Real or Fake? Lime Crime Velvetines from Ebay Review and Comparison | The Lipstick Hub

Recently I ordered a few Lime Crime Velvetine duplicates from Ebay. I would like to preface by saying that I am aware that these are fakes, I do not truly believe that there are genuine Velvetines being sold for about $1. If you would like to buy genuine Lime Crime products, then you can go to limecrime.com/stores to see their retailers or buy directly from their website. I would also like to address that I am aware that bad chemicals can be found in knock-off products, and that they have caused allergic reactions previously in some cases, however that is why I spot-test before applying directly all over my lips. It is also up to the buyer on whether or not they would like to purchase the product or not, I am not promoting these in anyway, I am simply comparing what is being sold on Ebay to the actual Lime Crime Velvetines.

So now that that little disclaimer is over, lets get into the actual review and comparison shall we? You can purchase these really cheap Velvetines from Ebay or Aliexpress, those two are probably the most common places, I'm unaware of any others. I bought three, each of my most used Velvetines, Red Velvet, Pink Velvet and Cashmere.

L-R: Red Velvet, Pink Velvet and Cashmere

My first impression of the packaging was fairly okay. The box that Cashmere came in was clearly old and fading but I didn't mind it. They said they were sample sizes on Ebay but these are full sized Velvetines. I did notice a few differences between the real ones and the fake ones. 

L-R: Fake Red Velvet, Real Red Velvet, Fake Pink Velvet, Real Pink Velvet, Fake Cashmere, Real Cashmere

There are a few differences that you can see, especially in the flash photo. Firstly, the fake Red Velvet doesn't have a matte tube, it has a very cheap plastic tube. The colours also come off a lot more vibrant through the real tubes. The closest tubes were the Pink Velvets. The font is different on my real one because it is from their original packaging from a couple of years ago. However there is a difference in the colouring of the roses on my fake Pink Velvet, it was a lot less red and more of a deep pink, there is a comparison photo down below. Another difference is between the Cashmere's and the Red Velvet's and thats the height. They were actually taller than my real ones.

Fake Pink Velvet next to Fake Cashmere for heigh difference and difference in colour on the roses.

Swatches of the fakes next to the real deal. First up we have the Red Velvets, the fake one only dried down to a semi matte, rather than fully matte like the real one. It was also quite patchy and was a bit darker than the real one. As for Pink Velvet, the fake one was more like a chunky gloss rather than a liquid to matte lipstick. The texture wasn't pleasant, it had no colour payoff, it was almost a completely different product. The fake Cashmere was by far my favourite out of the three, the colour was pretty much what I wanted Cashmere to actually be. The colour was a little patchy, though you do get that with high end brands as well, it just happens with lighter colours in general. You could definitely add a second coat to make it more opaque and pigmented. It was a lovely shade, I wouldn't call it a dupe for Cashmere by any means. Cashmere was also the only fake to dry down to a complete matte formula.

To summarise, it could be worth it, especially for only a couple of bucks. Its a bit hit and miss though. Also as they are coming from Hong Kong, they do take a while to arrive and mostly likely they won't arrive all in one package. I'm disappointed in Red Velvet and Pink Velvet but I don't really mind because they weren't expensive and I didn't have high expectations for them anyway. Cashmere was surprisingly nice.

If you've ordered these let me know what you thought of them in the comments down below! I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

New Hydra Matte Liquid Lipsticks by Gerard Cosmetics | The Lipstick Hub

I'm back again and with new products to talk about to you guys! I'm talking about the new Hydra Mattes by Gerard Cosmetics for their spring/summer collection. They released 4 colours though I was only interested in two, 1995 and West Coast. 1995 is by far my favourite lipstick from them so I was super excited to hear that they were making a liquid lipstick version of it. West Coast first interested me because of the name, and its the name of one of my favourite Lana Del Rey songs, then I saw the colour and I was in love, from the photos it looks like a very neon coral pink shade which I'm excited to put to the test.

I'll start with West Coast, it is a very neon shade, so if that isn't something that you're into I would give this a pass. However if you don't mind a pop of colour, this shade is stunning. The Hydra Matte smells a lot like the Lime Crime Velvetines, which I don't mind. It's very light weight and has a very liquid-y consistency, not at all like the Ofra ones. It didn't dry immediately but it still dried down to complete matte. I do think that it's a lot more pink than it is coral but a lovely shade nonetheless.

As for 1995, I think they made a wonderful colour though it's not quite the same as the 1995 lipstick, it comes off a lot darker. Thought if you put the lipstick on top of the liquid lipstick, there is absolutely no difference to the liquid lipstick on its own. I think that they did a wonderful job in making this shade and it was definitely a great idea from a business stand point, but it is darker than the actual 1995 lipstick.

