Lisa Eldridge Velvet Morning Lipstick Review

Much hullabaloo (how oddly spelled is that word!) has been made about Lisa Eldridge's lipsticks that they usually sell out the first day of launch. I was fortunate enough to snag a few of the pink collection and all three of the red velvets. I haven't been able to find a pocket of time to swatch and photograph Velvet Ribbon and Velvet Jazz, but thought I'd show you how the fiery, orange-red Velvet Morning in time for her November 3rd pre-sale.



I've worn many a bright lipstick in my life, but this one took some getting used to. It's in-your-face vibrant and definitely the focal point of the look. I had to be quite careful not to get the color on anything (an odd twist in the mouth led to some transfer on my skin). As you can imagine, it stayed on and bright for hours.

Those with chronically dry lips (sigh) might want to know that the velvet lipsticks are not particularly moisturizing but not necessarily drying either. I've given up the fight when it comes to my lips ever not cracking or peeling, so I carry lip balm wherever I go. If you get the ones in a jar, you can apply it over lipstick to stave off the inevitable discomfort.

The best way to stay updated with Lisa Eldridge's new launches is through her newsletter. This shouldn't surprise anyone who follows Lisa, but she really doesn't spam your inbox with anything other than launch announcements. Add that to the multitudinous reasons why I love her.

Products used in this post:
Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Intense in Medium Pink
Guerlain Multi-Perfecting Concealer in Medium Cool
THREE Dimensional Vision Eye Palette 03
THREE Mesmerizing Performance Eyeliner Pencil 10
Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara
Suqqu Pure Color Blush 10 Usumoya
Glossier Haloscope in Quartz (you can get $10 off as a new customer with this referral link)
Lisa Eldridge Velvet Morning Plush True Velvet Lipstick Colour

Every Tatcha Lipstick, Swatched

I've always had a soft spot for Tatcha because they were one of the first brands to ever support Messy Wands. Such was my love for them that I once reached out to the founder Vicky for a job, and though I've never worked for them directly, I did join the public relations agency that represented them, and happily they gave me the Tatcha account.

As you can probably guess, public relations is not my thing. However! I've never stopped loving the brand. While I've moved away from having an all Tatcha skincare routine (more out of a compulsive need for experimentation than anything), I usually still have one or two of their products in my lineup.

But today is not about skincare. It is another opportune moment to talk about lipsticks, the reason for which will be clear by the end of the post. I happen to be the fortunate owner of every single lipstick shade Tatcha ever made, which seems to mean that I'm duty bound to swatch them, especially when all but one, Peony Blossom, are still available on the website.

Left to Right: Twilight: A Cherry Blossom, Plum Blossom, Magnolia Bloom

First, let's talk texture. Tatcha maintained the same formula for all its lipsticks, varying only the colors. This is a fantastic thing, because it really is one of the most comfortable lipsticks I've worn. They're fragrance free, taste free, non-drying and has a buildable formula, which means you can wear them sheer or fully pigmented.

I swatched all six in one sitting, wiping each color off with a cotton pad doused with micellar water and applying a light layer of Tatcha lip balm in between color changes. Multiple lipstick posts aren't my favorite because my lips would be crying by the end, but being rigid about the balm application made this a breeze.

Cherry Blossom is my go-to nude pink, as you can see from the well worn bullet. I try to keep the diamond facets of Tatcha lipsticks intact as I'm using it, but one can only do so much. Plum Blossom is a nude that pulls the slightest cool plum, whereas Magnolia Bloom is a curious warm in-between red-pink.

Cherry Blossom Silk Lipstick

Plum Blossom Silk Lipstick

Magnolia Bloom Silk Lipstick

Left to Right: Peony Blossom, Beautyberry, Kyoto Red

Peony Blossom's brighter, more vibrant case always trips me up, because on lips it's a much lighter coral pink. Beautyberry is, as you might imagine, a true berry shade. I talked extensively about Kyoto Red in this post, so I won't repeat myself, but I giggle a little thinking about how all my photos used to be of the deer in headlights variety.

Peony Blossom Silk Lipstick

Beautyberry Silk Lipstick

Kyoto Red Silk Lipstick

From July 21 to 29, Tatcha is offering a free mini Plum Blossom with $100 purchase, mini Plum Blossom and Kyoto Red with $125 purchase, and mini Plum Blossom, Kyoto Red and Cherry Blossom with $150 purchase. Use code KISSES19 at checkout to redeem!

