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Three Decadent Burgundy Lipsticks (From the Drugstore!)

By on March 5, 2012 in Beauty, Drugstore Makeup, Lipstick

When the beauty gurus heralded burgundy lipstick as a big makeup trend last fall I was both elated and cautious.  I wore a lot of deep red lipsticks in the 1990′s but recently the dark lip colors I’ve tried have left me looking like the undead, but not in an elegant way. I thought perhaps I’d try again to find a few good burgundy-wine-berry colors and made the quest more challenging by finding these lipsticks for under $10 at the drugstore.

Disclosure: I purchased all of these products with my own money and was not compensated for the post by the brands I recommend, however there are affiliate links embedded in some of the links. If you click on them I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

Romantic Dark Berry Lipstick

The first time out on the hunt I got lucky. Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipstick comes in 72 time-tested colors. I thought for sure I’d find a great burgundy in the line, and I did! “Blackberry” is a very dark red creme lipstick.  It’s warm but somehow manages to come across as red, not brown. According to this article Revlon’s blackberry color has been around since the early 90′s.  The author says the original color was darker and more blue in tone.

  • Color - Dark red
  • Staying Power - The lipstick will stay in place for hours but it does need to be reapplied after a meal.
  • Feel - Goes on creamy and stays that way.
  • Bleed - Even though its quite dark the lipstick does not seem to bleed at all.
  • Scent- The smell reminds me of crayon but it’s very faint.
  • Price - Around $8

If you prefer your burgundy a bit more violet in tone, try “Euphoria”, one of the wonderful Lip Perfection lipsticks by Covergirl. It has a slightly cooler cast than “Blackberry” while still being a true creme with not a hint of shimmer.  The two lipsticks have about the same level of pigmentation. I had to return the one I tried because it was so close to “Blackberry”, but I wanted to mention it anyway. Covergirl presented the color in one of their magazine advertisements. Check out the photo here. Personally I think it’s prettier in real life.

Glittery Burgundy Lipstick

Covergirl’s Lip Perfection Lipstick line is quickly becoming one of my favorite collections at the drugstore.  I have yet to try a color that doesn’t look good on me, and I’m pretty picky.  ”Everlasting” is slightly sheer and utterly gorgeous. It’s imbued with coppery glitter making it a really fun choice for an evening look.
  • Color - Shimmery dark magenta with copper glitter
  • Staying Power - This lipstick stays on for hours but will need to be reapplied after meals.
  • Feel - This goes on creamy but feels dry after a few minutes.
  • Bleed - It does not seem to bleed into the fine lines around my mouth.
  • Scent – The lipstick smells light and buttery.
  • Price - Around $8
 If you’re on the hunt for a truly dark, vampy, glittery lipstick you might want to try Rimmel’s Lasting Finish lipstick in “Bordeaux”. It’s similar to “Everlasting” but even darker.

A Burgundy for Everyday

As far as I’m concerned sheer lip color is always the most flattering, and often the most wearable, in any range of color.  The “Boots” brand is only sold at Target here in the states but the more I check out their line of makeup the more I like it.  No7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick in “Fascinate” acts like a gloss but looks and applies like a lipstick.  I wear it more often than any of the other lipsticks I’ve reviewed here as it’s versatile and always looks pretty.
  • Color - Sheer dark berry
  • Staying Power - This only lasts about an hour and must be reapplied after meals.
  • Feel - Soft and creamy
  • Bleed - The color is too sheer to bleed.
  • Scent - There doesn’t seem to be much perfume added to this gloss.  It smells rather like crayon.
  • Price - $10

Shimmery Burgundy Gloss

Bonus round! I also found a fantastic gloss for those of us who like our lips super shiny.  If you like lip gloss and haven’t tried Revlon’s Colorburst lip gloss be sure to check it out.  The tube of goo falls somewhere between a gloss and a lipstick, having more pigment than most glosses.  This one is super shiny and sparkly too. The color is called “Bordeaux”.
  • Color - Sparkly dark magenta
  • Staying Power - It’s a gloss, so it doesn’t last that long
  • Feel - Very creamy but not sticky
  • Bleed - This does ooze a little – it’s gloss after all!
  • Scent - The smell reminds me of cookie dough.
  • Price - $8

How to Wear Dark Lipstick

Burgundy lips is not a natural look for many women and I would recommend wearing at least a little powder and mascara to balance the strength of the color decorating your lips.  In these photos I’m wearing a lot of makeup but that’s mostly because the camera requires it. Normally I like the way burgundy lipstick looks with nothing more than sheer foundation, powder, some taupe eye shadow, mascara and a bit of blush.

How to Apply Dark Lipstick

To apply burgundy lipstick start by exfoliating the lips with a product designed for the purpose or brush them with a clean, dry toothbrush.  Then line the lips with a good quality lip liner.  (I like Revlon’s Colorstay lip liner as it wears well and does not need sharpening. In all these photos I started by lining my lips in “Wine”.)  Even though most makeup artists will tell you not to place the line outside the natural line of your lips I’ve noticed that most cosmetic photography uses this technique to make the model’s lips look fuller.  Personally I push the line to the outside edge of my natural lip line. Finish by filling in the lips with the lipstick of choice.  I apply it straight from the tube, but you can use a lipstick brush if you have one you like.

Update April of 2013: Blackberry is getting very hard to find online. Although I can still find it at retail it might be on it’s way out. If you like the color I would buy it now before it’s discontinued!

Do you ever wear burgundy lipstick?  What do you think of the dark lipstick trend?

