Filed In: Lip gloss/pencil
MAKE UP FOR EVER | Lip Fever Collection – Passion Pinks
From the brand that has elevated colour saturation to a whole new level, MAKE UP FOR EVER has recently launched the Lip Fever Collection – Passion Pink, a trio of limited edition products from their highly coveted ‘lip repertoire‘ of products. If you’re a bit pink-phobic like I am, then you really owe it to yourself to give these a look as I can pretty much guarantee you’ll fall in love with at least one. Maybe two. Possible all three, even.
MAKE UP FOR EVER | Lip Fever Collection – Passion Pinks
MAKE UP FOR EVER | Lip Fever Collection – Passion Pinks
MAKE UP FOR EVER | Lip Fever Collection – Passion Pinks, swatches
920 Flushed Cherry Artist Lip Balm (CAN $25.00) | First up, is this lip balm made with Polyglyceride Esters in the formula that “provide a buttery, gliding effect with triple benefits by adding colour, comfort & shine“. Housed in a retractible chubby stick format, this is a cool-leaning baby pink hue that actually does glide across the lips, leaving behind a soft flush of colour coupled with high shine. Wear time colour-wise is about 2.5 hours, not factoring in eating and/or drinking (which is about what you’d expect from a shade this light), but the nourishing feel it provides lips extends long past after all colour has gone.
MAKE UP FOR EVER | 920 Flushed Cherry Artist Lip Balm
MAKE UP FOR EVER | 920 Flushed Cherry Artist Lip Balm swatch
921 Rosewood Pink Artist Lip Blush (CAN $25.00) | Inspired by the ‘soft texture of a powdered blush’, this has a 3-powder complex in the formula comprised of “Silica, Synthetic Mica and Polymers” for a lush, yet intense matte colour payoff. Housed in a retractible chubby stick format as well, this is a universally flattering shade of what I call ‘antiqued rose’ that applies smoothly along the lips without any pulling or tugging, depositing a healthy dose of pigment even by the first stroke. The matte finish still has the barest hint of a sheen, keeping it from appearing flat or one-dimensional, and wear time is quite impressive – easily lasting 6+ hours and leaving a light stain behind once the majority of colour has worn off.
MAKE UP FOR EVER | 921 Rosewood Pink Artist Lip Blush
MAKE UP FOR EVER | 921 Rosewood Pink Artist Lip Blush swatch
922 Electric Fuchsia Artist Acrylip (CAN $28.00) | Electric is putting it mildly; this is HIGH VOLTAGE colour (and yes, it totally deserves caps) that literally stuns your visual sense from the very first swipe. Inspired by acrylic paints used by artists, the Synthetic Mica in the formula boost saturation, while Silica Gel adds intense colour in a non-sticky format. Lightweight in feel but incredibly pigment-drenched, lips are fully covered from the get-go, leaving behind a shine and über long-lasting finish (I stopped counting after 9 hours; even with drinking and eating, there was still plenty of colour left over).
MAKE UP FOR EVER | 922 Electric Fuchsia Artist Acrylip
MAKE UP FOR EVER | 922 Electric Fuchsia Artist Acrylip swatch
As much as my inner princess longs for it, pink is not a shade I usually turn to; mainly because it doesn’t always agree with my light-medium skin tone, but every so often the right shade, or in this case, ‘shades’ come along. Having heavily lined lips, lip balms are my saviour and I usually have several on hand, and while those little Vaseline pots are a Godsend, sometimes I want a bit of colour mixed in with the soothing effect; enter Flushed Cherry, with it’s Barbie-girl pinkness. I love the look of matte lips, but the moisture-sucking factor can be off-putting, which is why the smooth texture of Rosewood Pink has earned it a spot in my makeup bag (TIP: I use the balm first to act as a barrier against any ensuing dryness). My initial thought on applying Electric Fuchsia? HOT TAMALE!!!! That one packs some serious pink power, and yet…I’m really, really loving it! This is a no-holds-barred lip colour that may be way out of my comfort zone, but it makes me happy. I’m going with that.