L-R: 1995 Hydra Matte, 1995 Lipstick, 1995 Hydra Matte with 1995 lipstick on top, West Coast

Other than that I have nothing bad to say, shipping time wasn't horrible seeing as it was coming from America. I think the shades are wonderful and I'll definitely be getting a lot of use out of 1995 this Winter here in Australia.  

Hidden Gems #10 - Chi Chi Glitter Eyeliners | The Lipstick Hub

This week's Hidden Gem are the Chi Chi Glitter Eyeliners, they have previously come in sets of three or like this recent holiday collection, a set of 6. The eyeliners themselves don't have names which is a little annoying so I have to reference them by colour.

I don't think these are a permanent product that Chi Chi sells but they do seem to come back often, so you just have to wait if you missed out. The shades that the most recent set came with are light blue, dark blue, purple, bronze, gold and black. The colours don't actually have any pigment to them, they are glitters only. Some of them are very pigmented, the lighter colours especially, the only one that doesn't quite match the quality of the other ones is the black one. I have done swatches of all of them, then swatches of them on top of a black liquid liner, then a swatch comparison next to the Essence Crystal Eyeliner.

Essence on the left, Chi Chi on the right

The darker colours come off more glittery when on top of the black but the lighter shades come off more glittery when on their own. So that might be fun to experiment with. The light blue one almost changes colour completely when on the black, it has this peacock green-blue iridescent look which I think looks amazing. The black eyeliner looks more silver/gun metal compared to the Essence one which may be a little annoying for some people but I really like the colour, I think it's unique and it means that I won't be doubling up on products.

The packaging is pretty much exactly what I'd expect, there's nothing really different compared to any other eyeliner. But for $30 or less, depending whether you buy it on sale, these are definitely worth the investment. I hope they do more colours in the future, I definitely think a red or pink is over due.

Best Lip Crayon Formulas and Brands | Lip Week | The Lipstick Hub

As Lip Week continues, I thought I've already done, lipsticks, lip liners so I decided to do lip crayons! These are my favourite brands of lip crayons and my favourite lip crayon formulas. So let's get into it shall we?

The first one I'm going to talk about is Mirabella Velvet Lip Pencil. I discovered these in Lip Monthly (a subscription box) and I fell in love with it pretty quickly. They first sent me a orange/red one and I wasn't crash hot on it because I don't wear that kind of colour but then I got a red one and it's so freaking pigmented! Pretty much all of the lip crayon's I'm going to talk about are going to have a creamy consistency but Mirabella knows what's up with pigment. The packaging is amazing, taking a step back from the trends and going with a gun metal look. I am so thankful for Lip Monthly for showing me this brand. Lip Monthly said they retail for $25, I'm guessing U.S.D? I also don't know if you can get your hands on these in Australia but if you can get them, definitely give them a go.
The next brand is of course Nars, Nars have very beautiful Velvet Matte Lip Pencils. The first set I got was the birthday present from Sephora and the second set I got was from Steven Klein collection. Out of all of these this formula is the second most matte, however they don't feel drying at all. In a few of the shades, like Sex Machine in particular, it can have a bit of sparkle to it which gives it a totally different look as opposed to a complete matte monochrome colour. These can be quite pricey but the quality is definitely what you're paying for.

The Maybelline ColorBlur's are something I have been waiting over a year to get, since Shaaanxo did her collaboration video with Maybelline which featured this product. The ColorBlur's are the most matte out of all of these lip crayons but I kind of understand why; the product was made so that you could easily create an ombre affect on the lips, that could be more difficult if you used a glossier product because gloss formula's can spread more easily. The ColorBlur's are hella pigmented, and are very neon depending on which shade you get. You can get these at Priceline, Target, Big W etc, and they aren't going to be as expensive as the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils.

The Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm's are more like a semi-matte, they don't instantly apply as a matte, but if you were to dab your lips with a tissue or apply some translucent powder to your lips, then it would be matte. I do have to say that these aren't quite the same as the other products that I've mentioned but they leave a really nice, stained look on the lips. They last a really long time because they have that staining effect. These tend to look really nice if you get a my lips but better colour. They are really big so they can be a little hard to apply evenly and crisply but it's not too much of a bother. These are also available at Priceline, Target, Big W etc and they are in the same boat as Maybelline in terms of price range.

