Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Addis Ababa

Just few weeks ago, I attended Etude House Playhouse event and Ana’s meet and greet. To see the pictures of the event, click HERE.  There I met a reader of my blog, Jhessica, who accompanied me throughout the event!! As in, she toured me around the event. She’s so fun to be with, I swear, as if we’ve known each other for a long time already! She’s my newly found friend. Celline even asked us (Ana, Jhessica and I) if we have known each other even before the meet and greet, then I realized, “Onga no. Feeling close na pala kming lahat? Kahit kaka-meet lang” LOL

Anyway, the event supposed to be an introduction for this lippy. (Napahaba lang yung kwento). Jhessica, who won the best makeup for the meet and greet, wore this lip product on the event. When I first saw her, the first thing I noticed is her makeup (pasensya, mahilig lang sa makeup) especially her lipstick.

During the event, I opted to wear my Mac Lipstick in Pink Nouveau. We had some snacks at the Etude House event (macaroons, popcorn, cotton candy and ice cream!) and because of that; I had to retouch my lipstick again. However, Jhessica’s lipstick stays on amazingly! Out of my curiosity I asked what lipstick she is wearing.  (Even Ana asked the same question too!). Then, she told me it’s NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAM in ADDIS ABABA. And so, I promised myself to include this on my “TO BUY” list!

Then after few days, Ate Myla of Fabshopaholic (who also attended Ana’s meet and greet) contacted me through facebook  and asked me if I would like to do reviews on some of the products on her shop and she asked me to pick the items that I would to get. Of course, Addis Ababa was first on my list. In fact, it’s the only thing I picked on her shop then I let Ate Myla choose the rest of the things she wants to send me. That’s how much I like to try this lip product!

Take note: This product was sent for me to test out and make an honest review!

For sellers/bloggers: You may use the pictures below but please provide a link back.

The packaging of this lipstick is like a typical lip gloss container containing a typical sponge applicator.

D E S C R I P T I O N

"It’s not a lipstick nor is it gloss. It’s like nothing you’ve experienced before. It’s lipstick cream that goes on silky but looks soft matte"

The description says it all! There are products that promise you heaven but deliver hell instead! But this one, hands down! Indeed, it’s like nothing I’ve experienced before.

When it first came into our door (together with my other package from Ate Myla), I immediately unpacked the cover and tried this lip cream on my lips (oo, sabik lang no?). Originally, I was expecting a liquid lipstick consistency. Surprisingly, it has this weird mousse consistency.

 I’m a huge fan of liquid lipstick, I admire whoever created it. It has the pigmentation of a lipstick but feels moisturizing as lip glosses. However, liquid lipstick has several cons like it feels heavy and sticky, it’s quite messy to apply, it goes everywhere on my lips and even on my teeth and it doesn’t last very long!

This Nyx soft matte lip cream can solve all the problems mentioned above (believe it or not!).  I honestly think that whoever created this technology for a lip product is such a genius! LOL.

Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Addis Ababa is a cool-toned (blue undertone) hot pink lipstick. Pink Nouveau (a cool-toned hot pink lipstick) has more purple-ish undertone while Addis Ababa appears more pink-y blue.

Left: Addis Ababa
Right: Mac Pink Nouce

Once blended, I noticed that it has blue-shimmers which are weird since it’s a matte lipstick.

This lip cream has a superb pigmentation that is buildable. On my normal days, I usually use one coat of this lip cream on my lips. If you want to build it up, you can apply more layers. However, take note to always start with one thin coat then let it dry for a minute before adding another layer. Take one layer at a time.

Lip cream glides smoothly like whip cream (feels moist on my lips) but dries into a nice matte finish. Unlike liquid lipsticks/lip gloss, this is not sticky at all! It’s very light on my lips that I sometimes forget I’m wearing it.

This lip cream does not transfer (100% kiss-proofs) when it’s completely dry (the key is to let it dry for a minute or more).

This lip cream can be really drying on my lips especially after few hours; however it’s nothing too dramatic (like chapping your lips) when applied in the right way (one layer at a time). You can definitely use it with or without lip balm. I honestly use it without lip balm. Normally, I use one wipe of this lip cream on my lips so it won’t be so drying.  I noticed that the more products I apply on my lips, the drying it is after few hours.

