Dose Of Colors Liquid Matte Lipstick in Truffle

Dose of Colors is hands down the brand I have wanted to try for the longest time, but it has been pretty challenging to get in Europe. Now this has changed as Beautybay started carrying it. I initially wanted to pick up the liquid matte lipstick in Stone, but that shade seems to be sold out all the time everywhere. I was lucky enough though to snatch Truffle, which has been on my radar as well. I have tried quite a few liquid lipstick formulas and I wanted to see how this one compares. To find out just that keep on reading!

The reason why I got interested in the brand is because it's vegan and cruelty-free, plus it's still a rather niche brand. I personally like to support niche and indie brands. The product comes in a really nice cardboard packaging which is colour coded. The liquid lipstick tube has a frosted-glass effect that is very sleek and modern looking. I personally think the packaging and overall presentation is on point. Besides being vegan and cruelty-free the Dose of Colors liquid matte lipsticks are formulated without parabens and gluten. That is why the shelf life is only 6 months before the product goes bad. 

The applicator is quite unique. It's not your traditional doe foot. It has a slight dent which allows for more precise application and control. I never mess up when using this product. It's much more user friendly compared to others I have tested. In terms of formula it doesn't disappoint. It's opaque with one swipe and doesn't dry too fast, which means you can still perfect your application if need be. As it's a matte liquid lipstick it will be drying, but it's not as drying as for instance La Splash, Sleek and Stila. I noticed that I start feeling like I want to apply lip balm when I have worn it for about 3-4 hours. I think that's pretty good for a matte lipstick. Usually with other similar products within an hour or so I start feeling like it's crusty and super drying. 

Dose of Colors Liquid Matte Lipstick in Truffle

When it comes to longevity it performs really well. If I eat salad or something non-greasy during the day it can easily last the whole day. It doesn't wear off ugly like some matte liquid lipsticks tend to do. This can be due to the formula but also the shade. It's very close to my natural lip colour therefore you can't really see distinctively where it has worn off. In terms of shade I would describe Truffle as a darker pinky-nude. It's in the same colour family as for example Mac Velvet Teddy. Below, I have swatched it next to the Sleek Matte Me Lip Cream in Birthday Suit. They are quite similar, but Sleek's Birthday Suit is more rosy. Sleek is also a cruelty-free brand but I have been put off when I noticed that the shelf life of it's Matte Me Lip Cream in Birthday Suit is 36 months! 

L-R: Sleek Matte Me Lip Cream in Birthday Suit and Dose of Colors Liquid Matte Lipstick in Truffle

Overall, I am very pleased with the Dose of Colors Liquid Matte Lipstick in Truffle. In the future I would like to try other colours such as Stone and Cork, but for now I am pretty satisfied with what I have. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative of similar shade, Sleek's Birthday Suit is a good one (as long as you are not bothered by an insanely long shelf life for a liquid product).  

I hope you found this useful. Let me know if you have tried any of the Dose of Colors liquid lipsticks and what are your favourite shades!

Cheers,
Muffy

Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Embrace

I am not a fan of cream blushes. When I think about cream blush I can't help but feel like it's messy, will slide off my face and leave a greasy residue. But recently I came across a new brand of makeup called Kjaer Weis. Her cream blushes seem to get exceptional reviews and I decided to give it a go. I picked up the lightest shade in the collection called Embrace.

Kjaer Weis cream blush in Embrace

Kjaer Weis is an organic luxury brand. Her products come in a modern yet sophisticated packaging which is refillable. I highly appreciate the brand's zero-waste packaging ideology. As I already have a few z-palettes I opted for a refill option just to see how I get along - plus it's cheaper. I do wish to get a proper compact eventually. 

Now let's talk a bit about the actual blush. It's a nude-pink colour which would look stunning on fair to light-medium skin tones. On me it looks more pink as I have a light-medium complexion but, for instance, on my friend who is paler it pulls more nude. It's made in Italy from certified organic ingredients including castor seed oil, beeswax, jojoba seed oil, rosa rubiginosa seed oil and gardenia florida fruit extract. It doesn't contain coconut oil which makes it suitable for sensitive skins prone to breakouts.  It's free from  gluten, petroleum, parabens, artificial colouring and fragrance. It has a shelf life of 12 months after opening.

