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Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme – Liquid to Matte Lipsticks

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The matte lip is all the rave and trend right now and that includes the liquid to matte lipsticks that we are seeing from different brands.  While each of them have similar formulations, I can’t help but enjoy the ones I try since it allows me to go without touching up all day.  A few months ago, Milani (my favorite drugstore brand) came out with the Amore Matte Lip Cremes.  I got my hands on four of them so I figured I would share them with you should you be wondering how they worked for me.

Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme - Liquid to Matte Lipsticks

The Milani Amore Matte Lip Creams come in eight different shades at the moment – though I am sure Milani may be adding to this list of liquid lipsticks eventually.  You get a pretty nice variety of shades from very light and wearable nudes to deep dark vampy reds that are showstopping and perfect for the Fall season.  Each liquid lipstick retails for $8.99 on Milanicosmetics.com but I’m sure they can be found a bit cheaper at your local Walgreens where available.  I ordered one of the shades online and haven’t been able to locate a display at any of my local stores to date.

Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme - Liquid to Matte Lipsticks
Left – 02 Adore, Right – 04 Lust

The Amore Matte Lip Cremes have that liquid-to-matte formula that has been coveted by many lately.  It dries to a soft, velvet like finish and really gives your lips that fuller look.  If you are familiar with the Brilliant Shine Lip Glosses from Milani, these liquid lipsticks have the same double-sided, flexible plush applicator which I actually enjoy because it applies nicely to my pretty full lips.  Each one has a sweet sugar/vanilla scent which makes application enjoyable – I love it.

Out of the four shades I have I am really loving the darker ones – Crush & Flirt.  Crush applied so easily, though because it is so dark, with any type of oily food, it starts to really fade and can leave that ring on the inside of your mouth.  Flirt is a gorgeous berry red that will be my go-to for this Fall Season.  Adore and Lust are really nice too – but I truly fancy the darker shades at the moment.  I’m sure during Spring and Summer I’ll pull for Adore & Lust more.

Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme - Liquid to Matte Lipsticks
Left – 01 Crush, Right – 08 Flirt

While most liquid lipsticks dry to a matte finish and can be drying on the lips – I was pretty impressed with the texture of my lips with these on.  Most of the shades I own (I have four of them) apply pretty evenly, though I thought Lust was the one that I needed to work with to really get the best application.  Was it enough to sway my opinion and dislike the product?  No, because after a little fixing, I was able to get it to work for me without issue.  These lipsticks take about a minute to two minutes to dry on me… but I think it depends on the weather.  During the summer months I found that it remained tacky up to 5 minutes before it actually set.  Now that Fall is here and the days are a little cooler, the colors set on my lips within a minute and are locked into place for several hours through the day.  All of the shades I own have an opaque color on the lips when set and dry and I can get approximately 6-7 hours of wear time before I feel the need to reapply.  If I am eating anything oily (like my favorite food, pizza) – of course, it will start to fade and in some cases, I’ll need to touch up.  But – I can kiss my hubby without any transfer which also makes these “HUBBY APPROVED!”

Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme - Liquid to Matte Lipsticks

Considering the price point and the fact that this is from a Drugstore brand, I think they are really nice and I enjoy them.  My goal is to collect all eight so that I have a selection to choose from when dressing up my pout.  I would love to see Milani create many different shades as they have with their Color Statement Lipsticks – purples, plum nudes and dusty rose pinks are all of my favorite types of shades, but an orange and mauves would be great hits as well.  Overall – I am loving what I tried so far and I think they are a great addition to one of my favorite brands.

Have you tried these yet?  Have you been able to spot them at your local stores?  With the price point and the brand, I think these could definitely be a hit.

Signature Honey

 

Disclaimer:  The products mentioned in this post were both purchased by me and also sent to me for review consideration.  All opinions are my own, 100% honest and unbiased.  I was not paid to feature these products or provide my thoughts, however – affiliate links are posted through out.

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Pixi by Petra – Crayon Combo Pencils in Wide Awake, Super Natural and Softly Smoky

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I am sad to say that I’ve had these products in my possession now for several months and while I have used them many times, I have forgotten to share them with all of you.  I am still relatively new to Pixi Beauty products (Pixi by Petra) as I have only used a small handful of them.  I’m quite excited that my island now has a Target so that I may purchase more of the products available from the brand, and get to know about the goods a little more.   These Crayon Combo pencils are a part of the select products I have tried and today I want to share them with you.