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Four Fabulous Lipsticks for the Holidays

By on December 12, 2011 in Beauty, Lipstick

I’m slightly obsessed with bright lipstick at the moment.  But why shouldn’t I be? It’s the holidays!  It’s time for sparkle and shine, parties and party dresses, red and green decorations and twinkling lights. I refuse to be drab this time of year. I want to shine and I’ve  found an easy, and relatively inexpensive, way to it. Just add a bit of bright, sparkly or shiny lipstick to a simple outfit and voila, holiday glamour has arrived. Well, maybe it’s not quite that simple, but a bit of bright color is lovely for a holiday party. In case you are just not a glittery person I have included in this list of personal favorites one really gorgeous creamy matte color.

The lip colors presented in this review all came from one of my favorite stores, Sephora. They offer a number of cosmetic brands that I can’t find at my local department stores. Make Up Forever is one such brand and it’s one of my favorites. Everything I have purchased from them has been delightful, though rather expensive.  Sephora also sells its own line of high-end makeup at a much lower cost. If you haven’t been to one of these beautiful chain of stores filled with fun displays and enticing cosmetics I highly recommend a visit, even if it’s just to look.

Bright Red Glittery Gloss

These days it seems like many companies are offering collections of sparkly lip gloss in bright colors, but for years I searched and couldn’t find anything I liked. Last year I found a gorgeous sparkly ruby-red gloss in the Lab Shine Star Collection. It’s called Pearly Ruby Red #S8. The beauty of wearing a lip gloss is that it immediately makes your lips look fuller and poutier.  I don’t know about you, but “full” and “pouty” are words I like when describing my lips so even though this little tube of lip color set me back a few dollars, I think it was worth it.

  • Color – Super shiny ruby-red with glitter
  • Staying Power – For a lip gloss it stays on for a fairly long time.
  • Feel – Slippery and slightly sticky
  • Bleed – I haven’t had a problem with this gloss moving around once it’s on my lips, but I do wear either a pigmented or clear lip liner with it.
  • Smell – Chemicals and honey come to mind when I smell this gloss. That sounds just awful, I know, but in fact the smell is not unpleasant, just difficult to describe.
  • Price – $18

Red and Sparkly Lipstick

The photograph does not do this lipstick justice.  Pearly Bright Red #21 in the  Rouge Artist Intense collection by Make Up Forever is a bright red with golden shimmer, not exactly an easy to find color.  I almost always wear this lipstick in the evening, because it’s a bit too over the top for every day.

  • Color – Bright red with golden shimmer
  • Staying Power – Very good.  It stays put pretty well even though beverages. Even though it’s heavily pigmented I find it does not stain my lips the way other bright lipsticks do.
  • Feel – Slightly dry but not irritatingly so.
  • Bleed – I have not noticed this lipstick bleeding into the fine lines around my mouth but I do wear a clear lip liner with it.
  • Smell – The pleasant smell reminds me of old-fashioned lipstick.
  • Price – $19

Lip Attitude in “Star – Excited Pink” by Sephora

Glitter makeup is not just for teenagers.  Anyone can wear glittery lipstick, especially if it’s a sheer, beautiful, soft reddish pink like this one.

  • Color – Sheer dark pink with flecks of glitter.
  • Staying Power – This is essentially a lip gloss in solid form, and the staying power isn’t great.
  • Feel – Slippery and smooth.
  • Bleed – Although the lip gloss does migrate it doesn’t settle in, but rather smooths itself out around the mouth a bit.  This doesn’t look bad at all though.
  • Smell – Softly sweet and candy-like
  • Price – $12

“Cruella” Velvet Matte Lip Pencil by Nars

Nars’ Velvet Matte lip pencil in Cruella has been a holiday favorite for a few years now.  I have never found anything quite like it before or since.  It’s a deep, luscious, not quite burgundy red. Although its dramatic enough for the evening it’s also really beautiful during the day.

  • Color – Deep red.
  • Staying Power – Very good. The color lasts a long time.
  • Feel – It’s matte, so it is kind of dry but I don’t find it bothersome.
  • Bleed – Usually matte lipsticks don’t budge once you put them on, but unfortunately this one does bleed into the fine lines around my mouth.  I wear it with a fair amount of clear or colored lip liner to keep it in check.
  • Smell – It smells slightly of  licorice.
  • Price – $24

 

Clockwise from top left: Lip Attitude in “Star – Excited Pink” by Sephora, #21 Rouge Artist Intense by Make Up Forever, #S8 Lab Shine Star Collection by Make Up Forever, and Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in “Cruella”. 

Have you ever tried any of these products?  Have you been to Sephora?  What do you think of Sephora?

(Updated in 2012 – Sadly the sparkly pink lipstick by Sephora has been discontinued.)

 

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3 Glamorous Red Lipsticks (from the drugstore!)

By on December 3, 2011 in Beauty, Drugstore Makeup, Lipstick

I’ve always wanted to be the kind of girl who wore red lipstick all day, every day, even to the gym.  It sounds like a great combination of dedication, glamour and predictability. Unfortunately I get bored easily, and so switch my lipstick colors according to the season. Once a year, in December, I really do become a red lipstick girl, wearing it everywhere. The brilliant color stands out on chilly, bleak days and brightens up whatever I’m wearing.  Recently I’ve been obsessed with these three elegant, creamy, long-lasting red lipsticks. They look as good worn to the grocery store as they do at a party, and they’re cheap! Each one is sold at the drugstore for under $10. Continue Reading →

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