COLOURPOP Kitty Ultra Matte To-Go | Liquid Lipsticks

[Purchased]

ColourPop Kitty Ultra Matte To-Go Set (5 x 0.0317 oz.) retails for $20 USD and contains five miniature Ultra Matte Lips in new, limited edition shades that are exclusive to the set.

* Be Merry is described as a mid-tone true warm pink. [LE]

* Bianca is described as a soft dusty pink. [LE] 

* Glitter is described as a rich red-violet. [LE]

* Last Dance is described as a true brick red. [LE]

* Times Square is described as a muted pink beige. [LE]

"This thin and lightweight formula glides onto the lips smoothly and leaves SUPER intense pigment-rich colour with a bold, ultra matte look. It's very long wearing and completely kiss proof! Step One: Make sure your lips are bare and dry. Step Two: Apply complimentary lip pencil for a precise and perfected application. Step Three: Apply Ultra Matte Lip with the applicator or your favorite lip brush. For smoothest finish always exfoliate your lips first!"

The full sized Ultra Matte Lip Liquid Lipsticks retail for $6 USD and contain 0.11 oz. of product each. Breaking down the cost and doing the math this set is an $8.60 value—so while it isn't the best deal, you are getting to try five, limited edition shades for a little over the cost of one regular lipstick.

The packaging mimics the full sized versions in being a clear, gloss style tube with a standard, doe-foot applicator and having no detectable scent or taste. The formula was a thinner liquid consistency—more so than their regular line—but dried to a completely flat, matte finish within 15 - 30 seconds of application, which is significantly less time than usual. They typically wear between 6 - 9 hours and can be drying due to the ultra matte finish. The color itself clings to lips and while it can be uncomfortable, this ensures the lipstick will last longer.

Once dry, the product doesn't move or bleed and they become budge/kiss-proof, but like with most liquid lipsticks you will want to avoid eating big meals or anything oil-based as it will cause the product to move around, wear off and fade much faster. It's also important to properly prep lips before application and avoid pressing your lips together during dry time to ensure the color won't lift or appear patchy in those areas. Also, applying too thick of a layer can use the product to crack and flake off easily.

Be Merry is a medium-dark, watermelon pink with warm undertones and a matte finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and fully opaque. It had nice pigmentation that left behind a stain and lightly cracked towards lip lines throughout wear. Be Merry lasted +7 hours and felt drying. (5/5)

* Clinique Plum Pop was more plum, muted.  MAC All Fired Up was brighter, more red.  Marc Jacobs Infamous was lighter, cooler.

Bianca is a light-medium, muted dusty rose with neutral undertones and a matte finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and had opaque pigmentation. It felt quite drying and chalky on the lips. The color also lightly cracked in lip lines during wear. Bianca lasted +7 hours before fading. (4/5)

* ColourPop Trap was lighter, more lilac.  Kat Von D Bow N Arrow was more brown.

Glitter is a medium-dark, purple berry with cool undertones and a matte finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and mostly opaque. While it had rich color payoff, I felt my natural lip pigmentation showed through in some areas but this never caused it to look uneven. Glitter wore well for +8 hours and left behind a vivid stain. (5/5)

* ColourPop Plastics (LE) was darker, more purple.  ColourPop Bad Habit was lighter, more plum.  Stila Aria was lighter, more plum.

Last Dance is a medium-dark, muted ruby red with warm undertones and a matte finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and fully opaque. The color did appear lighter around the edges on a closer inspection, but never cracked or flaked throughout wear. Last Dance lasted +8.5 hours and left behind a stain. (5/5)

* ColourPop TGIF (LE) was brighter, more orange.  ColourPop Avenue was brighter, more red.

Times Square is a light-medium, pink beige with hints of brown, warm undertones and a matte finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and had excellent color payoff. It glided across lips easily and smoothed out any lip lines or imperfections. This was definitely the best performing shade out of the set. Times Square lasted +7.5 hours and felt drying. (5/5)

* ColourPop Parker (LE) was lighter, more peach.  Kat Von D Bow N Arrow was more brown, muted.  MAC Whirl was darker, more brown.

