Sunday 25 May 2014

The Lip Product Addict Tag

Two of some of my favourite beauty youtubers created the Lip Product Addict tag, and I thought it would be fun to fill it, in lieu of my all-but-finished Pre-essence post that I’ve somehow lost my ingredients pictures and will see if I can snap some pics at the counter asap.


The tag questions:
1. Favourite balm/treatment?
2. Best eye-catching red?
3. Best luxury & best drugstore?
4. Best MAC lipstick?
5. The most disappointing?
6. Liner - yes or no?
7. Best gloss?
8. Something extra!


All products were purchased personally, all opinions my own.


1. Favourite balm/treatment.




I’m an Anonymous level lip balm/treatment hoarder, and it was quite difficult to choose, but ultimately I picked Ettusais’ Lip Essence and the Lanolips 101 Ointment.


The Ettusais will probably always hold a dear place in my heart because it was the first lip essence that really did something for my lips, and got me into the more fluidy, almost glossy types of lip treatments. It’s pretty reasonably priced, but still above a drugstore lip balm. Apparently it’s a cult favourite in Japan, and I’m not surprised, because it softens and hydrates my lips for hours on end. I couldn’t find my tube of the normal packaging (pearlescent apricot pink) so the one pictured is LE packaging, which they regularly come out with. While the tube version is advertised as more a glossy lip essence, the stick version is a more traditional lip balm. 




I find the stick version very moist in finish too, perhaps a tad less sticky than the tube, but the tube is never annoyingly sticky for me. The stick version contains very fine pink micro shimmer, and for me, this a very affordable dupe of By Terry’s baume precieux.


Lanolips is a more recent find, and I’m so glad it magically fell into my checkout stash at Joyce Beauty in HK last year. It’s much thicker and less glossy in finish than the Ettusais, but if my lips need some serious TLC, this baby does the trick. Being from NZ, it’s crazy that I’ve never tried lanolin lip products until I moved away (I’ve always thought they were only used in overly thick and greasy hand creams), and now I’m a convert, and will be looking for a NZ dupe the next time I visit. 




I’ve read that Lanolips changed their packaging so that the nub where you apply to your lips is now the slanted type. That’s definitely great news for me, as the only fault I found with the one I have is that the flat and rather harsh edged nub made it uncomfortable to apply this otherwise beautiful ointment.


2. Best eye-catching red.




My mind more or less went to Burberry Military Red simply because it’s my first luxury red lipstick, but after looking at my collection, I have to say I simply love Cle de Peau’s Extra Rich Lipstick in R2 (Red Abundance). R2 is a vibrant red that has a hint of orange, making it more flattering and harmonious with my yellow-warm toned skin than the deeper blue-toned Burberry. The wear of the CdP is phenomenal, texturally light on the lips yet offers crazy pigmentation. It has a rich shiny (not glossy) finish that lasts for hours, and doesn’t dry out my lips.


Unfortunately, I think the Extra Rich line is now discontinued, and replaced with the new Rouge a Levres line that come in three finishes (satin, silk and velvet), but knowing from experience (with trying to track down their long discontinued lip glosses) counters will likely still have them in stock, and if that fails, there is a good chance Airports that stock CdP will have them (the HK airport being one of them).

