THE LIPSTICK CHALLENGE // III

DAY XI  //  2/28/16

"Maybelline matte lipstick in FAINT FOR FUCHSIA"

COLOR - purple-toned hot pink
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - smells slightly like that neutral smell of drugstore lipstick, hard to explain.
WEAR -  Doesn't hold up to eating, transfers while drinking, but wears evenly on the lips and doesn't immediately wear off.  Doesn't feather.
APPLICATION - applies patchily, but doesn't look too bad.  Smooth.
PRESENTATION - kind of cheap looking drugstore packaging.  Matte, cloudy, square tube.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - really nice hot pink.  Interested in swatching this against the Wn'W pink and MAC's Candy Yum Yum, which I don't own.  

Pictured // Wet N' Wild's Don't Blink Pink, Maybelline's Faint For Fuchsia, MAC's Impassioned

DAY XII  //  2/29/16

"MAC Dita Von Teese lipstick in VON TEESE"

COLOR - true tomato red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - light vanilla
WEAR - great
APPLICATION - very pigmented, easy to apply
PRESENTATION - glossy MAC tube with Dita's name in script.  Same script embossed on the lipstick tube.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I keep thinking this is a warm red, but it confuses me in different lighting.  I'm glad to have something like this in my collection.

DAY XIII  //  3/1/16

"Bite Beauty matte lipstick, CUSTOM COLOR"

COLOR - blue-red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - mint 
WEAR - great, fades evenly.  Does feather if applied too heavily without a lip liner, but looks great patted on as a stain.  Very comfortable.
APPLICATION - great
PRESENTATION - matte grey tube is super nice.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - all the aspects of this lipstick were custom choices (color, finish, taste, tube shape) and that makes me love it.  Their "matte" isn't a true matte, though, which was a little disappointing.

DAY XIV  //  3/13/16

"Beseme lipstick in NOIR RED"

COLOR - deep plum red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - sweet, faint
WEAR - good, feathers slightly over a couple of hours of wear
APPLICATION - great
PRESENTATION - beautiful tube and bullet
KEEP/TOSS - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - Definitely need to swatch my darker reds to get rid of redundancies.

DAY XV  //  3/17/16

"NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in CRUELLA"

COLOR -  scarlet red
FINISH - matte
TASTE - none
WEAR - great.  Doesn't even wear off after eating a buttery croissant!
APPLICATION - was a bit worried about having to sharpen, but it worked out fine when I finally did it.
PRESENTATION - always love NARS packaging.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - not sure if I'd re-purchase, because I have so many similar colors.

THE LIPSTICK CHALLENGE // II

DAY VI  //  2/22/16

"Jeffree Starr Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick in BLUE VELVET"

COLOR - navy blue

FINISH - matte

TASTE - only slightly "chemically" scent which is pleasant and disappears almost immediately.

WEAR - pretty good in general, wears away at the inside of my lips almost immediately through talking/drinking and looks kind of weird (see photo).  Layers well, but feels kind of dry after a couple of hours.  Photo was taken at the end of the work day, had reapplied three times.

APPLICATION - applicator helps, but I'm discovering I'm kind of bad at applying liquid lipstick without a lip liner.  Takes more thought and time than applying a bullet lipstick which are my favorite formulation.

PRESENTATION - nice, hard plastic tube that feels good.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - this is a really nice color and has good wear.  It does stain your lips though, and takes some scrubbing to get off.

DAY VII  //  2/23/16

"MAC Retro Matte lipstick in RUBY WOO"

COLOR - true red

FINISH - matte

TASTE - vanilla

WEAR - great! Very comfortable in the lips, only wears away slightly on inner lips after drinking/talking.

APPLICATION - great

PRESENTATION - great (sensing a pattern?)

KEEP/TOSS? - keep DUH

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - this isn't my HG lipstick for nothing.  Pretty sure I'm going to wear this lipstick until I die tbh.

