Maybelline Baby Lips: Melon Mania and Yummy Plummy

Maybelline Baby Lips are one of my favorite drugstore lip balms. When they first came out I was thrilled to try them, and was even happier that they worked extremely well! When the first round of limited edition shades were released a few months ago, I bought them all. This time, I did it again, and I'm just as excited as before!

The two new shades are Melon Mania and Yummy Plummy! I always enjoy the cute names and colorful designs on the packaging. The lid is my favorite part of the packaging. It's so big that I can never misplace it, and it's clear so it shows the pretty design on the balm itself. 

Although the balms are much lighter on the skin than in the tube, the color can be easily built up to a medium coverage. I prefer to wear these sheer, because they are quite glossy and I just adore the natural flush they give to the lips.

Melon Mania, my favorite of the two, is a sheer hot pink that can look very bright when layered. It has a delicious sweet scent that reminds me of gummy bears! Yummy Plummy is a sheer brown-purple that is a bit too dark for my skin tone. It has a grape scent, which was disappointing since there is already a Baby Lips called Grape Vine that is very similar. 


Pigmentation: These are very sheer tinted lip balms, but they can be layered to a sheer-medium coverage. I prefer no to layer them too much, because they are very glossy.
Finish/Texture:  All Baby Lips have a glossy sheen and a buttery smooth texture. 
Scent: Melon Mania smells like gummy bears and Yummy Plummy smells like grape. The scent does fade rather quickly, it only lasts a few minutes.
Lasting Power: I get about 3 hours of color and shine with these, and I don't mind reapplying. 
Packaging: I love the colorful tubes with the cute logos. The cap is amazing, because it's nice and easy to remove and has never cracked one me like other lip balms have. The lip balm twists up and down with ease, and allows you to use every last bit. (Always a huge plus).
Price/Availability: I paid $4 each at Walgreens. 

Likes:

• Functional, cute packaging
• Wonderful formula that softens and hydrates lips
• Tinted just enough, can be layered easily
• Nice scents that aren't overpowering
• The glossy sheen lasts just as long as the color
• Feels comfortable on the lips
• Color wears off evenly and doesn't stain the lips

Dislikes: 

•  $4, which is generally expensive for a lip balm (but totally worth it)
• Limited edition shades, like these, are sometimes hard to find

Overall: 
Melon Mania is definitely my pick of the two! I'm crazy about the sheer hot pink shade and the gummy bear scent. I don't have any other tinted lip balms that look like Melon Mania, sheer hot pink is unique for a lip balm. Yummy Plummy is pretty, but it doesn't work well with my skin tone. Maybelline Baby Lips are my favorite tinted lip balms on the market. They actually make my lips look plush and feel comfortably hydrated, even when my lips are chapped. The subtle tint and sheen last an impressively long time for such a moisturizing lip balm. I'm so pleased that Maybelline keeps adding more colors to this line that everyone can enjoy.

Now, If Maybelline would make a strawberry, or raspberry flavor/shade I might go insane.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

Urban Decay's first all matte eye shadow palette is here! If you are a fan of neutrals and matte eyeshadow, then you might want to take a look at Urban Decay's newest eyeshadow palette, the Naked Basics. I was thrilled when I first saw pictures surfacing on the internet, but now that I have actually used it, I'm having second thoughts. 

From what I understand, this palette was created to make up for the lack of matte shadows in the other Naked palettes. However, I feel that the Naked Basics isn't unique from the matte shadows already featured in the Naked and Naked 2. 

There are six shadows featured in this palette: Venus, Foxy, Walk of Shame, Naked 2, Faint, and Crave. Venus is white with a satin finish, and is very similar to Bootycall from the Naked 2 palette. Foxy is a yellow cream matte, and is also featured in the Naked 2 palette. Walk of Shame is a pinky toned matte, and was featured in the Build Your Own Palette. Naked 2 is a cool dusty brown, and my favorite shade of the group. Faint is a matte warm chocolate brown. Crave is a deep matte black, that is similar Blackout from the Naked 2 Palette.

