SWATCH FEST: MAC Amplified/Amplified Creme Lipsticks

In this post I thought I would share with you my MAC Amplified Creme Collection. Amplified is my favourite MAC finish, hands down! If you ever want to invest in a MAC lippy, I do recommend trying an Amplified Creme. There are a huge range of colours (I have 12 I am swatching for you today) but they range from nude (safe) to bright (out there), so there is definitely something for every taste! The colour is intense and long lasting! Finish wise, they are satin-y-ish. Definitely not matte or glossy! They often leave a bit of a stain (which doesn't bother me but may bother you). With day-after-day wear they can suck the moisture out of your lips a little (due to all the pigments) - so prep well and balm them!

Lets get swatching!:

MAC Amplified Cremes

L-R: Violetta, Dark Side, Craving, Chatter Box, Haute Altitude, Saint Germain 

L-R: Girl About Town, Show Orchid, Full Fuschia, Impassioned, Morange, Neon Orange 

L-R: Violetta, Dark Side, Craving, Chatter Box, Haute Altitude, Saint Germain

Violetta: PRO. Bright violet with a slight blue shimmer.

Dark Side: A deep burgundy (a great choice for winter!)

Craving: A pinky plum colour (this is my favourite non-bright colour!)

Chatter Box: A mid-pink (red based)

Haute Altitude: LE. A dusty pink. It almost looks nude compared to these. (This was released with the Apres Chic collection and may be hard to come by now).

Saint Germain: A bright baby pink.

L-R: Girl About Town, Show Orchid, Full Fuchsia, Impassioned, Morange, Neon Orange

Girl About Town: A bright fuchsia.

Show Orchid: PRO. A bright fuchsia with a blue-ish iridescence. This has got serious shine!

Full Fuchsia: PRO. A bright fuchsia. This is a teensy bit more red than Girl About Town - and has a tiny bit more shimmer.

Impassioned: A red toned fuchsia. Not as deep as GAT and FF. Reminds me of Maybelline's Vivid Rose (*note to self: dupe test!*)

Morange: A bright, clean orange. (this is my all-time fave!)

Neon Orange: LE/PRO. A bright red-toned orange. (This was released with the All About Orange collection and I believe it's usually a PRO colour)

NOTE: Pro Only colours can only be purchased from MAC Pro Stores (check the MAC website for your closest Pro store).

Other colours in the range are:

- Cosmo

- Fast Play

- Brick-o-la

- Vegas Volt

- Up the Amp

- Dubonnet

- Half-n-Half

- Blankety

(You can check the MAC website for descriptions)

MAC lipsticks retail for AUD$36 for 3.0gms. You can purchase from selected MAC/David Jones counters and online from www.maccosmetics.com.au!

Which is your favourite Amplified Creme?

Love,

Your PM x

p.s. If you follow me on Instagram (@polishedmakeup), you can see some of these amplified cremes in action!

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Bite Beauty Pastille Lipstick in Violet

Good evening! (or day - depending on when you read this!)

In this post I will be sharing my thoughts on the new Bite Beauty Pastille Lipsticks. These have been out in the US for a while but they have just started to surface here!

Bite Beauty pride themselves on producing 'food grade' cosmetics. This means they are safe to eat! (No parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances/dyes, petrochemicals or phthalates! YAY!). They also contain Reservatrol to fight free radicals (this is good!).

I managed to get my hands on Violet and Lilac (I found these colours the most appealing of the bunch - I love brights!).

Bite Beauty Pastille in Violet

This line is inspired by the French Pastille lollies. They are described as a 'Matte Creme' with a velvet finish. Bit of a contradiction because matte and velvet (in my opinion) are different finishes. When I think matte I think Illamasqua and MAC - no shine at all. Velvet is definitely more applicable. The colour is very intense like a matte lipstick, but it has a satin/velvet like shine. It's by no means glossy though!

Violet Pastille in action! (don't mind me looking half asleep!)

I am totally in love with this colour! It is so amazing and bright! (I did not expect it to be so bright actually!). I wanted to keep looking at myself to admire the colour! (is that vain? lol). It is super comfortable to wear too! Not drying at all! (This is fantastic, as most highly pigmented colours tend to suck the moisture out of your lips!). It's a great option if you are still after a bright colour but your lips are a bit under the weather! I did wear this with a lip liner (MAC's Heroine) because I wasn't in the mood for running lips! (Though from wear I tend to believe that it wouldn't be too bad!)

