WOW it has been weeks but it feels like years

Guess what it is August and I haven't posted anything because my life is so busy and filled with awesome amazingness. Going to school at MUD has just changed everything for me. I am so busy that I really have neglected this blog but I am coming back. I am really looking forward to shifting this blogs focus on being a professional makeup artist. I want to share what I use in my kit, what I am trying out, and just what life is like as a makeup artist really just starting out in NYC. I am about to finish the beauty part of my schooling and I am moving on to special effects. I am so excited!!!!

I want to share my opinions about professional makeup and how the everyday makeup user can utilize professional techniques using high quality makeup. Professional makeup brands are actually very reasonable and their products can range from drugstore prices to more high end price tags. By using professional makeup you are really in control of the product. Professional products are build-able and very versatile once you learn how to use them.  

If any of this interests you please stay tuned because post are coming, I promise. If you want to keep track of me follow me on bloglovin (click the button in the side bar) and follow me on my social media. 

Here is some of my recent work!

Emma Elizabeth 

Update #2

Hello new readers and regulars! I am in my first official full week of school and oh boy and I tired. I am going to school five days a week, taking care of a baby bunny and working on the weekends. My days are so filled with activity that when I get home from school I just have no energy to blog and take photos. Then because I am going to school during the week I have been working every weekend to make some extra cash. I really want to document my time at makeup school so I am going to start taking photos of the makeup I do in class (hopefully). I don't want to just abandon this blog because I am busy. For the past couple of months I have spent a lot of time trying to create good content that I would like to see in the blog-o-sphere. The goal is to continue to make good content while I am in this new chapter of my life.

I knew that makeup school was going to be hard I just didn't think it was going to be so fast paced and intense. In just a few days I have learned so much. MUD is such an amazing school. I really love my class and my teacher. I am slowly becoming familiar with the MUD products and I am preparing to review and talk about some of the products that I bought for my class. MUD carries a full range of professional beauty and special effects cosmetics. Their products are really for professionals. The packaging is amazing but very plain because it is all for function and not aesthetic. If you are looking for makeup that works well without any fuss then I would definitely look into MUD. 

Since the arrival of my new bunny Bowie my life has been so much brighter. Coming home to him is so amazing and really just makes my day. However he has added a lot of new complications to my life. For one thing, he is a very curious little boy which means he is constantly getting into trouble. I can't leave him out of his hutch when I am not in the room or else he will destroy everything. Hopefully as he gets a little older he won't be as naughty. Another worry is that I also have a dog named Buckley. Buckley is very interested in Bowie and all he wants to do is be near him and lick his little furry body. However Bowie has no interest in Buckley but, he is not scared of him so that is good. 

Have a wonderful rest of May,

Emma

Update and Other Things.

Hello all that are reading this. If you follow my blog or you just stumbled upon this right now I wanted to say hi. My life is about to go through some pretty big changes. I will be starting school at MUD in Manhattan and will be now be busy five days a week for the next six months. I also just got a new job so I have been extra extra busy. I don't know if I will have much time to blog because of school and work. So the blog posts will be slowing down from twice a week to the occasional post every couple of weeks. 

I do plan to do post about going to MUD (which is a makeup school). I have purchased a lot of new supplies for the courses I will be taking so as I learn to use my new materials I hope to blog about them. I really am so excited for this next chapter in my life because I have worked so hard to get to this point. 

Wish me luck, 

Emma

p.s. 

I got a baby bunny and his name is Bowie! 

Pro Kit: Blush Palette

I have been de-potting quite a few blushes to create a palette for my kit and I thought I would share it. The palette is still a work in progress but I wanted to show it any way. I personally don't like spending tons of money on blush when there are so many inexpensive and amazing blushes in the drugstores. I store all of my blushes in the large dome z-palette. I use the dome palette because it allows me to store baked blushes which are thicker than regular blushes.

