My favorite lipstick brands

MAC makes some of the greatest lipsticks around. I love the assortment of finishes available: AMPLIFIED CRÈME, CREMESHEEN, FROST, GLAZE, LUSTRE, MATTE and SATIN.
Most of my favorite MAC lipsticks have an Amplified Creme finish. I love that none of these finishes feel the least bit drying, I don't even notice much of a drying problem with Matte lipsticks like I have heard mentioned before with other brands. However, if you are one of those people who notice a lipstick feels dry, that can always be remedied with a thin coat of lip balm!
Favorite shades: Girl About Town (Amplified Creme), Port Red (Frost), Russian Red (Matte), See Sheer (Lustre), So Scarlet (Amplified Creme), Lollipop Loving (Glaze)


Poppy King is a genius, and definitely has earned herself the title of a "Lipstick Queen"! I love the formula of the Saint/Sinner lipsticks! I would gush about the glosses, but I'm trying to stick to the topic of lipstick in this entry.. I think it's awesome how each shade has a sheer/opaque twin. I love the pigmentation of the Sinner and Saint lipsticks! The Saint lipsticks are sheer, but definitely give enough color. "Saint Rose" has become a day and night color for me, it's so versatile! The colors are so rich and pigmented. I don't notice any drying at all with the Sinner lipsticks, and the Saint lipsticks are extremely moisturizing from what I have noticed during my regular use of the lipsticks. This brand definitely is up there with M.A.C! Whenever I don one of these shades, I feel like a queen. A "lipstick queen". If you haven't tried Lipstick Queen yet, I highly highly highly recommend it. This brand will always have my 'red kiss of approval'!
Favorite shades: Saint Rose, Medieval, Natural Sinner


I am in love with the Sheer Tint Lip Color! The lipsticks are scented with a yummy mix of caramel and vanilla. This is definitely the perfect lipstick for somebody who prefers a tube of gloss over a tube of lipstick. The color is sheer, but definitely leaves a touch of gorgeous color! The moisturizing properties of these lipsticks are out of this world. There are seven shades available, and you can mix two or more colors to create your own custom lip color. I like to mix "Alina" and "Vendela", it's a great daytime shade for me! I'm a fan of bold lip colors, but I consider "Vendela" (sheer rosy nude) as the perfect nude for me. That says a lot because I'm not really a 'nude lips' kind of girl! The packaging is a shiny silver case, and it locks close so you don't have to worry about the top falling off and smearing lipstick all over the inside of your purse! It's very time consuming to scrub red lipstick out of the inside of your purse...I should know, it's happened too many times! If you're looking for a super sheer, yummy smelling and moisturizing lip color, check "Becca Cosmetics" out!
Favorite shades: Vendela, Alina, Estella


These lipsticks are unbelieveable. The pigmentation is so rich and the lipstick just glides onto your lips with such ease! There are so many colors available to choose from, and the price is so affordable! Milani is perfect for somebody who doesn't want to sacrifice vanity in these rough economic times! It's hard to believe that this awesome brand can be found in the cosmetics aisle of your nearest drugstore [try Walgreens, CVS, or Rite Aid]!
Favorite shade: Rose Hip (#07) I have only tried this one so far, but I will definitely try more in the near future!

I decided to take a break from reviews for a day or two and write about something I love: lipstick. Some people just cannot justify paying over $10 for a lipstick. If you are one of those people, that's cool. In these economic times, it makes sense. However, I do not have that type of control to pass by a $15 lipstick that I want. When I see a lipstick I want, I need it. However, I am going to feature some kick ass drugstore brand lipsticks that I use (and love). Just because America is in a recession, that is no reason to compromise looking great and feeling confident in yourself. These are my top #3 drugstore brands (and shades)!