The packaging is simple - grey with a grippy outer. I quite like them because I don't feel like they are going to go flying out of my hands! They do have a fragrance, it's kind of a fruity type - it's a unique compared to any lipstick I've come across. If it was any stronger I would probably struggle to like it.

These are apparently limited edition (so if you are after any, get your hands on them while you can!). 

In Australia, at this stage you can get them from www.stylepatisserie.com. They will set you back AUD$36.95 for 3.7gms of product (reasonable value!).

This colour gets a big amazing thumbs up from me! (I haven't tried the Lilac yet but if it's half as good as this one it will still be awesome!). The other two colours available are: Lavender (sheer lavender) and Rosebud (pink/red).

Have you tried these? Or any other Bite Beauty products? What are your faves?

Love,

Your PM x

DUPE TEST: Illamasqua 'Excite' vs Sleek 'Lace' Blush by 3!

Today's edition of the DUPE TEST is comparing Illamasqua 'Excite' and the Sleek 'Lace' palette.

Let's get straight into it!

Top: Sleek 'Lace'
Bottom: Illamasqua 'Excite'

In the pan, the blush on the right of the sleek pan is the closest to the Illamasqua blush. However it's not quite the same story swatched... 

Top Three Swatches: Sleek 'Lace'
Bottom: Illamasqua 'Excite'

In the swatch, the blush on the left of the Sleek pan is closest to Excite. However, Excite is a touch redder. Though it is more intensely pigmented and this is where it could be getting the red hit.

The verdict: Pretty darn close!

Weight:

Illamasqua: 4.5gms

Sleek: 20gms over 3 colours

Price:

Illamasqua: AUD$28

Sleek: AUD$14.95

These are great colours for summer. I look at them now and screw my face up all "What was I thinking?!", but I was in love with orange blush in the warmer weather! (Lets face it, pink can be a bit ho hum after a while!)

Sleek is definitely a good buy, and you get three colours in one palette - great if want some variety! However, I do lean towards the Illamasqua one in terms of quality (the Sleek ones are a bit more chalky in comparison). So, even if you only want the one colour, the Illamasqua is still a good investment - it is very competitively priced compared to other  'high-end' blushes in the market!

Ulitmately, you need to weigh up what would be best for your needs!

Where to buy:

Illamasqua: From selected Myer counters in Australia, www.myer.com.au or www.illamasqua.com (they do ship internationally too!)

Sleek: Selected online Australian retailers such as www.lipstickrepublic.com.au or from www.sleek.com (if you're international).

Are there any dupes you would like to see compared on Polished Makeup? Drop me a line and I'll see if I can oblige!

Love,

Your PM x

PRODUCT COMPARISON: Dual Phase Eye Makeup Removers

In order to have good makeup, it's important that you look after you skin! Taking your makeup off at the end of your day is important so that the day's grime does not sink into your skin overnight! (Though everyone is guilty of sleeping in it at some time... am I right? lol)

This product comparison is on dual phase eye makeup removers - an essential part of a makeup removal routine!

Why dual phase?

I will try not to get too chemistry nerdy here but hopefully this makes sense! Liquids can be either polar or non-polar. Like dissolves like (so polar substances dissolve polar substances but non-polar and polar won't dissolve each other). You know how oil and water don't mix? This is because water is polar and oil is non-polar - they sit together but don't interact (like two socially awkward peeps at a party! lol). This same theory is applied to these makeup removers! By having both polar and non-polar solutions, it means that there is a greater chance of dissolving all those different products that you've put on your eyes! (Think of it this way: water alone won't clean the grease off your stove! Same thing goes for makeup removers!)

I hope I haven't lost you with that chemistry ramble (the joys of being a chemistry major!).

Dual phase removers are good because they are super effective. In one swipe, 90% of my HEAVY eye makeup is removed! The only part that lingers is mascara - but it just takes a little more soaking and elbow grease to dissolve it! 

I have five different eye makeup removers (on various stages of rotation) that I have tested and they all get the PM's tick of approval! So it's up to you which you choose!

