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Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes Fall 2015 (Limited Edition)

For Fall 2015, Maybelline has relaunched their Creamy Mattes lipsticks (original shades reviewed here) in 8 new limited edition colours ( CAN $9.99 each). Made with 3 precious oils and what feels like all kinds of buttery yumminess, there’s nothing shy about any of the colours, as they all come in a super pigmented formula with an ultra-creamy feel in application. Long-wearing, the finish is more of a lustrous matte as opposed to flat, with a Play-Doh like scent (at least to my nose) which I totally love, but which dissipates almost as soon as the shade is applied.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes Fall 2015 (Limited Edition)

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes Fall 2015 swatches (in sunlight)

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes Fall 2015 swatches (alternate light)

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656 Clay Crush | A warm leaning pecan nude shade with a smooth finish upon application, and a great swipe-and-go kind of colour. Neutral and so easy to wear.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 656 Clay Crush swatch

675 Nude Nuance | A raisin nude shade, bearing a smooth finish and slightly more colour saturation than Clay Crush but still well within neutral territory.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 657 Nude Nuance swatch

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681 Vibrant Violet | A cool toned violet shade (or ultra-violet in this case) with strong magenta undertones – looks patchier in the swatch photo than the actual application, which is in fact quite smooth (so difficult to capture in photos, let me tell you).

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 681 Vibrant Violet swatch

682 Blushing Pout | A white-based dusty pale pink with a tendency to settle in lip lines (of which I have TONS) and can appear slightly patchy at first – but which can be basically eliminated by blotting and re-applying. A total retro feel to this shade (think: Twiggy, the swinging 60s).

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 682 Blushing Pout swatch

683 Pink N Chic | A blue based (and therefore cooler-leaning) ultra pink shade that is like Blushing Pout in application, and can benefit from throughly blotting + reapplying, to achieve the smoothest finish. This one also gives me a retro vibe and I actually love the look best when most of the colour has worn off.
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Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 683 Pink N Chic swatch

684 Electric Pink | As close to neon as pink can get, this shade appears to have both warm & cool undertones, making it wearable by a broad range of skin tones.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 684 Electric Pink swatch

691 Rich Ruby | Drop.Dead.Gorgeous. This red is so lush and just so flattering on EVERYBODY. Depending on your skin tone, it may appear as either cool-based or warm leaning – and always amazing. Leaves a nice stain behind too, even after most of the colour has worn off (which takes forever, as this shade is quite long-wearing).

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 691 Rich Ruby swatch

696 Burgundy Blush | I’ve never been able to pull off a near-black lip (as much as I’ve wanted to) until THIS. Slightly blue based (you see hints of this during initial application), I’ve worn this shade full-on for mega vampy impact, as well as blotted down to subdue some of the drama, while still providing major colour to my lips. Insanely long wearing, as well.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 696 Burgundy Blush swatch

I’m going to keep this simple: these Creamy Mattes are amazing, and when you consider that you’re paying a mass-market price (which can usually be scored on sale) for a luxury-performing product, well … it doesn’t get sweeter than that. From the eight, the 8 shades, the two bright pinks are the ones I can’t really wear (mainly because pink and my skin tone often clash), but the others? Well, let’s just say that they’re wearing down pretty quickly. Even that purple (how awesome is this? So needs to become permanent).

Available now at all mass-market locations where Maybelline products are sold. Visit maybelline.ca for more info on the brand.

Press samples kindly provided for my unbiased consideration

Maybelline | COLORblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

September 4, 2015

The matte lip trend is still going strong, and while I love the lush sexiness this effect gives to my pout, I also know that a matte formula can be a beauty death knell for those with less-than-perfect lips. Enter Maybelline’s latest launch, COLORblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™ (CAN $11.99) – a creamy matte lip pencil with a built-in smudger built on one end and available in 10 shades that range in colour from soft all the way to über-vampy. Forget about Sahara-dry lips and get ready to pucker up.

