SWATCH FEST: Lime Crime Palette D'Antoinette

Hello,

It has been a while since I posted my last Lime Crime swatch fest on the Aquataenia Palette. I do also aim to blog about the Alchemy and China Doll in the near future (promise!). Palette D'Antoinette (note: you can't really say it without putting a french accent on lol) is a palette of five shadows - four pastel matte and a sparkly pale silver.

Royal Flush: A bright matte mid-pink. Would be great as a blush!

Absinthe-Minded: A bright lime green. This is a really is a nice green that doesn't lean too blue or yellow.

Macarooned: A bright orange. Like royal flush, this would also be a great blush. It does lean a bit yellow, so just be careful if yellow tones make you look like you have jaundice!

Ribbonesque: A bright lilac purple. Such a beautiful colour! It is a blue, based purple and choc full of win!

Mercurious: Metallic Silver. The only won with sparkle and also choc full of win! (You can see the silver in action on my inner corners here).

I haven't used all of these colours yet (ok, just Mercurious) but I am seriously in love! They are such good value too with a palette setting you back AUD$36 (for 5 x 1.5gms of eyeshadow you seriously can't argue with that!).

Have you tried any of the Lime Crime palettes? Got a favourite?

Love,

Your PM x

SWATCH FEST: Lime Crime 'Aquataenia' Palette

Good morning/afternoon/evening! (Please choose the applicable one for the time of day in your neck of the woods! lol)

As requested by some, I will be swatching my Lime Crime eyeshadow palettes (I now have them all which means yay for you and not yay for my hip pocket! lol). First cab of the rank is the Aquataenia palette!

I have only just recently started collecting the Lime Crime eyeshadow palettes (mostly because I have all their lipsticks and I am running out of products to buy!). I picked up the Aquataenia palette when I purchased Babette (because I'm not paying $12-odd dollars shipping for one lipstick... defeats the purpose!). I have always admired the palettes but thought that perhaps the colours were not entirely practical. Now that I am a bit more adventurous with colour (or that my inner collector has won... not sure), I think they are super cool! I will also post some looks that I've done using the palettes so that if they aren't something you'd normally go for you can see how they could be used!

Lime Crime's Aquataenia Palette

L-R: Nautilus Prime, Coral of the Story, Seahorse Discourse, Pearl-ple,  Atlanteal

Nautilus Prime: A deep (but vibrant) Royal Blue

Coral of the Story: A nice mid coral. This would also be a suitable blush.

Seahorse Discourse: A bright yellow based lime-green.

Pearl-ple: A mid lilac purple, it does not lean overly pink or blue based.

Atlanteal: A pale teal. Leans a bit more green in real life. 

I looooove the names. I am a sucker for a good pun! Nautilus Prime in particular gives me a good giggle! These are super pigmented and have a metallic shimmer/touch of sparkle. Though, do take care with the paler ones (i.e. Atlanteal) as they can kind of get lost against the darker colours (going back over it during application is key here - a primer also helps with this).

If you have read my Babette review, then you would have seen the look I did using Babette and the Aquataenia palette on my eyes (I will post it again for a bit of overkill  and because I was super happy with how it turned out! lol)

Aquataenia palette in action!

For this look I've used the blues and greens (Nautilus Prime, Atlanteal and Seahorse Discourse). I have also used Mercurious from the D'Antionette palette on the inner corner (swatches to come!).

The Aquataenia palette will set you back AUD$36 for 5 x 1.5gms pans of eyeshadow. (Pretty good value when you think that a MAC eyeshadow is AUD$33 for 1.5gms!)

This palette gets a big thumbs up from me!

Have you used the Aquataenia palette? Thoughts?

Love,

Your PM x

FOTD: 'Ombre' Eyes Using Lime Crime Eyeshadows

Hello,

I thought I would share the FOTD from my Babette Review. I haven't really shared a FOTD lately and this is one of Mr PM's favourites. He encouraged me to put it in a post!

So here we go!

