Highlight Cosmetics Matte Lipstick: Moroccan Spice

Press Sample

Happy Saturday! I hope you have fun plans this weekend! I'm going to be finishing up the Halloween decorating outside if I can get the last few things I need. I've really been in the Halloween spirit, and this is the first time since we bought our house almost two years ago that I'm getting to do fun spooky things outside. I'm definitely enjoying this project! I may have to share a few photos when it's all done. Now on to today's blog post!

Highlight Cosmetics is a new high end makeup brand that launched with their long-wearing liquid matte lipstick line. Marked at a price point of $25 each, I expected a lot from this lipstick, both when it comes to performance and presentation. The first thing I noticed is this lipstick comes packaged in a box. I really like the added "H" cutout to showcase the lipstick shade; it definitely adds a nice high end element to the packaging!

I am loving the look of this lipstick! The branding is printed on the plastic as opposed to affixing on a sticker (so that's a plus), and the choice of copper instead of silver or gold makes it look classier. I'm not particularly fond of the lid as it feels like cheap plastic, especially for a $25 product, but I can look past that with the other beautiful packaging aspects. My favorite part about the packaging is the lipstick bullet shape that contains the liquid lip product. How ingenious!

This liquid matte lipstick applied nicely with a doe foot applicator. As with matte lipsticks in general, you are going to want to start out with flake-free lips for a smoother application and final look. This particular lipstick dried in about a minute, slower than several other brands I've used, but it didn't seem unreasonably long, especially considering its staying power! I was able to wear this beautiful shade for at least six hours through my coffee, breakfast, lunch, and several glasses of water before it started flaking off my lips.

As much as I love matte lipsticks, it's no secret that long-wearing shades tend to be very drying on the lips. Highlight Cosmetics uses a natural infusion of turmeric, green tea, white tea, sea kelp, and a benefit peptide that gives your lips a soft and smooth finish. This long-wearing matte liquid lipstick really does improve the health of your lips! The tea extracts are antioxidants that fight free radicals, and turmeric contains antibacterial properties, preventing bacteria from attacking your lips. Sea kelp aids in moisturization and prevents the appearance of skin damage while palmitoyl tetrapeptide, the "benefit peptide", reduces the appearance of lip roughness and lip wrinkle depth and volume. With all these fantastic properties, I don't know how you could ever go back to using other drying brands of lipsticks! While the $25 price tag originally seemed a little steep, I find this lipstick to be at least on par with other high end brands of a similar price point, if not better! I'm sold on the brand, and I've added a few other shades to my wish list!

Highlight Cosmetics has created 10 different long-wearing matte lipstick shades including 5 metallics. They are available for purchase on the Highlight Cosmetics website located here and on Amazon. My experience with the brand has been very positive, and I look forward to seeing where this company goes from here!

Do you wear liquid lipsticks? What shades do you like to wear? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful weekend!

XO!

Literary Lacquers: Nailed Collection

Happy hump day, dear readers! I have absconded once again with the hubby's computer and am hanging out at Starbucks so I can get some writing done in peace without a toddler crying at me, for me, or tattling on his brother to me. Even going into my swatch room doesn't guarantee me uninterrupted time right now so I'm letting the husband deal with the crazy until just before bedtime. Mwahahahaha! I actually don't get away from the kids much on a regular basis so I am enjoying the little break and definitely will be doing this more frequently! Now that I've rambled on about #MomLife getting in the way with #BloggerLife, let's get to the actual purpose of this post, shall we?

For tonight's viewing pleasure, I have the latest Literary Lacquers Nailed Collection to share with you. Amy Milder, our favorite erudite creator behind the brand, had partnered up with romance author Opal Carew to create this lovely collection to accompany the release of her latest novel, Nailed. This 5-piece collection boasts lacquers in a surprising variety for such a small collection, and I'm really digging these! Let's check them out!

Orgasm

Three coats plus top coat

Royal purple to red-leaning magenta multichrome shifting nail polish. Best at three thin coats. 

Let's just start out with a doozy, at least based on the name. Ha! The collection is based on a romance novel, after all! *wink wink, nudge nudge* I don't know why I never grab multichrome shades often because this shade is stunning! The formula was so perfectly smooth that you might even say the application was orgasmic, at least for the nail aficionados out there that can really appreciate such a thing!

Passion

over Literary Lacquers Salmon Chanted Evening

One coat over base plus top coat

Clear base filled with golden and iridescent flakies and clear holo microglitters. To be used in one coat over a base polish.

Ah, I just love a good flakie topper! I'm really digging the additional clear holo microglitters added to the combination as well, and this is a great polish for layering! I went with Literary Lacquers' bright coral creme because we all know passion is HOT HOT HOT! This applied really nicely for me, although you do need to be mindful of the flakies as they approach the end of the nail in application. The few random flakies that were sticking out easily pushed back onto the nail, or alternately, you can just pull them off if you prefer.

