MARC JACOBS BEAUTY Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme Swatches & Review

lips, Makeup, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Swatch & Review

Among all the new releases from each and every brand, the releases from Marc Jacobs Beauty are definitely the most-anticipated for me. From their sleek black lacquer packaging and creative naming sense to the exceptional formulation, MJB has captured my heart since the very beginning when I first purchased their Contour Powder in Mirage. Which is why, despite the damage on my card from Black Friday sales, I didn’t even hesitate to grab a few of their new Le Marc Liquid Lip Cremes released on Cyber Monday.

The new Liquid Lip Cremes claim to be long-wearing one-swipe nudes which exemplify creaminess and hydration. These lip cremes glide onto lips and keeps them looking plump and full for 8 hours of wear.

Available in a range of 6 bold nudes, all of which have full coverage and a subtle satin-sheet sheen. Each tube is housed in a sturdy black plastic tube with a spin top and doe-foot applicator. 28 USD / 38 CAD each (0.19 oz/ 3.49 mL).

The entire collection is formulated with brazilian cupuaçu butter and collagen which creates a very creamy texture that always feels cushiony and never leaving the lips looking lined or cracked. This really got me interested as I have dry lips year-long no matter what I do.

As usual, I picked the lightest and most true nudes I found: 450 Yours to Try, 452 Fawn Over Me, and 460 Hot Cocoa. The other shades in the collection include: 454 Truth or Bare, 456 Shush Blush, and 458 Slow Burn.

450 Yours to Try – Light Buff

452 Fawn Over Me – Peach-Nude

460 Hot Cocoa – Cinnamon-Cocoa

At first swipe, I noticed these lip cremes to be thicker in consistency than others I have tried in the past. It feels almost like a very creamy concealer. These three shades definitely hold up to the full-coverage claim. One swipe covers all the colour of my lips and I have pretty dark lips. I found 450 Yours to Try to be slightly drier which is usually the case for lighter shades. I really enjoy the finish. It doesn’t seem to need setting time since it never dries to a full-matte.

Swatches below were made with one swipe, no second dipping into the tube.

I was most amazed by how nicely they applied despite the consistency. After 4-5 hours of wear, I didn’t notice any bleeding around the edges and the lasting power is quite remarkable. It did fade slightly after some light snacks and water but natural enough that you don’t have to feel self-conscious and touch up each time (in fact, I didn’t touch up at all). Since this isn’t a matte lip, it will transfer on contact. I didn’t notice any obvious plumping effects although my lips definitely felt very comfortable. At the same time, although it neither hydrated my lips nor sapped moisture, it definitely didn’t accentuate any dry patches which is a really, really good thing for me!

There is no distinct scent to these lips although there is a slight chemical undertone which isn’t noticeable after application.

My favourite shade out of the trio is 452 Fawn Over Me. I find 450 Yours to Try slightly washes me out and almost feels like I used a dark concealer on my lips. It may work better for fairer skin-tones. As with other liquid lips and lipsticks in general, I imagine the darker the shade, the creamier the application will be although all three blended very well without any tugging, pulling, or patchiness.

In all a winner and I’m definitely looking to obtain the rest of the shades!

Are you looking to pick up any from this range?

Kelly (takaraboxx)

ETUDE HOUSE Dear My Enamel Lips-talk Swatches & Review (BE101, OR205, RD306)

Etude House, Makeup, Swatch & Review

Here with another launch from Etude House, the Dear My Enamel Lips-talk moisture lipsticks!

Quick overview courtesy of Etude House:

With the hybrid of moisturizing effects and beautiful vivid colors, the Enamel Lips Talk will leave your lips dead-skin-free and smooth for a long time.

I have always suffered from dry and flakey lips which is why I used to always opt for lip glosses or just pure lip balm. In recent years, the beauty community has advanced tremendously in lip care and lip innovations which allow those with dry lips like me to enjoy colour once again. Lipsticks are now infused with moisturizing and enriching ingredients to, if not keep your lips luscious throughout the day, at least prevent drying out the lips. However, one downfall from moisturizing lip products is the lack of colour longevity – not only do they transfer, they fade after a few sips of water.

With the launch of Etude House’s Dear My Enamel Lips-talk, I am pleasantly surprised to find a new lip product that will accompany me through the harsh Canadian winters.

These lipsticks combine the vivid colouring from a traditional lipstick with the moisturizing shine from a lip gloss. Available in 20 shades from Beige and Orange to Pink and Red. Each tube contains 3.4g / 0.11oz of product housed in a cute baby pink plastic case with snap closure retailing at 24 USD each (recently reduced to 12.60 USD).

