Orange - Red Lips Yes Please!

I don't know about you but I have been loving orange-red lips. It is a good colour to rock if you want a statement lip with a retro vibe to it. Since I have warm undertones, I feel like red colours with a little bit of orange suit me best. Today I am sharing with you a set of three lipsticks that fall into that category and tell you my thoughts. 

Let's start with the least affordable from the bunch but the one that surely kicks a punch - Lancome L'Absolu Velours d´Orange #172. It is a creamy matte lip colour that applies fully opaque. It feels very comfortable on the lips and doesn't dry completely to a matte finish. Hence, it doesn't dry out your lips by no means. However if you prefer a matte look you can always dust a little bit of powder over it and it takes the sheen away. The lasting power is pretty good considering that it is a relatively creamy formula. It does stain your lips a little bit. I also like the applicator, it is shaped perfectly to fit the contours of your lips. The colour itself is a vidid orange-red and I like it a lot. Lancome falls under the L'Oreal umbrella which means that it's not necessarily cruelty free. You can purchase it at your closest Lancome counter or Feelunique.

The lipstick that has solidified my obsession with this colour is Rimmel's 660 In Love With Ginger. It is from their re-formulated Moisture Renew line. This colour is just perfection. It is one of my most worn bold lipsticks. It is a perfect mix of orange and red. It is not as bold as the Lancome's L'Absolu Velours but applies opaque in one coat. I can't fault the texture. It is creamy and feels good on the lips. It lasts a good few hours if you are not drinking or eating. If you are sensitive to scents it could be an issue with this one. All Rimmel lipsticks have a relatively strong artificial floral scent. Some people like it, some people hate it. I am not a fan but I can look past it since the colour is so gorgeous. Rimmel is an affordable brand but it's not cruelty free. Rimmel is readily available but I purchased mine from Feelunique. 

L-R: Kiko Cream Lipstick 508 Orange,  Rimmel In Love with Ginger,
Lancome L'Absolu Velours 172

L-R: Kiko Cream Lipstick 508 Orange, Rimmel In Love with Ginger,  
Lancome L'Absolu Velours 172

Last but not certainly least, is the Kiko's Luscious Cream Lipstick in 508 Orange. As the name suggests it has a creamy consistency which simply glides on the lips. It is more of a sheer formula compared to Rimmel but you can build it up. The colour is not as bright as the other two and it has more orange hues. In my opinion it is a wearable orange. You can decide how opaque you want the colour to be. It is the least long-wearing but the easiest to touch up. In terms of price it is extremely affordable. Kiko does not test on animals and this lipstick is hypoallergenic. I get Kiko products from their online shop.

To wrap up, it's a pretty good set of options. If you want to treat yourself and get a more higher end lipstick try Lancome's creamy matte lip colours. If you are looking for an all rounder Rimmel's In Love with Ginger fits right that bill. However, if you are not too familiar with orange-red lippies and looking for a cruelty free alternative, Kiko has a pretty good offering. 

Do you have any recommendations for lipsticks I should try that fall under the same colour scheme?

Until next time,
Muffy

The Battle of Pinky Lipliners

Lip liners, don't they take you back to the 90s? To me that is the time when over-drawing your lips was the coolest thing ever and many wore lip liner on it's own. As with all trends they have a tendency to come back and the 90s are no exception. Right now fashion resembles that of Spice Girls while makeup that of Cindy Crawford. As a result, lip liners are being sold like hot potatoes. I have picked up a few too many recently, trying to keep it in the neutral, rosy and mauve range. Today I would like to focus on Rimmel's Exaggerate Lip Liner in 063 Eastend Snob and Catrice's Long Lasting Lip Pencil in 080 That's What Rose Wood Do!

Let's start with Rimmel. Its lip liner in Eastend Snob has been  popular in the blogging community as many compare it to the Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk. I don't own that one so I can't say much about it. Eastend Snob is a pinky mauve colour, which looks very flattering on the lips. It does not wash you out. It comes in a retractable format with a slanted tip applicator, which is good for a precision work. The texture is creamy hence it does not tug on your lips when distributing the product. In my opinion it is a long-wearing formula, even though it doesn't claim to be one. I can also agree with the exaggerate factor, I think it does make your lips look a bit more plumped and defined. But I think that is merely an attribute that all lip liners should have by default. I did not find it particularly drying and I usually wear it on its own. I like to fill in my lips first and later smudge the edges out, so it gives it a more natural, sultry look. I really enjoy the finished look and how it wears throughout the day. The only downside is that it's not cruelty free.

T-B: Rimmel Eastend Snob and Catrice That's What Rose Wood Do!

L-R: Cartice That's What Rose Wood Do! and Rimmel Eastend Snob

Next up is Catrice's lip pencil in That's What Rose Wood Do! Catrice is an affordable makeup brand that has some really good quality products. Besides the incredibly long name it is very close to the Rimmel's Eastend Snob. The texture is equally creamy and makes it effortless to apply. When it comes to colour they are very similar. Rimmel's lip liner is a tad more dusty, but on the lips you can't really tell the difference. Unlike Eastend Snob, Cartices's lip pencil claims that it is long lasting and waterproof. To be honest, I think Rimmel's lip liner performs much better in terms of longevity. Catrice's lip pencil comes in a traditional pencil format, so you need to sharpen it. I personally don't mind that but just something for you to note. Catrice does not test on animals which is a big plus. The only downside is that it is not readily available. You can get it in Germany, Austria (probably other European counties) or on eBay. Rimmel's Exaggerate lip liners are available at Feelunique. 

Bottom line, these lip liners are phenomenal. They are easy to work with, reasonably priced and can rival many higher end ones (I am looking at you YSL and Mac). I will be picking up more of Catrice lip pencils next time I am in central Europe. 

Which one of the two caught your eye? I would love to know!

Cheers,
Muffy