REVIEW: Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Color

I've become pickier and pickier about lipsticks, especially liquid lipsticks, thanks to market saturation. Thus far, most liquid lipstick formulas have not impressed me because they're too streaky, drying, or heavy. Then I noticed these new Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Colors at Wal-Mart for $6 each.

I'm not going to lie: the pretty metal tins were part of the draw. But I also thought that, at $6 each and given some of my previous successes with the Hard Candy line, they were really worth a shot. Unfortunately, the product isn't listed on the Hard Candy or Wal-Mart websites at the time of this writing, and there are no product claims listed on the tin, so I'm working a little blind here.

The Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Colors come in pretty metal tins. I'm of two minds on this packaging: on the one hand, it's pretty and you can absolutely remove the black plastic insert and re-use the tins (which is what I've done). On the other hand, you can't see the actual lip color, and it seems a tad wasteful. The actual tubes are thin and flat plastic, and they remind me a lot of the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick packaging.

Your $6 nets you 0.23oz/6.5g of product. This is a great price when you compare it, per gram, to some other liquid lipsticks on the market:

Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Color -- $0.92 per gram

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick -- $8.48 per gram

Dior Addict Fluid Stick -- $6.86 per gram

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip -- $1.88 per gram

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick -- $6.25 per gram

And again, you can re-use the tin to store lipsticks, bobby pins, etc., so while I'm not totally sure why they packaged it that way, reusable packaging is a bonus in my book.

Natural light on top, flash on the bottom.

I decided to pick two shades that I don't have liquid versions of in my collection at the moment: Cherry Blossom, a midtone rosy pink, and Sweet Pea, a soft baby pink. Here they are swatched up against the most similar shades in my collection. Cherry Blossom is a bit darker than Kismet On Point, and Sweet Pea is a little softer and less blue than Bite Beauty Velvet.

"Velvet mousse" is a great description of the formula. It's incredibly soft and easy to apply to the lips with the long doe foot applicator. It doesn't feel heavy, per se, but the product doesn't dry down as matte as some liquid lipsticks; if you press your lips together, you'll feel a bit of stickiness. They also smell very strongly of sweet vanilla cake batter, so if you're not in to that scent, you may want to take a pass. (It's not my personal favorite, but I can manage it.) I will note that I can't smell these after I've applied them.

Cherry Blossom on the left, Sweet Pea on the right.

The wear on these is decent. They are not entirely transfer-proof, so you will note the color on the edge of your coffee cup, and they can smear if you put a lot of pressure on them. I'd say they're transfer resistant, however; I got a good 5-6 hours of even, feather-free wear with both shades. Both played well with gloss and lip liner, and in fact, I'd say you might need some liner with a shade like Sweet Pea to keep it from looking too flat.

I think the lighter shades in the range, like Sweet Pea and Hibiscus, may be a bit more difficult to work with. I noticed that I had to be a bit more careful with Sweet Pea to prevent streaking or bald patches. Once I got an even layer applied to my lips, however, it looked fabulous. And to be absolutely fair, this is common with most shades that have a lot of white in their base: they're more likely to go streaky, slash, they require a little more fiddling.

These may not be the mattest or most apocalypse-proof liquid lipsticks out there, but they're also not drying, sit well on the lips, and have relatively smooth and even pigmentation. If you're looking for a budget liquid lipstick that won't parch your lips or flake off throughout the day, this could be the one for you.

RATING: 5 out of 5

Painting for the Back Row

Have you ever been to a drag show? If not, you're missing out on some mega-super-fantastic SERIOUS fun! This year, I not only watched the fantastic drag show at one of my local universities, I also pitched in and helped a bit with the makeup for a truly hilarious "Gangnam Style" routine. The task was to essentially paint the back-up dancers like baby drag queens, which, hey, no problem...except there were a few more dancers than I expected: five. FIVE! But with plenty of help from lovely friends and my amazing ability to pilfer cosmetics from the collections of others, we were able to get it done.

All of these lovely ladies were kind enough to use their own foundations and concealers, except for the few ladies who didn't own foundation or concealer at all. They were all beautiful, of course, so it wasn't even really necessary.

Plenty of saturated colors were needed, so I started with Too Faced Shadow Insurance on all of their lids before applying various shades of Mehron Aqua Color in a cat-eye shape. I set the Aqua Colors with matte powder eyeshadows by Ben Nye and Wet n' Wild. The huge lashes are from Mehron and were definitely a splurge, but they were totally worth it! Several of the dancers kept their sets. Eyebrows were liberally darkened with various shades of Maybelline Define-a-Brow (which I admit I'm not a fan of--most of the shades seemed quite red, and I had to click the pencils up a zillion times) with the exception of the two blonde ladies; for them, I used my own Clinique Superfine Liner in Soft Blonde.

The cheek colors are La Femme powder blushes in various mixtures of Flamingo Pink, Coral Spice, Terracotta, Purple Passion, and Fuchsia. Three highlighters were used liberally on the cheekbones: MAC Cream Color Base in Luna for the palest ladies, MAC Glimmer Shimmer in Orange Twink over warm blushes, and Hard Candy Glow All the Way Luminzer in Doll Face over cool blushes.