I have three shades to review for you today: Beige (BE) 101, Orange (OR) 205 and Red (RD) 306.

Etude House Dear My Enamel Lips-talk BE101

BE 101: there are two shades under the beige category (BE 101 & 102) which contain more brown neutral tones compared to the rest of the collection. BE101 is the lighter of the two and gives your lips a very natural MLBB finish.

Etude House Dear My Enamel Lips-talk OR205

OR 205: there are four shades under the orange category (OR 203, 204, 205 & 206) which are the coral toned lips. I tend to not veer towards coral lips because they don’t flatter my skin tone and OR205 is quite orange. I can’t wear this lip alone but I do enjoy layering it with other red or neutral lipsticks for a gradation effect.

Etude House Dear My Enamel Lips-talk RD306

RD 306: comprising the majority of the Enamel Lips-talk collection, there are 8 Reds in total (RD 301-308). These shades make up the darker side of the spectrum and are especially fall-appropriate. RD 306 is a mid-toned red with blue undertones.

Etude House Dear My Enamel Lips-talk Arm Swatches (Daylight) — Etude House Dear My Enamel Lips-talk Arm Swatches (Natural Lighting)

Etude House Dear My Enamel Lips-talk Arm Swatches (Flash)

True to its claim, all three of these lipsticks feel very moisturizing on the lips and diminish any flakiness you may have (even after exfoliating). They don’t settle in the lines and dry to a demi-gloss finish. The flat tip of the lipsticks make application a tad more challenging compared to traditional pointed tips (similar to Tom Ford Moisturecores) but apply smoothly nonetheless. If you want to use a lip brush, you can. If you want to dab on some colour, you can. If you want to layer it on top of another shade, you can. I love the versatility of this because no matter how you choose to apply it, it keeps your lips looking moisturized and feeling great.

The Etude House Enamel Lips-talk lipsticks take about 5 minutes to fully set (you could always put a tissue overtop the lips and brush some loose powder to remove the shine). All three shades are fairly opaque even on my pigmented lips and last around 3 hours. These will fade with any food or drink intake. I didn’t notice any feathering during wear but these lipsticks do stain your lips (especially the red). It took a lot… and I mean A LOT of effort to remove the swatch stains from my pale arms!

In all, I’m getting more and more sold on Etude House lip products. Their formulas are hydrating and flattering on the lips. My favourite shade from the three is BE101 and I’m very tempted to get BE102 and some from the Pink and Red categories!

You can shop their entire collection HERE .

Have you tried any lip products from Etude House? Let me know!

Kelly (takaraboxx)

THE ITEMS FEATURED IN THIS POST WERE KINDLY SENT TO ME BY THE ETUDE HOUSE GLOBAL TEAM FOR REVIEW CONSIDERATION; HOWEVER, AS ALWAYS, ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE UNBIASED, GENUINE, AND MY OWN.

ETUDE HOUSE Pink Skull Collection for Fall 2016

Etude House, Swatch & Review

Etude House released their new fall collection in Korea last month: Pink Skull Collection. The new collection features a chic and funky style which is slightly different from their usual cute and playful existing lines. Etude House has been rebranding their image since 2016 and I can’t wait to see what they have planned for 2017!

The Pink Skull collection embraces a strongly chic, stylish and bright edgy pink theme. The entire collection is comprised of:

2 x “Pink Skull Color Eyes” Eyeshadow Palettes (#1 Lovely Skull & #2 Funky Skull)
2 x “Pink Skull Twin Shot Lipstint” Dual Lip Tints (PK003 Pink x Pumpkin Shot & RD304 Funky x Skull shot)
2 x “Pink Skull Cream Blusher” (#1 Skull Rose & #2 Funky Pink)
2 x “Pink Skull Curl Fix Mascara” (in black and brown)
1 x “Pink Skull Curl Fix Mascara Long Lash” (currently sold out on EH)
1 x “Colourful Scent Eau de Perfume”
3 x Nail Polishes (currently sold out on EH)

If you choose to purchase your items through www.etudehouse.com (ships internationally), they currently have promotions of 10% off single items, 20% off eye kits (eyeshadow & mascara), and 30% off face kits (eyeshadow, mascara, lip).

I will be reviewing two items today: eyeshadow palette in #1 Lovely Skull and twin shot lip tint in RD304 Funky x Skull shot.