Overall, this set had a nice balance of more neutral to bold shades. While it may not be the best value when considering the regular cost, it's a great set to get your hands on, especially if you've been wanting to try out the formula! They did have a thinner, liquid consistency that felt more drying and chalky on lips, but the color payoff and wear time was still there.

Whether you're trying the brand for the first time, or you're a long time fan wanting to get your hands on the limited edition shades, this set is worth checking out!

Available now exclusively from ColourPop for a limited time!

BITE Beauty Mix and Mingle Luminous Crème Lipstick Duos

[Purchased]

Bite Beauty Mix and Mingle Luminous Crème Lipstick Duos (2 x 0.05 oz.) retails for $14 USD ($17 CAD) and is said to be "a lip duo collection with six limited-edition holiday pairings in a moisture-rich, double-ended lipstick with complimentary shades for the season."

* Pepper / Cafè [P, LE] 

* Latte / Cortado [LE, LE]

* Confection / Marmalade [LE, LE]

* Pomegranate / Palomino [P, P]

* Holly / Tannin [LE, P]

* Scarlet / Mulberry [LE, LE]  

"This lipstick duo offers endless combinations for nude or bold holiday looks. Each lip color is infused with super-antioxidant resveratrol to help fight free radicals and support long-term age-repair benefits. These lip duos feature festive holiday packaging and are perfectly giftable."

The full-sized Luminous Crème Lipsticks regularly retail for $24 USD ($28 CAD) and contain 0.15 oz. of product. Breaking it down and doing the math, each duo is a $16 USD ($19 CAD) value—but with that said, last years collection of duel-ended lipsticks retailed for $2 less than this years—they're still a deal, but not nearly as much as they used to be.

The packaging is a matte, double-ended tube with a silicone texture. They have a slight citrus type scent that can be noticed on initial application, but not tasted. The caps feature the name of the shade, which my biggest concern is accidentally switching them around and confusing the shades.

As I've said every time I've reviewed these, I really like the idea behind the double-ended design, but I wish you had the option to pop them apart to mix and match shades to create your own combinations, if you happen to own a few, of course.

Pepper (Pepper / Cafè) is a medium, muted rose brown with warm undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and mostly opaque. It had a creamy texture that glided-on easily without tugging or dragging on lips, but I found the pigmentation had a light transparency. Pepper lasted +5 hours before fading. (5/5)

* Bite Beauty Cortado (LE) was darker, more plum.  Bite Beauty Rosewood was similar.  Urban Decay Streak was brighter, more pink.

Cafè (Pepper / Cafè) is a light-medium pink with neutral undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and mostly opaque. The creamy texture made it comfortable to wear, but the lighter nature sometimes accentuated lip lines and imperfections on the lips. Cafè wore well for +4.5 hours before fading. (5/5)

* Bite Beauty Cafe (LE) was similar.  MAC Please Me was cooler, more pink.

Latte (Latte / Cortado) is a medium, muted brown with hints of pink, warm undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and mostly opaque. The creamy consistency glided-on easily and was comfortable throughout wear. Latte lasted +5 hours before fading. (5/5)

* ColourPop Parker (LE) was similar, less pink.  MAC Kinda Sexy was lighter, more peach.

Cortado (Latte / Cortado) is a medium-dark, muted dusty rose with warm undertones and a glossy, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and mostly opaque. It had more slip than the other shades, but this never caused the product to feather or bleed during wear. Cortado lasted +5.5 hours before fading. (5/5)

* Bite Beauty Pepper was lighter, more brown.  Kat Von D Double Dare was muted, matte.  Sephora Collection Marvelous Mauve was more grey, muted.

Confection (Confection / Marmalade) is a medium, brightened fuchsia pink with cool undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and had rich, opaque pigmentation in a single swipe. It was comfortable throughout wear, lightly hydrating and didn't feather or bleed. Confection wore well for +6.5 and left behind a stain. (5/5)

* Bite Beauty Violet was cooler, more purple.  MAC Pink Pigeon was warmer, more pink.  Sephora Collection Whipped Blush was more vivid, matte.

