Maybelline BOLD MATTE ColorSensational Lipsticks | Wait…before you scream

I know you saw the photo, but don’t jump on it just yet, I knowwwwwwww… my heart leaped in the same way when I saw these in Watsons a few days ago thinking they might be like really good drugstore matte lipsticks. I don’t slam products needlessly, but I do need to tell the truth. Don’t get me wrong, I love Maybelline products, especially their eye stuff…but this time, this time FOR THE FIRST TIME, frankly I actually want a refund. I feel totally misled.

So far, exciting, right…

The short swatches are one swipe, the long swatches were my best effort to get them solidly opaque after like 4-5 swipes…when I saw pigment separating that’s when I knew something was wrong. Sheer mattes that aren’t quite matte?! Plus, why don’t these build? Not all of them were complete flops, one sort of stood out, but I’ll save the best for last and begin with the ugh…hard to say, but really the worst one. I had high hopes for this orange. Whatever you do do not get MAT3, that’s this one

A heavy handed swipe on the lower lip, I’m not kidding. What the hey. It doesn’t even register bright orange, it comes on like a lip butter with less sheen.

Um, see pigment separating and settling into my lip creases? Le sigh, I was heavy handed with this orange and I even had concealer over my lips to help the bright shade it should have been…awful that orange is. It’s more like LOWrange.

MAT5 above is a pink toned rouge, way better pigment than the orange, but tell me…does THAT look matte to you? Plus the shade doesn’t feel BOLD it’s quite mehmeh. Mom says it seems as if they may have mislabeled these or the lipsticks went to the wrong labeling batch (BOLD MATTE??!).

Last but finally not the least, bolder and more matte (still not matte enough though) is MAT1, a slightly cool but also slightly coral pop of pink that is not too bright for MAC NC30-35 skintones to use. It strongly reminds me of MAC Pink Nouveau or even a slightly less bright Lime Crime Countessa Fluorescent. I have a feeling THIS ONE would have registered completely matte in a drier country. I also purchased a more orange red hoping it would be a Lady Danger dupe but it wasn’t matte. That one was a lovely color kinda like Revlon’s Classic Fire and Ice but because it wasn’t matte I passed it on to my Lola who absolutely loved it, she didn’t mind that it wasn’t matte. I have no idea why the quality throughout the range is so inconsistent. Maybelline, I still love your brand to bits, especially the mascaras and gel liners but next time you label a range BOLD MATTE what I expect for my money is BOLD MATTE. These retail for PHp399.00 from Watsons and wherever Maybelline counters are sold in pharmacies and department stores nationwide. If you see these in store DEMAND for a tester before you decide on getting any of them. Did any of you jump on these ending up as frustrated as me or did I just get dealt a bad batch?

Maybelline Color Sensational Lasting Lipcolor | Improved Pops of Pigment

Now in the past, to be honest, I was never completely smitten with the Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks. The color selection then was somewhat blah because none of the shades I encountered ever seemed to suit my oriental undertone. The shades would look great obviously on someone paler or Caucasian in ethnicity and I didn’t care to buy darker shades just to find something that would suit. It’s nice to know that the Color Sensational lipstick range is at least randomizing the reds up a bit and that Maybelline locally are bringing in a couple more vibrant colors. I was sent these shades to try. The swatches are pretty gorgeous. If you’re having trouble distinguishing between the reds, here’s a primer: Are You Red-dy is the softer, slightly milkier red, Very Cherry is like a non-matte, less cool dupe of MAC Ruby Woo, and the deepest red of all is Red Revival, a good drugstore dupe for MAC Russian Red, a warm earthy rouge.

You’ll have to excuse me but the lighting of the shots with the lipstick applied wasn’t very good today…there were passing clouds and the dilemma of shifting sunlight. I balanced the hue out as best I could so that colors appear in their truest form.

I was more impressed with the payoff of the reds than the lighter shades, it’s a nice creamy texture and the pigment is more opaque than the previous formula of Color Sensational as I remember it. I’m not fully convinced though on the improved longevity end…I felt grease. I just wish these shades looked as good on my lips as they do on my arm. It’s a bit too high shine for my personal taste mainly because my lips are massive. I feel this will only last 3-4 hours on me and once I eat it might be a goner. Lipliner is absolutely necessary. I used Nichido lipliners before applying the red shades. Blotting will add staying power.

The problem of transfer wouldn’t be the case if you used this in an air-conditioned environment or a country with a drier climate. It probably stays on better in less humid places like the U.S. or Europe. I prefer a tad more drag where my lips are concerned and less shine. This I think would be really pretty on girls with more petite lips and would certainly bring out that lovely pout. Color Sensational lipsticks are available for Php399 from PCX, Watsons, and leading department stores that carry Maybelline Products nationwide.

BH Cosmetics 32-Color Lip Palette | Affordable Shades With Ease 48% OFF!