Please enjoy my dodgy instagram generated photo! lol

I used the following products:

FACE

• Illamasqua Matte Primer
• Kryolan TV Paint Stick in NB1
• Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation in #6
• Napoleon Perdis Camera Finish Powder in N2

BLUSH

• Illamasqua Blush in Tremble

EYES

• Kryolan TV Paint Stick in NB1
• Kryolan Translucent Powder in TL1
• Lime Crime D'Antoinette Palette - Mercurious (Inner Corner)
• Lime Crime Aquataenea Palette - Seahorse Discourse (Next Colour)
• Lime Crime Aquataenea Palette - Atlanteal (Next Colour)
• Lime Crime Aquataenea Palette - Nautilus Prime (Outer Corner)
• Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Bootycall (Highlight)
• Napoleon Perdis Mesmer-Eyes Mascara
• MAC Fluidline in Blitz and Glitz
• Eyebrows: Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake in Gaze
• Lashes: Ardell 117's

LIPS

• Lime Crime Lipstick in Babette

I was super pleased with how this turned out, and plan to do the same thing again soon, but with different colours (of course! lol)

Are there any looks of mine that you would like to see featured? You can see any daily FOTD's I post on Instagram (@polishedmakeup)

Love,

Your PM x

DUPE TEST: Lime Crime Babette

Greetings!

For this edition of the dupe test, I will be seeking formidable comparisons for Lime Crime's Babette. I have already reviewed Babette and you can read what I think of it here! 

Anyway, Let's get straight into it:

The contenders!

Up for comparison:

- MAC Betty Bright

- Illamasqua Obey

- Lime Crime Coquette

- Illamasqua Sonnet

- Nars Lodhi

- OCC Lip Tar Hush

(L-R: Hush, Lodhi, Betty Bright, Sonnet, Obey, Babette, Coquette)

Let's compare:

- Hush: Browner than Babette

- Lodhi: Brighter and more red than Babette

- Betty Bright: Similar tone, but pinker than Babette

- Sonnet: Paler and more orange than Babette (also a matte finish)

- Obey: Similar tone but more Orange (also a matte finish)

- Coquette: Browner than Babette (this was here as a comparison!)

The Verdict: No real dupes here but Obey is probably the closest. If you want something similar but less bright, Hush could also be a suitable alternative. Not many Babette worthy dupes in my stash it seems! (Sorry!)

Note: Hush is very similar to Coquette but a bit more pink! If you mix both Coquette and Babette together, it brings up a similar colour to Hush!

Where to get them (in Australia):

- Hush: lipstickrepublic.com.au (AUD$18 for 10ml)
- Lodhi: meccacosmetica.com.au (AUD$39 for 2.2gms)
- Betty Bright: This was a LE colour (sorry!)
- Sonnet: myer.com.au (AUD$25 for 4gms)
- Obey: myer.com.au (AUD$25 for 4gms)
- Coquette: lipstickrepublic.com.au (AUD$21 for 3.5gms)

Are there any dupe tests you would like to see on the blog?

Love,

Your PM x

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Lime Crime 'Babette' (Review & Swatches)

Hello,

The much anticipated newest lipstick from Lime Crime is out and I have given it a road test to present my findings to you! Yippee!

Babette is a pastel coral. It's a muted, pale colour.

Lime Crime - 'Babette'

Lime Crime - 'Babette'

As you can see from the swatch, it's nice and muted coral. Not really bright but not really deep! It has been marketed as 'Coquette's' pink cousin! I have swatched them side by side for you:

Lime Crime - 'Babette' (left) and 'Coquette' (right)

As you can see, they are somewhat related. Coquette is quite brown, but still has a pink tone (it reminds me of the colour of bandaids lol). Here is Babette in action:

Babette on the lips, Illamasqua Tremble blush, Lime Crime Aquataenea & D'Antoinette Palettes on the eyes!

The wear time was pretty decent considering it's a pale coloured lipstick! I applied it in the morning, and it had pretty much disappeared by the time I had finished my lunch (expected), but a lunchtime re-application saw a good four hours of wear out of it in the arvo! (could probably be longer but I got hungry! lol). I wore it without lip liner and did not notice any bleeding either.

