Top 10 Bright Lipsticks For Summer

Since we have had such lovely weather recently (obviously being sarcastic), I thought I'd do a post on my top 10 bright lipstick picks for summer (such a weather appropriate post). Now I know we tend to have a dull and dreary summer in the UK and if truth be told it really hacks me off because of two reasons. One, I've got a shite load of clothes in my wardrobe that I can't wear (which I've spent a fortune on), and two, it generally just makes me feel sad. So since I can't wear my bright summery clothing, I opt for bright summery makeup instead, doing this kills two birds with one stone so to speak, as I still look summery even though it's pissing down and I also feel a whole lot happier. There's just something about wearing bright lipstick that makes me feel all jazzy.  

I have chosen 10 bright lipsticks that I think are perfect for summer, or should I say 'sinter' (a mix of summer and winter). Some people may love every lipstick I've chosen but some people may not hence why I have chosen a selection of different shades, from red to orange to pink to purple. So if you like pink lipsticks but hate red lipsticks, I've hopefully included a lipstick you might like. It's also important to mention that the lipsticks are bold and bright so if you're not fond of wearing bright colours on your lips, you're probably not going to enjoy this post. I've also chosen lipsticks that aren't limited edition and are readily available to anyone, how thoughtful am I!

So let's crack on and look at the lipsticks!

 MAC 'Lady Danger' (matte) - £14.00

MAC 'Lady Danger' is possibly my most favourite red lipstick of all time and this is due to the colour and the lipstick itself. It's a beautiful coral toned red lipstick that has a matte finish. In terms of colour, this beauty packs a punch, it's a vibrant fiery red that is perfect for wearing in summer. In terms of the product, it is wonderful as it has excellent pigmentation, immense colour pay off, great staying power and it isn't too drying. The one thing I worried was that it would be too drying and that the lipstick would cling to the dry, flaky patches on my lips as matte lipsticks tend to do that, but I have to say that the lipstick is quite moisturising even though it has a matte finish. It's a great bright red lipstick and I thoroughly enjoy wearing it in summer.  

 Rimmel Apocalips in 'Stellar' - £5.99

I bought this not long ago and I have to admit that its quickly become one of my favourite bright red lipsticks. Again like 'Lady Danger', 'Stellar' is a coral toned red lipstick but in my opinion it's verging more on the coral side than the red side. It's insanely pigmented meaning you only need to use the smallest amount, and like the OCC Lip Tars, if you apply too much of the product, feathering around the edges of the lips will occur.  It's important that you either use a small amount of the lipstick or a lip liner to prevent feathering or bleeding. The Rimmel Apocalips are a lip lacquer which is a hybrid of lipstick and lipgloss. Due to the Apocalips being a lip lacquer it means they are extremely creamy and slightly sticky and they will not dry down. They are ideal for those of you who have dry lips but are not so great if you don't like lip products that are either sticky or don't dry down. 'Stellar' has amazing colour pay off and good staying power. I love 'Stellar' and I'll be wearing this often as it's perfect for summer.

YSL Rouge Volupte in '27 - Rose Paris' - £24.50

There were two things that drew me to this lipstick, one, the colour and two, the packaging. I absolutely adore the colour of this lipstick and I'm so glad I bought it, even if I did cry about it's ridiculously high price tag. It's a typical bright coral lipstick, despite it being called 'Rose Paris' (really don't understand that one), and it is uber creamy meaning it's the dream lipstick if you have dry lips. It's also very pigmented and has great colour pay off meaning you only need to use a small amount. However, there is one issue. I'm not going to bullshit here by saying that it has amazing staying power because it doesn't, if you drink or eat, it's game over.. it will be all around your mouth and on your chin. So to sum up this gold tube of lovely coralness, it's a gorgeous colour, has great pigmentation and the packaging is beautiful but the staying power needs tweaking. If you were planning on selling a kidney in order to buy one of the YSL Rouge Voluptes, I'd have a re-think but if you're in the position where you can easily splurge on a £20 lipstick, then go ahead! 