Three shades of lipstick were used: NYX Strawberry Milk, NYX Louisiana, and MAC Coral Polyp. The original plan was to add MAC Clear gloss on top, but they were already quite shiny/bright, and we were running out of time. No-brainer right there.

To finish them off and give them a majorly Shellac'ed appearance, I had them close and cover their eyes (as Mehron Aqua Colors are not waterfast unless you use certain mixing mediums) while I sprayed them with liberal amounts of ELF Studio Makeup Mist & Set.

The fantastic drag king seen here, Papi Choulo, did his own makeup using Ben Nye Creme Colors.

I didn't have much time to my makeup, unfortunately, because it was a rainy day that involved lots of running around. But I did manage to slap on some MAC Party Parrot right before the show started! The two lovely gents with me are my good friends Dan (out-of-drag queen Scarlet Fairweather), who made several special appearances, and Joe, who helped organize the festivities.

And now, Miss Scarlet beats her face.

Is it any surprise that I love drag queens? Probably not, but it's probably a little surprising that a drag queen consented to do a tutorial for this blog. Meet Miss Scarlet Fairweather, who pops up on BOGL from time to time because she's A) super nice, and B) pretty damn fabulous. Even though her Poison Ivy costume was falling to bits before my eyes, she agreed to let me document her beating her face for a tutorial-type post.

Scarlet starts out by shaving and moisturizing, if necessary. ("At the very least, moisturize your lips, because you're probably going to abuse them!") Elmer's glue stick (often referred to as "Ru-Glue") was used to flatten her brows. They were then powdered down with Hard Candy Welcome Matte powder.

Scarlet uses a full-coverage concealer on her brows; she currently likes Hard Candy Glamoflauge. (NOTE: If your brows are thicker and darker like Miss Scarlet's, you may have to do the powder-and-conceal step a few times to cover them up.) While waiting for her brows to dry, she starts creating her base. Her preferred foundation is Ben Nye cream in Lite Beige, applied with a sponge wedge. Don't be shy with it--as Scarlet says, "Just dip your face in it and hope it sticks!"

Then it's time for highlighting and contouring. Scarlet used Ben Nye Character Shadow in CS3 for her contour and applied it through her temples, the top of her forehead, the hollows of her cheeks, underneath her bottom lip, and around her eyes (although she sometimes holds off on that last part if she's doing something more "natural"). She skipped contouring down the sides of her nose this time, but we both often recommend thinning out your nose for drag. Her highlight is Ben Nye Cream Highlight in Ultra Lite, applied at the tops of the brows, up the bridge of the nose and through the forehead, just above the jawline, and around (not right in) the eyes and cupid's bow--she prefers to use shadow in those tiny spots. Where you contour and highlight is going to vary based on the shape of your face and, if you're trying to do drag, which parts of your face you need to look softer or more sculpted.

Also, while it's awesome to start blending your highlight and contour in to your base, this is also a good point to leave the base makeup be for a bit so it can "cook" (a drag term for letting the makeup warm up on your skin, making it easier to blend). This is best done with theater or photography makeup, which tends to be fuller coverage and wetter in formulation; most "regular lady face" products will set.

Scarlet often uses her Character Shadow for her brows, but in this case, she was doing a character brow, so she used green shadow instead...and looked bonkers doing it. I think she was saying something to me when I snapped this picture. XD Then she lined around her eyes with NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk.

Now it's powder-down time! Scarlet beats her face with some Ben Nye Translucent loose powder, rubbed in to a big puff. I mean, she literally beats her face; I always tease her about it. Anyway, for this look she used the Fair shade, while she uses the regular Translucent shade for character looks with colored or Kabuki-style bases. This powder not only sets everything in place, but it also blends it out further, making the highlights and contours look a bit more natural. (But just a bit, cause dammit, this is drag!)

Now it's time to cake your eyes! She used the NYX eyeshadow base in White for her base, then added some shape with the Coastal Scents 28 Neutral palette. She added color with Ben Nye eyeshadows in Sun Yellow and Chartreuse, La Femme blush in Coral, iNuovi blush in Dolly, and a green Wet n' Wild liquid liner. Again, if you're using strong theater-type makeup, it's good to let it sit for a few minutes and cook before you smooth it out.

Applying falsies is rarely fun, even if you're a seasoned pro. ;)

Miss Scarlet used the La Femme blush on her cheeks before painting on some more leaves and blending everything out again. La Femme blushes are quite strong, so if you aren't a drag queen, be uber-careful with them!

MOAR LEAVES!!!1!one

Since the lips are green, you gotta use some wonky stuff, in this case a green eyeliner pencil as a lip liner. I didn't catch the name, but I'm almost positive it's by Prestige. The lipstick is Manic Panic Poison Ivy (fitting!), and a long-discontinued ELF Soothing lipgloss in a ruby red shade was blotted on top. Odd combination, surely, but the point was to get a "dead rose" sort of color.

Now it's time to tuck it all back and find your pussy! (I'm talking about cats, you perverts, GAWD.)