Swatches from left to right: Venus, Foxy, Walk of Shame, Naked 2, Faint, and Crave.

Pigmentation: Urban Decay shadows have always delivered excellent pigmentation. In this palette, all shades were true to pan and were opaque. 
Finish/Texture: I was a bit disappointed that Venus was more of a satin finish than a matte. This palette was advertised by Urban Decay as an all matte palette, so that is what I expected. Plus, foxy is a bit too yellow for my complexion and a white matte shadow would've been perfect for me. The texture of each shadow was creamy and smooth, as most Urban Decay shadows are. They are soft and buttery, that is my favorite quality of UD shadows!
Lasting Power: I usually get all day wear with UD shadows, about 8-9 hours until fading (without primer). I always wear a primer under my eyeshadow, so lasting power isn't too important to me. Urban Decay Primer Potion was actually the first primer I started using.
Shade Selection: I honestly thought that this palette could have been more unique. There are two shades that are complete repeats! Venus, Faint, and Crave are easily dupable. Naked 2 was the only shade that I thought was interesting. 
Price/Availability: I paid $30 with tax at Ulta.

Likes:

• I like the concept of having an all matte palette
• The packaging is durable
• Shadows are great quality
• Neutral shades are good for everyday

Dislikes:

• Venus isn't a matte shadow (more like a satin)
• The shade selection isn't very unique
• There are two repeated shades (W.O.S. and Foxy)
• I would've liked to see a full range palette (12 shades instead of 6) 

Overall:
I feel like the Naked Basics could have been better. Honestly, if you already own the Naked and Naked 2 palettes, you aren't going to see much variety here. The purpose of this palette was to make up for the lack of matte shades in the previous palettes, so I don't understand why Urban Decay would repeat shades. If the range of shades were completely different from the other naked palettes, I would have enjoyed this palette more. The quality of shadows is great, there is nothing wrong with them, it's just that I felt bored with this palette. I am a total neutral shadow girl, but the Naked Basics didn't have much to offer since the shades are so similar (some even repeated) to the previous naked palettes. The Naked Basics is very basic indeed, but if you are  new to Urban Decay, or just want to build up your neutral collection, you might want to give this a closer look. 

IMATS LA 2013

Yesterday was my first time experiencing the International Makeup Artist Trade Show, IMATS. It had always been a dream of mine to attend. I'm so happy that I finally had the chance to go and see everything. I met some of my favorite makeup artists and beauty gurus, saw fascinating art, and also got some great deals! It was absolute makeup heaven! 

First stop was at the Too Faced booth. The newly released Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush was on sale for $18 (instead of $29). I can't resist anything heart-shaped and I'm not even going to try. The color is so gorgeous, I can't wait to review it!

My next goal was the Inglot counter. I've heard so many great things about their eye shadows. I bought 10 different shades, all neutrals! They had everything out to swatch, but it was a madhouse. People were pushing and everyone was all over the place.

I made sure that I stopped by the Makeupgeek booth, because I've wanted to try their shadows and meet Marlena! She was really sweet and her manager gave me a goodie bag since I waited so long for her to get there! The Sigma booth was absolute madness. I didn't even bother, because I don't really need any brushes and I didn't feel like waiting in line for 3-4 hours. Tiffany from MakeupByTiffanyD was doing makeovers and I'm really happy that I got to meet her in person! 

I'm so happy that I bumped into the super cheery Koren of EnKore Makeup! I stopped by the Eve Pearl booth and watched Eve do a live demo. She made the woman look like a model, I was blown away. They were both really down-to-Earth and kind people.

I made sure to stop by the Lit Cosmetics booth! Just look at all of the different colors of glitter! Everyone here was really nice and helpful. I didn't buy any though, because the base liquid was  expensive and I don't wear glitter much. However, I did enjoy looking at everything!

