Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Revlon Colorburst Matte and Laquer Balm Swatches and Review & Giveaway.

Hey Guys,



So I am back with another review and these are the latest launches from Revlon. After their immensely successful Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain, they came out with 2 new versions of the same under the color burst range. I got mine from the US and was jumping around in the isles of Target when I saw them on display. I knew I had to have em all! I did give a couple of colors a miss only because they were out of stock. Now I am not going to lie, all the shades are not to my liking but that being said I know I will put them all to good use.  Availability is an issue since they haven't been launched in India just yet but I did hear that the Matte Balms will be launching soon, so hopefully they bring in the entire range. So without further ado lets get to them.



Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms



I got 3 of the shades, I did mean to pick up more but they were either opened and used or out of stock. But I am glad that I did manage to get the 3 colors I was dying to try. The shades I picked up are 220 Showy Flamboyant, 240 Striking Spectaculaire & 225 Sultry Sulfureuse

Packaging: The packaging is similar to the Just bitten Kissable Balm Stains, except the body of these crayons is Matte, the shade of the crayon on the outer packaging is very similar to the shade inside. 

Texture: Okay, lets take a moment and clap, because Revlon finally got their matte right! These babies are the perfect matte, they are not super matte (like Ruby Woo) nor are the wannabe matte! So Texture wise they are pretty good. That being said you would need to exfoliate. I like that they do not tug on my lips and apply smoothly. Also the fragrance is super minty and nice just like the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. These are not waxy and the apply with precision. Overall I have no complaints. 

Pigmentation & Lasting Power: Pigmentation wise I have no complaints. They are super pigmented and last easily for around 6-7 hours and can survive mild snacking. Minimal Transfer onto Cups or Glasses.


220 Showy Flamboyant is a vibrant pink color and very neon. If your looking for a pop of color, you can blindly pick this up.. It brightens up your entire face. Although it may wash you out if you are above NC 44







                            Without Flash


                                With Flash

240 Striking Spectaculaire is my favorite color of the lot. I have been using it non stop, It is a bright red and the kind that makes your teeth look whiter. If you know me at all you know I can't resist the red lipsticks and red is my go lip color. This color according to me is the star of the lot.







                         Without Flash
                         With Flash


225 Sultry Sulfureuse is a very appealing rosy-mauve color. You can apply this light on the lips if your rocking a smoky eye or you can go all out for a bold lip. This color is definitely amazing and I can see myself getting a good wear out of this color. 






                           Without Flash 
                                   With Flash

Overall I really do like the Matte Balms as they are easy to wear with stellar pigmentation that surpasses some of my high end fancy packaged lipsticks even.


Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms



These balms are ultra glossy and shimmery. They are said to be a mix of lip balm, lipstick and a shimmery gloss. And true to that they are. The colors range in this is pretty decent. I managed to pick up five shades from this range. And truth be told I do not like 2 shades purely for the color or shimmer. I picked up 115 Whimsical Fantaisiste, 135 Provocatuer Femme Fatale, 120 Vivacious Exuberante, 110 Coquette & 105 Demure Reservee.


Packaging: The packaging is similar to the Just bitten Kissable Balm Stains, except the body of these crayons is super glossy, the shade of the crayon on the outer packaging is very similar to the shade inside. 

Texture: The texture of these are ultra glossy and some even have a fine shimmer in them. The shimmers clings on to the lips even after the balm fades (something I am not a fan of) and some shades have too much shimmer. Keep in mind these are shimmery and don't have chunks of glitter so you could pull these off on a daily basis as well (at least some of the colors) Also the fragrance is super minty and nice just like the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. These are not waxy and the apply with precision.

Pigmentation & Lasting Power: Pigmentation wise these fall back compared to the original balm stains and the matte ones. They last for around 4 hours and can survive mild snacking. They do transfer to cups and glasses but do not leave a stain on the lips.


115 Whimsical Fantaisiste is a dark pinky-purple color with shimmer in it. Truth be told I am not a huge fan of this shade and is my least favorite out of the lot, this color makes my face look dull and its over shimmery which doesn't please me that much. I will be passing this on to my mum. I was hoping for this to be a shimmery version of MAC Rebel but I don't think it lives up to my expectations.







                                     Without Flash
                                With Flash


135 Provocatuer Femme Fatale is shimmery red. While the shimmer on the previous color was a bit much for me, this color is perfect.. Its not too shimmery nor too plain.. This really does look glossy when on your lips. I really do like this color and see my self wearing it often.










120 Vivacious Exuberante is bright fuchsia color. Again the shimmer on this is just perfect and I love this for a glossy pop of color on my lips. Easy to carry and also for daily wear if your into pinks.










                                    Without Flash
                               With Flash

110 Coquette is a very light pink with (you guessed it) shimmer! The shimmers on this color are definitely on the higher side. The color would wash you out if you are above NC 44 as it is quite light. 




                                   With Flash
                                  Without Flash


105 Demure Reservee is definitely the least favorite of the lot. It is a light pinky nude with lots and lots of shimmer. The shimmer in this one almost overpowers the actual color which in my opinion is very very light. This will definitely wash you out if you are above NC 35. I thought this could be my MLBB shade but its too shimmery and too light. Im disappointed. 