Pixi by Petra - Crayon Combo Pencils in Wide Awake, Super Natural and Softly Smoky

The Crayon Combos from Pixi Beauty come in four different combinations.  They retail for $18.00 a piece and you can purchase them at your local Target (where available) or online at Pixibeauty.com.  The Crayon Combos are eye pen duos that are designed to either brighten and lighten the area around the eyes or line and define your eyes for show stopping peepers.  Each pencil is multi-use, double-ended and ready to go right out of the box to create a gorgeous look in a matter of moments.  They are formulated to awaken, enhance or smoke up your eyes, are long wearing and offer gorgeous color payoff.  They have been created to be super-smooth with a high-performance formula that is waterproof and can be used on the inner rim.  Each shade is also said to be easily blend-able for a soft-focus effect.

The duo pencils include beneficial ingredients like Caffeine which gives an energizing effect, Chamomile which soothes and Pearl powder which brightens the eyes.  They are hypoallergenic and preservative and mineral oil free.

Pixi by Petra - Crayon Combo Pencils in Wide Awake, Super Natural and Softly Smoky

The first Crayon Combo we are going to talk about is the Softly Smoky.  This double-ended combo has an eye-define pen that is used to contour the eyes.  It enhances with high performance treatment and soft focus colour.  You use this particualr one by applying to the lash line and smooth or smoke the liner out by softening it or wear it as is.  You can also use it to define the lash line and work the pencil up to your crease as well as aply under the eye on the lower lash line for a soft smoky look.  The line side is a deep dark brown that I love to use in place of a black liner and the define side is a gorgeous metallic mocha brown which works wonderfully on those days that you want a smoky look or when you want a little definition to the eyes but still have something wearable.

Next is the Super Natural Crayon Combo.  This is one of my favorites out of the three that I own.  Just like the Softly Smoky combo, this particular duo ended pencil is used to line and create a smoky but natural look.  You can use this by taking the define side to contour and enhance the eyes and using the line side to line the upper and lower lash line to create a wearable look or a smoky glam one.  The define side on this pencil is a gorgeous metallic bronze which I love to wear all over my eye lid for an every day look while taking the line side and smudging it on my lower and upper lash line or in my waterline to define and enhance my lashes.

Last is the Wide Awake Crayon Combo.  This double-ended pencil is a rescue pen that awakens the eyes with high performance and treatment and soft focus cover.  Apply the Brighten end under the eye and on the lower waterline and use the lighten end on the brow bones, inner corner of the eye, eye lids and cupid’s bow to highlight for a wake look.  The Brighten side is one of my absolute favorites to apply to the waterline because it lasts most of the day – even with my watery eyes and looks so natural, it’s perfect for a soft makeup look that makes me look refreshed.  The Lighten side which makes a great inner corner highlight has a metallic sheen to it and offers a soft shimmer for a great look.

Pixi by Petra - Crayon Combo Pencils in Wide Awake, Super Natural and Softly Smoky

I’m impressed with each pencil and I’ll be honest, I really like the metallic side of each one.  But, overall I think they are nice.  They are perfect for those days that I really want a soft and easy look without pulling out eye shadows and great on the go or for travel.  The metallic side of each pencil applies easily and the matte sides work well for liner which I enjoy.  The matte sides of each pencil are a little more stiff (not as creamy as the metallic) but they work nonetheless.  These pencils are claimed to be waterproof and while used on the lid and lash line it can last all day though on the waterline it will fade after a few hours.  I’m still quite impressed with how long they do last though – but from my personal use, I wouldn’t consider them waterproof but long lasting.

They are quite costly – almost $20 is a hefty price point to pay for something like this, but you should get a lot of use out of the products and they are pretty good quality.  I’m not sure that I would repurchase these, but- my mind may change once I actually run out of them since I’ve become quite fond of a few of them.  Overall – I like them, but I think for a product like this – I would like to see them cheaper in cost.

Pixi by Petra - Crayon Combo Pencils in Wide Awake, Super Natural and Softly Smoky

Have you tried these duo crayon combos from Pixi Beauty?  If you have, what are your thoughts on them?  If not, have you tried anything from Pixi before and what should I look at trying out next?

Signature Honey

Disclaimer:  The products mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money and sent to me for review consideration.  All opinions are my own, 100% honest and unbiased.

 

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Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette

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Over the years, I have come to find that Tarte has become one of my favorite brands.  With so many gorgeous cosmetics to offer, to say I have been impressed, is – well, and understatement.  A more recent purchase from Tarte during their Friends and Family sale gave me the opportunity to try a palette I’ve been eyeing for a few months.  I’ll be honest, while I had my sights on it, I wasn’t quite ready to make the commitment.  But at the price point, I couldn’t resist.  I am very very happy to have the Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette in my makeup arsenal.  After just one use, I fell in love.

Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette

The Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette retails for $38.00 (I got it at a discount for $26.60 plus free shipping during the Friends/Family sale).  It includes six eye shadows, a bronzer, highlighter and blush.  Powered by Amazonian clay – this palette is packed with gorgeous shades that can be worn year round to create the subtle every day looks to gorgeous runway showstoppers.  The palette features six never-before-seen shadows that are stunning and a full size blush that is perfect for summer months but can be worn year round.  Like most of what Tarte offers, each shade through out the palette offers a punch of color and are blend-able for your gorgeous looks.

Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette

Palette break down:

0.80 g /0.03 oz x 6 eye shadow:  Amazonian clay shadows – showstopper copper (bronze copper), go for the gold (gold), you’re a natural (nude), steel the scene (steel taupe), rose to the top (rose gold) and dim the lights (black brown)
6 g / 0.21 oz Amazonian clay blush: fame (warm peach)
4 g/ 0.14 oz Amazonian clay matte waterproof bronzer: park ave princess™
4 g/ 0.14 oz Amazonian clay highlighter: champagne pink

A full list of ingredients can be found here.

Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette

Now anyone that has used Tarte before knows that the Amazonian clay products from the brand offer longer, truer wear that feels great on the skin and with the additive of mineral pigments, you have all kinds of love for your eyes and face that apply beautifully.  When this palette was first released, I honestly didn’t even give it a double take the first time I saw it.  The shades just looked like a neutral palette or two that I own and the only thing drawing me to the palette was the packaging (hello, gold & purple – win).  But I couldn’t pass up the sale so I decided to grab it after my friend Heather (Crazybeautifulmakeup.com) said it was definitely a nice palette.

I purchased the palette wondering if I would enjoy it and after the first use, I was sold.  In the pot the shadows look like they are just your basic neutral shades.  But applied on the eyes, they are gorgeous and used over different eye bases provide a gorgeous look every time.  I am amazed at how dimensional these shades are offering up a variety of hues I had no idea this palette included.  I am really loving it and used over some of my smokey brown bases, I have created gorgeous smoky eyes that are just fabulous for Fall or year round.  (No photos of looks, but I promise I’ll have a look or tutorial up soon utilizing this palette).

Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette

Now – while the shadows are gorgeous, I also am getting great use out of the highlighter, bronzer and blush.  The blush is a stunning coral shade that is so pigmented that a little goes a long way.  The bronzer while a little lighter than I am usual is one I have tried before and I love using it on days where I don’t have much makeup.  It’s the perfect contour and warmth shade that offers subtle shadows along my cheek bones that give the illusion I have a chiseled face without going overboard.  And, well – the highlighter, I need a light hand when applying, but it is absolutely gorgeous.

Each product within this palette has a soft, blend-able feel that is easily applied and packs pigment in one swipe.  If I had to critique anything about it, it would be that I really wish Tarte would print the names of the shadows, etc. on the actual palette instead of providing the plastic sleeves that I think are such a headache to keep around.  Overall I’m very impressed and I’m glad I decided to pick this palette up because I would have just admired it from a distance and not realize how beautiful it really is.  Definitely a winner in my book and one I may add to my travel arsenal since it includes most of the products needed to create a look, or two.

Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette

So – have you tried this palette from Tarte?  If not, is it one you may be interested in looking further into?  I am amazed at how each shade of shadow has rose hue undertones- I’m just loving it.  You can get this palette at Tartecosmetics.com or Sephora.

Signature Honey

Disclaimer:  The product(s) mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money.  All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased.  I am not being paid to feature this product however I do have affiliate links through out this post which I do make money on if you click them.

 

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ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks – Thoughts & Swatches

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I have been sitting on the thought of writing up this post now for a few weeks but just never got around to it so I’m sharing it with you all today.  Last month after a huge fiasco, website crashing and overall craziness, I was able to get my hands on the ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks.  When I say fiasco, I mean it.  ColourPop has this thing about releasing their new products earlier than they state and it causes a huge frenzy sometimes.  After almost 12 hours of trying to get their site to load, I was able to place my order and add 13 of the 25 liquid lipsticks to my cart.  Here are some swatches and my overall thoughts on the products.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

The ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks retail for $6.00 through Colourpop.com.  Considering I own a few liquid lipsticks from other brands like Stila, Kat Von D and L.A. Splash – I consider this to be a great price point.  You get 3.2g/0.11 oz worth of product which is a lot considering the price you pay for each liquid lipstick.  These liquid lipsticks are now available in over thirty shades (new ones recently released this past week) and are a variety of colors.  They are a thin formula and consistency which makes applying them pretty easy and they dry quick and to a matte finish.  The formula does glide on fairly easy for me and I haven’t noticed any patchiness with the shades I have upon application.  I love the color payoff on each and the rich shades make a matte lip show stopping.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

While these claim to be kiss proof and long wearing – I think it really does depend on what you are eating and drinking and on your lips.  You must apply these to your lips that are bare (no lip balm) and dry.  Since the product dries quickly – I suggest you start with one coat and for the most part – one coat is enough for me.  The formula is thin, which makes layering colors a little easier with this particular liquid lipstick then others that I own however, too much product will cause the lipstick to feather or start flaking off.  I can get approximately 6 full hours of wear time without eating or drinking anything that has oil in it and if anything I consume does include oil, I will need to touch up shortly after eating.  I don’t normally like to bring makeup with me when out and about but I take my lipstick with me to touch up.  I find that because the formulation is thin that it makes reapplying or touching up easy vs. other similar products.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

I like the packaging on these a lot though I’m a bit bummed that most of my lipsticks no longer have the ColourPop signature holographic logo as they have wiped off.  But I think it is great that we can see through the packaging and can pick out the color we want to wear for the day or night without issue.  Each lip color has a twist off cap (similar to that of a lip gloss) and a basic doe foot applicator which applies the product pretty nicely for the most part.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

When applying the product – I tend to follow these steps:

  • Make sure your lips are moisturized and exfoliated (or all the lines and cracks in your lips will be visible with this product).
  • Lips must be bare and dry – so if you have moisturized or applied lip balm, be sure to remove or pat off your lips.  (this helps with the longevity and adhesion of the product)
  • Line your lips if you feel you must.  I apply the product directly to my lips without liner and clean up any mistakes quickly with a little jojoba or coconut oil and Q-tip.

These lipsticks leave your lips with a dry texture, so if you have have dry lips, it can exaggerate the lines in your lips.  I suggest that you apply a lip balm over the lipstick through out the day – dab the lip balm off and then reapply the liquid lipstick for use the remainder of the day.  However, while it can be a matte / dry texture, I didn’t notice that my lips felt overly dry.  I have used many liquid lipsticks that dry down matte but leave my lips feeling cracked, sore and too dry -these are fairly comfortable.  They don’t have a scent – which I really enjoy and it makes the lipstick easy on the nose when applying.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches
Top to Bottom – Left to Right: Mars, Quiji, Tulle, Bumble, Trap, Midi, Solow Lychee, Drive-In, Seesaw, LAX, Avenue, Creeper

The swatches above are done on the inside of my arm which is not an accurate shade reference to my actual lips which have color – but I figured I would swatch them anyway so that you could see some of the color range.  Since my arm didn’t get any exposure to oily food the swatches lasted until I removed the lip product with coconut oil.  Oh – and that brings me to removing the lipsticks.  I have had some other brands which don’t budge when removing.  These actually are quite easy to take off with a little coconut oil or my Josie Maran Cleansing Oil or InstaNatural Cleansing Oil.  A little bit of oil and a little rub will remove these fairly easily compared to others I own from different brands.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks - Thoughts & Swatches

I do enjoy these liquid lippies quite a bit and have been getting a lot of use out of them.  If I had to choose my favorite from the shades I currently own, they would be Tulle, Trap and Avenue – though I think it’s because I get the most use out of those three.  At the end of the day – I really enjoy the shades I own and I am looking forward to adding more to my collection.  You can’t beat the price point – I just purchased some from Milani that are $8.99 so I’m over the moon enjoying these.  While there are some cons to the longevity I think I really like how easy they are to apply and they leave my lips matte, no sticky texture like some can do.  Also – my favorite combos to layer and pair are Trap and Tulle and Tulle and Seesaw.

So have you jumped on the ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick trend?  If so – what colors do you love and if not, what colors are you hoping to try?  If I have my way – I may collect them all. 😀

Signature Honey

Disclaimer:  All products discussed in this post were purchased by me with my own money.  All opinions are my own and 100% honest and unbiased as is anything on this site.  I was not paid to provide my thoughts on these products or to feature in this post.