Ah, Limecrime. I've heard so many mixed reviews, sometimes it's hard to decide about a brand until you experience it for yourself. I had always been interested in Limecrime lipsticks, but I wanted to see them in person. I had the chance to meet Doe Deere and she was nice enough to help pick out which shades would look good with my complexion. 

Here's Doe and I! She was so nice, I'm really happy that I had the chance for her to explain to me what Limecrime is all about. She even shared our photo together on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and I thought that was cool. It just goes to show that sometimes you really need to look into things yourself and form your own opinion. Isn't her hair awesome? 

I ran into the amazingly talented Cora of Vintageortacky and Phyrra, the infamous beauty blogger! Bunny of Grav3yardgirl was just as hilarious and quirky in person. When I walked up to her she was staring at me, and I thought something was wrong, but she said "Oh my god you need to have a Youtbe channel, so I can watch your tutorials." I told her that I'm planning on it! 

 Here are some really cool creatures that were walking around! 

Here's the Sugarpill gang !I had never tried Sugarpill before, so it was really nice getting to see all of the products in person. It's was also cool to talk to Amy Doan, the owner! 

I needed a picture with the queens! Porcelain was so awesome to talk to. He was answering all of my drag questions! Haha, I loved how he even changed outfits later on. 

Here's a close up of the Sugarpill booth. The pigments and shadows in the middle were teasers, they aren't being released until sometime later this year! I bought the Tiara pigment, and I can't wait to start using it. 

I also had the chance to meet Glenn Hetrick, a special effects makeup artist and judge from the popular tv show Faceoff. Traci Hines, a spokes-model for Limecrime, was super nice to talk with! She also does a ton of Disney modeling, she is most known for portraying Ariel.

Well, that concludes my IMATS experience. I'm so happy that I finally had the chance to accomplish one of my dreams! IMATS was something that I had been wanting to go to for a couple of years now. It was definitely worth it! I had never experienced anything so interesting, fast-paced, and fun! It's like the Disneyland of makeup! 

Wet N' Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color

Let me start off by saying, this is the weirdest texture I have ever encountered in a lip product. I don't know exactly what Wet N Wild was trying to achieve here. I have searched everywhere on their website and couldn't find any claims! In general I am a fan of liquid lipsticks (I think that's what this product is) but the formula was unbelievably unpleasant. Wet N' Wild has some drugstore gems, but this isn't one of them.

I picked up 3 of the 13 available shades: Back to the Fuchsia, Red My Mind, and Click on my Hyperpink.

As you can see, the wands are very messy. The tube inside doesn't have a wiper, causing the doefoot applicators to have too much product.

Swatches from left to right: Back to the Fuchsia, Red My Mind, and Click on my Hyperpink.

Back to the Fuchsia is a medium raspberry pink. Red my Mind is a true red that leans a bit towards the cooler side. Click on my Hyperpink is a light cool toned pink. These three shades are all matte and don't contain any glitter or sparkle. Click here, to see a lip swatch (Just warning you it isn't pretty!)

Claims: I couldn't find any claims on this product! 
Packaging: These lip colors are packaged in a plastic tube that has an hour-glass shaped handle. The doefoot applicator is loaded with too much product. 
Pigmentation: The pigmentation is definitely there. Each lip color gives opaque, bright color within one swipe. There's a wide variety of shades to choose from (nudes, reds, shimmers, etc)
Finish/Texture: This is the biggest problem with this product, the texture and finish are both very unflattering. After the lip color dries, it leaves your mouth looking cracked and extremely dry. The texture feels very thick, although the product itself is a bit thin (I told you it was weird). After these set, they make your mouth feel dehydrated! Yuck.
Scent: There was a strong chemical scent to these. 
Lasting Power: I couldn't stand the way my lips felt like they were being suffocated, so I removed this product immediately. The swatches stained my arm and lips for a few days.
Price/Availability: I paid $3.50 for each at Walgreens

Likes:

• Bright, excellent pigmentation
• Variety of colors

Dislikes:

