Lipstick Diaries, Round Three: Besame Red Hot Red and NARS Michiyo

Pay no attention to the woman in front of the curtain with some slightly jacked-up base makeup; she was trying a few new products and didn't always hit it out of the park. Let's focus on the lipsticks instead! On the left, we have a shade that has slowly become one of my all-time favorites, Besame Red Hot Red. I've probably said that about every Besame lipstick I own, but it really matters with Red Hot Red because I once called the shade "redundant." Yes, it's still like Victory Red and Besame Red got together and had a warm-toned baby, but it's definitely a little different. I think it's one of the most flattering reds I own.

On the opposite end of the color spectrum, we have NARS Michiyo, a very cool-toned pink. I'm weirdly picky about shades like this, probably because they clash with my warm-ish undertones. Michiyo seems to have the "right amount" of clash, if that makes sense: it sticks out without looking bad. I wore this makeup to class this past week and garnered half a dozen compliments. Granted, I teach a lot of ELL students who are openly obsessed with bright lipsticks and will compliment me any time I wear one, but they were especially enthusiastic about this one. Michiyo has also has great staying power (especially if you apply, blot, and re-apply) and photographs beautifully.

Lipstick Diaries, Round Three: Besame Tango Red and Glossier Cake

I have enough red lipstick to coat my entire body a million times over, but damn if I didn't finally buy Besame Tango Red in a snap during Black Friday 2018. While this product's description and swatch photos I'd seen made me think this wouldn't be my most flattering red, I still wanted it. And I can now confirm that yeah, other Besame reds are much better suited to my coloring, but this is still a gorgeous shade. Tango Red seems very similar to Carmine in the tube, but on my lips, it reads more pink and less orange, and it has a more muted quality to it. It's a relatively unique shade among my slew of reds. I agree with Besame: this would be truly stunning on people with olive undertones or a deeper skintone.

Oh, and yes, I bought a new tube of Glossier Cake to test out the Generation G lipstick's freaking third formulation in the last five years. I've gotta say, I agree with most of the reviews that have come in: the new formula builds better, but is more drying and accentuates the lines in my lips like woah. Just look at how parched my mouth looks in this photo, and I'd JUST applied the lipstick fifteen minutes before! I like the shade and the sheerness, but the new formula isn't comfortable in the slightest and definitely isn't worth the money.

Lipstick Diaries, Round Three: Besame Victory Red and Colourpop Steelo

I try not to take photos of my makeup after I've been bombing around for a few hours, but that's what happened with this photo of Besame Victory Red, since I wanted to get to work a little earlier than usual. I wear this saturated, blue-based red to work a lot, actually, because my English Language Learning students love it, and it puts a lot of focus on my mouth. Trust me, when you spend 20+ minutes forcing them to stare at your lips to see where your tongue and teeth go for a "v" or "th" sound, you'll appreciate the help. While this is one of my favorite Besame reds and a shade I recommend often, I have to repeat that many dark-skinned people find that this shade turns pink on them. If you have deeper skin, you may do better with a shade like Red Velvet.

As for that picture on the right: your eyes are not deceiving you. That is, indeed, a lipgloss. Colourpop had a 20% off sale and I wanted to pick up a couple of their new-ish brow products, so I tossed in the Colourpop Steelo gloss as well. The internet insists it's a dupe for the original Fenty Gloss Bomb...and yeah, it's pretty damn close. (Granted, super-sheer pink with a bit of gold shimmer isn't hard to dupe.) The Colourpop glosses have a decent brush-tip applicator and a decent slightly sticky formula with a decent amount of shine, decent decent decent. I won't write worshipful odes to this gloss any time soon, but it's a solid product that I'm genuinely enjoying, and hey, I'm not the best judge of gloss to begin with.

As a final note, I apologize again for the washed out photo on the left. I'm bringing my sequin backdrop from Pennsylvania and may invest in a stronger ringlight to deal with the weird ass lighting situation in our new apartment.

Lipstick Diaries, Round Three: Glossier Like and Fenty Freckle Fiesta

Glossier recently reformulated and repackaged their Generation G lipsticks. I want to be less wasteful, so I'm holding off on replacing the shades I already own, including Glossier Like. This color is, no joke, just about the exact same shade as my natural lips, perhaps a hair darker and more mauve. On the one hand, wearing it makes me feel a bit silly because there's so little impact, but on the other hand, it's easy to apply without a mirror and it makes me feel put together. This is my second and likely last tube of Like, just because I prefer other shades that actually change the color of my lips.

