Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils vs Elf Instant Lift Brow

Let's talk brows today. Lately thanks to social media, marketing and beauty trends the importance of brows has been brought back to our attention. Filling in my brows is an essential step in my daily routine regardless if I am embracing my natural self or going for a full-on glam look. I have been putting a few new brow products to the test, so if you want to find out more, then keep on reading!

Up first is Lancome's brow pencil Le Crayon Sourcils in 020 Chatain. It's a dual-ended pencil where on one end you have a spoolie and on the other end you have a pencil. It does not come in a twist up format, therefore you will need to sharpen the pencil as needed. I like the texture of this pencil. It's not too creamy as to where you don't have control and it smudges all over. Nor it's too hard as to where you will be pulling and tagging on your brows to get some colour payoff. I give a big plus for the formula. Shade 020 Chatain is a perfect match for me. It's a cool toned brown. Altogether the offering consists of four shades: 010 Blonde, 020 Chatain, 030 Brun and 040 Noir. The spoolie is alright, I can work with it but it's not the best one out there. It's relatively long-wearing especially if I set it with a brow gel. I don't need to worry about my brows fading throughout the day. You get 1,19g of product and you can purchase it at your closest Lancome counter or Feelunque. 

Elf Instant Lift Brow Applicator and Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils Applicator

L-R:Instant Lift Brow in Toupe and Le Crayon Sourcils in Chatain

Next up is a more budget friendly alternative, Elf Essential Instant Lift Brow Pencil. I got mine in a Taupe shade. The shade selection is not too extensive. It includes: Taupe, Natural Brown and Deep Brown. It's also a dual-ended product where on one end you get a spoolie but unlike with Le Crayon Sourcils, it has a twist up pencil. The texture is slightly creamier compared to Lancome's pencil but I don't mind it. It gets the job done. The colour is very similar to Chatain, maybe a little bit ashier, but nothing major. I am not too fond of the packaging. It does not feel sturdy but rather flimsy and light weight. Also it's white, which means after a few uses it can get pretty dirty looking. What's more, the text has completely rubbed off it and I have been using this product for a couple of weeks only. It's not really a deal breaker for me since the product is good, but something worth mentioning. I am also not a fan of the spoolie. It's very harsh on the skin and a bit too oversized for my liking. The lasting power is not up to par with Lacome's pencil but you can always touch up, especially for the price point. On a positive note, Elf is cruelty free and is extremely affordable. You get 0,18g of product and it retails for only 2,99$ at BeautyJoint.

My final thoughts are that if you want to try a dual-ended brow pencil that is cruelty free and won't cost a fortune I say Elf is a good place to start. Surely it's not as good as the Anastasia Brow Wiz(a separate review here) or the Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils, but if you are on a budget it will get the job done. If you are looking for a more higher-end brow pencil I would still recommend Anastasia Brow Wiz over Lancome's brow pencil just because it's cruelty free, exceptionally long-lasting, has a wider colour range and is ultimately cheaper. 

Let me know know what's your favourite eye brow product, I'd love to hear!

Cheers,
Muffy

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