Packaging is Lime Crime's standard purple unicorn tube (which I have no problem with... it works and it stands out in your handbag! woohoo!). As for fragrance, there wasn't one. This I am perplexed by as normally LC lippies have a vanilla-y scent but this had nothing. That being said, I'd rather no smell than a bad one! (However I am curious as to where it went! lol)

I would recommend this for paler skin tones. I know, personally, I tend to shy away from nudes because they make me feel pale and pasty (and like my lips have disappeared). This is a good alternative because it's got a pink undertone. It's still neutral enough to go with everything but has enough colour to give you a bit of life! It also looks great with Illamasqua's 'Tremble' blush (as seen in the action shot!). It's also a good option if you aren't overly confident for wearing bright colours.

Babette will set you back USD$15.99/AUD$21 for 3.5gms. (Great value considering it's such a quality product!). You can purchase LC from limecrimemakeup.com or in Australia from lipstickrepublic.com.au

This gets a big thumbs up from me!

Have you tried Babette? Thoughts?

Love,

Your PM x

p.s. You can view swatches of the rest of my Lime Crime lipstick collection here!

p.p.s. Stay tuned for a dupe test featuring Babette! Coming very soon! (i.e. As soon as I've published this I'll start it!)

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

DUPE TEST: MAC 'Viva Glam Nicki' vs Wet 'n' Wild 'Pinkerberry' vs Lime Crime 'Geradium'

Hello,

If you have been regularly following my blog, or you have stopped by before, you may have previously seen my Lime Crime 'Geradium' vs MAC 'Viva Glam Nicki' Dupe Test.

I promise I'm not running out of material, but I actually have a new player to compare to LC and MAC! WOOHOO! Since posting my first dupe test, I have heard word getting around that Wet 'n' Wild's Megalast Lip Colour in 'Pinkerbell' is a good dupe for VG. Lucky for me, I had it (and shame on me it was in my discard pile!) and I thought once again that I better see what the fuss is about...

If you have read my last dupe test, you will see some of the same information (luckily this ISN'T a university assignment and I can get away with cutting and pasting some of my own work! lol) BUT I will have NEW photos (yay!) and add a bit more info to help you make an informed decision!

So let's get cracking!:

Product stats:

WEIGHT
WNW: 3.3 gramsMAC: 3.0 grams
LC: 3.5 grams

PRICE
WNW: AUD$6.95 (you could possibly find it cheaper from a US based site)

MAC: AUD $36 (MAC is notorious for having product rip offs! Please don't risk it and buy from a genuine and authorised retailer!)
LC: AUD $21 (when purchased from an Australian Retailer, or US$16 from LC direct)

SMELLWNW: What smell?
MAC: YUM
LC: YUMWet 'n' Wild doesn't have a scent but MAC and LC are vanilla scented.

This time, WNW is miles ahead in value! Only $6.95 and you get 3.3 grams of product! Quite reasonable! A good thing to remind you of is that MAC Viva Glam products donate the whole sale price (that's all of the sale not wholesale lol) to those living with/affected by HIV/AIDS. Neat. Also worth noting, while the Wet 'n' Wild doesn't have a scent. I don't think this is such a bad thing! While the vanilla scent of LC/MAC is nice, strong scents do my head in and I won't wear the product no matter how pretty I think it is! So while it doesn't make WNW overly exciting, it's not necessarily a down side.

(L-R: WNW Pinkerbell, MAC Viva Glam Nicki and LC Geradium)

(L-R: WNW Pinkerbell, MAC Viva Glam Nicki and LC Geradium)

 As you can see, you can barely tell them apart in the tube (but of course that doesn't always tell the full story!). Swatched on the hand, you can see subtle differences amongst them. LC is definitely darker and is also a bit more red toned than the others. At this point, WNW and MAC are the closest. Usually when I do a dupe test, I colour in half my hand putting the products here, there and everywhere to make sure I can accurately and honestly report what I see. Today you get my scribbles (products are marked):



To summarise:
- LC is more red (and darker than MAC and WNW)
- WNW is more yellow than MAC but approx the same colour intensity
- MAC has more pink undertones than LC and WNW

FINAL VERDICT: NOT DUPES! (JUST...)