The quality of that second picture is far below my usual standard, I know, but I won't be retaking it because I've decided to purge Fenty Freckle Fiesta. As beautiful as the color is, it just doesn't flatter me much, and I never reach for it of my own volition. It doesn't help that the round bullets are not my favorite; I'm sloppy and find it difficult to get a smooth, straight lipline with them. At the end of the day, if I can't see myself eventually finishing a tube of lipstick, I shouldn't keep that tube around, no matter how pretty the color is.

Lipstick Diaries, Round Three: MAC More Than a Woman and Besame Red Velvet

We're welcoming back the Lipstick Diaries with the shades from my most recent makeup bag: MAC More Than a Woman and Besame Red Velvet. While they look very similar in these pictures, they are absolutely different shades, I swear.

MAC More Than a Woman is an amplified cream from the recent Aaliyah collection. It's definitely a purple shade, which I normally shy away from, but this one has a lot of pink in it, which is probably why I'm able to wear it without looking like a total idiot. It also has the glossy finish amplified creams are known for. Paired with Sephora Deep Aubergine liner, I can see this being one of my favorites this winter. (Note: if you're wondering why this photo is so much darker than the other one, it's because it was a rare cloudy day on the great plains and I'm still figuring out my lighting. Please bear with me.)

Besame Red Velvet continues to be one of my favorite shades, and with good reason! It's a neutral, slightly deeper red that I think flatters almost everybody. This is one of Besame's "Classic Colour" lipsticks, so it has a more satin but-not-flat-matte finish. Red Velvet always nets me compliments, especially at work. My tube is in the special edition Agent Carter packaging, so you'll basically have to take it off of my dead body.

Lipstick and Blog State of the Union

We've finished moving and have settled in to our new place, so I think it's time to update everyone on the blog's status and to start a few new challenges.

First, the blog! Obviously I've been posting a little slower than I was in the spring, and I think that's going to be the norm for the rest of 2018. I'm currently working two jobs that require a lot of my attention and a good bit of writing, so spending an hour or more cranking out a blog post has become less appealing to me. I still enjoy blogging, of course, but it takes me a bit more time now that I'm doing more writing for work and less writing for fun.

Also, you may have noticed that I deleted my Twitter account. Frankly, I didn't use Twitter enough to justify keeping it and I got tired of it sending me emails. ("So-and-so just tweeted!" I don't follow them, Twitter; I don't caaaaare.) From now on, I'll add any announcements about charitable donations at the end of blog posts. I'd like to submit my ProLiteracy donation by the end of this month, for instance, so I'll put the confirmation picture in a late September or early October blog post. And thank you again to everyone who has donated!

As for the challenges: I've decided to go on a no buy for the rest of September and all of October. I don't think this will be too difficult for me, to be honest, because there's only so much room in my card catalogue and I'm rather content with what I have. That said, I'm easily suckered in by fall releases because #OctoberIsTheBestMonth, so I'd like to stave off the desire for more stuff just in case. There are a few new products in my collection that need testing, anyway, including several mascara samples and the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer.

My project pan is still ongoing, but honestly, I use so little product at a time that I'm starting to worry I won't finish any of it by the time December rolls around. I swear, that Laura Mercier shadow stick is BOTTOMLESS.

To prevent boredom during this project pan, I've decided to add another challenge: a new edition of the Lipstick Diaries. My motivations for this are threefold:

1. I have too much damn lipstick, and this challenge always reminds me of that so I don't buy more;
2. It's a popular series that many people say is helpful; and
3. It will prompt me to figure out the lighting situation in my apartment to make posts as consistent as possible.

I've completed the Lipstick Diaries twice already, and I'd love to know if you guys have any suggestions on how to improve the series. Is there any information I should add? How should I arrange the photos? Should I stick with two lipsticks per post? What should I include in the wrap up? The ball is in your court!

Return of the Lipstick Diaries #9: Lime Crime Cupid and Saddle

I decided to use two more Lime Crime Velvetines for this round: one that I'm not drawn to, even though it's relatively flattering, and one that I always want to pull out of the drawer, even though it looks "meh" oh me.

The first shade is Cupid, a warm pink. Wearing it that day and looking at in these pictures, I have to admit that I think the color is absolutely beautiful, and I think it brightens up my complexion. The formula is also a Velvetine standard: smooth, easy to apply, and long-wearing. So why don't I grab this shade more? Honestly, I think it's because I'm not naturally attracted to warm pinks for...some reason. Also, it's not soft enough to work in a "nude lip" look, but it's not as bright as the other "bold lip" shades I tend to reach for. It's in a weird slot in my collection, if that makes sense.

