Review: Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick

I love Soap & Glory! The names of their products are hilarious! Sexy Mother Pucker! hahahaha
Today I'll be reviewing their newest addition to the lip products, Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick ($16).  If you are familiar with their product, you may have seen their lip plumping lip glosses, Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss. I have one, but I didn't like their lip gloss.  Very tingly and thick consistency (I don't like thick lip glosses).

I saw FleurdeForce talk about this and since then I had to have it.  For the people in UK they had access to this earlier, but for the folks in the US it just hit the Sephora stores.  I pre-ordered mine from Sephora.com (I'm so impatient....) and I had it for about two weeks now and I can't put it away!

They come in three colors, Plum Jam, Nudist, Fuschia-ristic.  They remind me Clinique Chubby Sticks, or of many stain, gloss sticks from various brands (Revlon, Neutrogena, Covergirl).

What it is:
A super moisturizing lip crayon that glides on effortlessly and wraps lips in a luscious wash of creamy color.

What it does:
This buzz-free formula is packed to plump, promising fuller, more luxurious-looking lips, without the tingle of most plumping glosses. The high-pigment color stays put—no smudging or bleeding—making sure your high-gloss, shiny finish wears long into the night.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Phthalates

Research results:
- 96% of testers felt their lips were more moisturized after use
- 88% of testers agreed their lips had an instant glossy finish
- 86% of testers found their lips looked fuller after use

 I have it in Nudist which is a peachy nude color and Plum Jam which is a slightly plummy color (little bit reminds me of Clinique Black Honey).

Picture below is in the order of Plum Jam, Nudist, and Fuschia-ristic.

Swatch on my hand.  ohhhh so pretty...

On my lips.  Plum Jam

Nudist

My Thoughts:
I love this gloss stick!  It is super shiny, super hydrating, and the colors are great for everyday wear.  I can wear this all day long without reapplying and it won't dry out my lips.  While they still have pigmentation, it is still sheer and really natural looking.  I'd say that it does not feel like it plumps up my lips nor do I feel any tingling sensation (with many lip plumping products).  But it still looks plump and full due to the color and the shiny gloss.  It is a twist up and you don't need to sharpen which is very similar to the Clinique Chubby Stick, but I feel like the Clinique Chubby Stick dries out my lips a little bit if I don't reapply through out the day.

I have been wearing this everyday like a mad woman and loving every minute of it!  Definitely a lip product I could never get sick and tired of.  If you are looking for a good nude colored gloss or lipstick, I highly recommend Nudist! Also if you really enjoy hydrating lip products like Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments, you will absolutely love this (S&G Gloss stick is $6.50 cheaper). I might just have to get Fuschia-ristic as well to complete my collection. :)

Review & Swatches : YSL Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain

I know I have mentioned YSL Glossy Stain several times but I just never got around to writing a full review.  So finally, here it is!  I'm at home bedridden with a really bad cold.  So since I can lie in bed with my laptop, I thought I work on this long overdue post. :)

From the first time I heard of these to the first time I purchased my first YSL Glossy Stain, there was a long gap, cuz I just didn't think $32 was worth it for a lip product. But boyyyyyy was I wrong!!!

If you have not heard of the YSL Glossy Stain, this is the info from YSL.

WHAT IT IS: A revolutionary new lip product that combines the texture and shine of a gloss with the long wear of a stain.

WHAT IT DOES:
Coat your lips with this lip color that offers a lightweight texture, which immediately melts onto lips. Glossy Stain delivers intense glossy color for an extremely long-lasting shine.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Phthalates

What else you need to know:
The applicator's unique slanted tip and short soft bristles allow for flawless application with perfect precision.

MY THOUGHTS:
I'm still kicking myself in the butt about why I took so long to get my first glossy stain.  It really is a revolutionary lip product.  It is nothing like I have used before.  Although now that these have been out for awhile, there a lot of dupes or alikes, like the L'Oreal Caresse Shine Stain (Aqua Lacquer) and other lip stains.  However, I still don't think anything is better than the YSL Glossy Stain.
1. The richness of the colors are just lovely.
2. The color and the shine lasts all day.
3. It hydrating on your lips.
4. Did I mention it lasts all day? LOL
5. Not much of it transfers

It feels very wet and it smells like wine or a bit like grape juice.  I like to apply two layers of this.  The first layer, I like to apply a little bit and rub it and let the stain settle.  Then I'll apply a thick coat to really get the color and shine.  Ohhhhhh and it is just so beautiful.  And because of it's almost like jelly like texture, when you eat, the color doesn't come off.  Multiple times while wearing the red Glossy Stain (#9 Rouge Laque), people have asked the same question.  "How is your lip color not coming off after you've eaten?"  I didn't know other people noticed something like that, but even they were amazed.  Honestly, I can wear this through coffee, lunch, and afternoon and make it to dinner without re-applying and the color and shine will still remain.

