Showing posts with label SWATCHES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SWATCHES. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Kokie Professional Cosmetics | Demo,💋 Swatches, & Review

Story time!
Hello, everyone! I know I have been MIA. I apologize for my absence, but it was for genuine reasons. I appreciate that y’all have been patient with me. I was not in my element to film, but now I am back. I hope y'all connect with me on my Instagram page @strawberryheartschocolatedarts, where I post on a daily basis. Today on the Chai Time menu: Kokie Professional Cosmetics.   


I first discovered the brand Kokie Cosmetics through posts on Instagram that showcased the brand’s beautiful nail polish selection. I started following the brand on Instagram and learned that their nail polishes – a select variety - are sold in select Bed, Bad, and Beyond Harmon’s stores.  So I ventured out to my local BBB Harmon’s to check the Kokie Cosmetics nail polishes, but the colors that I was interested in were not available at the locations near me.  This took Kokie Cosmetics off my radar until this past Spring when the brand announced on Instagram that they not only have nail polishes, but makeup and brushes too, which would soon be releasing in select Walmart locations. Soon after their announcement, Kokie Cosmetics displays were spotted at Walmart stores. Hence, my hunt commenced! 

To find out if a Walmart near you carries Kokie, visit the Kokie Cosmetics website, select the Walmart tab, and enter your zip code.  This is how I searched for a display near me rather than hopping from store to store, wasting my time.  I really appreciate that Kokie Cosmetics has this locator feature on their website because unfortunately Walmart is so disorganized in my opinion.  I am a Target gal, no ifs or buts about it!

Now let us circle back to today’s video.  I was able to find a display right after it had been freshly set up.  For those of you familiar with the chaos that is Walmart –especially its makeup isles, which sometimes look like a storm has passed through – will appreciate the sanctity of a fresh untouched display.  I got to the apples first y’all, fresh and juicy for the picking.

Although I would have liked to try several products, I limited myself to just the liquid lipsticks.  I am not much of a base wearer nor do I like to switch it up much – I stick to what works.  The color products, like the eye shadows and blushes, didn’t speak to me because they appeared better suited for lighter, fairer skin-tones.  Also, I am a fledgling beauty blogger and invest my own money in purchasing products to test and review so I cannot get carried away.  Basically, I am a lipstick gal and that’s what triggered my love for makeup artistry and blogging.  So let us take a look at what I picked up, shall we?

Demo & Swatches

Review
Kokie Cosmetics has two formulations of liquid lipsticks: the Kissable Liquid Lipstick and the Lip Poudre. 

·      Kissable Liquid Lipstick claims – “love the matte look but not desert-dry lips? Never fear, Kokie Cosmetics is here with our Kissable Matte Lip Gloss! These liquid lipsticks glide on like velvet and dry into a soft, kissable matte … Comfortable, transfer-proof… “ (Kokie Professional website)

·      Lip Poudre claims – “our formula provides water-resistant, intensely pigmented, weightless color that wont flake or dry out lips. Plus, it’s reapplication-friendly! Glides on as a cream and dries to a feather-light, velvety soft, matte lipstick.” (Kokie Professional website)

Let me give it to y’all straight, if you have dry lips, despite your efforts to keep them hydrated, and most (like 99%) matte liquid lipsticks do not suit you, then the Kissable Liquid Lipstick formula is ideal for you. The Kissable formula has a gel-cream hybrid texture.  It’s gel-like characteristic is what makes it adhere well to the lips so initially it has that slight tackiness of a gloss and you can feel it on your lips.  It takes a few minutes to set to a semi-matte finish.  Although it is very comfortable as Kokie Cosmetics claims, it is not transfer-proof.  If you don’t like your lipsticks to have sheen and prefer that they set completely matte, then you will not be a fan of the Kissable formula. 

The Lip Poudre formula is difficult to explain. In fact, it is somewhat “powdery” as its name implies.  It has a thinner, more of a liquid-cream consistency in comparison to the Kissable formula.  However, once it sets, it felt and looked gritty and enhanced every nook and cranny of my lips.  I loved the Lip Poudre color Duchess, but despite being such a pigmented mid-tone plummy mauve shade, it looked dry, but not dry in the sense that it set fully matte. It still had dimension to it, but appeared so textured.  I think the Lip Poudre might work for someone who has really hydrated and naturally plump lips, which a good half of us don’t.  I don’t have dry lips, but I do have natural lip lines, which I was just born with, and medium sized lips, so this kind of powdery formula just doesn’t fit the bill for me. 

