Hey everyone,

I love to apply lipstick in different ways and love mixing lip colors to create different new shades. Today am going to show you a quick and really simple tutorial on petal lips that can be worn any day. It's a very soft-focus lip tutorial with no harsh lip liners or something.


If we talk about the lip trend this season (winters 2013/2014), its all about wine,berry, dark plums and pinks that are more towards fuchsia. A more smudged and less perfect lip look is preferred this season. I noticed many international makeup artists used the petal-stained lip look at different fashion shows. Dark wine and berry colors are more noticeable this season, but for a more soft and feminine look different shades of pink are also used.


This season petal-stained and wine stained lips were popular on the ramp. Different makeup artists used wine, pink or crimson lipsticks with the darker color dabbed in the middle which was diffused towards the outer sides of lips. That kind of lip look makes me look washed out and very pale. Such lip colors give more like a vampy look to me. lol..!!! So I created a much simpler petal lips look that is decent, simple and very quick. I used only two lip colors to create this. One is "Revlon matte lipstick in mauve it over" and other is "ELF essential lipstick in Gypsy"

Lets start:
1.Start with well exfoliated lips. You can use any lip scrub, any soft tooth brush, or wet towel to exfoliate the lips and then apply your regular lip balm.

2. Now apply the Revlon matte lipstick in "mauve it over" all over your lips. You can use any nude color which you like. You can see that I didn't apply the lipstick properly in the mid of the lips. It's not important. Just focus more on the corners. Here is how the lips will look.

Revlon mauve it over applied on lips

3. Now apply the ELF essential lipstick in gypsy in the center. You can use any dark pink shade which is your favorite. I want the look to be more natural so am using this ELF lipstick. Use your fingers/lip brush to blend the lip color from the center toward the outline of lips to make it look natural and equal.

ELF gypsy applied in the center of lips and blended

4. Now for the finishing touch, use your foundation on the outline of the lips and blend into your skin for a soft smudged edge effect. This will also make the middle color pop out a bit more.

Foundation applied on the outline of lips

There you have your soft-focus petal lips:

Petal lips

It's really easy and quick. You can use different colors of your choice. All you need is one nude and one pink lip color. This tutorial actually requires to apply foundation/concealer all over the lips as a base. I used a nude lip color instead because i feel foundation or concealer makes my lips very dry. If you  think the concealer/foundation works better for you, you can try that. You can also use a lip stain or tint in the middle part. Try everything new as makeup and fashion is all about experimenting.


This is my first lip tutorial on the blog. Don't forget to leave your comments and subscribe to my blog.

Love,
Lipstickholic

Hello everyone,

I love to do lipsticks or lip products reviews. But, keeping the fact in mind that this is a makeup and beauty blog, I will try to review and discuss all kind of makeup products. So today am reviewing one cute little blusher by essence cosmetics. It is the "Essence silky touch blush" in shade "babydoll".

Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll

Essence silky touch blush in babydoll

I bought this blusher somewhere back in summers from Just4girls when i was looking for a nice rosy pink blush. I actually wanted to buy the catrice defining duo blush but that was out of stock, so i decided to try this one and am glad i did. This blush comes in a cute little transparent round packaging. The packaging is small enough to fit in the bad or purse. On the back you can see the name of the shade, ingredients and other info such as quantity etc.

Essence silky touch blush in babydoll

This blush is highly pigmented. When applied on arm or hand for testing the color is not that dark but you need to be careful when applying these on the face. I always swirl my brush lightly in the pan , then tap the access blusher and then apply it lightly on the cheeks. It has silky smooth texture just like the name indicates and it blends easily into foundation. I have dry skin in winters and this blush never enhances any dry patches on my skin.

Essence silky touch blush babydoll

Babydoll is a medium pink shade which also has a hint of coral in it. This shade is ideal for light/medium skin tones. It is such a nice pink shade that will suit almost everyone. Babydoll has very fine shimmer in it which doesn't really appear when applied on the face. It gives a silky/satin finish when applied properly, which I like a lot. Here is a swatch of babydoll:

Essence silky touch blush babydoll swacth

You can see it's such a pretty color. The staying power of this blush is also pretty reasonable. I have been using this blush a lot since i bought this and it stays on my face for about 5-6 hours which is quite good. But I personally think the staying power varies from person to person.

