Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks: Liar, Spirit, Shame, Rush, Venom, and Fiend! (Review + Swatches)

Hey y'all!!!

This post will only include a brief and updated review of the Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks. For my in-depth and original review, please click here.

The Urban Decay Revolution lipsticks were released around August, which is when I purchased my first one. The first shade I bought was called Rapture. Once again, click the link above to read about my initial impression of these lipsticks and see swatches of Rapture.

Obviously, that fact that I bought six more shades implies that I really liked the Revolution lipsticks, right? 

Availability / Price 

I bought some of the additional shades during the Urban Decay Friends and Family 20% off sale and others at ULTA, when I received a 20% non-exclusives coupon. I took advantage of the Urban Decay sale because Shame was sold out at various ULTA stores and Strip is an Urban Decay online exclusive shade. Purchasing more than one color on their website qualified me for free shipping. Urban Decay also sent me a free-sample pencil eyeliner in the shade zero (black). 

These lipsticks cost $22 each (minus tax), but with the discount (minus tax), these costed $17.60. 

Formula / Texture / Application / Longevity  

The formula of the Revolution lipsticks is creme no doubt, but the feel is not fully creamy per se. I would describe the feel as more of a creamy-semi-matte. These lipsticks do not glide onto your lips buttery soft. Although the lipsticks go on smoothly, I do feel slight friction as I apply them. The warmth of my lips does not make the product emollient. The benefit of this sort of formula and texture is that you only need one or two swipes of this shade to pack on intensely opaque color. You compromise the buttery creme feel for the intense color pay off. For example, I am wearing one swipe of Shame down below and then dabbed some off with my finger. The arm swatches are just one swipe. Also, I need to do heavy duty exfoliating on my arms to remove the swatches; makeup remover plus soap and water was not enough. The lighter shades, such as Liar and Rush, may require two or more swipes (as per personal liking), but only to even out the color. With only one swipe, these two shades tend to look slightly streaky due to my natural lip lines, so I do two to three swipes or spread it out using a finger. Strip, Rapture, and Field apply more like Shame and Venom even though they are lighter shades.

Colors 

Shame (dark oxblood, dark blackened burgundy) (Note: I regret buying this shade. It looks too "vampy" and "mature" and "dated" on me. It makes me look like I am twice my age. It does not have enough red in it. I would not describe it as a deep wine shade because it does not have enough red in it. It is a blend of black, red, and plum.) 

Strip (pinky-mauve nude with taupe undertone / neutral to cool-toned) (Note: this is my ideal true nude because in person it does not look pink at all. It looks more like a latte-light-brown-nude Love it!) 

Venom (dark magenta-purple blend with blue-magenta shimmer) (Note: This shade looked scary on me. It was too flashy. I felt like I could only wear it on Halloween. I returned this one. I thought the blue in it would make my teeth look brighter, but it had the opposite effect.) 

Fiend (medium warm pink with yellow undertone) (Note: many have described this shade as their MLBB, but for me it was too pink with yellow base, so it was not flattering and washed my teeth with a yellow shadow. I returned this one as well.) 

Rush (milky pinky-mauve nude / neutral to cool-toned) (Note: this shade does not have the taupe (lilac-gray-brown) undertone as Strip; another favorite. This shade is ideal for a delicate and playful look. It made my complexion and teeth look more vibrant, unlike Shame, Venom, and Fiend. This is a nice alternative for Fiend. I feel this is neutral to cool-toned. Love it!) 

Liar (peachy-caramel-brown-nude / neutral to warm-toned) (Note: this is a very unique shade in my lipstick collection. I do not own anything like this. This is another shade I really like. It brightens up my complexion and teeth/smile.) 

Rapture is a beautiful shade as well and another favorite, so make sure to check my review on it. 