Kjaer Weis cream blush in Embrace

In regards to performance I can't say enough good things about this blush. It's highly pigmented, easy to apply and lasts on my cheeks for a good 8 hours. It doesn't leave a greasy residue but rather sets to a demi-matte finish. It blends effortlessly and is foolproof. You can apply this blush with your fingers or a synthetic brush. I use the Makeup Geek Angled Stippling Brush and it gets the job done. Since this is a cream product it doubles up nicely as a lipstick. I am not a fan of such pale colours on my lips but I can totally see myself using the more darker colours from the range.

Kjaer Weis cream blush in Embrace swatch from the pan

Kjaer Weis cream blush in Embrace slightly blended

Overall I am very happy with this purchase. It has fast become my go to blush and I will keep getting a lot of use from it especially during Spring and Summer months. In Finland you can purchase Kjaer Weis products from Jolie. If you have been unsure about cream blushes, this would be a good place to start. If not for yourself I think Kjaer Weis products would make great gifts especially for someone in your life that appreciates niche brands, design and makeup. 

Let me know if you have tried any other products from the Kjaer Weis makeup range, I'd love to know!

Cheers,
Muffy

Lush Rosy Cheeks Fresh Mask

I am a big fan of Lush. They make some really nice products like the Mask of Magnaminty, Lip Scrubs & Balms and the Comforter Bubble Bar. I have tried almost all of their fresh masks simply because I shop too much there. If you return five empty pots you can get one fresh mask for free. This time around when I was returning my empties I decided to try a recent addition to their fresh masks selection called Rosy Cheeks.
  

As you can see it's pink. The consistency is rather thick, which means it won't slip and slide all over your face. It dries in about 10-15 minutes completely. Some of the key ingredients are kaolin, calamine powder and rose oil. As with all Lush products it's not tested on animals. The main purpose of this mask is to sooth and calm the skin. I think that it does a pretty good job at that. However, I have hard time understanding how can something be soothing yet so strongly scented. In my opinion the scent is extremely overpowering and it lingers on the skin. Surely it smells like roses but the intensity is way too strong for my liking (and usually I am not too sensitive to scents).

Another aspect worth mentioning is when you rinse this mask off it leaves your skin feeling and looking matte. I think if you have acne prone or oily skin you would love it. For me personally, I would have preferred it to be more hydrating. 

Overall, I think it's an OK mask. It's good for those days when your skin feels a bit meh perhaps due to stress or flying and it needs a bit of soothing and balancing. If you are looking for something that would be calming and hydrating I would instead direct you to my all time favourite Lush fresh mask - Catastrophe Cosmetic. 

I hope you found this useful. Let me know if you have tried Lush's fresh masks, I'd love to know!

Until next time,
Muffy

Paula's Choice Resist Hydrating Cleanser

Not all cleanser are created equal. Some would say it's just a cleanser so how fancy does it have to be. Well, here's the thing. If you have dry and sensitive skin it needs to be darn fancy. From my experience the majority of cleansers have a tendency to dry the skin out and leave it feeling like the Gobi desert. Therefore, anything that has hydrating in the name I am all up for. As such I decided to give the Paula's Choice Resist Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser a go. Plus I heard only good things about it, so why the heck not. 

This is my first experience with Paul's Choice skincare. I got really intrigued by it, as it's cruelty-free, made in the USA, non-irritating and is liked by many around the world. I have to say that it can get a bit overwhelming trying to find the right product range for your skin, as there are so many to choose from. I decided to go for the Resist range which targets wrinkles and dry skin.

Paula's Choice Resist Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser

Now the cleanser comes in a nice sleek bottle with a pump. Highly appreciate that. Plus you get a generous amount of product (190ml). It claims to be non-foaming with an exceptionally gentle formula that works quickly to remove makeup, while leaving your skin feeling fresh, soothed and soft with no greasy residue. It's suitable for all skin types. It's fragrance and colourant free. 

