All Eyes on the L'Oreal Mono Shadows

Sometimes (a lot of the time) for more reasons than one, I dislike living in the Southern Hemisphere. As big a first world problem as it is, makeup and beauty launches 6 months behind everyone else is one of my peeves! I get how ridiculous and vain that sounds, don't even worry. It's just those products you see hit the screen from UK & US beauties and you're like :| need. now.

Breaking Nude, Cafe Saint Germain, Quartz Fume

The L'Oreal Mono Shadows were one of those launches. After the success and my love for the Infallible shadows, I was excited for these. They launched with a couple of different finishes- there's the mattes, lumiere and nude. I picked out one of each and love them all. These, like the Infallible shadows, are super creamy and pigmented and are more like a pressed pigment than an eyeshadow. Worn alone or with other shadows, I've been loving these since I bought them. The only negatives I have are that one of them fell out of the pan after a short drop and the darker shades do have a bit of a fall out but I think you kind of just expect that with a product like this.

Breaking Nude, Cafe Saint Germain, Quartz Fume

New In | Maybelline Colour Drama Lipsticks

Things have been a tad lip-tastic here at chez Beautylocale, so apologies for two lip related posts in a row but I just can't help myself! I need want all of the lip products!!

The minute I saw these hit my computer screen when watching beauties in the Northern Hemisphere, I had been waiting (not so) patiently for these to hit Priceline's shelves. It would seem I definitely wasn't the only one either because the second the installations were put into the Maybelline stands, every single store I went into had bare slots. The struggle and devastation was real.

Not for long though! I finally got my eager little hands on one shade and then a few store attempts and days later, a second. Boy oh boy these were worth the wait my friends. Beauty bloggers and the like had sort of loosely thrown around the potential for being a Nars dupe and I have one of the matte lip pencils so I don't know if one makes me an expert but I would definitely say these are beyond drugstore quality and their $9.95 price tag.

Fab Orange & Red Essential

I got sooo many compliments at work and everyone was very shocked that it was a drugstore product brought to us by the gods of Maybelline and also that was so affordable! I posted a photo on my instagram showing how it wore from 9am to 7pm and that was no lie (check it out- @beautylocale). These are really creamy, easy to apply, comfortable to wear allll day long and they've brought out some beautiful bold shades as well as pretty nudes.

Maybelline have really hit the mark with this release and I will definitely be expanding my collection when I release myself from this semi makeup ban I've put myself under..

The swatches really speak for themselves, so if you've been eyeing off the Nars lip pencils but don't want to commit to that price point then head to your nearest Maybelline stockist asap!

Easy on the Eye(s)

Eye crayons and jumbo pencils seem to be emerging more and more on makeup shelves and counters from various brands- both more affordable and highend. One of the favourites which I'm sure no beauty blogger is unfamiliar with are the NYX jumbo eye pencils; they come in a huge range of shades from neutrals to brights. I think NYX were one of the first companies to really make this type of product so popular and since more and more companies are taking a page from their book. Eye crayons and jumbo pencils have been increasingly sneaking into a lot of my makeup and eye looks of late so I thought a blog post was in order! Plus on a recent peruse of priceline's website, I saw some new releases of even more eye crayons! Heavens!

May as well start with NYX as I've already mentioned them and I'm sure most people would have one of these in ther collection or are at least aware of them. I have two shades- the cult classic Milk as well as Iced Mocha, which I may or may not have purchased on two occasions because I didn't know the name and thought it looked right up my alley online. Well duh woman, that's why you bought it the first time! (Please tell me I'm not alone here..) Anyway these pencils are great as a base for powder shadows or just on their own as an all over wash of colour. They blend easily, are pigmented and don't crease on me. Plus as I mentioned before, the shade range of these is huge and because they're affordable, they're great for dress up occasions or if you are feeling adventurous and colourful!

Also from NYX are their Glam Shadow Sticks- a bit less creamy and not so much a base product but these sticks look great swiped over a bare lid or over a bit of matte or shimmer shadow to add some extra pizazz. I bought one of these when Target had NYX on offer and really like it. If you want subtle shimmer, this is not for you because it is more than apparent. They don't glide so easily over the lid as the Jumbo Pencils and definitely don't have the same creamy texture but nonetheless they're super easy to work with.