Saddle is a slightly different story. I think this color radiates autumn, which is My Thing. But you know what? I'm not sure about it. Don't get me wrong: if I crop this photo in to a disembodied lip swatch, I can totally appreciate how delightful this vampy red-brown is on its own. But Saddle just doesn't seem to work on my face. I enjoy wearing it, yet I admit that it doesn't look as flattering as Besame Chocolate Kiss, which is a bit lighter and more red. I'm thinking of holding on to it until this fall rolls around, then re-assessing how I feel.

Return of the Lipstick Diaries #8: Lime Crime Prairie and Besame Red Velvet

This post is proof that I need to stop getting suckered in by flat matte, super pastel liquid lipsticks. Lime Crime Prairie looks great in the tube and in swatches, and I love the idea of a cool-toned, very soft purple-pink in theory. But on my lips, that white base is just way too stark. So far, I've only been able to wear this shade two or three times, and I always mixed it with another color. The formula is wonderful, especially for a pastel, but the shade is a no-go on me. I mean, do I look a bit dead on the left? I do, don't I?

Also, please appreciate the fact that there are no wings on my liner. It's a known fact that when your liquid eyeliner pen dies, it'll be when you've finished one eye and not the either. I managed to salvage it by using a very dark brown liner instead, but damn, Physician's Formula Long Name Liner, you did me dirty.

I feel very differently about Besame Red Velvet, though! I was trying to think of the best description for this color, and the word "velvety" popped in to my head; then I remembered, "Ahahahaha, that's part of the name! I'm an idiot." Red Velvet was made famous by the first Captain America film, where it was worn by the stunning Hayley Atwell (aka Agent Carter):

This is a deep, rich, neutral-leaning-slightly-cool red that would look amazing on almost any skintone. I don't know if I'll ever finish the mini I got in my Besame kit, but if I do, I might be tempted to buy a full size of this one. I'm starting to prefer it to NARS Charlotte, which has been a favorite of mine this past year...and hence, I'm considering purging Charlotte. Also, I'm starting to think this is as dark as I should go with reds. (Charlotte is about the same depth, but has stronger purple tones.)

Return of the Lipstick Diaries #7: Lime Crime Bleached and NARS Charlotte

Sometimes, Lipstick Diaries posts don't help me cull my ever-growing lipstick heard. Instead, they remind me that I already own a number of shades I love and I should wear them more often. That was the case with these two (very different) colors!

First, Lime Crime Bleached. This is probably my favorite Lime Crime Velvetine; it's my perfect nude peach shade. Lulu was lighter, had more white in its base, and was less rosy than this one, which I think is why I liked it less. The Velvetines do have that modern uber-matte finish, and I don't always care for how it looks on me. But I find that the Velvetines play well with gloss and balm, and on days like this when I use shinier finishes in similar shades on other parts of my face (and I maybe overdid it there), I prefer the matte finish.

The other shade is NARS Charlotte, one of my beloved Audacious lipsticks. As I mentioned in my previous Lipstick Diaries post, I'm picky about cool-toned reds these days and seem to prefer something deeper like Charlotte. This color is a chameleon, too: you can make it more burgundy by layering it with a dark red lipliner, or more wine-colored by layering it over a plum lipliner. These lipsticks have great staying power and a really lovely satin finish, and again, this a formula that plays well with gloss and balm.

Return of the Lipstick Diairies #6: Lime Crime Red Velvet and MAC Creme Cup

There was a time when Makeup Alley was hoppin' and people posted on its boards non-stop. I was one of those people, and I regularly put up my FotD pictures. I became known as someone who loved and wore a lot of red lipsticks, and it's obvious why: red has long been my go-to "I want to feel fierce" color. But I'm starting to realize that I have some unusual preferences when it comes to reds. Lime Crime Red Velvet is a liquid matte red lipstick with blue undertones. It looks just fine, but honestly? I think I look better in warmer reds. If I'm going to wear a cool red, I seem to prefer something deeper, like NARS Charlotte. I've had this in my "consider purging" box for a month and I haven't reached for it, so I think it's time to say goodbye.

