Tag: drugstore beauty

All, Beauty, Product Reviews

NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks

by Literary and LovelyLeave a Comment on NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks

NYX Cosmetics Liquid Suede Cream LipsticksHappy Sunday all!!!

I haven’t done a review post in quite awhile so I wanted to get back into the groove of things with a review of one of my new favourite products: NYX’s Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks.  I picked up three shades during my last drug store haul, which you can read here if you’re interested, and since then I have been wearing one of the three almost every day. 

Features

  1. Even application
  2. Quick-drying
  3. Matte finish
  4. Lightweight
  5. Waterproof
  6. Fragrance-free
  7. Drugstore price tag
  8. Available in 12 shades, ranging from neutral to bold

One of my biggest concerns about liquid lipstick was whether it would dry out my lips or accentuate any cracking I had, especially during the winter. I have to be honest and say that these lipsticks do dry out my lips more than a traditional lipstick would, but it is nothing to be concerned about. I wouldn’t recommend these to anyone who is prone to having dry lips though, because it could result in further dehydration and flaking. The product also has the tendency to settle into lip lines, so keep that in mind.

I did have to be careful after I first applied it because it does not dry instantly and can easily smudge. It does dry fairly quickly, however, with a completely opaque finish. The application wand allowed me to fill in all of my lips, including the tough-to-reach places like the edges and near the Cupid’s bow. It is really important to fully cover lips though, otherwise it can look patchy and uneven when it dries. 

The three shades I purchased are Tea & Cookies (a rose pink), Cherry Skies (a deep wine red), and Vintage (dark plum with mauve undertones). 

Swatches

NYX Cosmetics Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks swatches

I was most impressed with how vibrant the shades are. Some of the shades in the range are definitely for the more adventurous, like the neon purple shade Amethyst, but some of them are absolutely gorgeous pink and nude shades.

I also really like how long-lasting the formula is. I can wear one of the shades for an entire day of classes, which covers at least two meals, snacks, and regular water drinking, without any touch-ups. I find some of the darker shades like Vintage fade slightly at the corners of my mouth as the day goes on, but it is barely noticeable, and can easily and quickly be touched-up. 

In short, these liquid lipsticks are the perfect combination of good quality and affordability, and are a great product with which to try out liquid lipstick. 

Do you like wearing liquid lipsticks??? Let me know in the comments below 🙂 🙂

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All, Beauty, Product Hauls

A Few Drugstore Beauty Goodies

by Literary and Lovely2 Comments on A Few Drugstore Beauty Goodies

Once again, I found myself in the drug store on a mission to find some essentials and ended up getting sidetracked in the makeup aisle. There were so many clearance and sale tags that I selected only a few items that I really wanted to try, and at bargain prices to boot.

One of my weaknesses is rewards programs. I don’t know what it is about them, but I feel compelled to register for every reward card, points system or coupon mailing list, even for stores that I don’t often visit. I think part of it is that, if I’m going to be shopping there anyways, I might as well be able to score 10% off, points to spend on items in-store, or coupons on everyday products. I mention this because I scored some serious points on this shopping spree and I am already so close to $5 in savings. But, I digress.

Maybelline The NudesMaybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette $13.99 from 18.99 

I had been eyeing this palette for awhile but $18.99 was a bit pricy so when I saw it was marked down I scooped it up. They have three different palettes, The Nudes, The Rock Nudes, and The Blushed Nudes. The Rock Nudes has a lot of cool-toned browns and greys that are great for smoky eyes but not for everyday wear. The Blushed Nudes are gorgeous shades with pink undertones but I typically go for the more golden and shimmery nudes, so this palette was perfect.


Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow 730 Skinlights Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow 730 Skinlights $6.49

I have never tried a cream eyeshadow before but I was feeling a little adventurous and for $6.49 it seemed like a good time to try it. There were other quads with different shades but I felt like I would get much more use out of these ones, plus I love the shimmer in them.

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in 080 Strawberry ShortcakeRevlon Colourburst Lip Butter in 080 Strawberry Shortcake $5.79 from 11.49

Before I start writing about the lip butter, I just want to have a mini rant about sales tags. If a store puts a sale or clearance tag underneath a product that says $11.49 $5.79, that indicates to me that there is a sale afoot. But apparently some of these sales tags have little letter codes or shade abbreviations that limit the sale to only certain shades of the product. WHO WOULD EVER READ THAT?!? I get looking at the sign in a department store to see if the sale excludes items with a 97¢ ending, but squinting to read the fine print shade coding for certain products??? Just no. So when I had two of these lip butters in my basket, I left the store with only one because apparently the other shade I selected was not the shade in the particular row that was on sale. -sigh- However, I do love the shade of this lip butter and how it gives a hint of colour and shine without being super bright or sticky.


Essie nail polish in shade She's PamperedEssie Nail Lacquer in She’s Pampered $7.99 from $11.99

Three factors led me to purchase this nail polish: 1) I have been on the hunt for a gorgeous red polish and fell in love with this shade. 2) It was 4 dollars off, which seemed like a bloomin’ good deal to me, especially since I rarely ever fine Essie products on sale. And 3) I got bonus reward points with the purchase of any Essie nail product. With this trifecta of good reasons, I purchased this shade and I tried it out a few days later. Essie nail polishes go on really smoothly and evenly with no clumping and minimal bubbling while drying. I did manage to get a cat hair painted onto my thumb nail but that just comes with the territory of living with a cat.  I did, however, take my grandmother’s advice this go-around and put the nail polish in the fridge for awhile before I applied it. She claims that cold polish goes on better than room temperature polish. At the time I thought she was just making it up, but it actually works.