I love all the blushes in the palette, I choose blushes for my kit that work on every skin tone. I tend to like matte blushes more than sparkly blushes because they have smoother textures. If I want the cheeks to have a glow I add a highlighter on top. I also have one face powder that I use as a highlighter because it is so soft and illuminating.

I haven't arranged the palette in any order I just pop them in randomly. The dome palette is pretty big so on small jobs I take out my favorites and put them in a smaller palette. Of course I have NYX blushes in my palette. I have the original powder NYX blushes which I think NYX might be discontinuing because they just released the HD blushes. I have been looking for them in stores and they have consistently been on sale. I really hope that they don't go away because they are so inexpensive and great quality

(top to bottom) Tangerine, Mauve, Dusty Rose, Bordeaux, Pinky

NYX
Mauve: Light baby pink with a matte finish.

Dusty Rose: Medium rose pink with a matte finish.

Pinky: Hot pink not really a matte finish, I think it looks more satin on the cheeks.

Terracotta: Golden peach with a satin finish.

Tangerine: Matte orange coral.

Bordeaux: Deep red brown with subtle shimmer.

Taupe: Dusty cool brown

(*I haven't photographed taupe and terracotta because they don't swatch well but they look great on the face)

I have one Miliani baked blush and it is amazing. If you are going to go pick up some new blushes to go the drugstore and get them. Both of the finishes are really amazing. The matte line is so smooth and pretty.

Milani Baked Blushes
Bella Rosa: Bright magenta with a matte finish.

I have two Nars powders they are both eyeshadows but I use them on the face. The first is a pink eyeshadow that I use as a highlighter called Nepal. The other is a eyeshadow from a duo that is a great under-eye setting powder. the last powder that I have is an avon foundation that has too much sparkle to be used all over the face, so I use it on the tops of my cheek bones.

(top to bottom) random bronzer, Avon, Nars, Nars Nepal, Bella rosa.

If you are a blush addict like me I would totally say that you should go make your own palette. I hope that this was helpful and gives you ideas for your own organization.

Make Any Eyeshadow Pop

Not all eyeshadows were created equal. Some are soft, buttery and pigmented while others are powdery, chunky and sheer. However just because an eyeshadow doesn't have the most amazing formula doesn't mean it should go in the trash. All you need to take the shitty shadow and make it pop is it put it over an eyeshadow base. 

There are lot of eyeshadow primers on the market that are advertised as bases. Eyeshadow primers serve a different function than a primer. Primers make your eyeshadow last longer, it can improve the quality of the shadow you place on top of it but ultimately it just prevents creasing. An eyeshadow base is a sticky, creamy, and emollient cream that you put on top of your primer. This base will  act as glue because it is so creamy, the eyeshadow will stick to it and the color will be more saturated. 

Eye shadow bases come in a range of colors but the universal color to really make crap shadows look amazing is white. My favorite eyeshadow base is the NYX Eye Shadow Base in White. This product is so creamy and a little goes a long way. If you want your eyeshadows to be vibrant and have no fall out this is what you need to start using. NYX has a few colors but the white is far superior than the other options. You can get this amazing eyeshadow transformer for seven dollars. Go get it and see the different in your shadows. 

Pro Kit: Mac Pro Palettes and Inserts

I really have been working on my kit and I purchased some Mac Pro Palettes and inserts to really stream line my lipsticks and foundations. Cream products are great for makeup artists because you can put them in palettes instead of carrying around 30 different lipsticks tubes or 10 different foundation bottles. The process of de-potting or de-tubing is pretty messy so I didn't take any process pictures but I have re-organized all my lipsticks and foundations. I am really happy with the whole process and I wanted to share it with you guys.

The Mac Palettes are really decently priced. I looked at other brands and there palettes were 40 to 35 dollars while I spent 16 for the palette and the insert. All mac palettes are empty and then you buy inserts that click inside. There are a range of different inserts for different functions. I bought the 24 well insert and the twelve well insert for cream products. I bought two palettes, the doubled sided and the single.