L-R: Maybelline, Napoleon Perdis, L'Oreal, Clinique, Clarins

Maybelline City Rescue Total Clean

70mL for AUD$6.95 (99c per 10mL)

Perks: Great travel size, also suitable for lips

Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Duet Makeup Remover

137mL for AUD$39 ($2.84 per 10mL)

Perks: Proudly paraben free, contains ingredients to soothe the eyes

L'Oreal Gentle Eye Makeup Remover for Eyes & Lips

125mL for AUD$12.95 ($1.03 per 10mL)

Perks: Suitable for sensitive eyes, suitable for lips, opthalmologically tested

Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover

125mL for AUD$35 ($2.80 per 10mL)

Perks: Suitable for lips, fragrance free

Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover

125mL for AUD$42 ($3.36 per 10mL)

Perks: Suitable for sensitive eyes, non-stinging

If you are budget conscious, the Maybelline and the L'Oreal are the best options. If you are patient, you may even be able to snare them on sale! (Bargain!) However, the others you could pick up when that brand has a GWP or sale. (For example, I will often buy Clarins when they have a GWP as I also use their skincare!)

While these all work well, my star pick would be the L'Oreal for it's pricepoint and how well it works! (I bought it out of desperation when I had a lippy disaster and I was blown away!)

Hot tip: Make sure you rinse after cleansing - particularly if you want to reapply makeup! And shake them really well before use too!

Have you tried any of these removers? Do you have a favourite?

Love,

Your PM x

DUPE TEST: Pale/Baby Pink Lipsticks feat. Maybelline Pink Pop

Hello,

This edition of the Dupe Test features baby pink lipsticks. After posting my Maybelline Vivids Review, I have wanted to get to work on finding lippies that these bargain tubes of awesomeness are dupes for! So essentially, this post is a comparison of a bunch of lippies to Maybelline's Pink Pop to see which is close (and dupe worthy).

Baby (or pale) pink lippies aren't something that I am stopped in the street for. I generally turn to brighter coloured hues (fuschia pinks, purples and corals). Nonetheless, they are a good choice if you wear soft makeup and want to wear a lipstick that is more exciting than nude!

Lets get to it! Today's subjects:

- Melt 'Darling'

- Illamasqua 'Plunge'

- Maybelline 'Pink Pop' (of course!)

- MAC 'Saint Germain'

- Lime Crime 'Great Pink Planet'

- Coloured Raine 'Confection'

- OCC 'Lovecraft'

- OCC 'Digitalis'

These are all 'cool' pinks (i.e blue based pinks rather than yellow based pinks).

L-R: Melt Darling, Illamasqua Plunge, Maybelline Pink Pop, MAC Saint Germain,  Lime Crime Great Pink Planet, Coloured Raine Confection
OCC Lip Tars: Lovecraft (Top) and Digitalis (Bottom)

L-R: Digitalis, Lovecraft, Darling, Plunge, Pink Pop, Saint Germain,  Great Pink Planet, Confection
(Photo taken with flash)

In both photos, Pink Pop is 5th in from the left.

L-R: Digitalis, Lovecraft, Darling, Plunge, Pink Pop, Saint Germain,  Great Pink Planet, Confection
(Photo taken under a cool light)

- Digitalis: Paler and dirtier than PP.

- Lovecraft: The tiniest fraction purpler than PP, plus it has silver sparkle.

- Darling: Matte and more purple based than PP.

- Plunge: Paler and matte and marginally more yellow than PP.

- Saint Germain: Paler than PP but of similar tone.

- Great Pink Planet: Paler and grayer than PP.

- Confection: A bit deeper and marginally more purple than PP.

The verdict: No real dupes here (sorry!) BUT Lovecraft, Pink Pop and Confection would be suitable substitutes for one another (in other words you probably don't need them all). Either way, it's good to see some swatches!

Also note worthy: Great Pink Planet is a bit greyer than Saint Germain, but if you are trying to be a makeup minimalist you won't need both! (My personal pick of the two would be Saint Germain because it's brighter, but if you're budget conscious go for Great Pink Planet!).

Size & Cost:

- Melt 'Darling': USD$19 (can't find a weight) - note: they don't ship international anymore!

