Revlon colorburst lip butter in Gumdrop photos & swatches

Ok I lied, this new Revlon lip butter is my latest drugstore purchase.
The cute colors and packaging had me in one glance. I could not resist.

Gumdrop is a light lilac color, there are many different color choices in these - nudes, browns pinks and reds.
Gumdrop looks almost identical to Revlon super lustrous lipgloss in lilac pastelle which was limited edition.
The color is so pretty, I love it. It goes on sheer but you can layer it on for more color saturation. There aren't any large shimmer particles in it, but after it's worn off there are tiny sparkles left on my lips. So, it does have very subtle shimmer.

swatch of gumdrop:

wearing gumdrop:

What I like about it:

- The cute color (obviously!)
- Affordable ($8 CAD)
- Packaging is nice
- Somewhat moisturizing

What I don't like about it:

- No detectable fragrance or flavor. with names like 'creme brulee' and 'strawberry shortcake' I was hoping for yummy scents. Disappointment there :/
Fragrance is listed in the ingredients, but near the end so there is only a tiny bit. I do get a faint whiff of vanilla when I first apply.
- Not long lasting at all (1 hour max)
- After it wears off my lips start to feel dryer than they were before

Overall these are cute and cheap lip glosses. If you have ever used L'oreal color juice sticks, these lip butters have an identical texture. Like a tinted gloss and balm in one.
I don't think I'll buy any more but I really love the color of gumdrop so I'll keep using it :)

Hard Candy smooth talker fox in a box blush photos and swatches

My latest drug store purchase was this little box of blush by hard candy. I hate cardboard packaging but the colors just called to me so I got it anyways.

I have had my eye on Benefit's sugarbomb blush for a while, and smooth talker has very similar colors to it. From swatching them both I don't think they are dupes at all though. Sugarbomb seems much more pigmented, and shimmery.

The packaging is nothing special, just basic cardboard blah. But like all hard candy packaging there are cute designs plastered on it.

The colors are very muted and natural looking. There is a light peach, light lavender, light pink and light rose. They aren't pigmented at all.


swatches of each color layered 3 times:

all 4 colors mixed:

The end result is a very light neutral pink/beige. It barely shows up on my skin. I really have to layer it. The finish is slightly shimmery, but only up close.

Wearing smooth talker mixed together:

It just gives a little color to my cheeks. Hardly noticeable unless I really pile it on. Even then it hardly looks like I'm wearing anything.
I think I need to save my money and get Benefit's sugar bomb!

If you like very natural looking blush, this might suit you. But only pale skin because it won't show up on any darker tones.
I'm not impressed with this fox in a box blush. The other blushes they make are much much nicer and more pigmented. I really like honeymoon, it's a really pretty.

Comparison: Urban Decay 24/7 liner vs. Styli-Style line & seal liner

(Above) Right: Styli-Style carbon black Left: Urban Decay zero

For the past 3 or so years I have been using Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliner in zero. I have always been on the look out for something cheaper because it seems I go through zero really fast, so it can get a little pricey.

I recently bought a Styli-Style line & seal eyeliner in Carbon Black, and decided to compare it to Urban Decay's zero.
I first tried Styli-Style line & seal eyeliner years ago and I adored it. It stays on all day and wears well on the waterline.
I had a hard time finding Styli-Style for a while, which is why I got hooked on Urban Decay's 24/7 liners.
I have noticed Styli-Style cosmetics are only sold at Pharma Plus/Rexall stores now (in Canada), in case you are wondering where I got it.

Price comparison:

Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner $22 CAD

Styli-Style line & seal eyeliner $9.99 CAD

Styli-Style is less than half the price of Urban Decay eyeliner! Much more affordable.

Right: Styli-Style carbon black Left: Urban Decay zero

Size:

Both eyeliners come with the same amount of product, 0.04 oz


The test:

I swatched both liners heavily on the back of my hand, then let them dry completely. Then I put them to the test!

Left: Styli-Style Right: UD

You can see both liners are well pigmented, and the depth of black is really similar.

Left: Styli-Style Right: UD

After 8 hours:

I exposed both sides to soap, water and towel drying as I washed my hands about 10 times within the time period. You can see, Styli-Style held up really well! UD, not so much.. I was sort of surprised!

Left: Styli-Style Right: UD

After 12 hours:

Both colors were pretty well gone by this time, and that is mainly because I was really scrubbing at them to get them off. You can see on the left, Styli-Style eyeliner residue is more prominent.

The final test:

I wore both eyeliners to work on different eyes. Styli-Style on the left, and UD on the right.
This photo was taken about 10 hours after I applied my makeup, right after work.
I found that both wore really well. The Urban Decay liner moved and smudged more than the Styli-Style did. I was impressed, the Styli-Style is the ultimate winner!!!
I would absolutely recommend it over Urban Decay.

Kat Von D lolita lipstick photos and swatches

I love my KVD painted love lipsticks. They are perfectly formulated to stay on nicely and they don't dry my lips out one bit.

Lolita is on the creamy side, not matte at all. More like a MAC amplified cream finish.
The color is described as 'dusty rose'. I am slightly put off because on me, this is absolutely not dusty rose.