Next up we have Rimmel's offering; now Rimmel know what they're doing when it comes to eye pencils if you ask me. Their Scandaleyes range is fantastic- the pencils are creamy, super long lasting and are pretty good on the smudge proof front. When they brought out the jumbo Scandaleyes eyeshadow pencils I was on board. At the moment I only have one shade Bad Girl Bronze but that one shade gets a lotta love! Surprise surprise is a brown but it has some slight shimmer through it, I absolutely love it for a super quick, fuss-free smokey eye! Slap a bit on all over the lid, as messy as you want blend it out with your finger or a fluffy brush, do the same to your lower lash line and you're in business! As quick as that. Again with these, they're long lasting, creamy, pigmented and don't crease on me but I am always wearing eye primer or concealer as a base just to be sure. 

A few random extras to tag on the end- in my stash I've accumulated an eyeshadow stick from Sephora's own line which again, is a great base but sadly often neglected. Same goes for the Bloom Smokey shadow stick which has a brush on the other end that is really quite useless for this product. However it and the Sephora pencil are great for an evening smokey eye more due to the shades but they're not disappointing products. Lastly we have a Barry M pencil which I undoubtedly put in my ASOS shopping bag when I was wanting a bit of beauty therapy. Not a waste though, this pencil is similar to that of the Rimmel Scandaleyes and of course, standard me, it's a neutral bronzey colour. Perfect for everyday quick swipe eyes or darkened up for the evening!

Do you use eyeshadow pencils or crayons in your daily routine? Do you have some in your stash that you turn to? I'm seeing more and more brands launch their own Eyeshadow sticks/pencils so they must be catering to someone! 

Rimmel 'Moisture Renew' Lipsticks

You may have seen my previous post on Rimmel's Kate Moss lipsticks and the glowing review I gave them.. Well I'll do my best not to repeat myself but if you were looking for a disappointing product review I'm sorry you won't be finding that right here. 

The Moisture Renew Lipstick line from Rimmel is their most recent addition to their lip product range if I'm not wrong. This time, endorsed by Georgia May Jagger. Whatever shpiel these have alongside them, it doesn't matter you've already sold me Rimmel! I first bought these in the older packaging which was still the metallic purple tube but a bit different as you'll notice in my photo. I had Notting Hill Nude as well as Nude Delight, both purchased on recommendation from UK bloggers and I think it's Notting Hill Nude that is said to be a Tom Ford dupe.. Well you don't have to tell me twice! Notting Hill Nude was actually the colour I chose for my 21st party which I think I've mentioned before, so that is high praise let me tell you. These lipsticks are exactly as the name suggests, moisturising and they do feel renewing. They glide on, last for a good while and don't leave your lips feeling dehydrated and that icky end of the day I want to take my lipstick off really desperately feeling. Ya know?

L-R: Nude Delight, Notting Hill Nude, Vintage Pink, As You Want Victoria & Sloane's Plum.

When they relaunched this line with more shades and new packaging, I dabbled. Then dabbled some more. I wore the brighter shades to work and got so many compliments on them. They do have a sheen to them and they're easy to apply.  I think I only reapplied after eating lunch despite talking the whole day. (Retail life..) By the end of the day I wasn't desperate to take my lipstick off and put balm on to soothe my lips, rather it still felt comfortable and hydrating. 

For the price of these, the quality is beyond. Regardless of the price, this line of lipsticks is really good. The shade range is a beautiful mix of wearable neutrals and pinks to bold orange, red and plummy wine colours so there's something for everyone! Available from priceline and the like and of course, ASOS plus if you've got student discount you'll be laughing! 

Have you tried this range? Any standouts? 

Rimmel 'Kate' Lipstick Range

If I had to choose only one drugstore (or more affordable) brand to be able to purchase lipsticks from, it would hands down be Rimmel. All of their ranges are amazing quality, price and shade range. A few years ago now they collaborated with supermodel and style icon, Kate Moss; not my ideal celebrity endorser but I get it, she fits the whole 'London look' that is Rimmel's brand phrase. Regardless when these launched I was intrigued by the range and more importantly just liked the look of the colour selection. I'd tried a few Rimmel lipsticks before this and 'Asia' was a firm favourite, which I think is all thanks to Sammi from thebeautycrush. Anyway, Kate Moss launched her line, I bought a couple and was not disappointed. Like Rimmel's standard lipstick line, the formula was great, they felt nice on the lips and I was sold.