Maybelline | Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

Maybelline | Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™ swatches (in sunlight)

Maybelline | Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™ swatches (alternate lighting)

Breakdown: a creamy matte lip colour in a retractible pen format (so perfectly portable), with a white bevelled rubber smudger built into one end. The 10 shades range in tone from pale all the way to vibrant, and are a mix of both cool and warm tones. The formula is ultra creamy and glides easily along the lips without any tugging; that being said, lips still need to be prepped beforehand (i.e.: by exfoliating and moisturizing to ensure that there are no dry patches or flakes present) to avoid the product catching on any imperfections. Pretty lightweight in feel, you almost forget you’re wearing anything after application, and a quick press of the lips (by mushing them together) can help revive the colour and/or spread it out along the lips. Naturally, the lighter COLORblur™ shades will fade quicker that the deeper/vibrant hues, but all leave a stain behind in proportion with the chosen colour applied (a delicate stain for the lighter shades, more impact with the rest).

The accompanying white smudger comes in a bevelled shape protected by a clear cap. You can bypass this feature altogether, but it has some interesting uses — especially with the brighter shades (I wasn’t that successful creating a smudged effect with the lighter colours, but that’s just me). To create an easy ombré lip (why not?), apply the shade of your choice to the centre of the lips then use the smudger to spread that out, keeping the concentration of colour in the middle area and fading it out as you near the edges. Another option is to apply a darker shade all over the lips first, then a lighter/complimentary hue on top – in the middle area of the lips only – and lightly smudge the lighter shade into the darker one, blending the edges together. The smudger is great with the darker shades, to help give lips a stained and/or bitten effect, and thus totally avoiding any mess by using your finger. One last word: while using the smudger is novel and fun, it’s not without a learning curve and I suggest you play with it to get comfortable finding the right edge that will suit your lip shape.

Wear time is amazing and even after drinking/eating, I’m still left with plenty of colour on my lips (with the obvious fading occurring along the inner rim, but not to excess) and even better, I don’t get that parched feeling that some other matte lip products leave behind. Even after the colour has been removed, I experienced no flakiness or drying – which to me, is the biggest bonus with this formula.

The following swatches are all shown in numerical order.

05 Pink Insanity | in-your-face hot pink, blue based, strongly pigmented and not for the faint of heart (but looks so awesome against tanned skin)

Maybelline | 05 Pink Insanity Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

10 Fast & Fuchsia | strong rose-fuchsia pink, warm leaning – which makes it a great option on wearing such an intense version of this colour, excellent pigmentation

Maybelline | 10 Fast & Fuchsia Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™ (slightly ombréd)

15 Berry Misbehaved | magenta/berry pink (deeper version of Fast & Fuchsia), both cool and warm leaning, a totally lush & strongly pigmented shade (a surprising fave for me)

Maybelline | 15 Berry Misbehaved Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

20 Orange Ya Glad | deep burnt orange, warm leaning, excellent colour saturation and possibly the easiest orange lip shade you’ll ever come across

Maybelline | 20 Orange Ya Glad Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

25 Cherry Cherry Bang Bang | intense maraschino cherry red, suitable on all complexions, highly colour saturated (I’m obsessed with this name. And the colour)

Maybelline | 25 Cherry Cherry Bang Bang Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

30 Partner In Crimson | sultry brick red, warm leaning, strongly pigmented and THE perfect Fall shade

Maybelline | 30 Partner In Crimson Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

35 Plum Please | intense vampy burgundy, can swing either warm or cool, the darkest and most colour saturated of them all (blotting it out with the smudger made it look patchy on my lips, but applied full-on it’s spectacular)

Maybelline | 35 Plum Please Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

40 My-My Magenta | strong magenta with bluish undertones, cool leaning but can still be made to work on warmer complexions, leaves a gorgeous deep rose stain behind

Maybelline | 40 My-My Magenta Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

45 I’m Blushing! | dusky rose, warm leaning but paler complexions can make this work by sheering it out, good level of pigmentation for a lighter pink hue

Maybelline | 45 I’m Blushing! Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

50 I Like To Mauve It | nude pink with the lightest colour saturation of them all, suitable for both cool and warm skin tones (darker complexions might find this too ashy), a perfect daytime shade (and totally fits in with my neutral-loving comfort zone)

Maybelline | 50 I Like To Mauve It Colorblur™ by LIPSTUDIO™

Ingredients:Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Silica, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Isododecane, Polyethylene, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, BHT, Alumina, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tocopherol, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Tin Oxide. May Contain: CI 77891 / Titanium Dioxide, CI 15850 / Red 7 Lake, CI 45410 / Red 28 Lake, CI 19140 / Yellow 5 Lake, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / Iron Oxides, CI 15850 / Red 6, Mica, CI 75470 / Carmine, CI 77163 / Bismuth Oxychloride, CI 45380 / Red 21, CI 77742 / Manganese Violet, CI 77400 / Bronze Powder, CI 77400 / Copper Powder, CI 45410 / Red 27 Lake, CI 42090 / Blue 1 Lake, CI 47005 / Yellow 10 Lake.

