Autumn lips

I know what you're thinking. Where the hell is the picture of the lipsticks?! Gah! Well, having to take all my photos with an IPhone 5 means I'm constantly struggling to find good enough lighting and I cannot for the life of me get a clear, crisp image of the lipsticks themselves lined neatly in the row I carefully positioned them in *shakes fist at the iphone gods* If I do happen to take a blog worthy picture this arvo i'll be sure to pop it on the blog asap!

It's September! Autumn is finally on its way and I for one am welcoming it with open arms! I love everything about Autumn and Winter, from the colder weather, candlelit evenings and numerous opportunities for celebrating (my birthday, Halloween, Bonfire Night, Yule, Christmas, New Year) to the snug jim jams and warm winter coats. I'm an Autumn gal through and through and am actually very happy to wave goodbye to summer, as lovely as it was! 

My love for all things Autumnal extends to makeup and beauty, of course, and yesterday I had a rummage through my makeup collection and gathered together my favourite Autumnal lip products. Reds, berries and grapes... I can't resist a strong lip during the colder months! Here are my faves, left to right.

1 ~ Bourjois Rouge Edition 04 Rose Tweed (£7.99)

This is my current favourite nude, as it's not too brown nor too pink and it has a depth to it that other nudes sometimes lack. The formula is super creamy and comfortable on the lips, and the lasting power is pretty good too at around three-four hours minus eating/drinking. The only slight bug bear I have is the shape of the lipstick bullet, as it's quite large and 'flat' on one side, making it difficult to apply neatly to my small-ish lips! I tend to turn it upside down and use the underside to line my lips before slicking it on that way, which works really well. 

2 ~ Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate 05 (£5.49)

I really like Kate's capsule collection, although the scent of these lippies is really, REALLY strong. Sort of a sweet herbal smell, I find it a little overwhelming but don't notice it too much once applied, thankfully. 05 is a gorgeous light berry colour with pink tones and it makes a brilliant transitional shade as the weather starts to get colder. Easy to apply and long lasting, I've been reaching for this throughout the summer and know I'll continue to do so as an everyday lipstick now it's September. 

3 ~ Revlon Lip Butter Berry Smoothie (£7.99)

I'm a bit of a Lip Butter fanatic, it has to be said. I love the smooth texture and glossy finish of Berry Smoothie and the slight silver toned shimmer running throughout. This instantly brightens up my face and completes my look, and it works for both daytime and nighttime. As you can see, this bullet has been well used! A firm favourite. 

4 ~ Soap & Glory Lipstick Man Trap (£9)

I find shopping for red lipstick quite tricky as I'm very pale and some shades can look really stark and strange on me! But this little beauty is a wearable muted red with slight yellow undertones that looks very polished and neat when applied. It smells exactly like MAC lipstick. As in, EXACTLY the same, which is brilliant as I love MAC's sweet vanilla scent! The formula feels very high quality. Moisturising and not all drying, this is one I reach for as an evening lippie, although it would be perfectly suited to daytime as well. 

5 ~ MAC Matte Lipstick Russian Red (£15)

My holy grail red! This is hands down the greatest red I have ever used. It has blue undertones, meaning my teeth look instantly three shades whiter, and it really suits my pale skin tone. Even though it's quite a bright, daring shade it doesn't look at all overwhelming once on, and the matte finish ensures it looks classic and timeless. Plus, it doesn't budge once applied, which is what I always worry about when wearing a strong lip! I pair this with MAC lipliner in Brick and they're a great team. Russian Red is my partner in crime for various winter festivities; I predict it will be making a regular appearance over the next few months!

6 ~ Estee Lauder Pure Color 36 Cherry Fever (Shimmer) (£18 full size, not sure if this shade was limited edition)

I got this last Christmas as part of an amazing Estee Lauder Christmas gift set and it's a lovely berry with gold shimmer running throughout. Perfect for the festive season! Texture wise it's extremely moisturising and not too sticky (come on, all lipglosses are sort of sticky! But this one is a smooth sort of sticky rather than glue-y sticky!) It has a lovely fruity scent and gives a gorgeous wash of berry colour. 