Rouge Bunny Rouge Succulence of Dew Sheer Lipsticks

Sorry, I couldn't resist

I didn't know something was missing in my makeup drawer stash mountain until it magically showed up in the mail. I thought many of the lipsticks I owned were already pushing the limits of innovation, especially in terms of their amazing formulas (comfort, texture etc.). After all, I'm so picky with my lip products that I refuse to wear anything that's heavy, uncomfortable, or unnecessarily sheer (unless it explicitly functions as such, like tinted balms), yet I still own more lipstick than I can ever wear in my lifetime.

This is until I received the newly reformulated Rouge Bunny Rouge Succulence of Dew Sheer Lipstick, which completely changed my thinking of how good a lipstick could be. I'm actually thrown off by the naming, because as the images below show, these "sheer" lipsticks can be extremely pigmented. The formula is super moist but not in any danger of slipping and sliding all over your lips. No feathering, no scent, no heavy feeling. They're a downright pleasure to have on.

My only criticism is that the packaging picks up fingerprints like its life depended on it, but this should only matter to people who have to photograph it.

Jasmine-Weighted Air

Murmurings

Musings

Relish of Heaven

Perfume of His Gaze

Of the above, I was most intrigued by Perfume of His Gaze. The official brand description calls it a cool-toned rose taupe, which I never would have imagined as a lip color until I put it on. I think this could be the modern update of the 90s brown lipstick!

Rouge Bunny Rouge Succulence of Dew Sheer Lipsticks retail for $29 and are internationally available at rougebunnyrouge.com.

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Mechanical Brow Pencil
Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow in Clair 02
Clé de Peau Concealer in Ocher
Chantecaille Iridescent Eye Shade in Rose Gold
Rouge Bunny Rouge Long Lasting Eye Shadow in Eclipse Eagle
Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara
Three Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil 08
Guerlain Météorites Perles De Blush
Ellis Faas Glow Up
Rouge Bunny Rouge Succulence of Dew Sheer Lipsticks

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample product(s) sent by the brand for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

Tatcha Kyoto Red Silk Lipstick

I remember hearing whisperings of this since May last year, when Chloë Sevigny hit the Met Gala red carpet with a custom shade of bright red on her lips. It was made by Tatcha, Style.com reported, but only two were in existence. Since then, I've harbored hope that Tatcha would produce more of this brilliant lipstick. With Vicky's tendency toward perfection, I envisioned that the makeup she created would equal or rival those from my favorite Japanese brands.

That day came. The Tatcha Kyoto Red Silk Lipstick is a piece of art. The black and gold custom tube is hefty and substantial. I love that it opens and closes with a satisfying click, and only if you align the logos correctly. The tip of the bullet calls to mind the facets of a diamond, and after almost a month of wearing it, I can personally attest that it allows for a very precise application.

As you know, I have tested many lipsticks in my life. This one makes me, someone who has more reds than any other lip color I own, want to buy back ups for my back up. It's smooth and creamy and moisturizing and incredibly pigmented and lightweight and scentless and just gorgeous. The only other formula I love as much is the Creamy Glow Lipstick from Suqqu, but they erroneously and devastatingly discontinued most of the lineup a couple years ago. The lipstick is capable of lasting all day, with minimal touch-up required only after meals.

My father once told me that people who wear red are more confident because it's such a strong color. While I think my father had his own biased reasons for his belief (his wardrobe consists of red shirts in various shades), I don't think he's altogether wrong. Since most of my clothes are in monochromatic hues of black, blue, and gray, I like that through a little thing like lipstick, I am able to inject bright and dazzling color, maybe also a little strength, in my life.

Only a limited number of these lipsticks were made! The pre-order for the Kyoto Red Silk Lipstick will begin any day now, but the best way to ensure you'll be the first to know is by signing up for their mailing list. (Update: Here's the direct link to the pre-order!)