NYX Liquid Suede Cream LipsticksNYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks 

I have heard so many good things about these lipsticks in YouTubers’ favourites videos so when I saw them in my local drugstore, I swatched a bunch of them on my arm and picked out three that I felt I would wear the most: Tea and Cookies, Cherry Skies, and Vintage. Tea and Cookies is a lovely rose pink, perfect for everyday wear, especially in early autumn and spring. Cherry Skies is a gorgeous deep wine red that would be beautiful for autumn and winter wear. Finally,Vintage is a plum shade with mauve undertones that I think would pair so well with a some winged eyeliner and a little black dress. These go on wet but dry matte, and I couldn’t get the swatches off my arm all night, so that definitely speaks to their lasting power.

CoverGirl Clean Sensitive Skin Powder FoundationCoverGirl Clean Sensitive Skin Pressed Powder in 210 Classic Ivory

This has been my go-to drugstore powder foundation for years, and every time I see it on sale I scoop one up. I actually reviewed this powder and the corresponding liquid foundation last year, which you can read here if you’d like. The powder is really light so it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing any but it is one of the few I have found that actually matches my skin tone.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in Blackest BlackMaybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in Blackest Black

This is another product that has been be mentioned in several people’s favourites videos and blog posts, so I wanted to see if the hype surrounding it was worth it. I will definitely be posting a review of this product in the near future, so stay tuned.
What drugstore products have you been using lately???

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All, Beauty, Product Hauls

A Little Drugstore Beauty Haul

by Literary and LovelyLeave a Comment on A Little Drugstore Beauty Haul

 Well hello there 🙂 🙂

I can’t remember the last time I went shopping for beauty products, but last week I stopped into the drugstore and came across a few beauty products on sale that I wanted to try.

img_1675While wandering the aisles, I came across the Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss lipsticks. I have never tried Rimmel’s lipsticks before but these were half price and I adore the shades. I picked up 107 Rossetto and 111 Kiss of Life, which I swatched to show just how gorgeous the shades really are. These lipsticks are said to deliver high intensity colour for up to 8 hours, and they live up to this. I wore Rossetto to work a few days last week and left 8 hours later with the same coat of lipstick, with minimal fading of the colour. Plus, the lasting power is unaffected by eating or drinking, so minimal to no touch-ups were required. Each of these lipsticks was CAN $4.99, which is a bloomin’ good price, especially for lipsticks that are such beautiful shades and last so long. 

I also purchased the limited edition NYX Dream Catchers Dusk Til Dawn Palette. This features a range of 10 nude eyeshadow shades that can be blended and layered to create a wide variety of makeup looks. I have been using this palette for the last week and so far I am really impressed by the high pigmentation. I would definitely recommend a primer though to increase the staying power. NYX also released two other 10-shadow palettes titled Golden Horizons and Stormy Skies. The former has a lot of golden shades, while the latter has mostly cool-toned shades. The palette was CAN $20, which is a bargain for a palette given the price of some of the other palettes out there, and I will wear all of the shades. 

What beauty products have you been loving lately???  img_1358

All, Beauty, Product Reviews

Clean & Clear Invisible Blemish Treatment

by Literary and LovelyLeave a Comment on Clean & Clear Invisible Blemish Treatment

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With the end of spring term only 2 weeks away, stress abounds as midterms come around again and term-long projects and assignments come due. For me, this means that my skin is often more oily, and this can result in pesky little blemishes popping up on my skin. But I have a “Holy Grail” product that I reach for each and every time, and it works like none other: Clean & Clear’s Invisible Blemish Treatment. 

Features:

  1. Goes on clear
  2. Oil-free
  3. Works on normal, oily, combination, and sensitive skin
  4. Doesn’t dry out skin
  5. Treats pimples at the pore level
  6. Stays on all day or night
  7. Noticeable results just hours after application
  8. Can be worn under makeup or moisturizer
  9. Convenient travel size (22mL)
  10. Drugstore price tag

The first thing I love about this product is that it goes on clear, compared to most other blemish treatments that have a white or yellow tinge to them upon application or later in the day.

A close second is that I can wear this under makeup during the day or under moisturizer at night so I don’t have to compromise either my morning or evening skin routines because of a blemish.

But here’s the best part: there is noticeable shrinkage in blemish size and decrease in redness within hours of applying it. This is perfect if you see a blemish coming up at night, because one small dab of this and by morning it is drastically reduced or even completely gone. 

I have been using this product for a number of years now and it consistently makes it back on my re-purchase list every time I make a trip to a drugstore. I take this little gem with me everywhere I go, and its convenient travel size makes it easy to stash in a purse or backpack. Compared to other blemish treatments, this one is so affordable, and works so fast that I essentially swear by it as my go-to blemish solution. 

If you have tried this product before, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below. If you haven’t, I seriously urge you to give it a try and see the results for yourself. It really is amazing!!! Picture 19