I have similar feelings about MAC Creme Cup (which reads a bit peachier here than it does in real life). I remember having a tumultuous relationship with this lipstick: I finished a full tube when I was a teenager, I tried it again in graduate school and couldn't recall why I'd liked it so much, and now I have a mini-tube and it's "meh" to me. I think it's because of the Cremesheen formula, which is very glossy, only somewhat opaque, and not long lasting in the least. Creme Cup also has a bit of shimmer in it, which I usually dislike in my lipsticks. I think I'll finish this small tube and move on to greener pastures.

Return of the Lipstick Diaries #5: Glossier Jam and MAC Whirl

Man, it's starting to look like I go for themes when I do these posts. I really don't--I didn't realize Whirl was going to be so purple-y on me.

Speaking of purple: that's what Glossier Jam is, a sheer matte purple lipstick you can apply lightly over balm for an "I just ate a grape popsicle" look (as seen here), or that you can layer up for a deeper, plummier stain. I think Crush is a more flattering shade on me, to be honest, but for whatever reason, Jam remains my favorite Generation G. I assume it's because it's so flexible. And while I hesitate to recommend the Generation G lipsticks to most people for a variety of reasons, I have to admit that I do really enjoy them, especially since they've updated the formula and packaging. This stained look is my current go-to; I blame Kim Min-Hee's fantastic performance and watercolor-esque lipsticks in The Handmaiden:

MAC Whirl, on the other hand, was a complete let-down. I actually wasn't interested in this color much and only tried it because it came with a set of mini MAC lipsticks I got as a gift. (Yes, I know, Whirl is sort of an "it girl" color lately thanks to one of the Jenner sisters, but I'm horrible and I don't pay much attention to the Kardashians/Jenners.) I expected a matte brown, sort of a more neutral version of Besame Chocolate Kiss. What I got was as very cool-toned mix of brown, plum, and gray. I don't think it looks good on me in the slightest, and I removed it immediately after taking these pictures.

I'm starting to think I look better in, or at least tend to favor the look of, neutral and warm lipsticks over cool-toned lipsticks. What do we think?

Return of the Lipstick Diaries #4: Glossier Crush and MAC Nouvelle Vogue

 I prefer to space these posts out, but I'm still fighting the final vestiges of that sinus infection, so I'm not yet ready to do photographs for my next review. (Hint: it's on some more Milk Makeup stuff.) Instead, I'm going through my RotLD archives and bumping this one up a few days.

These lipsticks look strangely similar in this picture, but they're very different in real life. Glossier Generation G in Crush is a sheer raspberry pink shade with a matte finish. I think this is my current favorite Generation G; it's very brightening and easy to wear. This photo shows about 2 layers of the product--you can apply a bit more if you want a more saturated shade. Glossier did update the packaging and formula of their Generation G range, so now the tubes are sturdier and the actual lipstick is a bit smoother. I currently keep Crush in my work bag.

MAC Nouvelle Vogue was not as much of a success for me. It looks a hair warmer in this photo than it actually is; in real life, it's a very cool-toned pink. For whatever reason, this sort of matte, mid-tone, blue-based pink washes me out and makes me look rather lifeless. I will say that the formula of the MAC matte lipsticks has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and Nouvelle Vogue is no exception. It applied very smoothly and didn't dry out my lips too much. Unfortunately, this shade just isn't for me.

Return of the Lipstick Diaries #3 - Besame Chocolate Kiss and MAC Kinda Sexy

I was apparently in a very brown-beige-nude sort of mood this January, huh? But these are two very different colors. The first one is Besame Chocolate Kiss, a duplicate of a 1970s lipstick shade. It's a rich brown shade with a lot of red tones in it. Normally I don't go for brown shades because they just look weird on my skintone, but the warmth in Chocolate Kiss saves it for me. I'm glad I only have a mini, though, because I know this is a shade I'll enjoy when I wear it, but won't wear often. As a side note, this lipstick normally has a tad more shine to it--I blotted it because I was reminiscing about my 90s childhood. Man, I loved raiding my best friend's sister's makeup and seeing all of the dark plums and matte browns!

Annnnyway. I've got another nude peach shade here (WTF is my problem lately?), MAC Kinda Sexy. I've been wanting to try this shade for a long time, so I was beyond thrilled to get it in a pack of 4 mini lipsticks I received as a gift. I actually really like this color on me: it's got just the right balance of peach and brown, and it's not as dark and muddy or as pastel as some other peachy nudes. I've noticed that I've acquired a few of these types of lipsticks in the past year, though, so I'll have to do some careful comparisons in a few months to pick the ones that perform the best.