I will mention that depending on the color you may choose (the darker colors especially), the color can get darker as it stains.  This is the only downside....  I'd recommend trying out the colors first and wait at least 10 minutes before determining the actual colors.  I have returned 2 of my glossy stains because the colors changed on me after I have applied.  For example, I bought #10, Rouge Philtre which was supposed to be true red color.  After 10 minutes I have noticed that the lines on my lips had turned darker and darker.  Then it turned into a really dark almost vampy red.  Which I did not like.  You can see the picture below.  Top is right after application and the bottom is about 10 minutes later.  You can see the change in color.  This is in comparison to #9, Rouge Laque which does not change color.

I now proudly own 4 Glossy Stains. #29, Rouge Forreau (one of the newest colors released recently).  This is the only color that is more "natural looking".  The other three I own are quite bold.  Honestly I think Glossy Stains are the best for dark, colorful shades since dark colors are hard to manage, but due to the staying power, YSL glossy stains are god send.
Because this color isn't as bold, it's also not as shiny.

With flash (please excuse the black dot smack middle of my lips) This is after I ate, and I obviously left something behind. >.<

#26, Poupre Preview.  This is a slightly purplish pink.  This one turns darker in time to a purplish wine color.  This is my second favorite color!
Without flash

With flash

#12, Coril Fauve.  This is coral, reddish color.  It's not an opaque color.  It's very sheer but shiny.  This one does settle into your lips, but not really visible to the naked eye.  This is a very zoomed picture.  I promise you.

Without flash

With flash

#9, Rouge Laque.  This is an opaque slightly coral red.  This is my favorite! When you want to wear red, this is so easy to wear, very flattering to different skin tones, and maintenance free.  And just beautiful.  I wear this one a lot.  If you saw my new year's eve picture on facebook, this is what I was wearing. :)

Without flash

With flash

I think I have all the colors I want from YSL.  I'm happy with the 4 colors I have.  But if they come out with more I'd definitely keep my eye out for them.  And I'd definitely repurchase these.  These Glossy Stains have made me have faith in colorful lip colors that I used to dread, because they are so hard to manage.  Glossy Stain is definitely a game changer! I love Glossy Stain!!!

I also did a post of the L'Oreal Colour Caresse Aqua Lip Lacquer aka Wet Stains aka Shine Stains back in Christmas. I'm not quite sure of the official name yet. :)  I'll do a full review on that and do a comparison of both of these products.  

Hope everyone is having a wonderful 2013! 

FOUND! L'Oreal Caresse Aqua Lacquer Shine Stain (YSL glossy stain dupe)

I had to do a quick post from my phone cuz I got super excited when I spotted these!

As you may know, L'Oreal owns YSL. I heard that L'Oreal released their version of glossy stain in Paris, France couple months ago and I have been waiting for their release in the US, which I wasn't expecting till next year spring. But while perusing at Walmart I found L'Oreal Colour Caresse Aqua Lacquer for $7.97 ( compared to YSL $32)!

I grabbed 4 to test them out. So far they smell very similar to YSL glossy stain. It has the wine grape smell. I put them on right after purchasing it. So far the staying power is good.

I wiped the swatch off and the stain remained! (See last picture)

I can't wait to test and try out all the different colors!!!!

I'm so excited!!! It's like a Christmas present!!! Hahaha

Happy Holidays everyone!!!! ❤

Review: L'Oreal Infallible 8 Hour Le Gloss

Hello all!  I can't believe it's December already! So many things going on including my birthday!!!

I wanted to do a quick post on L'Oreal Infallible 8 Hour Le Glosses I got awhile back.  I have been really into drugstore makeup lately.  L'Oreal also owns YSL (Yves Saint Laurent), and a lot of the times you see a cross over or similarities between the brands, so I thought I give these lip glosses a try.  And I got three of the new formulated colors (it'll say "new color" or "nouveau" on the handle).

It comes with a doe-foot applicator with a pointy end at the top which is very similar to YSL Glossy Stain, but Infallible Le Gloss was less sturdier, but still gave you enough control to apply precisely.