The MAKE UP FOR EVER Lip Fever Passion Pink Collection is available exclusively at Sephora for a limited time. Find more information on the brand via www.makeupforever.ca
Product samples kindly provided by MAKE UP FOR EVER for my unbiased consideration
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NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip & Cheek Pencil & Blur Pencil
Having made an impact on the beauty scene from the very start (see previous reviews here and here), NUDESTIX continues its meteoric rise in the beauty world with the introduction of their Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils and Blur Pencil (CAN $28.00 each). As we all know, matte lips are still trending strongly and while I do love the look, I’m not a fan of the way most products seem to suck out every last drop of moisture in my lips. That’s where these Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils (available in 8 shades, four ‘nudes’ and four ‘reds’) come into their own; glidingly smooth and super-pigmented, each pencil deposits enough colour in one swipe for excellent coverage without any tugging along the skin, in a waterproof, long-wearing, and non-feathering formula that lasts 6+ hours, staying true throughout the wearing.
The Blur Pencil is an unscented clear pencil that has been designed to be worn several ways; applied to clean lips before adding colour, it serves to act as a smoothing base and may also help minimize the look of lip lines. Applied to areas of the skin where pores are visible, it works as a ‘filler’, helping to give the appearance of smoother skin. Lastly, it can also be used as a liner around the lips to ‘clean up’ any unevenness and create a sharper line, especially effective when wearing any of the brighter/darker Intense Matte pencils.
Each NUDESTIX product comes housed in its own matte black rectangular metal case that has the brand name in raised lettering on top plus a large mirror on the inner lid for convenient on-the-go touchups. All NUDESTIX pencils also come with their own sharpener that caps snugly on one end, making sure you’ll always have a sharpener on hand when needed. Another bonus to the case, is that it’s large enough to accommodate several of your fave products while keeping them safe and protected – plus it just looks pretty cool, no?
As a fan of multi-tasking products, I really appreciate how wearable each Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil shade truly is, not to mention how one simple pencil is all you actually need to provide both lip and cheek colour. Bonus points scored for how easily the product blends into the skin for a believable and even-looking hue that will also last beautifully until removed. For obvious reasons, the nude shades are much easier to use on cheeks and require less effort to appear ‘natural’, and while the red shades provide a true flush of colour, you do need to be careful to start with a small amount and blend, blend, blend (you can always add more, if needed). Another option is to combine one or more shades for a completely customized hue, whether on lips or cheeks.
For convenience, the 8 shades have been broken down into 2 groups: the nudes & the reds
NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil & Blur Pencil
NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil (sharpener)
NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils
NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil swatches
The Nudes:
- Tamed – nude with a mauve tint, cool leaning
- Entice – neutral nude, wearable by both cool & warm complexions
- Belle – nude with a soft plum tint, provides just the right amount of colour
- Purity – flesh tone nude, the most pigmented of the four
NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils, the ‘nudes’ swatches
NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils, the ‘nudes’
The Reds:
- Kiss – described as a ‘rude’ nude, looks more like a bitten-lips effect to me
- Stiletto – sizziling chili-pepper red, flattering on all skin tones
- Royal – classic true red, both sexy and sophisticatedly modern
- Raven – deepest red of the group with aubergine hints, wearably dark – not goth
NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils, the ‘reds’ swatches
NUDESTIX | Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils, the ‘reds’
INGREDIENTS: Dimethicone, Diisostearyl Malate, Synthetic Wax, Distarch Phosphate, Polybutene, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch, Glyceryl Caprylate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Silica, Isoceteth-10
I am a 100% bonafide fan of every single product produced from this brand; not only is the packaging on point and well-thought out, but care goes into the ingredients listing to ensure performance and quality are what comes through every time. From the nude group of these Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils, my personal faves are Belle for its Brigitte Bardot-nude vibe and Purity for those times I want a darker neutral. From the red group, my standouts are Stiletto and Royal, two shades that are heart-stoppingly gorgeous with some seriously amazing pigmentation + staying power. The only issue I can find – and remember that this is just a personal quirk of mine – is that I would much prefer the pencils came in a retractible format, as I don’t like the product waste that accompanies sharpening, especially when talking about a product that’s THIS good and that you want to hang onto as long as possible. But then again, why hoard when there are so many other gorgeous shades to try?