Just like what I’ve said before, it’s a long-wearing lip product! If you hate retouching, I definitely recommend this to you. This can last even after a meal or two! (Depending on the layers you put on your lips). Nevertheless, it’s not something that stays on forever! If you like eating A LOT, you still have to retouch it once in a while, I guess. 

Overall, I find this lip cream better than any lip products I’ve tried. I’ve always wanted to wear matte lipsticks but I never had the courage to wear one as Matte lipsticks are very drying on my lips! (Eto, medyo drying lang hahaha!)

This lip cream was absolutely a heaven sent! I highly recommend it, it feels light, it’s non-sticky, kiss-proof and transfer-proof, and long-wearing! I will definitely purchase more shades in the future!

PROS:

- cheap

- non-sticky

- kiss-proof

- long wearing

- very pigmented

- amazing formulation

- glides smoothly on lips

CONS:

- can be drying

- tricky to apply

- can look cakey if applied too much

- it has blue shimmers that are somehow noticeable on my lips

- time-consuming in applying this lip cream (one layer at a time)

I'm not a huge BOLD lipstick person. I prefer nude-ish peach shade. I was thinking of purchasing Stockholm next.  How about you girls? Have you tried this lip cream? Share your favorite shades!

WHERE TO PURCHASED:

- Any online sellers like Fabshopaholic

SWATCHES (1 coat)

New applied (natural lighting)

Newly applied (with flash)

After few seconds

after 15 minutes ( blue shimmers! I told you, these are noticeable! haha)

Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick in Pink Flame vs Covergirl Lip Perfection in Heavenly

Hi girls. Guess what! I have another lipsticks review for you. Please bear with me as I still have few lipsticks that I haven’t reviewed yet! LOL.

You probably have heard of Ever Bilena Matte Lipsticks  from several beauty youtube gurus like Ana, Noe, Maricarl Janna, MissCoryPotts, Say and more. I got mine a year ago when it is still on sale for Php 99/ea.

So, here’s my updated review on Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick in Pink Flame

Looks can be deceiving. When I first had this for review, I told you that the packaging is cheap like it might break anytime just like my nyx round lipsticks. To my surprise, the packaging is quite durable! I had this for a year now (or more), it fell from my hands many times already and yet, it’s still in one piece! The name of the lipstick fades a little but hey, it’s good enough for the price! I’m impressed!

At the bottom of the lipstick is a color cap (as coined by Say in her videos before), which according to Ana is a lip balm/gloss (as revealed to her by the S.A of Ever Bilena). However, as compared to most color cap mine cannot be detached so easily (or should I say, it can’t be detached at all!). But I have another lipstick from this line (Mauvey) which has a detachable cap.

Detachable cap of Mauvey

Here’s a swatch of the unidentified material in the cap

For me, it’s like an excess melted lipstick rather than a gloss/balm.

When I first opened it, the lipstick looks really dry! It’s like a lipstick toy I use for my Barbie back then. But due to the hot weather here in Manila, the lipstick melted a little so it appears a little richer than before (and yet still drying as compared to other lipsticks).

For first time users, do not apply the lipstick directly on your lips or else it won’t glide smoothly and you’ll end up dragging / tugging the lipstick on your lips. Usually if the lipstick seems dry, I try swatching the lipsticks several times at the back of my hands to warm it up a little then apply it on my lips (the friction and the temperature of our skin will somehow make the product more creamier). It should be better that way.

The shade is warm pink lipstick that can flatter most skin tones. This shade is wearable for any occasions. It is not overpowering, just enough to brightens your face and gives it a dose of rosiness.

While it seems to be a rose on my lips, the smell really disappointed me. The lipstick ends up smelling like a cheap scented soap (and it taste like soap too!).

The color payoff is remarkable. Since it’s a matte lipstick, it has neither shimmers nor sheen to it. The lipstick appears beautiful for first few hours. After two or more, the lipstick would start to form like a film/line on the inner part of my lips. This also accentuates chappy lips even with lipbalm underneath.

The staying power of this lipstick is pretty amazing! It leaves stain on my lips that last for 4-6 hours on my lips.