- Illamasqua 'Plunge': AUD$25 for 4gms

- Maybelline 'Pink Pop' (of course!) - AUD$16.95 for 4.2gms

- MAC 'Saint Germain' - AUD$36 for 3gms

- Lime Crime 'Great Pink Planet' - AUD$21 for 3.5gms

- Coloured Raine 'Confection' - USD$13 for 3.5gms

- OCC 'Lovecraft' - AUD$18 for 10ml

- OCC 'Digitalis' - AUD$18 for 10ml

I'm actually quite glad these are all a bit different!

Is there any dupe tests you would like to see? Let me know!

Love,

Your PM x

SWATCH FEST: OCC Loose Colour Concentrates!

Hello,

Tonight I have swatched (and therefore am blogging about) my OCC Loose Colour Concentrates collection!

OCC are probably most well known for their super pigmented (and awesome) Lip Tars (which I will swatch eventually!), but their Loose Colour Concentrates do not disappoint!

There is a whopping 35 colours in the collection, of which I only have 11 - but hopefully this helps a bit if you have been trolling the Internet looking for some swatches! (I do eventually aim to get more but I am trying to resist buying every cosmetic item I lay my eyes on at the moment!). Be warned: These are crazily pigmented! (Now would be a good time to take your socks off so they don't get knocked off by the impending awesomeness!)

Top L-R: Tryptych, Flicker, Glisten, Clove, Platonic, Ironic
Bottom L-R:  Static, Cavu Blue, Wasabi, Chlorophyll, Nori

Packaging is a clear screw-top jar and it does have a three-hole sifter inside (this is good if you are clumsy and end up throwing it around - you won't lose it all over the floor!).

L-R: Tryptych, Flicker, Glisten, Clove, Platonic, Ironic, Static, Cavu Blue, Wasabi, Chlorophyll, Nori

L-R: Tryptych, Flicker, Glisten, Clove, Platonic, Ironic

L-R:  Static, Cavu Blue, Wasabi, Chlorophyll, Nori

Here is a little run-down on the colours:

Tryptych: A regal metallic gold. It is a yellow based gold. I purchased it with the intention of using it in ombre lips. This will probably never touch my eyelids due to the yellow content! lol

Flicker: A pinky tinged beige with gold shimmer.

Glisten: A pinky based coral with gold shimmer.

Clove: A neutral/champagne beige. It is more brown than Flicker. This would be a good neutral eye pick!

Platonic: A pale pink. Surprisingly pretty on! Along with Clove, these would be great colours for bridal and/or everyday makeup.

Ironic: A metallic silver with a gold and purple shimmer. This is actually a surprisingly interesting colour! I thought it was just a metallic silver but I was wrong!

Static: A blue based purple with a blue shimmer.

Cavu Blue: A bright cyan blue. This one has got some punch!

Wasabi: A yellow tinged bright green. It's described as Chartreuse (but I always imagined that was more yellow!).

Chlorophyll: A bright mint green. OCC describe it as turquoise, but I always imagine turquoise as slightly bluer. Either way, super pretty! 

Nori: A darkened teal/sea green. A great colour in the winter months!

I swatched these colours on my bare (pasty) arm - if you wear them over a primer (such as NYX Eyeshadow Base) then you will end up with a more intense colour! (But as you can tell they are pretty intense already!). I also recommend something 'sticky' (like an eyeshadow base) particularly if you are going to press them onto your lid. They will last much longer! They do blend out without a problem though. I have used Nori in my crease (my lids were prepped with foundation and powder) and it blended out without a problem and stayed put very well! Cavu Blue, Wasabi, Chlorophyll and Nori are a tad more matte than the other colours (they still shimmer, but as you can tell from the photos it is not as apparent!).

My picks: Wasabi, Chlorophyll, Nori (can you tell I like greens?)

OCC Loose Colour Concentrates will set you back a very reasonable AUD$14 for 2.5gms (very generous and super good value!). You can buy OCC from Lipstick Republic (great to deal with and you can use code 'RepublicVIBs' for 10% off! Woohoo!).

Have you tried any of the Loose Colour Concentrates? Which are your favourites?

