NARS Audacious Lipstick In Michiyo

It's been 2 months since my last post! I'll be sharing my thoughts on NARS Audacious lipstick in Michiyo (a bright fucshia-pink). I've had the lipstick for a couple of months now. Bought it the first day it was launched in Singapore. 

Description
Debut weightless, color-saturated lips when you smooth on this NARS Audacious Lipstick. It glides on like satin across skin, and achieves single-stroke coverage that leaves lips with captivating colour. 

 Price

At S$43, the NARS Audacious lipstick definitely comes with a hefty price tag.

Texture
Despite the high coverage, the lipstick actually feels really lightweight on the lips. I would describe it as a satin finish, with just a tiny bit of glossiness. 

Scent

Virtually no scent

Packaging
Hands down my favourite packaging in my entire lipstick collection. The sleek black metal bullet with a magnetic closure and the embossed NARS logo is just on point.  Gives me great satisfaction simply by opening and closing the lipstick. I want to hashtag #cheapthrill, but I realise - it's ironic. 


Swatches
Indeed, one swipe and you get a super intense, gorgeous creamy colour.
*There's no glitter, no idea why the swatch on top looks like it contains glitter. 

I tried out a few different ways to wear Michiyo - clockwise from top: WIth gloss, ombre, full coverage, stained.

Longevity 
The lip colour adheres to the lips very well and it leaves a very nice stain even after drinking and eating. I don't think it has any problem staying on for more than 5 hours.

What I like:
The intensity, the pigmentation, the weightlessness, the beautiful packaging. 

What can be improved:
I find that the lipstick can feel a little drying sometimes, but usually, it's just in the middle ground, where it's neither moisturising nor drying.

Overall thoughts:
It's a super luxurious lipstick. BUT the formula and coverage is definitely top-notch. It will make a perfect stocking filler this Christmas and I know i'll be really thrilled to get one! 

Michiyo is also a really good dupe for NARS Schiap, which is a matte formula. Unfortunately, Schiap is too drying for me, and I'm really glad to have found Michiyo, which is just a tad darker than Schiap.

Is it worth the money? I guess if you try to google for dupes, you might actually find a cheaper, similar product out there. This is a splurge, but I think it's fine to indulge and buy something nice once in awhile, especially if it's a high quality product that you know you will use frequently! I can only speak for myself, and yes, it's a little painful when I had to fork out $43 for a lipstick, but it's worth it. I love it very much, and I would like to try out some other shades in the range!

Topshop Lip Bullet in Heartbeat

I'm such a sucker for new lip products. Ever since I bought the Soap & Glory's Gloss Stick (which left a really good impression), I've been wanting to test out more lip crayon type product to see how they fare. Topshop recently brought out their new range of lipsticks (packaged like a lip crayon), and I was immediately drawn to a bright coral colour - Heartbeat.

Description from website:

Richly pigmented self-sharpening precision lipstick with a satiny finish. Twist up format for precise application

Price:
$19

Texture:

Smooth and glossy, but it leaves a layer of film on the lips.

Scent:

No detectable scent

Packaging:
The lip bullet is housed in a twist up stick. As usual, Topshop's makeup packaging is always so simple and chic. One problem I had with the lip bullet is that the product has a tendency to melt and the colour will migrate down the white tip. It's not a very big issue though.

Swatch:

Topshop's lip bullet in Heartbeat is described as a peachy pink colour on their website. On my lips, the peachy tone doesn't really stand out. It's quite a bright colour, but it can be toned down by wearing just a light layer.

What I like:

• The lip bullet is just as pigmented as a lipstick. I was expecting more of a sheer colour, so I was pleasantly surprised by the colour payoff.
• Heartbeat is quite a bright colour and it leaves a nice pinkish stain even after a few hours of wear.

What can be improved:

• I much prefer the texture of Soap & Glory's Gloss Stick. Topshop's lip bullet leaves an 'oily' film on my lips, and application can sometimes be quite patchy.
• The lip bullet is not drying, but it tends to sink into the dry lines on my lips.

To be honest, the lip bullet feels very similar to a regular lipstick, the only difference is the packaging. I have to say that I'm slightly disappointed by the lip bullet. At $19, I think it's a tad overpriced for what it does. I could easily get a lipstick from Revlon that is better quality. Nonetheless, it is a pretty colour, so I'll probably continue wearing it. 

Too Faced La Creme Lipstick: Juicy Melons and Nude Beach

This is going to be a review of my current favorite lipstick.

