Wednesday, June 19th, 2013

Burberry Bright Poppy (311) Lip Velvet
Burberry Bright Poppy (311) Lip Velvet

Burberry Bright Poppy (311) Lip Velvet ($30.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a deepened, bold berry-red with a matte finish. MAC Heaux is similar, slightly brighter. Guerlain Liu is redder. MAC Rebel is slightly more berry-hued. MAC Lush Life is lighter. Guerlain Lou-Ling is slightly lighter. Burberry Bright Plum is a bit darker and redder. See comparison swatches.

It has semi-opaque color, but there’s a sheerness to it that you can tell by how my lip freckle comes through. The consistency is lightly creamy, so the lipstick applied evenly and smoothly without dragging along the lips, but it’s not too thick or heavy, and it doesn’t bleed or feather. It lasted for nearly seven hours and left a light stain behind, and it felt moderately hydrating while worn and for a couple of hours after it wore away. The finish on this isn’t quite as immaculate as other Lip Velvets, though, even if the lipstick is still quite good–it is inevitably not quite as impressive!

The Glossover

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Bright Poppy (311)

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The finish on this isn't quite as immaculate as other Lip Velvets, though, even if the lipstick is still quite good--it is inevitably not quite as impressive!

Product

9.5/10

Pigmentation

9/10

Texture

9.5/10

Longevity

10/10

Application

5/5

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Monday, June 17th, 2013

MAC RiRi Boy Lipstick
MAC RiRi Boy Lipstick

MAC RiRi Boy Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “matte vivid lavender” with a “Retro Matte” finish. It is a medium-dark, pink-purple with a matte finish. MAC Heroine is darker, purpler. MAC Seasoned Plum is darker, less pink. MAC Up the Amp is glossier, so it appears a bit lighter, less intense when the two are swatched side-by-side, but applied, I couldn’t tell the difference aside from the finish. See comparison swatches.

The consistency was creamier than is typical of the Retro Matte formula, but it is drier and a little stiffer to work with than the matte formula (or any of the other finishes). It had full, opaque color coverage. The way it felt when I swatched seemed in line with RiRi Woo, which means it shouldn’t be drying (but not hydrating, either) and will wear for at least four hours (probably closer to six or so). I’ll be testing this one for wear later today, and I will update tomorrow with how well it holds up.

The RiRi Hearts MAC summer collection will launch June 18th at noon EST exclusively online for North America; June 20th exclusively online for international.

The Glossover

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RiRi Boy

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Retro Mattes often wear for hours, but they have a drier, stiffer texture that can be unforgiving on lips, so you'll want to ensure you do all your prep work - exfoliate, lip balm, etc. prior to applying one.

Product

8.5/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

8/10

Longevity

10/10

Application

4/5

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Monday, June 17th, 2013

MAC Heaux Lipstick
MAC Heaux Lipstick

MAC Heaux Lipstick ($15.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a “matte berry” with a “Retro Matte” finish. It’s a deep, berry-hued red with a matte finish. MAC Lush Life is glossier, a touch lighter. Guerlain Liu is redder. NARS Dragon Girl is redder, less berry. MAC Love Goddess is warmer, brighter. MAC Scan-delicious is pinker, lighter. Burberry Bright Plum is darker. See swatch comparisons.

If you picked up RiRi Woo, the texture and consistency of Heaux is just like it–a little creamier, not quite as dry as Ruby Woo, but still drier and stiffer than MAC’s regular matte formula (or any of their other finishes for that matter). It feels dry, looks a bit dry on–and I had exfoliated lips the night before with a lip scrub–so it will emphasize any imperfections in the lip if you look closely. It has rich, opaque color coverage, and like RiRi Woo, it’s not going anywhere any time soon. I’ve been wearing Heaux since about 10AM (it’s 3PM), and it still looks nearly immaculate. It doesn’t feel drying to me (my lips aren’t cracking, and I’m not getting the urge to reach for lip balm). I would expect this to last another two to four hours well, then some light staining. The biggest advantage of the Retro Matte formula is that they tend to wear for hours and hours.

When swatched, Rebel had a stronger berry tone with a lot less red in it, and of course, the finish has a soft sheen, but applied, it was harder to tell the difference–the sheen was the most notable difference between the two. I was surprised, because I really did expect it to look noticeably different applied as well as when swatched.

The RiRi Hearts MAC summer collection will launch June 18th at noon EST exclusively online for North America; June 20th exclusively online for international.

The Glossover

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Heaux

A-

The formula's best aspect is how long it wears, while the texture is a bit stiff (though creamier than permanent Retro Matte finishes) and can be unforgiving. It didn't seem drying while I wore it--it didn't seem to suck the moisture out of my lips, but it's not the most comfortable formula to wear.

