Must Haves: Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipsticks! (Matte 1993 & Matte Bittersweet!)

Best Matte Formula!

You guys know that my favorite matte lipsticks are the Maybelline Creamy Mattes...these may be just a little bit better! haha. The Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipsticks are pretty much amazing! They retail for $22 ( I know... I know!) but they are totally worth it. The colors I chose are so unique to my collection and the formula is just superb. How so? Let's get into that! ;-)

The packaging is so cool like pretty much all Urban Decay products. They feel and look expensive which I can appreciate (treat yo self!).

I instantly picked 1993 because it looked so different, it's a medium brown with a hint of grey and I love it! I actually found a drugstore dupe for it, if you'd like to know more on that make sure to check out this post! :-)
Bittersweet was the other one that caught my attention. It's a gorgeous bright cooler purple, not too pink nor too dark... just right!

Here are some lip swatches! Similar to the Maybelline Creamy Mattes the formula is so smooth, pretty much glides on like butter. What makes this formula better is the color payoff. One time around the lips and you have full on color without being patchy whatsoever! I was so impressed by that and the best part is that they last a good 4-5 hours. They never leave my lips feeling dry, my lips actually feel really hydrated throughout the day. This is the most comfortable formula in the matte lippie world that I've tried!

I hope they release more colors in the future because I need a few more in my life haha. I'm really excited about this line and highly recommend them! :-)

Review: ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Trap & Mars!

Great Colors!

If you don't know now you know! ;-) ColourPop released a ton of shades within their newest line called the Ultra Matte Lip and they're only $6! Now... even though they are some of the most affordable liquid lipsticks in the beauty world I'm here to give you my honest thoughts on the product (any product) regardless of the price. Let's get into it! :-)

The wand is pretty standard. The packaging overall is really simple and cute. I heard that others had issues with the product leaking but I haven't experienced that myself. The formula is so runny and thin. I didn't mind it at first because you couldn't feel it on the lips. Once it dried my lips looked so dry even though they didn't feel that way. All the fines lines were emphasized... it just didn't look flattering. I will say the formula is extremely long-wearing! Once they're on they don't move one bit.

Here's a swatch before drying. They are so opaque and just so pigmented which is awesome. You do have to be careful though because like I said before, they don't move. If you mess up it's really hard to take off.

Here are the swatches! :-) The color to the left is Trap and I adore this color! It's so fun and grungy but as you can already tell all the lines in my lips are super visible. It just looks like the life was sucked out of my lips which I don't appreciate. The color on the right is Mars which is so my color! The color is so bright and gorgeous but again the lipstick just settles into every nook and cranny.

Bottom line: I'm torn. I love the colors but the formula is not my favorite. It's completely matte which can end up looking and feeling drying which I stay away from. The price is great but I would rather pay a little more and get something I love. What are your thoughts? Do you like them? Leave me your comment down below! :-)

Review: E.L.F Studio Bronzer Palette!

New From E.L.F!

E.L.F has released a ton of new things recently that I'm slowing trying but I had to post on a few things because they became instant loves. Their Contour Palette is amazing! Make sure to check out my post on that one by clicking here! :-) Today I'll be reviewing their Bronzer Palette which is another love of mine. It retails for $6 and you get four different bronzer shades in different finishes.

Off the bat I'll say that I wished they came in a more diverse color selection. This palette is suitable for light-medium skintones but may not show up on skintones darker than that. With that said, for my skin color it works and I love the different finishes it includes! You can mix and match the colors to make it work year-round which I find to be genius! (plus it's $6?!)

These bronzers are not the most pigmented but they are definitely buildable which is better so you can control how much color you want. The last thing you want is an intense streak of bronzer that you can't blend out! haha. I also appreciate the formula because it doesn't fade away. Let's get into swatches!

I love how there's a mix of cool and warm and like I said before you can mix a little of this one with that one to create the perfect shade! On the skin the colors look natural, pretty much sun-kissed.

Bottom line: I really like this palette! I find it to be so convenient when traveling or when you need to personalize a shade to match. I love the fact that the palette is customizable with their blush and foundation palettes too. It's a great a value and a great product! :-)

Dupe Alert: Drugstore Alternatives Of Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush in Rapture!

Another Look For Less!

If you've been eyeing the Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour in Rapture but you don't wish to splurge look no further! I have a two drugstore dupes to share with you that will give you the same look for less! :-) I adore Rapture, it seems scary in the pan but on the skin it's everything. It pairs so well with most makeup looks and honestly I can't put it down. It does retail for $26 but I'm so excited about the dupes I discovered within my collection because they're affordable and spot on!

So the dupes to rapture are most likely blushes you already own! The first blush is swatched on the top and it's the E.L.F Studio Blush in Berry Merry. Rapture and Berry Merry are in the same color family, the only difference is that Berry Merry has some shimmer while Rapture has more of a satiny glow. The shimmers aren't visible on the cheeks, they look so similar on! E.L.F studio blushes are only $3 so you can't beat it.