If you're looking forward to more Lipstick Diaries and a dozen new shots of my super sexy default head tilt, let me know!

Return of the Lipstick Diaries #2 - Lime Crime Faded and Lulu

For the next page of the Lipstick Diaries, we're testing two of the Lime Crime Velvetines: one is better in the tube than on the lips, the other is the opposite. Faded is a muted mauve that should flatter a decent range of skintones, though it might have too much white in the base for ebony skin. It applies smoothly, wears like iron, and is weightless on the lips. I also think the color is surprisingly flattering on me, given that it skews a hair grayer than my usual preferences. Oddly enough, I find that this shade looks a little better in selfies and on video than in HD photographs. Here's a selfie photo with obligatory Natural Light Abuse:

Cool, right?

Lulu, however, was not quite as much of a success for me. Again, the HD photo is not 100% accurate: it's a bit more saturated and peach in real life, but my camera seems to pull out a lot of the white base. It's another case where selfies seem to more accurately represent the color:

I think the aforementioned strong white base is the root of Lulu's problems. Lulu applied a bit more streaky than my other shades, slightly emphasized and cracked on lip lines, and took longer to dry down. These are all common issues with pastels. It's a neat color, but I think it would only really work if I was wearing dark eye makeup, which I don't normally wear. I'm considering purging this one.

Return of the Lipstick Diaries #1 - Urban Decay Sheer Rapture and NARS Apoline

To kick off the new year and possibly improve my chances of finishing some of my goals for the year, I decided to revive the Lipstick Diaries. This challenge requires that I wear every lipstick in my collection, photograph it, put the pictures in a post, and decide whether or not it should stay in my collection. My lip product stash underwent quite a transformation last year, so while I won't be re-swatching anything I showed last year, I've got plenty of new lipsticks to show you.
Let's start with a product from a discontinued range, Urban Decay Sheer Rapture. This is a sheer mauve-purple with a glossy finish. I don't normally go for "sheer" or "glossy," but the swatches for this one looked so good, I just had to try it. I'm glad I did: this is an easy, comfortable, every day lipstick. I'm a little mad at myself for not wearing it more! The only problem with this one is the staying power, which is par for the course with dewy makeup. Oh, and my one eyebrow is jacked up and smeared--my bad.

NARS Apoline is one of the newest Audacious lipsticks. It's a warm pink that I've been calling a "soft rosewood color," probably because my partner does so much woodworking and I spend a lot of nights listening to his internal struggles over material choices. Whatever, you know what I mean--it's a soft, creamy, not-bright-but-not-nude sort of shade. Honestly, I don't think Apoline flatters me very much; I seem to look nicer with a brighter or cooler pink. But it's just so damn pretty! I can't stop staring at it when I wear it. I'll keep this one on my radar, but even if I eventually realize it's not the best shade for me, I know I'll have a hard time purging it.

Every Shade Worn for The Lipstick Diaries

Here's every lipstick worn for the Lipstick Diaries series! Feel free to click on and enlarge this collage. For bigger pictures and full posts, please check the Lipstick Diaries tag.

This isn't every lipstick I own--some of these were purged, a couple were finished up, and a few newer ones haven't been photographed--but it's the majority of them. It took me six months (June to December) to complete this project!

1. MAC lipstick, Scarlet Ibis
2. ELF Gotta Glow Lip Tint
3. Dior Fluid Stic, Pandore
4. Dior Fluid Stick, Kiss Me
5. NARS Audacious lipstick, Michiyo
6. Urban Decay Revolution lipstick, Native
7. Stila Stay All Day liquid lipstick, Beso
8. Hourglass Opaque Rouge liquid lipstick, Empress
9. Lipstick Queen Jean Queen
10. MAC lipstick, Viva Glam Miley Cyrus I
11. MAC lipstick, Candy Yum Yum
12. MAC lipstick, Ruby Woo
13. MAC lipstick, Saint Germain
14. MAC lipstick, Faux
15. Hourglass Opaque Rouge liquid lipstick, Riviera
16. NARS Satin lip pencil, Rikugien
17. Lipstick Queen Saint lipstick, Pinky Nude
18. Lipstick Queen Sinner lipstick, Bright Rose
19. MAC lipstick, Lady Danger
20. Hourglass Opaque Rouge liquid lipstick, Canvas

Lipstick Diaries #10: MAC Scarlet Ibis and ELF Gotta Glow Lip Tint

It's the last entry in the Lipstick Diaries! Thank you, lovely people, for taking this journey with me. :)

