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

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

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

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: RiRi Hearts MAC Retro Matte Lipsticks

Hello again,

MAC has collaborated with Barbadian songstress Rihanna (or Rihanna has collaborated with MAC... either way!) to release a range of 'RiRi hearts MAC' products. There's lipsticks, blushes, lustre drops and plenty more on the way (I think there is some eye shadows and other biz to come).

This post will be on the three so-far released Rihanna x MAC Retro Matte Lipsticks.

Realistically speaking I didn't need any of them... but let's face it I'm a bit of a marketers dream and after all the hype in the US, I had to get my hands on RiRi Woo! (The first release of RiRi Woo sold out in 3 hours in the US... THREE HOURS! sheesh!). I was super impressed with RiRi Woo so I then picked up Heaux and RiRi Boy, which came out in the next release!

(L-R): RiRi Boy, Heaux, RiRi Woo

There is no fancy packaging with these, even though they are LE, but they do have Rihanna's signature engraved onto the lippy as featured in Exhibit A:

Exhibit A: Insignia
(it feels like a lab report now! haha)

I still don't quite get what the difference between MAC's matte and retro matte is (if you have any clue please let me know!). I am under the assumption that retro matte gives you the finish that you would expect to see in some 60's pin-up poster. Either way, I like the finish so they can call it whatever they like!

But in all seriousness, these have to be among the best matte lippies I've come across! Swatch time:

Natural Light
(L-R): RiRi Boy, Heaux, RiRi Woo

Artificial Light
(L-R): RiRi Boy, Heaux, RiRi Woo

I have also worn all of these (pretty much a first for any collection!) and will include some pics of them on. If you are following me on Instagram (@polishedmakeup) or are a regular reader, you will have probably seen some of these already!

Riri Boy: A mid-tone violet purple.
This was actually quite a surprise packet. Pleasantly surprising on. I really like the colour, however, the wear was probably the most disappointing of the three. After a while it starts to go a bit patchy a la Heroine. There has been talk of this being very similar to Up The Amp! I did swatch them side by side in-store and they do look similar. Once I finally acquire UTA I will put a dupe test up!

RiRi Boy

Heaux: A deep berry.

This is actually a lot deeper than I expected, especially for a summer collection (though good for us Aussie's being that it's winter over here!). However, it's still a really pretty colour! I can see this one appealing to the widest market. I can't think of any immediate MAC dupes, nor have I heard of any, but I will keep my eyes peeled!

Heaux
(don't mind my silly face montage!)

RiRi Woo: A blue based, cool toned red.

This would suit many skin-tones (particularly us pink-based pasty folk!) To me, this is the type of red you wear when you are getting all dolled up for a night out.

Dupe wise, apparently RiRi Woo is similar to Ruby Woo (one of MAC's most popular reds). I don't own Ruby Woo, hence another reason to buy RiRi Woo as an alternative (plus, I don't wear red lippy too often so unlike other colours, I don't feel the impending need to stock up!). From the pics I've seen they are rather dupe-worthy so hit google if you need to see some more pics!

These mattes are really pleasant to wear and I certainly don't find them as drying as other matte lippies, including MAC's normal mattes. Of course, matte's are rather unforgiving so make sure you prep your lips well! The wear time is exceptional, and if you didn't eat or drink they would last all day and night! (Let's face it though you'll probably have something so a little touch up may be required after meals!). They definitely get a big tick from me!

My overall pick would be Heaux. Because it has a smidgen more pink in it than RiRi Woo, I personally feel it's a tad more practial for everyday wear. For those who love the formula, there is also eight retro matte colours coming out mid-September! Woohoo! I best save my pennies!

These lippies retail for AUD$36 for 3gms and at the time of posting, all are still currently available for sale on the MAC website (www.maccosmetics.com.au) - no hot potato sell outs here! Please note too, it's an online only release so you won't find these in stores!

Have you tried these lippies? What is your favourite colour?

Love,

Your PM x

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Stila 'After Glow' Lip Colour (Review & Swatches)

Good Day All!

I've still been a bit flat chat with life at the moment (hopefully soon I can reach a nice equilibrium between being a hermit and being social! haha), but I have been trying to wear lots of new products and test them out so I can report my findings to you!

Today's "Under the Microscope" are the new Stila 'After Glow' Lip colours. Stila is not a brand I am overly familiar with, in fact, these lippies were my first purchases from the brand! (Now, however I find myself logging onto beautybay.com quite frequently and adding a few bits to my cart. Whoops!).

These were marketed at festival-goers for the warmer weather (sorry, but festivals are not my deal!). But what attracted me to these was the fact they glow under UV light. YES THEY GLOW! Woohoo! (and now that I've acquired a UV torch I can actually provide proof of their claims! haha). I am a sucker for anything UV and I was sucked into these too, no exception!

There are six colours in total available and I have three I will review for you today.