Final Thoughts: Overall, I really like this blush and for the price it's just wow...The shade is great . It's a perfect everyday pink. I wanna try the other shades too. These silky touch blushers are great.  However, the color range is very limited they are available in only four shades. I bought this blush from Just4girls.pk for Rs 440. These are also available on essence counters at all leading cosmetics stores.


If you like my reviews don't forget to join this site and leave your comments please.

Love,
Lipstickholic

Hey girls,

Today i'll be reviewing the famous lipsticks by Wet n Wild. Yes, am talking about the "wet n wild megalast lip colors" which i mentioned in my recent haul post here. I bought two shades "Rose bud" and "Smokin' hot pink".

Wet n Wild Mega last lip colors in "Rosebud and Smokin hot pink"

Wet n Wild Mega last lip colors in "Rosebud and Smokin hot pink"

Both the lipsticks come in black packaging with transparent lid on the top. The lid itself is tight but what i don't like about this lid is that it can become messy very easily. No matter how much i try to keep it clean, the lipstick somehow gets on the lid and makes it messy *Sigh*. So i don't really like the packaging of these lipsticks really.

Wet n Wild Mega last lip colors in Rosebud and Smokin' hot pink

Wet n wild Rosebud and Smokin' hot pink swatches

Wet n Wild Smokin' Hot pink

Wet n Wild Rosebud

Hey there,

Winters are here and lip balms are a "must have" product for everyone in winters. I love tinted lip balms and have tried many different. Today am going to review the "Labello fruity shine lip balms" in two shades "strawberry" and "cherry"...yummm!!! Am reviewing these because i use them almost everyday. They are popular lip balms and are easily available here and also they are budget friendly.


I use lip balm not only in winters but in every season, almost daily. Whether am going out or am at home, they are essential in my daily skin care/makeup routine. Lip balms feel much more comfortable on lips and tinted lip balms provide a very sheer natural tint of color to the lips which i love. These lip balms are great and my favorite daily lip balms. I bought strawberry last year and loved it so much. Then, few months back i bought one more in cherry flavor and love it too.


So let's start the review. These lip balms come in a plastic tube similar to those typical chapsticks packaging. There is enough quantity of balm inside the tube. The packaging is nice and simple. It's small and handy. The cap of the tube is tight. I keep one in my bag and one in my drawer. These lip balms come in different colors. Each lip balm tube has color similar to the actual color of the balm inside.

I have this in two shades,strawberry and cherry. The shade "cherry" is a deeper pink kind of shade, like the original cherry color. It's sheer and has fruity scent in it. The shade "strawberry" is more towards the red side. It's a sheer red/orange lip balm. The color is similar to the color of packaging. I feel that shade cherry is more pigmented than strawberry. However, i love both of them. Here are the lip swatches of these lip balms.

Labello fruity shine Strawberry

Labello fruity shine Cherry

Both of the lip balms are moisturizing and make my lips feel smooth. I won't say that they are the most hydrating lip balms ever, but they are decent and moisturize the lips enough. From the swatches you can see that they do bleed a bit, but that's not a big issue. The staying power of these balms is quite decent. They stay on the lips for about 1-2 hours and then leave a very light stain on lips. Even after the lip balm disappears from lips, the lips still feel smooth and soft.

So overall, i love these balms.They provide a sheer color to the lips and makes them soft hydrated. If you have dry lips or wanna try a colored lip balm you should get one of these. They are super cheap and are easily available at leading stores( Shaheen, D.watson etc. ) here. I bought mine from D.watson Islamabad for Rs 210 each.

Have you tried the labello fruity shine lip balms? Don't forget to comment and share your thoughts on these.....

Love,
Lipstickholic

Hey there girls,

Most of my posts till now were related to lipsticks and lip products. So, I decided to review something different today and the product am going to review is "MUA undress your skin shimmer highlighter". This is a highlighting powder from the MUA "undress your skin" range. MUA has become one of my favorite drugstore cosmetics brand. All the recent products that I have tried from MUA have really impressed me.

