nyx

It’s well known that lipsticks are my weakness, so when I see great colours at less than $10… How can I resist? I recently purchased seven lipsticks from affordable brands, so here they are!

NYX, Wet N Wild and Milani all make great lipsticks at affordable prices. These also all happen to be matte lipsticks, how’d that happen? Lets get into the reviews!

NYX Bloody Mary

The NYX Matte Lipstick formula is amazing. They’re creamy, pigmented and very long lasting. Bloody Mary is a dupe for NARS Dragon Girl and is a beautiful cool toned pink/red. This kind of colour looks fabulous on cool skin tones, like mine. If you have a warmer skin tone or a tan, maybe try a more orange based red like Pure Red or Indie Flick (from the NYX matte lipstick line).

NYX Merlot

Merlot is a beautiful bold wine colour. It is more muted and less red than Bloody Mary, making it even more wearable. These kind of wine-reds are some of my favourites, and this one is no exception. I wore this to uni and it lasted through lunch and a drink. It leaves a stain on the lips as it wears, so it lasts a really long time. These colours also don’t bleed and have minimal transfer. Seriously, go buy some. You need them.

NYX Whipped Caviar

The last of the NYX matte lipsticks that I purchased. This one is a wearable, cool toned mauve-y pink. This colour looks seriously amazing on cool skin tones, again. It’s almost a my-lips-but-better kind of colour, making it a great, easy everyday shade that goes with absolutely any look.

Wet N Wild Stoplight Red

Stoplight Red is a classic, true red shade. Do I have enough reds yet? Who knows. This shade is said to be a dupe for MAC Ruby Woo, which is probably the most popular MAC red shade. Possibly the most popular MAC lipstick, ever. True reds like this look great on any skin tone, so if you’re looking for an affordable red that will look great on you, try this one! Wet N Wild lipsticks are only around $5, so what’s there to lose?

Wet N Wild Cherry Picking

There may have been a theme in my purchases. Can you see it? Deep pinks and reds. Cherry picking is a bright, dark pink with a cool undertone. I love it. I don’t wear pink lipsticks very often, but I know I’ll be reaching for this one when I do.

Wet N Wild lipsticks have a matte formula that’s a little less creamy than the NYX ones, but is still smooth and comfortable. They also last a really good amount of time and leave a stain behind.

Milani Matte Naked

Matte Naked is pretty much as the name describes – a nude shade. This would look great on light to medium skin tones and is so popular it’s almost always sold out. Grab it if you can! The Milani Matte lipsticks are crazy soft. I made my sister try it on, I was that amazed by how creamy and buttery these are. I had a hard time deciding which ones to buy, and I’m definitely going to get some more. These lipsticks are to DIE for.

Milani Matte Darling

This shade is a Darling pink. It really is a classic light pink, but it’s not so light that it washes you out. It is so pretty and feminine. Again, the formula is delightfully soft and buttery. This is definitely one to pick up if the bright colours in this post weren’t for you! I am so in love with this shade.

Phew, that was a lot of lipsticks! I maybe shouldn’t buy any more for a while. Links to where I bought each lipstick are in the lipstick names – just click the one you want to buy! There are a ton more shades in each line too, incase these colours weren’t for you. I hope this post helped you out!

That’s all for today

xx ~ Sophie

Recently I’ve fallen under the spell of vampy dark lips. It may have something to do with the bleak winter weather of the Southern Hemisphere, or just that darker lipsticks give you a kind of cool, striking look. Regardless, I have amassed a small collection of these beauties. Today I’ll be sharing these with you, including lip swatches and a small review of each one. Let’s begin!

Swatches — From L-R: Colourpop Bichette, Colourpop LBB, Rimmel Kate Moss 107, Milani Cabaret Blend, NYX Hunk, Wet N Wild Sugar Plum Fairy

Colourpop Lippie Stick in Bichette

Bichette is a deep red with a matte finish. This matte, as with most of colourpop’s matte lippie sticks, is more of a creamy matte finish. The colour is beautiful, pigmented and so creamy it glides onto the lips. I highly recommend this lipstick – and it’s only $5US!

The smaller size of these lippie sticks gives you greater control, making it easier to get a precise application.

Colourpop Lippie Stick in LBB

LBB is the beautiful purple shade created by the blogger LittleBlackBoots. Colourpop describes it as a ‘rich plum wine’, which is a spot on description. While this is also a matte finish, it is drier and tugs more at the lips when applying, making it more difficult to apply than Bichette. It is still a beautiful shade and I get complimented whenever I wear it! Colourpop products are only available on Colourpop‘s website.

Rimmel x Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 107

This is my new absolute favourite lipstick. It applies smoothly and pigmented with a single swipe, it feels thin and unnoticeable on the lips and it lasts without bleeding for a really decent amount of time. The red tubes are the matte finishes, but this is by no means a drying lipstick. Most importantly, the colour. This lipstick is the perfect dark red wine colour. It’s not too dark to look gothic on my extremely pale skin, but it’s definitely by no means a bright red. I highly recommend trying this lipstick, and I’m dying to get more from this line. 10/10, Rimmel.

These are available at Farmers, Kmart and online at Makeup.co.nz

Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in Cabaret Blend

The first thing you’re going to notice about this lipstick is the sweet, watermelon-candy like scent. I love sweet scents like this but if you’re not crazy about it, avoid this line. If you can enjoy it or get past it, try these out. This lipstick is creamy and smooth, although I haven’t worn it for a long enough time to determine whether it feathers or how long it wears for. The colour is a deep wine red – although not as dark as it looks in the tube, and it is the darkest in my collection. It is a little harder to pull off because of this but I still absolutely love the colour. It would be perfect for a night out when I want to look sophisticated and bold. Available in NZ from Makeup.co.nz or Crush Cosmetics, or other sites that sell Milani products.

Nyx Butter Lipstick in Hunk

To contrast the previous lipstick, this is the lightest of these purple colours in my collection. The butter lipsticks are an amazing formula that are smooth and hydrating with a decent amount of pigment. Hunk is much lighter than it looks in the tube, but darker than it appears in photos – it’s a tricky one! It’s a very pretty fuchsia purple, and it’s perfect for anyone nervous about wearing purple or vampy lipsticks. I have a few more shades in this line and absolutely love the formula. Buy it here.

Wet N Wild Megalast Lipstick in Sugar Plum Fairy

This colour is extremely similar to NYX Hunk and Colourpop LBB. It’s another deep berry/purple colour. This one has a matte finish that’s stiff and a little difficult to apply, especially given the unconventional flat shape of the lipstick. However, this lipstick is beautifully flattering and lasts a really good amount of time due to the matte formula. These lipsticks are also the cheapest of the bunch, costing only around $5NZ. With the large colour selection, amazing formula and low price, there’s nothing to lose when it comes to these lipsticks. I bought mine here.