The last two products are Bite products because if any brand knows how to do lip crayons, it's them. The first one I'm going to mention is the High Pigment Pencil, I accidentally stumbled upon these in Sephora when I was trying to dupe something that wasn't available at the time. I really fell in love with these. Super creamy and really give you that plumped pout look without having any lip plumping ingredients. The Bite packaging as just feels nice, the rubbery matte packaging is so nice. They are a little more expensive but they are completely worth it. Can be found at Sephora AUS.

The other Bite product is called the Matte Creme Lip Crayon which can be a little confusing because how can a product be matte and creamy? They aren't completely matte, again they are more like a semi-matte but they are extremely creamy like the High Pigment Pencils. These aren't going to dry out your lips at all. The only thing I fault these on is the face that they don't have the colour of the product on the outside of the packaging. They have the colour name but that's it. Again, Bite Beauty can be found at Sephora AUS.

L-R: Mirabella in Red, Nars in Sex Machine, Maybelline in 05 Pink Insanity, Revlon in 205 Elusive Insaisissable, Bite in Syrah and Aubergine

Let me know what your favourite lip crayon formula's are in the comments below. I also want to see if you can guess what the last post for Lip Week is! Of course the post will go up at 12:30 like every other day, so if you want to know what the last Lip Week post is, stay tuned then :)

Beginner's Guide to Lip Products | Lip Week | The Lipstick Hub

It's Lip Week here on The Lipstick Hub, our first ever themed week, that I have chosen. I've wanted to do this for a little while but things have always just come up that needed to go out before I could dedicate a week to just lip products. I was thinking of making this an annual thing but it's up to you guys, whether you want another lip week, whether you hated this one, etc. I do have some fun posts lined up for you this week and I think you'll really enjoy them, it'll give you a little insight to my lip product stash and what products I prefer and so on and so on.

Today's post is a guide for beginners on lip products, there are many different types of products for your lips how do you know what you'll like and what's going to suit you? If you are a newbie to makeup then I do have a little beginners guide post that I wrote not too long ago, which you can read here. So without further ado, here are the different lip products that are currently on the market, if I have left any out, I'm sorry and please let me know in the comments below.

1. Lip Primer - I don't actually own a lip primer so I can't show you an example, my apologies. But I do know that Colourpop have one for $5 USD and a bunch of other brands have lip primers as well. I don't view lip primers as an essential lip product to have and I do think it's a little gimmicky but I haven't tried one so I can't judge. Basically a lip primer would go under any lip product you are about to put on, generally lipsticks though, and the idea is that it will make it last longer and make the product go on easier. Again I can't give my thoughts because I don't own one but I've had never had a problem with my lip products so, it's up to you whether you deem it as necessary.

2. Lip balm/treatment - I'm sure everyone has owned a Lip Smackers, Chapstick or Vaseline at some point in their lifetime. I do view lip balms and/or treatments as essential because my lips do get really dry especially in winter and lip balms definitely help keep that under control. Lip balms keep your lips moisturised and stay healthy, just like using a moisturiser for your face, it's essential. Also keep in mind that when you are dehydrated, the first place it shows is your lips, so keep hydrated and keep a lip balm in your purse, pocket, desk drawer etc.

Watermlon Lip Smackers

3. Lip scrub - A lip scrub is somewhat new to the beauty world, its a product that will exfoliate your lips, i.e. scrub off the dry dead skin and leave you with fresh soft lips. It's definitely something that should be in your skin care routine, though don't do it too often, once a week should be plenty.

Ombra Sugar Lip Scrub in Watermelon

4. Lipstick - Lipstick is probably one of the biggest symbols of makeup next to mascara. You can pay $2 or $113 on a lipstick, it's insane. So I guess the fist thing to know about lipsticks is that they have different finishes, these include matte, satin, semi-matte, amplified, cremesheen (cream), lustre, sheer and metallic. I'm sure there's a couple in there I may have forgotten but matte and cream finishes are the most common. A matte finish is exactly what it sounds like, there is no shine to the lip colour but it's generally more pigmented. They can feel drying but that's what lip balms are for. Cream finishes are more moisturising, they tend to be like a gloss almost. They can definitely be pigmented but they will come off more easily and they can feel slippery on the lips. There is no better formula, it is entirely up to you which one you like better. 

Rimmel Kate Nude lipstick in 45

5. Lip gloss - Lip glosses are fairly well-known I'm pretty sure. I know I had quite a few lip glosses when I was younger, I'm fairly certain I wore lip glosses before lipsticks. Lip glosses can be really pigmented or really sheer, they can feel tacky, slippery or just plain sticky. It's up to you to find a brand that works well for you and suits you. I don't really wear lip gloss all that often and I'm pretty sure it's well known that I hate lip glosses because of the way they feel but I have worn a lip gloss from time to time.

The Balm Read My Lips in BAM!