Marmalade (Confection / Marmalade) is a medium, brightened tangerine red with warm undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and had excellent color payoff. Again, it glided-on easily without dragging on lips, was lightly hydrating and never feathered or bled. Marmalade lasted +7 hours and left behind a stain. (5/5)

* Kat Von D Gold Blooded (LE) was darker, more red.  Ciate Risque was brighter, more orange, matte.

Pomegranate (Pomegranate / Palomino) is a medium-dark, cherry red with warm undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and mostly opaque. The color glided-on easily, was lightly hydrating and left behind a stain. Pomegranate wore well for +6 hours before fading. (5/5)

* Bite Beauty Tannin was similar, darker.  Clinique Cherry Pop was darker, cooler.  Marc Jacobs Dashing was warmer, more red.

Palomino (Pomegranate / Palomino) is a medium-dark, vivid fuchsia red with warm undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and had opaque color payoff. It was lightly hydrating, glided-on easily without dragging and left behind a stain. Palomino lasted +6.5 hours before fading. (5/5)

* ColourPop Cougar (LE) was warmer, more pink.  Marc Jacobs Boy Gorgeous was darker, more purple.  Too Faced Melted Berry was warmer.

Holly (Holly / Tannin) is a medium-dark, tomato red with warm undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and had rich, opaque pigmentation. The color never feathered, the formula was lightly hydrating and had a slight slip which made it comfortable. Holly lasted +6.5 hours and left behind a stain. (5/5)

* Bite Beauty Candied Maple (LE) was warmer, more orange.  Kat Von D Gold Blooded (LE) was warmer, more orange.  Sephora Collection Always Red was warmer, matte.

Tannin (Holly / Tannin) is a medium-dark, poppy red with cool undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and mostly opaque. While it had nice color payoff, I found my natural lips pigmentation did show through slightly in areas but this never caused the product to look uneven. Tannin wore well for +6 hours and left behind a stain. (4/5)

* Bite Beauty Pomegranate was warmer.  Clinique Cherry Pop was brighter, more blue toned.

Scarlet (Scarlet / Mulberry) is a medium-dark, burgundy with warm undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, mostly even and semi-opaque. It had a rather slippery consistency which caused the color to appear darker towards edges and lip lines. The formula was lightly hydrating but looked streaky on a closer inspection. Scarlet lasted +5 hours and left behind a stain. (3/5)

* Clinique Berry Pop was lighter, warmer.

Mulberry (Scarlet / Mulberry) is a medium-dark, berry red with cool undertones and a luminous, cream finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and mostly opaque. It glided-on easily, was lightly hydrating throughout wear but I found the color to appear lighter in areas on a closer inspection. Mulberry lasted +6 hours and left behind a stain. (5/5)

* Bite Beauty Aubergine was cooler.  MAC Rebel was cooler, more magenta.  Marc Jacobs Boy Gorgeous was brighter, more plum.  NARS Scarlet Empress was lighter, less opaque.

Overall, these are really handy duo lipsticks that come in a very festive variety of shades. It's a great way to try the formula or shades without committing to a full tube—plus, they're super convenient for on-the-go use! Whether you're planning on gifting them or picking them up for yourself, I highly recommend checking them out!

Available now exclusively from Sephora.com & Sephora.ca for a limited time!

COLOURPOP Vixen Lippie Stix Set | Holiday 2015

[Purchased]

ColourPop Vixen Lippie Stix Set (6 x 0.0352 oz.) retails for $30 USD and contains six limited edition Lippie Stix shades that are exclusive to the set.

