Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipstick (Nectarine) Review and Swatch

 Today I'm reviewing one of my favorite holidays lipsticks ever. Estee Lauder's Pure Color Lipstick in Nectarine has been my favorite red lipstick ever since I first discovered it. It retails for $25 and can be found at department stores or anywhere that sells Estee Lauder.
When I first bought this lipstick I thought it would be very orange and ostentatious in a bad way. Thus I was delighted to find that it was really actually a nice firecracker red with lovely yellowish orange shimmers.

 Unlike a lot of other red lipsticks, this is one that does not make my teeth look yellower. In pictures it actually tends to make my teeth look a lot whiter! Which is always a plus :)

It stays on for 2-3 hours with no problem, yet still feels creamy and moisturizing. It is a very forgiving shade that does not requires a lot of work when applying. While it does transfer to other surfaces such as cups, it transfers a lot less than other red lipsticks I have tried.
OVERALL CONCLUSION: Best red lipstick for the holidays that I have tried. It looks great with a golden shimmery eye.

Grade: A
What are your favorite red lipsticks? I need to find more!! :D

Happy Holidays :)
Love,
Cherie

Elf Studio 144-Piece Eyeshadow Set Review

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!! I hope everyone is spending a lovely time with their family and friends (: !! I wanted to do a really short review on this huge eyeshadow palette I recently acquired from my sister. It is a neutral eyeshadow palette by Elf (eyeslipsface).

Originally sold for 30 dollars, this palette is now on sale for 15 dollars at places like Target or online. It consists of 144 neutral colors both matte and shimmery. The colors are beautiful in this palette.

FLAWS: While the colors are beautiful they are not all very pigmented. Some of them look beautiful in the pan (the darker matte colors) but show up chalky and light on the eyes. However if a primer is worn and the colors are packed on carefully, it does look very beautiful. I did not have as much of a problem with the shimmery shades. If anyone would like me to swatch more of the colors I would be glad to. However because there are 144 colors....I thought I would wait on it :)

OVERALL CONCLUSION: This is a nice starter palette as it consists of a large variety of shimmery and matte tones. There are warm and cool tones, thus providing a nice collection of go to eyeshadows. However they are not always the most pigmented, although this is justified by the cheap price. 

GRADE: B  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, <3

Cherie 

MAC Cream Color Base Review in Shell

 Have any of you been on the constant look for the perfect highlighter? Well I have...and it has been a long long journey. I recently got Mac's cream color base in shell after my sister told me that she loved how it made her skin look radiant and dewy. This product is described as a multi-use product that can be used all over the face. However I tested it specifically as a highlighter. It costs $18.50 on the MAC website.

Shell is a beautiful light pink champagne color with lots of gold shimmer. On the skin you can definitely see more of the pink. However in the pictures it looks more gold. On the skin this product gives a nice shimmer, however the sparkles are very obvious in natural light (outside). This is a very creamy product that applies very easily to the skin. The only flaw of this product is that it wears off very fast and can transfer to other surfaces. I'm assuming that this is because it is such a creamy product.

Excuse my veiny hand O_o

Grade: B

Conclusion: While a beautiful product, it simply has quite horrible wearing power. However if you do not mind that...get it! It's a pretty highlighting shade. I will however continue on my search for the perfect highlighter. 

Mac Glamour Daze: Outrageously Fun Lipstick Review/Swatches

I have never been so in love with a lipstick in my life. Mac's Glamour Daze holiday collection was one of many recently released by Mac Cosmetics for the holidays. Among many other things, five limited edition lipsticks (Beauty, Glamourdaze, Outrageously Fun, Dramatic Encounter, and Innocence) were in this collection. I was incredibly interested in both Glamourdaze (a beautiful plum shade) and Outrageously Fun (a gorgeous magenta pink shade). However I could only get my hands on Outrageously Fun at the moment. 

Mac's Outrageously Fun is a limited edition Cremesheen lipstick in limited edition packaging. It was priced at $16.50 on the Mac website. The color and pigmentation of this lipstick is AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL. While it is a very bright magenta pink that borders on almost being neon, it is still very wearable. It is non-drying and can be made sheerer by first prepping lips with a balm like Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. A plus for this lipstick is that it doesn't make my teeth look yellower!! YAY :) It lasts for quite a while although it does transfer onto other surfaces. It also wears off evenly and thus does not look bad as it fades.