Overall A-

Why? I would like a better deep red lip option. F-bomb was too clown-like and bright and Shame was too vampy. Also, I do like the formula and am okay with sacrificing the butteriness for the color payoff, but I wish these were just a tad bit more creamy. These lipsticks are not drying, but the shades do appear matte on the lips. I don't expect hydration either, just a smoother application I suppose. A little lip balm underneath is good enough for me. Honestly, I do appreciate the formula to an extent because the shades like Liar and Rush would not show up on me as well as they do if the formula would have been either more buttery or more matte, these shades would not have suited me at all. Four favorites out of seven tried is a pretty great deal! 

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Cake Beauty Be Delectable Hand Cream in Coconut & Cream

Hey y'all!!! 

The temperature at my home is very warm. I take hot showers. So, in addition to making me extremely sleepy, this heat mixed with the cold/dry weather, has left with me a bit of a dry skin problem. My legs and hands have felt extremely dry lately.  

Eventually, my hands got dry to the point that it was slightly irritating; the skin on my hands felt tight and looked sort of ashy. I tested a lot of hand creams in stores - Bath and Body Works (Shea Cashmere Cream), SEPHORA (Josie Maran, L'Occitane), The Body Shop (Chocolate Butter, Hemp-Almond), and Target (Sonia Kashuk). None of these hand creams felt special and some smelled awful to me. Awful! I continued to use the Pink Chiffon lotion and cream (both formulations) from Bath and Body Works, but other than making my hands smell good, it had only a temporary soothing/smoothing effect. 

I was about to put an end to my hand cream hunt, but then... 

Availability/Price 

While strolling through the beauty department at Kohl's, I came across a display of bath and body products in adorable packaging with delicious names. Cake Beauty! Be Delectable! Coconuts and Cream! Dessert plus beauty, could it get any better? 

The hand creams cost $10 each. 

Cake Beauty is a Canadian brand. 

Special Features 

The special nourishing ingredients are SHEA BUTTER, COCONUT OIL, and ALOE VERA. 

Wow! Well, the ingredients are right on point. 

This hand cream does NOT contain paragons, sodium chloride, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, GMO's, mineral oil, petrolatum, gluten, triclosan. 

Scent 

The Be Delectable from Cake Beauty bath and body collection includes sweet flavors such as Strawberry, Vanilla, Lemon, and Coconut. Coconut and Cream was the only scent that I felt smelled pleasant on my skin. The other scents were a bit sweeter than what I would like to wear. 

Formula / Texture / Application 

This is a cream, thicker than a face cream / body butter, but not as thick as other creams out in stores. I can easily spread the cream, which is what I like most about it. It instantly sinks into my skin without leaving a greasy film. My hands feel soothed, smooth, and soft. I don't feel like I need to wait for the cream to set in place for me to do work. 

This hand cream is not necessarily going to treat extreme dry skin or severe skin conditions such as dermatitis or eczema. Please consult your primary care physician for proper diagnosis and treatment. This hand cream helps maintain moisturized hands and it does add a bit moisture at the surface, so periodic reapplication is necessary. 

Longevity 

I do not find the need to continue reapplying this as I did with the Bath and Body Works Pink Chiffon lotion. I would reapply the cream probably every three or four hours.  I also prefer this instead of the Pink Chiffon cream because this hand cream soaks in better, yet the feeling lasts longer without the heaviness. 

Overall A+

This is an excellent hand cream. I use it consistently and don't dread wearing it. This hand cream is a must-have. I will definitely repurchase it when I run out. I have been using it for over a month now and still have plenty left. I used this on my feet too once in a while and it felt awesome. 

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BEAUTY HAUL! ULTA! (Birthday Edition + Brief Reviews)

Hey y'all!!! 

I have not posted a beauty "haul" in a long while. Honestly, I feel a little awkward just showing y'all products I have gotten without a review or swatches. Product reviews are the main reason I have a blog. 

However, I do enjoy and look forward to haul videos on Youtube. It is a nice way of discovering new things or similar to friends sharing what all they bought at the end of a shopping trip. Moreover, I always receive positive feedback when I post a haul, so maybe it is interesting. 

