Saturday, August 23, 2014

best of the nudes/darks.

From left to right: Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick in N9, Clinique Different Lipstick in Spiced Apple, MAC Frost Lipstick in Viva Glam IV, CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in 280 Clove, Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 420 Deepest Cherry, Urban Decay Lipstick in Venom

After doing posts on both bright and red lipsticks, I knew I wanted to share my natural and dark shades too. However, I don't have enough colors to do two separate posts, so I thought I'd just combine them all. There's actually a nice natural progression between the two categories, which you can see in the swatch picture above. I'm a big fan of all these colors and I hope you find some new inspiration from this.

1. Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick in N9 - $20
    I have to give credit to Sephora for this color. The company included it in the 2014 Birthday Gift set. At first I was somewhat hesitant because I'm not normally a fan of nudes. Silly of me to doubt Make Up For Ever. This lipstick is fantastic. It has a sweet floral smell and one of the creamiest formulations I've ever come across. It really is a your lips but so much better color. I'm in love.

2. Clinique Different Lipstick in Spiced Apple - $16
    This is an oldie but a goodie. As the name suggests, it is perfect for fall. It is a very bohemian, yet sophisticated color. It feels very light on your lips and is quite moisturizing. Clinique just knows how to make great makeup.

3. MAC Frost Lipstick in Viva Glam IV - $16
    I know a lot of people don't like frosted lipsticks, but this one may make them change their minds. First of all, the color is gorgeous. It is a neutral berry shade with a hint of gold sparkle. I love pairing it with neutral or gold eyeshadow. It looks so glamorous and chic. Also, it lasts a while, so don't worry about having to constantly reapply.

4. CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in 280 Clove
    Ok, so this technically not a lipstick, but it has a decent amount of pigmentation so I thought I'd include it here. This is a nice way to enhance and darken your lips a bit. I love it for a subtle makeup look or for an easy way to transition to fall makeup.
*CoverGirl has discontinued this, but they offer LipSlicks Smoochies in B4N and it looks pretty similar.

5. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 420 Deepest Cherry - $5-8
    This is one of my favorite vampy lipstick colors. It smells lovely and looks so nice on my lips. It does look better with a matching or a nude lip liner. Also, this is one that requires exfoliation first. While it doesn't last the longest, it looks great after a quick touch up. I will definitely be rocking this again come fall.
*This is another discontinued item. Just this color has been discontinued and I don't understand why because it's gorgeous! Oh well, at least I still have Red Revival from this line.

6. Urban Decay Lipstick in Venom - $22
    As I mentioned in my post on bright lipstick, I am obsessed with Urban Decay lipstick. The stuff is incredibly pigmented and has amazing lasting power. That's a win-win if there ever was one. This color is the most gorgeous deep berry and looks so flattering with an otherwise natural makeup look. If you don't own a tube of UD lipstick yet, you seriously need to go get one.

Hope you liked this lipstick collection roundup!

xoxo

Sabrina

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

little lace dress.

American Eagle dress, Michael Kors purse, Simply Vera by Vera Wang heels, Pac Sun sunglasses, Topshop earrings, assorted bracelets


It's been way too long since I last did an outfit post. Things are going to change guys, I promise. I have been doing some back-to-school shopping recently and I'm super excited to do a haul post and/or some outfit posts. Stay tuned!

I haven't worn this dress nearly as often as I would like. It's so chic and can be easily dressed up or down depending on my mood. I wore this to a nice restaurant recently and was quite pleased with the overall outfit. I wore the dress with the comfiest heels in my closet and my favorite earrings from TopShop. They are so cool and I couldn't pass them up when I saw them in the store.

xoxo

Sabrina

PS. My article was featured on the CollegeFashionista homepage this week. I love the floral outfit I put together!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

best of the brights.

From left to right: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 026 Abstract Orange, Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 12, MAC Amplified Lipstick in Impassioned, Urban Decay Lipstick in Anarchy, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 440 Cherries in the Snow

Lipstick is one of the easiest accessories out there. It gives you the power to change your look with a single swipe (Ok, more than a single swipe if I'm being honest here). While my tried-and-true lipstick shade will always be red (see my "best of the reds" post), I love to experiment with brighter lipsticks. Summer is the perfect time to make the switch to a fun lip color, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorites.

1. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 026 Abstract Orange - $5-8
    I had been a longtime admirer of this color before I finally caved and bought it. The color is a gorgeous burnt orange that works just as well in fall as it does in summer. The only drawback is that it is not incredibly long-lasting. I think it may be because of the lipstick's "Pearl" finish. I'll speak about it more later, but I found that the "Creme" version of the lipstick lasts an incredible amount of time.

2. Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 12 - $5-8
    This lipstick was my first foray into the Rimmel by Kate collection. I have since added quite a few reds from the line to my makeup bag. I love this lipstick because it smells exactly like fruit punch. It is also the perfect bright summery coral color. While it doesn't have great lasting power, a few touch-ups after meals are all you need to get that bright hue back on your lips.

3. MAC Amplified Lipstick in Impassioned - $16
    It's a MAC lipstick, so obviously it's pretty fantastic. The color payoff is amazing. I would definitely recommend lip liner with this though. The color does bleed without it since it is such a creamy formula. Also, wearing a nude liner underneath makes the color pop even more. It's a warm highlighter pink lipstick that looks lovely in the summertime.
    *Tip: Make sure to exfoliate before you use this because it will highlight any flaky skin or bumps.

4. Urban Decay Lipstick in Anarchy - $22
    While this is the most recent addition to my collection, it is easily one of my new favorites. Urban Decay has one of the best lipstick formulations out there. The colors go on smoothly and don't dry my lips out. They have super lasting power and the pigmentation is amazing. Case in point: Anarchy is one of the brightest shades in the line. I wore this color all day through eating and drinking and it still looked fantastic. An occasional touch-up wouldn't hurt, but it is not essential.

5. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 440 Cherries in the Snow - $5-8
    I didn't know that this color was such a cult favorite until well after I purchased it. This is one of my absolute favorite lipsticks. I don't know why there is such a difference in lasting power between the "Pearl" and the "Creme" finishes, but this one lasts FOREVER. I have no idea how it lasts so long. I wear clear liner with it to prevent bleeding, but that's it. This stuff clings to your lips and lasts through eating and drinking no problem. I would recommend this to everyone.

xoxo

Sabrina

PS. Stay tuned for a nude/dark lipstick post coming soon.
PPS. Have you seen my latest CollegeFashionista post? It's about how maxi dresses CAN work for petite girls!