7 ~ Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick 'Plum Jam' (£8)

Soap & Glory's Gloss Sticks are the best lip crayons on the market, in my humble opinion! They have a really glossy finish and feel so moisturising and comfortable, and the colour range is impressive. Plum Jam is my favourite for Autumn as it's a beautiful plum red gloss that's actually a little brighter than how it appears in the bullet. It smells so vanilla-y which I love and for a gloss it has really good lasting power. I put it through a burger and chips lunch yesterday and while it did fade it didn't disappear completely! This is another product that really helps brighten my complexion and sets off my pale skin perfectly. 

8 ~ Topshop Lips Beguiled (£8)

This is the only really dark, 'vampy' lipstick in my collection. Beguiled is a beautiful and very striking red wine colour. I'm a little shy with my makeup; it took me until last year to finally rock a strong red lip! So I've been quite cautious about wearing Beguiled, and yet when I do I always really like how intense it looks. I'm definitely going to make an effort to wear deeper shades like this throughout Autumn and Winter, and I've got my eye on MAC's Rebel as my next purchase! 

What are your favourite lip products for Autumn/Winter? Do you switch up your makeup depending on season or do you rock the same shades all year around? I'd love to hear what you think!

Baci e abbracci,

                                                        

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Review | Coral and pink Topshop Lips

I'm a huge fan of Topshop make-up and I'm slowly building up quite a nice little collection of lip products in particular. My first lipstick buys were the beautiful light pink 'Innocent' and vampy red 'Beguiled', followed by one of the new Lip Bullets in bright red 'Joyride'. I've now moved on to the pinks and corals, and recently purchased 'Macaroon' and 'Boom Boom', which I'm reviewing today. 

Topshop Lips L-R: 'Macaroon' and 'Boom Boom', £8 each

Macaroon (top), Boom Boom (bottom)

I'm so impressed with the range of shades available in the Topshop Lips collection. Rather than sticking to your average drugstore colours, Topshop aren't afraid to push the boat out and go for more daring, unique colours that are usually reserved for higher end brands. 'Macaroon' is a gorgeous pastel coral pink, verging more towards pink with yellow undertones (although it doesn't make my teeth look yellow, woohoo!) I want to say it's a 'fluffy pink' shade, even though that doesn't quite make sense, but if we're playing a game of word association then 'fluffy', 'cotton candy', 'powder', 'summer' and 'soft' all spring to mind! 'Boom Boom' is my favourite of the two, a vibrant bright pink with just the right amount of 'neon' to make it a truly versatile colour for everyday/evening wear. 'Glossy', 'girl power', 'strong' and 'carefree' spring to mind in word association round two!

Both lipsticks have a wonderfully creamy consistency and give a highly pigmented, opaque finish with just one swipe. Both colours appear on the lips as they do in the tube. 'Boom Boom' gives a slightly glossier finish than 'Macaroon', which appears a little more matte, yet still very creamy and therefore easy to apply. As they're quite strong colours it's essential to prep your lips beforehand to ensure any flakes are removed. I use my toothbrush with a dab of water to gently exfoliate, which seems to work a treat. 

Once on, I've found 'Macaroon' to have slightly longer lasting power, possibly due to the more matte finish it gives, and it leaves a lovely subtle stain of colour once the creaminess has worn off after two or three hours. 'Boom Boom' is the brighter of the two but as it's more glossy it's prone to fading faster. After an hour or two I'm good to reapply, especially if I've been eating or drinking, which doesn't really bother me too much to be honest as I really love the colour and it feels so moisturising and comfortable to apply!

Topshop Lips cost £8 each and there is a wide range of colours available to choose from, from nudes to pinks to reds to purples. The only downside is that although the packaging is quite unique and attractive, I've found the metal cases scratch rather easily while in my make-up bag, as you can see in the photos above. I suppose this might sort of add a sense of edginess to the product's appearance?! It's not a major issue, just a little bugbear. Other than that, I can't fault these and I'm really enjoying wearing them at the moment. My love for coral and pink is apparently never ending! 