For the single palette I put in the 24 well insert for my lipsticks. The wells in the 24 insert are very shallow and are for lipsticks and concealers. The reviews on the Mac website told me that they would only hold about 1/3 of a lipstick which was true. Personally this wasn't a problem for me because I was taking de-tubed lipsticks and putting them in the palette. The single palette has a clear top so you can see what goodies are inside. 

For the double palettes I put in two 12 inserts. The 12 wells are very deep and are able to fit entire NYX Mineral Stick Foundation but only a little bit of my ELF stick foundation. The process of putting foundation into the wells was so messy and the palette looks kind of gross. But this is about function not esthetic.

If you are looking to consolidate your kit or your personal collection I would definitely recommend getting these palettes. I am not sure if you can buy these in store. I purchased mine online and they came so fast all wrapped up in perfection.

NYX Above and Beyond Full Coverage Concealer . . . So Amazing

I am a concealer junkie. I love concealer because it is a highly pigmented product that can be used in so many ways. When I am looking for a concealer I want something that can be doubled up as foundation. It needs to be creamy, highly pigmented and last all day. I also want a product where a little goes a long way. I purchased the NYX Above and Beyond concealer in November and really haven't stopped using it. My shade is in CJ01 Porcelain which is a lightest shade in the range with blue undertones.  

This concealer comes in a little jar that contains 18 M of product for 5 dollars. You really get a good amount of product for the price point. All NYX products are cruelty free and have the little bunny symbol on label. This concealer is advertised as being able to cover dark circles, blemishes and has a long wearing formula. I would agree with all of those statements. This is a creamy concealer that covers everything and sets to a long wearing powder finish.

I apply this concealer all over of my face with a brush and then I blend it in with either a foundation brush or a sponge. I like to set my face with a powder but if you have dry skin you could skip the powder. I couldn't say enough good things about this concealer.

My only problem is the color range. I was able to find my color but if you have dark skin this isn't the concealer for you. I wish NYX had better color ranges but they sadly don't. I picked up this product at Ulta but you can get it at Target.

New Drugstore Cream Eyeshadows From NYC

In general my local drugstores are understocked, messy and never get new releases but I was strolling through the isles and I came across new NYC cream eyeshadows. NYC is one of the most inexpensive drugstore brands. It isn't a huge brand and I only tend to find them in CVS. I think you can get it on the West Coast but I assume it is a mainly East Coast brand.  

NYC is a total hit and miss brand. Sometimes there products are amazing like NYC sunny bronzer while other products are abysmal. The whole line of cream eyeshadows are marketed as long wearing. The eyeshadows are called City Proof 24 hr Hydrofuge. The packaging on these are lovely. There have a large tip and twist up. The cap is really secure and you have to press it down and you know it is closed when her hear an audible click. 

The Two colors that I purchased are 610 Tribeca Taupe which is a purple/grey taupe with a satin finish. Unfortunately when I opened up the stick the shadow broke. However the tube is so deep that I just popped the broken part back in and it is still usable. The consistency is a little dry but it doesn't tug on the lids. The color is build-able but in general the pigmentation isn't out of this world. By no means is it as creamy as a NYC jumbo pencil or my Jordana jumbo pencil. The color pretty much disapears on the lid once you blend it out so I like using this as a base. 

The second color that I picked up is a matte black in 635 New York at Night. This pencil is creamy and make a great eyeliner or base for a smokey eye. For eyeliner I take an angled brush and sweep it on the tip and then apply it to my eye. As line it sets in place and is long wearing. 

There are a lot more colors in the range I think I might pick a few more up. 

Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette. . . Disappointing

I purchased this palette at the beginning of last year so I could play around and I have a one stop shop eyeshadow palette for my kit. The palette has 88 eyeshadows so I really took my time experimenting. Now after a year I am ready to review it.