NUDSTIX products are available through Sephora stores across Canada, as well as Beautylish. Find more information on the brand via www.nudestix.com
Product samples kindly provided by NUDESTIX for my unbiased consideration
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MAC x Ellie Goulding Collection
MAC may be known for their high impact and [frequently] eclectic colour collections, but every once in a while they throw out a curveball just to keep us beauty lovers on our toes. The brand’s recent collaborations with British songstress Ellie Goulding is a collection that might initially appear rather unexpectedly subdued (for a brand like MAC, that is) but in my opinion it packs a major punch by virtue of all the totally wearable shades. And I mean ALL.
Ellie Goulding for MAC
MAC x Ellie Goulding Collection
MAC x Ellie Goulding Collection swatches
MAC x Ellie Goulding Collection swatches (alternate light)
Halcyon Days Full Face Kit (CAN $51.50) | A two-tiered compact with the top level holding four cream eye shades, sliding out to reveal a face powder on the bottom.
4 Cream Colour Base – Four cream shades can be easily applied with a finger and then blended out for sheer washes of colour, or applied with brushes (I start with a synthetic haired brush to pack on the colour, then go in with a natural bristle brush to blur out any edges or to blend colours together). When used as a base, they serve to amplify any powder shade worn on top – as well as improve wear time. If your eyelids tend to run a little on the oily side (like mine), then I highly recommend applying a primer first. Colour breakdown:
- Root – oyster/champagne hue with reflective shimmer, can be worn all over and/or for highlighting
- Tint – pale copper shimmer hue with a slight pink duo chrome flash
- Every Time You Go – soft rose hue, soft sheen finish
- Wish I Stayed – mink brown hue with complex shimmer
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Halcyon Days 4 Cream Colour Base (detail)
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Halcyon Days 4 Cream Colour Base swatches
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Halcyon Days 4 Cream Colour Base swatches (alternate light)
Halcyon Days Medium Dark Blot Powder/Pressed – A neutral shade that leans more warm than cool due to its slight yellow tint. Used to set makeup, this powder also contains oil-blotting agents to effectively keep skin from looking shiny. The texture is very finely milled; so much so that I couldn’t even show a swatch, as it literally disappeared into my skin.
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Halcyon Days Medium Dark Blot Powder/Pressed (detail)
Only You Cremesheen Lipstick (CAN $25.50) | A mid-tone coral hue in a buttery-soft & creamy finish that glides effortlessly along the lips. A flattering shade for practically all skin tones across the spectrum (may appear more like a balm against darkest complexions). A new shade in the brand’s Cremesheen finish, it’s made unique with the singer’s logo stamped in a rose-gold hue on the exterior as well as embossed onto the bullet.
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Only You Cremesheen Lipstick (detail)
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Only You Cremesheen Lipstick swatch
Innocent Patentpolish Lip Pencil (CAN $25.50) | A sheer nude shade with slight rose tints in the base for a little extra warmth. The Patentpolish format combines the ease of a retractible pencil, the soft texture of a balm, and the shine of a gloss. The rounded top helps the colour glide smoothly along the lips, while the pale hue provides an almost mirror-free and un-fussy application. Even though my swatch photo (below) makes it appear to settle rather noticeably in my lip lines, the reality is a much more level-looking consistency. Staying power is not strong, which is to be expected with a shade this light, although lips feel moisturized throughout the wearing and long after. Bonus: can be applied over other shades to lighten things up and create a unique – albeit subtle – new colour (as seen in the last swatch photo).