Some people probably would say that they are dupes but I am picky and would say they are different. Either way, they are all good substitutes for one another!

Which do you need? Well, you probably don't need them all (but if you're a collector you could buy them all and be comforted by the fact they are SLIGHTLY different! lol). Which one you choose is entirely up to you, your budget, and what colour would suit you best!
Which should you get? Value wise, WNW is the clear winner. However, LC is Vegan friendly and MAC supports charity so ultimately the decision is yours! :)

WHERE DID I BUY MINE?

WNW: www.crushcosmetics.com.au (a great site for international makeup brands!)

MAC: www.maccosmetics.com.au (I live too far away from a MAC Counter!)
LC: www.limecrimemakeup.com (I bought mine the day it came out! lol)

Until next time,
Happy dupe spotting!
Love,

Your PM x

FAVOURITES: My April Picks!

Hello,

Tonight I will share with you my favourite products for the month of April! I was tagged on Instagram to show my favourite products (if you are following me @polishedmakeup then you have already had a sneak peek!) so here they are!:



My April Favourites

Illamasqua Blush in Tremble

I love Illamasqua Blushes because they are a reasonable price point (AUD$28) and you get a reasonable amount (4.5gms). They have a great colour range (including a few bold ones!) and are also very pigmented but still easily blendable. Tremble is such a versatile colour. It is pink but you can get away with wearing it with peachy colours! It's also one that you can't overdo and does blend out nicely! I love Tremble so much that it made my post on my Top 5 Illamasqua Products! This is definitely one colour I reach for a lot!

MAC Blush in Mocha

This is another colour I reach for quite a bit, especially when I want more subdued blush (because it's a bit darker than Tremble). I don't own many MAC blushes but this one I am really happy with! It's like a nude/dusty pink (it's a bit like Illamasqua's Naked Rose for those Illamasqua fans playing along out there!). It's not bright but still quite flattering. Like Tremble, this is another one I love so much that it made my Top 5 MAC post!

OCC Loose Colour Concentrate in Wasabi

OCC's Loose Colour Concentrates have quickly earnt a place in my heart for their awesome colours and awesome value! (They are only AUD$14 for 2.5gms! Yes, $14!!! Awesome!). I have a nice little collection happening (I do plan to swatch it for you!) and one of my favourites at the moment is Wasabi! I am loving the bright Chatreuse/Lime Greens at the moment! (This will probably die off a bit in winter though lol). It's very pigmented and worn with a primer/base you get a bright colour that stays put for hours!

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Luxembourg

I had already given Luxembourg a review, which you can read here. I was throughly impressed with it, especially for something that's a satin finish (as matte's usually have the longer wear time!). The colour is also great! I thought it was a really deep pink, but silly me didn't realise that it was actually red until I swatched it with a bunch of other red lipsticks for a dupe test! Clever me! I highly recommend it if you are in the market for a new red/deep pink! (I had also ordered Lohdi and Yu, which have arrived! Review in the near future! I'll add it to the list...)

Lime Crime Velvetines in Suedeberry

I looooove Suedeberry. It really does have the velvet finish claimed and it STAYS PUT! I was also pleasantly suprised with Suedeberry's colour too... It's a coral! This makes me rather happy due to my fondness of corals! This is a great everyday colour too! I have already reviewed both Velvetines on my blog and you can read my thoughts on them here!

Illamasqua Lipstick in Eurydice

I am quite fond of Illamasqua lippies for their awesome colours and staying powder! They are matte and wear like a coat of armour on your lips! They barely budge! However, the downside to them is that they can feel quite drying on your lips... particularly if they aren't in the best condition! Any imperfections will show up so scrub up before wearing! Eurydice is a bright fuschia pink! This one is not for the faint of heart and really packs a punch!