I can't recall exactly how long it was between launches but they then launched Kate Moss the Matte range (in the red packaging) and I was like well blow me down, that's even more up my alley Rimmel! So off I trudged to Priceline and handed over my money in exchange for affordable lipstick goodness. I say handed over my money, let's get real these are spare change compared to prices of MAC and the like which to be honest have extremely similar quality. Not sure which was te first shade I bought in the range but as you can see from the photo, it obviously wasn't the last! I used to be a purely matte-only lip lady so I got a lot of use from these. Plus ASOS stocks Rimmel so whenever I was already making an order or they had them on offer, one would quite often find it's way to my shopping cart. If you haven't tried these yet then I think you should pry yourself away from your phone, laptop or any technological device and pop to your nearest Priceline to have a look at these. (Ok I'm not really telling you what to do or how to spend your money but I definitely recommend these if you're looking for some more affordable lipsticks!)

Line 'em Up

Is it me or do lip liners have a sort of stigma connecting them to more mature ladies and bad past beauty trends? When I hear lip liner I picture a grandma shakily applying it on a stool at her vanity before she puts on her favourite lippy. That's some vivid imagery for you right there that is; but really, lip liners can completely change how your lipstick looks for the better!

Lip liners not only prevent your lip colour from bleeding into any fine lines around your lips but also make everything look a lot more crisp and clean. If you want to go one step further, of course you can take some concealer around the edges of your mouth but for today we're just talking liners! Like an eyeliner, lip liner defines, preps and finishes off a bold or neutral lip beautifully. It wasn't until I thought of doing this post and then laid out all of my liners that I realised how many I actually have.. Standard blogger problem I think. I've got mostly drugstore brands with one or two mid-range brands thrown in. Liners are great on their own for a more matte and long wearing option or underneath lipstick or gloss as a prep step. 

If I'm donning a bold lip then I always, always line my lips and most of the time fill them in as well just to give a good base and even out the colour. With a more natural lip colour I don't necessarily wear liner unless I want to do a sneaky overdraw of my lips to make them look a little more full. (I'm not talking Kardashian/Jenner overdraw here ladies) To do this I generally opt for Maybelline's SuperStay liner in Rosewood which is the closest shade to my lip colour that I've found; Without looking like I've had bad lip injections, I just slightly, ever so slightly shade under the middle part of my bottom lip to create a shadow. This is the most natural way for your lips to appear larger and with a pencil shade close to your own, no one will be any the wiser! 

For me, a red lip isn't a red lip without a clean cut edge with liner! Matching the undertones is also important because you don't want an orange line around the edge of your mouth with a deeper, warm red lip colour unless of course that's what you were intending which actually could be an interesting ombré look! My choice for affordable liners would definitely have to be from NYX- they're easily accessible, great shade range and you can afford one of every bold lip that you tend to wear. If you have a Kiko near you, then hit it up. I bought a few of their lip liners amongst other bits in Europe last year and they're fab. You can't really go wrong with any drugstore lip liners I don't think unless they're smudgey or so rough that they pull on your lips. 

I've pushed the image of an old lady applying shaky lip liner out of my head and I am officially a convert. If you don't usually use lip liner or had the same thought process as me, give it a go! Your lips will look all the better and everything will just look that little bit more polished.

Must Have | Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone Palette

I'm not sure how this palette became so popular or how it got to earn a 'must have' status but I am jumping on the band wagon! Before buying this palette I'd tried lipsticks from Wet n Wild and loved them especially at under $2, crazy good buy!

Right side

Left side

The Comfort Zone palette has two 'looks' and each shade has its use printed into it- browbone, crease etc so makes it perfect for beginners or eyeshadow nubies. In saying that though, I don't play by the rules with this one I do what I want and just use the colours where I'd like to. I recently did a night look using predominantly the bottom-right shade (Definer) which has been dubbed a dupe for MAC's blue brown pigment and regardless of that it's a beaut. As you can see from my swatches the colours come out beautifully, they're opaque and build up nicely too. They may seem like colours you wouldn't usually go for with the greens and deep reds but I recommend if you're looking at buying some US drugstore makeup, add this one to your cart and give it a go I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Sorry about the iPhone quality but this is an eye look I did weeks ago using the Bottom Right shade

Wet n Wild do a lot more palettes in either quads or eight pan so I'm curious to try their other shades. I like the way they've paired shadows together for you because some seem like an odd combination but do work beautifully together or if you're not a fan of them as a combo, you can just treat them as 8 single shadows! Recently I've been reaching for the top left champagne shimmer shade as an everyday brow highlight and really been liking it. At $14.95 AU (or around $5US) you really can't go wrong with having this palette in your stash. 