MUA undress your skin shimmer highlighter

I don't usually use a highlighter on daily basis so I prefer buying a budget friendly, but a good one, as it just waits there in my makeup stash for any special event/party and hardly comes out. I previously used the Revlon skin lights illuminator which was discontinued later. I have also tried the Palladio shimmer strips and also few other loose powder highlighters but nothing worked great. So, I wanted to get my hands on this beauty from MUA and try it since I read about it on different blogs. Thankfully it was available on just4girls and I immediately bought it when saw it there.

MUA undress your skin shimmer highlighter

Now let's come to the review part. This highlighter comes in white elegant plastic packaging with transparent cover on it. The packaging is nice and sturdy plus you get a lot of amount in reasonable price. The powder is very fine and there is very less fall out which is great. It looks almost metallic in the pan but this is not the case when applied on skin. On the skin, it looks so beautiful and natural.

MUA undress your skin shimmer highlighter

MUA again has impressed me with this product. This is a pressed powder highlighter with very fine shimmer particles in it, which is very decent. The highlighter comes in only one shade that will suit many skin tones. The  color of this highlighter is not very yellow or silver when applied rather it looks slightly pinkish pearly ivory. The powder is very soft and feels silky smooth on skin.

MUA undress your skin shimmer highlighter

This powder is highly pigmented. You need to apply it with a very light hand otherwise it can look chalky and can enhance your dry patches. I have dry/combination skin in winters but this powder doesn't enhance any dryness on my face when applied lightly on the face. The fine shimmer particles reflect light perfectly and give the face a very nice, dewy finish. Here are the swatches of the highlighter when applied on the arm.

Arm swatch of MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter

Close up of the swatch

Photographing swatches of a highlighter is the most difficult thing I guess. Hope I did justice with the swatches. The arm swatches show how pigmented it is. I just took a little amount on my finger and blended it on my arm. It looks much more smoother when applied on the face and adds a nice glow. I use it under my brow bone and above my cheeks and this has become my favorite highlighter.

I like this highlighter a lot. However, the only thing I wish for is that MUA should have offered this in a few more shades. I like this shade but it might not suit everyone so there should be more colors to choose from. You only need to be careful with the application part. Don't apply too much or else it will enhance any dryness on the skin. Just use a stippling brush or a powder brush and apply it very light-handedly above your cheeks for adding a subtle glow.

Final words, if you are looking for a budget-friendly highlighter, don't skip this one. It's great and I definitely recommend you to try this.

Price & Availability: MUA cosmetics are available in Pakistan at Just4girls.pk. I bought mine last year from just4girls for PKR 500/- only. International readers can purchase MUA cosmetics online from their website.






Love,
Lipstickholic

Hello everyone,

Lipsticks are my love...!!! As i have already mentioned in my previous posts that i love coral lip gloss and lipsticks. So today i am going to share my 5 favorite coral lipsticks with you. They are my favorite because they are unique in color, some are bright other are light and they look nice on lips. Though i don't wear all of these regularly but i love collecting such shades.

Rimmel lasting finish #13, Maybelline color sensational "coral pop", NYX round lipstick "femme", Rimmel moisture renew "soft coral" and Essence urban messages "It peace"

Here are the arm swatches of all the lipsticks in the same order as mentioned above:

Left to Right: Rimmel  #13, Maybelline coral pop, NYX femme, Rimmel soft coral, Essence It peace

At extreme left we have the "Rimmel lasting finish lipstick by Kate" and this one is shade #13. It's a pink/orange kind of lipstick which is more towards the pinker side when applied on lips. The lipstick itself is hydrating and creamy. This color is very bright, highly pigmented and it is neon. I rarely use it but this is a nice and unique coral color.

Then next we have the "Maybelline color sensational lipstick" in "coral pop". It is a lovely pale coral color with baby pink tone in it. This is the most wearable coral i have. It appears as a nice light pink/peach shade on lips. The formula of color sensational lipsticks by Maybelline is great and this is such a lovely color. It has no shimmer or glitter in it and the finish is semi matte.