OCC Lip Tar in Anime

I LOVE OCC Lip Tars because the colour is so intense and it only takes a tiny amount of colour for maximum effect! They feel light as a feather to wear too! (I do have quite a little collection and I will get around to swatching them for you soon!). The only downside (for me) is that becuase they are so light to wear I feel like I'm going to smear them all up my face! (that is mostly because I'm a clumsy pants!). Anime is a vibrant neon pink! It is so intense and amazing! However, it stays put really well when worn with Eurydice (both of these made the list because I wore them together and it was such an amazing combo!).

Sleek Blush by 3 in Lace

These are a bit on the powdery side, but for 20gms of blush for AUD$15 you really can't go wrong! The pigmentation is still really good considering! (Really good!). The Lace palette has a bright orange, a gold shimmery pink and a bright coral/red. You can (just!) see me sporting the middle one in my Anniversary Dinner FOTD! (I have swatched this on Instagram if you are interested).

Do you agree with my picks? What products are you loving at the moment?

Love,

Your PM x

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Lime Crime Velvetines (Review, Pictures, Swatches)

Tonight's much anticipated "Under the Microscope" is on the (reasonably new-ish) Lime Crime Velvetines!

The Velvetines have caused quite a stir in the makeup world since their release. Lime Crime were never expecting them to be such a hit! They are always in high demand, with restocks selling out in minutes as everyone tries to get their hands on this much coveted liquid lipstick! Lime Crime's last big restock was April 1st (luckily it was no April fool's joke!), and I was lucky enough to get my hands on both of the Velvetines (Red Velvet and Suedeberry) and the Quill Uniliner (review to come).

Long story short: They've arrived, I've tried them and now to present my findings! (that would have been a fabulous pun if I was reviewing their Carousel Gloss... might keep that in mind! lol)

The packaging of these is very dapper! Metallic red lid with fancy print, and a frosted tube. Inside is the traditional gloss style wand with the velvety tip! (was that another pun...? haha). The packaging is actually a little smaller than I expected, but you still get 3gms of product (equivalent in weight to a MAC lippy!). They also smell like 100's & 1000's Oreo's! But, the smell does disappear when the product is dry! (Which I am quite pleased about!)

When I'd seen the promo pictures of the Velvetines on the Internet, I can't say I was overly excited. Red Velvet looked too dark for my liking and Suedeberry looked like some funny red colour - I didn't know what to think of it! haha. So lets look at some photos!:

Lime Crime Velvetines: Red Velvet (Top) and Suedeberry (Bottom)

When First Applied: Red Velvet (Left) and Suedeberry (Right)

Red Velvet: A beautiful, deep, glamorous red! The sort of red you would wear if you were dressed up to the nines for a fancy occasion! I always seem to think of the 1950's when I see this colour!
Suedeberry: A nice, bright coral (YES, CORAL!! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!! I thought it was just a funny red colour! lol) with a hint of pink (the photos show the orange side, but I do think there is a streak of pink there in real life!). Lime Crime describe it as a "warm, vibrant strawberry red"... Sorry, I only see coral! (which is a good thing for me at least!)

You can see the dry "Velvetine" texture below (does look more velvet-y in real life too!):

When Dry: Red Velvet (Left) and Suedeberry (Right)

I must apologise, I smudged my swatch a little... I got distracted opening parcels and BAM! Smudged :( and due to my very dry/already stained hands I have limited swatching opportunity! lol (pretty sure these will stay put for the next week as no amount of makeup remover can get it out of the dry spots!)
(The smudging did happen while they were still damp, so please don't let it deter your opinion on the product - as you can see the bottom is still perfectly in tact!)