Browse Topshop make-up here

Review | Bourjois Shine Edition lipstick 'Rose xoxo'

The latest release from Bourjois is a collection of gorgeous Shine Edition lipsticks (£7.99 each), balmy in texture and glossy in finish. Containing 'nourishing mango butter extracts', each balm works to provide lasting comfort. While there's no doubt they're rather similar to Revlon's Lip Butters, that didn't deter me from trying one. The more balms the merrier, I say!

Bourjois Shine Edition '24 Rose xoxo', £7.99

What's with the strategically placed flower, you may be wondering? I was having a little bit of trouble picking up on the packaging and colour of the lipstick so thought adding a contrast might help. It might not be the world's most original arrangement... But I think it does the job! As you can see, the packaging is a twist on Bourjois Rouge Edition lipsticks, with a mirrored silver lid and turquoise detailing. Each colour group seems to have different coloured detailing; from what I can gather, pinks and neutrals have summery turquoise. The colour at the bottom of the tube matches the colour of the product perfectly, making it easy to choose your shade. Each lipstick is in the form of a twist-up stick, and there is no noticeable scent which will appeal to those with sensitive noses!

I spotted neutrals, corals, reds and fuchsia pinks among the Shine Edition lipsticks available in my local Superdrug and went for '24 Rose xoxo' because it's a lovely natural lilac pink, perfect for everyday summer wear. I've started to gravitate towards lilac-y colours and this has a gorgeous sheer slightly shimmery finish that makes it super wearable and flattering. The texture is balmy and moisturising, soothing any flakes instantly. It does have quite a slippery feeling which might make wearing some of the brighter colours a little trickier but I haven't noticed any bleeding of colour with 'Rose xoxo'. 

In terms of intensity the finish is sheer yet has quite a strong colour pay off, which I love. It has a slight opaqueness to it, rather than being a transparent tint. The lilac pink shade shows well on the lips, matching the colour of the bullet when applied, although as it's a balm formula it only lasts for a few hours before requiring re-application, as to be expected with a balm product. I think if I was going out somewhere in the evening I'd want to wear a more opaque lip product, but this is perfect for wearing during the day.

'24 Rose xoxo' swatch 

What really appeals to me about 'Rose xoxo' is the unique lilac pink shade and how comfortable it feels once on. I've been wearing it all day, reapplying every couple of hours, and it delivers a great moisture hit while giving a good dose of colour. I'd quite like to try a fuchsia shade and see how long a darker colour lasts on the lips, as perhaps it would leave behind a a bit of a stain once the balm finish wears off. I find balms so comfortable and light to wear during summer, so I'm sure I'll be getting a lot of use out of this! 

Browse Bourjois Shine Edition here

Review | Beauty UK matte lipsticks 'Snob' and 'Candy'

I used to be a lipgloss girl, afraid of lipsticks and preferring to stick to a tint rather than a bold wash of colour. Oh, how times have changed! Now I can't get enough of bright colours and I've discovered that my favourite lipstick finish is the matte lip. While MAC's Russian Red is one of my all time matte lip heroes it's always nice to discover a high street brand that can offer something similar, and I'm happy to say I would recommend Beauty UK lipsticks to anyone searching for an affordable matte lipstick treat. 

I'd never paid much attention to Beauty UK in the past when browsing Superdrug. I'm not sure if it's because of the packaging or the brand name but it never really appealed to me initially, until I randomly swatched one of their nude lip colours and decided to give it a go. At only £3.49 each I decided to give another two colours a try, and fell firmly in love with the matte lipsticks in the range. Unfortunately there isn't a label on each lipstick noting the finish; some are creamy while some are matte, so I sort of stumbled upon my two favourites by accident. I'd definitely recommend swatching before purchasing if you're not sure. 

Beauty UK lipstick 'Snob' and 'Candy'

'Snob' and 'Candy'

'Snob' and 'Candy'

'Snob' and 'Candy' are the two I found with a perfect matte finish. 'Snob' is a really interesting colour and not something I've found on the high street before, which is what I love about Beauty UK; they have a great selection of unique shades and textures. It's a muted dusty pink with lilac undertones, which may sound a little strange but it looks beautiful once on; very natural yet still eye catching. 'Candy' is a super bright neon Barbie pink, brighter than it looks in the pictures above and below! The matte finish of both lipsticks means they pack a proper opaque colour punch and don't budge at all once on. Due to the matte texture they are a little tougher to apply than a creamy or glossy formula but I really don't mind as the finish looks fantastic, and means they don't smudge or smear when applying. Both lipsticks smell pleasantly minty which is a refreshing change from sweet scented lip products. 