Some background information about myself:
I have the most sensitive/dry lips. Almost every single lipsticks I've tried dried up my lips. Even the supposedly moisturizing Revlon Lip Butter just ended up sucking the moisture out of my lips :(
Therefore my perfect lipstick formula will be one that is super creamy and hydrating, has good colour payoff and it doesn't need to be especially long-wearing, 2-3hrs wear is good enough for me.

I've read reviews that compared the La Creme to YSL Rouge Volupte, and apparently people find them to be quite similar.

The description on Sephora's Website looks rather promising as well.

'La  Creme lipstick is a rich and creamy lip color infused with moisturizing and strengthening benefits.

Indulge lips with luxurious color and super moisturizers including white lotus flower and power peptides. This rich formula comes in abundant shades in four essential color ranges: nudes, spices, pinks, and reds.'

It's not a cheap lipstick and I had been holding back for a few months before finally caving in when I had member discounts at Sephora. My first purchase was Juicy Melons, and I went back again to get Nude Beach because I ended up loving Juicy Melons :)

Juicy Melons (pinks): Pinky coral shade. It's definitely more pink than coral. Because of the coral in it, it's very wearable on people with yellow undertones aka me. 

Nude Beach (nude): Nude Pink. After swatching all the 4 nudes from the line, I find that this is the best nude for my skin tone. This shade is actually pretty similar to my actual lip colour, it tones down the redness in my lips a little, but doesn't make me look dead.

Price:
About S$29 at Sephora. I can't really remember the exact price since I got both on discount.
Texture:
Creamy and smooth with slight glossy sheen
Swatches:

Packaging:
The La Creme lipstick is packaged in a luxurious looking gold aluminium tube. It feels sturdy enough and has a good weight to it. I like that it's quite slim, so it doesn't take up too much space in my pouch.




Smell:
Sugary lemon smell which I like! Fades away after awhile.

What I like:

• Versatility. Can be applied on sheerly, and can also be built up to med coverage.
• Slight glossy finish. I definitely prefer my lips to have a slight glossy sheen to a total matte finish. I find that Nude Beach is slight glossier than Juicy Melons.
• Hydration. Compared to some of my old lipsticks, this stuff really does feel more hydrating and less drying. I find Juicy Melons to be slightly more hydrating than Nude Beach.
• Smooth application. Both lipsticks are easy and smooth to apply. Nude Beach is slightly streaky, and might settle on dry lines. I find that always happens to light/nude colored lipstick, but adding on 1-2 more layers will solve the problem.

What can be improved:

• Even though the formulation is one of the most hydrating lipsticks I've tried, I find that I do get the occasional dry lips now and then. But I think my lips are just too sensitive and picky.
• I would say I'm satisfied with the longevity of Juicy Melons (2-2.5 hours). Nude Beach doesn't really last on me. I would say the lasting power is around an hour, which is a pity because I really like the colour. I think that's partly because the formula of Nude Beach is slightly glossier and more slippery. Overall, nudes just doesn't stain the lips as well as brighter colours.

Comparison between Juicy Melons and Nude Beach:
The actual colour aside, I find Juicy Melons to have more coverage, higher staying power, more hydrating, and less glossy compared to Nude Beach.

My favorite of the 2 is definitely Juicy Melons because it brightens up my complexion, it's more hydrating and it has better staying power. As much as I love Juicy Melons, I find that I prefer how it looks in pictures more than in real life. Somehow in pictures, the coral/orange tone shows up better and I really like that! Anyway, this is my first foray into pinky coral lipstick (I'm usually more of a light pink/nude pink person) and I think coral really suits me! Glad that I got out of my comfort zone and tried something new!

Ingredients:

Juicy Melons
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vegetable Oil, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Sterols, Polyethylene, Polybutene, Diisostearyl Malate, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Isostearyl Hydroxystearate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax (Candelilla Cera/Cire De Candelilla), Triisostearyl Citrate, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Flavor (Aroma), Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Linalool, Geraniol, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tribehenin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Phenoxyethanol, Mica. May Contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).

Nude Beach
Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Sterols, Vegetable Oil, Polybutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diisostearyl Malate, Polyethylene, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Isostearyl Hydroxystearate, Triisostearyl Citrate, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax (Candelilla Cera/Cire De Candelilla),Isostearyl Isostearate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Flavor (Aroma), Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Linalool, Geraniol, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tribehenin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Phenoxyethanol, Mica. May Contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).