In the interest of honest reporting, I will say I did have better luck with Suedeberry than Red Velvet. So, I will say what is awesome about Suedeberry and comment on Red Velvet where necessary! The formula is FANTASTIC! Once it sets it does stay put really well! (do give it a good chance to set for best results! It can take longer than you expect so be patient!) I can give my fiance a peck on the cheek and he doesn't end up covered in lippy! (usually the case!). There is some transfer, but it isn't excessive like most lipstick products! Suedeberry did not bleed AT ALL! I even wore it WITHOUT lip liner to test it! It didn't budge either! AWESOME! But, you can somewhat expect that from a product that sets dry! (Red Velvet bled a tiny bit (nothing too drastic) but this could be rectified with a bit of lip liner! I may have had it on a bit thick!). You also only need the tiniest amount of either for full, opaque coverage! I worked with a very light hand for Suedeberry (as I was worried about it setting and flaking off like I have had happen with some other longwearing lippies... trust me it's not pretty!). It went on easily (I was actually suprised how accurately I could get it on for such a slippery product!) and I didn't touch it up ALL DAY. It lasted through both lunch and dinner. Of course, after dinner there was much more noticeable fading (I had eaten two meals and had a few bevvies by this point!), but I still had quite a bit of colour! I think where I may have come unstuck is that I may have (unknowingly) been a bit more heavy handed with Red Velvet. I did have a harder time getting it on too, possibly because it's a darker red (which probably explains my issues!). I am super clumsy with dark reds - I manage to get them everywhere and Red Velvet was no exception. Have you ever heard of the saying that red nail polish is always the hardest colour to paint with? I wonder if the same goes for lipstick?!

So yes, I did find Red Velvet did wear well, but Suedeberry, for me, wore much better. Suedeberry was what I was expecting from the Velvetines, where as I found Red Velvet more like a matte red lipstick (which is not a bad thing, just not what I was hoping. Does that make sense?). If I wear Red Velvet again and have better luck with it, I will definitely update this to let you know! (It may not be for a while... So much other stuff to test out! haha).

My pick: Suedeberry. I feel the colour is more everyday friendly, and I also had a better luck with it than Red Velvet.

I was thoroughly impressed with these, and if they are released in other colours (which I believe they will!), I will be chomping at the bit to get my hands on them!

You can buy Lime Crime directly from them (www.limecrimemakeup.com) for USD$16.99 or from Lipstick Republic (www.lipstickrepublic.com.au) for AUD$21.00. At the time of posting, Lime Crime still have some Velvetines in stock and Lipstick Republic will be getting them in soon :)

Happy hunting!

Love,

Your PM x

Limited Edition DUPE TEST: MAC's Ronnie Red

Hello,

Have you ever gawked over a soon-to-be released limited edition product only to miss out when it was released?

Well, lament no more! My series of "Limited Edition" dupe tests aim to help you get through your grief with some suitable (dupable) alternatives!

On the radar tonight is MAC's Ronnie Red from the Archie's Girls collection. This collection was much anticipated and sold out like HOTCAKES online! (the hottest hotcakes you could ever think of). I made a special trip (well, we made a day of it) down to my closest MAC Pro store where I had all my lustings on hold.

Ronnie Red is a bright matte red. Beauty blogger Temptalia (www.temptalia.com) gives it a big thumbs up and describes it as an "incredibly long-wearing red" (I would put my two cents in but naughty me hasn't worn it yet! Whoops).

I have chosen Ronnie Red as the focus for the dupe test, due to the popularity and hype of the collection. There are some other LE MAC's that I will be swatching for comparison (which I know isn't 100% helpful but they were in my tin and you might be lucky enough to have one!) but I feel Ronnie Red was the more suitable focal point for this test!

I have dug through my collection and found nine potentially suitable matches for Ronnie Red. So here we go:

(L-R: Luxembourg, Dragon Girl, Charmed I'm Sure, Aphrodite, Red Passion, Ronnie Red, S.T.O.P, Tramp, Retrofuturist, Absolute Power)

I will compare the following to Ronnie Red:

- NARS Luxembourg: Suprisingly, I would say this is the closest of the lot. It has the pinkish base like RR, but still plays red. It is a fraction more pink but you're really splitting hairs to tell them apart in majority of types of lighting! (I'm pretty sure the men in your life wouldn't notice!). The finishes, however, are a tad different. Luxembourg is glossier, but does dry off (if that's the right term) to a more matte finish. (P.S. I have put Luxembourg "Under the Microscope" here)

- NARS Dragon Girl: Also reasonably close but it's more matte and slightly less pink than RR.

