April Favourites | The Lipstick Hub

Here are my makeup favourites for the month of April, these were a little hard to choose because some of these products were supposed to be in March's favourites and some items didn't arrive until yesterday. Though May's favourites are going to be amazing because so many more products are arriving.

1. Violet Voss Holy Grail Palette - This was the product was supposed to arrive in March but that's a whole other story. Anyway this palette, is amazing! What really caught my eye was the Wine N Dine shade, it's such a beautiful shade and watching Jeffree's video on it made me really excited about this palette. The palette was quite expensive to get my hands on, you could only buy one, the palette retails for $52 (though it's $42 with the code HOLYGRAIL10) and shipping is $35 so it's $87USD for the entire kit and kaboodle. The palette has 20 shades in there and the names are awesome. As someone who doesn't do neutral looks very often, this palette is very appealing to me.

2. Bobbi Brown University Eye Palette - This palette is definitely a costly one, retailing at $99 at Mecca. That's a lot for a palette with 12 eyeshadows and the pans are also smaller than the Violet Voss one. I did pick this palette up for the shadows Antique Rose and Black Plum (there is a little bit of a colour scheme going on here). The shadows aren't the most pigmented but they do blend out easily and create a seamless look. The colours aren't what you'd expect to find in a palette but I like that, it's great for travelling when you can create so many different looks with taking multiple palettes.

3. Bhcosmetics x Shaaanxo Lip and Eye Palette - I was so excited when Shaaanxo started showing this little beauty off on her channel. This palette is such a creative idea, it's double sided, one side has 9 eyeshadows and the other side has 9 lipsticks. The palette itself looks beautiful, the pink tint with the lights from her background. The eyeshadows are more on the neutral side, there are 3 mattes and the rest are shimmers. One shade in particular is a duochrome shade, it reminds me a lot of MAC's blue brown pigment. The lipsticks are a little bit more pink based, though you do get a lot of variety with the palette, a red shade, a burgundy shade and some neutral mauve shades. This palette is a win for me especially seeing as it's only $14.50 USD. It's so cheap and you get tons of product.

L-R Swatches: 2 from Shaaanxo's Palette, Wine N Dine and So Jelly from Violet Voss, and Black Plum and Antique Rose from Bobbi Brown

4. Benefit Hoola - This product is a holy grail product for a lot of people, including me. The reason why it's in this months favourites is because it's personalised with my name on it. It also comes with a personalised brush as well. Other than that, it is a great bronzer or contour shade depending on your skin tone. It's buttery and so easy to blend out.

5. Rimmel Sculpting Palette in 002 Coral Glow - This is new to Australia, and I'm in love with it. It has 3 compartments, a highlighter illuminer, a contour sculpter, and a blush colorer. It's part of the Kate collection. The packaging is quite nice, with a copper bronze edge around it. The highlighter isn't intense but it gives you a lovely glowly-sheen to your skin. The contour shade does have shimmer so it might be more of a bronzer for some people but it's a great shade for pale people. It doesn't go cakey and it's not too dark, though don't go heavy handed with it, it's quite pigmented. The blush is also lovely, its really a peachy-pink colour that isn't too pigmented but you can definitely build it up.

6. Girl Scouts Lip Smacker Tasty Trio Collection - My inner child screamed out to me when I saw this pack. It includes a Lip Smacker in Chocolate Peanut Butter, a Liquid Lip Smacker in Thin Mints, and a Lip Smacker Lip Pot in Coconut Caramel Stripes. The first one, the Chocolate Peanut Butter, smells amazing, it really does smell like a Reese's. The quality is like any other lip smacker, I do use them more for novelty, taste and smell rather than actual hydration and treatment but it's cute nonetheless. The Thin Mints lip gloss smells exactly like a Thin Mint biscuit, not just mint but mint with chocolate. I feel like it would be perfect as a lip plumper as well because of the mint which gives you that tingly feeling in your lips. The last one, the lip pot, looks so freaking cute as the packaging is a cookie. I can't put my finger on what it smells like but it smells amazing.

7. Bite Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Cafe - This colour is so pretty, it's a pinky brown nude. I don't know if this is a permanent colour, though I think it is, because I got it in last year's Bite Beauty Christmas pack. The formula is beautiful, its a creamy matte formula, so it doesn't drag on the lips and the colour stays on all day. I've already talked about these quite thoroughly so I'm not going to go into detail too much but you should definitely check these out.

8. NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Pink Lust / Passion Rose - NYX always seem to get it right with their lip products. The liquid suede lipsticks are incredibly pigmented and neon in colour. These are really creamy but they do transfer, however when they do transfer they leave a stain on the lips which looks beautiful. They dry down to a semi matte when dabbed with a tissue or something along those lines.

9. Seraphine Botanicals Carrot + Rose Hydrating Cream - This was something I got in an Ipsy bag, as well as the NYX Liquid Suede. I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. It's not a brand I've heard of before but I'm already in love. I'd never thought of putting Carrot and Rose together, but it smells amazing and feels like cashmere. Its not a thick lotion but it's about the same consistency as every other moisturiser. The hydrating cream almost has a blurring affect to it where it makes your face look flawless. I would definitely recommend this.

10. Essence All That Greys Nail Polish in Roaring Red - The last product for the April favourites is the new Essence nail polish from the All That Grey's collection. I really love this collection but in particular, I love this nail polish. It's a pearly matte finish. Its a deep burgundy colour with red reflects. It lasts a really long time and doesn't chip too much. I think it's amazing for such a cheap price. If you're interested in the collection you should check it out before it leaves stores.

March Favourites! | The Lipstick Hub

Finally doing a March Favourites, I haven't done a favourites list in a long time so I'm excited. I do believe mostly that I haven't done one based on the fact that I do Hidden Gems which is sort of like a favourites list, but alas, this month I feel like so much makeup just came right at me that doesn't really belong in Hidden Gems because they are well-known makeup products that everyone's been loving this month. So let's jump right into it shall we?

1. Kylie Lip Kit in Koko K
This was my very first Lip Kit that I ordered and I'm so glad that I ordered two because I'm absolutely freaking in love. I can't get enough of this beautiful shade. I'd also like to give Kylie credit for her valiant effort with these Lip Kits. She restocks almost weekly, they smell heavenly and look so freaking beautiful. There are so many swatches and reviews out on these but there was no doubt about it that these were going in my favourites list. To be honest the Lip Kits are probably in my top 5 liquid lipstick formulas already.

2. MannyMua x Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Palette
I know every Youtuber, blogger and makeup junkie has been raving about this palette, but it is for a good reason. This palette is to die for. I literally bought this palette for the shade Mars because I have been wanting a burgundy eyeshadow that is pigmented to hell and isn't too brown based. The rest of this palette was just a prize really. Manny did a fantastic job with the palette and I couldn't be more proud of him. I'm absolutely in love with how versatile the palette is and the fact that it works well on so many different skin tones.

3. Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold Highlighter
My god this product was hard to get my hands on, and that's coming after the Kylie Lip Kits and MannyMua palette, so that's saying a lot. I've been wanting this highlighter since about mid-last year and I was only able to get my hands on it in freaking March. That's insane. I was disappointed in the packaging, it feels cheap and the magnet is really strong. However the product is beautiful, though pale skin tones can only really use this particular highlighter on top of bronzers because it is golden based.

4. Revlon Nail Art Shiny Matte in 530 Emerald Suede
I've already talked about this product in a Hidden Gem but I loved this nail polish duo. The photos in the Hidden Gems post show the colours nicely but it certainly doesn't do them justice. I'll be wearing this again very soon.

5. Savvy Mineral Baked Blush in Coral
This isn't at all a coral colour, its a very coppery-bronze colour. I actually didn't buy this product with the intention of using it as a blush, I used it as a baked eyeshadow during the Mecca x Smashbox event. I haven't used it as a blush so I can't really give my thoughts on that particular use of the product but I can tell you that if you wet your brush, it makes a fantastic pigmented eyeshadow.

6. Makeup Forever HD Foundation (The original formula)
I managed to get my hands on the original formula which I am so happy about because it's a great foundation. I got the shade N115 which is amazing for pale skin tones, I haven't had to mix anything with it which is amazing to me. I love the formula, I wish that they hadn't taken over with the new formula.

7. Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Laguna Beach
This colour is very, very similar to Koko K but it's a bit lighter and a little bit more pink than KoKo K which I wasn't expecting. Though the formulas are very different. The Ofra one is a lot creamier and has a more mousse consistency, whereas Koko K has a more watery consistency. Though I really love these formulas equally.

8. Lorac Pro Matte Palette
This is a little hard to get your hands on if you're in Australia but it's definitely worth the effort. The eyeshadows are so buttery and pigmented. They look stunning, especially for a more nude palette. This is definitely my new travelling palette for when I want a neutral look. Even the feel of the palette is beautiful.

9. Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Gilded Honey
While this product looks freaking amazing, it's also just a plain ol' great product. Being a lighter skin tone I can only really use this on top of bronzers but oh my Lord it is stunning. This product makes me want to fake tan so I can really see it's true beauty, but I'll just have to wait for Laura Geller to make ones that are a little more friendly towards pale skin tones.

10. Kmart Body Mist in Just Peachy
I will be doing a Hidden Gem's post on this at a later date but the new Kmart body mists are so nice especially for $4 each. Ever since I started wearing Just Peachy I have been getting tons of complements. It's also incredibly strong so you don't have to use much but offt it stays on for hours.

Unfortunately that's all the favourites for this month, until next. I did have a couple things planned to be in this month's favourites, though it didn't work out so it might have to be in the next month's list.

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 :)

Top 10 M.A.C Lipsticks | Lip Week | The Lipstick Hub

I haven't really done a post like this before but you'll be seeing plenty this week. These are my top 10 MAC lipsticks. There's no particular order to them, these are just the 10 lipsticks from MAC that I like the most, so far. I do have an absolute favourite and I do have a couple staple shades but other than that, there's not really any order to this. So let's get into it shall we?

L-R: Brave, Velvet Teddy, Pink Plaid, Snob, Saint Germain, Please Me, Tats, Tenor Voice, Shy Girl, Diva

1. Brave - Satin finish: Brave is probably my absolute favourite, it was my first ever MAC lipstick and has definitely been used a lot, which is why the MAC writing on the inside is so messed up. The reason why I picked it up is because everyone was saying that it was the colour that Kylie Jenner was using so naturally I picked it up along with Soar lip liner and to this day it's probably my favourite lip combo. It's that colour that was so on-trend last year, that pink-y brown nude, it comes off darker on me than other skin tones because I'm pale as hell but it's still my favourite colour.
2. Velvet Teddy - Matte finish: My second favourite colour from MAC and it's no surprise why, it's a cult favourite among MAC fans and is also said to be the shade Kylie wears. Velvet Teddy is a more brown nude than a pink-y brown but I still think it's a beautiful shade for my skin tone and a lot of other skin tones.
3. Pink Plaid - Matte finish: Pink Plaid isn't my third favourite but it's definitely a me colour. It's very similar to Please Me except Pink Plaid is just a little more on the nude side than straight up pink. I did accidentally drop this on my carpet with a lid and it may have broken my heart just a little but it was fine after I cleaned it up. I can't say whether I like this one more than Please Me or if I like Please Me more than this one, they're kind of equal to me, it just depends on what undertone you want.
4. Snob - Satin finish: Snob was I think my second ever MAC lipstick and I still love it to this day, it's absolutely perfect for Summer and Spring which I love. It's almost like if Saint Germain and Pink Plaid had a baby, this would be it. For me, my perfect pink match is Snob with Hip 'n' Happy lip liner, such a nice combo.
5. Saint Germain - Amplified finish: Saint Germain is definitely an Amplified colour, it's hella bright and such a beautiful neon pink colour. Perfect for wanting to make a statement or just for a pop of colour. I really do understand the hype around this colour because I don't own anything like it.
6. Please Me - Matte finish: Please Me is the one I was comparing to Pink Plaid because they are so similar in colour however Please Me has more of a pink undertone rather than a nude undertone. The Please Me I have is from a limited edition collection but I am about 85% sure that it's a permanent colour.
7. Tats - Matte finish: Tats is from the Giambattista Vali collection and I'm pretty sure it's not a permanent colour, however they may bring it back in another collection or as a permanent shade. Tats for me is the perfect Hot Pink, raspberry reddish colour, I think it's perfect for a date night or just a general night out if you don't like reds.
8. Tenor Voice - Matte finish: Again Tenor Voice was limited edition from the Toledo collection but like I said before, they may bring it back in another collection or as a permanent shade. Tenor Voice for me is the perfect red, it's not too orange based, it's a blue based red that is a little bit darker than your typical pure red shade, absolutely stunning.
9. Shy Girl - Cremesheen finish: This is the only Cremesheen that's on this list and that I own because I hate Cremesheens, I really dislike the formula, though I dislike Lustre's as well. I mostly don't like Cremesheens because they don't give off much pigment and don't last long, but this is an except to that statement. Shy Girl gives off a little bit of a nude tint to the lips and it aslo gives you this shimmer to the lips that is to die for. 
10. Diva - Matte finish: Lucky last Diva, Diva definitely isn't my least favourite on this list it just got stuck with the last position. Diva looks almost like a dark brown in the tube (in photos) but it's a very dark vampy red, I live for colours like this. Especially in Winter and during the holidays. It's such a beautiful colour to match up with a big sweater and some black leggings.