DAY VIII  //  2/25/16

"Revlon Super Lusterous Lipstick in REALLY RED"

COLOR - brick red

FINISH - creamy matte

TASTE - none

WEAR - weird!  May need to try this one out again.  Wore a lip liner, and despite the matte finish it feathered, especially after licking my lips after taking a bite of muffin.

APPLICATION - great

PRESENTATION - nothing to complain about, revlon tubes are pretty classic.

KEEP/TOSS? - not sure, check for dupes.

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - this is a nice neutral red but I have to have something close to this by now, and I don't really love this any more.

DAY IX  //  2/26/16

"Beseme lipstick in RED VELVET"

COLOR - blue red

FINISH - creamy matte

TASTE - sweet, vanilla maybe?

WEAR - doesn't feather, great all around lipstick

APPLICATION - great, angled bullet makes it easy to get a nice, precise line

PRESENTATION - gorgeous gold & red packaging, angled bullet is nice, unique choice.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I'm starting to want to swatch all my reds together to see what their differences are, and maybe see where I can cut out some of my cheaper tubes to be replaced by higher end options, which sadly are usually nicer.  This reminded me a bit of Revlon's Really Red.

DAY X  //  2/27/16

"NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien"

COLOR - rose pink

FINISH - satin cream

TASTE - none

WEAR - great!  matches my lip color so it doesn't look awful when it fades, but it does fade evenly.  

APPLICATION - easy, lip pencil applies creamily and is easy to trace the shape of the lips.

PRESENTATION - NARS lip pencils are nice, but sharpening anything always makes me feel like I'm wasting product.  I would love if this was sold as a lip bullet.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - Maybe see if this is available as a NARS tube lipstick?  This is a really nice, flattering nude for my lip/skin tone and I would love to have it as a nude staple.

THE LIPSTICK CHALLENGE // I

Let it be known that I have a lot of lipstick.  A lot.  I'm not currently by my collection, so I can't count, but I know I have at least 35.  Probably more, tbh.  So, in an attempt to start playing with makeup more and rustling up my makeup collection (maybe while keeping me from buying more), I'm forcing myself to wear every single lipstick in my collection.  I'm going to rate each one in six categories: COLOR, TASTE, WEAR (time lasting on the lips, feathering, upkeep required), APPLICATION, and PRESENTATION.  I then decide weather to keep or toss, and then write any last notes on the lipstick that may not fit in to the aforementioned categories.

At the time I'm writing this, I've already done about ten days, and mostly stuck to my favorites.  However, I know things will get a little dire as we get towards the end of my collection.  I'll be begging for my beloved Ruby Woo!!

DAY I  //  2/12/16

"Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in SHAMELESS"

COLOR - red-toned purple

FINISH - satin matte

TASTE - minty

WEAR - wears unevenly, transfers easily, and leaves a ring around the outside of the lips.

APPLICATION - needs a couple of coats for even application, applies patchy

PRESENTATION - nice, colored matte lip crayon packaging, doesn't need sharpening (plus!)

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I don't really love this one, or reach for purples any more, but it's nice to have in the collection.  I'll probably toss it eventually, especially since I now have a Jeffree Starr liquid lipstick in purple, though the colors are different.

DAY II  //  2/15/16

"Wet N' Wild Megalast lip color in STOPLIGHT RED"

COLOR - bright neutral, slightly blue-tones red

FINISH - cream

TASTE - none

WEAR - awful.  Used a lip liner (Rimmel Lasting Finish in RED DYNAMITE) but the lipstick still feathered in about two hours.  Had to take off and apply a different lipstick, as I was at work and couldn't be bothered with checking it often.  

APPLICATION - Great, very pigmented, great round bullet.

PRESENTATION - awful.  Wet n' Wild notoriously gross packaging.  Bullet doesn't wind down all the way in the tube so lid hits the bullet when being put on and off, so the lipstick smears everywhere if you're not careful. 

KEEP/TOSS? - toss

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I love this color and the pigmentation, I just wish it didn't feather!  Ain't nobody got time for that.