Milani Color Perfect Lipstick in "Rose Hip"

I love all Milani products, the colors are so richly pigmented! I can't wait to try out other shades from this lipstick line. Some people have speculated that this shade is a near perfect dupe of NARS Schiap and MAC Show Orchid. It has a faint smell of roses, similar to the smell of Benetint lip balm. I don't find the scent to be strong to bother me, in fact I think it's nice. The color is gorgeous. It's the perfect hot pink, so girly and flirty. I paid $4 for it. That's $10 less than MAC Show Orchid, and $20 less than NARS Schiap! Now, that's a bargain! I also have Mandarina from the Color Perfect lipstick line, both are such beautifully pigmented shades. I'm also a huge fan of Luminous blush, it's an exact dupe for NARS Orgasm! I recently introduced my best friend to Milani, she loves the Easyliners (eyeliner and lipliner) and Lumious blush as well.

Revlon Matte Lipstick in "Strawberry Suede"

This lipstick is from the new "Matte" lipstick line that Revlon recently launched. This color is a beautiful, bright and clean strawberry pinky red with coral tones. It brightens up my fair complexion and the contrast next to my hair and skin looks amazing. This is my go-to daytime lipstick. It looks fresh and perfect for springtime, it just makes my face glow! It reminds me of a color that maybe a 50's pin up would have sported, or maybe "Gidget"! I love lipsticks with coral tones, so this is the lipstick I have been searching for! I will continue to buy this color again and again for as long as this line continues to exist.

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in "Royal Red"

This was my first red lipstick ever, so this shade will always hold a special place in my heart. This lipstick started my lipstick addiction, and inspired me to try out higher end lipsticks. "Royal Red" has a slight shiny finish, it has the look and feel of a MAC Lustre lipstick but the staying power is much better! It can be blotted on for a nice pretty red stain, or applied at full strength for a gorgeous and modern red lip.

-ashley

AminoGenesis Wrinkle Arrest Giveaway

Enter to win an anti-aging skin care product from AminoGenesis Skin Care. Wrinkle Arrest ($59 value) is a day cream for the face that is made with 17 amino acids that help to moisturize and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. This product works will all skin types, and can promote a healthy youthful appearance by protecting your skin from UVA rays and by reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. This product also received the AAD Seal of Recognition for it's use of SPF in the formula. It's never to early to promote healthy young looking skin!

WIN IT!
Just leave a comment and let me know that you'd like to enter. The giveaway begins now, May 2nd, and ends May 11th at noon EST.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
- Follow my blog
- Follow me on Twitter (@lipstickncandy)
- Comment on one of my other blog entries.

Mally Beauty review

This brand is quickly becoming one of my favorites. "Mally Beauty" is the cosmetic line by celebrity makeup artist, Mally Roncal!

Life, Love and a Really Great Lipgloss single in "Life Is Fuschia"

This gloss is a gorgeous sheer candy pink. It smells amazing, like cotton candy! Looks gorgeous with MAC "Dollymix" sheertone shimmer blush. So fresh and girly. This gloss pairs beautifully with my pink/pink-based neutral lipsticks. It also looks amazing on its own.

City Chick Smokey Eye Kit in "Brownstone"

I love this color coordinated smokey eye kit! The lid color really brings out the golden flecks in my eyes. The crease color is similar to MAC's Espresso eyeshadow. You can also use the darkest shade as an eye liner or to fill in brows. Another winner from Mally Beauty!

Ultimate Performance Professional Foundation in "Fair"

This stuff is amazing. I usually have to top my foundation with light finishing powder to make the color match better. This stuff is a near perfect match. It conceals redness, undereye circles and evens out my skintone. Perfect. I recommend this to anybody in search of a foundation with great color, great coverage and a great formula.

Poreless Perfection Skin Finisher

This powder is the perfect finishing touch after I complete my makeup routine. It matches my skin perfectly when used with foundation or a light dusting on its own. This is great, it's like powder airbrushing!

Check it out!