Bottom: 'Snob', Top: 'Candy

There's no doubt that for me the matte finish makes these two lipsticks extra special and a brilliant high street find. They remind me of MAC's matte range in terms of texture and finish; not at all drying, delivering a solid punch of colour. The matte finish makes the bright colours easy to wear as they seem more modern and flattering somehow; a mouthful of brightly coloured gloss can sometimes look a little OTT (although I'm still a gloss fan at heart!) 

Needless to say it proved next to impossible to capture the colour of the lipsticks once applied on camera! I tried and tried but couldn't manage to get many good shots, although I do have one photo of 'Candy' that almost shows how Barbie pink it is:

'Candy'

It looks a little brighter in 'real life' though! 

These lippies offer an excellent way of easing yourself in to wearing brighter, bolder colours. Once on they stay put, meaning you don't have to worry about lipstick on your teeth or colour bleeding outside of your lip line, which is what I worried about a lot when I first started wearing brights. I usually apply one coat, blot, and then apply a second coat, and you can add a further layer for an even more intense finish. 

Although I love the unique muted pink-lilac 'Snob' and while it's perfect for wearing as an alternative everyday neutral, my favourite has to be 'Candy'. Not only is it the perfect neon Barbie pink, but the matte texture means it doesn't look dated or garish. If it was glossy I don't think it would have the same effect. The powdery matte finish makes it seem fresher and bolder, and it would look fab with a tan once the current rainy weather improves! 

If you're curious about Beauty UK I'd really recommend giving them a try, as their products are great value for money and offer lots of alternative and unique shades. I'm building quite a collection already!

Browse Beauty UK here

Haul: Because you can never have too many lipsticks

Everyone, and I mean everyone, seems to have come across the wonder that is the £1 lipstick from MUA Makeup Academy. Smooth texture, highly pigmented and pretty long lasting, these lippies have become a bit of a collectors item. I've seen lots of blog posts featuring various lipstick bundles but thought I'd throw in my two cents and do a haul post of my own, featuring my MUA lipstick collection. Because you can never have too many lipsticks, and you can never see too many swatches!

Lovely £1 lipsticks! 

I've got a pretty modest collection of eight colours, ranging from nude to peach to pink to fuchsia. The finishes available range from cream to pearlescent to glitter, and I have two colours in particular that count as firm favourites. 

L-R: 15 Juicy, 16 Nectar, 11

L-R: 15 Juicy, 16 Nectar, 11

'Juicy' is one of my favourite colours. As you can see in the swatch above, it's a pale orange coral with hints of pink. Perfect for wearing with a tan, this is such a summery shade. The finish is creamy with no shimmer. 'Nectar' is a brighter, stronger orange, also with a cream finish. '11' is a lovely browny-pink nude, again with a cream finish. 

L-R: 7, 6, 2

L-R: 7, 6, 2

'7' is a golden coral peach colour with a pearlescent finish. I really like the gold shimmer and love this when worn with a slick of clear lipgloss on top. I find the pearlescent finish a little dated when worn without gloss, but this is just my personal preference! '6' is a deep pink, again with a pearlescent finish, and '2' is a purple-plum colour with hints of violet, also with a pearlescent finish. I really like '2' for a dramatic lip look. 

L-R: 12, 3

L-R: 12, 3

I've got two pink shades from the collection, although I only intended on having one of these! I'd had my eye on '3' for ages and was waiting for my local Superdrug to restock their MUA stand. When they eventually restocked I went on a little MUA spree and in my excitement managed to accidentally pick up '12' instead of my beloved '3'. Disaster! '12' is a glittery bright pink, and to be honest I'm not a huge fan of glitter when it comes to lipsticks. Still, it gives a nice wash of colour and is a fun shade to have in my collection. You never know when it might come in handy! 