My Beau took me shopping recently for my birthday and gifted the items I have shown below. I am truly lucky to have a best friend and partner like him. I don't say this because he bought me makeup, but because he is always so patient with me and on my special day he was extra-patient and involved. He gave me his opinion about what colors looked suitable on me, what did not, and what I should try out for my blog, etc. For the one hour we spent in ULTA, his company was priceless. For someone who is a complete "dude" being patient with a full on "girly girl" makes me one lucky duck! 

I plan to review most of these items in the following weeks. Please comment below to let me know if y'all have any special review requests and I will do my best to fulfill it.

Coupon-ing! It will drive you crazy! ULTA recently emailed a Friends and Family 20% off coupon with very limited exclusions to anyone who signed up for the coupon on their website. This coupon was for one-time use and applied to the entire purchase.  I received my very first 20% off (no exclusion, entire purchase) coupon last year in late March. I received it again in October of last year. The F&F coupon was similar in that it could be used on most high-end brands, but some items, like UD Naked 1, 2, and 3 palettes, were excluded. I recently received yet another 20% off (entire purchase, including prestige brands) coupon in my email with different limited exclusions, such as fragrances. I like that ULTA sends out these coupons once in a while, like once every season, not only because I get a discount, but also discipline myself. It is also something to look forward to, like a gift. I am a ULTA platinum rewards member, so I received a free CK One mascara and $10 off anything (including prestige) coupon.

Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture (3.4 fl. oz. $90) is my signature scent. I hope it never gets discontinued or retired because never have I ever liked a perfume as much as I adore this one. This is the fragrance I imagine I will wear as a bride. I received 20% off on this and paid nothing for it in actual money. Why? I have been saving my reward points for months and finally had enough to cover the price of this perfume. ULTA had a different reward program before the current one and even then I accumulated my points and got this same fragrance. This was my first luxe fragrance. Although I did use it sparingly, my first bottle lasted me quite a few years.
Viva La Juicy is not a musky-mature or a heavily sweet scent. It is a light (but not faint) floral scent with a subtle hint of fruitiness. It reminds me of a garden. I like to describe scents by what I am reminded of. This fragrance is not rosy. It is not herbal (lavender) or too citrusy. It is definitely not sweet like a bakery or fruity candy.

Clarisonic Cashmere Luxe Brush ($30) feels nothing like I had imagined it would. I definitely underestimated it. The first brush I tried was the one for acne-combination skin. The second brush I tried was for pores and it was so rough. I did not use it consistently because it really irritated my skin. It continued the "purging" even after the initial two-week purge that the brand claims will happen when you first use the system or change to a new brush. I never had any reaction to the acne brush though, so I returned the one for pores because I had bought a two-pack. It was expensive and I didn't want to waste my money. I purchased the Cashmere Luxe brush instead. This one is the most expensive. It feels  like the bristles are made from butter! Yes, butter! So far my skin has not become irritated, but it does not feel as squeaky clean as it did with the acne brush. This difference could also be attributed to the fact that I am using a different cleanser now.

Essie Good to Go Top Coat ($10) is much better (out of this world better) than Seche Vite or OPI. I would highly recommend this top-coat. I have been using this one for a couple of years now. I cannot sit still and wait too long for my nails to dry. I always seem to paint my nails on the go and in a rush or while I am doing something else. This allows my polish to dry within seconds, almost immediately.

Carol's Daughter Macadamia Oil Heat-Protectant Serum ($20) is an amazing styling product. I only like to use oils to style my hair. I don't like to use hair sprays, creams, mousse, or gels because those products make my hair feel stiff, tacky, and dry. I want to be able to run my fingers through my hair. This product feels lighter than oil, but conceals my split ends and makes my hair look set-in-place and silky smooth. I get a keratin treatment done once or twice in a year, so I don't fuss much with my hair otherwise. I don't use any heating/styling tools. Lastly, this serum smells like baked, warm, nutty, sweet dessert.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush ($8.99) 

Laura Geller Color Drenched Lip Gloss in Raspberry Roast ($19) 