The second blush is the most similar in finish and it's swatched at the bottom. It's the Covergirl Cheekers Blush in True Plum and it's less than $5! They both leave a beautiful, angelic sheen on your cheeks! I love the formula of the Cheekers line, they're smooth and blend very nicely. Out of the two this is my favorite dupe.

Here's what Rapture looks like on. The Urban Decay formula is so nice! It would take a sale for me to purchase more from the line because they can get expensive real quick haha. For this reason I love to search for possible dupes so I can enjoy the color without dishing out all my cash. I hope this post was helpful if you had your eye on Rapture, definetely check out these alternatives! :-)

Review: Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadows! ( Synergy & Raw Power!)

New Obsession!

I prefer my shadows in palettes because you get more bang for your buck....but these Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadows are worth every penny! :-) My obsession is quickly multiplying so stay tuned for an upcoming post on some more shades I hauled haha. Today I'll be sharing my thoughts on Synergy and Raw Power so let's get into it!

The Metal Crush line released fairly recently and there's a total of 10 shades on Sephora's website. They're pretty much a highly pigmented metallic shadow which is right up my alley. They are so saturated in color that the tiniest bit goes a long way. The shadow pan is larger than most shadows which I truly appreciate as well!

Synergy and Raw Power were the shades that spoke to me immediately. How gorgeous are these shades?! They feel so smooth and there's very minimal fall out when applying them. They can be used wet or dry which is cool too!

 Here's a close up of the shades. Let's get into the swatches (the best part!).

*jumping up and down* Yes. This is how they swatch! They are gorgeous! They go on so smooth and they blend so easily. I really don't have anything negative to say about these. Maybe the price... because I want them all but I would be poor afterwards haha.

Here's a quick look I came up with when I first got them. This is them while dry. stay tuned to see the other shades I hauled worn wet (so intense!). 

Bottom line: Obsessed... I'm just obsessed with these! I'm infatuated with these shades because I'm a warm-toned lover but I also love that the line has a nice mix of colors so I can step out of my comfort zone. These are similar to a pressed pigment with how much color payoff you get but without the mess. What more can you ask for? :-) 

Review: City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Lipsticks in Queenii & Denise!

Super Long-wearing!

I recently hauled a few things from City Color Cosmetics including these lipsticks. They're matte, $4.99 and really good! They have tons of shades to choose from... 36 to be exact so you're bound to find a shade to love. The formulation is very different from most matte lipsticks and I'm very impressed! :-)

Funny story, without realizing it I picked some cool shade names. Queenii is the top swatch and during highschool my friends use to call me Queeny haha pretty close huh? Denise is the bottom swatch which happens to be my sister-in-law's name. I guess me and these lippies were meant to be! ;-)

I really love how the lipstick looks on, it looks even better after hours of wear. It lasts the entire day so if you're looking for a long-wear lipstick this is a great option! They do tug upon application, they don't glide across the lips. But once they meld into the lips they feel amazing and moisturizing for the rest of the day. Your lips don't stay tacky like with most lipsticks, these actually settle into your lips like a stain which contributes to the wear time! 

Bottom line: The formula is different but in a good way! I really enjoy it and appreciate how long they last. They're also really affordable so it's a win win. Make sure to check these out on citycolorcosmetics.com. :-)

Must Haves: Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop!

New Favorite Highlighter!

Becca and Jaclyn Hill are match made in makeup heaven! I've been getting into highlight recently and Champagne Pop is my new favorite highlighter. Not because it's Becca nor because of Jaclyn Hill but the color itself is so beautiful and flattering! I will say... I gave into the hype when I found out it was limited edition so I ordered it quickly after it released haha. I'm so happy I did because I just love this color! I use it daily and it looks good with any makeup. It retails for $38 which is pretty pricey but trust me when I say that it's so worth it!

It's in the same packaging as the other Becca highlighters but the box was so cute that I decided to keep it in there :-D You get a lot of product so this will last you a lifetime!

It's definitely a peachier highlight which isn't too common but I adore this color! It can be worn natural or super intense depending on the brush you use.

The texture is so smooth and pigmented. There's minimal fall out and the highlight will shine bright for a few hours! Here's a swatch:

It's a gorgeous color! It's peachy but not too dark, suitable for so many skintones! Here's what it looks like on:

I know it's hard to trust a product is good when everyone is raving about it at once. I can truly say I love it! The color is so unique and looks amazing on which is what makes it worth it to me. It's a must have hands down! :-)

Dupe Alert: Drugstore Dupe Of The Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick in 1993!

Splurge or Save?