I got three different colors- a classic red, pink, and deep plum color.
Classic Red - #320, Red Fatale
Pink - #140, Pink Topaz
Dee Plum - #240, Glistening Berry

Swatches on a piece of paper (which showed up better than on my lips or hands)

Swatches on my arm (without flash)

Swatches on my arm (with flash)

FORMULA
The formula is on the thicker side.  But understandable since these are supposed to last you for 8 hours.  It's not too sticky. After an hour or two, if you keep rubbing your lips together, it does form this strange film that looks sticky.... so the formula seem to change in time.  It does have slight scent, but didn't bother me too much. 

COLOR & PIGMENTATION
Red Fatale, #320 was very opaque, and super shiny.  This was my favorite color of the three I bought.  It can be worn completely alone and hide your natural lip color.

Pink Topaz, #140 was very sheer, and I had to apply 3 layers just to achieve this color worn here.  It had iridescent shimmer, the rainbowish color that looks different from different angles.  It was quite shimmery with flash.  But this definitely needs to be worn over something else, like a pink lipstick.  As you can see, even with 3 layers, the color is very uneven.

Glistening Berry, #240 was also sheer.  Less sheer than Pink Topaz, but again definitely needs to be worn over lipstick.  I was hoping this was going to a deep plum, berry color, but it wasn't the case. It was more deeper pink on the lips. This also had shimmer in it.  This looked slightly darker than the Pink Topaz, but very similar.

LASTING POWER
It didn't last quite 8 hours, and I kept wanting to take it off to reapply because it does transfer, and in an hour or two, the formula seemed to change and didn't feel stickier, but when you kept rubbing your lips together, it formed a slight layer.

Overall, for $7.99 ( at Harmon inside of Bed Bath & Beyond, and for me it was about $5 each with coupons) it is a good lipgloss.  But I wouldn't say it's my favorite.  Also it also depends on the color.  And as it claims for the 8 hours, I don't think it really last 8 hours since it transfers so much.  I think the Red Fatale is gorgeous, so I may wear that again, but I'd have to be careful how I eat, and drink or touch stuff, since this pigmented lip gloss can end up everywhere!  I have been loving YSL glossy stain, and I find myself comparing all lip products to that (review coming up next), so these were good, but I don't see myself buying anymore of these.

Review: NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Place Vendome

I'm a big sucker for lip gloss.  Especially Nude/Pinky/Peachy Tones.  I've tried dark colors and they always make my lips look smaller (as if they weren't small enough already!).  I always wanted to flaunt a red lipstick/lipgloss, but it just doesn't work for me.  I was at Sephora last week returning something and this NARS Lipgloss caught my eye.  It was bright/fuscia red.  So I figured, why not try it on.  I try everything on at Sephora. :)  And it looked okay on me without minimizing my lips!  So I ended up loving it and bought it! And now I will show you this pretty lipgloss in action!

This lipgloss is a new type of lipgloss just released from NARS called Larger Than Life Lip Gloss.  I got it in color- Place Vendome ($26).  It's different from NARS regular lipgloss as it has much intense color with much more shine.  And this is true! 

Their product description reads:

Outrageously lustrous color meets serious shine in this NARS gloss. Its stay-in-place dramatic shade glides on smoothly and evenly for lips that are more luminous and voluminous than ever before. Long-lasting, high-shine hues are infused with ingredients that nourish and fight free radicals while natural lip enhancers pump up with volume. A new, shorter bristle brush delivers the most precise application possible. However you want to express yourself, Larger Than Life Lip Gloss says it boldly, brilliantly, and brazenly.

Please scroll down for my actual review (after the pictures).  Warning: Lots of lip pictures. ^_^

It has a tiny lip brush not a lip sponge.  I think it gives better precision around the lips since the color is so intense.

This is just one swatch on my lip.

Just that one swatch worked onto my lip.  At this point it just looks like a shiny lip tint.  It's pretty sheer.  I think it'd be pretty to just wear it like this.

I added another coat, and bam intense ultra shiny color with a bit of sheerness to it!

And the final look!

In conclusion, I am really liking this lipgloss.  Personally I can't wear it every day, but I have been wearing it a lot and it's been fun.  People really notice this lipgloss and I've been getting a lot of compliments. :)  And I'm glad I'm able to rock the darker/ vibrant lip color without wearing a lipstick or a lipliner and not minimizing my lip size.

Pros:
-Ultra shiny but sheer at the same time.
-Makes your lips extra luscious
-Not sticky
-Great for ladies wanting to rock the red lips without being too much.
-No Fragrance/ or taste
-Lasting Power

Cons:
-Price tag... bit hefty ... $26.... but I love it so much that I'd re-purchase.

Thinking about trying out some of their other colors out.  It comes in 9 other shades. :)