And speaking of kitties, let's round out the post with pictures of Miss Scarlet's evil cat Ladey and my lazy cat Simmis!

As a side note: I might invite Miss Scarlet to do a monthly advice column here on BOGL. How would we feel about that? Would any of you want to participate? As you can see, she's ready and willing to answer your questions! :)

Vanity: Scarlet Fairweather

Vanity: Lipsticking Vicariously Through Others

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Scarlet Estelle F. Fairweather, Drag Queen (otherwise unemployed--HIRE ME!)

When I was five years old, my older sister was videotaping a news project for bonus points. She had all her friends over, but needed another female to play the role of a 'bitter diet pill victim' who had lost much more weight than she wanted to. They put me in a red dress, coiffed my hair, and threw on some blue eyeshadow. I was the star, and this whole mess was set into motion. Since then, I've dabbled with flowing fabrics and wigs on and off until college, where I really started performing and getting my feet off of the ground.
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The secret is to never be afraid to show yourself to people. A lot of my performances pull from real emotions and trials that I've gone through. Don't limit your experiences--you'll never know how much they'll come in handy. I have gone through a lot in my young queer life, but I can't regret any of it, especially since it's brought so much reality into my drag career.

 Personally, I find a lot of inspiration from video games and anime/comic books. Many of my favorite looks come from iconic characters like Poison Ivy and Majora's Mask. I'm a big time drag geek. I've also always been inspired by Amanda Palmer's face, vintage starlet's demeanors, and old cartoon characters for personality. I love exploring different cultures and cosmetic traditions. Plus, I do a mean Sarah Palin impersonation!
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Anything with an intense pigment gets me giddy in the ladyparts! I have a Kryolan red eyeshadow, which is a staple for when I do a basic face (I mean, my name IS Scarlet). I love NYX lipsticks, especially their reds and corals. It's shallow, but I really enjoy the names of their shades. And the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk' is something I could never be without. That stick gives me a lady-eye, and keeps me from looking too dude-y. I've used up a lot of panstick (Max Factor, Ben Nye, etc), and I'm running low on my eyebrow powder (Hard Candy Welcome Matte, my favorite turn of phrase). Other than that, I've been trained by the recession to use my product responsibly!
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We all have our favorite kinds of makeup. I'd be lying if I said I didn't love MAC EVERYTHING. If I had the paycheck, I'd buy SO MUCH from their line. Overall, I like a mix of everything, from high-end to dollar store. Think of your budget before splurging, but don't be afraid to get yourself a treat once in a while. Also, anything in a unique shade or something that goes against the grain is fun. I like the challenge of creating a look with an electric blue lipstick, or a white mascara.
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 I like to spend no more than an hour on my face. Impatience is a family habit with me, although I can take time on a more precise look. I start by blocking out my eyebrows--I usually tell those babies a bedtime story before tucking them under a layer of glue and foundation. Next, I conceal EVERYTHING (Ben Nye, my love, my darling). After that, it's time for contouring, especially my cheeks and forehead. I like to lay the lines of my eyeshadow with the contour; it helps me fill in more clearly later. When I'm done with my base, I take care of my eyes and eyebrows, add lashes, then blush. I used to forget blush and wound up looking like Skeletor. Then I line my lips, fill in with stick, and gloss that stuff baby! When that's all finished, I smile, put a wig on, and get dressed (important unless you want to look like a hussy, young lady), and I walk around to make sure I'm comfortable.
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Sometimes, when I'm not in drag, I'll throw some Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse on my face and highlight with MAC Cream Color Base in Luna around my eyes. It's never a ton, and I believe I've gone too far if people notice it.

  My beauty philosophy is manifold:

1. Beauty outside only really comes from beauty inside. You can be a smoking hot fake-lady, but if you can't handle yourself in public, then you're just another tramp. 
2. Never be afraid to try something fun or different. Trends only really start from people experimenting with their own looks.
3. Have fun. No matter what. 

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 This project is greatly indebted to the Top Shelf section of IntoTheGloss.com, which was my inspiration, and to every beautiful person who participates. This article has been slightly modified for clarity and length.

Photo Archives: Ye Olde MUA Images, part 2

Tokidoki Robbery palette

TKB Trading mica, Emerald
Wet n' Wild shadow, Brulee
Jordana Fabu-liner, Black
Milani Liquif-eye eyeliner, Black
MAC Select Cover concealer, NW15
Jordana lipliner, Superstar
NYX lipstick, Paris
NYX round gloss, Kiss
Hard Candy Sheer Envy primer
Graftobian HD cream foundation, Bombshell
Coty Airspun powder
La Femme blush, Mulberry
Benefit High Beam

Photo Archives: Ye Olde MUA Images, part 1

In preparation for the big move to this lovely spot on Blogger, I have decided to post some of my pictures from MakeupAlley and attempt to list some of the products I'm wearing in said pictures. Be forewarned that some of these images are old, so I definitely do not know what I'm wearing beyond what is listed here.

With that said, let's begin! :)

MAC Kanga-Rouge lipstick, Rock & Republic Cougar lipgloss, Hard Candy Doll Face luminizer