Stila After Glow Lip Colour

The packaging is pen-style (a la Clinque, Nars, Bite Beauty and the like). I don't really have a problem with this as long as the lid stays on! (Which this one does). It's glossy black packaging with co-ordinating colour print depending on what colour you have! (This is a nifty feature for makeup hoarders like me because you can look in your bag and pull out the right colour and be confident you get it right the first time! lol). They have a pointed tip (which is good as long as you keep it that way!) and they WIND UP! Awesome! Anything pencil style that winds up gets a big thumbs up from me as wastage is minimal (You could sharpen up the point if you needed to but then you will waste some!).

Cute Chubby-Stick Style!

Electric Pink: A bright medium barbie pink.

Vivid Violet: A slight red-based violet. It's vivid (as it's named) but I wouldn't say it's overly bright. You could easily get away with wearing it in winter that's for sure!

Tangerine Dream: A bright orange. It's almost like a sheer version of Morange... (I smell a dupe test!).

L-R: Electric Pink, Vivid Violet and Tangerine Dream

I am actually suitably impressed with these. They are pigmented, but the opacity is not as intense as what I usually go for. However I find myself not minding. They are a bit more balmy, and don't feel quite as drying as most lippies (these are a good option if you can't really deal with matte lippies). A good option if you still want a decent, bright/colourful lip but don't want bold! UV wise, they do work! They are not as strong as UV dedicated lippies (I have some Kryolan ones which are so bright they almost want to poke your eyes out!). However, the not-so-strong UV is actually a good thing to avoid those embarrassing my-lippy-has-gone-bad-and-now-it-stands-out-like-a-sore-thumb moments! Electric Pink is the brightest of the bunch, but there is enough fluorescence in the others to still make an impact!

L-R: Electric Pink, Vivid Violet and Tangerine Dream

Unfortunately I haven't got a decent road-test photo! (But you can trust me that they're nice!). I wore Vivid Violet with a touch of Electric Pink over it, it was a nice combo! Wear time is not the longest compared to other lippies I have but you do get a few hours out of it before a touch up is needed (less if you eat of course). You also get a slight stain left but nothing massive. I can, however, offer a pic with me testing out the UV-ness! Pretty cool I reckon!

After Glow Lip Colour under blacklight!

Size wise, you are getting 2.9 grams of product for AUD$25 (Available from Mecca Cosmetica). This is actually quite generous/reasonable (for comparison MAC lippies are 3.0 grams for AUD$36). You can also buy these from beautybay.com (they do ship to Australia) and if you're a bargainista you may be able to snare them for a couple of dollars cheaper (depending on how good the Aussie dollar is! haha).

The other colours available are: Party Pink, Rave Red and Festive Fuchsia. (Festive Fuchsia may be on it's way to me soon... Whoops!).

All in all, these do get a thumbs up from me! Have you tried them? Thoughts?

Love,

Your PM x

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Illamasqua Lipstick in 'Esp'

This edition of 'Under the Microscope' is focusing on Illamasqua's new-ish lipstick in 'Esp', released in the Paranormal collection!

Esp is described as a 'vivid violet with a matte finish'. I also feel it's got a little bit of a violety-blue sheen hiding in there as well! According to the lady at the Illamasqua counter (where I bought Esp from) it is also glows under UV. I now have a UV torch to test this out and I can report that it does glow a bit (but it hides amongst the UV light so not much point in taking a photo), however the glow isn't enough to punch you in the face like other UV lippies (in other words, don't buy it solely because it glows).

Illamasqua Lipstick in Esp

Esp Swatch

These photos lean a little blue, but it is a really pretty colour as you can see! It's really bright and does have a glow about it.

Unfortunately, application wise, this doesn’t tick the boxes for me. The colour is beautiful but it went on rather patchy. I am rather fussy over lipsticks and if the pigmentation is not intense and even I find myself disappointed. This was one of those cases. It was an intense colour, but I couldn't get it even. From a distance, it would probably be less of an issue, but I am really pedantic about having my face presentable (when I put one on that is!).

I am really disappointed that this is not up to Illamasqua's usual standard. One thing I have noticed, is that the formula is different from other lipsticks in their range. I don’t know if they have permanently changed the formula (I asked one of the assistants when I was last at an Illamasqua counter and she couldn’t tell me). Posture and Esp (both new) have the same formula, which are both different to Kontrol (an older colour). I have also noticed, that purples tend to be a problematic colour. I have MAC’s Heroine, (another bright purple) which is also a pretty colour but is also disappointing in terms of wear.

This one really does perplex me because everyone I see it on it looks amazing but I am yet to make it work properly for me. If you somehow get it to work, it is a beautiful colour!

The going rate is AUD$25 for 4gms (quite reasonable value wise!).

You can purchase Illamasqua from www.illamasqua.com or in Australia from selected Myer counters or www.myer.com.au.

Do you have problems with purple lipsticks? Have you tried Esp? Have you got it to work?!

Until next time,

Love,

Your PM x

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi

Hello,

Time again for another instalment of 'Under the Microscope' (if you want to read previous editions of UTM, there is a label link on the right side bar).

Today my focus will be on the new(ish) NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi. I have already reviewed Luxembourg, which I loved (and hence I caved and bought two more... oopy!)