MAC 'Costa Chic' (frost) - £14.00

Now I'm not going to lie, I'm really not a fan of MAC's frost finish lipsticks as I haven't had any pleasant experiences with them. I have MAC 'Tanarama' (also a frost finish) and every time I wear it, it makes me feel like I should be in Saved By The Bell sporting a high ponytail and uber high waisted jeans. I think MAC 'Costa Chic' is the only exception when it comes to MAC frost finish lipsticks as it's utterly beautiful, I love the colour and yes, I love the finish. 'Costa Chic' is a light coral colour, it also have a slight sheen to it which makes it different from other coral lipsticks on the market. It has great pigmentation and staying power and it also feels silky on the lips. The only thing I will say about it is that you have to build up the colour as one layer can look patchy and uneven. Personally I don't mind building up the colour as I like to spend a while doing my lipstick, every ounce of my makeup has to be perfect. 'Costa Chic' is a lovely summery lipstick and I would recommend it to anyone, especially to those of you who want to wear a coral lipstick but don't want to wear a mega bright 'in your face' coral lipstick. It's also a lipstick that would probably suit everyone, it doesn't matter if you have a light, medium or dark skin tone, this lipstick will suit you. I love it and I especially love wearing it when I've got a tan. 

OCC Lip Tar in 'Divine' - £12.00

I love OCC Lip Tars hence why I own about 500 of them, they come in a whole array of bright colours  which can be worn alone or mixed together. OCC Lip Tars are so super pigmented and have insane colour pay off so it means you only have to use a small amount, and when I say small I literally mean pin head sized amount. The reason why you have to use a small amount is because they spread like wildfire, if you use too much then feathering will occur around your lips. It's also important to apply the lip tar with a lip brush as you physically cannot apply it directly from the tube, if you attempt to apply it from the tube you're going to be in a pickle. They also have incredible staying power, especially when when over the top of a lip liner, meaning you don't have to worry about re-applying. I love OCC Lip Tars and I especially love 'Divine' as it's a fab coral lipstick. Just like 'Costa Chic', 'Divine' would be the perfect coral lipstick for anyone who doesn't feel brave enough to wear an extremely bright coral lipstick.

MAC 'Viva Glam Nicki' (satin) - £14.00

I bought this when it was first released and it's become one of my favourite lipsticks ever since. It's one of my most worn lipsticks as I tend to wear it at least twice a week. If I were to write a 'favourite lipsticks of all time' post, this baby would definitely be in it. 'Viva Glam Nicki' has a satin finish and is described as a bright yellow toned pink lipstick, it's quite bright but can be worn lightly if you're not a huge fan of very bright lipsticks. 'Viva Glam Nicki' also has a satin finish which is great as it's soft and creamy, ideal for anyone who wants a bright coral/pink lipstick but has dry lips. 'Viva Glam Nicki' is pigmented, has good colour pay off and has great staying power (and that's WITHOUT a lip liner). I absolutely love it and I personally think it's a great lipstick for wearing in the summer. I honestly think I'm going to buy a backup because I'd be devastated if they ever discontinued it. 

YSL Rouge Pur Couture in '22' - £25.00

I love wearing this lipstick in summer as it makes me feel girly and summery, a bit like a barbie really. '22' is a blue toned baby pink, it's identical to MAC 'Viva Glam Gaga' except it's a little brighter hence why I included '22' instead. '22' ticks all the boxes in terms of packaging, pigmentation, colour pay off and staying power but the only thing it lacks is opacity as it can be a little patchy. Due to it being patchy you have to build up the colour to make it even. If you wear a lip liner underneath it you don't have to build it up but if you wear it alone, you do. '22' is a perfect colour, especially for wearing in summer. 