• The texture is very thick and slippery at first
• Once it dries, it makes your lips feel extremely dry
• Makes lips appear to be cracked/emphasizes lines
• Feels very uncomfortable
• Stains your lips/skin 
• Difficult to remove

Overall:
Wet N' Wild usually is a hit or miss for me. They have some really good products, and then products like this that aren't quality. What I disliked most about these is the way they felt on my mouth, like I hadn't used lip balm in 10 years. Once these dry, they are extremely difficult to remove (it takes serious scrubbing with makeup remover). The overall finish is very unflattering, since lines are emphazised, and makes lips appear cracked. The chemical scent and wasteful packaging are also things that bother me with this product. 

It was strange to me that I couldn't find any claims on these liquid lip colors.  I am truly curious on what Wet N' Wild had in mind when creating these. They remind me of a liquid lipstick, but they also stain, so I am not sure what the goal is. The formula is nothing like a general stain or liquid lipstick, it is more like a "24 hour" or long-lasting lipstick.  If I find any information about the claims I'll be updating this post! 

Maybelline Color Whisper Lipsticks

After trying and loving Maybelline's Vivids Collection,  I was anxious to test  the Color Whisper line. I had such high hopes when I made my purchase. I can never resist a newly released Maybelline product! Unfortunately, these lipsticks didn't perform the way that I expected them to. 

I love the slim packaged, brightly colored cases on these lipsticks. Oh La Lilac is not pictured here. I bought five before even trying one because I was so positive that I was going to like these! It's funny how sometimes things turn out to be the exact opposite.

Swatches from left to right: Cherry On Top, Pink Possibilities, Faint For Fuchsia, Petal Rebel, and Oh La Lilac.

Cherry on Top is the most pigmented of the shades I purchased. These swatches look a bit brighter on my arm, since it's pale. If you have pigmented lips already, the color isn't going to show up unless you gob on layers of lipstick. (Which is hard to do with this formula).

Claims: "Pure color pigments suspended in a weightless gel. No heavy waxes or oils. Soft, sexy gel-color."
Pigmentation: The biggest disappointment with these was the serious lack of pigmentation. I was so shocked at how watery the colors looked, they barely showed up! For a lipstick that claims to have pure color pigments, it was a total letdown. 
Finish/Texture: The finish was super shiny and beyond glossy, which I don't prefer when it comes to lipstick. The texture was very greasy, which caused the product to slip everywhere. 
Scent: There was an off-putting, soapy scent to these lipsticks. They smell nothing like the Colorsensational lipsticks, which have a slight sweet smell.
Lasting Power: There was no lasting power at all because of the slippery texture. 
Price: I paid $6 for each lipstick at Target.

Likes:

• The sleek, bright packaging is pretty

Dislikes:

• There is hardly any pigmentation
• The scent is unpleasant
• No staying power whatsoever
• Finish is unbelievably greasy/causes transferring and patchyness
• Color can't be built up easily 

Overall:
I bought the Color Whisper lipsticks with high expectations. The pigmentation was so sheer, that it barely showed up on my lips. The lipstick formula had a greasy texture that was extremely difficult to layer to get opaque color.The finish was too glossy, which caused unflattering transferring around the mouth and short wear time. Although these lipsticks claim soft color, I was still saddened by the overall look, finish, and lasting power. If Maybelline would have marketed these as tinted lip balms, maybe I wouldn't have been as disappointed. 

Wet N' Wild Coverall Cream Foundation and Powder

As some of you know, Wet N Wild is adding tons of new products into their entire line for spring 2013!  Drugstore cream foundations are hard to come by, especially in lighter shades. This foundation range contains seven shades, and I chose the lightest one, 815 Fair. I also decided to try the powder, since Wet N' Wild had coupons on their packaging! I only spent about $6.50 to try both items, which is a great deal! 

I already had a feeling that these were both going to be too dark for me, but I kept my hopes up because of my experience with the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation. Unfortunately, the foundation and the powder looked orange on my skin, and the formula wasn't very forgiving.