Pink Skull Color Eyes #1 Lovely Skull

Housed in a rectangular plastic case with clear top and snap closure, this lightweight palette is both travel friendly and perfect to display on your vanity. I love the cute skull design with heart eyes and also the heart embossing on each individual shadow. Compared to #2 Funky Skull, Lovely Skull features a much warmer variety of shades with 3 shimmers and 6 mattes.

I’ve tried Etude House eyeshadows in the past and I’d say the formula is very similar. Compared to western brands, I find korean colour makeup is more subtle with a soft wash of colour. The colour intensity also varies in this palette depending on the shade chosen. I adore the three shades in the upper right corner. I find they are perfect for every day with a hint of shimmer to bring light to the eyes. I have a light skin tone which varies between fair-light to light-medium depending on the season. I an currently in the middle of that spectrum and all of these shades appear on my skin. #1 is a almost purely shimmer with a slight cream undertone. I find #8 to be a very nice dusty rose and #5 is a sweet pink that applies more naturally on the skin than it appears in the pan.

There is medium powder kick-up with a brush, similar to Too Faced shadows. Most of the shades blend flawlessly aside from #7 and #9 which requires a bit more work. In terms of longevity, I noticed minor fading after 4 hours without an eyeshadow primer; however, the palette is very convenient to bring with for touch-ups (it doesn’t have a mirror though). The shadows fade naturally without creasing on my lids even without a primer.

ETUDE HOUSE Pink Skull Collection Lovely Skull Eyes Swatches (with FLASH)

ETUDE HOUSE Pink Skull Collection Lovely Skull Eyes Swatches (indoor artificial lighting WITHOUT flash)

ETUDE HOUSE Pink Skull Collection Lovely Skull Eyes Swatches (natural lighting)

Retailing at 20.52USD for BOTH eyeshadow palettes (10.26 each), it’s a pretty good deal. If you enjoy Pink/Brown makeup looks (which I find appropriate for winter months), I believe you will enjoy this one!

Pink Skull Twin Shot Lip tint RD304 Funky x Skull Shot

When I saw this in the box I thought I’d never wear that insanely sparkly tube of darkness. Then I swatched it and thought hmm… this isn’t too bad… and when I tried it on my lips Yes. This will work!

While the Mousse side has a very smooth and opaque deep pink that supplies most of the colour and minor gloss, the Pearl Tint offers the extra shine and sparkle with a purple undertone. Layered over each other, it forms a luscious glossy lip. On days where I don’t want such an intense look, I pat a bit of the Mousse on the inner lip, blend it out as a gradient then add the Pearl Shot on top. Because the Mousse also leaves a stain after removal, sometimes I deliberately remove the colour and apply a gloss over the stain.

ETUDE HOUSE Pink Skull Collection Twin Shot Liptint Swatches

The two ends have different applicators with the mousse side shaped more like a paddle with rounded contours for ease of application.

Overall, I was most pleasantly surprised with the lip tints. I haven’t tried lip products from Etude House in the past but I will definitely experiment more with them from now on.

Are there any items from the collection that caught your eye?

Until next time,

Kelly (takaraboxx)

The items featured in this post were KINDLY SENT TO ME BY THE ETUDE HOUSE GLOBAL TEAM FOR REVIEW CONSIDERATION; HOWEVER, AS ALWAYS, ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE UNBIASED, GENUINE, AND MY OWN.

ETUDE HOUSE Play 101 Blending Pencil Review

Etude House, Makeup, Swatch & Review

ETUDE HOUSE is a very popular South Korean cosmetics brand mainly known for their cute packaging and affordable assortment of colour beauty products. Owned by Amore Pacific, the brand has been expanding its global outreach and can be considered one of Korea’s makeup giants. It’s been a year or two since Etude House first launched their Play 101 series which gained much fame from their versatility. A single pencil was no longer limited as an eyeliner – it doubled as an eyeshadow, a concealer, a lip liner, a blush… basically anything and everything. Using a similar formula, Etude House has launched their Play 101 Blending Pencils to compliment the best-selling Play 101.

Disclaimer: As part of Etude House’s Global Pink Bird Program, I was sent the following products for review consideration; however, as always, all opinions expressed are unbiased, genuine, and my own.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Pink Bird Program, it is a blogger and influencer program where Etude House sends a box each month to highlight their newest launch. The Pink Box of July features the newly launched Play 101 Blending Pencil Sweet Box which is a collaboration with Dear My Universe, a Korean fashion brand popular among Korean girls.