Overall, the color and color payoff is really gorgeous, it’s just that this lipstick is not for me. I just can’t wear matte lipstick since my lips are very dry and chappy already. But if you’re a fan of Matte lipstick, you might want to check this shade.

If you’re a fan of this shade but you can’t wear Matte lipsticks, I found a great alternative for Ever Bilena Pink Flame.

COVERGIRL LIP PERFECTION in HEAVENLY

The packaging of this lipstick reminds me of Maybelline colorsensational long lasting lipstick but not exactly. Unlike Ever Bilena, Covergirl packaging feels more durable and has a better quality (because you pay more for this lipstick).

Like EB, it has a color cap at the bottom but unlike EB, the color cap isn’t detachable. The purpose of this color cap is to give us the idea of the color inside the tube.

 The lipstick has a perfumey smell (slightly altered version of vanilla) that is quite hard to describe, some may like it… others may not... But I honestly like the scent!.  

Covergirl Lip Perfection in Heavenly as I’ve said earlier is a great alternative for EB in Pink Flame. Both give nice pink lips that is not overpowering.

Left: Ever Bilena Pink Flame (matte) - shiny due to light but in reality, it's matte
Right: Covergirl Lip Perfection in Heavenly

Like EB, Covergirl is very pigmented. However, Covergirl is far richer and creamier than EB. It glides smoothly on my lips. Covergirl has creamy texture and has slight sheen to it. It feels very moisturizing as well (I can wear this without lip balm!).

Inspite of the creaminess, Covergirl lipstick stays amazing on my lips! It’s has a staying power of a matte lipstick but a texture and finish of a creamsheen lipstick! I never thought it would be possible before!

If you like a non-drying lipstick but prefer a matte finish, you can still use this lipstick. Just apply this lipstick, blot the lipstick on your lips with tissue then apply your face powder over the top of the tissue with your face brush.

I’m really impressed with this line from Covergirl. However, I’m quite disappointed with the color selection here in Philippines. I haven’t found any other colors that I like. Some are just too bold for my taste, others are too frosty. I just wish the line has more nudes (peachy brown) and soft pinks for everyday. If you like bold lipsticks, you would definitely love this selection.

Overall, I highly recommend Covergirl Lip Perfection! Yes, it’s a bit pricier as compared to EB. But formula-wise? Hands down! It’s amazing! The packaging has a good quality, the color payoff is remarkable, it’s moisturizing on my lips and it stays amazingly on my lips!  It has the quality of a high-end lipstick but with a drugstore tag price! No doubt why it is included on my top 3 favorite brand of lipsticks (lip creams, lipgloss not included): Mac lipsticks, Covergirl Lip Perfection, Maybelline Colorsensational Long lasting lipstick (in no particular order).


Price:

Ever Bilena, PHP 150

Covergirl, Php 395 

SWATCHES

Top: Ever Bilena in Pink Flame

Bottom: Covergirl Lip Perfection in Heavenly

What are your favourite lipsticks? Have you tried any of these lipsticks? Feel free to share your experience! I would like to hear from you!

Etude House in Chic Beige vs Sleek Lipstick in Barely There

This has been a highly raved lip product from Etude House ever since it was released last December. I’m not a huge Etude House fanatic but I absolutely love their eyebrow pencils. With high hope, I purchased this lipstick.

Before proceeding to the review, let me first tell you little things about this product.

This lipstick belongs to their Wannabe Collection (Winter 2012 Limited Edition) – yes, you read it right. It’s a limited edition. I’m not sure yet if it’s still available but I will check it out to update you girls.

It is available in 3 shades: So Trendy Red, So Hot Pink and So Chic Beige

The cute packaging was illustrated by Annika Wester.

This lipstick costs Php 478 for 3.5g of product. Not cheap, not expensive either.

This is not Etude House's typical packaging for lipsticks! Normally, etude house lipsticks are in fancy, flowery, girl-y packaging.  This on the other hand is sleek (with black simple packaging) yet still girl-y (the illustration is just so cute!).

The bottom of the lipstick says the shade is in number 3. I just wish the name “Chic Beige” was written in English. Anyway, at least the English name was still written at the box of this lipstick which I still keep because it is just too adorable to be thrown away.