I’ve been out almost a week coz of so many rush pre-Holy week events that mattered more. I’ve been putting off trying this palette because to be honest I judged it harshly. I needed to use this because it makes doing lips so much easier on set at shoots. I was afraid at first that this BH Cosmetics 32-Color Lip palette might be another one of those “Made You Know Where” palettes with lots of sheer colors that dont really deliver. Boy was I wrong.

The ingredients won’t shine in the “no nasties” department but nevertheless it’s a good workhorse palette for shoots and quick pictorials. I was afraid that these would be like the NYX round lipsticks which completely suck in humid climates, lots of greasy pigment that moves around everywhere but NO… these aren’t like that at all.

Let me guess…NOW I have your undivided attention. Aren’t those swatches impressive? My favorite shade in the 2nd to the last shot is the beige-y gold rightmost column in the center which I used on a TVC talent last week and reminds me of a Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited lipstick I used to own. They’re high street/drugstore lipstick comparable in texture and this selection comes with a mix of amplified solid semi-mattes, pigmented lustres, and some gold duochromes. Mucho Gracias to Mega Tita Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan for surprising me with this lovely lip palette. The Pixiwoo sisters featured the 120-color eyeshadow palette about 2 years ago. I believe a strong competitor of BH Cosmetics would be Coastal Scents in the U.S., not certain if their lip palettes are just as pigmented. Free Shipping in the U.S. and they ship abroad for a minimum rate of $12.95 but you beauty bugs can also try Ebay or Hong Kong. I’ll try and do a separate post and see if I have time to shoot myself wearing a lot of the shades you see here. Guess what! This particular palette is on sale now via BH Cosmetics online discounted 48% so it only costs $10.00 at the moment excluding international shipping!

Missha Luminous Color Lipgloss (RD02) – My Favorite, Lipgloss Love at 50% Off

I’ve only ever liked and purchased 3 brands of lipgloss in the past 4 years of my rediscovering makeup as a blogger…a total of about 2 or 3 tubes, minimal yes, I know.  That’s because not a lot of high street lipglosses have impressed me since Elianto pulled out of the market.  When I say lipgloss I mean these checkboxes: a wash of translucent noticeable color, high shine/gloss that isn’t sticky & fades away well, sophisticated shimmer if I choose a shimmer, and… important one… desirable scent and taste.  Meet locally available Korean brand Missha and its Luminous Color Lipgloss…check, check, check, double check.  Shining, shimmering, splendid.  Boom.

A major win factor is how pretty the tube is, I love the size and the demi-curve the tube has.  It gives a hint of sophistation that lifts the product.  Last year I got a tiny keychain version of this lipgloss, as in micro mini, in a lighter more nude beige pink shade.  That one mom and I tried and liked to bits and were frustrated that we didn’t know where to get a full size of it at the time.  I was psyched to find the Missha Boutique at SM Pasig Hypermart (near Tiendesitas) yesterday when I met up with my best friend and this cost me Php500, FYI they’re currently 50% off.  The last time I bought an honest to goodness FULL SIZE lipgloss was 3 years ago.  I’m not counting the intense, opaque color lip creams like the NYX Soft Matte lip cream that are like liquid lipsticks, those are different.  Here we’re talking real lipgloss.  Read more to see application and more details.

Venus & Mars Smooch Lip Detox Lip Butter Balm – Simple but Soothing

Nothing too fancy here by Venus & Mars Naturals, just smooth, nourishing, lip-loving  ingredients and a pop of peppermint to cool those lips and keep them happy.  What you’ve got is minimal hype but maximum lip comfort from a local product!  It actually gives my lips that Liz Arden 8hr cream effect but it feels like my lips can breathe more.  I’m kind of late on the Venus & Mars bandwagon but I’m glad I got on.  I’m telling you, if you’re into minty balms it beats ChapStick with a TKO.  As soon as you slide it on you’re like “Wow…”

INGREDIENTS: Emu Oil, Avocado Butter, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil, Castor Oil, Jojoba Wax, Peppermint Essential Oils, Beeswax, Vitamin E, and Titanium Dioxide (sorry bout the grainy photo, phone pic)

I know right, it looks plain but it’s a rich formulation and like almost every great oil we know that’s usually in great lip stuff is in it.  However for you vegans out there you may be a little iffy considering this contains Emu Oil and right now from what I’ve researched there’s no guarantee that this is cruelty-free but they do certify the quality of the processed Emu Oil with the AEA Seal meaning its high-grade quality is approved and affiliated with the America Emu Association.  I do personally wish that it was cruelty-free, it would’ve been a plus but I am relieved that it’s not petroleum-based.  I like avocado butter and almost any skincare product with avocado rates high in my book.  That cool blast of peppermint over the lip surface just adds to the whole happy lip experience.  I’m not going to begin to excessively sing praises about this lip balm but applying it did get my undivided attention after my first impression of it.  It’s a very comforting product to put on and I find myself reapplying it more often than I thought I would.  This costs Php205 pesos and you can inquire about it here at their Multiply site or on Venus & Mars’ Facebook page.