Mass market brands have come a long way baby, as the saying goes, and Maybelline has been pumping out some pretty amazing products of late. Case in point: these COLORblur™ creamy matte pencils that are totally worth investing in, as the formula is one of the best in this category, while the cost won’t break the bank either (you may even score these on sale at your favourite retailer). My favourites here are hands down Berry Misbehaved, Cherry Cherry Bang Bang, Plum Please and I Like To Mauve It, although I’ve also had fun blending and smudging the heck out of a few others (brings me right back to my colouring-book days).

Available now wherever Maybelline products are sold, find more information via www.maybelline.ca

Press samples kindly provided for my unbiased consideration

Maybelline | Color Sensational Creamy Mattes

February 24, 2015

The matte lip trend continues to show no sign of letting up, and cosmetics giant Maybelline has thrown the gauntlet down to all other mass-market brands (including several department store brands, for that matter), with their Color Sensational® Creamy Matte range of lipsticks (CAN $9.99 available in 8 shades, 10 in the US).

Previously, the mere mention of ‘matte’ and ‘lipstick’ in a sentence, usually implied a flat-looking lip product with all the moisturizing properties of the Sahara desert; these new Creamy Mattes take things in a novel direction with their pigment-rich appearance that have added oils for a nourishing feel, as well as a finish that lays down with the sheen of velvet, as opposed to a true matte.

The no-nonsense packaging design is colour-labelled on the bottom of each tube, very convenient for grabbing the shade you want from amongst the multitude of lipsticks we all tend to carry around. The scent reminds me of Play-Doh (and brings me right back to critter-creating fun with my daughter) but doesn’t seem to linger past initial application, and while I have no issue with it, it’s worth noting for those with sensitivities. The texture is where these lipsticks come into their own: very creamy (and exactly as named), almost gliding buttery-soft along the lips, with absolutely no tugging or pulling. One swipe is basically enough for solid coverage, although some of the lighter shades can use an extra pass.

In order to see how accurately the Creamy Mattes perform, all swatches shown below have been applied directly from the bullet, without the use of lip liner or blotting. With regards to staying power, the paler shades last the least (averaging about 3-4 hours) with the deeper hues ranging anywhere from 5-8 hours, not factoring in eating or drinking. The deepest shades also leave a light stain behind on the lips after the majority of colour has worn off, and while I can’t say that my lips are left feeling hydrated with this formula, neither do I experience any drying issues.

Ingredients

Isononyl Isononanoate, Octyldodecanol, Oleyl Erucate, Silica, Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire Dabeille, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cera Microcristallina/Microcrystalline Wax/Cire Microcristalline, Synthetic Wax, Sesamum Indicum Oil/Sesame Seed Oil, Peg-45/Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer, Kaolin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Alumina, Benzyl Alcohol, Mel/Honey/Miel, Parfum/Fragrance, (May Contain / Peut Contenir, Mica, Ci 77891/Titanium Dioxide, Ci 77491, Ci 77499/Iron Oxides, Ci 15850/Red 7, Ci 45410/ Red 28 Lake, Ci 45380/ Red 22 Lake, Ci 15985/Yellow 6 Lake, Ci 42090/Blue 1 Lake).

Maybelline | Color Sensational® Creamy Matte Lipsticks

Maybelline | Color Sensational® Creamy Matte Lipstick swatches

#655 Daringly Nude | A rose-tinted nude shade that leans more warm than cool. Of the eight, this was one of two that gave me application issues, as it had a tendency to pull away from the inner lip area. Two ways around this, are by either applying a neutral lip liner all over the lips first topped by a coat of lipstick, or blotting between layers of lipstick for more even coverage. It’s worth the extra effort, as this is a very wearable shade that will suit a broad range of skin tones.