 

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A Palette You NEED – Lorac Pro 2 Palette

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It’s about time that I share with all of you my love for the Lorac Pro 2 Palette.  I have had this beauty in my collection now for a year and I actually filmed my review video for this product (which was not released till now) several months ago.  If you have been a long time follower of this blog, you know that the Lorac Pro Palette (the original) has been a favorite of mine for years and a go-to and Holy Grail Must Have.  When the Pro 2 Palette was released, I didn’t think that I “needed” it and I actually didn’t even look twice at it.  But, after looking at the shades, swatches and just overall tones of each shade, I decided to pick this palette up and it’s been one I’ve been pulling for over the last few months and during this warm summer heat.

A Palette You NEED - Lorac Pro 2 Palette

The Lorac Pro 2 Palette retails for $42 and you can find it at your local Ulta or Ulta.com.  I purchased mine online and it came with a mini Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Shadow Primer.  This palette like it’s sister the Original Pro Palette has 16 eye shadows, 8 matte and 8 shimmery shadows in a range of gorgeous shades.  As many know, this sequel to their original, best-selling PRO Palette was created by Celebrity Makeup Artist Carol Shaw (Carol = LORAC “if you didn’t know”) and is the perfect addition to any makeup collection.  These gorgeous velvety shades are smooth and silky,  infused with soothing botanicals and are VERY pigmented.  These shadows work well wet or dry and you can use the shades in this palette for shadows or to line and define your eyes… like a PRO.

A Palette You NEED - Lorac Pro 2 Palette

So – why MUST you have this palette?  Well, it’s no secret that the Lorac Pro Original palette is what I use for travel, what I take with me when ever I need a makeup palette for a trip, overnight stay or what I turn to for any reason.  But the Lorac Pro 2 Palette gives the original palette a little twist.  You certainly don’t need the original palette – though I do suggest it.  But if you are someone that loves a soft wearable makeup look or smoky eye from time to time, you can create a plethora of gorgeous looks with the Pro 2.  I originally thought this palette just had too many cool tones for me, so that is why I didn’t jump to buy it right away – but I realized almost immediately that the shades in this palette compliment my brown eyes so well and creating a look is effortless, easy and the colors basically choose themselves.  One of my favorite combination of shades include:  Rosé, Mocha, Nectar and Plum.

A Palette You NEED - Lorac Pro 2 Palette

Top Row: Buff (Matte), Lt. Brown (Matte), Cool Gray (Matte), Nectar (Matte), Plum (Matte), Navy (Matte), Charcoal (Matte), Black (Matte)

A Palette You NEED - Lorac Pro 2 Palette

Each shade is very buttery and pigmented – Even the matte shades which can be difficult to come by.  Because of this, a light hand is always best when working with this palette and when you pick up too much product, tap your brush off to remove the excess before applying to the eyes.  A little goes a long way and I find that the shades can definitely get muddy if you use too much.  Again, I stress… a little goes a long way.  I have been doing makeup for years and still love how easy the Pro palettes are to work with.

A Palette You NEED - Lorac Pro 2 Palette

Bottom Row: Snow (Shimmer), Beige (Shimmer), Rosé (Shimmer), Mocha (Shimmer), Chrome (Shimmer), Silver (Shimmer), Jade (Shimmer), Cocoa (Shimmer)

A Palette You NEED - Lorac Pro 2 Palette

Some of the shimmery shadows can be a bit powdery and sometimes they can leave a little fall out.  I suggest patting the color on and taking your time working with each.  While I mention some of the issues this palette can have, overall – I still continue to consider it one of my favorites and love that each of the colors within this palette work so well with my brown eyes – it makes my eyes really shine.  The shades are so pigmented, soft and buttery that I love to work with the palette overall and don’t even pay attention to the issues.  You know what they say – when you enjoy something, the negatives tend to not be prominent.

A Palette You NEED - Lorac Pro 2 Palette

Overall I think this palette is a definite must-have.  I now own Lorac Pro, Lorac Pro 2 and Lorac Mega Pro and I’m just a fan of Lorac’s shadows in general.  I’m definitely impressed with this one and I’m glad I picked it up.  Why do you need this palette?  Why not?  It’s pigmented and offers a fun selection of shades to create any eye look.  I love it.

Bronzed Beauty with NYX Matte Bronzer http://honeygirlsworld.com

On my eyes in the look pictured above:  Lower lash line – Chrome, Lid – Rose, Crease – combination of Mocha & Nectar, Highlight – Beige

So tell me… do you own the Lorac Pro 2 Palette?  If not, do you think it is something you need to have and if you do own it, do you love it?  Get a quick review and run down of the palette in my video review posted here.

Signature Honey

Disclaimer:  All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money.  All opinions are my own and 100% honest and unbiased.  There may be affiliate links through out this post which I do make money on.

 

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