Urban Decay recently released a whole new matte line within their Revolution Lipsticks and they are outstanding! Being the makeup lover that I am and bargain lover at that I decided to look through my lippies and I actually found a pretty close dupe to 1993! I'm so excited for this post because on the lips the two are super similar! $6 VS $22... you decide! ;-)

Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick in 1993 is such a cool color that I thought it would be difficult to dupe but Madeline's Color Sensational The Buffs Lipstick in Touchable Taupe is in the same color family! They both have that gray, cooler undertone which is trending right. The difference between the two is the finish. Touchable Taupe isn't a matte but with a bit of powder you can matte it out. Maybe you prefer a cream finish? Touchable Taupe is a great choice...Maybelline is the best at drugstore lipsticks! :-)
Let's get into swatches!

1993 is on the top and Touchable Taupe on the bottom. Pretty close huh? This is what they look like on:

The Urban Decay formula is superb! For being a matte it feels amazing on the lips. I'll have a review on the lippies I own from that line soon, stay tuned! ;-) The Maybelline lipstick is creamy as well. I love that it's so accessible too!
Both of them are pretty darn amazing, hope this post helps if you've been looking for a dupe. ;-)

Must Haves: E.L.F Studio Contour Palette!

Amazing & Affordable!

Right off the bat I want to let you know this palette is AH-MAY-ZING! :-) I've been testing it out and I'm truly impressed with this palette! The texture is really smooth and the pigmentation is awesome. The E.L.F Studio Contour Palette is available on their website and it's only $6... such a bargain!

I love their studio line packaging, it's always so sleek and compact! They have several other palettes in this style which is pretty cool because you can customize them. Each pan or square pops out and you can switch it out with one of their blush, bronzer and foundation pans!

Here's a closeup of what you get! The size of the pan is great and the color selection is perfect for light to medium skintones. Hopefully they release another one that's suitable for deeper skintones.

Here are the the swatches! The powders are super silky and easy to blend. The contour shade is a really nice shade, not too grey nor too brown...very natural! The bronzer is a beautiful color and it's matte which I prefer for year round. The banana powder is my favorite powder from the palette! It's so smooth and opaque, definitely brightens and helps prevent your concealer from creasing. Finally we have the white powder which is great to clean up my contour. Here's a picture of me wearing the palette.

Bottom line: I love this palette!! I own the Anastasia Beverly Hills and NYX contour palettes but I've been gravitating to this one more! The others are really good but there's tons of shades that I don't use. I find that this one has everything I need and that banana powder is so good! This is a gem for sure and the price is unbeatable. If you've been on the hunt for a contour palette this could be the on for you! :-)

Swatches: Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes Lipsticks! (New Shades!)

New Shades!

*sigh* I'm in love... completely in love with these new Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes Lipstick shades! This is one of my favorite matte formula when it comes to lipsticks and Maybelline does colors right! If you thought the original shades were gorgeous, wait till you see these! :-)

These retail for about $5-$6 depending on where you find them. About a month ago Ulta had BOGO sale + $3.50 off of $10 + free shipping! I made separate transactions and let's just say I got these for dirt cheap! :-D 

There's about 10 new shades but these were the ones that spoke to me... they are just so beautiful! If you haven't tried these before I'll give you some quick details. They are super creamy, very opaque and keeps your lips hydrated! It's one of the most comfortable feeling mattes in the market( high-end or drugstore!)

Here are the swatches on my hand, just one swipe across! Now let's get into lip swatches:

*Clay Crush- one of my faves from the new shades! It's a gorgeous terracotta nude, so flattering! 

*Vibrant Violet- a bright purple. I love that this color is part of the line, remind me a lot of Mac's Heroin!

*Blushing Pout- a light neutral pink. I thought I was going to really love this one but from all the ones I've tried this is the only one that went on patchy. A lip liner would do the trick though.
*Pink N Chic- a bright pink shade, really pretty! It went on really smooth and the color payoff was awesome!

*All Fired Up- a beautiful reddish pink.... love! This is another fave and so unique to the drugstore. 

Do you have any favorites from this line? Definitely leave me a comment down below letting me know! I hope these swatches were helpful. :-)

Review: City Color Cosmetics "Spice Me Up Palette"!

Get Ready For Fall!

I know I know... summer isn't over yet but it's never too early to prepare for fall! ;-) Fall is my favorite time of year when it comes to makeup and the Spice Me Up Palette reminds me so much of the season! It's a gorgeous color selection and for only $8.99 this is a steal. City Color Cosmetics can be found online and they have tons of amazing products to choose from!

Here's an idea of how compact this palette is. I have so many chunky, space consuming palettes so it's a breath of fresh air when you find one that's not.

There's no matte shades in this palette which is OK to me because I have plenty of all matte palettes that would pair perfectly with it.

The colors look so warm and sultry which is exactly what I gravitate to! When I first swatched them I noticed they weren't the most pigmented but they are buildable. I used a few shades wet and they apply a lot better that way! That orange-copper shade on the top right corner is everything!

These are the shades swatched dry. The darker shades are the rock-stars in the palette, they are beautiful!

Bottom line: I really like this palette! It's affordable and the colors are so stunning! If you've been looking for a palette full of warm colors this is a great choice! :-)

*Use coupon code ReinaRivera at checkout for an extra 10% off!*