*New* Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Pink Chocolate ($22) 

*New* Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipsticks in Tulip and Plummy Rose ($16 each)

Benefit Cosmetics Cheek Powder in Dallas ($28)

Victoria Secret Matte Eyeshadow ($3 / Semi-annual clearance)

*New* Cover Girl Lip Perfection in Delicious ($6.99 / Limited Edition Spring 2014 "Pastelicious"Collection) 

Free! Free! Free! The following items are birthday gifts from ULTA, SEPHORA, and Bare Minerals. This year ULTA is giving out a free CK One mascara during your birthday month. This promotion might be limited to platinum reward members only, but I am not sure. I believe this year SEPHORA is giving out free Make Up For Ever Mascara-Lipstick-Eyeliner birthday gift-set to its VIB members. Bare Minerals sent me an email notification for a free eyeshadow. I am not a fan of mineral shadows, so I am going to save it for my aunt. 

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MAC Huggable Lip Color in Fresh & Frisky!

Hey Y'all!!!

Ms. Naughty over here - well perhaps not really - bought another MAC Huggable Lip Color. Please take a look at my in-depth review of two other shades from this collection here. The two shades I purchased first are called Rusty and Rich Marron. I would call these my "comfort-zone" shades. 

I am not a fan of coral lip colors, whether it is a pink-coral or red-coral shade. It makes me look dated. I stray away from coral apparel and jewelry as well, but I think red-coral would probably suit me more than pink-coral. Very close to corals are peachy-orange and red-orange shades. 

I bought quite a few red-orange or orange-red shades last Spring and Summer. I have yet to find a matching lip color. I have also been on a hunt for a peachy-orange shade in both nail color and lip color that does not have yellow-undertones. If fuchsia, hot-pinks, purple-lavender, orange, and warm red lip colors do not suit you, then you and I are in the same boat. Oh! The plague of yellow-ness! 

As if I have not made it clear enough, I am quite excited about this shade because it is very unique to my personal collection. I tried my best to capture this shade as it appears in person, so y'all can understand my description of the shade. (I have noted that sometimes my images change a bit when I upload them here. Also, do keep in mind that your own computer browser could alter the color (or other characteristics) of the pictures I have posted.) 

Fresh & Frisky is a pure peach shade that looks different with change in lightening; This shade can look like a toned down neon, milky peach. It can also look like a subtly shimmery peachy-pink. The versatility of this shade is deceiving. Fresh & Frisky is not as pigmented as Rusty and Rich Marron. Rusty and Rich Marron gave off full color in one swipe, while Fresh & Frisky requires a few swipes. I would suggest dabbing it though rather than swiping it heavily across your lips. It is easy to get carried away because of the emollient, gel-balm, "huggable" texture of these lip colors, but this particular shade is a bit different. Continue reading to find out why! Although all three shades obviously have the same formula, I personally had a different experience with how Fresh & Frisky appeared on my lips. It still felt nice, but did not look like it felt. 

The formula of Fresh & Frisky felt different from the other two shades, Rusty and Rich Marron. I would not recommend this shade for people with dry and chapped lips. Being that it is winter right now and I keep the heat on very high at home, my lips are dehydrated. I had to exfoliate and moisturize my lips before applying this lip color because otherwise it did not look flattering. The mixture of the subtle shimmer in this shade and my chapped lips gave a "frosty" appearance. I almost regretted buying this one at first and thought to return it. However, once I treated my lips and dabbed this lip color on, it looked great. So, this one is a keeper, but slightly high-maintenance for people with dehydrated lips. In my review of the other two Huggable shades, I mentioned that I gravitated towards wearing these when my lips felt parched, but with this particular shade I would not expect the same. 

Overall, I adore this shade and am glad to have it in my treasure chest. Please treat your lips before wearing this shade, that is all y'all. I hope this review and my previous review are helpful. This is a limited edition collection, so if y'all like what you see, then go get yourselves one or a bunch before these are all sold out. 