And there you have it, my top 10 MAC lipsticks. Let me know if you would like to see the rest of them or any other top 10 lipstick lists in the comments below :)

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

Top 5 Best Drugstore Palettes

My personal top 5 best drugstore palettes and why they are the best! These are in no particular order, I love them all equally for different reasons.

1. Bh Cosmetics Galaxy Chic – This palette may look cheap, even though they did change the packaging from the original, it's worth the money. You can't really buy Bh Cosmetic stuff yet in store, at least not in Australia but you can order from their site. I would consider this “drugstore” because it's so freaking cheap. Bh Cosmetics is one of those companies that always have sales on, whether it be free shipping, free palette with your order or just a certain percentage off on the actual palette itself. I have a couple palettes from Bh Cosmetics but this one is by far the best. The pigmentation is unbelievable. They are so buttery and blendable, the perfect pop of colour. The colour range ranges between blues and purples to more warm tones like oranges. It has 18 shades and isn't that heavy of a palette, it also comes with a decent sized mirror, ideal for travelling with. This palette is truly like no other. Though if you're a mattes girl, I probably wouldn't grab this one. Another one to check out from Bh Cosmetics is the Carli palette as well. 
2. Wet N Wild “Embrace Obscurity” - I wasn't really into all that Frozen stuff but this would have been the perfect Elsa palette. Combining matte and shimmery blues, purples and a white, I had to grab this palette. The packaging is quite cheap but what it lacks in packaging it makes up for in pigmentation. I wouldn't have even thought about this palette until I saw a photo of someone swatching it, I was mesmerized easily. It was limited edition I believe but you should definitely check out some of Wet N Wild's other palettes if they're half as good as this. Wet N Wild also recently became accessible to Australia as Sephora online now stock them.
3. Essence “All About Roses” - Essence recently brought out an entire new collection of eyeshadow palettes which are gorgeous, though my favourite one has to be the Roses one. It's exactly the colour scheme you'd thought it'd be, pinks, browns and some whites. The packaging is pretty similar to other palettes they've come out with before but it feels very sturdy, it doesn't feel like if you dropped it, it would break. I wouldn't recommend testing that though. For the price these are absolute gold mines, the Roses palette has such an amazing colour range but I'd also recommend the Grey's palette as well.
4. Nyx S130 Wicked Dreams - This palette is really versitile, that's what comes to mind straight off the bat. The packaging feels a little cheap but it comes with a decent sized mirror and a lid that clicks in. It's perfect for travelling with because it has 24 different shades to choose from. It somewhat annoys me that the palette is randomised and the colours aren't in any particular order but I can look past that. It has tons of warm tones and pops of colours, it has a nice mixture between mattes and shimmers. All in all if you're looking for a palette that could create tons of different looks while travelling, have a look at this one. 
5. Lucky last the Chi Chi Oasis palette - I could have picked any of the Chi Chi palettes because they are freaking amazing but I had to go with the Oasis palette because the colour range is so nice. The palette ranges between a shimmery white, a matte black, purples, blues, greens and a couple of warm tones. The packaging looks cheap as it always does but I do like that with the Chi Chi, Essence and Wet N Wild palettes, is they have a clear lid so I can see the colours more easily and I end up using them more.

Colourpop - Your introduction

There’s been a lot of youtubers and beauty guru’s talking about the brand Colourpop, including me. I have done about 5 orders from Colourpop and I’ve had a feel for all their products. In case you’re a Colourpop newbie and you’re looking to pop your cherry, I’ve compiled a list of all the Colourpop collections/items you should get on your first go around.

There are a couple things you should know before buying Colourpop:

• The lippie stix are in long tube forms, they aren’t the typical MAC bullet.
• The eyeshadows/blushes/highlighters/bronzers all have a creamy feel to it but finish like a powder
• It’s cheap as hell for their products :D

The first thing you need to get is the Forget The Fruit Cake lippie stix collection.

It’s $30 USD and it comes with 6 lippie stixs. It gives you a great colour range from nude to pink to red to 3 darker plum shades. You really get a feel of their different finishes (matte and hyper-glossy).