(my phone screwed up my glasses while editing??  why phone????)

DAY III  //  2/16/16

"Sephora Cream Lipstain in ALYWAYS RED"

COLOR - neutral red

FINISH - matte

TASTE - slightly cake-like scent, very mild, does away after dry down

WEAR - wears off any part of the lips that are at all moist at application, meaning that it was gone from the inside of my lips almost immediately.  Transferred on to a coffee mug after over an hour after application.  Feels dry on the lips after a couple of hours of wear.

APPLICATION - Have to wipe off doefoot applicator before applying thin coats.  Also lip liner is a must, due to my inability to apply this lipstick inside my lip line in any orderly fashion.

PRESENTATION - fine, simple lip gloss tube, black cap.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - probably won't repurchase.  I have great matte red lipstick already, and have since learned I prefer bullets to liquids for colors that aren't crazy.  Longevity isn't a selling point due to the dryness.

DAY IV  //  2/18/16

"Wet N' Wild lipstick in DON'T BLINK PINK"

COLOR - blue-toned hot pink

FINISH - creamy matte

TASTE - none

WEAR - great!  No feathering, color fades evenly and doesn't leave a rind around the lips.

APPLICATION - nice shape, tugs a little while being applied but is generally nice feeling.

PRESENTATION - gross Wn'W packaging

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - great for a simple cat eye/pink lip combo, which I forgot I liked.  Great flattering hot pink.  Forgot how good this one is!

DAY V  //  2/21/16

"Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in CRUSH"

COLOR - red-toned berry

FINISH - glossy, a little glittery (????), wears down to a faint stain

TASTE - slightly minty, less so than Revlon's matte balms

WEAR - glossy application feathers slightly, but leaves a nice pink stain after a couple of hours wear.  Better for a bitten stained look than a well defined lip.

APPLICATION - a little streaky, but after a blot and reapply looks good

PRESENTATION - same sort of packaging as Revlon's other Colorburst crayons, but the Balm Stain's have a glossy tube.  The writing as worn off a bit.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - it's a bit glittery on first application, not a huge fan of the glossy finish.  Nice to find a "gloss" that doesn't feather too badly on my lips.  Ideally, I'd love to find a matte berry stain, which is when I'd toss this one.

CALIFORNIA // WHAT I WORE

I have to say, I was pretty dang proud of my mini travel wardrobe for my California trip at the end of September.  I was going to write a whole post about what I packed, but it wasn't really jiving.  The way I was writing it and the way the photos were taken just didn't seem very interesting to me, and now it's kind of too late to post about it in that way!

I was really pleased that everything I brought fit in my carry on duffel and a big purse (that broke on the return trip).  I was satisfied with my outfits the entire time, which was such a nice feeling.  And I was there for 6 days!  I just wore each shirt twice and also borrowed a black shirt my mom brought because it was so nice (and it got to the point where I had wished I had brought just one more shirt).

What did I bring?

Grey Crop Top // H&M

Black & White Striped Top // H&M

Button-Down Fish Shirt // Target

Red & White Striped Top // Zara

Black Cropped Cardigan // The Woman Within

Pleather Jacket // 579

Black Circle Skirt // Heart of Haute

Red Dress // Le Bomb Shop

Disco Pants // American Apparel

Red T-Strap Heels // Kelly & Katie (DSW)

Electric Blue Chuck Taylors // Converse

Gladiator Sandals // Michael Antonio (DSW)

I want to go back so badly!  Maybe one day, with Brian.  San Francisco was so lovely, and I only saw about 5% of it.  The trip is such a fond memory now.  I had such an absolutely amazing time.  I've never been on a better trip in my entire life.  

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PHOTOBOOTH

I have been absolutely obsessed with berry lips recently - Brian calls them pinks or reds.  He doesn't get it.

Pre-curl comb out for halloween.  You can also see my makeup a lot better here than in the later photos.  I was really pleased with the way my eyes came out - maybe I'll try the look on a "normal" day?