* Ruffle is described as a mid toned warm terracotta, matte finish. [LE]

* Last Call is described as a soft cool toned mauve pink, creme finish. [LE]

* Night Owl is described as a vivid cool toned hot pink, creme finish. [LE]

* Plastics is described as a deep red violet, matte finish. [LE]

* 54 is described as a red wine burgundy sprinkled w/ red and hot pink glitter, pearlized finish. [LE]

* Jingle is described as a true blood red, matte finish. [LE]

"All of our Lippie Stix formulas contain Vitamin E, Mango, Avacado & Shea Butter for added comfort & moisture - cuz we're cool like that. None of our Lippie formulas contain any nasty ingredients like Parabens of Sulfates. Glossy finish provides medium-full coverage, packed with moisture, feels extra creamy and buttery with a glossy finish.   Satin finish provides full coverage, long wearing, glides on smoothly witha  hydrating feel and has a modern satin finish.   Matte finish provides full coverage, superrr long wearing, ultra-comfortable and seriously loaded with pigment in a matte finish.   Hyper Glossy Finish provides full coverage and literally melts onto the lips, feels ultra creamy, super moisturizing with a glossy finish.   Pearlized Finish provides a medium to full coverage with highly reflective pearls that give a pearlized finish."

The packaging is their signature white pen-style tube with a color-coded section on the bottom, as well as everything under the cap, to easily identify the shade. They have a vanilla scent that can be noticed on initial application, but it does fade throughout wear.

Ruffle is a medium-dark, muted brown with warm undertones and a satin finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and fully opaque. It had a creamy texture that glided-on easily and felt comfortable throughout wear. Ruffle wore well for +6 hours before fading. (5/5)

* ColourPop Mosh Pit (LE) was lighter, more rose.  MAC Whirl was more grey, muted.

Last Call is a light-medium, muted pink with cool undertones and a satin finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and opaque. Again, it had a creamy consistency that was comfortable, but I felt the product didn't sit well on drier areas of the lips, causing my natural lip pigmentation to show through in those areas. Last Call lasted +5 hours before fading. (5/5)

* MAC Pink Plaid was brighter, more pink.  MAC Please Me was warmer.  Too Faced Melted Peony was brighter, more pink.

Night Owl is a medium-dark, brightened fuchsia with cool undertones and a creamy, luminous finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and had nice, opaque pigmentation. The creamy, glossy finish created a bit of slip on the lips, but not enough to cause the color to feather or bleed. Night Owl lasted +6 hours and left behind a stain. (5/5)

* MAC Flat Out Fabulous was darker, more purple.  Sephora Collection Music Is Magic (LE) was brighter, matte.  Too Faced Melted Jelly Donut was similar, warmer.

Plastics is a medium-dark, berry plum with cool undertones and a satin-matte finish. This shade had a drier texture which lightly tugged at lips during application. It had semi-opaque pigmentation but looked more sheer in some areas. The unevenness was more visible on a close inspection, but you may want to pair a lip liner underneath. Plastics lasted +5 hours and left behind a stain. (4/5)

* MAC Instigator was darker, muted.

54 is a medium-dark, ruby red with magenta sparkle, cool undertones and a pearl finish. Again, this shade had a drier consistency that dragged on lips during application, but the color payoff was opaque and even. It had a light, gritty texture due to the fine sparkle and felt drying towards the end of wear. 54 wore well for +6 hours and left behind a stain. (5/5)

* Bite Beauty Scarlet (LE) was warmer, less opaque.  Kat Von D Wolvesmouth was cooler, more purple.  MAC Dark Side was darker, muted.

Jingle is a medium-dark, brightened red with cool undertones and a creamy, satin finish. This shade applied smoothly, evenly and had opaque pigmentation. It also had a creamy texture that glided-on easily across lips and never feathered or bled throughout wear. Jingle wore well for +6 hours and left behind a stain. (5/5)

* Marc Jacobs Dashing was warmer.

Overall, the set features very fitting shades that compliment the holiday season perfectly. The finishes were comfortable to wear, longer-lasting and the mirror inside the set's box was a nice extra touch! Whether you're gifting this set, trying to brand for the first time or you're a long time fan looking to get your hands on the limited edition shades, this set is worth checking out—especially for the affordable price tag!

Available now from ColourPop for a limited time!