Maybelline | #655 Daringly Nude swatch

#660 Touch of Spice | A rich raisin hue with hints of berry in the base to warm it up, opaque at just one swipe and absolutely gorgeous. In my opinion, this is the most easy-to-wear colour of the bunch and will look fabulous on everyone (the perfect vampy shade for super fair complexions, or a great neutral for deep skin tones). Love this. Love.

Maybelline | #660 Touch of Spice swatch

#665 Lust for Blush | A lilac hue with pink undertones, in a formula that is definitely less colour-saturated than the rest, but which gives surprisingly good coverage by the first swipe. I suspect that its cooler nature will make it more suitable for those with fair to light complexions – against my skin tone, I felt the colour looked rather washed out ∗shrugs∗

Maybelline | #665 Lust for Blush swatch

#670 Ravishing Rose | A true pink hue that somehow manages to lean both cool and warm at once. This was the second of the 8 to give me a spot of trouble, as once more I had to work at it to get the even coverage seen here. Pink is a very difficult colour for me to pull off, so I was surprised to find that this shade actually doesn’t clash with my skin tone. Not my favourite of the group, but a great hue for pink-lovers.

Maybelline | #670 Ravishing Rose swatch

#675 Faint for Fuchsia | Ummmm….WOW. Almost verging on neon territory, this shade took me by total surprise with its vibrancy. Perfect application, perfect coverage, perfect intensity. As I prefer either nudes or reds, this is somewhat of a scary shade for me to wear, but I can totally see this working with a tan.

Maybelline | #675 Faint for Fuchsia swatch

#680 Mesmerizing Magenta | A rich magenta hue that appears to have blueish undertones in the base (which would normally make this a cooler-leaning shade, but somehow manages to work well against warmer skin tones as well) in a formula & application that is bang-on. Gives such life to the face; all you need is a bit of face powder, a few swipes of mascara and you’re done. Absolutely GORGEOUS.

Maybelline | #680 Mesmerizing Magenta swatch

#685 Craving Coral | A vivid tangerine hue with high-voltage intensity, in a formula that certainly lives up to its creamy name and which applies with 100% opacity by the first swipe. I never wear orange, but the non-shiny finish of this shade turns what would usually be a rather garish colour (at least, on me) into something fun, edgy and even chic.

Maybelline | #685 Craving Coral swatch

#690 Siren in Scarlet | An intensely red hue with blue undertones in the base and densely colour rich by the first swipe along the lips. As with the shade above, care needs to be taken for application (definitely not a swipe-and-go kind of shade), but what’s a few minutes when your lips can look this amazing?

Maybelline | #690 Siren in Scarlet swatch

Colour me impressed … well done, Maybelline; these new Creamy Mattes certainly live up to their name and are well worth hunting down. As far as mass-market brands go, the formula can rival that of higher-priced versions and I hope the brand releases more shades in the range (speaking of, I don’t understand why only 8 of the 10 colours were released in Canada). Of favourites, I’m most drawn to Touch of Spice, Mesmerizing Magenta and Siren in Scarlet, although Craving Coral is making quite a strong case for itself as well. I mean, just look at it.

Available now at all mass-market retailers. Find more information on maybelline.ca

Press samples provided for my unbiased consideration

Maybelline Master Hi-Light by Face Studio

January 10, 2014

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, then you’re probably aware of my penchant for higher-end brands (self admitted beauty snob. Yep, that would be me), but I have to say that Maybelline has been totally hitting it out of the park lately with every single release. Launching this month in Canada, are their latest beauty products – the Master Hi-Light Series, 3 products of which I’m showing here today, as well as the Master Glaze range (review coming soon).

I first spotted and quickly swatched the Master Hi-Light range (4 blushes and 2 bronzers) along with the Master Glaze blushes (6 shades in total) during my last Fashion Week experience (reviewed here), where Maybelline Lead Makeup Tech, Grace Lee, gave me a quick demonstration of how she used them to create the stunningly glowing looks on the models for each show. To say my lemming for these products was born then, would not be a lie.

