Tag: lip swatches

Zoya Perfect Lipstick | Swatches + Review of Full 12-Piece Collection

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to bring you swatches and a review of the complete Zoya Perfect Lipstick Collection. This line of 12 lipsticks is created with a hydrating formula designed to last 4-6 hours without drying or cracking. The Perfect Lipsticks are also vegan and environmentally friendly, and have a wide shade range to fit any skin tone. Let me share this lipstick collection and my thoughts on it with you!

The Perfect Lipstick Collection contains nine cream finishes, two mattes, and one frost. All of the lipsticks are unflavored and unscented.

First up is MatteVelvet Red, a cool-toned red with a matte finish. I am pleasantly surprised with how comfortable this lipstick is to wear. Even though it is matte, it feels very smooth and creamy on the lips. Plus, MatteVelvet Red is a classic red shade that I think is a staple in any lipstick collection. 

Next up is Cameron, a light beige lipstick with a cream formula. Cameron has a great pigmentation for a lipstick that is so light in shade. It makes me look a bit washed out because of my very fair skin tone, but I otherwise really like how it wears. I can see this being an everyday color for many people!

One of my favorite lipsticks in the line is Paisley, a purple-toned mauve with a cream finish. Paisley does require about two coats for opacity on the lips, and it is a bit messier to apply. Otherwise, the shade is beyond gorgeous, and I can see myself reaching for this lipstick regularly.

If you’re looking for a red lipstick with a cream finish, Frankie is the pick for you! Frankie is a bright, true red, and it feels really comfortable to wear. It reminds me of my days as a competitive dancer when we were required to sport red lips at our performances. Whether you’re hitting the stage or simply running errands, Frankie is a stunning red!

Next up is Georgia, a bright berry shade with purple undertones. Georgia is a bit outside of my comfort zone, but it is a beautiful lipstick. It has a cream formula, and I do recommend about two coats for an opaque look. Georgia is a great shade to take you from winter to spring!

The next matte shade in the line is Maxwell, a deep plum shade with fuchsia glitter. Maxwell has a great formula, and it is surprisingly comfortable to wear despite containing glitter. However, it is one of my least favorite lipsticks in the collection simply because I don’t like wearing glittery lip colors. Maxwell is also a bit troublesome to remove, as the glitter gets all over the place without coming off my face. That being said, if glitter lipstick is your thing, Maxwell is a nice option.

The other glittery shade in the collection is Brooke, a mauve shade with pearlized glitter. Brooke is more of a tinted lip balm than a lipstick. Unlike the other shades in the collection, this one is not pigmented at all, and it barely shows up on my lips. Brooke does have a cream formula, but I’m not a big fan of it because it just makes my lips look oddly glittery.

Wren is another favorite for me in the collection. This is a pinky-peach shade with a cream finish, and I think it’s another everyday shade. Wren is a lipstick that can be worn any season of the year, and it’s a great choice if you are just getting into makeup and hesitant to wear bright colors.

Next up is Candy, a blue-toned bright pink lipstick with a cream finish. Candy is a Barbie pink for sure. It is extremely pigmented, and I know this will be a spring and summer staple for many people. I’m usually hesitant to wear bright pink lipsticks, but I’m excited to have this in my collection for sure.

Mellie is a the next cream lipstick that is somewhere between a red and pink shade. I think Mellie is a very wearable color, and it also feels really hydrating and comfortable on the lips. Mellie is a great lipstick for any skin tone, and it is work appropriate as well. This is a must have for your lipstick stash!

The one frost formula in the collection is Belle, a blue-toned pink with a golden frost finish. I do not like frost lipsticks, so Belle is not the shade for me. However, Belle is nicely pigmented and is a pretty color for those of you who do enjoy frosts. It reminds me a bit of cotton candy!

Last but not least is Jasmine, a deep plum lipstick with a cream formula. Jasmine is absolutely beautiful and extremely pigmented. This shade is a bit outside of my comfort zone, but I think this is one of the best lipsticks in the collection. Jasmine feels so creamy and hydrating on the lips!

All in all, I think Zoya’s Perfect Lipstick Collection contains a great variety of shades and formulas. The majority of the line is well pigmented, and they all feel very comfortable to wear. My personal favorites are Paisley, Wren, and Mellie, but I recommend all of the shades except for Brooke. You can purchase the Zoya Perfect Lipstick Collection on the brand’s website HERE for $12 each. Make sure to follow Zoya on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for sale information and discount codes.