Coverall Cream Foundation
Claims: "All day wear, satin-matte finish, Visibright complex reduces the appearance of wrinkles and rejuvenates skin."
Formula: The formula is very matte, but it did not look satiny at all. It actually enlarged the appearance of my pores and emphasized fine lines, because the foundation settled into them. 
Coverage: The coverage is the only good thing about this foundation. It gives an overall even tone (although it was orange on me) and hides blemishes and redness, even freckles if desired.
Finish: I would say that the finish is matte and a bit drying. It didn't brighten the appearance of my skin, in fact it made it appear duller than it was before. The overall feel of this foundation is thick, and heavy. I just didn't like the way it sat on my skin, and didn't blend evenly.
Lasting Power: I felt very uncomfortable wearing this foundation, and removed it quickly.  I didn't wear it long enough to determine the true staying power. 
Scent: There is no scent to this foundation.
Packaging: The foundation comes in a tube with a twist off cap. The nozzle allows the foundation to be squeezed out easily. I really liked the packaging!
Price/Availability: I paid $3.50 at Walgreens ( It came with a $1 off coupon)

Wet N Wild Coverall Pressed Powder
Claims: "All day, weightless wear, Visibright complex reduces the appearance of wrinkles and rejuvenates skin."
Formula: This is just a standard pressed powder. It felt smooth to the touch, and didn't contain any shimmer. The powder was completely orange on my skin! 
Coverage: I would say that the coverage is full. After I applied the powder with a brush, it looked very matte, and you could definitely tell that I had powder on. 
Finish: The overall look of this powder is very artificial. The shade was completely off and the finish was so matte that made my skin look very unnatural. 
Scent: There is no scent to this powder.
Packaging: The plastic, rectangular packaging does contain a small sponge, but no mirror. I prefer my powders to come with a mirror for on-the-go touch ups. The sponge doesn't work very well and feels cheap.
Price/Availability: I paid $2.50 at Walgreens ( It came with a $1 off coupon)

Likes:

• The packaging on the foundation is great, very hygienic and easy to control the amount of product
• Both products are unscented
• Both products are affordable

Dislikes:

• The overall finish on both products looked artificial
• The shades were both orange on my skin
• The foundation felt thick and heavy/ uncomfortable to wear
• Both products were difficult to blend
• The formula of the foundation made my skin look dull/dry and emphasized my pores and fine lines
• The powder comes with a cheap sponge and no mirror
• The shade range only has beige tones, nothing dark or light

Overall
I was having high hopes for this foundation and powder, but they were both the wrong shade and did absolutely nothing for my complexion. I just couldn't stand how thick and heavy the cream foundation felt on my face. It made my pores look gigantic, and highlighted every fine line. The coverage was definitely there, but orange isn't my shade. The powder was equally disappointing. The shade was also very orange, and the finish was harsh and artificial. Both products were difficult to blend. Unfortunately, these products just didn't work for my skin. I won't be repurchasing them in the future, in fact I have already returned them. If you have fine lines, pale or dark skin, or dry skin of any kind I would recommend skipping these.

If you want to see what other products I will be reviewing soon check out eatinglipstick on tumblr! I posted a picture there of how bad the foundation and powder looked on my skin if you are interested in seeing that. The picture was so horrible I didn't want to publish it here. Ha.

Maybelline Colorsensational Vivids Lipstick

Bright drugstore lipsticks are always welcome in my collection! When I first saw Maybelline release photos of the Vivids lipsticks on their Insatgram, I instantly wanted to try them. Let me start off by saying these are the best neon lipsticks I have ever tried from the drugstore. 

Just look at how stunning the colors are! At first I didn't think that they were going to apply as brightly as they appear, but I was wrong.

Swatches from left to right: Neon Orange, Brazen Berry, Fuchsia Flash, and On Fire Red

Pigmentation: The pigmentation is fantastic, as you can see from the swatches. Each color applies boldly and is opaque within one swipe. I could rave on  for days about how great the color payoff is!