MAC 'Candy Yum Yum' (matte) - £14.00

MAC 'Candy Yum Yum' is my all time favourite bright pink lipstick and I think the above photo explains why. 'Candy Yum Yum' has a matte finish and is described as a neon pink and that's exactly what it is, it's probably the brightest pink lipstick I've ever come across (and I've come across a few!). It's not a lipstick for the faint hearted so if you don't like insanely bright lipsticks, you won't like this, it's not as if you could wear it lightly either as it would still be quite bright. 'Candy Yum Yum' has great pigmentation and colour pay off and due to it having a matte finish it also has great staying power, it lasts around 10 hours on the lips. 

Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid in 'Hot Plum' - £7.19

My mamma absolutely loves the Maybelline Colour Sensational Vivids and has told me to try them for months. Since I'd forgotten all about them, she recently bought me one so I could see how amazing they are. She bought me the shade 'Hot Plum' as she knows how much I like purple and pink lipsticks. 'Hot Plum' is a purple toned pink lipstick and it has a satin finish. It's very pigmented, has great colour pay off and it has incredible staying power. I'm not exaggerating when I say this but it's honestly better than any high-end lipstick that I own, I would definitely choose one of the Vivids over a MAC lipstick any day. A MAC bright lipstick usually lasts around 5-6 hours on the lips whereas 'Hot Plum' lasts all day on the lips, and that's without using a lip liner. Another positive thing about 'Hot Plum' is that it's really hydrating meaning it does wonders for dry lips. I love 'Hot Plum' and I'll definitely be wearing it loads in summer. 

OCC Lip Tar in 'Hoochie' - £12.00

I'm not going to go into much detail about OCC Lip Tars as I explained about them earlier on in this post. All I can say about 'Hoochie' is that it's a beautiful bright purple lipstick. This won't be many people's cup of tea as it is rather bright and it is different to the norm as it's not a pink, red or orange toned lipstick but I thought I'd include it as it's a fab colour and it's a lipstick I'd definitely wear in summer. So, if like me, you like wearing unusual shades of lipstick, you're probably going to love this. 

Swatches

As you can see, all these lipsticks are extremely bright and are perfect for summer. I hope this has helped you discover some of the bright lipsticks that are on the market. 

I hope you all liked this post and if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below. 

Much love,

Cole 

x

Top Ten Eyeshadows (& Cheaper Alternatives)

A couple of weeks ago I posted about my Top Ten Lipsticks and I have to say that a lot of my lovely readers enjoyed that post very much, so much so that I was actually requested to do a Top Ten Eyeshadows post. 

Today I decided to write a Top Ten Eyeshadows post, like I did in my Top Ten Lipsticks post, I'll be including cheaper alternatives. 

From left to right: MAC 'Bare Study', Urban Decay 'Sin', MAC 'Crystal Avalanche', MAC 'Electra', Urban Decay 'Oil Slick', MAC 'Club', MAC 'Mystery', MAC 'Shale', MAC 'Lucky Green' and MAC 'Free To Be'

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1.) MAC 'Bare Study' - £14.50 - Cream Formula

Cheaper Alternative: Fashionista Single Eyeshadow in 'Nude Glimmer' - £4.00

Price Difference: £10.50

Left: MAC 'Bare Study'
Right: Fashionista 'Nude Glimmer'

Bare Study is described as 'soft beige with gold pearl', it has a cream formula and a frost finish. Bare Study isn't technically a powder eyeshadow, it's a paint pot which is a cream eyeshadow. It can be worn alone or can be used as a base for eyeshadows. I absolutely love wearing Bare Study on its own as it gives a nice subtle shimmer but I also like layering neutral eyeshadows over the top of it. Fashionista 'Nude Glimmer' isn't an exact dupe for Bare Study as one, it's a powder eyeshadow and two, it's slightly more peach toned. But if you're looking for a cheaper alternative then 'Nude Glimmer' is the one to go for. 