EH Pink Bird July 2016: Etude House Play 101 Blending Pencil x Dear My Universe

Contents include:

Play 101 Blending Pencil in #5
Play 101 Blending Pencil in #20
Universe Bag

The Universe Bag is a navy blue drawstring pouch with a heart-shaped planet embroidery on the front. The material itself feels sturdy and will definitely hold some weight without deforming. For the purpose of this review, I will be focusing on the ETUDE HOUSE Blending Pencils in shades #5 and #20.

The entire Play 101 Blending Pencil Collection features 25 toned-down moody colours for eye, cheek, and lip.

There are four textures:

Creamy: like soft cream, it delivers smooth drawing and natural blending. Useful for eye base, contouring and shading, concealer, or eyebrows. (SHADES 2-10, 14, 15)
Jewel: it delivers a twinkling effect with pearls. May be used as eye shadow, highlighter, or lower eye makeup depending on the colour. (SHADES 1, 11-13)
Velvet: the velvet-soft matte texture delivers soft and clear application and delicate colours. Useful as blusher and for gradient lips. (SHADES 18-20, 22-25)
Jelly: it delivers a dewy and glossy finish to make fuller lips and can be used as a blusher to apply on the cheeks and other wider parts of your face. (SHADES 16, 17, 21)

You can think of shades 1-14 to be geared towards eyes, contouring and brows whereas 16-25 are red-tones mainly for the lips and cheeks. Shade 15 is unique and doubles as a concealer or to blur the lip lines before applying a lip shade on top.

These pencils claim to be smudge-free with long-lasting adherence (except Jelly textures). These sticks are housed in a lightweight plastic tube with a twist-up mechanism. Unfortunately, they don’t come with a built-in sharpener similar to the original Play 101 Pencils (or Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayons); however, since these are blending pencils, a sharp tip isn’t that important.

They retail for $9.80 USD each and are currently on sale at www.etudehouse.com for $6.86 USD.

Each pencil weighs 14g and contain 1.1g / 0.04 oz (shades 1-14) or 0.9g / 0.03 oz (shades 15-25) of product.

For comparison, Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks and NARS Velvet Shadow Sticks contain 0.05 oz of product retailing at several times the price.

Etude House Play 101 Blending Pencil Ingredients

If you’ve been following me on Instagram (takaraboxx) , you must know I adore eyeshadow sticks. Someday I will collect every single shade – I love them that much. They’re convenient, effortless, and perfect on-the-go. If you aren’t a morning person and you find yourself rushing out the door, I would definitely purchase at least one. It’s great to apply all over the lids then blend with your finger. When I saw Etude House launching these Blending Pencils, I was beyond thrilled. I have high expectations of eyeshadow sticks because I’ve tried so many. It feels tough to base my thoughts on the entire collection based on one shade and one texture alone, but I have tried ETUDE HOUSE in the past and their formulas were quite consistent.

Shade #5 is a creamy matte warm brown. It reminds me of milk chocolate with some splashes of orange. Application was easy – it glides on the lids without tugging on the skin. The formula tends to dry more quickly than other cream shadows I’ve tried so your play time is somewhat limited. If you tend to pack on all different eye colour sticks then blend it at the end, you may find blending the shades together more difficult. When applying this, I put 2-3 strokes on the lid then blend it immediately with my finger for a flawless gradient.

What I love about EH Play 101 Blending Pencil is how it dries very matte yet doesn’t crease. The texture is very similar to an eyeshadow base and allows any other powder shadow you apply on top to really adhere to the lids and enhance their colour. I’d love some lighter neutral shades to use as an eyeshadow base – #5 is a tad too orange for my skin tone.

This shade in particular lasted 4.5 hours before fading with a tinted remnant after a 9 hour day. I have noticed though that if you really pack on the colour, once it sets, it doesn’t budge. Water alone won’t wash off the colour.

Shade #20 is a matte/velvet tomato red that actually looks very similar to the nail shade “Espadrilles” by Chanel with tints of orange. There was some tugging on the lips when applying the lip pencil but it went on fairly evenly. The rounded edges and small tip made precise application a breeze. The formula tends to be on the drier side and I would highly recommend exfoliating your lips before applying the lip colour as it tends to settle into the lines and dry areas.

Etude House Play 101 Blending Pencil #20

If you don’t eat or drink, the lip colour can last several hours; but it definitely fades after a meal.

EtudeHousePlay101BlendingPencilSwatches — Shade #5 on the left, heavy swatch and blended. Shade #20 on the right.