6. Matte liquid lipstick - Oh boy did these get popular in 2015, matte liquid lipsticks are probably my favourite makeup item ever. They were a massive hit in 2015, though some people did get sick of them and I can understand why, a) every single brand make liquid to matte lipsticks and b) everyone was blogging/vlogging/gramming them. Not to mention if you are a person who hates matte lips, it was definitely not your year. Shiny glossy lips might have been the 'in' thing back in 2005 but it's time for matte liquid lipsticks. Liquid to matte lipstick are pretty much exactly what you'd expect, they go on your lips a liquid, like a gloss and within 20-60 seconds, they dry down matte. Some formulas can be drying on your lips and some can be moisturising, just like any other lip product they can be a hit or miss.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick in More Better

7. Liquid lipstick - Liquid lipsticks are pretty much a hybrid of matte liquid lipsticks, lip gloss and lipstick. It's pretty much exactly as the name says, its a liquid version of a lipstick. There's nothing really more to go on about them than that. They don't really have different finishes because if it wear creamier and more shinier than it would be a gloss and if it were matte than it would be a matte liquid lipstick.

Savvy Liquid Lipstick in Ballet

8. Lip liner - Lip liners can come in different packaging and types, they can come in a pencil form or a twist up product. Lip liners are basically to help you outline your lips so that you stay in the lines, you can also fill in your lips with them so that your lipstick comes out more pigmented and stays on longer. Lip liners can also come in different finishes, you can get a more matte finish, that generally comes from a pencil liner and you can get a more cream finish with a twist up, of course there are some exceptions but that's just my observation.

Maybelline Super Stay Lip Liner in 41 Rosewood

9. Lip crayon - Lip crayons are pretty much exactly what they sound like, they look like giant crayons that you can paint your lips with. They tend to be creamy and moisturising rather than matte but some brands do have matte lip crayons. 

Laqa & Co Lip Lube in Beezlebub

10. Lip tint - Lip tints are really liquid-y. They are a little bit difficult to explain but I'll try my best. They sort of look like a highlighter or marker and once applied they leave a light tint of colour on your lips. They don't leave a full opaque layer of product, they just give your lips a tint of colour so they may look a little pinker or redder etc.

Universal Beauty Tint Stick in Pink

11. Peel off lip tint - This is definitely pretty new to the makeup game, and they are definitely more popular in Asian countries than Western countries, but we're catching up. You apply the product to your lips, which is going to feel like a really heavy gross lip gloss, you wait however long the product tells you to, and you start to peel off the product, what it leaves is a tint on your lips just like a lip tint.

Monomola Lasting Lip Color in Sexy Red

12. Lipstick transformer - These are definitely very new in the makeup world, that I've seen at least. Lipstick transformers are products that can your already applied product. For example, Kat Von D has a range of matte liquid lipsticks, mid-late last year, she released a liquid lipstick transformer, it would transform any of her matte liquid lipsticks into a new colour. Or a different example is the very new Smashbox Insta-Matte lipstick transformer, you apply a very small amount of the gel to your lips and dab it out so that whatever lipstick you are wearing turns matte. It also works on matte liquid lipsticks, if you need to moisturise your lips but you are already wearing a matte liquid lipstick, then you can apply the Insta-Matte to hydrate your lips but also keep them matte.

Smashbox Insta-Matte

13. Lip plumper - The last product I can think of, I don't actually own one, again I apologise for that, I just have no need for a lip plumper because my lips are plump enough for my liking. The general idea is that you apply the lip plumper, which usually has mint in it, and it will plump your lips in the given time. Mint actually irritates your lips, which gives you that tingly or burning feeling, its swells your lips and adds a little bit of flush to them without causing serious damage. If you want plumper lips, add peppermint oil to them, don't permanently damage your lips by sucking them into a shot glass.

Those are all of the different types of lip products, I could think of, please let me know if I left any out. Again if you need any help figuring out what a product is or need some more information on a certain product, give me a holla in the comments or social media, if you'd like to keep it private you can always email me, which is at the top of the screen. Let me know if I should do more in depth beginners guides as well, I could do eye products next or something along those lines.

Palette Dupes | Stila Vs. Chi Chi Vs. Be Indulged | The Lipstick Hub

I had my eyes on the Stila Eyes Are The Window 'Body' and the Chi Chi LE Summer eyeshadow palettes for a little while now. I did get these a little while ago, both roughly around the holiday season but then I came across the Be Indulged Shimmer Eye Palette. The thing all these palettes have in common are the colour schemes in them.