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2.) Urban Decay 'Sin' - £14.00 - Sparkle Finish

Cheaper Alternative: MAC 'Naked Lunch' - £10.00

Price Difference: £4.00

Left: Urban Decay 'Sin'
Right: MAC 'Naked Lunch'

Sin is described as 'champagne'. It's a peachy nude colour with a high amount of shimmer. Sin is such a lovely neutral eyeshadow and I primarily use it in the inner corner of my eye when creating a brown smokey eye. 

Naked Lunch isn't as pigmented as Sin but there's no denying that the colour is exactly the same. If Naked Lunch was more pigmented, they'd the twins for sure. 

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3.) MAC 'Crystal Avalanche' - £10.00 - Veluxe Pearl Finish

Cheaper Alternative: L'Oreal Colour Infallible in 'Time Resist White' - £6.99

Price Difference: £3.01

Left: MAC 'Crystal Avalanche'
Right: L'Oreal 'Time Resist White'

Crystal Avalanche is described as 'white with reflects'. It's the perfect highlight shade and it's also lovely worn alone as it opens up the eyes. 

Time Resist White is a close dupe, it's not an exact dupe as it's slightly more cream toned but due to the finish and the high amount of shimmer, I'd say it was a close enough dupe. I absolutely love Time Resist White and would highly recommend it to anyone that was thinking about buying Crystal Avalanche. Why spend an extra £3.01 when you don't have to. 

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4.) MAC 'Electra' - £10.00 - Frost Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Inglot 'Pearl 448' - £4.50

Price Difference: £5.50

Left: MAC 'Electra'
Right: Inglot 'Pearl 448'

Electra is described as 'silver with icy shimmer'. Electra is possibly one of the nicest silver eyeshadows that I own and I think this is due to it's lovely finish and smooth application. It's a lovely silver eyeshadow to use when creating a black smokey eye.

Inglot Pearl 448 is near enough identical to Electra in terms of colour, finish and texture. The only difference is the price tag. I love Inglot eyeshadows and they're possibly the best eyeshadows that I own. 

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5.) Urban Decay 'Oil Slick' - £14.00 - Sparkle & Matte Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Inglot 'AMC 65' - £4.50

Price Difference: £9.50

Left: Urban Decay 'Oil Slick'
Right: Inglot 'AMC 65'

Oil Slick is described as 'black with silver micro glitter'. It's a great black eyeshadow and I especially like it because it contains glitter. I primarily use Oil Slick as an eyeliner or when creating a black smokey eye.

Inglot AMC 65 is an excellent dupe for Oil Slick, the only difference is that Oil Slick has chunkier glitter particles. If you're looking for a black sparkly eyeshadow then I'd definitely go for the Inglot AMC 65 as it's much cheaper than Oil Slick.

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6.) MAC 'Club' - £10.00 - Satin Finish

Cheaper Alternative: MUA Trio in 'Innocence' - £2.00

Price Difference: £8.00

Left: MAC 'Club'
Right: MUA 'Innocence'

Club is described as 'red-brown with green pearl'. Club is a beautiful eyeshadow and this is due to it being a duocrome. I love how its a brown eyeshadow with a blue/green undertone, it would look lovely on anyone with green eyes as it would makes eyes appear greener than they are. I'm not going to lie, Club is a nightmare to apply and you do need to use a lot of it but it's such a beautiful colour, you just cannot resist it. 

Innocence is an excellent cheaper alternative to Club as it's got the same blue/green undertone. It isn't as dark as Club but who cares when you're saving yourself £8.00. 

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7.) MAC 'Mystery' - £10.00 - Satin Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Sleek 'Boxed' (Oh So Special palette) - £6.49

Price Difference: £3.51

Left: MAC 'Mystery'
Right: Sleek 'Boxed'

Mystery is described as 'muted plum brown'. I primarily use Mystery for filling in my eyebrows as I like them to look quite dark. It's a very pigmented eyeshadow so you don't need to use a lot of it. It's a multifunctional brown and I love it to bits and pieces. 