Between the Kissable and Lip Poudre formulas, I prefer the Kissable formula even though I like my liquid lipsticks to set to a smooth, velvety matte, sheen-less finish.  There are comfortable fully matte liquid lipsticks out there in the market, especially because every beauty brand is coming out with their version of a matte liquid lipstick. 
____________________________________________________________
Please like, comment, share, follow, and subscribe! 

 Yours Truly,
The Lipsticks-Ninja
Meesha 

Social Media 

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks | Swatches, Demos, & Review | ChaiTimewithMeesha

Hey y'all!  I have posted my review, with swatches and demos, of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks on my YouTube channel, ChaiTimewithMeesha.   I have five colors to show you - Neon Coral, Electric Coral, Persimmon, Spicy, and Vamp.  Take a look at the description box below the video for any additional information.  I hope y'all will enjoy watching this video and find it informative as well.  Thanks for watching! 


Please like, comment, share, follow and subscribe! 

♥ Yours Truly,
The Lipsticks-Ninja
Meesha 

Social Media 

Thursday, December 5, 2013

JANE Cosmetics Intense Color Lip Glosses - Inspire, Rosy Outlook, Make A Statement, and In Awe

Hey Y'all!!!

Boy oh boy! Where do I begin? I know I have not posted over the last several days, but my absence is due to studying for final exams and writing term papers. Let me add, my schedule will not be any better  hereafter. I will not have much of a winter break because of a school project and then next semester is going to be a nightmare. Hope I still have your attention? This introduction may have put some of you to sleep. Well, wake up and come on back folks because I have some exciting product reviews coming your way. 

Today, I would like to share my review of the intense color lip glosses by Jane Cosmetics. I have heard from some beauty enthusiasts, who are in their late twenties or early thirties at present, that Jane was sold when they were in high-school. If I have the time frame correct, then I was probably in elementary or middle school at that time, so I have no past experience with this brand to provide a assessment of the brand then and now.

Jane Cosmetics appears to be a brand that focuses on promoting women's empowerment via the design and marketing of its cosmetic products. The brand is currently holding a Holiday fundraising campaign called Jane Gives Back the Gift of Confidence and Care. For every item purchased now through Dec. 27, Jane will donate an item to a women's shelter. (See #JaneGivesBack, www.janecosmetics.com)

Jane has two collections of glosses - sheer coverage and full-color glosses. I picked up four shades from the intense color collection: Inspire, Rosy Outlook, Make A Statement, and In Awe.

I decided not to try the sheer coverage lip glosses because I am not a lip gloss wearer. I only wear lip glosses if they are richly pigmented, such as lip lacquers or lighter versions of liquid lipsticks.

I highly recommend trying out these richly pigmented, affordable, deliciously scented, and comfortable lip glosses.

These lip glosses smell faintly like vanilla cupcakes; the scent is not overbearing. I purchased mine at ULTA. Originally these glosses are $7, which is not bad at all, but ULTA sometimes has BOGO or 40-50% sales on this brand and a 20% or $3.50 off coupon available on its website or catalog. I paid about $3 for each one after all of the discounts.


Make A Statement (light berry pink), In Awe (plum), Rosy Outlook (peachy pink), and Inspire (nude baby pink) (L-R) 


Generally, my lips are very sensitive to lip glosses. Even if a gloss is not a "plumping" gloss, my lips feel uncomfortable and itchy because of the heavy, sticky, and tacky texture of glosses. So, I do not consider purchasing glosses too often, unless I get lured in my the promise of opaque color. 

Jane intense color glosses fulfill the promise of color and do not feel heavy or tacky. These glosses do stick to your lips to the extent that you do not have to reapply every 30 minutes. However, these glosses are not so sticky that you hesitate to move your lips as if you just got a treatment of Botox. 


I would like to point out that I did not have to pack on the gloss on my arm to achieve the full color swatches that you see in the pictures above. I obtained this amount of color in one to two swipes. So, you have the option to wear these glosses sheered down too. It is easier to come down than go up! In my opinion, it is easier to control application of makeup by sheering down than building up. 