I purchased this palette on Costalscents.com and it retails for around 17 dollars. I bought in on sale for a few dollars less during the a flash sale on the website. The palette is a sturdy matte black case with a mix of matte and shimmer eyeshadow. Each eyeshadow is the size of a dime and I did the math and each little pan contains .025 oz of shadow. That is basically nothing but because there are so many colors it is ok. The palette doesn't have much organization. The colors are grouped together pretty much randomly. Shimmers next to mattes and colors aren't really separated into families. In general I would say it is separated into loose sections . One with light whites colors, silver/grays, midtone peach/brown, purples, and browns. 

A lot of the shadows are very similar to each other. If you took away all of the repeats this palette really should have about 20 colors in it. The pigmentation in this palette is hit or miss even with a good base. The formulation isn't the same as the hot pots. Most of the shadows are powdery and just blend away into nothing. The dark colors matte colors are ok and some of the light highlight shades are nice. A few of the colors in the palette are really random there are two light pink shades and a blue color that isn't cohesive.

If you are looking for a great multipurpose neutral palette I would each great your own palette using the Hot Pots or buy one of the revealed palettes. If you are totally new to makeup and have no eyeshadows what so ever than I might suggest purchasing this. You can't really go wrong because the shades are so lightly pigmented.

I think I might deconstruct the palette and take out my favorite colors and put them in a z-palette. The palette is pretty large so it takes up a lot of space. I would rather make it more compact with the colors that have the best color pay off.  

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics My Tiny Collection

OCC has really blown up and I feel that 2014 was really their year. The liquid lipstick has become really popular and OCC had really lead that trend. OCC is a makeup artist brand and you can tell because of their amazing formulation and their packaging. The Lip Tars of course are their star product but I am really interested in trying out more products from their line. I have a few of their products and I wanted to share them with you.

My first purchase of OCC was of course Lip Tars. I wanted to be super adventurous and I got two really unusual colors. The texture of Lip Tars are a very thin gloss that dries matte on the lips. To be honest they are a little too watery for my taste but still pretty amazing. Because of the watery texture you have to apply these with a lip brush and I would recommend having a lipliner underneath. By no means is this an easy on the go product. If I am going to wear a Lip Tar then I want to sit down with good lighting and take my time applying. Lip Tars claim to be really long wearing but I find that to not be true. If you do any drinking or eating the color closest to the inside of your mouth will disappear. You do have to re-apply during the day which is such a hassle because you need a mirror and a lip brush.

Sebastian is a grey purple taupe that is surprisingly very flattering on the lips. With the right lipliner underneath it can take on a different undertone. I like to call this my dead mouth lipstick because when I wear it I feel like a beautiful corpse. My tips for pulling this off is to put it on top of a berry lipliner and to apply it in thin layers building your way up to an opaque finish.

Tarred is a matte black nothing special to it. This thing feathers so much you need a lipliner and you need to polish off your liners with a concealer. Tarred tends to separate into the black pigment and then this yellow oil that sits on the top. Because of the tube packaging you can't really re-mix it so when it comes out of the tube it can be a little nasty. I think that if you want black lips you want a more traditional lipstick. Tarred is such so watery and it gets messy. What I think Tarred is really great for is mixing. I will use it to darken a lipstick which is great because you can make endless colors with just two products.

My third OCC product that I have purchased is the Cosmetic Color Pencil in Black Dahlia. I bought Black Dahlia to wear under Sebastian and Tarred but the texture of the pencil is really disappointing. Cosmetic Color Pencils are made to be multifunctional so for eyes, lips and face. On the lips the pencil doesn't preform well. The product really tugs on the lips and goes on patch, if you have any dry or flakey spots on your lips the product will cling and be uneven. You could never wear this pencil alone of the lips it would look like a train wreck. I do think that this works better on the eyes because the color is even. If you are looking for a good pencil to use on your lips and eyes I would go for the NYX pencils. They are in the same format and they are a fraction of the price. The color is a straight up classic berry. This pencil costs 16 dollars .04 oz while the NYX is .04 oz for 3.50.