'3' is my absolute favourite from the collection. It's a hot pink fuchsia with a smooth cream finish, and it looks so gorgeous on! I'm loving bright colours at the moment and it's a great quality bargain addition to my lipstick stash. It applies easily and neatly straight from the bullet and lasts a long time if you blot your lips following the first coat before applying another coat to finish. 

Each lipstick comes in simple black and silver packaging, and they all have a pleasant sweet scent. Only a couple of the colours have actual names, hence the numbers referred to throughout, but as long as you know which number you're looking for you should be fine (although clearly I couldn't quite cope with only having a number to go by, hence my pink lipstick mistake!) It's pretty awesome that my stash of eight lipsticks only cost £8 in total. MUA might not have the colour variety of a brand like MAC, or the staying power of some other high street brands, but for £1 each and a good quality finish you really can't go wrong. 

According to MUA's website there are 16 shades available, so I've still got lots more swatches to come! 

Browse MUA lipsticks here

Weekly Roundup feat. Soap & Glory, Revlon and Maybelline

Another week, another roundup and once again I've found it tough choosing just three products to shine the spotlight on! I've actually cheated a little this week as although *technically* I've chosen three product types, I've thrown in an extra product from one of the same product lines just to add a little something special. I've settled on featuring Soap & Glory's new One Heck of a Blot mattifying face powder, two of Revlon's newest Lip Butter shades, and a Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Color double ended lip colour. All three (well, four) products have featured prominently in my make-up bag over the past seven days and I'm excited to have a bit of a ramble about what makes each one so special. 

Let's start with Soap & Glory's newest offering, the brilliantly titled One Heck of a Blot Super-Translucent Mattifying Powder, cleverly developed to suit all skin tones. I've loved Soap & Glory toiletries and cosmetics from the very beginning and I've never been disappointed in any of my Soap & Glory purchases... and there have been quite a few! Fresh from my joy at their new Peach Party blush brick (which I reviewed here) I spotted One Heck of a Blot and had to try it out. I remember ages and ages ago reading a thread on their facebook page asking fans to suggest products they'd like to see and I remember thinking 'a pressed powder!' Et voila, my prayers were answered with this little beauty. 

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot, £12 at Boots

I love Soap & Glory's kitsch packaging, from the use of fun puns in the product titles to the retro photos and bold pink font. The powder comes with a little embossed powder puff and a handy mirror in the lid, and it clicks shut easily, keeping it nice and secure in my ever expanding make-up bag. The powder truly is translucent  translating from a super pale looking shade in the pan to an invisible wash once applied. It's extremely light texture-wise and doesn't chalk or cake at all. I apply it with a big fluffy powder brush to set my foundation and concealer and it doesn't dull my base or make my skin look sallow, unlike some pressed powders I've tried in the past. 

The embossed 'POWder' logo is a nice touch, no?

Unblended swatch 

Blended swatch- invisible!

Does it work? It sure does! My face, notorious for turning into an oil slick come midday, has needed a lot less touching up during the day and One Heck of a Blot really helps keep my complexion matte and fresh. I'm not surprised at the great quality as Soap & Glory always release fantastic products at reasonable prices. I love that this powder doesn't leave any hint of a chalky finish and doesn't cling to patches of dry skin at all. It's invisible and super light weight yet so, so effective and I'd say £12 is a brilliant price to pay for a shine free face. This has worked much harder at keeping my make-up intact than any primer or powder I've tried previously!

Revlon recently introduced some new summery shades to their ColorStay Lip Butter collection and I immediately had my eye on sheer tomato red 'Wild Watermelon' and sheer fuchsia pink 'Sorbet'. While some of the Lip Butters give a shimmery, more opaque finish these two give sheer washes of shimmer-free colour. Although they have the consistency of a mosturising balm they're actually very pigmented and it's easy to build up a stronger lip look with a few swipes straight from the tube. 

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in 'Sorbet' and 'Wild Watermelon', £7.99 each at Boots

I love the texture of Revlon's Lip Butters and find they manage to keep my lips moisturised while delivering quite a long lasting dose of colour. My usual favourite is 'Berry Smoothie', a review of which you can find here, a shade which goes with everything and feels so comfortable to wear. I'm loving the sheer glossiness of 'Sorbet' and 'Wild Watermelon' (and I'm a sucker for the juicy names) and count these are my two new favourite fresh summer colours. 