The Master Hi-Light by Face Studio products (both the blushes and the bronzer which I’m showing today) all have certain properties in common; these unscented and multi-tonal products – which were rigorously test-driven on several recent fashion shows – all share a unique technology comprised of ultra-light pigments that won’t clog or weigh down the skin, while providing a natural luminosity and help to even out your skin tone at the same time. The shimmer is comprised of such finely ground particles that it blends very easily into the skin – no disco ball effect here, thank you very much. I did experience some powdery kick-back when I swirled my brush in the pan for swatching purposes – something that is definitely less evident when using the product normally, although it’s nothing that can’t be taken care of by tapping your brush off before application. The varying tones in each pan are meant to be swirled together for a true multi-dimensional effect that won’t appear flat upon the face, while wear time was excellent overall (approx. 10 hours, a bit less for the lighter shade although the radiance could still be detected). The bottom compartment of each compact holds a brush (which I didn’t bother with, as I prefer using my own brushes) and a mirror for on the go touch-ups, both of which can be very convenient in a pinch.

Maybelline Master Hi-Light by Face Studio

Maybelline Master Hi-Light by Face Studio (brush and mirror included in each compact)

#10 Nude Hi-Lighting Blush (CAN $13.99) – a light peach tinted hue with an ultra-fine pearly shimmer. With my light-medium skin tone, I need to apply slightly more to have this show up as a blush, but I love how it looks when I wear it highlighter-style (ie: tops of cheekbones, temples, bridge of the nose, decolleté) – making this shade the most versatile of the 4 blush hues offered.

Maybelline – #10 Nude Hi-Lighting Blush

Maybelline – #10 Nude Hi-Lighting Blush (applied heavily on the left, blended out on the right)

#20 Pink Rose Hi-Lighting Blush (CAN $13.99) – A pigmented deep rose hue with a softer pearly shimmer than that of #10 Nude, and which somehow manages to lean both warm AND cool, depending on how its layered. Pink-tinted blushes are notoriously hard for me to pull off because of the yellow undertones in my skin, but this shade seems to cancel all that out and just … works. A lighter hand with the application will be needed for the fairest skin tones, and I can see this working beautifully to brighten darker skin tones as well.

Maybelline – #20 Pink Rose Hi-Lighting Blush

Maybelline – #20 Pink Rose Hi-Lighting Blush (applied heavily on the left, blended out on the right)

#50 Light Bronze Hi-Lighting Bronzer (CAN $13.99) – A coppery golden hue with an ultra-fine pearly radiance. Without having seen or tried the other bronzer shade of this collection (Deep Bronze), I can say that this one is absolutely perfect for my skin tone, providing warmth and a very subtle glow, without coming off as either too muddy or orange. Wear time was amazing as well, going easily past the 10-hour mark, and I didn’t notice any oxidation at all (when your natural skin oils change/affect the colour & texture of the product). I can also see this working as a more natural looking highlighter (if applied with a light hand) once my face takes on a bit of Summer colour.

Maybelline – #50 Light Bronze Hi-Lighting Bronzer

Maybelline – #50 Light Bronze Hi-Lighting Bronzer (applied heavily on the left, blended out on the right)

In a nutshell, there is much to recommend these products – especially if you happen to have a weakness for blushes & bronzers like I do (can a beauty addict EVER have enough?). The shades I tried totally impressed me with their quality, and even any powdery kickback I experienced was not enough to be a deal-breaker – certainly not at these wallet-friendly prices. The #10 Nude Blush surprised me by being much lighter on the skin than I expected, but I’m totally loving its warm neutral appeal (my nude/neutral phase is still going strong) while the #20 Pink Rose Blush gave my face a fresh & bright tone – perfect to chase this God-awful cold weather away. If you’re in the market for a totally wearable bronzer, then #50 Light Bronze is the one for you: consider the subtle shimmer a sexy bonus!

Find more information about Maybelline products via:

*Disclosure: product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

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Maybelline – The Buffs by Color Sensational

December 16, 2013

Nude lips were seen all over the recent Spring/Summer 2014 runway shows – at times channeling an über-pale retro 60’s mod vibe, at others displaying a barely-there tone, ladylike & demure. But not all neutral hues are created equal and neither is there one shade that fits all skin tones; enter Maybelline with their upcoming ‘The Buffs by Color Sensational’ (launching January 2014) – a range of 8 flesh toned inspired lipsticks with a balm-like texture that aim to help you find “the one nude to rule them all”. Personally, I find something so incredibly sexy about a perfect nude lipstick – reminds me of Bardot and that sex-kitten pout!