I think as a brand OCC is really nice because all of their products are vegan and cruelty free. But, I do feel that you can get other products for a better price. I do love the Lip Tars but I don't wear them daily. If you are interested in experiment with interesting colors and textures then I think OCC is a great choice.

Rimmel London Scandaleyes EyeShadow Paint

I picked up this cream eyeshadow a while ago but I never really used it. I know that when these came out maybe a year ago or so they were loved by the blogger community because they are so long wearing. These eyeshadows are advertised as long wearing paints with color impact that is waterproof and crease-proof for 8 hours. There are 9 shades total in the collection mostly neutrals nothing too colorful. 

The packaging for this product is standard lipgloss packing. The tube has a very flexible doe-foot applicator that is a magnet for the product. The shadow applies wet and then instantly sets in place which is a problem if you want to blend out the color in the crease or to soft edges. There is definitely a learning curve with this product. The minute you apply it on your lids you need to blend it out. If you wait too long it will set in place and when you go to blend it will flake off. 

If you are planning to use this shadow as a base I wouldn't recommend it. Once it sets the shadow is dry and powder products don't adhere to it. This product doesn't really work well with others. My favorite way to wear it is to apply it to my lid then quickly blend it up into my crease. I purchased Slate Grey because I wanted a product that would make a really easy smokey eye. The color is a really beautiful sparkly grey.   

Mac Favorites

I have always had a love hate relationship with Mac makeup. I like that their products are mid range and not too expensive but, I hate going to a Mac counter. The Mac store near me is really small and the artists that work there aren't always the most helpful. For the most part I order Mac products online so I don't have to go into the store. The only time I buy in store is if I need to buy a foundation or concealer. I thought I would share a few of my favorite Mac products with you guys.

packaging sleek af

Personally what I love the most about Mac is their limited edition collections. Mac knows amazing packaging and amazing themes. Recently I was lusting over the Rocky Horror collection that came out in the fall. Unfortunately I didn't have any extra cash to pick up a few items from the collection. However if you are looking to get into Mac I would go on their website and look at the New Collection tab. The Cinderella Collection sneak preview photos were just released and everything looks so beautiful. If you are interested in getting something from a new collection I would try to go to a store because everything sells out online really fast. 

The first product I ever bought from Mac was the famous and widely loved Mineralize Skin finish. I picked Soft n Gentle because you can't go wrong with a pinky golden highlight. I have to say there is a reason why Soft n Gentle is a cult favorite. It is simply beautiful in the packaging and on the skin. The product is really versatile. I use it all over my cheeks as a light blush, on my cheek bones as a highlight and in a quick pinch it works well as a sheer wash of color on the lids. I also own another Mineralize skin finish from the Flower collection but you can't buy it anymore which is sad because it is so pretty on the skin I might even like it more that Soft N Gentle.

The only problem with Soft N Gentle is that it has actual glitter in it so if you have a problem with large pores then you might not want to pick this up. I don't have a problem with large pores on my cheeks and sometimes I feel that this can exaggerate them. Because this product is so shimmery/glittery I like to apply it with a light hand. I also wouldn't recommend using this a highlighter all over the face because of the glitter. I would never use this on my nose, forehead or chin just on the cheeks for a nice glow. This product can be used on all most all skin tones, if you have really dark skin then this will be a really subtle highlight. 

Another favorite that will be no surprise to Mac lovers is my paint pot in painterly. Paint pots are eyeshadow bases/cream shadows that set on the lids and stay all day long. Painterly is a pinky ivory that conceals all of the discoloration on my lids and keeps my eyeshadows in place. I have very oily lids so everything creases on me. So still use a primer under paint pots but for people who don't have really oily lids then this will never crease on you. Paint pots come in a bunch of color so if you are looking for a neutral base close to your skin tone their are plenty of options. I have had my paint pot for over a year and it hasn't dried up and I still have so much of it left. I apply it with with ring finger and blend it on the lid up to the brow bone. 

