Valentine's Lip Picks

As Valentine's Day is soon to be here, I thought I'd share with you my top lip choices for the day, so whether you're single or taken, your lips can get you admired!

From left to right:

 L'Oreal Glam Shine Balmy Gloss in Die For Guava

Ideal for the possibility of a smooch, Die For Guava gives a nice subtle sheen of pink that makes your lips look naturally kissable. It's a lovely balm formula that gives sheer colour without any of the sticky messiness of a gloss. 

Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Picnic In The Park (£6.99)

If the pinks and reds aren't your thing, Picnic in the Park could be the one for you. I love the colour of this gloss so much - the perfect natural peachy tone. A bit on the classic stickier gloss consistency, but that helps towards leaving the lips looking dewy and plump.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Fuchsia Graffiti 7 (£7.99)

If you want a bolder look but aren't keen on red lips, fuchsia is a good way to go. On application this lipstick is very opaque and really makes an impact. It doesn't dry the lips out and it has a bluey undertone that will leave your teeth looking whiter!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic (£7.99)

Sheer and moisturising, this is the way to go for a red lip if you're a bit scared or don't want the maintenance. It will give you enough colour for an obvious red look without being bold or harsh. It's also very versatile and buildable, and has a minty scent which I love, and I think is a good shout for Valentine's Day.

Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in Vibrant Coral 110 (£5.49)

I often prefer a matte lip when I'm going for a bolder colour, and the Kate Moss lipsticks for Rimmel are my absolute favourites. While called 'Vibrant Coral' I think this shade is more of a tomato red, which can be a fresher take on red lips in Spring/Summer. Also, the matte formula means it will really stay put all day (or night!).

Make Up Academy Lipstick in Coral Flush 462 (£1)

Simple, affordable, and effective, this MUA red lip offering really gets the job done. A nice creamy formula, and despite the name, a true bright red colour. A steal at £1, you really can't go wrong.

Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in Wine 107 (£5.49)

This gorgeous berry shade is a gorgeous vampy matte look for anyone feeling slightly more daring. I've worn this both during the day and evening - it's all about what you pair it with. It is fantastically long wearing, however be careful with matte lip colours that your lips are well primed with some balm in advance and perhaps a quick scrub.

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Parisian Passion (£7.99)

In this instance, I think the name says it all. This wine coloured lip stain leaves your lips looking luscious and enviable. Do a couple of applications, blotting in between, if you really want that stain to kick in, however this really does stay put whilst not being drying on the lips at all. I sometimes like to pair it up on top of the Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in Wine if I want to guarantee it's staying power. Incredibly versatile for a wearable sheen of colour or layered up for a strong lip look.

Whatever you're up to this Valentine's Day, whether alone, with family, with friends, or your crush, I hope you have a truly lovely time!

Thanks so much for reading!

xxx

All of the products mentioned are available from Superdrug stores or online HERE.

All except Tanya Burr and MUA are available from Boots stores or online HERE.

Otherwise, be sure to check out individual brand's sites for details on where you can find them!

What's In My Makeup Bag? #3 LIPS

I always enjoy 'What's In My Makeup Bag?' blog posts. I like to know what people are using day to day and what they like enough to consider them essentials in their makeup bags, so I thought I'd do one of my own!

I don't have a huge makeup bag, and I don't think I carry around an excessive amount of products, but everyone has different opinions of what is essential and what they're likely to want or need throughout the day, so here's mine...


LIPS

LIP BALM: It's not high brow or hot in the beauty world, but I love Lip Smackers! My mum got me a set of the Coca Cola Lip Smackers last Christmas and I have probably used one everyday since. In my makeup bag I carry the Cherry Coke Lip Smacker. I normally put this on after my foundation to leave it to soak in a bit while I do my concealing and eye makeup. The Cherry Coke one has a dark pink sheen to it, so sometimes I will wear this on my lips by itself as it's moisturising and gives a nice bit of colour. I reapply this throughout the day when my lips are dry, and when they're not, just for the great smell!

LIPSTICK: I keep my Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in my makeup bag everday. I guess this could count as a balm product, but seeing as I don't carry a lipstick around (in the Summertime anyway) this is the nearest thing. I like to have a couple of different colour options in my makeup bag in case I fancy a bolder lip, and I tend to have two or three different colours. For instance, in the Autumn/Winter months I keep a pink lip product, a deep red lipstick or lip liner, and perhaps a more plummy colour in my makeup bag. So for these Summer months I enjoy having this Tutti Frutti Lip Butter to hand and I think the orange shade is different and summery.

Read my review of Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter here... http://beautyimaginarium.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/revlon-colorburst-lip-butter.html

LIP PENCIL: Unless I'm doing a red lip, I don't tend to lip line. Instead I like to use lip pencils for filling in the whole lip for a more lasting, matte look. I keep my Barry M Lip Liner in Fuchsia to hand as it is fantastic for just this look. It lasts really well on the lip, and is such a pretty bright pink. It stays in my makeup bag throughout the year as I think the shade is gorgeous in all seasons.

LIP GLOSS: I have a lot of lip glosses, but most of them are coloured. That's why I like to keep this pale nude shade with me. I got this Barry M Limited Edition Lip Gloss last year when they gave them free with Impulse body sprays. I believe the shade is Nearly Nude. The best thing about this lip gloss is the smell. IT SMELLS DELICIOUS! It has a vanilla caramel scent to it, which is amazing. Sadly, this is probably coming to the end of it's shelf life. Let me know if any of the other Barry M Lip Glosses have this scent to them, as I know a lot of them have different scents, but I haven't tried many of the range.


Read Part One of my What's In My Makeup Bag? here...  http://beautyimaginarium.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/whats-in-my-makeup-bag-1-face.html

And Part Two here...
http://beautyimaginarium.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/whats-in-my-makeup-bag-2-eyes.html

Thanks for reading! xxx

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter!

I finally caved and treated myself to one of the new Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters while they were £2 off in Boots.

I opted for the shade Tutti Frutti, which in the bullet looks a bright orange colour. I wouldn't usually go for orangey tones, but I have a lot of pink and red toned lip colours and thought orange could be a nice change for the summer, and would be something a bit different.

I tend to get very dry lips, and thought the texture was great for that - moisturising and it didn't seem to cling to any cracks or any rough bits on my lips. The formula contains mango, shea and coconut butter and claims to 'boost lip moisture by 156%.

I actually really liked the colour. I'm quite fair skinned so was unsure if the colour would work on me but I really like it. The formula is sheer but buildable for a more bold look, and I think this shade would work really well for a lot of different skin tones and is very versatile.

Because I found this gel formula so great for drier lips I would love to try some of the other shades, and I know this product and some other shades are very popular amongst bloggers and youtubers, however I'm not sure if I would buy another at the full price of £7.99, especially the more generic pink shades where very similar colours can be found in other brands. I also really like the packaging, and that it is the colour of the lipstick, which is really handy for storage and finding it easily.

I am loving Tutti Frutti at the moment, and despite normally being a fan of pink lip colours, this is what I have been wearing every time I've been out since I bought it and I enjoy experimenting with different make-up looks with it.

Let me know how you find the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters for you and if you have any recommendations or tips for dry lips!

xxx

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter - £5.99 on offer from Boots (Normally £7.99) http://www.boots.com/en/Revlon-ColorBurst-8482-Lip-Butter_1252852/