L-R: Chi Chi, Be Indulged, Stila

Each palette has at least a pink champagne colour, a purple colour, a blue colour and a bronze-y colour. There are a couple other colours that are similar in a couple of the palettes, but those particular colours are similar in all three palettes.

The Chi Chi palette is limited edition but as of right now, you can get the palette in the holiday set online in their Sales tab. Chi Chi is an Australian brand but their website does ship internationally. This palette is $30 but in only comes in a set with a jumbo bronzer and blush, so you are getting your money's worth for sure.

The Be Indulged palette is a new brand from Kmart Australia. I do believe that it's Kmart's own brand but I'm not 100% certain. I'm also not certain on how much this palette was but it's between $15-$5, I know that it's definitely the cheapest out of the lot.

The Stila palette isn't brand new, it's been out for a while now and it's definitely the most expensive palette out of the lot, marked at $78 currently, though when I bought it, it was $72. Mecca's prices are rising so it does make it a bit hard to justify $80 on a eyeshadow palette.

You are paying for packaging, the shadows and the brand name, so obviously Stila is going to be the most expensive by default. However is Stila the best palette? Let's do some swatches.

All the swatches are done in order of: Chi Chi, Be Indulged, Stila

There are 4 sets of swatches for the colours that are in all the palettes. By far the most pigmented is Chi Chi for sure. The colours are a bit hard to see because the colours are so shimmery but Chi Chi definitely takes the cake with this one. The Be Indulged palette is okay if you're on a budget but the colours in the palette are darker than the other two. The Stila one is barely pigmented at all, it might be better if you wet your brush and then dipped into the eyeshadows, but so far, I'm not impressed with the $72 palette. Chi Chi, you are amazing as always.

Real or Fake? Korean Beauty Trend, Peel Off Lip Paints | The Lipstick Hub

So you want to buy an Asian beauty product on eBay or maybe on a website that has very little english, how do you know if it's a real or a fake. Here's a few handy tips to figure out if it's a real or a fake product.

1. Look at the brand, Monomola (a brand which I got in my Bellabox) is the real deal. Whereas Romantic Bear, isn't the real deal, you'll find Romantic Bear on eBay or Aliexpress more than anything. Monomola actually have their own website.

2. Packaging, packaging is everything. Monomola came with a box, and has a metallic, reflective tube. Romantic Bear doesn't have that reflective packaging. Romantic bear also doesn't list the product code and expiry date on the top. The fake label also doesn't cover all of the product, it leaves a white line before the lid. There are more packaging differences but these are the main ones.

3. The actual product itself, many of Monomola's reviews are genuine and the product works great. However upon some research of Romantic Bear, there have been many negative cases of reactions on the lips to the product. It is quite gory so if you are sensitive to that certain genre, maybe don't look it up.

4. The price, Monomola's price on Bellabox's website is $10. However you can get Romantic Bear for as cheap as $1. While it is a bargain, lower pricing can give away that it is a fake. The brand is able to put it on eBay for so cheap because it was cheap to manufacture.

These are just little things to be aware of when purchasing products from foreign countries.

Real (Fake) Techniques Ebay Brushes Review | The Lipstick Hub

Ah Ebay, a place well known for selling fake crap to unsuspecting buyers. Not all of Ebay is crap. Not all of the fake stuff on there is crap too.

Recently Real Techniques came out with a Bold Metals collection, each brush cost around $60-70 AUD which is ridiculous in my opinion. I was so excited when I went to IMATS last year because I knew that RT would be there and I could get the brushes on a discounted price. Well that was bollocks so I scrapped that idea real quick.

Then I found out that iHerb, a place that sells authentic RT brushes had a set of three bold metals for about $70, I was totally sold on them because that was such a good deal. But in the nick of time someone on Facebook had posted a link to this set of Fake Real Techniques brushes. It was quite obvious that they were fake but they had the set of 7 for $7 AUD including shipping. It had piqued my interest for sure.

I got the 7 piece instead and I was not disappointed. These brushes are so fluffy and dense they are prefect for so many different reasons. My favourites are the 100 (gold big fluffy brush), the 301 (copper flat brush), the 300 (copper tapered brush) and the 201 (silver eyeshadow blending brush). I personally have no idea what the hell to do with the 301 brush which is shaped like a triangle but ya know.

There are quite a few things that give these away as fakes, first they are getting shipped from Hong Kong. Secondly, they are plastic, not metal. The brushes also have crooked numbers and logos on them. Lastly, the colours on the hairs are a lot more faded than the real ones.

I still wouldn't change my decision, these are great brushes, look nice on the vanity and are way more than a quarter of the price.