Mac is famous for their lipsticks. They come in a million colors and have several different textures. I only own three because 14 dollars for a lipstick is pretty expensive. That said the three I own are my favorite lipsticks in the entire world. In high school my mom had Twig and she gave it to me. I became obsessed I wore it every day for about a year. Twig is a pinky brown very 90's and super on trend right now. If you are looking for that Kylie Jenner lip Twig is a create option. Twig is a satin finish but isn't to glossy so it is comfortable.

After my love affair with Twig I bought Creme Cup which is a blue tones light pink. Cream cup is a the perfect pink and I love it when I wear it over my UD lipliner in Naked. If I don't know what lipstick to wear my my eyeshadow I always put on Creme Cup.

Recently I have been loving red lips so I went out and purchased Ruby Roo. This is my holy grail red lipstick. The color is perfect because it is blue toned so my teeth look super white. The texture is very dry and chalky. Some people don't love dry lipsticks but I love it. When you a wearing a bold color you want the lipstick to stay in place and to never smear. Ruby Roo is very dry so it tugs a little when applying but once it is on your lips it doesn't budge. I can apply it once when I am doing my makeup and I can eat, drink and talk. I never have to reapply and the color is so rich I don't even use a lip liner. Even though the texture is really dry it is so comfortable on the lips. Once I put it on I don't even feel it. A testament to this lipstick is sometimes I don't even put it in my bag when I wear it because I know it will look amazing through out the day with no touch ups.

I struggle to spend a lot of money on a single eyeshadow. I will spend a little extra cash on a palette because you get so many shades but for a single shadow rarely I will spend for than 5 dollars or what ever the drugstore price. I have one mac eyeshadow and I rarely ever where it. Though I rarely wear it is so beautiful. I de-potted the shadow when I bought so I took it out of my Z palette and I popped it in a Coastal Scents Go Pod for the photo.

So that is my mac collection/favorites. I do own two mac concealer palettes but I only use them in my kit. If you are interested in those palettes I have a previous blog post talking about them click here to see it. My Mac collection is definitely growing as I become more familiar with the brand. I really want to try out their lip pencils and their pigments. I hope that this was helpful if you are interested in starting to build-up your mac collection. I think that these products would be a great starter kit if you were just beginning to get into makeup or higher end brands. If could only keep one product from my Mac collection it would be my paint pot for sure because I don't think that their is anything else on the market that really compares. 

Luxury Powders Mark Jacobs and Hourglass

If you are going to spend some money on makeup I would suggest splurging on luxury powders. I find that face powders last a long time and are a worthy investment because they make your makeup next level gorgeous. I have been holding on to two really nice face powders for a while now and I wanted to share my thoughts on them with the internet. 

I was watching a video from Essie Button on youtube and she was raving about how much she loved her Marc Jacobs bronzer and face powder. I am not one to spend a lot of money on bronzer when there are so many good drugstore options so I went for the powder foundation instead. Marc Jacobs advertises this powder as having light reflecting properties. I don't know what ingredient would do that because this doesn't make your skin glow. I think the light reflecting refers to the satin matte finish.

First off I would like to say that this powder is bomb. It is worth the extra cash because it is simply amazing. The texture is buttery smooth, the coverage is light but build-able and the packaging is to die for. I like to use it as a setting powder, for light coverage I use a fluffy brush. But if you use a sponge this baby can be a full coverage powder. I used this powder everyday to set my makeup for months and I still have so much left. The products is really able to set your foundation and give you a matte finish without looking powdery or cakey. It is like a ramped up high end version of my Rimmel Stay Matte.I picked up this compact at Sephora for 46 dollars and you get .38 oz of product.

