With flash
I took these impatiently at night time with my iPhone6 so the quality isn't too great, I was just on my dresser rummaging through a few shades and ended up taking these snaps. I will update this post or create another one with clearer shots so you can see the different tones in each lipstick, because in the photo they are looking more or less the same, and I assure you there are differences in hues, undertones and textures, Once I get those all important swatches I'll describe the texture & longevity of each product and list the pros, cons and give each one a rating out of 10!!
*Updated**
Here is a more clear photo of the lip products in, only problem is that I forgot to include 'Stila - Patina' in the picture and swatches :(
Mauve/brown nude lip colour
Swatches minus Stila - Patina
Lipsticks
Wet n Wild Mega Last - Spiked with Rum: 8/10
Looks a lot more darker in the tube then it does swatched, it's more of a deeper auburn, maroon burgundy shade. The formula of these lipsticks are very matte and pigmented, a lot of people find them quite drying, but I like the texture & wouldn't regard it as drying at all. The formula is very long lasting my only complaint is that the packaging, as it looks quite cheap and the product gets all over the lid and tube (not a pretty sight) but for around $2 a piece you can't complain!
Revlon Matte Lipstick - Mauve it Over: 9/10
Although the name suggests it to be a 'mauve' shade I don't really think it is. It's more of a peachy, rosy toned mid tone nude. On lighter skintones it pulls more brown and darker skintones the rose or pink undertone is more prominent. Formula wise, again it's a matte formula, for those that don't like the matte lips, this one has an almost silicone like texture so it's non-drying. Sometimes I enjoy this as it gives moisture to the lips but the downside is that it can tend to feel quite slippy and not as long lasting as you'd expect from a typical matte lipstick. Packaging is quite sleek and retails for around £7.50. Defo would repurchase this as I love the colour & finish. It's almost finished as I wore this almost everyday till it reached the bottom, I still do love it when I apply it! A lot of people have duped it for MACs Velvet Teddy or Kinda Sexy, I personally think it falls in between both those shades. (Once I purchase Velvet Teddy I'll be able to do a side by side swatch of all 3 lipsticks).
Maybelline Color Sensational - Pink Brown: 7/10
This is one of the first 'my lips but better' shade I purchased. It has a strong mayve tone to it but as the name suggests it is a pink brown. The texture is quite creamy and the lipstick itself has a sweet cake scent to it. The packaging is sturdy, the lid supposedly matches the shade of the lipstick, so you're aware of what tone lipstick you're grabbing. At first I really enjoyed wearing this but now I don't ever reach for it. I find the formula a bit too creamy but quite grainy on the lips, very difficult to describe. Also the shade can sometimes pull a bit lilacy on me due to the mauve undertone. I think over a darker lipliner the colour and texture would be much more wearable and to my liking at the moment. Retails for around £6.99
Lime Crime Velvetine - Riot: 9/10
My first Limecrime product and despite the controversy around the brand, I love the product.The velvetines were one of the first on the market and it did not disappoint, which at $20 it really shouldn't! The packaging is beautiful, the tube is a frosted one which represents the matte lip products and it also arrives beautifully gift wrapped and boxed. The formula is a little thinner then some liquid lipsticks, but I wouldn't say it was watery. It was still very pigmented and one swipe covers the whole mouth. It has a velvet matte finish, not drying as some people expect liquid lipsticks to be, it has a beautiful smooth matte texture. Therefore I probably will be purchasing 'Bleached' and maybe 'Shroom' too. The one little downside I had with the product is the shade. Its described as a marsala tone, which is a brick red brown, which is totally is and looks exactly like all the swatches I've seen online before I decided to purchase it, but atm I'm just not adhering to the shade well. I'm finding it to pull slightly a bit too red for my liking (and I hate red on me!) Perhaps it'll be a transitional colour for me to start wearing reds, but I'm going to try wear it out more during autumn/fall. Atm I nude the shade out or top it off with a rich brown. Perhaps 'Riot' and 'Shroom' will look perfect mixed together...