I had this lipstick for quite a while now and I use it EVERY SINGLE day ever since I got it. It smells like candies, oh how I wish it taste like candies too!

Chic Beige is a peachy-pink lipstick that looks amazing for everyday look. (Swatches will be provided below)

This lipstick is very creamy and glides smoothly on my lips. I love the fact that it doesn’t melt on the tube inspite of the HOT weather here in Philippines.

The color payoff is so great and buildable! I would normally just use two swipes on my lips (saves me a lot of products) and I’m good to go!

It’s very moisturizing on my lips (lipbalm is optional) but sometimes, it tends to sit on the lines on my lips.

The staying power is just average. The sheen will be gone for 1-2 hours but the color will stays for 2-3 hours on my lips.

Overall, for the price it’s a steal! I would definitely repurchase it again if it's still available!

If it's no longer available, you might want to consider buying lipsticks from their latest collection (kiss note) or read the rest of this post for the next lipstick which looks somehow the same with Chic Beige but not exactly.

Sleek True Color lipstick in Barely There

I believe that both Etude House Lipstick in Chic Beige and Sleek in Barely there packaging are made of the same plastic materials. Both are not bulky, durable and light enough. 

However, Sleek looks simpler than Etude House. The size of Sleek lipstick is smaller, approximately 3/4 of Etude House packaging but both contain 3.5 grams of product.

Sleek has an oval packaging instead of the typical round packaging which I think is rather a con for me. Round packaging is an ideal shape for a lipstick because you can close the cap effortlessly since the cap doesn’t necessarily has to be in the right position (equal radius).

Sleek Lipstick in Barely There is a peachy-pink lipstick that is scentless. Compared to Etude House, this has more peach than pink while Etude House has more pinky tone to it. However, on my lips they look somewhat the same but not exactly the same.

Left: Sleek, right: Etude House

Formula-wise, both are creamy and glide smoothly on my lips. However, Etude House is quite thicker and richer than Sleek.

Both lipsticks are moisturizing on my lips. And just like Etude House, Sleek tends to sit on the lines on my lips (and is more obvious than Etude House Chic Beige).

Overall, I think that both lipsticks are almost the same in many ways but I like Etude House Chic Beige more than Sleek Lipsticks in Barely There. To be honest, I rarely bring with me my Sleek Barely There as I am already satisfied with the performance of Chic Beige. 

In general, I recommend you to buy any of these shades. However, I don’t recommend buying Sleek Barely There if you already have Chic Beige (unless ofcourse, it’s no longer on stock).

Where to purchased:

Etude House Chic Beige - Etude House Boutiques

Sleek Lipstick Barely There - I got mine at Bazaar but you can purchase it at any online stores like Fabshopaholic 

Price:

Etude House Chic Beige - Php 478

Sleek Lipstick in Barely There - Php 420

*Note: These lipsticks were purchased using my own money

LIP SWATCHES!

Forgive my ugly lips. No lip balm underneath.

Top: Etude House, Bottom: Sleek

Notice how similar these were on my lips. However, you can still see the slight difference of the colors. Sleek appears more peachy while Etude House looks more pink-y

Of course, here are some my vain shots using these two lipsticks. 

Oh yea! Eyebags!

Top: Etude House, Bottom: Sleek

Have you tried these lipsticks?

Don't hesitate to share your reviews on the comment box!

Until then,

Appreciate, do not hate!

<3

Mac Lipstick in Cosmo

I like lipsticks but I try, with all my powers (believe me!), not to purchase anything expensive. But being in this kind of world where lipsticks are everywhere, it’s hard to resist! So, to somehow lessen the guilt of buying high-end products, I make an effort to look for the best deal available in the internet through online stores. In all fairness, Mac isn’t as expensive as we expect it to be… only if the prices in the U.S are the same with ours... (But it’s not!). Clinique too is way overpriced here. Their lipstick is just a dollar expensive as Mac. Can you believe that?  Revlon too is almost like a high-end brand with their price here. Goodness! Sorry for the rant, but Bobbi brown and other cosmetics are just a little expensive here as compared to their U.S Price (buti pa sila!).  Anyway, those were just out-of-the-topic again, Eloisa. Let’s move on! Aja!

