Clinique Cheek Pop Berry Pop Review and Swatches

I really didn't intend to be absent for so long, but...well, time flies when you're having fun (and by "having fun", I mean "working frantically", which fortunately are not mutually exclusive). My union is on the verge of a strike, scheduled for December 2––you can read about it here, here, and here, and if you'd like to support us, you can sign the petition here––which adds further excitement to an already-full schedule. Basically, I love my union, my university has disappointed me (gee, I feel like this has happened before...), and I have no time. But here, some blush!

pristine and beautifully untouched Clinique Berry Pop*

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine 02 Pourpre Intouchable Review and Swatches

I've been wanting to pick up one of the Rouge Volupté Shines ever since I tried some samples from Sephora. The formula is semi-sheer, lightweight, balmy, but not slippery, so when I had my $20 off $50 last year I decided to pick up a tube in Pourpre Intouchable, which I'd determined could be a high-end replacement for Revlon Sugar Plum, my HG MLBB shade.

Ooh, shiny.

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Roomiest Rose Review and Swatches

I liked Mightiest Maraschino so much that I paid full price for Roomiest Rose. A wise choice?

Golden Rose Perfect Shine Lipstick 239 Quick Review and Swatches

This was the first makeup item I picked up while in Turkey. I wanted to try and find an MLBB, and since this was cheap (somewhere between $3 and $7, because my memory fails me), I decided to give it a try.

Taken on a bedspread in Bodrum in a hotel with very
inadequate a/c [not sure why I remember that and not the
price, and yet...]

MAC Lipsticks, Part 2

I already posted about the warm pinks and corals; today, I cover everything else!

The Pinks and Plums

Left to right: MAC Positively Dashing, Shiseido Nymph, MAC Plumful, Revlon Sugar Plum, Golden Rose Perfect Shine Lipstick 239, Dior Atout Coeur, L'Oreal Rose On and On, MAC Lustering, MAC Sweetie

I'm not sure why I look surprised here.

Positively Dashing is a Pro Longwear Lipcreme, described as a "mid-tone 'berry' blue-red". It's a medium plum in a formula that's supposed to be lightweight with a creamy finish. It's relatively lightweight, but creamy? Not so much. I find it wears best when I apply and blend with my finger and repeat a couple times; then it isn't as uneven, and it lasts me 2-3 hours before needing to touch up, which isn't exactly long-wearing, but is longer-wearing than some. Unlike Violine Précieux (which is almost exactly the same shade), it doesn't dry my lips out, but it doesn't moisturize them, either, so it has the effect of making my lips look a bit shriveled. This is not ideal, as I have actually very nice lips, so I will continue looking for the plum lipstick of my dreams, but Positively Dashing will do for the time being. As long as I top it with balm. Grade: B-/C+

Givenchy Le Rouge Sensuously Matte in Violine Précieux Review and Swatches

Ever since its release, Givenchy's Le Rouge lipsticks have been heaped with praise. I have coveted, so very much, so when Sephora's VIB sale rolled around, I picked one up, the LE holiday Violine Précieux, described as a "berry rose".

The packaging is, indeed, beautiful. The holiday editions have a gold-and-black leather case, and it is supremely classy, albeit rather ridiculously large. It took me a bit of time to figure out how to open it––you have to hold the little squares on the front and back and pull the lid up, which is harder than it sounds; on the upside, it's not going to come apart in your bag!

MAC Plumful Review and Swatches

After an emotional session with my therapist, I decided to indulge in some retail therapy. I was going to get a Dior lip gloss, but couldn't decide on a shade, and decided to wander over to the MAC counter to look for an MLBB lipstick. I did some swatching and settled on Plumful, a lustre lipstick. I was ecstatic at the reasonable-to-current-me $15 price tag (oh, how times have changed), and the sheer plummy pink was exactly the kind of color I was looking for.

30 Days: Day 19

Today's lippies: the cool pinks and plums!

Left to right:

Revlon Colorstay Lip Liner in Plum: Got this to wear under Becca Berry Twist because I liked the red one so much. It's warm and brown-leaning, but not too warm for me. On its own, it's a little too dry and tugs, but it applies really nicely over blotted lip-balmed lips and lasts several hours. It also helps even out Berry Twist and extend the wear quite a bit, and is nice under Sugar Plum as well (makes it vampy and last longer).
Prestige Waterproof Lip Liner in Wine: Purchased for the same reason as the Revlon, but I got this one first. I like the shade, a cooler, pinker plum, and the formula is fine; I don't find it as creamy as the Revlon, but it wears well and is about as effective as the Revlon.
Shiseido Nymph: Every time I wear this, I'm reminded how much I like it. It's a lovely neutral rose that gives lips color without being the focus of a look, and the formula is very pleasant, moisturizing and somewhat long-lasting. I prefer the LMdB lip crème formula because Nymph gets a little sticky (on the upside, I never feel the urge to rub my lips together), but the color is gorgeous, and it's still one of the best formulas I've tried.

Quick Review: Becca Beach Tint in Raspberry Review and Swatches

I made myself a little sample of Becca's cult favorite Beach Tint in Raspberry when I was in California because I thought it would be a nice way to a) experience the hype, b) add a non-powder blush to my life, and c) try something purpley and vibrant!

Becca Raspberry Beach Tint, via Sephora