L-R: 'Sorbet' and 'Wild Watermelon'

Again, 'Sorbet' and 'Wild Watermelon'

final purchase was a bit of a random one, and I didn't even swatch it in store. As I'm currently being a little more adventurous with my lip colours I felt drawn to trying one of Maybelline's Color Stay 24 Hour dual ended lip colour shades and although I worried it might be a little too purple it's actually a really beautiful red berry shade once applied. 

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Color in 'Raspberry'

The idea behind Maybelline's Super Stay dual ended lip colour is that you apply the long lasting liquid lipstick first, allowing it to dry fully before slicking on a coating of the clear balm to keep your lips moisturised and to prevent them from drying out, a common problem with long lasting lipsticks. Now, when Maybelline recommend letting the liquid colour dry, really do let it dry! I didn't on my first go and ended up with a horrible mess of patchy colour... But only because I didn't read the instructions given on the side of the tube! My second attempt was much more successful. The raspberry colour is highly pigmented and delivers a good even colour, although I did end up with a bit of a stronger lip line as I lined my lips with the tip of the foam applicator first. I did find that pressing my lips together too often before the colour dried made it a little patchy, so I'd recommend resisting the temptation to do so until it's fully dry or until you've applied a layer of balm on top. I would definitely recommend being extra careful when tracing your lip line as the colour really does stick immediately, and it's near impossible to dab away at mistakes without resorting to a make-up remover soaked cotton wool pad. It really does have super staying power!

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Color in 'Raspberry', £8.99 at Boots

Clear balm to be applied on top of colour

'Raspberry' is a gorgeous berry shade with blue/purple undertones. It makes my teeth look whiter which is always a plus! Plus it smells like berries which is a delicious plus in my eyes. I can't stress enough just how long lasting this is; I applied it in the morning to test it out and it was still going strong well into the afternoon without needing a top-up. It did eventually start to get a little patchy but another swipe of the balm helped even it out again. I also swatched it on my hand and the swatch didn't budge for two days. Two days! There's still a faded mark on my hand, and yes, I do wash my hands regularly! To take it off my lips I use a cotton wool pad soaked in make-up remover and have to rub quite firmly to take it all off. It really does lock to your lips, making it perfect for nights out when you want a low maintenance but bold lip look. The colour doesn't bleed or smudge and although you have to be very precise when applying it, it's well worth the effort. 

'Raspberry' without balm 

'Raspberry' with balm on top

Although the swatch looks a little sheer the colour is very much opaque and bold on the lips. It dries to a matte finish, and the balm adds a glossy sheen to it. You could wear it without the balm although it would depend on the condition of your lips. I absolutely love this shade and also picked up a bright coral peach colour as well, which I can't wait to review. At £8.99 each these are a little pricey but I'd say they're definitely worth it as they deliver on their promise of long lasting lip colour (although 24 hours? I can't say I've needed to leave it on for quite that long!) 

There you have it, my Weekly Roundup done and dusted for another week. What have your favourite products been this week? Have you discovered any hidden gems or have you been using your old favourites? Feel free to share below. 

The nude lip: An oldie but a goodie from Maybelline's Moisture Extreme collection

The quest to find the perfect nude lipstick, similarly to the quest to find the perfect red, is a potentially perilous one. You risk wading through reams of shades that are too brown, too pink, too berry, too red, too purple, too beige, too orange, too yellow; swiping swatches from your finger tips to your shoulders in an increasing state of desperation all the while getting no closer to finding that one nude that makes all your nude lip dreams come true.

*Sigh *

I'm a lover of the nude lip look and have a collection of nude-toned lipsticks, glosses, tints and balms. I need more of a pink based nude than a beige or brown based nude and while browsing the Maybelline stand in my local Boots recently my eyes were drawn to the little row of lipsticks lying lonely, forgotten, at the bottom of the stand. Who remembers Maybelline's Moisture Extreme lipsticks? Housed in sleek red and silver packaging, which I actually prefer to their newer translucent lipstick tubes, the lipsticks stocked in my local Boots from the Moisture Extreme range form a capsule of nude shades, among which my perfect nude resided. 

