I heard about
The Body Needs from
Life's Entropy; it's a website that has handmade cosmetics, as well as samples of pretty much every MAC lipstick and pigment, glitter, and paint pot. After trying Plumful and falling in love, I added TBN to my email list to wait for a sale, and within a few months, there was 30% off everything, so I pounced and picked up 9 that looked promising, in a variety of formulas. I've been playing around with them the past few weeks (my other lippies are feeling somewhat unloved, ha!) and will share my thoughts, split up over a couple of posts. Today, I'll show you the bright warms; next time, I'll show you the pinks and reds, and the final post will cover purchase information.
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Circus, Speak Louder, Impassioned
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| Ultra Darling |
Ultra Darling is a Sheen Supreme, which is supposed to be shiny, and it does succeed at that! It's an orange-leaning coral, though not so orange as to be unwearable for me. It's quite thick, and while it's comfortable to wear, it's also rather heavy, and the texture is such that I find myself rubbing my lips together incessantly (something that doesn't happen with drier, lighter formulas). It's pretty, but it's not very long-lasting, and my issues with the formula mean I won't be purchasing it in the full size.
Grade: C+
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| Crosswires |
Crosswires is very similar in color to Ultra Darling, but the difference in finishes means they look quite different on. Crosswires is a Cremesheen, which is more opaque and less creamy, so the result is satin, not glossy, and less jellyish. It's also longer-lasting, and I find it less prone to moving around post-application, which makes it lower maintenance. Though I prefer this formula, I tend to gravitate towards pinker corals; that being said, it's nice to have an orange-er option for days when I feel like that! (Also, yes, the photos for Ultra Darling and Crosswires were taken on the same day, because they both went so well with that sweater!)
Grade: B+
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| Impassioned |
Impassioned is an Amplified Creme finish, making it very opaque and marginally creamy, though like the Cremesheens, it's a satin finish, not glossy. It's a bright warm pink, not as cool or dark as I associate with fuchsia (though MAC deems it an "amped up fuchsia"). It's very pretty and nicely long-lasting, clocking in at 3 hours with drinking but no eating, and while it's not moisturizing, it's not drying, either. I don't find myself wearing this kind of color all that often, but it's really nice to have this on hand!
Grade: A-
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| Speak Louder |
Speak Louder is another Cremesheen, falling somewhere in between Impassioned and Crosswires in color, though closer to the former. It's my favorite out of these, since it's a nice blend of pink and coral, and while it's colorful, it's not super bright, which makes it easier to wear. It lasts a solid 2 hours and leaves my lips in the same condition as they started, so as long as I've applied balm the night before, I can wear just this all day.
Grade: A-
Have you tried any of these lipsticks? What kinds of shades and formulas do you prefer?