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L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Liquid Lipsticks: Molto Mauve, Purple Prelude, and Scarlet Concerto (Part I)

Hey Y'all!!! 

Today, I will be sharing with y'all my review of the new liquid lip colors from L'Oreal. I usually have some introductory chatter for y'all, but not today. I have had a long day at school. I am currently in my last semester of law school, but this semester seems like the busiest. Thank goodness I have this outlet to take a break and have a lighter conversation. I am on a mission to do as many reviews, especially of all the new tempting products out in stores, as I possibly can do before this semester picks up speed. Hope y'all find these post helpful. Enjoy! 

Price

I purchased three L'Oreal Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick shades back in middle of December from my local CVS. I did not see these in other stores until the beginning of January. Now I have spotted these lip colors at Target, Meijer, Walgreens, and ULTA (online only, not locally). I have not seen this collection at my local Walmart  yet. These lipsticks are quite pricey for a drug-store lip product, but I think long-time and well-known brands like L'Oreal and Revlon have been increasing the prices of newer as well as older products. At Target, these lip colors cost $7.49/7.99 each. At Meijer, these were priced at $8.99 each. At ULTA, CVS, and Walgreens, these cost $9.99 each. I would recommend waiting for the "BOGO 50% Off" sale at ULTA, CVS, or Walgreens. As I mention in about every post, ULTA almost always has a coupon on its website ($3.50 off $10 or 20% off single-item or 20% off entire purchase). ULTA also has a rewards system. I think the rewards system at CVS and Walgreens is a mirage. Yes, a mirage! I never seem to spend enough to get as rewards or store-cash. On the other hand, I really see a growth in my points and am planning to use my points on purchasing fragrances. Unfortunately, Target and Walmart never has markdowns, unless they are trying to get rid of a product and it gets red-tagged. Meijer does have markdowns, like 40% L'Oreal or Revlon. 

Packaging 

The packaging is a plastic, gold tube. I don't have an issue with the packaging, but I am definitely not wowed by it. I don't have it exceptionally cute or classy or unique. I like that the packaging displayed a swatch of the shade of the lip color. I would have preferred a bit of the tube to be transparent, so we can see the actual color instead of a plastic swatch. The gold tube is a finger-print catcher. I like that the packaging is lightweight. I adore the sponge, doe-foot, spatula-like applicator. The applicator design is quite unique and picks up a good amount of product. It is similar to the applicator of the Maybelline Color Elixirs. I think the applicator is one of the features that attracts me to this product. 

Color

Molto Mauve is a cool-toned, very light pink-mauve-nude. Please refer to the pictures below to assess the colors. My description of colors is always my own, not a description by L'Oreal. 

Purple Prelude is a cool-toned, light lavender pink. 

Scarlet Concerto is a juicy, blood-red with neutral undertones. This is a unique red to my collection. 

Pigmentation

As the pictures below indicate, these lip colors are transparent. These lip colors are not as sheer as a colored-gloss, but they are also not as pigmented as a liquid lipstick or lacquer. The shades can definitely build up. I have worn three swipes in the pictures below. 

Formula / Application 

Scarlet Concerto is the most difficult to apply and control. The formula feels like an emollient fluid, a thick (not too thick) gel-like consistency. The formula is similar to the formula of Maybelline Color Elixirs. These sit on your lips and take some time to set in. This lip color is not a liquid lipstick or lacquer or stain. I would describe it as a nicely pigmented liquid gloss-balm. This product makes my lips feel smooth once it wears off. Personally, this sort of lip product is ideal for me. I was a moisturizing, glossy, pigmented, effortless lip color and this is ideal for my needs. 

Glosses typically irritate my lips. Most glosses make my lips feel sticky, trapped, and tingly. Also, almost all glosses, even richly pigmented ones, do not show up on my lips as well as these do. 

 Molto Mauve and Purple Prelude are easier to apply because these are lighter shades. My mom has more natural pigment in her lips than I do and Molto Mauve and Purple Prelude looked much different on her than the shades do on me. Both colors looks almost identical on her lips and showed a strong hue of taupe-purple. 