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Innocent Patentpolish Lip Pencil
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Innocent Patentpolish Lip Pencil swatch
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Innocent Patentpolish & Only You Cremesheen swatches
MAC x Ellie Goulding | Innocent Patentpolish over Only You Cremesheen swatch
I’ll Hold My Breath Powder Blush (CAN $33.50) | What appears to be more of a bronzer/blush twosome (as opposed to a blush duo, which is how it’s described on the MAC website) is in fact the star piece of this collection. The larger tan portion has finely milled gold shimmer to add a sunny warmth and brightness, while the coral/pink bottom shade is surprisingly pigmented (a little really does go a long way) and also bears a shimmery pink sheen. Both shades are large enough that you can reach for either one without fear of cross-contaminating the colours, but I find that the real magic happens when you combine them together to create the most stunning golden coral blush shade. There’s enough of both cool and warm tones to make this suitable for a broad range of skin tones, but those with warmer undertones will find it the most flattering. I love the detail of the embossed logo on the powder’s surface which echoes that found on the exterior lid.
Wear time: amazing, without any fading at all – until removed.
MAC x Ellie Goulding | I’ll Hold My Breath Powder Blush (detail)
MAC x Ellie Goulding | I’ll Hold My Breath Powder Blush (logo detail)
MAC x Ellie Goulding | I’ll Hold My Breath Powder Blush swatches
20 Lash (CAN $21.50) | These demi lashes are meant to be applied to the outer part of the eye, helping to provide fullness and a sultry feline flick. Their smaller size (when compared to full strip lashes) makes them super easy to both apply and wear. Also part of the permanent range (without the logo detailing seen here).
30 Lash (CAN $21.50) | This collection of individual lashes includes three sizes to choose from, offering more versatility than strip lashes by virtue of the fact that you can apply as few or as many as desired, customizing the placement of each little bundle to fit your individual eye shape. Also part of the permanent range (without the logo detailing seen here).
For a neutral lover such as myself, every single one of these products falls is so completely within my comfort zone; add to that the excellent formulation of each item, and I don’t hesitate to call the pieces of the entire collection shown here a 100% win. What’s not to love about wearable, flattering shades, I ask you?
Most MAC stores may have already removed the display from their counters (a testament to how fast this industry moves), but feel free to ask sales people about the products just the same in case items are stored in drawers. If not, everything is still showing as available on their website – even the blush duo that not surprisingly, sold out within minutes as soon as it launched.
Product samples kindly provide by the MAC team for my unbiased consideration
NUDESTIX | Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil, Love Cheek + Lip Pencil, & Shimmer Eye Pencil
Question: what do you get when you cross a chemical engineer mom with 2 impossibly gorgeous teen daughters? Answer: why, makeup, of course. Introducing NUDESTIX™, a line of beauty pencils to help you achieve the ‘no makeup makeup’ look, or as the brand’s tagline says “go nude, but better”. With her daughters Ally & Taylor as muses, Jenny Frankel – a woman with over 20 years experience in the beauty industry (she was the creator behind M.A.C’s Lipglass), decided to streamline the everyday woman’s beauty routine. Observing how her daughters preferred minimal, neutral shades and used fingers instead of brushes for tools, evolved into a luxury beauty range comprised of portable ‘crayon’ style pencils (with the exception of their mascara, which comes in a usual format with a brush).
The collections consists of 2 types of eye pencils: the Magnetic Eye Color Pencils which come in 4 shades (Angel, Moon, Twilight, Night) – long wearing with a deep shine factor, 8 shades of Eye Pencils (Cream, Shimmer*, Stardust*, Golden*, Bronze*, Burnish* Pewter*, Smoke) – with all-in-one shadow, liner & highlighter properties for most hues (shades marked with * are soft metallics), 1 Mascara (in black), 8 shades of Concealer Pencil (from light to deep), and 8 shades of Lip + Cheek Pencils (Whisper, Love, Blush, Mystic, Ripe, Soul, Sin & Flesh) – that can be used just as effortlessly on the face as on the lips (you can also check out a few other shades, reviewed by Sabrina of The Beauty Look Book).