Love,

Your PM x

p.s. Wasabi has been featured on my blog in my April Favourites and I have worn Flicker in a FOTD! x
p.p.s. if you want to see some more colours in action, find me on Instagram (@polishedmakeup)

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Maybelline Vivids Lipsticks

Good day reader! *twirls moustache* (kidding!)

Today's UTM is on the Maybelline Vivid lipsticks! I picked these up when Priceline had 40% off, and have been meaning to put them up for yonks. However, I did want to wear them first but time is dragging on so I thought best to just get them up! (I will update this post if there is anything out of the ordinary when I wear them!).

There are 8 colours in the Maybelline Vivid's range. I have 6 I will swatch for you (missing from the collection are Neon Red and Electric Orange).

The packaging is simple, transparent coloured cap with chrome-esque edging. All Maybelline lipstick packaging is similar - but the colour of the cap changes depending on the range (the Vivid's are an orange-y red).

Swatch time:

(L-R): Pink Pop, Fuchsia Flash, Vivid Rose, Hot Plum, Shocking Coral, Vibrant Mandarin
(Taken under direct light)

(L-R): Pink Pop, Fuchsia Flash, Vivid Rose, Hot Plum, Shocking Coral, Vibrant Mandarin
(Taken under indirect light)

Pink Pop: A blue based pale baby pink.

Fuchsia Flash: A bright blue based mid pink.

Vivid Rose: A mid pink/red hybrid. (It's not quite red but not quite pink!)

Hot Plum: A purple tinged pink. It is purple compared to the other colours, but it still has a good influence of pink.

Shocking Coral: This is probably the more yellow-toned one of the bunch. A pink based coral.

Vibrant Mandarin: A red-based orange. 

What is good about these - particularly the pinks - is that they all lean a bit blue. When I swatched them, they all exuded a blue tone (though Shocking Coral was a bit more yellow). Regardless, pasty, yellow-hatin folk will like these!

For a 'drugstore' lipstick, I was surprised at how intense the pigmentation was! And these really are bright too! They even managed to stain my arm for the brief five minutes that they were on! They were creamy and even. It does take a couple of swipes to build the colour up, but it does build up easily.

The ingredients:

Normally, I wouldn't include ingredients, but this time I feel compelled (haha!). High end lippies (a la MAC etc) have Castor Seed Oil as the first ingredient. These have Lanolin. Lanolin is an animal by-product from wool (helps keep it waterproof). Therefore, if you are vegetarian/vegan, these probably aren't for you! (Ultimately your decision of course!).

My pick would be Vivid Rose - it's such an interesting looking colour (and at first glance is not a shade I really have in the collection!). There are a few within this collection which are rather dupe worthy, and I will endeavour to get them up sooner rather than later.

These are available from various retailers including Priceline, Chemist Warehouse and K-Mart. The going rate is AUD$16.95 and it gets you 4.2gms of product (very good value!).

Have you tried the Maybelline Vivid's? Which ones are your favourites?

Love,

Your PM x

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Sleek i-Divine "Original" Eyeshadow Palette

This edition of 'Under The Microscope' is on the Sleek i-Divine 'Original' Eyeshadow Palette.

Sleek is a UK brand and they have a good reputation for being cheap, but still decent quality! I have quite a respectable collection of their blushes (read: most - which I will slowly flood the blog with over the coming months!). I have also compared their Rose Gold blush in a dupe test!

The Original i-Divine was my first Sleek eyeshadow purchase, and I chose the Original because I thought it had a good variety of colours, all of which I am likely to wear. They are a mineral based eyeshadow (still not sure on the significance of that - a quick squiz of the ingredients list shows nothing special IMO). They are vegetarian friendly but not suitable for vegans. The packaging is a simple sleek (pardon the pun... wait who am I kidding I love a good pun!) black case and has a mirror inside. Each an has 12 shadows. There is also a long handled, double-ended sponge applicator (which when you do the maths, 4 sides doesn't cover the 12 shadows!).

i-Divine Original

i-Divine Original Swatches

All of these colours are swatched WITHOUT primer! As you can see, great colour and pigmentation! (Of course, if you wear with primer you will get even more intense pigmentation!). There aren't any names associated with these colours but they are as follows: (Left to Right, Top to Bottom)

- Matte Black
- Metallic Mid Purple
- Metallic Navy with Blue Shimmer
- Metallic Mid Blue
- Metallic Aqua
- Metallic Grass Green
(next row)
- Metallic Gold
- Metallic Pink with Gold Shimmer

- Metallic Rose
- Metallic Copper
- Metallic Bronze
- Metallic Olive

Fall out of these on the face is minimal, but they can get a bit crumbly in the pan so don't go smashing your brush in there! I have given this palette a work out and I was suitably impressed! It lasted very well and the colour went on intensely. I did not use a primer, but I did cover my eyelids with foundation and set it with powder first. I found that patting them on was more effective rather than brushing!

iDivine in action!