After using it for several months I would have to agree that it's non-foaming, doesn't irritate the skin and I just need a small amount (1 pump) to cleanse my whole face. However, I don't completely agree that it leaves the skin feeling soft, soothed and hydrated. After using it (I use it as a second cleanse as I always remove the majority of my makeup with an oil first) my skin and especially a few dry patches on my forehead felt totally stripped of any moisture. Every time I used it, sure my skin felt clean, but not comfortably clean if you know what I mean. I would say as the weather is getting warmer and my dry patches are not as prominent, it tends to work better. This leads me to believe that in winter when my skin is particularly dry it's just not potent enough.   

Overall, I would have to say it's an OK basic cleanser. I'd imagine if you have normal or oily skin you would enjoy it. However, if you have dry to extremely dry skin this is not going to do the trick. I will continue using it in Spring and Summer but for colder months I would need to bring out the big guns, for example my all time favourite Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel.

I hope you found this helpful and if you have tried any other products from the Paula's Choice line, please let me know what are your top picks!

Cheers,
Muffy 

Morphe Elite Brushes Worth the Hype?

T-B: Morphe E3, Morphe E27 and Morphe E18

Makeup brushes are my weakness. I just love them. I have been on the hunt for a new blush brush and my lovely friends gave me a few brushes from the Morphe Brushes Elite collection for Christmas.  I have been using them ever since and have formulated a pretty solid opinion. To find out if these are worth checking out or not, keep on reading!

Morphe E3

Let's start with the Morphe E3 - Precision Pointed Powder Brush. This brush can be used for multiple purposes but I personally prefer it for applying blush. It's extremely soft and distributes the product so smoothly on the cheeks, without tugging, pulling or skipping. The bristles are synthetic. I don't have anything like it in my collection and it has fast become my go to blush brush. It washes easily and dries pretty quickly. A word of advice if you notice that your blush looks sort of blotchy: it might be because you are using a brush with natural bristles. Try using a brush with synthetic hairs instead.

L-R: Sigma E40 and Morphe E27

Moving on to the Morphe E27 - Pro Round Blender Brush. As the name suggests it's great for blending out eyeshadow, so you don't have any harsh lines. It's super fluffy and soft. It's non-scratchy on the eyes, blends like a dream and is made out of synthetic bristles. To me a good blending brush is a must. My go to for a long time has been Sigma E40 but after using Morphe E27 I'd go as far as saying that I prefer it over Sigma E40 simply because it's softer and fluffier (you can see the comparison in the picture below). It also sits well in my hand and pretty much does the job for me.

L-R: Sigma E40 and Morphe E27

Next up is the Morphe E18 - Round Crease Brush. It's meant for a more precise application and blending shadow in the crease. I don't personally use it for such purposes. Instead, I found it works great for smudging out eyeshadow along the lower lash line. I have previously tried pencil brushes but those tend to be pretty rough on the delicate under eye area. Morphe E18 is dense but at the same time quite flexible and soft, which makes it perfect for dispersing shadow. As with Morphe E3 and Morphe E27 it's made out of synthetic bristles.

L-R: Morphe E18 and Makeup Geek Outer V Brush

L-R: Morphe E18 and Makeup Geek Outer V Brush

Morphe E18 is very similar to the Makeup Geek's Outer V brush (as can be seen in the images above). The Makeup Geek's Outer V brush is just a tad bit denser. They both do the job, however I prefer Morphe E18 as it's more gentle. I mostly use the Makeup Geek's Outer V brush for applying an inner corner highlight and it's fantastic for that. 

Overall, I am very happy with the three brushes I own from the Morphe Elite Brushes collection. If you are on the market for affordable, good quality and synthetic brushes I think these are worth checking out. I have been eyeing Morphe E4 - Angled Contour brush, but it's always out of stock on Beautybay... arhhhhh!

As always if you have any suggestions for budget-friendly makeup brushes I have been missing out on, please let me know!

Cheers,
Muffy