Finish/Texture: The lipsticks all have a cream finish, my favorite! The texture is very smooth, silky, and hydrating.

Scent: The Colorsensatinal lipsticks have a sweet scent to them. It doesn't bother me because it fades throughout the day. Sometimes they can smell like play-dough which is a bit odd. 

Lasting Power: Since the Colorsensational formula is so hydrating, there is only about 4 hours of wear before they start to fade.  Reapplying doesn't bother me, since these lipsticks feel so comfortable to wear! I have never experienced bleeding, this formula stays put. 

Price: I paid $5.50 at Target

I have never seen such a vibrant line of lipsticks at the drugstore! The Vivids collection is definitely something you will want to check out if you like intense color, and for the price it's completely worth it! The rich and creamy texture makes these lipsticks super comfortable to wear. This collection has 10 shades to choose from that will compliment any skin tone.  I really wish that the Vivids collection would become permanent, because now I feel the need to stock up on some of these amazing colors! 

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

I love trying out new foundations, especially when they are affordable! Finding pale shades can be a difficult task, which is why I am not much of an explorer of foundation in general. When I saw this shade of the Nearly Naked range, I honestly thought it would not be light enough for me. To my surprise, it matched beautifully! 

The shade that I bought is Vanilla, the lightest of the range that was available at my Target. The Revlon website states that there are 16 shades total.  Ivory is the lightest shade, but I can't seem to find it in my drugstores. Although Vanilla had a slight yellow undertone, it managed to match well against my cool toned skin. 

Claims: "Revlon’s breakthrough nearly naked makeup balances skin and makeup so they work in perfect harmony. With buildable coverage and seamless blending, you are sure to cover flaws and perfect your skin’s tone and texture. No heavy cakey or greasy mess."
Formula: Nearly Naked is a thin, but not watery, liquid foundation. I have never used such a thin foundation before, but I really enjoyed the way it felt so light, and still had the ability to even out my skin tone and cover any blemishes. 
Coverage: The coverage is sheer, but is very buildable to medium coverage. It covered my redness and blemishes, but in order to cover freckles it needed to be layered. It doesn't dry quickly, so there is definitely time to blend and build. I found that it was easiest to build the coverage after I waited for the foundation to settle into my skin for a few minutes.
Finish:The finish was semi-matte. It made my skin look flawless, but still had a natural appearance. This foundation absolutely made my skin look flawless. 
Lasting Power: I have combination skin, an oily t-zone with normal to dry cheekbones. It lasted a normal day, about 7-8 hours before I started to get oily. Also my skin is very sensitive (I have eczema) and it didn't irritate my skin. 
Scent: There is no added scent to this foundation. It just smells like plain, normal foundation! 
Packaging: The standard bottle, no pump, just like the original Revlon Colorstay. I must say, the font is so cute. 
Price/Availability: I paid $7.50 at Target

I am so impressed at how well Nearly Naked matched my skin tone. It definitely melted into my skin and somehow matched perfectly. It felt super light, was easy to blend, and gave me a flawless finish!  

Likes:

• Feels light, breathable
• Easy to blend
• Builds coverage well (covered redness, blemishes, freckles)
• Gives a natural, yet flawless appearance
• Lasted 7-8 hours
• Affordable and available at drugstores
• Has 16 shades availavble

Dislikes:

• The one thing about this foundation is that you can't apply it near your eyes (it specifically states on the bottle), so you will need a concealer or another foundation for that area.

Overall:
I have never used anything so weightless that gave me such great coverage. Nearly Naked managed to cover all redness and conceal blemishes, and even my freckles when I layered it. The thin formula allowed for a super easy application and smooth blending. What really amazed me was that the color matched my skin so well, for a foundation that has a slight yellow tinge. I am so glad that I can say that I have found another wonderful drugstore foundation that works on my fair skin!