Boxed isn't an exact dupe but if you're looking for a dark brown matte then this is the one to go for. It's a lovely rich brown colour with great pigmentation.

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8.) MAC 'Shale' - £10.00 - Satin Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Inglot 'D.S 460' - £4.50

Price Difference: £5.50

Left: MAC 'Shale'
Right: Inglot 'D.S 460'

Shale is described as 'mauve-plum with subtle shimmer'. Shale is a great for using when creating a daytime smokey eye as it's not too dark or harsh looking. I always wear MAC 'Vex' with Shale as they go together like strawberries and cream. Shale does need layering and you do have to use quite a bit but I don't mind as it's such a lovely colour and it looks beautiful on the eyes. 

Inglot D.S 460 is a good alternative and I highly recommend checking it out if you were planning on buying Shale. 

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9.) MAC 'Lucky Green' - £10.00 - Veluxe Pearl Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Inglot 'Pearl 412' - £4.50

Price Difference: £5.50

Left: MAC 'Lucky Green'
Right: Inglot 'Pearl 412'

Lucky Green is described as 'Frosted Midtone Lime'. This is the BEST green eyeshadow that I own, it has amazing pigmentation and it's such a beautiful colour. 

Inglot Pearl 412 is an excellent alternative as it's pretty much identical to Lucky Green. 

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10.) MAC 'Free To Be' (LE) - £12.00 - Matte Finish

Cheaper Alternative: Sleek 'Ribbon' (Oh So Special palette) - £6.49

Price Difference: £5.51

Left: MAC 'Free To Be'
Right: Sleek 'Ribbon'

Free To Be is described as 'Bright True Coral'. It's one of the brightest, boldest eyeshadows that I own and I simply adore it. If you follow my blog or watch me on youtube then you'll know that I'm a HUGE coral fan. I love everything coral including eyeshadow, if I could have a coral coloured house I would! Free To Be takes a lot of layering but it's worth it as it's such an intense, eye-catching colour. I usually use Free To Be as an eyeliner. 

Ribbon is a brilliant alternative to Free To Be as it's near enough the same colour and it too has a matte finish. The great thing with Ribbon is that you don't have to layer it at all, unlike with Free To Be. Ribbon is intensely pigmented, has a creamy texture and only a small amount is needed. 

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I hope you all liked my Top Ten Eyeshadows post and if you have any questions about any of the eyeshadows mentioned, please feel free to comment below.

Many thanks for reading!

:)

Top Ten Lipsticks (& Cheaper Alternatives)

I have seen a few top ten lipstick posts recently so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and show you my top ten lipsticks. I want to make my post a little different from the rest so I'm going to include cheaper alternatives.

I'm going to talk about the finish, colour and price of each lipstick. The cheaper alternatives are pretty much exact dupes so I'm not going to repeat myself by saying 'it's exactly the same as blah blah blah' as I'm pretty sure you'll all get bored of me saying it.

My top ten lipsticks are the lipsticks I reach for the most, so without further ado here they are!

1.) MAC 'Mlle' (LE) - £13.50 - Glaze Formula

 Cheaper alternative: Inglot Refill in '07' - £3.50

Price difference: £10.00

Mlle is described as a blue based pale pink. Out of all my lipsticks, this is the one I reach for most. Even though it has a glaze formula, the pigmentation and longevity is amazing.

2.) MAC Pro Longwear in 'Overtime' - £16.50 - Creamy Formula

 Cheaper alternative: Topshop 'Pillow Talk' - £8.00

Price difference: £8.50

Overtime is described as light baby pink. It's a lovely lipstick for wearing both during the day and also at night. I also use this lipstick when sporting a dramatic eye. The pro longwear lipsticks last a lot longer on the lips and have a lovely texture. You would expect them to be quite drying but they're really not. 