The Perfect Lipsticks for Valentines Day

I have selected 10 11 (One more was added by accident while I was taking photos, however it does make a very lovely Valentine's day lipstick colour), lipsticks to match you on your special day/night. Now it doesn't matter if you don't have a date on Vday, you could always rock these colours on some other date night or maybe an office party.



1. Sugar Pill's Matte Lip Colour in Nurse - Last year I got my hands on Sugar Pill's new lipsticks and let me tell you, never have I ever put on such pigmented lipsticks. The two colours are on this list because they are bloody perfect for a date night. The red shade, Nurse, is such a true red. It does lean more towards a blue based red but honestly it is that perfect Ruby Woo but not Ruby Woo red.



2. Sugar Pill's Matte Lip Colour in Girl Crush - They described this as a magenta colour and I don't really know if I'd call it magenta but it doesn't matter to me. It's the pink shade that every little girl wants to smear all over their lips. The pink is darker than the pink on the packaging but it's such a unique shade in my collection that I just had to include it on the list.



3. Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipstick in 240 Tower of Mauve - This was the extra lipstick that wasn't supposed to be on the list because it was this week's hidden gem but it truly is a nice colour to wear on a date. The perfect moisturising nude shade that's really pigmented, the only downside is that it isn't kiss proof.



4. Essence lipstick in Sparkling Romance - Doesn't the name just scream Valentine's Day? While it's not the most pigmented lipstick on the planet, it leaves a really nice sparkle on the lips that completes whatever look you're rocking.



5. Kat Von D's Limited Edition Studded Kiss Lipstick in Gold Blooded - This is a pure red lipstick that's is more yellow based, but also includes gold specs throughout it. While it was limited edition from her recent christmas collection, if you have it, I would definitely consider pulling this one out for your date.



6. Chi Chi Viva La Diva Lipstick in Fashion Police - Chi Chi lipsticks are perfect when you need to pick up a certain lipstick shade last minute, not only because you can buy them in store at target but because they are also very cheap. Out of all the colours I own I chose this one to swatch for you guys because it's so different from the rest I listed. Its very much a coral based pink that would go perfectly with a bright pink blush.



7. Tanya Burr's lip gloss in Macaroon - This was part of her christmas advent calendar but it is the most beautiful subtle pink lip gloss. Not to mention it tastes and smells like delicious sugar cookies! I didn't include a lot of lip glosses because I don't like the formula's and they aren't kiss proof but if you hate liquid lipsticks and normal lipsticks, then this may be the perfect choice for you. And if I had to include any lip gloss formula, it would definitely be this one.



8. Dose of Colors Limited Edition Dare to Dazzle Trio in Corset - For those of you who aren't loving the bright shades and want to tone it down... a lot. Then the Dare to Dazzle trio is litterally the best thing that you could choose for Valentine's day. Corset is the more plum-y purple dark vampy colour in the set and has red reflects in it. Every colour in the Dare To Dazzle Trio is metallic so keep that in mind. They are also the matte liquid lipstick formula.



9. Dose of Colors Limited Edition Dare to Dazzle Trio in Scarlet Lace - Again it's a very blue based red but this time it has purple reflects, it's very similar to Jeffree Star's Hoe Hoe Hoe colour from his Christmas collection but if you're looking for a unique red to stand out this Sunday, then definitely check this shade out.



10. Dose of Colors Limited Edition Dare to Dazzle Trio in Teddy - This is pretty much the only brow on my list except for maybe the Rimmel one if you count that. But this brown is again a unique shade from all the other brown shades, asides from being metallic it has red and gold reflects in it. And it might even be one of my favourites out of this entire list. If I don't wear it on Valentine's Day specifically, I'll wear it on a different date night that's for sure.



11. The Balm Meet Matt(e) Hughes liquid lipstick in Sentimental - This is probably my favourite on the list. It's not the typical 1920's red it's actually a very hot pink that in some crappy lighting, could be passed for a red. It's very blue based and literally smells like mint choc chip ice-cream. Also for those of you who don't know, lip products with mint in them tend to plump your lips more because of the tingly feeling on your lips, you'll notice quite a few lip plumping products have a minty smell to them.



I hope you guys enjoyed the list and maybe found something to wear on Sunday. Comment down below what was your favourite on the list or maybe you've found your own shade to wear. Let me know if I should have added anything to the list or anything I should look out for. Anyway I'll talk to you guys on Monday xx

Skincare Products For Different Skin Types

These are a list of skincare products that work very well on my skin type (combination), but you may not know which ones to use for what problem or when to use them. So I've compiled a list of good skincare products and specified when they should be used and for what.

1. The St Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub
This should be used for extremely dry, flaky and acne prone skin. It should be applied after cleansing the face. Typically face scrubs are only to be used once a week, depending on your skin type, because it damages the skin. If your skin is always dry and flaky, try more hydrating methods before using this twice a week.