 Tell me about it, stud.

 If you can't tell, I was Sandy from Grease for Halloween.

 Why do "weird" faces always look great??  Don't get it.

 Who says you can't take bathroom selfies??  Also I got this lipcolor by wiping off my berry lip, but I need to find a legit way of getting berry stained lips.  Love it.

 I've been trying a lot more new makeup looks recently, just in the terms of different eyeshadow colors or darker color combos.  You can really get away with almost anything when you wear glasses, as looks aren't as intense. 

I've just been really enjoying taking selfies recently.

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WORK IT

This is something I wore to work a couple of weeks ago.  I grabbed my camera and, for the first time, attempted to take my own outfit photos.  While I was taking the photos, it was a disaster.  I hated all the poses I was pulling, I didn't like how my face looked, and I was just generally unhappy.  I then took some more photos about a week later to apply for Un-Fancy's guest blogger position (the contest is closed, but the post is here) and looked at these photos again.  Suddenly, they weren't so bad!  Goes to show you that it's always better to put away a project and then come back to look at it another time.  Fresh eyes do wonders!

My workplace is generally causal with a touch of buisness-casual for the dress code.  It was a bit of a shift for me, but a welcome one.  I had wanted an excuse to freshen up the way I had dressed for a while, and this was the perfect one!  The big change was not being able to wear color; we're only allowed to wear black, white, and grey.  Before, I would wear a lot of black but would always add a pop of color somewhere (usually red).  I need to get a couple more colorful accessories!

I also feel like I've explained my workplace dress code at least three times on this blog so far.  Augh!  I have this thing where I expect no one who is reading these posts to actually have read any previously, so I need to explain ideas like they're new every time.  Maybe I should stop doing that and just start linking to older posts to explain? 

// What I'm Wearing

Jcpenny (about 5 years ago) // TOP

No idea.  My mom got this for me at least 3 years ago // SKIRT

American Apparel // SOCKS

Dr. Marten's 1461s // SHOES

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THESIS RED

I figured it was about time I post what I wore to my Senior Thesis show.  Being home for summer and trying to figure out what I actually want to blog about has made me come to a little standstill in terms of posting.  This summer has been really relaxing so far, lots of ups and downs, getting some sun, and just generally having a lovely time at home with my parents.  It's strange, because I feel like I'm at a turning point in my life (which I suppose I am)!  I'll be going back to Buffalo in a couple of weeks to stay with Brian, and then August first I move in to my first "real" apartment, paid for by yours truly!  Nutso.

For my Thesis show, I knew I wanted to wear a red dress.  I saw the Lady Lovesong dress on Modcloth years and years ago and it was love at first sight.  Only when I was thinking about getting something special for the show, however, did I even consider actually buying it.  I did, and it was amazing!  This dress gave me such a confidence boost and I felt like a hundred bucks!  I even pin curled my hair to go with the look.  My biggest problem now is trying to figure out other opportunities to wear the dress without feeling too fancy, which is kind of dumb.  As Oscar Wilde said, "You can never be overdressed or overeducated."

I suppose if I start dressing nicely more often than not, it'll become more regular to the people I surround myself with, and then I won't feel as uncomfortable.  One day!

I can't remember what makeup I wore other than that my lipstick was Kate Moss for Rimmel in 10.  Of course, with all my red lipsticks, I swatched them all to find the perfect match.  Blue-toned reds, yes!!

xxTanya

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PIN CURLS

The past couple of weeks I've been putting my hair up in pin curls wednesday evening, hopefully getting better at it so when my senior thesis opening rolls around, I'll be adept enough not to look awful.  This was the first time I slept on them (the first time I ever attempted it I took them out that night, and basically nothing had happened), and though I was a little self conscious in the morning, they grew on me as the day progressed.  They also relaxed a bit, which was better in the long run.  After brushing them out, I sprayed them with a bit of salt spray to get the texture back, pinned up one side, and was ready to go!

xxTanya

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