Review: Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils in Dolce Vita & Bahama and Satin Lip Pencil in Hyde Park

The obsession with everything Nars-related continues...

The packaging: All three of these chubby lip pencils comes in its own box. The pencils are not twist-up, which is my only complaint. I hate having to sharpen these because I feel like you lose a lot of product by sharpening.
 

(L to R): In natural light - Dolce Vita, Bahama, Hyde Park

The scent: No scent detected.
 

(L to R): In sunlight - Dolce Vita, Bahama, Hyde Park

The products:

Dolce Vita is described as a matte dusty rose shade. On my lips, it pulls to a lighter, MLBB shade. This is usually my go-to lip product on a daily basis. It goes on smoothly, but it's better to do a light prep on your lips because this tends to be drying as it is matte. It usually lasts about a couple hours or so on my lips because it is a lighter shade. 

Bahama is a matte brownish-pink shade that definitely has a 90s feel to it. If you're looking to copy Kylie Jenner's lip, this is a must for you. Again, since it is matte, it tends to dry out my lips within a couple hours. This shade lasts a bit longer than Dolce Vita because it is a darker shade. 

Hyde Park is a glossier, muted red shade. Being a satin pencil, it glides on smoothly and is somewhat hydrating throughout its wear. It usually lasts about 3-4 hours on my lips through eating and drinking. This is a great red to wear for a very polished look. 

Cost: $26 each 

Questions? Comments? Let me know! 

Review: Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in #201

Hello all! It's been a long while since I posted a new review, but I have a huge backlog of products to share with you, so there will be many reviews coming along in 2014! Hope you all had a great Christmas and an amazing start to the new year!

2013 was a very interesting year to say the least for me. It was definitely a year where I really tested myself in all areas of life and came out of it really believing that I can do anything I set my sights on. I graduated from nursing school, passed my licensing exam, developed great new friendships, and grew deeper in my old friendships. I learned how to be alone and really enjoy it...and that I really like who I've become in the past couple years. I hope you all had as interesting (or more) of a year as I had, and that we all have an even more intriguing 2014!

So for the first review of 2014, I'm doing a late review on another Armani lip product. I am obsessed with Armani's beauty line since the middle/end of last year because they deliver on both staying-power and saturation.

The packaging: This matte lacquer is in a clear tube that shows the product inside and its capped with Armani's signature red cap. The applicator is a doe footed applicator that applies a heavy amount of product with one swipe. 

The scent: No scent detected at first whiff or second or third or ever. No scent when applied on lips as well.

The product: #201 (dark velvet) is a matte lacquer that is the shade of deep wine. Again, the applicator holds a lot of product, so I like applying with a lip brush instead. With Lip Maestro, you need only ONE swipe for full coverage and you only need to use a very tiny amount of product to cover your lips. I definitely prepped my lips by exfoliating and applying clear balm and nude lip liner before applying this deep shade. It does tend to feather on the edges a bit, but lining your lips should take care of that. This wore for 12+ hours through many glasses of wine and food. I've actually been wearing this a lot when I go out for wine nights because I tend to drink only reds and you can't tell if I have a wine stain on my lips with this on! 

This is how quick this product stains. I applied and after a couple mins, tried to wipe it off.

Favorites: I love this color #201, but if I had to choose one color out of the Lip Maestro line, it would definitely be #400. That classic red has been my go-to color for the latter part of 2013.

Cost: $32 - yes, expensive. But worth it? Absolutely. I've been wearing this for many, many months now...and still have tons of product left in each tube. 

Questions? Comments? Let me know!

Review: Giorgio Armani #400 in Rouge Ecstasy, #400 in Flash Lacquer, #400 in Lip Maestro

If there are any lip products that I would beg my friends to buy, it's actually ALL THREE of these. Actually, the last dinner I had with a couple of my girlfriends, I had to stop the conversation to rave about the lipstick I was wearing - that's how great these all are!

This started off innocently enough. I bought the Lip Maestro in #201 (a beautiful deep deep burgundy which I'll have to review later) and thought that the formula was the best thing I'd ever used. So then, I looked up what other shades were popular within this line and discovered the best red ever - the four hundred. 

It is Armani's signature red. It's a blue-based red, and I don't know who wouldn't look good in this shade. I found out that the #400 comes in every line of lip products and so the obsession was born. 

The first week, I went and bought Lip Maestro in #400 for its 12+ hour wear promise and the matte look of it. The next week, I went and bought Rouge Ecstasy in #400 as its considered the first CC lipstick (care & color) and wanted to see what the hype was about. The third week, I went and tried to buy the Flash Lacquer in #400 to find out that it was sold out, so I had to order it online and wait another week. But now, they're all here, and I've been trying out all three all throughout this past week...and I'm completely in love. 