Next I suggest the In Bloom collection for $39 USD.

This gives you a feel for their blushes, highlighters and lippie stixs. The blushes include a coral blush and a more pinky/plumy blush. Both of which have great pigmentation when applied with a stippling brush. There are 3 lippie stixs and the lip colours are a little more on the pinker side but now you have cream finishes in your collection. The highlighter may be a little dark on really pale people but it’s a great one to experiment with nonetheless, you could definitely use it for ‘strobing’.

This one is great if you love neutral eyeshadows and are a big fan of the Youtuber Shaaanxo. This is her collab with Colourpop and its own $20 USD for 4 eyeshadows. You get a champagne colour, mid-tone brown, khaki green and a more rusty brown. These are a mix of pearlised finishes and matte finishes. You can great so many different looks using these eyeshadows and you can follow her own tutorial using them on her channel.

A couple products I haven’t covered by the collections above I’ll list my favourites below:

• Bronzer - Carry on (recommended for medium to dark skin tones, however a light hand makes it perfect for pale people). Also a matte finish and is only $8 USD

• Lip pencil - Lumiere $5USD - No finish but it leans more on the matte side.

• Ultra Matte Lip - Midi, Lychee and LAX - All $5 USD each and are a matte liquid lipstick, I recommended 3 so you get to try a range of colours.

 MidiLychee

 LAX

*Gollum Voice* My Precious!

What is it with limited editions? I can’t get over them. Its almost like this urge to own as many limited edition items as possible, even ones that currently don’t really exist anymore sadly like the Too Faced Leopard Love palette, although that doesn’t stop my inevitable need to track it down like a bitch in heat. So my question to you is, what’s your perspective on LE’s? I know a friend of mine doesn’t like LE stuff purely because they mark up prices and it's just another consumerist scheme to dish more money out of our pockets but, to me, that’s the appeal. Its the fact that I could own a thing which is unique. We all know the typical MAC black lipstick bullet, but once it changes colour, shape or texture we all go nuts. Same with any other MAC LE and I think it’s for a good reason, we’re all consumerists stuck in our little mindsets of “I need to own this item before it is gone forever!”

I know some of you will disagree, simply because of the fact that you actually want and like the product, whether it happens to be limited edition or not. I mean I did not hunt down a cheap but authentic Nars Virtual Domination palette for a year and a half because I liked the packing, no I actually wanted the palette because it was versatile and beautiful as I’m sure many of you would agree.

A few of my favourite LE’s ever, you’ll notice quite a few MAC products but really nobody does LE’s like MAC do:

• The Nars Virtual Domination Palette: it’s handy to travel with, the colours and pigmentation alone are worth the money and it has every cheek product you could need.
• MAC Simpson’s blush in Sideshow You: Let’s be honest, who didn’t watch the Simpsons as a kid common, this one was a given. While the blush alone is a great product, the packaging nailed it for me. I was disappointed that they had brought out lipglasses instead of lipsticks for the collection but oh well, you win some you lose some
• MAC Cinderella Iridescent Pressed Powder in Coupe d’Chic: Boy this one was a tough call because the collection actually included lipsticks! However they were super sheen which barely shows up on my lips and I hate that. So I chose the thing I use the most out of the collection although I did buy a few things from this collection, I chose this powder because it was freaking beautiful, it really does give your skin a pearly glow to it.
• The RiRi Hearts Mac Brush in 187SE: I freaking love this brush with all my heart (haha get it?) but I don’t dare touch it because the packaging is too beautiful! It’s hard for me to use products that change the way it looks and the same goes for brushes.
• Dose of Colours Black Rose: Oh lord, for those of you who don’t know me well yet, I love matte liquid lipsticks. I have draws dedicated to just liquid lipsticks, not even just normal lipsticks, but specifically liquid to matte ones. So I think it’s pretty awesome when one of them makes it onto yet another one of my favourites list, but this special one deserves this because my mummy dearest got it for my birthday, it does happen to be a beautiful dark burgundy colour that is so rich and dark that it almost sounds like a cake. But sadly, it was only for a limited time.
• ColourPop Tie Dye Eyeshadow in Rip Tide: This was part of the Tie Dye collection that came out for 1 weekend. The collection consisted of 4 pieces but this one by far was my favourite. Am I the only one who thinks that Rip Tide and Flamingo should have swapped their names around?