GRADE: A+
Conclusion: BUY THIS LIPSTICK if you love bright lipsticks! It is unlike other bright pink lipsticks I have and is definitely gorgeous. I have gotten so many compliments on it. If you weren't lucky enough to grab it in stores or online, you can still find it on ebay and amazon.

Love,
Cherie

Candy Doll Lipstick in Apricot Beige Review and Swatch

 Another lipstick from Japan that I recently tried, Candy Doll's Apricot Beige lipstick is indeed, as the name describes, an apricot beige matte lipstick. THIS LIPSTICK ACCENTUATES DRY PATCHES...SO MOISTURIZE.
I was extremely upset when I first tried this lipstick on, because it made me look dead and was very unflattering. It looked like I had just applied concealer to my lips. The application of this lipstick is a pain as it applies quite unevenly. While it is pigmented, i find that this lipstick is very drying and almost looks like caked on foundation. HOWEVER!!!!! I found out a wonderful way to make this lipstick wearable. This lipstick acts almost like a lip concealer, and helps to cover your natural lip color. Add a pink lip gloss, and it becomes much more wearable.

 This lipstick stays on for a reasonable amount of time, but is not the longest lasting. It also wears off in an unflattering uneven way. However it looks nice with lip gloss and dark eyes. This lipstick tastes DISGUSTING though. So try not to get it in your mouth.

-> With just lipstick....it's horrible isn't it... :( Streaky to apply and a weird color on me...maybe it will work better on someone else!

 With lipstick and lipgloss...MUCH MORE WEARABLE!

GRADE: D+
Conclusion: Ultimately, this lipstick is one that can be passed over. There plenty more nude lipsticks out there that are moisturizing, beautiful, and easier to apply. However if you do like it...you can buy it on ebay.com or online.


Love,
Cherie <3

Maybelline SuperStay 14HR Lipstick in Perpetual Peony Review and Swatches

 So this lipstick isn't really a fall or winter lipstick....but OH WELL. I lOVE IT. It's beautiful for spring and even though it doesn't really fit in the current season I wear it anyways. Maybelline SuperStay 14HR lipstick in Perpetual Peony is a beautiful bright pink with a slightly purple undertone. It almost reminds me of cotton candy. This product smells DELICIOUS..I have no idea why...it just smells sweet and yummy which I guess is a plus unless you don't like scented products.

This lipstick is marketed as very long-wearing and non-drying. While this lipstick does last longer than my other ones, I find that it wears off in an unflattering way. On the lips it does feel kind of weird with a sticky feeling. However I guess that is what makes it last. It looks beautiful on the lips and reminds me of spring flowers. The biggest problem I have with this lipstick is that on me it is extremely drying. It accentuates any dry spots I may have, and also seems to create dry patches on my lips.

Grade: C+

Conclusion: Although I love this color and it does last long, this product is very drying on my lips. At the same time it doesn't always look good with my skin tone..I have no idea why.. :( BOO


Love,
Cherie

Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Lacquered Brown Review and Swatches

Have you ever been completely blown away by a product that you had low hopes for? Well this was mine. After the new color sensational high shine lipsticks came out, I eagerly charged to my nearest Target in hopes of getting one. (I love color sensational lipsticks) I was utterly depressed when I realized that they were out of all colors. Until I happened to spot this lipstick in one of the Revlon displays. I've never really tried or liked dark lip colors and was disenchanted by the name "Lacquered Brown". I decided to pick it up anyways just to try the collection and boy was I blown AWAY...

This beautiful shade is not really plain brown like its name suggests. Instead its a gorgeous dark mahogany burgundy red. It veers between the course of red and brown, and is unlike anything I have.  In some lightings it looks slightly mauve/purple. The brilliant shine on this lipstick makes it much more wearable. Yes I know this is a late review but I love this lipstick for fall and winter. This lipstick is moisturizing and makes your lips look nice and glossy. Instead of looking completely vampy I find that this lipstick looks very classic (even though it is dark).

I find that this lipstick is just perfect for the holidays and photographs quite well. This lipstick has a nice almost citrus like smell and is pigmented upon layering. Another plus is its price of around $6 at places like Target and drugstores.




Grade: A (not always wearable)
Conclusion: Extremely beautiful and not boring. It can change in darkness depending on the lighting. Definitely beautiful for the holidays.

Sorry for the messy swatch!! 

Love,
Cherie

Candy Doll Concealer 02 Review

 While shopping for a new concealer, I picked up this concealer from the Sasa store in Taiwan. You can find it on sasa.com for around $12.

 I have always heard so much about this Japanese brand created by Tsubasa Masuwaka. However this was my first time actually using a product by this brand.