Here’s R2 compared to a selection of honourable mentions






a. CdP Extra Rich in R2  - Interestingly, in this comparative lineup it’s orange hints are less obvious and looks like a true red.
b. CdP Rouge a Levres in 311 - A velvet (matte) finish, rosier and bluer than R2. This has to be one of my favourite matte formulas, a beautiful not-dull matte and again, never drying. I believe this was the colour Amanda Seyfried wore in the campaign. If not for the gut wrenching price, I’d hoard them all!
c. Dior Rouge Dior in 999 - On it’s own, I’ve always thought 999 was a true red, but compared to R2 and certainly here against Givenchy, it’s got a hint of rose to it, and is a tad bluer undertoned.
d. Givenchy Le Rouge in 306 (Carmin Escarpin) - Described as a warm poppy red, and is a hint more orange than R2, the finish is similarly rich and shiny. On the lips it feels slightly thicker and creamier than R2, but still wonderfully comfortable for my lips.
e. Burberry Lip Velvet in 310 (Military Red) - Another one of my favourite matte formulas, the bluest of the bunch.
f. Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in 413 - Pretty much the glossy form of Givenchy 306. Shiseido’s liquid lipsticks are inexplicably underrated, what with their superb pigmentation and wear. Dare I say they are the precursor of Dior’s Fluid Sticks.


3. Best luxury & best drugstore.






This was one hell of a toughie, but ultimately my pick for best luxury is By Terry’s Rouge Terryblys, which edges ahead because the formula is simply orgasmic. I’m in a slight panic about these though, since I heard rumors that these are being discontinued. They are no longer stocked on the UK SpaceNK site, but looks to be still available on the US one. My local stockists in Taipei have said their stock is what is left at the counters, and the new Hyaluronic Sheers replaces them (which I wholeheartedly disagree because it cannot freaking compete). BT’s official website does seem to have these, but I’m unsure of their shipping availability and rates.


Honorable luxury mention goes to CdP (all of their lines), Rouge Dior, Givenchy Le Rouge and Guerlain’s Rouge G and Automatique





I don't know if I can call Etude House a drugstore brand, but in Taiwan they are more or less at the same price level. I really love their Dear My Enamel Gloss, which is well pigmented, has high shine and wonderful to wear. Etude House also offers some great lipsticks and lip stains that are amazing value for the price.


4. Best MAC lipstick.





I'm not a huge MAC fan, and I never got into their lip products (really do not like their lip glasses). But I do own Russian Red, and it’s been depotted into a Muji pill-box (ever so much thanks to the Driveler Kate for this tip!) and gone Back to MAC :)


5. The most disappointing.





Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet
My lips aren’t overly dry or sensitive, but these dry my lips out sooooo bad, no matter how thick of a layer of lip balm I apply underneath. Even the notoriously drying Illamasquas fare better on my lips.


Eos Lipbalm in Honeysuckle Honeydew
I have a post in the works on this. But in short I loathe the overpowering smell, and my lips start feeling dry in less than an hour after application.


6. Liner - yes or no.




I’m normally much too lazy to line even my eyes much less lips, and I think my lips look better with a softer, smudged line, since they are naturally pretty small and thin to begin with. However, I do own a red from Burberry, which I tend to use as a lippie in itself rather than liner, and a nude one from Makeup Forever, which can double as a spot concealer too.



7. Best gloss.



It was impossible for me to choose just one, so here are my most coveted formulas:
Guerlain’s Gloss d’Enfer
Armani’s Flash Lacquers
Le Metier’s Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss
Lancome’s Lip Lovers


I don’t think the Lancome Lip Lovers are categorized as lip glosses by the company, but to me they are, and they’re certainly fast becoming one of my favourite lip glosses for their pigmentation and hydration.


8. Something extra!




I’m rediscovering my love for The Body Shop, and their lipsticks are huge factors in that. Their formulas are pigmented and so comfortable to wear. Of course it helps that they’re well priced too.


Lip & Cheek duos normally don’t agree with my lips, but YSL’s recent launch of their Kiss & Blush wear surprisingly well on the lips, and I’m hoping to pick up a few more colours in the next round of sales.


Are you a lippie addict? If so, then I tag ya!


xx

Noodles

2 comments:

Sunny said...

Hey Noodles, wow it's nice to see your stash of lippies! I'm seeing stuff here that I have never tried before! I'm not much of a gloss girl, but I very much approve of your gloss collection :)

38noodles said...

Since my mouth is on the small & thin side, lip glosses really are my plumping friends. The newer, non-sticky, well pigmented formulas only fuel my love for them.