Longevity / Staying Power 

I think most people will feel like the staying power of this product is weak. I assess staying power by a different standard than most other beauty bloggers. Yes, this product does not last on my lips after eating; drinking does not have an effect. Yes, this product will transfer on your coffee cup. I don't expect my lip products to stay on my lips once I have eaten a meal, unless the lip product is a stain. My semi-matte and creamy lipsticks do remain on my lips after I have eaten, but faintly and require touch-up. My glossy lipsticks disappear along with my food. 

Overall, these get an A-! Again, I would prefer if these were priced around $7 each, rather than almost $10. I do think these take time to set in and feel like you have an emollient (not greasy or oily) film on your lips. This is a scented product, but the scent does not bother me. I think the scent is only apparent when I bring the wand close to my lips-nose area and does not linger once you wear the product. Lip product scents again is a personal liking because while I dislike the "smell" of Milani lipsticks, other beauty blogger love it and describe it as a watermelon candy scent. Well, I think the L'Oreal Extraordinaire lip colors smell like a bag of jolly ranchers. 

I am planning on purchasing two more shades from the L'Oreal Extraordinaire collection (Nude Ballet and Ruby Opera). Once I purchase these additional shades, I will post an update with more pictures. So, make sure to check back in. I'm waiting for these to arrive at my local ULTA (in-store). 

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Maybelline Color Sensational "The Buffs" Lipsticks in Espresso Exposed and Sin-a-Mon (Part 1)

Hey Y'all!!! 

Today, I would like to share my review and a few pictures of the new Maybelline Color Sensational "The Buffs" Lipsticks. I am really looking forward to sharing my opinion with you all because so far I have heard or read a lot of positive reviews on these Buff lipsticks. I think some of you might relate to my review and possibly find yourself an affordable gem in this new collection. 

The Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks are quite popular amongst beauty bloggers and vloggers. A few years ago, I had tried a variety of shades from the original Color Sensational line, but ended up returning or giving them all away. I only had two issues with the ones I had purchased. First, I thought the lipsticks glided on smoothly, but ultimately left my lips dry. Second, none of the colors I chose suited my skin-color. I did like the scent though. I also tried two shades from the Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Lip Colors. Again, the colors did not suit me. I did like the formula of the High Shine lipsticks, but the staying power was weak. Also, the scent was pleasant. I decided to forego trying the Maybelline Color Sensational "The Vivids" lipsticks. The bright reddish orange and electric purple shades were calling my name, but I did not give in.

Recently, Maybelline released the Color Elixirs. Take a look at my review of the Color Elixirs here. You will like what you see! I surely did!) After my positive experience with the Color Elixirs, I was eagerly awaiting the release of "The Buffs" after seeing a "spotted" or "preview" post on the Nouveau Cheap blog. 

So far I have heard/read two common criticisms regarding the Buffs collection - too nude and too brown. Personally, I was ecstatic to see the light brown base in these lipsticks. I have a fairly light skin-color for being Southeast Asian and do not have particularly deep pigmented lips, but nude lip colors like Urban Decay's Revolution lipsticks in Naked and Native or MAC's Half 'n' Half, Creme Cup, Modesty, and Angel do not suit me. While the rest of world is rocking the NYX Butter Glosses, the deepest shade of the bunch will look transparent on my lips. 

Honestly, it is difficult to gage what suits a particular person. Sometimes I try a product that has received poor reviews, but it ends up being "the one" for me - my hair, complexion, tone, color, whatever. On the other hand, while most people loved the Too Faced La Creme lipsticks, I was not too impressed. 

Either ways reviews are definitely helpful, especially if you have found a beauty blogger/vlogger who you can relate to. I like my introductory chatter, but enough of that! Let us move on my review... 