2. Montagne Jeunesse Peel Off Masque in 'Cucumber'
To be used for normal to oily. Peel off masques can be quite intense however this one is quite gentle on the skin. It's super hydrating and will leave your skin feeling healthier for days. I would recommend using this one once every 2 to 3 weeks, but it won't harm you to use it once every week.

3. Manuka Doctor Apipurifying Facial Peel
This should be used for normal skin, to oily, congested skin. It works fine on combination skin but it does leave a sheen affect of the face that feels smooth. If you have dry skin it would probably be best to leave the skin alone from peel-off masks as that can make it worse. The peel off affect really helps with the congestion, helps clear out hard to reach dirt. This one can be used once a month, it's a little on the pricey-er side compared to the other two but it's feels like a pampering product, which can be quite nice when you want to treat yourself.

4. Clean and Clear Essentials Oil Control Toner
For normal skin, I wouldn't really use toners when my skin is feeling particularly oily because I feel like it intensifies that and it doesn't help oil-control at all. It does make my skin feel more clean though, if that makes sense,

5. Crop Daily Facial Moisturiser
I would say this is for normal to slightly dehydrated skin. It's great for someone whom might just be experiencing some light dryness or someone who's looking for a vitamin hit to the face. It's not super hydrating but it does have a nice feel to it, you could definitely use this daily.

6. Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash (Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub)
This face wash is definitely for acne prone skin, it can be for any skin type but I'd say it suits combination skin more adequately. Its quite a gentle wash/scrub, so if you have sensitive skin I'd say it would work for you as well. Would probably use it about once a week.

7. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel
The product says its for combination to oily but its more for combination to dry as the product itself is quite oily and leaves a sheen on the skin. This can be used as a daily moisturiser or, what I personally use it for, little touch ups throughout the day. I definitely wouldn't say its dramatically different from any other moisturiser though.

8. Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub
This scrub is definitely for oily, hydrated skin more than dry skin. This scrub can be really harsh so I wouldn't recommend it for sensitive skin types, I also wouldn't use it more than once a month.

9. Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash
Not in anyway similar to the previous oil free acne wash scrub listed above, though this is for acne prone skin, it is suited more towards oily skin types. Typically to be used once a day. This wash is nice and gentle so it won't hurt your skin at all.

10. Swisse Bioactive Nature Oil
The bioactive nature oil can be used for dehydrated, very dry skin with acne scarring or normal scarring. However, there are definitely better oils for those kinds of problems with better results, such as rosehip oil or jojoba oil.

11. Glamglow Thristymud Hydrating Treatment Mask
This is a very hydrating mask which is great for dehydrated skin, the mask will pretty much hydrate instantly. It is on the more pricey-er side but for such effective results, I'd say its worth it. To be used whenever you need an instant hydrate (is that the correct terminology? Whatever, you know what I mean).

12. Clearsil Daily Clear Superfruits Refreshing Wash
My god, I swear by this stuff. It's suited to every goddamn skin type and works wonders. To be used daily, I use it at night and it's definitely something thats worth checking out. Its just makes your skin feel fresh with a nice fruity smell. 

Lip Treatments That Actually Work!

There are a lot of lip balms/scrubs/treatments etc out there and as someone who suffers a lot from excessively dry lips, it can be money consuming trying to find ones that work. A lot of the time I go on the net and look for some reviews, the women who are testing the products have smooth lips. I have full on, dry lips. Like I can sit there and peel off my lips because the skin peels from being so dry. Though on some really bad days like in the middle of winter, my lips will actually bleed from cracking. My bottom lip is a lot bigger than my top one, it's not a Kardashian pout but its proportionate. My bottom lip is quite full, it sticks out and I like the size of it, however it can be a nightmare when I haven't used a lip treatment in winter and I smile but my lip splits and bleeds.

Sorry if that got quite gruesome but I want my viewers to know that, my lips aren't perfect, they certainly wouldn't be chosen as a lip model. So if you sympathise with these symptoms but are still looking for lip treatments, I've found them for you. I do want you guys to keep in mind that each to their own, some of these products may be too intense on your lips or you may be allergic to a certain ingredient. Please give them a go if you don't have sensitive lips and want to get help for your lips. I do want to disclaim that I'm not a doctor, these products aren't miracle workers, using these products once won't magically fix whatever problem your lips have, but they will make them more manageable.