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi

Lodhi Swatched

Lodhi is a mid-toned bright coral (it is a bit brighter in real life than in the photo!). It packs quite a decent punch! It reminds me of MAC's Betty Bright on steroids! haha. It's not as red as most corals (well when I picture coral I do picture a tiny bit more red), but it's definitely a nice peachy coral!

Lodhi (left) vs MAC Betty Bright (right)

Ok so curiosity got the better of me and I swatched it next to MAC's Betty Bright to see if I was close! Lodhi is definitely the 'steroids' version but Betty Bright is just a teensy bit more pink (which makes Lodhi look extra red in this picture... funny how that happens!).

Lodhi wore well, but not as well as Luxembourg (I must say I was expecting better from it!). Though, it sort of makes sense as Lodhi doesn't really have the same level of pigmentation that Luxembourg does! After 3-4 hours there was a bit of fading (my lips went a bit patchy but that's because they are still a bit dry). That being said, the Satin Lip Pencils are really nice to wear. They are smooth and creamy to apply and don't feel like they are sucking all the moisture out of your lips! They are definitely one of the better lip colours to try out if you suffer from dry lips! (You still need to scrub up before wearing though!).

NARS Satin Lip Pencils can be purchased in Australia from Mecca Cosmetica for AUD$39 (and you get 2.2gms of product).

Have you tried any of these pencils yet? What is your favourite lip colour?
My review of the other pencil in my collection (Yu) will be up in the near future!

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

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Kryolan Satin Powders and HD Pigments

Hello,

I'm on a bit of a blogging roll at the moment (I am trying to reduce that list that's longer than the Great Wall of China...) so tonight's second post (my first was my Top 5 MAC Picks) is on my little collection of Kryolan Satin Powders and HD Pigments.

A few people in my neck of the woods haven't really heard of Kryolan, but they make some great stuff! They aim for the Stage/TV makeup artists, but that doesn't mean the everyday makeup lover can't use their products! I swear by their TV Paint Stick for concealer, and I also love their translucent powder!

There are 16 available colours in the Satin Powder collection (I have four) and there are 16 available colours of the HD Pigments (I have three). I wanted to swatch the few I have, because I struggled to find swatches of them on the net when I went to buy mine. So hopefully if you are in the same predicament, this helps! 

Top: HD Pigments
Bottom: Satin Powders

The HD Pigments are supposed to be of a higher quality, and have good adhesive properties to bare skin (I will agree with this as I tried to use a HD Pigment with NYX eyeshadow base and it wouldn't grab!). The main difference, formula wise, between the HD Pigments and the Satin Powders is that the Satin Powders have a talc base and the HD pigments do not (good if you are allergic to talc, which some people are!).

First, the Satin Powders:

(L-R: White Gold, Rose Gold, Champagner, Majestic Green)

White Gold: A white base with a prominent gold shimmer. This would work great on the inner corner of your eye or as a brow highlighter (or both!).
Rose Gold: Looks alot more pink in the jar but on the skin is a nice soft candy pink with a gold shimmer. Very pretty and girly!

Champagner: A champagne coloured bronze. It's not a full on bronze (like Napoleon Perdis' Copper Element) but is a nice medium between gold and brown. This was the most metallic/shimmery of the Satin Powders.
Majestic Green: A green base with a green shimmer. It reminds me of a grass green. Can't say I love it, but I think this one would be great used with a Khaki green colour.

TOP TIP: For more intense colour, I press my loose pigments onto a base such as NYX Eyeshadow Base (there are others you can use but I use that one, and like it, so I recommend it! lol) to help keep the colour intense and lasting longer!

The HD Pigments:

(L-R: Dolomite, Marble, Emerald)

Dolomite: This has SUCH an interesting finish! It is a nude-y pinky lilac and the finish isn't like a sparkly metallic and it isn't quite matte. It's really hard to describe but it's awesome!

Marble: A really pretty pale sparkly purple! A really intense colour! Would be nice to mix into your everyday makeup routine!
Emerald: A beautiful green! It's an intense green and is simply stunning! If you love greens and wear green eyeshadow, this will not disappoint!

The texture of the HD Powders are different to the Satin Powders. The Satin Powders are a powder, and if someone says to me "loose pigment" that is the formula I expect. The HD Pigments are a bit clumpier (which I'm sure would be due to the absence of talc!). They remind me of a smaller version of MAC's Crushed Metallic Pigments!

Stats-wise, you get 3gms of Satin Powder for AUD$18 (VERY competitively priced) and for the HD powder you get 3gms of powder as well (though Dolomite is marked at 6gms... bit confused there?) for AUD$32. After swatching them side by side, you really can notice the difference in quality. The Satin Powders aren't bad quality, but the HD powder is just so much better! If you are one that is pedantic for quality, go for the HD powders if you will get the use out of them! If you aren't sure if you will get much use, and there is a colour you like, the Satin Powders are not too much of a strain on the hip pocket!

My picks: Dolomite (simply for the finish), Emerald (for the colour) and White Gold (for the versatility).

In Australia, you can buy Kryolan from www.kryolan.com.au and in Melbourne (for those in Melbourne) there is a shop in Little Collins St (so you can try till your heart's content!).

Have you used Kryolan before? Which products do you like?

Love,

Your PM x