Each pencil (and the mascara) comes housed in an eco-friendly and reusable black tin that supports a full-sized mirror on the inner lid, an insert with easy & helpful instructions, as well as a total genius touch: a sharpener that not only fits snugly on one end of the pencil, but comes complete with its own cap to keep shavings (and messes) at bay (with the exception of the mascara that doesn’t need a sharpener *doh*). No more fighting with dull pencils when you’re on the go plus each unit has its own sharpener, so no sharing means no colours bleeding in to each other. Like I said, genius.
All NUDESTIX™ products are preservative and fragrance-free.
Ally & Taylor, the brain[children] behind NUDESTIX™
NUDESTIX™
NUDESTIX™ | Shimmer Eye Pencil, Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil & Love Lip + Cheek Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Shimmer Eye Pencil, Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil & Love Lip + Cheek Pencil
NUDESTIX™
NUDESTIX™ | Open tin with insert
NUDESTIX™ | Inner cap holds a full-size mirror
NUDESTIX™ | Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil (ingredients list)
NUDESTIX™ | Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil + sharpener (included)
NUDESTIX™ | Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil + sharpener (included)
Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil (CAN $28.00) | A nude shimmer eye shadow with a warm peachy tint, in a waterproof pencil format. The texture is incredibly creamy and glides effortlessly along the skin, leaving behind a rich shimmery veil of colour that can be sheered out – although you do have to work quickly to do so, or layered for more depth & intensity. Once applied, you have just a couple of minutes to blend this out because once it sets, it’s there for the duration; a swatch test on my inner arm even lasted through showering. On my eyelids (prone to oiliness), I was able to wear Angel without any primer and experienced no visible creasing at all – a highly impressive feature of the staying power of this pencil. NOTE: You will need a dual-phase eye makeup remover to take this off (I swear by the one from Neutrogena).
NUDESTIX™ | Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Angel Magnetic Eye Color Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Love Lip + Cheek Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Love Lip + Cheek Pencil (ingredients list)
Love Lip + Cheek Pencil (CAN $28.00) | A petal pink hue without shimmer, in a highly emollient formula that can be worn either on the lips or cheeks. I love how easily this goes on and I experience no tugging or pulling in application, and even though this shade is just a touch too pale for my colouring, I am still able to pull it off for an easy daytime look. As a blush, I found it to be too sheer and it never really ‘set’ – especially on bare skin, unless I added a powder blusher on top for added longevity (which then defeats the purpose of using Love as a blush), although it did give a nice glow while it lasted. I had better luck wearing this shade over foundation, but again, the colour slides a bit too much to be built up. On the lips, this is an amazing pencil – soft, gliding and leaving a hydrated feel behind, with an average staying power of about 2.5 hours.
NUDESTIX™ | Love Lip + Cheek Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Love Lip + Cheek Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Love Lip + Cheek Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Shimmer Eye Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Shimmer Eye Pencil (ingredients list)
Shimmer Eye Pencil (CAN $28.00) | An eye shadow pencil in a champagne hue that has an excellent mix of both cool & warm tones, making it wearable for basically all complexions. The smudger that is built in to one end, is of an excellent quality and soft enough to help you blend this shadow with ease. Not as long wearing as the Magnetic Eye Color Pencils, you may find you need to apply primer first for added staying power (especially for those with oily lids), although I didn’t see noticeable creasing until a few hours in – and that’s without primer. As an eye shadow applied to the mobile lid, Shimmer gives my eyes a nice ‘wide-awake’ shine that’s not overly blingy – just add a quick swipe of mascara and the look is done. This shade also works beautifully as an inner eye or brow bone highlighter, as well as to accentuate the cupid’s bow and even along the tops of cheekbones, although the latter means a bit more work to blend it out seamlessly there.