Maybelline Moisture Extreme, 'Pinky Beige 721', £5.19 at Boots

Not too brown, not too beige, with the perfect pink base and a super creamy finish to boot. I'd never come across these before and guessed they must be an old release as they do look quite different to Maybelline's more recent lipstick collections, but just because something is from an older collection doesn't mean it isn't worth using! I'm glad I went for it because it has become my favourite nude lip product and I know I can slick it on every day without worrying about whether or not it clashes with what I'm wearing or whether or not it's suitable for whatever occasion  I have lined up that day. A bit of a make-up bag essential, really. 

Like all of Maybelline's lipsticks it has a sweet, pleasant smell and the pigmentation is high, even though the finish is quite sheer. It feels very creamy and moisturising once applied, although this does mean it tends to fade quite quickly after application, unlike lipsticks with a matte finish. The colour is truly natural and gives a lovely enhanced pink sheen to the lips. 

'Pinky Beige' quite heavily swatched to catch a good shot of the colour and finish

I'd say that in real life 'Pinky Beige' appears slightly paler, although I did swatch it quite heavily to give a good impression of the shiny finish. It's easy to build up the colour with extra layers, although I prefer a lighter finish with just one or two swipes. One of the benefits of buying from an older collection is the price difference, with Maybelline's Moisture Extreme lipsticks retailing at £5.19 each as opposed to the new Colorsensational Vivids lipsticks retailing at £7.19 each. 

A beautiful nude lipstick at a bit of a bargain price. I think my quest is pretty much complete... Until the next nude I fall in love with!

Check out Maybelline products here

Add a pop of colour with Collection Colour Pro Intense Colour Lip Lacquers

Lip gloss obsessive that I am, when I spotted Collection's new Colour Pro Intense Colour Lip Lacquers in Boots I couldn't resist having a cheeky swatch (before anyone mentions my spending ban, I paid with my Boots points!) Candy colours and a fabulous glossy opaque finish? Sold. 

Colour Pro in 'Prom Queen' and 'It Girl' £6.50 at Boots

'Prom Queen' and 'It Girl'

Available in four shades including a bright coral and daring fuchsia, I opted for the pale nude pink 'Prom Queen' and bright summery pink 'It Girl'. I've started being more adventurous with my lip colours recently and am keen to try out brighter pinks alongside fail safe neutrals, hence the combination. Plus, they're extremely pretty! 

Collection claim their Colour Pro Lip Lacquers 'deliver an intense burst of colour, with a high shine finish' and they're not at all wrong. Both glosses are of a thick, creamy consistency and slick on easily. I'd avoid wearing your hair down if it's windy outside, unless you like the whole hair stuck to lips smearing lip gloss across your face conundrum! I actually don't mind a thick, slightly sticky lip gloss as they tend to have good staying powder, and these lip lacquers really do stay put for longer than your average tinted gloss. With one swipe of the wand shaped applicator you get a good opaque dose of colour that can be built on easily for added plumping and shine.  If you like a super shiny, super colourful gloss then these are perfect. I love that neither shade contains glitter or shimmer; they give a great, strong, solid block of colour. The lacquers smell sort of 'cosmetic' rather than scented, which isn't unpleasant but is a little bland, although this doesn't bother me much in the grand scheme of all things lip gloss related. Each tube is made of sturdy plastic and comes with an easy to use wand applicator, making it super easy to guide colour flawlessly on to lips. 

Swatch time!

'Prom Queen'

'Prom Queen' is a lovely pale pink colour, and although the photo might look a little sheer it's actually opaque upon application. I love this for during the day as it's still a little punchy yet natural enough for all sorts of situations, be it work or play. 

'It Girl'

'It Girl' is actually a little brighter once applied and really stands out (in a good way!) once on. I've been loving this for when I want to wear a statement lip and I can see myself wearing it a lot throughout the summer. There's something so fun about having a bright pink super glossy pout and although my lovely Mum told me I look like a Barbie doll when wearing 'It Girl' I don't care- it's an awesome colour!