The packaging: These all come in a black package with the Armani label in silver. Flash Lacquer is housed in a clear tube that shows the product inside and its capped with a black cap. The Armani logo is attached to the cap, and when you screw the cap back on, it gives a satisfying click when it's fully twisted on. The applicator is a doe foot applicator. Rouge Ecstasy is housed in an all red tube. The tube is magnetic, so you never have to worry if you've put the cap back on tightly enough. The lipstick itself has the Armani logo branded on the side. Lip Maestro is a clear tube that shows the product inside and its capped with Armani's signature red cap. It's similar to the Flash Lacquer except that the cap is red.
 

Rouge Ecstasy in #400

Flash Lacquer in #400

Lip Maestro in #400

The scent: Flash Lacquer and Lip Maestro have no scent. Rouge Ecstasy has a very distinct "lipstick" smell that lingered for awhile. It didn't bother me, but it was very noticeable. 
 

L to R: Rouge Ecstasy, Flash Lacquer, Lip Maestro

In natural light - all shown in ONE swipe

The product: Flash Lacquer is a very high shine lip gloss. #400 in this product isn't as pigmented because it is a lip gloss. It went on as a rosy red on me, but the color was still gorgeous. The product went on smoothly and evenly. Even after eating and drinking, the color remained and even a bit of the shine stayed. It lasted about 6 hours on me. 

Rouge Ecstasy is the first CC (care and color) lipstick created. It definitely lived up to both C's. It goes on like a balm (very slick, very smooth) and feels so comfortable. I kept forgetting I had anything on my lips - that's how great it feels on! The color was heavily pigmented - a gorgeous blue-red that made my teeth look whiter. It lasted over 10 hours through eating, drinking, talking, etc.  

Lip Maestro is a matte lacquer. I applied it with a lip brush instead of the doe foot applicator because I feel like the applicator holds too much product. With Lip Maestro, you need only ONE swipe for full coverage and you only need to use a very tiny amount of product to cover your lips. This #400 shade is gorgeous - a very in-your-face red. It goes on smoothly, but definitely prep your lips before applying. Once on my lips, it stayed and didn't budge for 12+ hours. It was almost scary how well it stayed put. 

Favorites: Again, I absolutely fell in love with each of these, but if I had to choose, I would definitely pick #400 in Rouge Ecstasy. The double whammy of both care and color in one tube sold me. This is the one product I cannot stop raving about and I almost wish it didn't last so long, so I could keep popping out this tube and reapplying this GORGEOUS color! Get it, get it, get it!

Cost: Ouch - these are pricey! Flash Lacquer is $29, Rouge Ecstasy is $34, Lip Maestro is $32. BUT, I promise you - you'll fall in love! If you can splurge on one, get Rouge Ecstasy!

Questions? Comments? Let me know!

Review: Laura Mercier Rouge Nouveau Weightless Lip Colour in Mod & Sexy

I never really liked any Laura Mercier products that I had tried in the past. The lipsticks weren't amazing, and I always found better lip products in the same price range. But with this new line of Rouge Nouveau Weightless Lip Colours, I have changed my mind. These are fantastic, really really fantastic.

The packaging: Each tube comes in its own box, and the tube is a slim, deep plum colored tube (Laura Mercier's signature packaging color). The product feels good in my hands and is easy to hold while applying.

The scent: I couldn't detect any scent worth noting with these lipsticks.

The product: It has "weightless" in the product name for a reason. These are truly weightless. You won't be able to feel them on your lips at all. They go on smoothly. These aren't hydrating or moisturizing, so at times, I felt like my lips were pretty dry. These both wore for about 4 hours with eating and drinking.

This line is divided into 3 categories - creme, matte, and sheer coverage. The line of creme colors all start with the letter "C." The matte colors all begin with "M." The sheer colors begin with the letter "S." I have a lot of creme lip products, so I chose a color from the matte line and the sheer line.
 
Mod is a matte coral red (yes, I am truly obsessed with coral this year). It went on smoothly and very pigmented in one swipe. After about 3 hours or so, I had a fairly light stain left from this lipstick. 
 

Mod - matte

Sexy is a sheer red. If you're timid about wearing red lipstick, start with something like this. You can build up the product to a more noticeable red, or you can just put one swipe on and have the sheerest tint of red on your lips. It looks like you've been pinching your lips. The color looks beautiful and this shade would suit anyone. In my photo, I built up the color more to show the shade of red this product can become.
 

Sexy - sheer

 Favorites: Sexy is definitely the winner because it's such a pretty sheer shade of red. 

Cost: $24 for 0.06 oz product. If you've been looking for a product that looks very natural, I would go buy Sexy - it's definitely worth it.

Questions? Comments? Let me know!