-ashley

OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) review

First, let me give a HUGE thank you to OCC Cosmetics for sponsoring my latest contest! I love this brand!

Lip Tar in "Clear"

First, let me say that the available shades are gorgeous. I used the Lip Tar in "Clear" to mix with the loose powders to create lip gloss shades. You can mix the powder pigments with clear lip tar and make your own shades. I was experimenting with some avant garde makeup styles, and I mixed two shades of the loose color concentrates with the clear lip tar and applied some to my cheekbones. The effect was amazing.

Loose Color Concentrates(click for product)
I tried "Pollencount", "Cherry Bomb", "Glisten" and "Ironic":


"Pollencount" is such a striking yellow, it's extremely rich and the pigment is out of this world. "Tesoro" is gorgeous as an overglazed lip color over a peachy pink or nude lipstick. Love love love it.


"Ironic" is a gorgeous shimmery gray/silver, it looks amazing with a silver smokey eye. It really makes brown eyes pop, so I'm sure the contrast next to blue or green eyes would be amazing also. "Cherry Bomb" is a gorgeously intense fuschia pink infused with red shimmers. Mixed with clear lip tar, it is a very similar shade to MAC's lipglass "Style Minx" (from the Heatherette collection).

Nail Lacquer in "Rhythm Box"

I have lately been super interested in nail polishes, this is a bright violet shade. It's very sheer, but very buildable. Ever since I've been wearing lots of bright pink lipglosses and lipsticks, this really fits together with my overall 'look'.

Check OCC out!!

Erno Laszlo review

Sorry I've been away for awhile! I have a lot of catching up to do!

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Regular Normalizer Shake-It in "Porcelain"

This is awesome. It's a toner and delivers sheer coverage, almost like a foundation but since it is water based, it doesn't feel heavy or anything like that. It pretty much is the opposite of what I hate about foundations, how some of them feel heavy on your skin and always like your skin is suffocating. The water-based formula of this takes care of that. So because of this, I am extremely happy with it. The color matches my natural skin tone, and is available in 10 shades to pick the perfect one! Besides offering lightweight coverage, it also is a great oil controller/toner for normal to oily skin!

Multi-pHase Blusher

This is an extremely universal blush. It is gorgeous, and there are many colors that mix beautifully together on your skin (colors ranging from peaches, light rosy pinks, medium rosy pinks, light berries). I love this, this has earned its place in my 'favorites' of my makeup collection. I love love love love love this.

To find a store that carries these products, check here.



-ashley

Pur Minerals review

I'm so excited with this review! Finally a mineral makeup brand that works for me!

Pur Perfection Starter Kit

I have tried a few different brands of mineral makeup, but none of them have ever been extremely impressive. Due to my thyroid condition, I have patches of redness on my cheeks. They're a pain to cover up and usually mineral makeup only settles on the patches and gives the appearance that my skin is flaky (even after I exfoliate). So with that being said, I am extremely pleased with PurMinerals! This covered up my redness without looking flaky, cake-y, and I even applied some under my eyes with a smaller brush and it definitely reduced the appearance of any under eye darkness. Also included in the kit is a blush, and a bronzer. Finally a bronzer that isn't orange or shimmery (a shimmery/orange glow is far from authentic looking!). The blush is beautiful and gives a healthy dose of color to the apples of the cheeks. I am very very happy with this.

4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation with SPF

This 4-in-1 pressed mineral makeup in "Porcelain" is much closer to my natural skin tone than the "Light" shade. I actually used this shade a bit more than the "Light" one that I tried in the starter kit. This is perfect for girls who are a bit too fair for most other foundations (including drug store lines, and even MakeupForEver!)

Pur Rocks

These "Pur rocks" are awesome! You get a gorgeous rosy glow after applying. I like to use them on my cheeks and lips...the color is build-able and so natural looking!

If you like mineral makeup, you will LOVE PurMinerals!

To find a retailer near you, click here.



-ashley