A note about application: I applied all of these shades straight from the tube – no lipliner was used. To get the most even-looking colour, you definitely need to ensure your lips are properly moisturized and any visible flakes removed. I’m still giving my Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Lip Balms (previously reviewed here) some serious love, and find they give my lips the right amount of hydration needed for the job.

the palest shades here have the shortest staying power (about 2.5 hours average)
the darkest shades the longest (approx. 4.5 hours)
the middle-range falling in between (averaging 3 hours)
all leave a good moisturized feel behind once their initial colour fades
pigmentation is the least with the lighter hues (although Bare All is oddly very pigmented)
most intense pigmentation is with the darker shades, which may leave lips lightly (and evenly) stained

Maybelline – The Buffs by Color Sensational

Bare All – White tinted and frosty toned upon first application, this shade settled into a more natural looking and wearable colour after about an hour. Lips need to be fully moisturized & prepped prior, or else this colour will emphasize & magnify any flakes.

Best suited for: those with the fairest of skin tones, or anyone wanting a dramatic impact

Blushing Beige – A nude with a definitive baby pink colour, still on the lighter end of the nude spectrum and warm-toned. Lips need to be properly prepped before application to avoid it settling into any dry areas/lip lines.

Best suited for: Fair to medium light skin tone, and anyone with a lightly pigmented natural lip colour.

Nude Lust – Hints of peach warm up this shade – otherwise it’s very close to Blushing Beige. The perfect hue for a trendy nude lip, but on the lighter side of this colour family.

Best suited for: All skin tones, except the darkest where it may appear somewhat ashy.

Maple Kiss – Definitely on the darker side of neutral, amped up with a sienna tint. Very easy to wear, this shade provides a natural pop of colour while still bordering the nude side – it’s like having a super pigmented natural lip tone.

Best suited for: All skin tones, although it will definitely appear much more vivid and less “neutral” on the very fair.

Truffle Tease – I. Love.This. Shade. This is my perfect nude – neither too pale nor too blah, with a formula that just glides across the lips and gives that right balance of nude with a hint of colour. Think leather ballet slippers that have become worn in.

Best suited for: All skin tones, especially light-medium.

Stormy Sahara – Rose hints liven up this shade, although there’s some light apricot thrown in as well. A slightly more vivid version of ‘Truffle Tease’, this is another one of those wearable shades, although it may have a tendency to settle in any fine lines.

Best suite for: all skin tones, in particular anyone with a yellowish undertone.

Untainted Spice – Thanks to the raisin undertones of this hue, it just barely squeaks into the nude category – but definitely on the darker side of things. An absolutely gorgeous hue that provides mega colour without coming off as too strong, and still quite wearable.

Best suited for: all skin tones.

EDIT: I should add that the deeper hues of this collection actually work beautifully on darker and/or African-American skin tones as “nude” shades – a point I should have mentioned earlier.

Espresso Exposed – Not sure how this burgundy colour qualifies as a nude (it’s more “vamp” in my eyes), but for argument’s sake, we’ll say it’s the most intense nude once can wear. Super pigmented and long-wearing, leaving lips lightly stained after wearing – but still quite soft.

Best suited for: all skin tones, in particular the darkest. Super fair types might find this shade a touch too theatrical.

(SEE EDIT ABOVE)

Maybelline – The Buffs by Color Sensational (swatched in natural light)

Maybelline – The Buffs by Color Sensational (same order as above, shown under flash)

I have a total weakness for nudes – love how they match any makeup look and style, never clash without whatever I’m wearing, can give a seeming lip-plumping effect, and can be applied with minimal effort – but finding that perfect neutral colour can be quite a challenge. I love how Maybelline The Buffs gives one 8 options to choose from, and have taken into consideration a broad range of skin tones in the creation of these lipsticks. My favourite HANDS DOWN, is Truffle Tease, with Nude Lust and Untainted Spice coming in close behind. I found that the 2 shades hardest to work with were Bare All (chalky on me) and Espresso Exposed (too much work involved to get it looking perfect – for a “nude”) although I am willing to experiment with them just the same.

Maybelline The Buffs by Color Sensational (retail price CAD $9.99) will be available at mass retailers and drug stores across Canada as of January 2014.

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