The Sleek i-Divine's come in a whole bunch of different colours (brights, neutrals, you name it!) and can be purchased from www.lipstickrepublic.com.au for AUD$14.95 or from www.sleekmakeup.com if you are OS.

Have you used any i-Divine's? Which is your favourite?
Love,

Your PM x

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu

Hello,

I have been holding on to my NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu for quite a while. I was planning to wear it before I put it up on the blog but I just haven't got around to wearing it yet. Nonetheless, I can still share a swatch with you!

Nars Yu

Nars Yu does swatch a bit brighter in real life. It's a bright, vivid, punch you in the face pink! It's a really clean pink that leans a bit blue!

I have already worn and swatched both Luxembourg and Lodhi, which I love! (Check them out if your curious!). I imagine that the wear time of Yu would be somewhere in between Luxembourg and Lodhi. It's a very pigmented colour!

Have you worn Yu? What are your thoughts?

Love,

Your PM x

DUPE TEST: MAC Royal Sunset vs Illamasqua Tremble

Good evening,

While I'm still on my blogging roll (this is post #6 for today!), I thought I would treat you all to another dupe test. I'll have a break from lipstick and focus on blush!

This edition puts MAC's Royal Sunset against Illamasqua's Tremble. Royal Sunset was released with MAC's All About Orange Collection and was one of the first items to sell out! As soon as I had seen swatches of it, I instantly thought of Illamasqua's Tremble. Illamasqua's Tremble is one of my favourite blushes and was featured in my Illamasqua Top Five.

Tremble (Left) and Royal Sunset (Right)



Tremble (Left) and Royal Sunset (Right)

Royal Sunset is described as a soft cool peach and Tremble is described as soft lilac pink. I don't know where the lilac really comes into it, but Tremble is certainly alot more pinker than Royal Sunset. Royal Sunset looks like a pale pink blush in comparison. Definitely cool but don't really know where the peach is hiding (it's very faint!).



Size:

Illamasqua: 4.5 grams
MAC: 6 grams

Price:

Illamasqua: AUD $26
MAC: AUD $41

The Illamasqua is better value both in initial outlay and cost per gram ($5.78/g vs $6.83/g).

VERDICT: Not as close I was expecting. If you are not that fussy and want a really good versatile blush, Illamasqua Tremble would be a great substitute.

Are there any other blush dupes that you know of?
Love,

Your PM x

DUPE TEST: MAC Sounds Like Noise vs MAC Tart & Trendy

Hello,

Here is another edition of DUPE TEST with MAC's Sounds Like Noise (SLN) and Tart & Trendy (T&T).

Both of these lippies are LE. SLN was released with the MAC x Hayley Williams collection and sold out within hours in Australia (can't speak for overseas but I was suprised at how quick it sold out here!). T&T has recently been released with the All About Orange collection. At the time of posting, it is sold out online but some stores are only just getting stock, so if you are keen to get your hands on it you may get lucky! (Note: It's only certain stores that are getting AOO, so you may need to check your local counters for info!).

Sounds Like Noise (Left) and Tart and Trendy (Right)

Sounds Like Noise (Left) and Tart and Trendy (Right)

SLN is a matte finish, whereas T&T is a lustre. Both, however, have been described as a bright neutral orange lipsticks (not much difference there!). They look pretty dead on in the picture, but in real life Tart & Trendy is the tiniest fraction yellower!
Size & Price:

Both colours are 3.0gms for AUD $36

VERDICT: Pretty darn close! You really would be splitting hairs to tell them apart. If you missed out on SLN and it's still a lemming, see if you can still get your hands on Tart & Trendy!