- MAC Charmed I'm Sure: The finish is the same but CIS is darker, with a more a blue rather than pink in RR. This one was also a LE.

- Napoleon Perdis Aphrodite: Not that close. A deep, blue based red and no pinky undertone like RR.

- L'Oreal Colour Riche 297 Red Passion: Closer to NP Aphrodite than RR but a tad brighter than Aphrodite.

- Ka'oir S.T.O.P: Not even close. It was closer in the tube. I was expecting it to be much brighter bit it's kind of like a haemolysed blood red (there's the nerd in me coming out again!).

- Illamasqua Tramp: A more yellow based and deeper red than RR.

- Lime Crime Retrofuturist: Brighter and less pink than RR.

- MAC Absolute Power: Another LE. It's the same toning as RR but is a bit darker.

So which should you pick? In terms of closest to RR, Luxembourg is very close but throws more pink, Dragon Girl is also very close but is more matte and throws more red. Absolute Power (another MAC LE) is also similiar but is darker. Both Dragon Girl and Luxembourg would be suitable subsitutes if happened to miss out. If you find mattes too drying for your lips, I would lean more toward Luxembourg too!

I hope this helps if you happened to miss out on Ronnie Red.

Happy dupe spotting!

Love,

Your PM xx

p.s. I've now added labels to all my posts, so if you are in the web view you can find other posts in similar categories! x

SWATCH FEST: My Lime Crime Lipstick Collection!

Hello and Welcome! :)

Today you get a special treat... Swatches of my ENTIRE Lime Crime Lipstick Collection! (Yes that's all 18! I'm still not sure whether this is an acheivement or an embarrasment!) Let this be your go-to place for lippy swatches next time you feel like buying some of these marvellous lipsticks! (feel free to bookmark! *wink*) At the time of posting, all these lipsticks are in the current range (but if you go to buy them RIGHT now, some may be unavailable depending on which site you buy from!).

Lime Crime lipsticks have almost acheived cult status (even in little ol' Australia!) for their amazing colour range and great formula. They are also of a reasonable price point (particularly in Australia anyway where a MAC lippy costs 1.7x more!). These lipsticks are very pigmented and well wearing! (and they don't feel hugely drying like some other highly pigmented formulas can be! BONUS!) They are also Vegan friendly and NOT tested on animals (big plus!). Quick Tip: Make sure your lips are well prepped, scrubbed and moisturised before wearing! (This helps keep your lippy looking fab all day! - I've had issues when my lip condition is less-than-perfect and it's shown!)

Now for the fun part... SWATCHES! Yippee!:

(L-R): Styletto, Serpentina, Mint To Be, No She Didn't



(L-R): Styletto, Serpentina, Mint To Be, No She Didn't

Styletto: A rich, opaque black. (I always imagined this would be really good with bright eye makeup and grey blush! - If you happen to do it please send me a pic! lol)

Serpentina: A shimmering emerald green. (Great at Christmas time! lol)

Mint To Be: A pastel minty green. (Looks great on dark skin tones! I went to a dance show and I'm 99% sure one of the girls was wearing this one... It looked AMAZING! It would also look great in an ombre with Serpentina!)
No She Didn't: A pastel blue. (Sorry, I don't have much to report on this one but it is a pretty blue! lol. I have it mostly for collection purposes!)