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Mechanical Brow Pencil
Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow Refill M 864
Clé de Peau Concealer in Ocher
Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara
Three Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil 07
Guerlain Météorites Perles De Blush
Ellis Faas Glow Up
Tatcha Kyoto Red Red Lipstick

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample product(s) sent by the brand for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

Liquid Lipsticks Done Right: Shiseido Lacquer Rouge

This past winter may have been long and harsh , but the (grudging) arrival of Spring means COLOR. Let's take a moment to rejoice, and to celebrate Shiseido's wise decision in expanding its Lacquer Rouge line.

L-R: RD320, PK425, VI324

I was gifted three of the new shades when I attended the launch months ago. RD320 is a coral red, PK425 is a cool candy pink, and VI324 is a bold violet.

The Shiseido Lacquer Rouge formula is lightweight and comfortable to wear. I estimate the wear at 4-6 hours, after which it fades marginally. What I like is it doesn't stain the lips even though it is long wearing, and even better, non-drying. It is also not sticky and has no fragrance. With the palatable price point, I'd say it's easily one of the best liquid lipsticks in the market and I couldn't recommend it enough.

For the difference in formula between Lacquer Rouge and Lacquer Gloss, shimmy on over to this post.

VI324

PK425

RD320

To break the monotony of "deer in headlight" photos, here's a smile instead. Enjoy the weekend ahead!

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge retails for $25 and is available at Sephora, Nordstrom and Shiseido.com.

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Retractable Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown
Suqqu Balancing Eyebrow Palette 01 Moss Green
Suqqu Frame Fix Cream Foundation N 102
Le Metiér de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur Concealer Shade 1
Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer in Delicate Pink
Guerlain Crazy Paris Meteorites Radiance Powder Compact (Holiday 2013)
THREE Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil 08
Le Metiér de Beauté Nouvelle Vague Kaleidoscope
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Look 1: Burberry Earthy Blush / Shiseido Lacquer Rouge VI324
Look 2: Addiction Cheek Polish in Rose Bar / Shiseido Lacquer Rouge PK425
Look 3: Addiction Cheek Polish in Fresh / Shiseido Lacquer Rouge RD320

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

Cat-eyes and Red Lips

Like an updated version of this post, but I was actually inspired by this simple look from the Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2013 runway. Clean face, thick brows, a smudge on the eye, and a bold red lip:

Image via

The beauty of this look is it's so simple. The only trick that needs to be elaborated is the cat-eye: I love how her cat-eye wasn't precise, like it was more of a smudge (note the blended out edges). I recreated it using the Shu Uemura Kolinsky Brush 10f dipped in black eyeshadow, flicking it out from the outer corner of my eye. Instead of a q-tip, I used my fingers to straighten out the edges (this could get messy, but since it's black eyeshadow instead of liner, the mess wouldn't stay on skin if you rub it off quickly. Or if it does, clean up with a q-tip dippped in makeup remover!).

As for the rest, I applied foundation and highlighted my face, painted on eyebrows, tight-lined my eyes, swiped on mascara, and made sure that red lip stayed within the lines.

Products Used:
Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow in 40 Brown Black
Suqqu Frame Fix Cream Foundation N 102
Le Metiér de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur Concealer Shade 1
THREE Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil 08 Eye On
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Le Metiér de Beauté Nouvelle Vague
Clinique Cheek Pop in Plum Pop
Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer in Delicate Pink
Burberry Lip Velvet in Military Red
Chanel Le Vernis Dragon

Headphones and lipstick, who knew?

I was pleasantly surprised to receive this in the mail. Unexpected packages, after all, is no longer the norm. That said, since beauty products remain on short supply (actually, I still have an unmanageable amount, but I'm pretty sure you've seen everything), I thought I'd switch things up a little.

This is the Monster Ncredible Ntunes On-Ear Headphones. It comes in five different colors, and I chuckled to see that I was sent "Candy Apple Red." The people responsible obviously intuited my love for red lips.

Knowing that Monster was the company responsible for Beats by Dr. Dre, I went in with certain expectations (the sound will be bass-heavy, only good for rap, classical music will sound terrible etc.). Instead, here are my findings:

• The sound is indeed bass-heavy, but not as much as I thought it would be. Basically, if you're listening to a song, the bass comes through a little more prominently and can sometimes dampen the vocals a little. 
• To my surprise, it performed well with classical music. Crisp sound even on the higher registers. 
• In fact, I would say for headphones that I would expect the bass to be the prominent feature, the bass sounds aren't as crisp as it could be. The image that came to my mind is if you struck a glass with a fork and it just didn't ring as crystal clear as you expected it to.
• Though it doesn't claim to be totally noise-cancelling, the sponge-y thing (never knew what this was called) does help significantly reduce noise. I tried it on the subway and it drowned out the sound of human movement, which made me bump into a few people since I couldn't feel them. You can still hear louder sounds, like car honks and shouty conversations, so wearing it on the street shouldn't be too dangerous.