                         
                              Without Flash


                              With Flash

Overall the Lacquer Balms are a hit or miss. 3 out of 5 were a hit. So you definitely need to try these out before you buy them all like me.  



Ratings:

Matte Balms: 4/5
Lacquer Balms: 3/5



Hope you found this review helpful and do let me know if you have tried these or if not which color was your favorite?

 If you managed to read all the way till here, kudos I am going to be giving away one of these (brand new of course) balms over on my  Facebook page, click here to enter. Its super simple :) 




Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Haul: Part Two : High End


Haul: Part Two : High End 

I uploaded my part 1 of the haul here. So this is the part two of that series. Not all pictures have been taken at the same time as I started using some of the products already and forgot to take pictures and some have been photographed before being torn off from packaging.. (I hate paper/cardboard packaging on products, they always give me paper cuts, therefore I never have packaging on my MAC lipsticks and so on...)

As I type this up my mind is squealing with all the happiness and I am so eager to play with ( If i haven't already), swatch and review these products for you! I will list all the things I got below for your convenience...

 Please note that blog post is in no way my attempt to brag or show off about the products I bought but its is intended just to share what you can expect from future blog posts and your views on the products I have could and/or should get.

Most of these products have been procured from Sephora/Ulta/Brand websites while I was in USA (story in the earlier blogpost). Also extremely sorry that the pictures are not high quality, okay they are quite crappy and some products are pictured twice, all items are a single buy only unless mentioned otherwise in the list below. I hope you'll be forgiving. <3























1) Benefit Brow Zing (repurchase) ( HG )
2) Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strenght Peel
3) La Vanilla - The Healthy Deodorant in Vanilla Grape Fruit (oh come on! Everyone needs a good deodorant and this one is organic and made for sensitive skin)
4) Evian Brumisateur
5) Sephora Waterproof Crayon Jumbo 12 Hour in 17 black, 15 purple, 19 grey glitter, 04 taupe, 27 electric blue matte, 18 silver glitter, 22 dark taupe shimmer. (excellent dupes for the MUFE aqua shadow sticks)
6) Nars Blush in Liberte
7) Illamasqua blush in Tweak
8) Josie Maran coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Gateway Red
9) Makeup Forever Aqua Shadow Jumbo  Pencil in 20 E
10) Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencils in Ink, Desperation, Apathy, West, Black Market, Riot & Perversion
11) Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara (2) (HG)
12) Kardashian Beauty En Joystick in Shocking Pink and Retro Red
13) Nars Eye Liner Stylo
14) Stilla Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Cobalt
15) Buxom Cream Lipstick In Cherry Flip
16) Marc Jabcobs Roller Ball in Daisy
17) Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Catfight & 69
18) Ojon Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serum
19) Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Biscuit (2) (HG)
20) Lancome Blush Subtl ( 1 as a gift for a friend and 1 for me :)
21) Sephora Lipstick in Mr Lover 2115 B
22) Nars lipstcik in Jungle Red and Heat wave
23) Lancome Color Design Lipstick in Intense Fuchsia, Wine Party, Corset & Pink in the Limo
24) Lancome L'Absolu Rouge in Spice Pink
25) Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
26) Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream
27) First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Therapy
28) Urban Decay B6 Vitamin Infused Complexion Prep Spray
29) Lancome Gloss in Love in Flash in Fuchsia
30)Sephora 6 eyeshadow palette
31) Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Tart
32) Josie Maran Organic Argan Oil Moisturizer (HG)
33) Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum
34) Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella
35) Clarasonic Mia Replacement heads for sensitive skin (HG)
36) Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light (HG)
37) Caudalie Beauty Elixir (HG)
38) Bumble and Bumble Hair Thickening Spray
39) Tom Ford Lipstick in Narcotic Rouge
40) Tom Ford Lipstick in True Coral
41) Michael Kors Lip Lacquer in Bombshell
42) Marc Jacobs Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl in 202 Paint it
43) Marc Jacobs Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl in 212 No Regrets
44) Marc Jacobs Lovemarc Lip Gel (lipstick) in 118 Roll the Dice
45) Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon in 42 Blacquer
46) Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No 7 Plush Eyeshadow Palette in 208 The Vamp & Lolita. (Current Favorites)
47) Nars Sheer Glow Foundation (HG)
48) Sephora Give me Lip Kit.
49) Lorac Unzipped Palette ( I already own the Lorac Pro since quite a while and thought of giving this a go - love it!)


Also I have missed a couple of things, like some brushes from Japonesque and Marc Jacobs, also repurchased a Nars Sheer Glow foundation (HG), they shall be featured in a future post. 

So guys let me know your favorite items from the list above and which one you would like to see reviews about.. I know I am a bit behind on reviews but I promise I shall get to them ASAP. 

I hope you all loved the haul,  follow my blog via bloglovin or just clicking the follow button on the right to read in-depth reviews of the items mentioned above. Thanks for reading.