Thursday, April 21, 2016

Slew o' Lip Product Swatches and Mini-Reviews: Bite, Colourpop, NYX

I was cleaning out the photos on my computer (because yes, I'm that person) when I noticed an assortment of random lip product swatches that had never been posted to my blog. Maybe I ended up not writing a review, maybe I just forgot to post them, but whatever the reason, they were sitting there, labeled but unloved. It's totally disorganized, but I truly hope you guys find these helpful!


First up, I decided to use my VIB discount to test out the new Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche lipstick line. I went for Meringue, which looked like it'd be the most different from anything else in my collection. Sure enough, I don't have anything that's really comparable to this peachy nude.

But...I don't love it on me. It's this weird disconnect where I put it on, can't stop staring at how pretty the color looks on my lips, then continuously notice how "meh" it looks on my coloring. In the end, I decided to return it; I think something a hair cooler/more pink will ultimately be more flattering.

I have zero qualms with the formula, though. It's creamy and pigmented, and not only does it apply marvelously over freshly-exofliated lips, but it's also able to mask a multitude of sins on dryer, more flaky lips. The plastic citrus smell and taste are pretty gross, though.


Next is the Colourpop Ultra Matte lipstick in Stingraye. Marketed as a "cool-toned mauve brown," this shade looks plummy and pretty in photos, but in real life, it is a gray plum. Seriously, don't let this picture fool you; it did NOT look that way on my mouth in person! Even my family confirmed that it was straight-up gray on my mouth.

It's a shame, because I didn't totally hate the formula. Like most matte liquid lipsticks, it's drying, and it actually feels a bit like plastic stretched tightly over your mouth. I mean, you smile and it actually feels like something that has been pasted on to your lips and stretching uncomfortably. It's not the worst feeling I've ever felt, though, and it does have decent staying power. Even after 6 hours and a full meal, I had only some feathering (easily fixed with a lip pencil) and a tiny bit of wear in the center of my lips. I might revisit this formula, but for now, I think I need to take a quick break from liquid lipsticks.


Last, but not least, I decided to fill in some gaps in my lip pencil collection with these beauties from the NYX Slim Lip Pencil range: Plum, Rose, and Mauve. All three shades are wonderfully pigmented, leaning on the cool side, and very easy to apply.

I know I've talked about these a ton, but just a reminder that this is my favorite lip pencil formula. They're creamy enough that they don't tug on the lips, yet firm enough to give you a sharp line with no smearing. They're excellent over or under a balm for a quick on-the-go color. The shade range is very broad. And of course, they're only $3.50 each! These are truly some of my all-time favorite lip products.

9 comments:

  1. Stingray is totally goth on me too! It really looks like completely different color in the tube from what it actually is when it dries. All the pink disappears.

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    1. Yes, exactly! None of the pink undertones are visible IRL. I'd like to try other shades from the range, but that weird color morph makes it tough for me to select a shade.

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  2. I see what you mean about Meringue--it's pretty, but not peachy enough to be a true peach on you, yet not pink enough to be a true nude. The only Amuse Bouche I've tried is the Sephora 100-point perk in Radish, and I have mixed feelings. The color is beautiful and the formula is very comfortable, but it's so messy! It practically leaps off my mouth. I think a nude in that formula would be more user-friendly, but they don't have one I'm really attracted to.

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    1. I've had 3 other mini's and so far no Radish level meltdown.

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    2. But I wanted Radish cuz is pretty! If I do purchase again from this range, though, I'll likely go for something like Sugarcane; I agree that this doesn't seem like a great formula for brights, at least as far as my tastes go.

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  3. I've been struggling with Amuse Bouche. My mini Radish was a mess. I just went everywhere in a way Luminous Cream never did. I got the Bite Beauty Spring Fling and none of them smear like Radish. You can check my Instagram for photos. I'll be putting up a full review soon.

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    1. Awesome, thank you! Shame to hear that Radish isn't having the same staying power...

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  4. The NYX Slim Lip Pencils are everything-I don't even bother with more expensive lip liners anymore because there's no need. It's a shame that Stingraye looks so different in photos than it does in person! In those photos, it looks almost how Stila Patina looks on my lips.

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    1. I think I need to give up on these mid-tone mauve shades. They always seem to end up very gray on my mouth.

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