NUDESTIX™ | Shimmer Eye Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Shimmer Eye Pencil
NUDESTIX™ | Shimmer Eye Pencil (smudger end)
NUDESTIX™ | Shimmer Eye Pencil
What can be easier than using a pencil to apply all your makeup needs? There are enough shade variances in the eye, lip/cheek & skin (concealer) pencils available, to accommodate basically all skin tones and colour preferences, and the pencil-cap sharpener is an addition that makes you wonder why no one has thought of this before. The quality of the 3 pencils I tried is amazing and I’m also a fan of all the little details that went into this entire range – from the reusable tin (perfect to store several of your NUDESTIX™ pencils in), to the simple & clean concept, making these pencils a truly on-the-go product. For anyone who’s a fan of a more minimal makeup look while still appearing ‘done’, I find the NUDESTIX range to be definitely worth looking – and investing – in. Personally, I’ll be checking out some of the darker hues available … there’s something very addictive about scribbling on one’s face, and it actually looking good!
Available through select Sephora stores (Canada & US), as well as Space.NK – Find more information via:
*Disclosure: Press samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration
NARS Torres del Paine Satin Lip Pencil, Final Cut Collection
Of the four Satin Lip Pencils released with the limited edition NARS Final Cut Collection (see my review on the New Attitude blush here), the one that came home with me was Torres del Paine, a fresh apricot shade that felt spot-on perfect to usher in Spring (which can’t get here soon enough, if you ask me). Something that I’ve come to really appreciate with this brand is not only the eclectic diversity of colour found within each collection (as well as the top-tier quality), but the unique geographical locations associated with each release – all stemming from the many exotic locales that M. François Nars has travelled to and in turn become the inspiration behind may of his collections.
Torres del Paine, is a vast national park in the Southern Patagonia region of Chile that includes mountains, glaciers, rivers and lakes, with the Cordillera del Paine mountain range the centerpiece of the park. When the sun hits this range at certain times of the day, the array of colours seen are absolutely breathtaking – and now I understand the connection to the name of this shade.
Torres del Paine, Chile
Torres del Paine Satin Lip Pencil (CAN $30.00) – a peach/coral lip hue with some cherry pink undertones in the base, in a jumbo pencil format (non-retractible), in a well-pigmented formula that falls short of being glossy, but holds a shiny finish just the same. The application couldn’t be easier, as this pencil seems to glide easily across the lips depositing an even layer of colour, while the tip makes defining the contours simple & effortless. You can wear this shade alone for a fresh and vibrant look, mixed with another one of the pencils (or your favourite lipstick) for a unique colour, or even with gloss layered on top. Lasting power was about 4.5 hours when worn alone, less with gloss on top, leaving my lips feeling smooth & hydrated long after it had worn off. The only downside is the fact that it needs to be sharpened, resulting in product waste; I’ve gotten around that issue by keeping the shaved bit of colour (in the sharpener) and then using a lip brush to apply it. Not my preferred scenario, but a lot better than throwing it away – especially since this shade is just so pretty, not to mention pricey.
Highly complimentary to most skin tones, although it does lean more warm than cool.
NARS – Torres del Paine Satin Lip Pencil (in direct sunlight)
NARS – Torres del Paine Satin Lip Pencil (natural light)
NARS – Torres del Paine Satin Lip Pencil
The initial orange tint threw me off, as well as how close it appears to ‘Descanso‘, another similarly toned pencil in this collection (which I did not pick up), but what sold me after trying it out, WAS that vibrancy – something I’m trying to embrace more (colour, that is) and incorporate in my makeup looks. Since orange/coral/peach/apricot hues are not going away anytime soon and if what was seen on several of the runways is any indicator, a softer version such as Torres del Paine is a great way to add colour to your makeup wardrobe. And if it were a twist-up, then that would be absolute perfection …
Available now exclusively through Holt Renfrew (Canada), this is a limited edition shade – and totally backup worthy.