Tia Wanna

Three coats plus top coat

Aqua jelly base packed with aqua square, hex and microglitters. Best at two coats. 

I admit it, this name makes me giggle like a teenage boy. While I may be mature most of the time, sometimes you just need to let go and have fun! While the description claimes it is best at two coats, I, being the rebel that I am, decided to add a third coat for MOAR glitter coverage. Because IA WANNA glitter! Ha! This was easy to apply, and I had no issues with clumping glitters whatsoever.

Afterglow

Two coats plus top coat

Burnt orange metallic polish with gold flakies and pink shimmer. Best at two coats. 

Oonffffhhh! This is definitely my kind of colour, and it easily could be named Orgasmic as well! Burnt oranges don't get a whole lot of love, but thankfully it is now fall and the perfect time to wear this! It applied like a dream and is another must have from this collection!

Arousal

Two coats plus top coat

Tomato red jelly polish filled with orange, gold and pink glass flecks.

Hot damn, there is no sexier colour than red; add glass flecks to it and OH MY GAH, GET ON MY NAILS NOW! Too much? I'm certainly lusting after this shade, and I'm looking forward to wearing this when it gets closer to Christmas. Now if only my inlaws DON'T ask me the name of the colour on my nails..... As far as the formula, I have no issues to report as it applied beautifully like the rest of this collection.

Love

over Literary Lacquers Bluestocking Romance

One coat over base shade plus top coat

Non-greying liquid holographic nail polish topper with clear holo microglitter. Best used in one coat over base coat.

Ah, more of the clear holographic microglitters! They certainly add a nice little pop of something extra with the holo topper! I was actually thinking recently when these microglitters first made an appearance that I really hoped to see them used in this sort of topper, so I am thrilled to have that option in my beloved Literary Lacquers formula!

The Nailed Collection and other Literary Lacquers polishes are now available for purchase from the Literary Lacquers etsy shop located here. It is difficult to choose one single favorite or must have from the collection because each shade is so different, between the colour selections and the differing finishes. I'm a fan of toppers since they can go over, well, anything, but the glass flecks of Arousal have caught my attention as well. That being said, I can never turn down an orange, so my thought is just get them all! HA!

What do you think of the Literary Lacquers Nailed Collection? Do you have a favorite shade? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful night!

XO!

Adventures at CPNA: Ittsē Palette and Illuminator

Press Sample

Greetings, dear readers! I'm still in the process of catching up on my Cosmoprof North America posts so I'm going to keep the chit chat short and jump right on in. Ready? Let's do this!

One of the brands that exhibited in the Discover Beauty special area was Ittsē, and I was eager to check our their magnetic palettes and makeup inserts. I've bought so many prefabricated makeup palettes only to use some of the products until they were empty and only going to far as a quick swatch of the rest. It's a complete waste of money and space! It's even worse when you're traveling and end up having to bring two or three times the containers you should because of having to mix and match shades to get the looks you want. Ittsē makes it easy to design your own palettes to your preferences, be it your everyday shades, a variety of product types, or even switching things out to fit different seasonal trends.

The palette comes equipped with a large mirror and dust shield to keep your palette tidy and powder residue off the mirror. There is one magnetic compartment that can hold 12 eyeshadow/eyebrow refills, 6 complexion refills, or a combination of 9 eyeshadow/eyebrow refills and 2 complexion refills.

I got to try out the Pressed Powder Illuminator in Barbados. The refills come in plastic clamshells that you can hold on to so that you can store your refills should you choose to pop them out and switch things around.

This high-pearl, golden-toned illuminating powder is reminiscent of the shimmering, pristine, Caribbean beaches glinting the reflection of the setting sun. Apply to cheekbones, brow bones, décolleté, or anywhere you want a healthy, alluring glow.

This colour is gorgeous! It adds a gorgeous warmth to the skin and has a fabulously soft, velvety texture!

I love this pearlescent shade so much that I decided to break the rules (mwahahahaha) and wear it on my eyes as a shadow and complemented it with shades of green.

And because taking selfies is always a little awkward for me, here's a look at my face of the day.

I really enjoyed trying out this customizable palette and illuminator from Ittsē! I'm currently deciding between several other shades to complete my palette. There are quite a few that I have my eye on that I either need to whittle my wishlist down substantially or get a second palette to contain everything. A girl needs to have options! If designing your own combinations is too overwhelming for you, Ittsē also has curated collections for your convenience. They have full collections available to fill the palette completely and eyeshadow quads if you want a to do a little more customizing yourself. Check out the website here to order the magnetic palette and choose your products!

Have you try the palette and makeup refills by Ittsē? I'd love to hear about your favorite shades! If not, what sort of colour combination would you design?

Until next time, dear readers, have a great night!

XO!