The middle one is a famous coral lipstick. It is the "NYX round lipstick" in shade "Femme". I bought this shade about 2 years ago after reading it's reviews and i like this shade a lot. It's a reddish coral shade. This lipstick is creamy and it has a satin finish. The coverage is opaque and it is highly pigmented. This is not at all an everyday color. I sometime use it to tone down my red lipstick and sometime wear it alone when i want a bright lip look.

Next is "Rimmel moisture renew lipstick" in shade "soft coral". This is my least favorite among the bunch because of the glitter in it. I have included this in my favorites just because of the color of the lipstick. It's again a pinkish peach shade which can be used everyday. It is not very opaque. What i don't like about this lipstick is the chunks of glitter in this lipstick. I don't like any glitter or shimmer in lip products. Otherwise it's a good shade.

The last one is from the "Essence urban messages" collection and the shade is "It peace". This one is very sheer and is very creamy. It feels more like a lip gloss stick than a lipstick. This looks like a bright orange lipstick in the tube but when applied on lips it is a nice glossy coral shade without any glitter/shimmer. Though it's not at all long lasting and staying power is juts like a gloss but i like the way it looks on my lip.



Hope you enjoyed this post. Don't forget to follow my blog and leave your comments :)

Love,
Lipstickholic

Hello there girls,

I recently tried a new eyeshadow trio palette by MUA in shade "innocence" and today am going to share my thoughts on this palette with you. So let's just begin....

MUA Eyeshadow Trio- Innocence

This eyeshadow trio comes in a round plastic black packaging with a transparent cover. The packaging is pretty much similar to the Bourjois Eyeshadow Trio packaging. The packaging is just average in my opinion. However, it is small and travel friendly. It also contains a duo-ended applicator to apply the shadows which is decent. The eye shadows are dome shaped. They look cute in the packaging but this raised shape of eyeshadows cause a lot of fall out and the packaging gets quite messy. On the back of the packaging there is a diagram explaining how to use each color on the eye.


Now talking about the colors. This eyeshadow palette has beautiful neutral shades. The colors of this palette made me fall in love with it. They are very versatile and with these you can create many manyyyy different looks. These can be worn easily for a day time look or you also can use these colors to create a special occasion/glamorous bronze look.

Let me describe the colors in detail.The lightest color is a pale ivory shade which is a great brow bone highlighter. It can also be used on cheek as a face highlighter. I just love this shade a lot. The mid shade is a gold green shade. Again, a very pretty color. It can be used all over the lid or on the crease with any lighter shade on lid. The third color is the most interesting one. It is a duo-chrome shade. It's a bronze brown shade with some greenish shimmer in it. I can't exactly describe the color but it's such a fun color. I love all the three colors in this palette. Here are the swatches for you.

MUA eyeshadow trio "Innocence" swatches

MUA eyeshadow trio "Innocence" look

Essence Stay with me long lasting lip gloss "Candy bar"

Wavy applicator

Applicator picks the right amount of color

With flash

Without flash

Tissue swatch

Hey there beauties,

So finally it's November and winter is here and I hope you all must b enjoying this winter and the cold weather. Today I decided to write my first beauty guide/tips post and it is going to be about winters and skin care.

Combating the dry skin is mostly a problem for everyone in winters. People with oily skin face skin problems in summers but for girls like me who have dry/combination skin, winters bring a lot of skin issues. Dry skin makes your skin look dull. Here are a few tips that can help you in keeping your skin fresh and lively in winters.

Few of my winters skin care products

Change your skin care routine

The first thing you need to do is to completely change your skin care routine. As you change your wardrobe in winters similarly you need to change your whole skin care routine. It is important especially for those with very dry skin. Skip, the regular moisturizers that you use through out the year and get a new one specially for winters. Change your exfoliating routine and also choose a different daily facial wash/cleanser in winters. Choose the one's that are soap free and use cream cleansers. Use a hydrating toner. It is important to do this because in summers your skin is more greasy/oily, not that dry and needs different kind of products but in winters it needs more hydrating and moisturizing products.