*Update: After using one of the glosses religiously for the past several days, I would like to make a few more comments...

 The pigmentation of "Make A Statement" and "Inspire" was quite weak on my lips. I think these shades would look better on girls with lighter lips. "In Awe" is beautiful, but more appropriate for someone older and mature. I like a lip color to brighten up my complexion and felt this shade did not. "Rosy Outlook" is the one I absolutely adore. It is quite a unique shade. It is a peachy pink rather than a rose. I love the way it looks on me, simple and flirty. 

Lastly, I wish the packaging was different. I like glosses that can be applied with a brush (not sponge). The tube style of this gloss makes it very messy. However, I do acknowledge that the gloss remains sanitary as air and other materials don't get back into the tube as they do with the wand-style applicators. I suppose this is neither a pro or con; it's just a thought. 

I hope you all will consider trying Jane Cosmetics, especially right now in support of their campaign. It feels good to help a cause through a hobby one loves, i.e., makeup blogging. 

Please support StrawberryHeartsChocolateDarts @

Your friendly comments are much appreciated. 
Thanks!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

BITE Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Cranberry (Holidays 2013 Limited Edition @ SEPHORA)

Hey Y'all!!!

Today, I would like to share with you a new, limited-edition, lip product for the upcoming Holiday season. 

BITE is one of my favorite brands for lip products. I own two creme lipsticks, Shiraz and Pepper, and another high pigment lip pencil in the shade Rhubarb. I have also recently purchased BITE's Cashmere gloss in the shade Port. BITE Cashmere glosses is a new addition by the brand. I have not tried it yet, but am looking forward to reviewing it for y'all soon. 

BITE Cranberry is one of the products I purchased from Sephora during their recent VIB sale. These lip pencils cost $25. I paid about $20 after using my VIB 20% off coupon. 

I am a big fan of multi-functional lip products, i.e., lipstick for full impact color, lip-pencil for the definition, lip-balm for the moisture and comfort, and gloss for a youthful plumping sheen. Therefore, I am a huge fan of this new and upcoming trend of chubby lip crayons. Personally, I don't think every brand that has released these chubby lip crayons has done so successfully. However, some brands have really mastered the design of these chubby lip crayons, such as Tarte, Revlon, and BITE. 

If you are currently in the market for a multi-functional lip product or a deep berry blue-red for the Holidays, then I would definitely recommend BITE's Cranberry. If you enjoy wearing and collecting red lipsticks, then BITE Cranberry is a must-have for you. Lastly, I think this would serve as a great gift for the makeup lovers in your life this Christmas. So, don't drive, but fly to the Sephora near you, because when I purchased mine, there were only two left in stock. 

Please be aware that not all Sephora stores carry a complete stock of BITE products. Some stores only carry BITE gift sets, which are usually displayed in the waiting area leading up to the cash registers. BITE Cranberry is sold as part of a gift set. It is sold separately only at the stores that carry the entire range of the BITE brand. I would suggest calling the store near you before making a trip. 

I would describe BITE Cranberry as a berry red with blue undertones. This product is highly, highly, highly pigmented! I was able to line, define, and fill in using a single product. Although BITE Cranberry is a creamy lip color, it is not overly buttery and provides a youthful plumping sheen effect of a gloss or liquid lipstick, without the stickiness or heaviness of a gloss or liquid lipstick. This lip product feels smooth on the lips and non-drying; it does not consume the natural moisture of your lips. 

I would like to give BITE Cranberry a perfect score of 5 on 5, for its superior pigmentation, beautiful color apt for the seasonal release, comfortable texture, multi-functional aspect, user-friendly design/packaging, and alleged "natural" ingredients. The staying power is average (i.e., eating/drinking = wear off and transfer), however, because of the rich pigmentation and depth of color, a stain remains on the lips once the product wears off. 











Do you like the sweater? It is available right now at Target for $29.99. Also, if you have the patience to set up a "coupon printer," Target.com has a "$5 off of $25 or more"up on the site right now. I adore this sweater because it is so cozy and colorful. My wardrobe consists of mostly monochrome and neutral solid shades, with too many black, white, and gray items, so this adds much needed vibrance. 

Please support StrawberryHeartsChocolateDarts @

Your friendly comments are much appreciated. 
Thanks!