The sponge-y thing makes the headphones quite comfortable. I managed to wear it for two hours (with intermittent removal when I had to talk to people) without my ears protesting. Since receiving it, I've also twisted it, tossed it into my cavernous bag o' stuff that I lug around on a daily basis, slung it around my neck, bumped it around, and it proves to be quite durable.

And the most relevant bit of information: the headphones match perfectly with my Le Metier de Beaute In The Know Bordeaux Lip Creme! If I had a favorite niece, I would gift it to her with the matching lip product (so start currying your favors, nieces!).

To win your very own pair of N-Tune headphones (valued at $150), read all about the Monster headphones here and let me know in the comments of this post which color you prefer. The comments on this post will be aggregated with the comments on the posts from the other bloggers participating in this review, and 25 pairs will be given away. This giveaway will close on Nov 1.

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

• Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
  Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.
• Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
• For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
• This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

BlogHer will pool entries from participating blogs and select a sweepstakes winner at random and will contact the winner with details about fulfilling the prize.

The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 10/2/13 – 11/1/13.

Roaring Red

Visual reminder of my lopsided eyes, hello!

This past weekend I did something I haven't done in a long time – put on makeup that's not stashed in my work drawer. Sad to say, of late the art of painting my face has been relegated to obligatory strokes in the attempt to look "professional," or hasty primping before a night out. Those efforts always end up looking half-finished, and are neither fun nor creative.

As you can see, I started small. Clean skin, faintly blushed cheeks, tightlined eyes, mascara, eyebrows (i.e. the basics) and concentrated color on the lips.

Addiction Lip Crayon in Paprika is a juicy tomato red (which based on the runways, is going to be the lip du jour of Spring 2014). The lip crayon formula delivers a finish that's usually more matte, but in these photos I layered it over a lip balm because my lips were peeling like crazy. I like this finish though, and I'm in awe of the amazing formula. It never feathered throughout the day, even without lip liner and on such a slippery base.

Another recent obsession of mine is The Reformation, a clothing store based in New York and Los Angeles. The Reformation repurposes vintage and surplus fabric to create its wares, which is why most items are limited edition and have a very tiny run and is the source of many a heartbreak. I had to get this Rawr Sweater as soon as I laid my eyes on it. People don't really get why I'm so happy about having a roaring dinosaur on my sweater, but I guess that's the point.

Addiction products, as usual, can only be found with a high markup on ichibankao.com.

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium
Le Métier de Beauté Eye Brightening and Setting Powder in Revive
THREE Flash Performance Eye Liner Pencil in 08
Guerlain Noir G Mascara
Addiction Brown Toast
Addiction Lip Crayon in Paprika

Lipstick Bandits: A Flailing Pick

Like all Lipstick Bandit posts, the idea came from a Twitter conversation. The details by now are fuzzy in my mind, but the outcome was a curiosity among us bandits — what does the opposite sex have in mind when they think of our lipsticks? And if they had to choose, what would their "ideal color" be?

I brought this up with my boyfriend months ago, and I remember his reaction being one of the flailing sort; we avoided a conclusion then. A few weeks ago I asked again, and he said "classic red," to my surprise. I said, "really?" And he sheepishly said, "that should go with smokey eyes, right?" Apparently, his idea of ideal makeup is 100% bombshell (though I did try to explain that I wear nudes with smokey eyes more often).

Then finally, with an answer worthy of a Bandit Boyfriend, he named a specific lipstick I once had on that he really really liked. It was Chanel Rouge Allure Rouge Noir, which I wore to the Gatsby party a couple of months ago. In the pictures below, I cheated by adding a layer of Dior Black-Tie Plum Gloss because my eternally dry lips make dark colors look patchy.