(L-R): Coquette, New Yolk City, Cosmopop, My Beautiful Rocket

(L-R): Coquette, New Yolk City, Cosmopop, My Beautiful Rocket



Coquette: A peachy-based nude. (This has to be one of my favourite nudes. I wear it with navy/green eye makeup and I LOVE it!)
New Yolk City: A sunny yellow. (I can't really wear anything yellow based - I have a pink based skin tone and anything yellow makes me look like I have jaundice. However, I bought this for the purpose of doing an ombre lip with pink lipstick - Countessa Fluorescent is a good one to use! I have tried it and it looks great!)

Cosmopop: A pale peachy orange. (I love this colour and it looks great on so many people, but I don't think it is for me. The only time I wore it, it didn't look great and I've never worn it again. Guess I should give it another shot... It does look ok on my hand so maybe I was having an off day? I'll give it the benefit of the doubt! But, if you can't wear yellow... Proceed with caution!)
My Beautiful Rocket: A nice bright orange. (This does lean a touch yellow so another one to proceed with caution if you are like me! I can JUST get away with it!)

(L-R): Chinchilla, D'Lilac, Airborne Unicorn, Poisonberry

(L-R): Chinchilla, D'Lilac, Airborne Unicorn, Poisonberry

Chinchilla: A purple-based grey. (It does look very grey in the hand swatch, but when worn, and in the top picture, you can really see that purple undertone! It is a very unique colour and I think I'll be reaching for this more during winter!)

D'Lilac: A pale pastel purple. (This is a really pretty purple and I would highly recommend it if you are looking to branch out from the pink/red tree. It's safe, but still out there! It is not quite as blue based as it shows in the hand swatch.)
Airborn Unicorn: A mid-toned purple. (This one is a bit more out there than D'Lilac but it's still an interesting and pretty colour!)

Poisonberry: A plummy purple with a blue shimmer. (It's almost vampy without being too vampy. A great one for winter and another really interesting colour!)



(L-R): Great Pink Planet, Geradium, Countessa Fluorescent, Centrifuschia, Retrofuturist, Glamour 101



(L-R): Great Pink Planet, Geradium, Countessa Fluorescent, Centrifuschia, Retrofuturist, Glamour 101



Great Pink Planet: A pastel baby pink. (This is another "safe" one, if you want a really pretty colour but you're not feeling so adventurous! It's such a beautiful pink on!)
Geradium: A coral based pink. (This is the latest lippy to the collection. It is bright and it is beautiful! I love it! If you want to tone it down, a nude lip liner underneath takes the brightness out of it and still leaves a really pretty colour - I only recommend this becuase I have done it using Illamasqua's Hex Pencil! P.s. I have compared Geradium to MAC's Viva Glam Nicki and you can read about it here!)
Countessa Fluorescent: A bright neon pink. (Without a doubt, this is my favourite! It's bright, it's awesome, and I always receive complements when I wear it! If you are confident to wear bright colours, DEFINITELY get this one if you don't already own it!)

Centrifuschia: A bright fuschia pink. (While it is still bright, this one is a little deeper than the others. This means you are more likely to get away with it year-round. Though I'm pretty sure it doesn't really matter what time of the year you wear brights now, right?)

Retrofuturist: A bright red. (If you love nice clean reds, I highly highly recommend this one. I do not wear red lipstick alot, I'm too clumsy and end up with it everywhere, but this is without a doubt my favourite red. It's so bright and it's more blue based than yellow based meaning I can wear it! Woohoo!)

Glamour 101: A deep brick red. (The science nerd in me wants to call this "partially haemolysed blood red" haha. It is like a blood red but deeper and more luxurious! The name definitely suits it as it is a very glamorous red! It does look a bit scary in the tube but it goes on much nicer works well with the colour of your lips!)

And for the product specs...

Price:

USD$15.99 (YES! Lime Crime (www.limecrimemakeup.com) does ship internationally!)

AUD$21.00 (Can purchase from www.lipstickrepublic.com.au)

Weight:

3.5gms (very generous!)

There is definitely something in this collection to suit everyone, even if you aren't quite into bold colours! I hope this helps next time you are agonising over which colour(s) to pick! I also apologise if this post makes you part with more cash than intended! lol

Happy shopping!

Love,

Your PM xx