I like many people get pulled into to buying products because of the hype. I purchased The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder purely because the internet told me to. It took me some time and research to really understand how to use Ambient Lighting Powders but now that I have it is a staple in my makeup routine. Ambient Lighting Powders are setting powders/highlighters that give the skin a very subtle glow. They give your skin a natural radiance that isn't glittery which is why you can wear it all over your face. The powder is finely milled and so smooth it just makes your face look amazing.

All of the powders have different tones that color correct or brighten for different skin tones. I have Ethereal Light which is a cool white powder that shows up as translucent crystal on the skin. It is like an HD powder but it makes your skin glow instead of giving a matte finish. If you have oily skin you might need to set your makeup with a matte powder and then dust your face with your Ambient Lighting Powder.

This really isn't a highlighter for your cheek bones the glow is too subtle. This powder should be used all over the face instead of targeted areas. I use this powder everyday on myself and clients and I have barely made a dent. This is an expensive product but it will last you forever.

I hope that this will help you when you are looking to buy something nice for your face. As always would recommend researching expensive items before you buy them so you never waste your money.

Four Holy Grail Red Lipsticks

So I am so obsessed with red lips. It might be my love of Taylor Swift but it is mainly because so many amazing red lipsticks have been released. To be honest you no longer have to go to Sephora to get an amazing lipstick. Personally I am not a fan of glossy red lips. I want my red lips to be matte and to stay put. I thought I would 4 my favorites.

The first red lipstick I really feel in love with was the Revlon Matte Balm. This is the smoothest lipstick it really goes on like a balm but has the full pigmentation of a lipstick. I only need to go over my lips once. Unfortunately I have no idea where my beloved Matte Balm is. So I grabbed a picture from Revlon's website. The color that I love is Standout. If you are looking for an easy to apply lipstick this is definitely the right choice. The only downside is once you wear down the nice pointed tip it is a little bit more tricky but still do-able. I think it is a testament to this product that I plan to go out and buy a new one because I lost mine.

If you are looking for a more traditional lipstick packaging then I would go for the Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes. The whole collection has three reds but the one that I went for was Divine Wine. Finding a darker red that is the right texture is hard. Most of the time wine reds are too glossy and just slide around on my lips and make a mess. Divine Wine is the perfect texture and the perfect dark red. If you are scared of really dark lips then this is a great color because it is just on the cusp of being a classic red and a darker wine. When it comes to lipsticks Maybelline knows what they are doing and Divine Wine is no exception. I love these so much I want the whole collection for my kit.

When I wear reds I want them to stay put all day no matter how much drinking and eating I do. I love lipstick but I hate re-applying. The benefits of a matte lipstick is that the texture bonds to the lips and stays in place. Mac's Ruby Roo lipstick is like glue. I have to be honest this lipstick is chalky. But it is that dry texture that makes this lipstick amazing. I carefully apply this in the morning and I don't touch it throughout the day. Personally I think Mac lipsticks are expensive but because of Ruby Roo's lasting power I don't use a lot of it so it will last me a long time. 

For a while I was very skeptical of the liquid lipstick format. So to try it out I went and purchased NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream. the Soft Matte Lip Cream goes on like a gloss but dries to a matte lipstick. I have Monte Carlo which is a classic blue toned red. The texture of this product is creamy but sheer. By itself I can't get it to be opaque. You have to use a lipliner underneath to get it to be full. I don't mind using a lipliner because once this product sets on the lips it is very dry and mask like. The lipliner helps make it more comfortable. For a lip liner NYX makes great ones and so does Milani. This is a great product because it is easy to apply and it is reasonably priced. A lot of liquid lipsticks on the market are very expensive.

I hope that this post was helpful in your perfect red lip quest. I am in the works of doing a follow up post about lipliners so look out for that post by following me on Bloglovin. You can follow me by clicking the Bloglovin button on the side bar right next to this post. By following me on Bloglovin you can keep track of all my posts in one easy place.  Comment below with your favorite red lipsticks or your red lip combo.