Packaging 

Even though I am giving these lipsticks full points in all of the categories here, the packaging is definitely one of my favorite features. I really like the transparent soft baby pink tubes. I took a million pictures to carefully capture the exact delicate light pink color of the tubes. The silver rim at the bottom pairs nicely with the pink. What if Maybelline had changed the silver part to rose gold? Oh-ma-gawhd! Yes! I suppose the pink tubes are slightly misleading some folks who might then expect pinky-nude lipsticks rather than beige, taupe, brown, earthy shades. 

Price 

I purchased these lipsticks at Meijer for $5.99. Recently, I found these at my local Walmart, Walgreens, and ULTA. In Walmart, the lipsticks were set up amongst the permanent products in the Maybelline section of the isle. However, in Walgreens, ULTA, and Meijer, the lipsticks were displayed on the outside of the isles, where the limited-edition and seasonal collections are typically displayed. I plan to buy the other shades at ULTA. These lipsticks are original more expensive at ULTA ($7.49), but ULTA is having a BOGO 50% sale right now. ULTA also has additional coupons ($3.50 off of $10, 20% single item, etc.) in their fliers and on their website and a reward-point system, which is an excellent way to save your pennies. 

Color / Pigmentation 

Please take a look at the pictures below to see the colors. These lipsticks have excellent pigmentation. Sin-a-mon is as opaque as Espresso Exposed. I don't have to pack on multiple swipes to receive the look pictured below. Sin-a-mon is a milky, dark beige, with gray and brown undertones. I adore this color! Lighter shades look more age-appropriate on me. I have tried a lot of shades that are similar to Sin-a-Mon, but not one has impressed me as much as this one. It does not affect the natural color of my teeth. I don't think this is a warm or cool toned shade because it has a mix base of brown and gray. My teeth are a natural, healthy shade, but not pearly white, so I avoid certain colors that make your teeth look very yellow even if they really are not. Sin-a-Mon is such a unique shade, a must to try! I adore Espresso Exposed as much, if not more, as Sin-a-Mon. This shade definitely makes my teeth look pearly white. Although not thoroughly captured in the pictures below, Espresso Exposed is another unique shade... Well, unique to my collection at the least. Sin-a-Mon seems like a unique color in general, while some may already own a shade like Espresso Exposed. It is so beautiful in person. In person it looks more like the arm swatch than the lip swatch. It is a blackened plum with red and "espresso shot" brown undertones. The name is quite fitting! 

Formula / Application 

I really liked the formula of these lipsticks. I have mentioned before than I am a formula snob. I openly admit that I discriminate against drug-store lipsticks. I own three times as many high-end lipsticks as drug-store lipsticks. These lipsticks are creamy, but don't have a slip. I am tempted to say that the formula is semi-matte because they look and feel creamy, but dry down and settle on the lips. No, I don't mean to say that these are drying or settle into your lip lines. These lipsticks are much creamier than Revlon Matte Balm Stains and do transfer, unlike the balm stains, because these are lipsticks, not stains. These lipsticks glide on buttery smooth and do not absorb the natural moisture of your lips. These are not by any means hydrating. They apply smoothly and then set to a semi-matte finish, but I would like to emphasize that these lipsticks did not dry out my lips. Espresso Exposed looks a bit patchy at first swipe, but I dab it out a little with my fingers or a napkin, then swipe once more, and I am good to go. Sin-a-Mon just amazes me because I had expected it to look streaky or exaggerate my lip lines or not cover my lips uniformly (meaning the pink of my lips shows through the center), but I had none of these issues. 

Longevity / Staying Power 

The staying power is decent here. These two shades lipstick, especially Espresso Exposed, stayed on even after I ate. Of course the lipsticks did not stay put like stains and required touching-up, but still they did not completely wipe away with my food. 

A+ Overall, I adore these lipsticks and am planning on purchasing four more shades. I will post an update once I buy the other shades this week. The names of these lipsticks receive full points for creativity - implying sweetness and sensuality. Stay tuned because I will post swatches of four additional shades from the Buffs collection once I get them. Also, I am wearing another lovely Maybelline product in the pictures at the end. Can you guess what? I will have a review up on the mystery items soon. 

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