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick - Lolita: 8/10
The cult favourite and well sought after and always sold out 'lolita'. I would say this is a dark mauve brown and works on all skintones. Again because of my love for more lighter or mid-tone nude shades, I did find it really hard to wear this out. It does suit my complexion a lot but it's just something I have to get used to, as I don't agree with darker shades on me. Despite that I have worn this quite a lot, mostly mixed with a pale nude in the centre of my lips or with Sleek - Petal liquid lipstick, It just brings the shade a notch lighter and more preferable to my taste. Because of that I think I would of enjoyed the first formulation a lot more, as its slightly lighter with a touch more pink to it. I have the third formulation of 'lolita'. Formula wise it is quite matte and can be a little drying, which for some people may be a pain especially as it retails for $20, I love the slimness of the tube and the tattoo like pattern, but the actual wand itself just jumps out the tube once you open it so you have to be careful. Despite that I think Kat Von D has a beautiful selection of shades and now 'Bow and Arrow' is back it is something I am defo purchasing, just hope I'm not as disappointed as I was with Lolita, but Autumn/Winter is not too far away, so this is another one I will keep trying as the deeper shades come back into trend with season.
Gerard Cosmetics - 1995: 8/10
Jaclyn Hills collaboration with GC on '1995' made me fall in love with brown, mahogany lips all over again! It is the typical 90s brown shade, hence the name, and again consists of a very matte formula. I love matte lips and actually enjoy dryer formulas as they last longer on the lips and I find that they make your lips look fuller (which is definitely the case with this) but this lipstick has a weird drying consistency. When you begin to apply this its almost like a chalky consistency that tugs and pulls on the lips, but once you start to layer or build the product up it applies more smoother. The packaging looks pretty as its encased in a gold bullet but its made of cheap plastic so isn't as luxurious as you'd presume. Tbh I feel as if Gerard Cosmetic products are quite cheap in terms of formula and packaging in terms of material but with its gold exterior and many Youtubers and Gurus raving and using the brands product it has got itself a more 'higher' end feel to the company, but really I would say the products have more of a drugstore feel to it. Pricing is all over the place with this one too, it has a standard retail price of $19 (which I don't think anyone pays) definitely isn't worth that price tag but with all the bundle deals and voucher codes you can get it for a lot less then that. I would repurchase this as I reach for this brown a lot and enjoy a dry matte texture. I also liked the look of the 'nude' so might consider purchasing that too, I do still adore the gold packaging, so why not. I also find that the product had a very slight traditional lipstick smell to it, again something that cheapened the whole feel of the lipstick.
Mac - Cosmo: 9/10
Not much to say on this, it is an amplified finish which is rich, pigmented and creamy. I love the formula, well moisturising but has a good consistency and that famous mac lipstick vanilla scent. It is a rosy brown shade and again appears more pink on olive and darker skintones. Mac lipsticks retail for £15.50. 'Cosmo' is a shade that works with any makeup look, something that can be easily thrown on and worn.
Sleek Matte Me - Birthday Suit: 9.5/10
This shade I can wear everyday and have worn 95% of the time since I bought it in May 2014! It is the perfect balance between nude, brown, beige and rose. It's the shade that made me step out from my pale nudes and transition into the darker mid tone shades. The formula is great, its not too thin or too thick, a typical liquid lipstick formula. It can be a bit too drying and slightly tacky at times, that's the only reason this isn't a 10/10 product, and a lot of people will find it a little uncomfortable and ultra matte, but I still can wear it everyday and will choose it over any other lip product. Sometimes I wear this alone and sometimes I top it off with a nude a brown or a mauve lipstick. It works fantastic as a base colour and a mixing medium as well as gorgeous alone. It makes my lips look fuller too. It can be worn with a smokey eye and looks perfect or with just mascara and makes you're makeup look complete. It's only £4.99 and I have a back up already. My go to lippy for sure!