The first product is a simple lip balm, this is my daily lip balm that I use in the morning before I do my makeup. I use it everyday to give my lips some moisture and plumpness about half an hour before putting on lip products. It's the Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter. This lipbalm has never failed me, not once. I've been using it since about mid last year and I'm still going through it. It has lasted me forever, it tastes nice (I don't even like mango). It's definitely worth a trip to target to pick one up.

The next product is one that I received in a Bellabox. It's the Chapstick Night Repair Lip Treatment. I'm not sure if you can buy this on it's own, or if it only comes in the double pack with the day repair. This treatment I use at night before bed or if I need a quick but effective moisturise. If my lips are feeling a little more dry than usual and need a quick fix, then this is what I use. It almost gives you a glossy effect on your lips.

Next is the Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm with essential rose wax. I think I heard Zoella talking about how this was one of her favourite lip balms but I'm not 100% sure. This was a mini one that I bought from a lovely lady on Facebook. I've run out of it and I need to buy more. This lip balm is one that I use as a luxury treatment, it works incredibly well but it's a little pricey. So I use this when I really feel like pampering myself or if my lips could use just a little more than the Chapstick treatment.

When you have dry lips you pretty much need to exfoliate them weekly, no more, no less. The one that I use is only $2 and I found them at Aldi. I haven't seen them around my ones anymore and I can't find them online. However if they bring them back, or you find them somewhere, get as many as you can. They came in Watermelon, Mango and Coconut. I wasn't too crazy on the coconut but the Watermelon is like a drug, I can't stop smelling it. It is perfectly formulated and moisturises while exfoliating. I haven't found any lip scrub that even comes close to this one. The lush ones I hated but these, these are amazing.

The last product I'm going to talk about is the Elizabeth Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm. I tried the normal Eight Hour Cream because NikkieTutorials talked about it being perfect for her lips. I went to the store, bought one and the lady suggested I buy the lip repair balm too because I told her what I wanted the original one for. It was classic sales techniques but I still bought it. I'm glad I did because the original Eight Hour Cream burned my lips. It was way too intense and I don't even have sensitive lips. I stopped using it immediately and was a little skeptical about the lip repair balm. About a week later my lips were dead, I needed something to help them, so I picked up the balm, used it before bed and woke up with extremely plump and smooth lips. I tried using this nightly as some had suggested but I found its still a bit too intense for that. This is the perfect balm however for those really bad days when my lips are about to crack. I slap a bit on before bed and I'm usually right to go. Use in extreme cases only, I wouldn't recommend this as a daily lip balm.

I hope this has been helpful for you guys and that your lips feel better after using these products. Let me if this was helpful at all in the comments!

New ColourPop Liquid Lipstick Swatches

For the holiday period Colourpop released new mini versions of the Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks, they had two different packs, one set included all of their best sellers and the other one included new shades. Each pack was $20USD and included 5 minis. The set I bought that included the new shades was called Kitty, and some of the colours looked very similar to other shades, I thought I do some swatches so you guys could see the differences.

From the top down is Bianca - from the new set

Beeper - an old shade

Times Square - new set

Be Merry - new set

Donut - old shade

Last Dance - new set

More Better - old shade

Glitter - new set

The top three nudes are very similar, Bianca is slightly lighter than the other two. More better looks similar to Last Dance and Glitter in the photo but they look a little different in real life. Glitter is similar to More Better but Last Dance is more of a brick red.

Bite Holiday Lip Set 2014 vs 2015

Last year the Bite holiday lip set came in a small red matte tin with 4 High Pigment Pencils in Winterberry, Rhubarb, Sable and Pomergranate. The name speaks for itself, they are highly pigmented. I love the high pigment pencils hence why I got the set. The colour range is okay, it's not that broad but it's alright. In the set you get two nudes and two reds, both are different shades from each other. The reds aren't the same but it does fit with the holiday theme.

As for the 2015 holiday lip set. It comes in a slightly larger shiny red tin. This time instead of high pigment pencils, we got 4 matte creme lip crayons. The shades included were Aubergine, Cafe, Coulis and Torte. The colour range is highly similar to last year's range except it falls a little bit more into this years 'on trend' lip colours for the holidays. The nudes are extremely similar to last years, the only difference is that this year's are matte. The reds however are more darker and vampy. Aubergine is quite literally the colour you'd expect, it's a dark purple-red, perfect for the fall, not quite an Australian summer shade but the nudes are perfect.

To wrap up, if you missed out on last years lip set you didn't miss out on too much. However if you have last years set and were thinking about buying this one, I say go ahead. The colours are ever so slightly different but you are getting a completely different finish and product type.

On the left side is the 2015 set and on the right is the 2014 set.

Oops forgot to post it earlier but here are some swatch comparisons:

On the left is the 2014 set and on the right is the 2015 set.