 This product consists of a tube filled with product and a doe foot applicator. The consistency of the concealer is actually quite thick and dries pretty quickly. Make sure you blend it out rather quickly as it can be hard to blend it after a while. The thick consistency of this concealer gives it excellent opaque coverage. It covers my blemishes and dark circles very well. It has a strong yellow undertone and is quite light (although this is shade 02). It also comes in an even lighter 01 shade. My only complaint about this concealer is that it can be a bit drying. I have found that it accentuates dry spots so make sure you moisturize before using it.

 Grade: A

CONCLUSION:

This is an excellent concealer that gives nice opaque coverage with a matte finish. It looks very natural on and does give good oil control. However if you have dry skin it can accentuate dry patches.






Love, Cherie

Etude House Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB Cream in #3 Sheer Flawless Skin Review

 Etude House is one of my favorite korean cosmetic brands due to their adorable packaging. I recently got a sample of the Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB cream when I visited their store in Taiwan.

 It is marketed as a product that has anti-aging and whitening properties with oil control and spf 30.

 Upon opening this bb cream, I realized that it is really watery and does spill out of the tube very easily. It comes in three different shades although this is the darkest shade. Surprisingly  it is really not that dark and would match NC-30 ladies quite well.

 This BB cream gives outstanding coverage. It is quite thick in consistency however and you can definitely feel it on your face. It gives SPF 30, which like all bb creams with sun protection can give a white cast in photos. Upon application the bb cream sample that I got feels slightly grainy. I am not sure if it is the sample itself or if it is just my dry skin balling up (yeah i know gross...). I do like how this bb cream looks on the skin though. It gives a satiny finish that is not dewy yet not matte. The yellow-beige undertones of this bb cream do not give me a grey cast unlike many other bb creams (missha bb creams). I have combination acne-prone skin that gets very dry in certain areas. I also have sensitive skin (..yay..). Thankfully this bb cream actually does not make me break out!!!

While this bb cream can sometimes look too dark upon application, after a couple of minutes it sets into a more natural shade that fits with my skin tone quite well. Without using flash on my camera, this bb cream actually photographs very well on my face. I would say it gives medium coverage and can easily be layered. You can make it sheer by just putting less on.

Grade: A-

 CONCLUSION: Overall this is a very nice bb cream with medium coverage. It does not wash me out but is not too dark. It last pretty well throughout the day and does not require touch ups. However, you can feel it on the skin if you apply too much. It gives a nice finish and looks quite natural. It also gives excellent oil control for those with oily skin. Fair-skinned ladies should beware however as this bb cream is darker than most bb creams I have tried. Once winter comes along I will probably not be able to wear this.

Have a great day!
Love,
Cherie

Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes Rd-784 Swatches

 Another eyeshadow I picked up in Taiwan, Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes in RD784 is a nice quad for everyday use. You can find it on ebay and other stores that sell asian cosmetics for around $17. I love the jeweling eyes collection because of the wide variety of shades. However all of the quads in this collection are shimmery/glittery, which is a problem if you like matte eyeshadows. The packaging on this quad is adorable and princess-like.

 Upper Left Corner: White eggshell/cream colored eyeshadow. The most glittery of the bunch. While the color applies rather sheer the glitter is definitely noticeable. A nice color for the inner tear duct. However like may asian eyeshadows, this does have a lot of fall out.

Upper right corner: A light pink tinged champagne eyeshadow. A nice highlight color. Nothing too special about it though.

Bottom Left corner: A beautiful reddish light pink brown. It is quite shimmery and applies rather well on the lids. The most pigmented and easy to apply out of all the shades in this quad. A nice all over lid color.

Bottom Right corner: A dark reddish plum tinged brown. Almost looks like a very dark burgundy. A beautiful color in the quad that does not apply quite as well. It is a little streaky in application but the color intensifies if layered. Looks great in the crease or outer V.

 Grade: B+
Conclusion: A gorgeous shimmery quad with a unique red tinge that I quite like. Beautiful for spring looks or fall looks. The only downfall of this product is the pigmentation on some of the colors. However it is still worth a try.

Canmake Tokyo Perfect Brown Eyes Eyeshadow in 01 Deep Brown Swatches and Review

I picked up this eyeshadow in a recent trip to Taiwan. You can buy it on ebay.com for around $17 and some other websites that sell asian cosmetics. It comes in four other shades (02 Natural Brown, 03 Glitter Brown,  04 Sweet Brown,  05 skinny brown), but this one stood out to me the most.