Etude House Play 101 Blending Pencil #5 & #20

In all, I am impressed with the Etude House eye colour shade in #5; however, I would have liked more from the lip product. If you decide to try out this line, I recommend the eye shades (1-14). I think the Jelly texture lip products would have suited me more as I prefer glossy natural lips; nevertheless, shade #20 is a very pigmented and matte alternative.

– Kelly (takaraboxx)

This box was kindly sent to me by the ETUDE HOUSE GLOBAL team for review consideration; however, as always, all opinions expressed are unbiased, genuine, and my own.

Tarte Quench Lip Rescue Swatch & Review (Opal)

Makeup, Swatch & Review

There have been many exciting releases for spring 2016, but among the most anticipated stands Tarte’s Rainforest Under the Sea collection. This collection may be one of Tarte Cosmetic’s largest releases which includes an eyeshadow palette, a highlighter palette, many lipsticks (quench & drench), serum based foundation and concealer, an assortment of skincare and multiple brushes.

Official Release Date: February 29th (in-store March 14th) 2016.

Among the collection, I chose two items:

Quench Lip Rescue in Opal
Lip Brush (dual-ended brush with a cap on one end and a spring mechanism on the other)

The Quench Lip Rescue

According to Sephora:

What it is:
A moisturizing lip balm in an array of sheer color shades.

What it does:
Save lips from the signs of aging while delivering intense hydration and soft, subtle color. This tinted lip balm is infused with an antioxidant and vitamin-rich lip quencher that’s powered by a blend of essential extracts and oils to help restore the appearance of your lips’ softness, moisture, and elasticity that’s reduced over time while providing a protective antioxidant barrier against daily aggressors. The tinted, everyday formula gently melts into skin to smooth over the look of lip lines, leaving a radiant, dewy finish.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
– Parabens
– Phthalates

What else you need to know:
This product is vegan friendly and dermatologist tested.

whereas the Drench Lip Splash Lipsticks are marketed as a matte lipstick with more intense colour pay-off.

There are 4 shades in this lip balm collection: Opal, Nude, Rose, and Berry.

Packaging

Nestled in a lightweight paper tube with an intricate flower and under-sea coral design superimposed on a pastel blue background, the Tarte Quench Lip Rescue Lip Balm is for sure to be noticed by others (of note, the colour and design varies depending which shade you choose but they all have an undersea design and embossing) . It’s pretty to look at and convenient to use. The cap interior is lined with plastic which is useful if you’re clumsy like me and don’t have the hand-eye coordination to properly close the tube (yep…).

Application

Creamy and emollient without any pull on the lips. As you apply the product onto your lips you will feel a soothing sensation similar to lip treatments used to “plump” the lips to appear fuller. There is a pleasant peppermint fragrance which is noticeable after the cap is popped off, during application and up to an hour after.

Opal is a milky pastel pink which can vary in opacity depending on how many layers you apply. Beware of applying too much as it slips and slides (it is a lip balm afterall). You can definitely notice the moisturizing effects of this lip balm which linger even after the balm has faded.

Arm Swatch, one swipe under artificial lighting

Tarte Quench Lip Rescue Opal Swatch on Arm

Lip Swatch below (left = before, right = after) under natural sunlight

BEFORE

Tarte Quench Lip Rescue Opal Swatch on Lips

It’s my absolute first time doing a lip swatch…. so do bare with me that they’re not very good! I will improve though so any tips and comments are much appreciated 🙂

Longevity

It’s a lip balm. It doesn’t last and performs a disappearing magic act after 1-2 hours without eating or immediately after a meal. It will transfer. It will get caught in your hair on windy days. Think of it as an extremely hydrating lip gloss.

Overall, I am satisfied with this purchase. Retailing at 23$ CAD / 19$ USD, it’s quite a luxury lip product but it performs as stated: a smooth application with noticeable hydration and a glossy effect. Given its’ sheer-medium coverage, it is generally forgiving if it spreads and you can definitely apply it without a mirror and be worry-free of drawing out of the lines. Would I purchase the other shades? Maybe. Not sure. I was interested in Opal because it would lighten my lips… the other shades would do the opposite. But as for formula it would be a yes.

The only caveat… if your lips are sensitive to minty products or if you don’t enjoy tingling sensations / strong scents, I would avoid this product.

Available at Sephora and tartecosmetics.com

Have you tried this? What other products in Tarte’s Rainforest Under the Sea collection are you eyeing?

Kelly (takaraboxx)