You haven't seen me in a while (hi, *sheepish wave*) and my hair has grown a fair bit. Remember how I looked like a 13-year-old Chinese high school boy in my pixie days? I can now pass as an emo Korean rockstar. Case in point:

But I assure you this is how I look like usually.

The hair is now at the awkward stage of trying to be a bob but is just not quite there yet. I usually just tuck the excess behind my ear and call it a day. As for makeup, this is kind of the most I've been wearing in months. Usually it's a brows, conceal, and blush situation, which I'm oddly pleased about. I've never felt like I needed anything else for daily life, except perhaps a fuller set of brows? I may seriously consider feathering when all this shading in gets old.

Anyway, there were rumors that some bandits had really unexpected feedback from their other halves (green lips, anyone?) and I can't wait to see if those rumors are true!

• Beauty Reflections
• BellaChique‎
• ChloeAsh‎
• Eye Heart It
• Getting Cheeky
• Glitter Geek
• Mostly Sunny‎
• My Funny Valentine
• Rocaille Writes
• theNotice: a beauty blog‎

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Retractable Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium
Le Métier de Beauté Precision Liner in Noir
Burberry Sheer Summer Glow Natural Highlighting Compact
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light
Guerlain Noir G Mascara
Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner #13C
Chanel Rouge Allure Rouge Noir #109
Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in Black-Tie Plum #982
Illamasqua Raindrops

Larger Than Life 20s Makeup

I went to a Gatsby-inspired party some time ago! Makeup was the only thing I didn't have to scramble for to fit into the theme (the headband was generously lent to me by a co-worker, earrings are by Dannijo). Since I've been on a minimalistic binge, I actually wasn't used to the look – there was so much makeup on my face! My lazy self sometimes looks back at this picture and sighs, this is how you look when you try, Xiao.



The 20s was about being over the top: huge smokey eyes, red/wine heart-shaped lips, pale but flawless skin. As usual, a complete list of what I used to create the look is at the end of the post, but here are the highlights - I used LMdB Nouvelle Vague on my eyes, layering from top to bottom. With a flat eyeshadow brush, I dipped into the soot black shade and ran the tip along my bottom lash line, blending furiously.

For the lips, I used a combination of lip pencil and lip brush to achieve the pointed edges. Just carefully outline the shape you want – I over-lined mine on the cupid's bow just a tad to get it nice and sharp. The color is Chanel Rouge Allure Rouge Noir.

Though truth be told, while I prepped and primed liberally, the makeup didn't last super long on the dance floor. I suppose that's what dark rooms (and drinks) are for though, right?

Products Used:
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge #2
Burberry Fresh Glow Fluid Base
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium
Le Métier de Beauté Eye Brightening and Setting Powder in Revive
Le Métier de Beauté Creme Fresh Tint in Mystique
Le Métier de Beauté Nouvelle Vague
Guerlain Meteorites Perles d'azur
Benefit Dandelion
NARS Pro Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
Guerlain Noir G Mascara
Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner #13C
Chanel Rouge Allure Rouge Noir

Ellis Faas Blush: S301, S302, S304

Many reviews I've read of Ellis Faas laud the superior texture and formula of their products, but always with a caveat: the applicator and its refilling mechanism is unwieldy. One of my Ellis Faas eye pens actually exploded once – I was twisting it to get pigment out, and probably because the leftover pigment was too caked onto the brush, the liquid couldn't get through. Instead, the entire top part of the pen blew out from the holder and paint splattered across the room. I was wary of trying Ellis Faas again, but here I am with their blush pens.

I'm happy to report that the formula and texture remain as what I remember them to be. As for avoiding a repeat of the last mishap, I now wipe off excess liquid after use (as I should have done in the first place).

Swatches

L-R: Ellis Faas Blush S304, S302, S301

Very simply, S301 is what I think of as a natural blush, an amalgamation of pink, peach and brown tones. S302 is more vibrant and leans pink, but still looks very natural when applied on skin. S304 is the color of mulled wine.

Ellis Faas pens are designed for fingers, so place a few dots along your cheeks then happily blend!

S301



S302

Suqqu EX-11 Sumiredama on eyes, Le Métier de Beauté Coral Rose on lips.

Ellis Faas Blushes retail for $32 and are available at ellisfaas.com.

Full disclosure: This blog post contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration, as well as affiliate links.

Check out my blog sale here!