I got so interested about this lipstick, let’s go back a couple of months ago to my trip to Minnesota, specifically Mall of America, lol. I was at Nordstrom’s Tom Ford beauty counter swatching some of their latest lipsticks when one of their SAs asked if I needed some help, which I gladly accepted and I asked her several questions regarding TF’s latest beauty launches. While I was talking to her, I couldn’t help but notice her beautiful lipstick color. She had this sort of semi-glossy brownish taupe lip color that simply looked glam and very Fall-ready. My first thought automatically was, it’s probably one of Tom Ford’s, but then I was like “no, it can’t be, I need to ask her” lol. So I did, and I was so shocked when she told me that she’s actually wearing two kinds of lip products and none of them are from Tom Ford, LOL! shockerz! I was like “Whaaaat?!”, I swear I felt my invisible wig falling, LOL. She did show me the two lip shades she used, one is a Chanel Jumbo Lip Crayon which she used as a topper, kinda like a gloss, then the base is the Shiseido Modern Matte Lipstick, and she loved it so much. I totally had no clue about this lipstick at all or how good it is, not to mention ever trying any Shiseido lipsticks before. So I then decided that my next mission will be to try and test this particular lipstick asap.

 

Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick

 

The Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick is a super lightweight comfortable lipstick with a true matte finish. It is creamy and it glides effortlessly on the lips without feathering. There is no noticeable scent or any flavor at all, and the packaging has a magnetic case that feels thick, slightly heavy, and overall robust. I find the shades to be well-pigmented, wearable, and just beautiful. The formula does transfer but only a little bit and it lasts pretty much the whole day on me. I may have to retouch a tiny bit after eating but still, the color stays on my lips. Also, this lipstick might slightly emphasize the lips’ fine lines, but this never made my lips dry at all.

 

Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick

 

Here are some of my favorite shades:

 

Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick in thigh high, disrobed, murmur, semi nude, velvet rope, nocturnal

 

Thigh High (504) – nude beige

 

Disrobed (506) – nude rose

 

Murmur (507) – rosewood

 

Semi Nude (508) – cinnamon, but more like a spiced cinnamon

 

Nocturnal (521) – brick red

 

Velvet Rope (522) – sangria

 

Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick

This lipstick’s shape and form reminded me a bit of the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks (reviewed HERE) but I find this Shiseido Modern Matte Lipstick to be a lot better in terms of texture, comfort and wear time, plus, this lipstick is way cheaper. With that, I do believe this lipstick deserves a 5-star rating since it’s very well done overall, and this is definitely one of the best matte lipsticks I’ve ever tried. I highly recommend this to you all.

 

Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick review

 

The Shiseido Modern Matte Powder Lipstick is currently available at Sephora, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue

 

*Crown Catchall is from West Elm

*All In Good Taste Book (Kate Spade) is available HERE

*Peonies Book is from HERE

*Veranda Entertaining Book is also from HERE

*Diptyque “Figuier” candle is available at Nordstrom

 

Favorite Oil-Control Blotting Papers

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As a lover of face glows and highlighters but with an oily-prone skin type, it can be quite a challenge to use some strobing products especially in the middle of the Summer. A couple of weeks ago, one sunny afternoon, I was all excited to put on my makeup. I thought I nailed my strobing technique and I was out and about thinking how glowy and naturally lit I must have looked. The weather suddenly became so intensely hot and humid that when I got to my car and glanced at myself at the rear-view mirror, I suddenly realized “What in the devil have I done?!” LOL! My face was glowy, true, but it was way too glowy that it looked so oily. It was like I slathered olive oil on my face. I thought “What? How could this be?” when I left home, I didn’t look like this, I even had a mattifying foundation on. Oh my, lesson learned, go easy with the highlighting especially if the weather gets really warm and humid, and if you have an oily skin type, well, you’re going to need all the help you can get, starting with a really good oil-control blotting paper.