Lolita lipstick is more ' light warm red' than anything. Very warm. In the container, it looks more pink than it is.
If you want dusty rose, I'd say lovecraft lipstick is closer to that color, it's my absolute favorite from the line.

swatch of Lolita:

It's pretty, just not the color I expected :/ I don't like overly warm colors on my skin tone.

Wearing lolita:

I now need to track down KVD Mi Vida Loca lipstick, which is a brown beige. It's discontinued, any help finding it would be appreciated :)

Cargo blu ray high definition macara review

I first tried this blu ray mascara about 6 months ago, and it looks as though in that period of time it's been discontinued. I figured I'd do a review anyways, in case anybody is still thinking about buying it (where it's available).

I'm not really a huge fan of Cargo cosmetics, but I was curious about their high definition products because I have read good reviews.

First off, the smell of this mascara was horrible. Very strong chemical-flower scent. I loathed using it just because it meant I'd have to smell it. Thankfully, the smell goes away after it dries.

The wand is like a tiny comb with a million little teeth. It was tricky at first but it is easy enough to apply. I found it difficult to reach all of my lashes evenly and thoroughly because it isn't flexible at all.
The up side of the wand was that it didn't clump at all since it was like a built in lash comb.

the wand:

The formula is on the dry side.
It was also quite dense and really weighed down my lashes. I'd curl my lashes twice before applying, they would stay up for a minute until the formula dried - and then the curl would just completely fall down. Really unhappy with that.
It gave decent length, and a little volume. No flaking or smudging.

Wearing blu ray high definition mascara:

Overall, not impressed with this one.
It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. I need my lashes to stay curled or I go crazy, so this was definitely not for me. I wouldn't recommend it since there are so many better mascaras out there - plus it's now discontinued.

repurchase? no

rating: 2.5/5

price: $20 CAD

NYX taupe blush photos, swatches and FOTD

I had no clue where to start up with my posts, I have about 30 or so new product swatches and reviews to share so I just picked one randomly!

NYX blush in taupe is my first NYX blush ever. Can you believe that? Although, it really doesn't fit the bill as a 'blush'; It's most definitely a contour color. I'd describe it as mid-tone dirty taupe with a mauve cast. It doesn't look very flattering in the package.

There is no shimmer or shine, but it isn't completely flat either. It's got a nice soft satin matte finish.

Swatch of taupe blush:

It looks like a bruise on my ghost skin! Surprisingly, it works nicely as a contour, but I have to be careful to use a light hand since it can look dirty if I apply too much.
I'd recommend this to anyone to contour with. It can create a really nice shadow below the cheekbones or any other area of the face you want to 'recede'.

FOTD wearing taupe contoured under cheekbones:

I like how it doesn't look fake or too orange like some contour/bronzers do. It acts as a natural looking shadow which is exactly what you want when contouring.

I have to say that I am impressed with the pigmentation, and you can bet I'll be getting myself some more NYX blushes in the future!

Do you like NYX blush? Any favorite colors?

***CLOSED*** 100 follower giveaway!!!

I've got a giveaway for you all! To celebrate hitting 100 readers on makeup or morte, here is the prize one of you lucky ducks will win (click the pic to enlarge) :


- Hard Candy 1000 lashes fiberized lash weave primer
- Too Faced LashGasm mascara
- Disney villains stickers (I think they are pretty cool!)
- Make up forever HD high definition microfinish powder (5g)
- Joe Fresh nail polish in twilight!!!
- Balmshell lipgloss with keychain color: you give me fever

I'll also throw in a few extra things because I'm feeling generous! Everything is brand new and purchased by me. I should mention the HD powder wasn't sealed when I received it and a bit spilled out, but I taped it up and it's still like new.

This giveaway is open to everyone everywhere. I only ask that if you enter you also follow my blog, since this is to celebrate all of my readers!

*** This Giveaway is now CLOSED. Thank you to all who entered ***


To enter:

• Simply, leave me a comment with your email address, and let me know how you follow makeup or morte.

• For 1 extra entry, 'like' makeup or morte on facebookhere.

• For 1 extra entry, comment on my facebook page and tell me what you like most about makeup or morte.

• For 1 extra entry tweet about this giveaway on twitter, and link back to this post.

• For 2 extra entries, post about this giveaway on your blog and link back to this post.

Giveaway is open from now until January 1st 2012! One winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours I will choose another winner at random.

Thanks to everyone who made my day and followed my blog from the start. You all rock!
Good luck!!!

Blog sale and update

Hey everyone! Well I've hit 100 followers :) Thank you so much!
I have a special giveaway I will be posting tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled.

I wanted to post a little word of warning about internet scammers. This time of year is horrible for people trying to steal and get money for Christmas. Be careful, and don't buy from anyone unless they have lots of feedback.
I've recently been ripped off by somebody I've bought from before, and I'm rather put off by it.
So watch out! Some people have no shame or conscience :(

On that note, I'm having a blog sale to try and make back some of the money I've recently lost.
I will offer all my readers from makeup or morte 10% off your entire order just mention to me code : MORTE somewhere in your comment/email.
My sale is here on livejournal, but if you can't comment there just email me at lexx13mua at gmail.com and I will respond ASAP!
Thanks and well, I suppose I am back!!!