Which Zoya Perfect Lipstick is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Cynthia Rowley Mini Creamy Lip Stain Trio | Swatches & Review

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to share with you swatches and a review of the Cynthia Rowley Mini Creamy Lip Stain Trio. I purchased this trio directly from Birchbox’s website back in October (see that haul HERE). I had tried one of the shades through the Birchbox sample subscription in the past, and really enjoyed it. I decided to try out some other shades as well, and figured this trio would be perfect. Let me show you the Creamy Lip Stains in this trio, and share my thoughts on them.

Cynthia Rowley Mini Creamy Lip Stain Trio | Swatches & Review

Cynthia Rowley Mini Creamy Lip Stain Trio | Swatches & ReviewHere is a look at the three tiny bottles in the trio. They come with a traditional doe foot applicator, which I don’t mind when it comes to liquid lip products. I love the black and gold accents on the caps as well.Cynthia Rowley Mini Creamy Lip Stain Trio | Swatches & ReviewI wanted to share with you a one coat swatch of each product on my arm because I wear 2-3 coats on my lips. From left to right is: Sugar, Heartthrob, and Dahlia. You can see that Sugar is the most pigmented and creamy, and Dahlia is the least pigmented. I’ll talk about each formula more in the individualized swatches below, but I do want to point out that although these are all from the same makeup line, the formulas vary a lot. There is no consistency here unfortunately.

Cynthia Rowley Mini Creamy Lip Stain Trio | SugarThe first shade in the trio is Sugar. This is the shade that I owned as a sample previously and really loved. It is a beautiful mauve pink that is a ‘my lips but better’ color for me. I applied two coats of Sugar and allowed the first layer to dry before adding a second. I love how opaque and pigmented this lip stain is. It feels nice on the lips, and I know I’ll be wearing it often!

Cynthia Rowley Mini Creamy Lip Stain Trio | HearttrobNext up is Heartthrob, a bright red shade. I immediately noticed a difference in Heartthrob’s formula in comparison to Sugar. It is quite liquidy, and I found it really difficult to apply. As you can see from my swatch, clean-up was hard, too. Because these are lip stains, they stain the skin upon application. I’m not a fan of Heartthrob because if a lip product is hard for me to apply and makes a mess, it’s one I’m going to avoid!

Cynthia Rowley Mini Creamy Lip Stain Trio | DahliaLast but not least is Dahlia, a dark berry purple shade. I also had issues with Dahlia’s formula. It was very sheer and took about three coats before I got a full coverage look. It also applied very patchy – you know that creepy ring around the lips look? Yeah, I had a lot of trouble avoiding it! While the end result is quite pretty, I’d rather find a different product that is the same shade with a better formula.

All in all, I’m a bit disappointed with the Cynthia Rowley Mini Lip Stain Trio. I still love Sugar, but Heartthrob and Dahlia didn’t work for me. I recommend picking up a full size of Sugar instead of the trio. The full size is $20, but I stand by its formula and beautiful color. You can purchase it on Birchbox’s website HERE. I’m glad I tried out this trio so you don’t have to waste your money on it!

Red Lip Colors for July 4th from NYC New York Color!

Happy Thursday! Yesterday I showed you a fabulous and affordable manicure for July 4th (see that post HERE), and today it’s time for some festive red lips! If you’re looking for some great lip colors that you can grab at your local drugstore, this is the post for you!

CITY PROOF TWISTABLE INTENSE LIP COLOR

City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color in Roosevelt Island RedRoosevelt Island Red – $2.99

City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color in Roosevelt Island RedThe City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color is designed to be lightweight, soft, and silky. It applies really easily thanks to the crayon-like applicator, and smells just like fruit punch! I find Roosevelt Island Red to be very glossy and moisturizing. It has a good color payoff, but is not completely opaque. If you’re going for a more natural look, I highly recommend this lip color! You can also wear it on top of a lipstick for added shine.

EXPERT LAST LIP COLOR

Expert Last Lip Color in Traffic JamTraffic Jam – $1.99

Expert Last Lip Color in Traffic JamI’ve tried one Expert Last Lip Color in the past, and didn’t have a great experience (see that review HERE), but I’m happy to report that I’m loving Traffic Jam! It is extremely moisturizing, and glides on with ease. The formula is creamy, and extremely pigmented. With one coat I got an opaque look! Traffic Jam is actually quite a wearable shade, especially with my fair skin tone. This lip color definitely stains your lips, though, so be careful during application!

All in all, I’m very impressed with these new lip colors from NYC New York Color! Not only are they incredibly affordable, but they are high quality as well. If you’re looking to rock a red lip this Fourth of July, stop by your local drugstore to grab one (or both!) of these. I’ll definitely be checking out more shades from these lines in the future!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.