Mac - Viva Glam II: 10/10
This is my all time favourite Mac Lipstick and possibly all time favourite nude. I haven't actually worn this for a while, I think its possibly because #1 It's gone almost right down to the tube and #2 I opt for more 'darker nudes' now. But it is the perfect nude for me. Not too pink or peach, gives me enough colour and sets of any dark or smokey eye. It doesn't have that concealer look and is a perfect beige tone with a hint of warmth for me. It can appear slightly greyish on the swatch or on some people but on my lips that works well and gives a neutral balance of tone. It is a satin finish, so its long lasting, and moisturising and has a great consistency so it lasts a while on lips. No shine, which I like!! Love this lipstick, in need of buying another one soon.
LA Splash Lip Couture - Ghoulish: 7/10
I really wanted to try a greige shade such as 'cashmere' because it looked so striking on many different skintones. 'Ghoulish' looked slightly darker and I thought that would probably look better on my skintone. I also wanted to try out the formula of the Lip Couture as I heard great things about it. The formula itself is great, a liquid lipstick that doesn't take too long to dry and gives an ultra matte finish, not really that drying nor tacky and is super pigmented and hard to budge!! It has a slight paint-like smell to it, which does disappear after application but can be overwhelming to some. The reason for the lower score is purely down to preference in shade, I just find it dull looking on me, same as how I feel with 'Lolita' on the lips. I haven't worn this out to be honest, again with the colder season approaching I will give it a shot and probably try keep the eye and face very warm toned to balance it out. It is a pretty shade and very unique, I just haven't found it to work quite right on me yet. It comes in a typical lipgloss style tube but the applicator is much bigger and wider and easier to work with. At $14 a piece I would say it is a reasonable price for the formula and vast shade range including many iconic shade dupes.
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick - Patina: 10/10
So gutted I don't have a swatch for this alongside the others, that's what happens when you're swatching at 8am! (I've inserted a pic underneath wearing this) This lipstain is something that I did not anticipate to love like I do! Compared to the rest of the shades it has got more of a purple, berry/bitten tone to it, something which I didn't think was going to be that strong, I expected a more cool toned mauve (pink brown) shade which it wasn't. I loved it as soon as I put it on, I didn't think I'd like a shade like this. I find it very unique and flattering. 'Sephora cream lipstain in Marvellous Mauve' is an exact dupe, I may pick it up to test out the formula and when I'm half way through this one. Not only do I love the colour but I'm so impressed by the formula. I would say it is the best liquid lipstick I've tried. It has more of a thicker, mousse like consistency and goes on smoothly, dries to a matte finish that is not drying at all or sticky. It also has a cake like vanilla scent that is divine! Encased in a simple sleek packaging which retails for £15 which I think is worth the quality of the product. I've got my eyes on the shade 'Dolce' as I love nude, I just wish they had more of a variety of shades that I typically would opt for.
stila - patina on the lips
Nars Audacious Lipstick - Anita: 10/10
This lipstick is the most luxurious feeling product I probably own. I was so impressed how pigmented and silky it went on. It also has a matte finish and some awesome shades. Definitely got my eye on a couple more shades in this line, at £24 it is the priciest one in the line up but I can definitely understand the price tag, and the product does reflect the high expectations. It also comes in a magnetic sturdy casing with NARS embossed on to it. The shade 'Anita' is a light to medium dusty rose mauve, I love to wear it on top of 'Sleek - Birthday Suit' or with 'Jordana - Tawny' lip pencil coloured in the whole lips.
Loreal Color Riche - Sienna: 7.5/10
This lipstick I picked up a few years ago, it is a typical 90s brown and quite similar to '1995' but has no rose undertones to it at all. I don't reach for this lipstick as much now, unless I colour my whole lip in with a lip pencil, mainly because it has quite a shiny finish to it. I'm more into matte lips as you've probably guessed, I use this a lot though mixed in with other lipsticks and with the more drying ones It adds moisture and 'browns' up a shade if i find it too pink. It has a very old school floral like scent to it, which I don't mind but a lot of people may dislike this. I love the packaging of the loreal lipsticks, I'm not too sure whether I'd actually repurchase this or not. I guess I'd try find an alternative which I would reach for more, but at £6.99 you get a good product for good value.
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