The bold lip look seems to be here to stay, and I for one am fully embracing it with my ever expanding collection of bold pink, red, coral and berry lip products. I'd highly recommend Collection Colour Pro Intense Colour Lip Lacquers for those on the same quest for a bold, glossy pout at the very reasonable cost of £6.50 each. 

Mwah!

Browse Collection cosmetics here

Weekly Roundup feat. Neutrogena, Maybelline and MUA

Wowzers, hasn't this week flown by? I found it quite tricky picking my top 3 products this week as I've been using and loving so many different beauty bits and pieces. I settled on the following as I've been reaching for them every day and I haven't got at all bored of them, which is always a good sign! 

First up is Neutrogena's Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Triple Action Cleanser 7 Day Rescue (what is it with long titles recently?!) It can be used in three ways: as a wash, scrub and mask. 

£4.49 at Superdrug

From what I can tell, this is a more concentrated version of their regular Blackhead Eliminating scrub and it's designed to provide intense, targeted action against blackheads with visible results apparent after only 7 days. On the back of the tube is the very impressive claim that '100% of users showed visible results after 7 days'. 100%?!! Well with a statistic like that I had to try it out! The percentage is based on 30 people using the wash twice a day for 7 days straight, which to be honest I'm not really sure my sensitive face can handle. I'm using it once a day on my t-zone (my chin in particular) and I will be reporting back in a future blog post to let you know if it really does have an impressive effect. 

What I can say so far is that, like all Neutrogena products I've used in the past, the quality of the  wash/scrub/mask is fantastic, from the fresh subtle fragrance to the way it makes your skin feel unbelievably silky soft after rinsing. The wash itself has a sort of very finely ground paste texture; it sort of reminds me of Arm & Hammer's baking soda toothpaste in that the scrub particles are very small and not at all rough. I'd forgotten how much my skin likes Neutrogena, and I've found this gives a lovely deep clean without drying my skin out at all. It's a wonderfully prep for make-up application and it has really been a joy to use so far. As for whether or not it actually eliminates blackheads? I'll let you know! 

My second pick this week is my current favourite lipstick, Maybelline's Colorsensational in '910 Shocking Coral' from the Vivids collection. Until discovering this and its sister colour 'Fuchsia Flash' which I reviewed here, I'd disregarded Maybelline lipsticks as 'not my thing'. This was based on never being able to find a colour to suit me, although in hindsight I think I was just looking at the wrong colour palette. Anyhoo, I picked up this bad boy of a lippie and I'm now a total fan of what Maybelline has to offer pout-wise. 

£7.19 at Boots

'Shocking Coral's is a very pink neon coral, which I really like as it's unusual compared to the more popular orange coral colours around at the moment. Super pigmented, super creamy, super comfortable, super easy to apply and super long-lasting, I haven't a bad word to say about it. Along with Soap & Glory's lipsticks, Maybelline's are now my faves. 

Two coats of Maybelline Colorsensational '910 Shocking Coral'

I had a bit of difficulty trying to get a good shot of me wearing 'Shocking Coral'... Sorry for the slightly bizarre beams of sunshine flooding the photo! It was the end of a loooong day and I didn't want to keep attempting to capture the colour in different locations around my house! I'd say it looks a little brighter in person but it does settle to a pinky coral as shown and I LOVE it. 

My final pick this week is MUA's Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter. I've had this for months and months, and went through a period of using it every day without fail before abandoning it to test out other highlighters. But, as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it; I've rediscovered it and I'm loving it even more than before. 

£3 Makeup Academy online store

The beautiful pearlescent silvery pink colour shows up really well on my pale skin and highlights  my cheekbones, temples, nose and browbones perfectly. It's subtle but can be built up in layers for extra impact, and I also use it as a brightening eye shadow. It's easy to blend and gives a lovely glow. Plus I'm a sucker for pretty packaging and the powder looks lovely in the pan.  

Quite an intense swatch, applied with fingers to show colour clearly

I apply it on top of blusher and it makes for a lovely finishing touch. I also use the matching under eye concealer which I've reviewed here, which is also great quality. I'm a big fan of MUA's Undress Your Skin range and am looking forward to trying the matching foundation at some stage in the future. 

What have been your favourite products this week? Share your Weekly Roundup in the comments below!