 

best oil-control blotting papers

 

Unfortunately, when that story happened, I forgot my blotting paper, Arrrgh…, and I usually carry a pack in my purse. I did have a pressed powder with me, but I don’t really like applying powders on my face without getting rid of most of the oil first. It just seems gross. So, immediately, I went to the closest beauty store I could find and did some panic buying of several oil-control blotting sheets. Since then, I’ve been obsessed with testing the blotting papers I purchased. I normally use the Too Cool For School Dinoplatz blotting papers, but I found out that there are several brands that are actually a lot better than this particular blotting paper nowadays.

 

The following are my faves:

 

Shiseido Oil-Control Blotting Paper (100 sheets: $18.50) – These sheets are large and have a slightly powdery feel. They have a very very subtle floral scent that is almost undetectable and they absorb the oil very well. They’re also mattifying and they come in a convenient easy “pull-out release” type of packaging, encased further by a small white envelope. These don’t disturb the makeup and they don’t disintegrate easily while being blotted on the face. I love these for their size and their ability to absorb excess oil very well without having to rub them on the face.

 

Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers review

 

Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers (30 Sheets: $12) – These blotting sheets are expensive but they’re also very impressive. Their size is larger than average and each sheet has gold flakes. They may feel thin but they don’t break easily. Also, they’re soft and are extremely absorbent. In fact, these sheets are the most absorbent of all the blotting papers mentioned in this review. They can even absorb excess oil that most blotting papers cannot do, and they don’t leave your fingers oily. Since each sheet is large, one is enough to cover the whole face.

 

Too Cool For School. Dinoplatz Dear Brachiosaurus Oil Blotting Paper (50 sheets: $8-11) – These have been my go-to blotting papers for some time. The sheets are small and are really thin but the packaging is the most attractive of these. It’s so convenient to use because the sheets are housed in a compact type, complete with a mirror and a sticky sponge that grabs each sheet for easy dabbing on the skin. It’s great for not making your fingers oily but since the sheets are too thin and too small, it can be hard to see whether they actually absorb any excess oil or not. I’m sure they do because the excess shine from my face is gone, but then again, the sponge also gets oily and it spreads to the next clean sheets. So that’s something to consider.

 

Sephora Collection Blotting Papers review herbal rose and bamboo charcoal

 

Sephora Collection Blotting Papers (100 sheets: $8) – These blotting papers work well and they come in three different kinds; Natural Tea Tree, Bamboo Charcoal, and Herbal Rose. The sheets are not too thin so they don’t break easily and they’re square-ish. They’re also inexpensive and they get the job done, which means they absorb excess oil from the skin very well. The packaging is also cute and very convenient to use since there’s a flap with a sticker that pulls one sheet at a time for easy dispensing. If it wasn’t for their size, these sheets are probably the closest dupe to Shiseido’s.

 

Bamboo Charcoal – mattifying

Herbal Rose – nice powdery rose scent

 

Boscia Blotting Linens (100 sheets: $10) – Love these for the large sheets which are easy to grab and they feel very soft. They’re also very good at absorbing excess oil and they come in Green Tea, Clear, and Black Charcoal. They also don’t disturb the makeup since the sheets are very good at absorbing any excess oil and I love their refreshing scents. Also, I didn’t notice any oil transfer to my fingers whenever I use them, and one blotting sheet is enough to cover the whole face. However, they do have a tendency to break while being used since they’re a bit on the softer side and they’re so absorbent at the same time.

 

boscia blotting linens in green tea and black charcoal

 

Green Tea – true and subtle green tea fragrance

Black Charcoal – slightly floral scent

 

Another blotting paper I wanna mention is the good ol’ drugstore favorite -the Neutrogena Deep-Clean Blotting Sheets. They’re cheap, easy to find, and they work. If it wasn’t for their small size, I’d say they’re also great.

 

Too Cool For School. Dinoplatz Dear Brachiosaurus Oil Blotting Paper

 

Bottom line, I love all the blotting papers reviewed here, but if I have to pick my top three, they would be: Top one- the Tatcha Blotting Papers, followed by Shiseido’s for the second place, and third would be the Boscia Blotting Linens.

 

Do you use these at all? what’s your favorite blotting paper?