Moisturize, moisturize and  moisturize.....

Moisturizing your skin is important through out the year. I always like to use a moisturizer before applying makeup no matter it's winter or summer. But yes when talking about winters using a moisturizer is a MUST. In winters it is very important to use a good moisturizer not only before applying makeup or washing/cleansing your face and body, but also use a good night time moisturizer. Our skin repairs itself at night when we are asleep. Therefore, using a moisturizer before going to bed helps the skin stay hydrated and healthy. I normally don't like using creams rather I prefer using lotions. However, I like the "Garnier skin naturals light cream with SPF 15" but I feel it does not provide enough moisture for winters. "Vaseline total moisture" is my favorite to use in winters.  You can choose any cream/lotion which suits you well.

Exfoliate Well 

In winters when the skin is dry and patchy you need to exfoliate the skin regularly so that the dead skin is removed. Exfoliating not only unclog your pores but also removes the dead skin cells from your skin. But remember over exfoliation can make your skin worse and more dry.  If you have sensitive skin it's better to use a mild exfoliator with micro-beads that is not harsh on your skin. Use your finger tips to gently rub the exfoliator on skin. Apply your favorite moisturizer right after exfoliating the skin to prevent dryness. I love the St Ives range of scrubs. I suggest trying their "apricot scrub" or you may use the "St Ives gentle scrub" if you have sensitive skin.

Don't forget the lip balms

Using the lip balm is one most important thing. In winters the lips become more dry and chapped so use a lip balm and keep one in your bag so that you can reapply whenever you need to.  Also don't forget to use any lip exfoliator to get rid of dead lip cells. After scrubbing your lips apply any lip balm that you like. You can try "EOS lip balms" in any flavor you like or you may choose the "labello lip balms" as they are budget friendly and easy to carry around.

Makeup for dry skin

Apart from taking care of your skin in winters you can use makeup to look fresh. But it is important to use the right type of products. Use a hydrating primer before applying the foundation. In winters it is better to use a liquid foundation with satin/glowy finish or use a cream foundation. If you have dry skin don't use mattifying foundations in winter and skip the powders. I suggest trying "Revlon photoready foundation" or you may also try the "color studio pro luminous foundation" for a lighter coverage. If you have dry skin cream blush is going to work the best for you. At the end use a good moisturizing lipstick. There are number of moisturizing lip tints and balms available now a days. Try them.

 Drink plenty of water

And last but not the least drinking plenty of water is very important. In winters increase your amount of fluids intake to prevent dryness and have glowing skin. I usually reduce my water intake in winters which is bad i know. But, it's true that drinking plenty of water helps helps your skin stay hydrated and fresh. Also, eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits. Oranges or citrus fruits are great source of Vitamin C and they help keeping your skin stay fresh. So eat loads of oranges this winter.


I hope these tips will be helpful for all of you. If you have any other tips that are beneficial for skin care in winters feel free to share them in your comments. Here is a cup of coffee along with my favorite chocolate that i was enjoying. This is what i love in winters.... :)





Love,
Lipstickholic

Hey sweeties,

Today I am going to post my first haul pic on this blog. It is my most recent lipsticks haul from the facebook page Beautyinbudget4u. I bought these lipstick in two different recent lipstick hauls, but I am combining them in one post to show you together. Here are a few pics of all the lovely lippies i got.





The lip products that i bought are:

Wet n Wild Mega last lipstick (Smokin' Hot Pink)
Wet n Wild Mega last lipstick (Rose Bud)
Wet n Wild silk finish lipstick (Blushing Bali)
ELF moisturizing mineral lip tint with SPF (Rose)
ELF jumbo lip gloss stick (Choco Loco)

I was quite excited to try all these and happy with the choices that i made. Its pretty tough to choose the right shade online but i love doing it...lol. It was my first shopping experience with beautyinbudget4u and i loved their speedy and efficient service.

I will be reviewing all these goodies one by one soon. Hope you like them.

Love,
Lipstickholic