The Lipstick Tag!

My Lipstick storage and majority of my collection

I was tagged the other day on instagram (@beautylocale, yes shameless plug..) by Lipstick and Linguine to do this tag and I thought yeah, why not I do love my lip products so I thought this would be fun!

Lipsticks and lip products in general are something that I tend to buy quite a lot of and recently I've had to restrain myself when standing in front of makeup counters and the stands in Priceline and say to myself, 'No Millie, no more'. Mostly because I feel like a lot of the lip products in my stash get neglected and I get into a routine of using a particular few and then end up buying duplicates or seriously similar shades because I've forgotten what I already have. Generally for lipsticks I prefer matte formulas, I don't know why I just never really used to be into lipgloss I think maybe because of the way your hair gets stuck on your mouth in the wind and they can feel tacky and gross, so I used to prefer lipstick but I'm slowly getting more into lipgloss and even more so, lip lacquers which you can probably tell from my previous post.

Enough rambling.. onto the tag!

1. How many lipsticks do you own?

Not sure I want to know this myself and because of the way my lipsticks are stored and displayed, they're on display and quite obvious so are one of the first things that my friends notice when they come over and always say to me, 'You have a problem'. Yeah well.. Already knew that. Moving on, all is well. Soo I think I just counted 54, give or take a few that are hiding in various bags. I kept it to lipsticks only so that's no lip crayons, balms or lacquers. Whoopsies..

2. What was the first lipstick you owned?

Pretty sure I actually just got rid of this lipstick but I think it was a shimmery pink Revlon lipstick. That from memory was the first lipstick I bought myself, wanting a nice 'everyday' shade that turned out to not suit me whatsoever.

3. What is your favourite lipstick brand?

I'll cheat and say a high end and drugstore type brand. So for a cheaper alternative, hands down Rimmel. Especially the Kate Moss ranges which are all matte so right up my alley but the formula is amazing- colour payoff, lasting power they've got it all they do. I have a few from their normal line in the black packaging and 'Asia' is one of my favourite YLBB-Your Lips But Better shades as well as their moisturising formula in the purple packaging for great Nude shades.
High end, I guess I would have to say MAC. The more high end products I try the more I move away from MAC and understand that they have an amazing reputation but new brands are constantly launching with amazing products. In saying that I can't go past their eyeshadows and lipsticks, I think it's maybe the way they have them displayed just staring at me all and wanting me to swatch them. Chanel also does amazing colours and formulas and I definitely want to try more of theirs.

4. What is your most worn lipstick?

This question links back to my ramble at the beginning. So many of my lipsticks have been neglected in recent times it's hard to say if I have a most worn. For everyday shades, I tend to go for either MAC's Brave or Craving, Rimmel's Asia, Nude Delight, Notting Hill Nude. Brighter shades and more bold lip colours I just alternate depending on the rest of my face.

Most worn 'everyday' lipsticks

5. What is your favourite finish?

Matte. Definitely not one for any kind of shimmery, glittery lipstick.

6. What was the last lipstick you bought?

Last lipSTICK, emphasis on lipstick rather than lip product I think was my Dior Dolce Vita lipstick which was around January.. hey, go me! That's quite a while.

7. How many lip products do you have in your bag? (Including balms and glosses)

I posted a photo on instagram of this just the other week and I think I counted 8 or 9.. Tad excessive

8. What is your favourite red lip colour?

Definitely MAC Ruby Woo. The perfect blue-toned red which is super flattering.

9. How do you store your lipsticks?

I actually use a T2 gift box that I got and I've put one of those acrylic lipstick organisers inside of it which I got off ebay for a ridiculously low $2-3. The others that I don't use as much are stored underneath in pull out drawers.

10. What lipsticks are you currently lusting after?

There's always a MAC shade that I have written down on my lust list but as I mentioned before I would like to try more of Chanel's offerings as well as the YSL Rouge Volupte but everytime I swatch them they seem quite sheer but they look beautiful on other people. All of which are a slight dent to the wallet at over $40 each so it will be a slow collection..

That was fun! I think I'll try to do more of these tag type blog posts in the future. I know there are plenty out there in the blogosphere. Feel free to leave me recommendations

That High-end packaging gets me everytime!