This eyeshadow quad consists of one cream eyeshadow, one cream/powder eyeshadow (its a soft satiny powdery texture) and two powder eyeshadows. The packaging is kind of flimsy though and the lid has snapped off.

Eyeshadow in the upper left corner: Creamy yet powdery an interesting yet pleasant texture. A light warm-toned champagne color with golden shimmer. It swatches slightly darker than it looks in real life. However this color is surprisingly pigmented and beautiful. Would work well as a neutral all over the lid color. 

Eyeshadow in the bottom left corner: A cream base that is a more cool toned light champagne. It is quite sheer and does crease after a while. While it is a beautiful color in the packaging, it does not show up quite as well on the lids. However if you use it as a base color i do not think that is a major problem. Using a eyelid primer such as Urban Decay Primer Potion or Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer seems to fix the creasing issue.

Eyeshadow in the top right corner: A black eyeshadow silver and pink/magenta sparkles. My least favorite of all the shades in this quad, the pigmentation of this eyeshadow is quite horrible. It applies sheer and in patches. The glitter does not appear in the actual application. It also gives quite a lot of fall out. In the swatch it appears quite brown but in real life it looks grayish black. 

Eyeshadow in the bottom right corner: My favorite color in the entire quad. Gives excellent color payoff. It is a lovely warm tan color with golden shimmer. It applies beautifully and is very soft and silky to the touch. Gorgeous crease or all over color.

Grade: B+

Conclusion: If you have many brown eyeshadows already you can probably skip this one. However if you are looking for a beautiful everyday eyeshadow quad that is not extremely pigmented, than this is the quad for you. Like all asian eyeshadows there is quite a lot of shimmer and some fall out though.

SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE LIP LUSTER LIPSTICK IN CAYENNE SWATCHES

I recently stopped by Sephora and picked up this lip luster lipstick. While it is no longer sold online at Sephora.com, it can still be found in some sephora stores and perhaps on ebay. Normally $18 it was on sale for $9.........thus my lipstick addiction refused to let me leave it be. This lipstick came out in the Fall 2012 Sephora + Pantone Universe Alchemy of Color Collection. There were originally five different shades in Tangerine Tango, Almost Apricot, Cayenne, Claret Red, and Raspberry Radiance. 

 Shown here is the color Cayenne, described by Sephora as a "glittery pepper red". I must say this description is pretty spot on. These lip luster lipsticks consist of a pigmented glittery center surrounded by a layer of conditioning balm.  

I showed my friends this lipstick after I bought it and they (like me) we amazed by the beautiful glitter and shine on initial inspection. However we were worried about whether or not it would actually look as amazing on. 

In real life this lipstick is utterly beautiful in terms of color. It is unlike anything else I have in my collection. Think of a hot spicy red tinged with golden and pink sparkles. I had a hard time showing its beauty on camera......guess that means I need a better camera!
***THE COLOR ON THE LIPS IS EXACTLY LIKE THE COLOR IN THE TUBE...ITS JUST WAY TOO HARD TO PHOTOGRAPH...believe me I tried.***

super hard to capture the beauty

PERFORMANCE:

The color on the lips looks exactly like the color
in this picture!!!

While this lipstick is indeed gorgeous..the pigmentation is not the best. It applies almost like a thick lipgloss and is definitely not opaque in coverage. Yet at the same time it is not quite sheer and if layered gives a punch of color. For some odd reason the glitter and the texture of this lipstick remind me of that of Clinique's Color Surge Water Violet lipstick. (Not in color just in feeling) This lipstick does not last too long sadly and does transfer onto other surfaces, leaving behind lots of glitter. On the lips this lipstick does feel slightly gritty because of the glitter. However this doesn't really bother me. It is not drying but not really super moisturizing either. Some people have said that the application of this lipstick takes a little bit of work. I found this untrue on my part as the application of it took about the same amount of time as my other lipsticks. However for some people this product could be slightly hard to apply due to the clear balm surrounding the pigmented part of the lipstick. 

GRADE: Average (B-)

CONCLUSION: I actually really love this lip luster lipstick as the color is gorgeous and quite unique to my lipstick collection. While the idea of a moisturizing balm combined with a lipstick is quite interesting, sadly it shields one from seeing the true potential of this lipstick. I would love for this lipstick to be sold without the conditioning balm. However for the price of $9 its really quite a fantastic deal!!!!! And also a perfect lipstick for a Christmas party! :) 

Have a great day everyone!! <3

Love,

Cherie