Let's start with the "I dunno what to doooooo!" item: MAC Scarlet Ibis. This is a limited edition matte lipstick from the Iris Apfel collection. Contrary to popular opinion, I do find this shade to be slightly different from Lady Danger: Scarlet Ibis is less orange and has an overall softer quality to it. That being said, I love love love Scarlet Ibis, but looking at this picture makes me wonder if it's truly flattering for me. What do you guys think? Am I crazy, or is this less attractive on me than, say, Stila Beso or MAC Ruby Woo?!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have a glossy, sheer, morphs-to-suit-you product: the ELF Gotta Glow Lip Tint. The bottom of the tube says "Perfect Pink," but as of right now, this is the only shade available. In the tube, this product appears to be a super-soft, pastel, baby pink. When you apply it to your lips, however, it responds to your body heat and warms up to a bright, sheer pink color. Obviously, this a newer version of the "mood lipsticks" of the 90s, but...I kinda like it. It's the kind of easy-to-wear color that works well with simple beautifying looks. As a note, this color will look a little different on everybody: my face heats up easily and my lips are naturally a sheer red color, so the ELF tint turns a sheer fuchsia on me; I've seen it look much softer on other people.

Lipstick Diaries #9: Dior Fluid Sticks in Pandore and Kiss Me

When I reviewed these "frankenlip" sticks last year, I noted that the formula is amazing, but not entirely to my personal tastes. That review stands, even with a gorgeous shade like Pandore. It's a warm red that, in terms of color alone, works well on my skintone. But the Dior Fluid Sticks have a jelly-like formula, and I have to admit that the glossiness makes them feel especially formal and "done-up" to me. I don't wear this often, and I don't really enjoy it as much as some of my other reds. I'll probably finish this tube, but I won't repurchase.

My opinions on Kiss Me have changed a bit, however. I still think the formula for this milky pink is slightly different from the brights: it still gums up a bit at the corners and center of my lips, so I have to pat it out with my finger every few hours. But the tube I have now seems slightly cooler-toned, and it doesn't reek of perfume the way my previous tube did. I like this shade a lot for soft, tonal looks, and my mother absolutely loves it. Again, I'm not sure if I'd repurchase it because of the glossy formula, but I'll definitely use up the tube.

Lipstick Diaries #8: NARS Michiyo and Urban Decay Native

You can tell we're getting to the end of the line here with the Lipstick Diaries: I'm only posting about stuff I know I love.

First up is NARS Michiyo, one of the new Audacious lipsticks. It's clear why this formula was instantly popular on its release: it's pigmented, creamy, and has good wear time without being uber-matte or excessively drying. It does, actually, dry my lips out a bit, but only a bit; I can wear Michiyo for a good 6 hours with minimal fading, no smearing, and bearable dryness/tightness at the end of the day. What I really love about Michiyo is its bright, saturated, cool-toned goodness. Yes, it's very similar to Viva Glam Miley Cyrus, but Michiyo is more purple and a hair darker and shut up let me have this.

Next, Urban Decay Native, one of the only nudes I've ever loved! Don't let the blush (which isn't supposed to be that color) fool you: this one truly suits my skintone. It's a soft, delicate pink in a creamy, comfortable formula. This one isn't as long-wearing as Michiyo or MAC Faux, but it's less drying. When I wear a dark eye look, this is my go-to shade.

Lipstick Diaries #7: Stila Beso and Hourglass Empress

Entry #7 includes two faboosh liquid lipsticks in bold colors, just in time for fall!

Stila Beso is my current favorite matte red. It's relatively neutral, with a good balance of blue and orange, though if I had to peg it as either cool or warm, I'd say it reads a bit more warm. The formula is very moussey and creamy, and it spreads easily on my lips. This lipstick will last through eating and drinking with next to no fading. Also, if you do experience any fading, it's easy to touch-up.

Hourglass Empress is my vamp shade of choice. It's a deep-but-not-too-brown plum shade that will flatter a lot of skintones. The Hourglass formula is a bit thicker than the Stila, which means touch-ups are not recommended; however, I find that this lipstick lasts pretty damn well through eating and drinking. This is one of the more drying matte lipstick formulas on the market, so if you're already prone to dryness, give this one a pass.

While I love both of these shades, I'm not totally wild about the applicators. The doe foots are flexible, so I have to be very careful when applying to avoid a mess--I usually start by lining my lips with the tip of the applicator. I also have to wipe off a lot of excess product on the mouths of the tubes, because a dab goes such a long way!