Have you spotted any dupes recently?
Love,
Your PM x

DUPE TEST: Stila Gemma vs MAC Heroine

Hello,

I have just posted a review on Stila's Color Balm Lipstick in Gemma (which you can read here), and it has prompted a dupe test which you may find handy.

Today's subjects are Stila's Color Balm Lipstick and MAC's Heroine.

Gemma (Left) and Heroine (Right)

Heroine has been one of MAC's most hyped about colours, particularly of late! It was recently re-promoted with their Fashion Sets collection (which is where I picked it up) and everyone seemingly wanted to get their hands on it. If you are one of those people that missed out, hopefully this helps!



Gemma (Left) and Heroine (Right)

A dupe test is always made a bit harder when the finishes are different. Heroine is matte whereas Gemma is a glossy finish. Gemma also has a very slight shimmer. The colours are of the same intensity/tone, but Gemma is a tad more red based, and Heroine is a tad more blue based.

Size & Price:

Stila: 3.5 grams of product for AUD$36

MAC: 3.0 grams for AUD$36
(+1 for Stila here!)

Availability:

Stila: Mecca Cosmetica (In-Store and Online)
MAC: Sold out. (But you can purchase MAC from www.maccosmetics.com.au or from select Myer/David Jones Stores)
(Stila also gets the +1 here as it's readily available)

VERDICT: Not quite dupes! Stila is a good alternative if you a) desperately want Heroine and can't function without it, b) you can't stand mattes and want something more mositurising or c) you want a colour nice bright purple.

More dupe tests coming your way very shortly!
Love,

Your PM x

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Stila Color Balm Lipstick in Gemma

Hello again,

I'm on a little blogging roll this weekend so I thought I'd post another edition of 'Under the Microscope', this time on Stila's Colour Balm Lipstick in Gemma!

Stila is not a brand I have many products of, but I bought some of their UV After Glow Lip Colours and was suitably impressed! I chose Gemma from the Color Balm range because of a) the colour and b) it's claims to be moisturising. I had previously swatched it on a play date to Mecca Cosmetica and after looking at it on my hand for the next 20 minutes, I decided I wanted it! haha.

The Packaging

The packaging is like an up-market balm tube, shiny silver with colour co-ordinating branding. I think it's really cool that it matches depending on what colour you have! (Helps you to find which one you are looking for too!).

Stila Color Balm in Gemma

These Color Balm lippies (need to stop being Australian and remember to not put the 'u' in colour!) come in about 18 different shades and claim to have "the full pigmented load of a lipstick but the nourishing properties of a balm".



Gemma - Under Lamp

Gemma - Flash

Gemma is a red-based purple with a slight gold shimmer. (I didn't know it actually had a shimmer until I put the macro on to photograph it!). In real life, the proper colour is somewhere between the two (it's definitely not as blue based as the artificial light one looks!). The product is very pigmented but also sheer (which would likely be due to it's balmy formulation). To clarify, you get a big hit of colour which applies evenly, but it is nowhere near opaque as a matte lipstick (for instance).

From the moment I put it on I was amazed at how light and comfortable it was to wear. It also contains Peppermint Oil to soothe and stimulate irritated lips. While they remind me of OCC Lip Tars more than anything (same smell), I am confused as to why you would want to stimulate irritated lips (unless this is to do with cell regeneration? hmmm). Anyway, it was definitely soothing to wear (especially as my lips are having a dry spell again). It did bleed a little, which was to be expected, so wearing it with a lip liner is recommended.

Once again, you can have a little treat of an in-action pic!:

The only downside to this product is it's blunt tip, which made it quite a pain to get it on. Yes, you could use a lip brush (making it easy fixed) but I do like the convenience of being able to apply straight from the tube, especially when you are on the run!

I am pleasantly surprised by these, and I recommend them for those times when you still want a nice pop of colour but your lips are dry and unhappy.

You can purchase Color Balm lippies from Mecca Cosmetica (www.meccacosmetica.com.au) for AUD$36 and you get 3.5gms of product. (Think of it as the same price as a MAC lippy but you get 0.5gms more!). You can also find Stila on Beauty Bay.

Have you tried any of the Color Balm's? Which is your favourite?

Love,

Your PM x