Product

8.5/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

8/10

Longevity

10/10

Application

4/5

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Monday, June 17th, 2013

 

Chanel Grace Rouge Coco Lipstick
Chanel Grace Rouge Coco Lipstick

Chanel Grace Rouge Coco Lipstick ($34.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a warm-toned, reddish plum with a soft golden pearl. It had mostly opaque color coverage, and the consistency was smooth and creamy enough that it didn’t tug or pull at lips. It was neither hydrating nor drying and lasted four and a half hours when I wore it. NARS Falbala is cooler-toned. NARS Beautiful Liar is warmer. MAC One of a Kind is sheerer. Guerlain Quand Vient l’Ete is slightly lighter. Giorgio Armani #526 is more muted. Chanel Bel Ami is slightly less warm-toned. See comparison swatches.

Sentiment Rouge Coco Lipstick ($34.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a warm, light-medium peach with a soft, slightly frosted sheen. It had mostly opaque color. The consistency was lightly creamy and glided across the lips smoothly. The color deposited slightly unevenly, though.  It was very slightly hydrating, and it lasted four hours. NARS Biscayne Park is warmer. MAC Style Surger is brighter. MAC Reel Sexy is slightly pinker. MAC Razzledazzler is a smidgen darker. MAC Ever Hip is pinker. Estee Lauder Naked is more matte. Burberry Devon Sunset is slightly darker. See comparison swatches.

The Glossover

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Grace

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Product

8.5/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

9/10

Longevity

9/10

Application

5/5

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Sentiment

B+

Product

9/10

Pigmentation

9/10

Texture

8.5/10

Longevity

8.5/10

Application

4.5/5

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Sunday, June 16th, 2013

Buxom Rogue Full Bodied Lipstick
Buxom Rogue Full Bodied Lipstick

Buxom Rogue Full Bodied Lipstick ($21.00 for 0.13 oz.) is described as a “fiery coral.” It’s a brightened, bold, orange-red with a luminous sheen and strong, warm undertones. Maybelline Orange Edge is lighter. Maybelline Infra-red is slightly redder. Maybelline Vibrant Mandarin is a touch lighter. Maybelline Neon Red is a smidgen brighter. MAC Scarlet Ibis is matte. MAC Sail La Vie is more matte. OCC Psycho is matte. See comparison swatches.

It’s incredibly rich in color and yielded full color coverage in nearly one pass. The consistency is very creamy, though slightly thick (not as thick or as heavy as YSL’s Rouge Voluptes). Rogue glided over the lips without pulling or tugging. I thought I might have issues with the color feathering, because of the texture, but I didn’t have any issues with feathering or bleeding outside of the lip. This shade lasted six and a half hours on me, and it was lightly hydrating during that time. It’s also supposed to plump (“without the usual tingle”) using “encapsulated hyaluronic spheres” (which are also supposed to help hydrate). I didn’t notice any tingle, and I can be hyper-sensitive to lip plumpers, and my lips seemed fuller, but I couldn’t tell you if it was the plumping or simply the bolder color combined with a healthy shine. There was no scent or flavor to this lipstick.

The Glossover

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Rogue

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It's a really good formula overall, but I think the thickness/creaminess of the lipstick may feel too heavy for some, while others will appreciate the coverage and hydration of the formula.

Product

9.5/10

Pigmentation

10/10

Texture

9.5/10

Longevity

10/10

Application

5/5

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Sunday, June 16th, 2013

Edward Bess First Kiss Deep Shine Lipgloss
Edward Bess First Kiss Deep Shine Lipgloss

Edward Bess First Kiss Deep Shine Lipgloss ($30.00 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is described as a “bright pink.” It’s a cool-toned, blue-based, cotton candy pink with a creamy, glossy finish. MAC Style Packed is darker. MAC Silly is slightly darker. MAC Pink Nouveau is cooler-toned. See comparison swatches.

The formula is supposed to have “extraordinary shine” with a “kiss of brilliant color” that’s “hydrating.” The shade range “[ranges] from barely there to bold and dramatic.” First Kiss had semi-opaque color coverage, and I think it might have been nearly opaque if it applied more evenly. It had a tendency to settle a bit into lip lines and had a translucency that gave it somewhat splotchy coloring. The consistency is medium-thick and very tacky. It feels a bit gummy and gluey; it’s not as thick as MAC Lipglass, but it’s as sticky, if not slightly stickier. It has a sweet fig scent that might be cloying for some (it was noticeable even when I wore it, and I usually don’t notice scents in lip products once applied). It lasted four and a half hours, which is slightly better than average. It was neither drying nor hydrating while I wore it. This was the first product by Edward Bess that disappointed me; this didn’t feel like a high-end or luxury lipgloss at all.

The Glossover

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First Kiss

C+

This was the first product by Edward Bess that disappointed me; this didn't feel like a high-end or luxury lipgloss at all.

Product

7.5/10

Pigmentation

8.5/10

Texture

7.5/10

Longevity

8.5/10

Application

3.5/5

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