NARS Steven Klein Collaboration | One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette

[Purchased]

NARS Steven Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette (1.01 oz.) retails for $69 USD ($92 CAD) and is said to be "a limited-edition cheek palette featuring four blushes, a contouring duo and a glowing bronzer to bring color in full force." Breaking it down the cost of the items, this palette is a $166 USD ($205 CAD) value.

* Paloma (I) is described as a pink beige. [P]

* Paloma (II) is described as a deep rose. [P]

* Laguna is described as a brown w/ golden shimmer. [P]

* Blasphemy is described as a x. [LE]

* Dolce Vita is described as a dusty rose. [P]

* Luster is described as a sheer gold apricot. [P]

* Robotic is described as a x. [LE]

"Created exclusively for the Steven Klein for NARS collection, this palette features seven shades for alluring cheeks. Featuring four blushes, a contouring duo, and a glowing Laguna bronzer, this palette is perfect for emphasizing makeup looks."

The packaging is a sleek, durable palette that opens to reveal a generously sized mirror—it's the size of the palette! Two of the blush shades included are new, limited-edition shades while the rest are part of the permanent line, so you may already have them in your collection, especially the Laguna Bronzer, since it releases in nearly every palette they release. (At least we were fortunate enough to not see see Orgasm Blush, am I right?!)

Breaking it down: the Contour Blushes regularly retail for $42 USD ($52 CAD) for 0.28 oz., the Bronzing Powders regularly retail for $39 USD ($48 CAD) for 0.28 oz., and the Blushes regularly retail for $30 USD ($37 CAD) for 0.16 oz., making this set a $166 USD ($205 CAD) value!

Paloma (I) is a pale, off-white beige with warm undertones and a matte finish. The texture was incredibly silky, soft and blended across the skin smoothly. It had good color payoff, but appeared ever-so-lightly powdery on the tops of my cheeks on closer inspection. Paloma (I) lasted +8 hours before fading. (5/5)

Paloma (II) is a medium, muted brown with hints of rose, warm undertones and a matte finish. The texture was again soft and blended out evenly. It seemed drier both in the pan and on the skin than the highlight, but it still had buildable pigmentation. Paloma (II) lasted +8 hours before fading. (4/5)

Laguna is a medium-dark brown with warm undertones, gold shimmer and a satin sheen. The texture was soft, smooth but a touch powdery in the pan. It had good pigmentation that was buildable and blended nicely across the skin. Laguna lasted +8 hours before fading. (5/5)

Blasphemy is a medium, muted pink rose with warm undertones and a satin finish. The texture was smooth and rather dry which caused a lot of kicked up powder in the pan, but never looked powdery once applied on the skin. It had good pigmentation that was only really buildable to a mostly opaque color. Blasphemy lasted +8 hours before fading. (4/5) 

Dolce Vita is a medium-dark, muted rose plum with cool undertones, gold shimmer and a satin finish. The texture was soft, smooth and finely-milled. It had great, buildable pigmentation that blended out evenly across the skin. Dolce Vita lasted +8.5 hours before fading. (5/5)

Luster is a medium-dark, muted orange brown with warm undertones, gold shimmer and a satin finish. The texture was soft, finely-milled but a tad powdery in the pan. While it had nice pigmentation, it was more on the sheer side but was very easy to blend. Luster lasted +8 hours before fading. (5/5)

Robotic is a light-medium pink with cool undertones, fine silver shimmer and a satin-matte finish. The texture was soft, smooth but again, lightly powdery in the pan. It had great pigmentation, applied evenly and blended out easily on the skin. Robotic lasted +8 hours before fading. (5/5)

Overall, this palette is a great value and contains a nice variety of pink to peach shades. It was nice to see the brand include other face products in the palette—although, while they may not suit every skin tone for their intended purpose, they can be used as blushes or even eye shadows!

So whether you're planning to gift this palette, indulge in the brand for the first time, or you're a long-time fan interested in getting your hands on the limited edition shades, than it's definitely worth checking out!

Available from exclusively from Sephora.com & Sephora.ca for a limited time!