3.) MAC Kissable Lip Colour in 'Enchantee' (LE) - £16.50 - Creamy Formula

 Cheaper alternative: MUA Out There Plumping Lip Gloss in 'Candy Pink' - £2.00

Price difference: £14.50

Enchantee is described as a light blue pink. It's a lovely lipstick for wearing during the day and it's also a lovely lipstick for wearing throughout summer. The MAC kissable lip colours have the texture of a lip gloss but the finish of the lipstick. They're perfect for those who have dry lips and also those who detest lip gloss. 

4.) MAC 'Pink Friday' (LE) - £13.50 - Satin Formula

Cheaper alternative: Inglot Lip Paint in '57' - £8.00

Price difference: £5.50

Pink Friday is described as bright creamy pink. It's a lovely lipstick and I must admit I'm pretty gutted that it's limited edition. I guess I'll be sticking to my trusty Inglot lip paint when it runs out as there's no difference between the two. 

5.) YSL Rouge Pur Couture in '22' - £23.50 

Cheaper alternative: MAC 'Saint Germain' - £13.50 - Amplified Formula 

Price difference: £10.00

Shade 22 has to be the ultimate barbie shade. I love pink lipsticks, especially barbie pink lipsticks, so when I saw this it was love at first sight. Shade 22 has amazing pigmentation and longevity despite the uber creamy texture. I also love the gold shiny packaging, it's classy, elegant and looks very expensive. It's most definitely a handbag lipstick.

6.) MAC 'Candy Yum Yum' (LE) - £13.50 - Matte Formula

Cheaper alternative: Collection 2000 Lasting Colour Lipstick in 'Shocking Pink' - £2.99 

Price difference: £10.51

Candy Yum Yum is described as a neon magenta pink. It's an insanely bright, bold, beautiful lipstick. I know every man and their wife are after this lovely lippy but you'll be pleased to know that I've found a good dupe...HURRAY. Candy Yum Yum isn't necessarily a lipstick I wear everyday but it's one of my top ten lipsticks of all time, I mean, just look at it!

7.) Nars 'Schiap' - £17.50 - Semi Matte Formula

Cheaper alternative: Inglot Refill in '53' - £3.50

Price difference: £14.00

Schiap is described as a shocking pink. Schiap isn't as shocking as Candy Yum Yum but it's certainly an eye-catcher. Schiap has the best staying power ever, I have worn it for around 15 hours and it did not budge at all, it literally stained my lips. It honestly beats anything else. 

8.) MAC 'Ladydanger' - £13.50 - Matte Formula

Cheaper alternative: MUA 'Shade 13' - £1.00

Price difference: £12.50

Ladydanger is described as a vivid coral-red. It's possibly the brighest red I own and again, it's a bit of an eye-catcher. Ladydanger has a matte finish and I must admit that it's quite drying, but I think the drying properties help this lipstick to last on the lips all day. Another thing I love about this lipstick is that it doesn't bleed meaning you don't have to wear a lip liner underneath it. 

9.) MAC Kissable Lip Colour in 'Strutt Your Stuff' (LE) - £16.50 - Creamy Formula

Cheaper alternative: OCC Lip Tar in 'Harlot' - £6.50

Price difference: £10.00

Strutt Your Stuff is described as an orange toned red. What I love most about this lipstick is that it has a lovely creamy texture. The MAC kissable lip colours have the texture of a lip gloss but the finish of a lipstick. 

10.) MAC 'Diva' - £13.50 - Matte Formula

 Cheaper alternative: Inglot Refill in '86' - £3.50

Price difference: £10.00

Diva is described as intense reddish-burgundy. It is the perfect lipstick for wearing in autumn/winter due to it looking quite vampy. Considering it has a matte formula it actually doesn't feel drying on the lips whatsoever. I also find that it doesn't look patchy unlike some dark toned lipsticks. 

Where to buy:

MAC Lipsticks 

YSL Lipsticks

Nars Lipsticks  

MUA Lipsticks 

Collection 2000 Lipsticks 

Inglot Lipsticks 

OCC Lip Tars 

So what are your favourite lipsticks? 

:)