I choose to purchase this color since I was looking for an everyday lipstick. This color is highly recommended by almost everyone that’s why I decided to order it. Yes, this color is definitely an everyday color, just not my everyday color. I’m really sad that I couldn’t review my Mac Cherish (because it was stolen!) but that kind of color is go-to shade. Nevertheless, this color is still a perfect “My Lips but Better” shade.

Mac Cosmo is described my Mac as “pink coco” which I honestly had no idea what kind of color at first. LOL. To those who are somehow like me, Cosmo is a pink-peach shade with brown tone but has more pink than brown. This color is perfect for people who likes pink but not brighter pink. A good dose of brown makes it wearable for everyday.

Packaging:

Because Mac is expensive (and freaking overpriced here!) We deserved good quality of not only lipstick but also the packaging, right? Mac lipstick comes in a bullet-like packaging which is simple, professional-looking and somehow travel-friendly because of the size.

At the bottom of the Lipstick are the following: Finish of the lipstick (for Cosmo: it must be in Amplified Creme!), name of the shade and lastly the date your lipstick was produced.

Okay, why A91?

The first letter stands for the batch number of the product.  A for first batch. B is second and so on.

The second is a number/letter that stands for the month it was manufactured.

1 - January

2 - February

3 - March

4 - April

5 - May

6 - June

7 - July

8 - August

9 - September

A - October

B - November

C - December

(if you have a D on the second letter, congratulations again! It might be fake)

The third is the year it was manufactured. Mine is one which stands for 2011.

So to sum up, the date my lipstick was manufactured was 1st batch of September 2011.

Therefore, the code written at the bottom of your lipstick should match the one written on the box

Mac Cosmo has an amplified crème finish. It glides like butter on my lips with super amazing color payoff. Since it is an amplified cream, it goes very smoothly on lips without the feeling of dryness. You can definitely wear it with or without lip balm underneath but I like wearing it with lipbalm. Although it is very creamy, I noticed that this stays amazingly too. It stays 4-5 hours or more.


I highly recommend this shade. It is definitely one of the easiest shades to wear. It is flattering and versatile shade. It is a perfect lip color for school, work and even special occasion. If you want a safe lip color that you can use for any occasion, you have to try this shade!


As usual, below are the swatches on my hands and on my lips.

Until then!

Appreciate, do not hate!

Left: Mac cosmo, right: Mac Pink Nouveau

Super zoom lang? :)

Mac Pink Nouveau

Do you have a magical lipstick? You know, during those times when you feel ugly, you just pull it out of your kit, apply it on your lips and magically prettify you? Well, I have! Hihi. ;p

At first, I was sceptical whether to purchase it or not. People says Pink Nouveau is drying on lips and does not work well on all skin tone. Gawd! Who likes wasting money, right? But when I saw Noe’s video sporting this fabulous lipstick, I knew I had to get it!

Pink Nouveau is described by Mac cosmetics as “Bright Pink” (duh!) shade. A makeup blogger would describe the color as (because I call myself a “makeup blogger” LOL) a cool-toned pink lipstick or Barbie pink with a good dose of purple. However, if I were not a makeup blogger and just a simple human being who’s not into makeup, I would simply describe the color as a red-violet-shade lipstick. As simple as that. Period! LOL! Do I make any sense? Well, if not. No worries! I provided a swatch for you!

 Packaging:

Because Mac is expensive (and freaking overpriced here!) We deserved good quality of not only lipstick but also the packaging, right? The mac comes in a bullet-like packaging which is simple, professional-looking and somehow travel-friendly because of the size.

Once you removed the cap, you will see another "MAC" logo printed on the body of the lipstick which reminds me  that "IT'S MAC!" LOL. According to Mac experts, the printed Mac is one test to see whether you got an authentic Mac or not. If there's no printed logo, then it's fake. If after some time and the printed logo fades away, then congratulations! You got yourself a fake mac! hehe. Although, there are other tons of things you have to inspect to know if your Mac is fake or not. I won't be discussing it all since I-am-no-Mac-expert! Just search on google--- the brain we never had (as they say!)

hahaah! Sorry, wrong focus. LOL! the logo is blurred! 

At the bottom of the Lipstick are the following: Finish of the lipstick (for Pink Nouveau: it must be in Satin!), name of the shade and lastly the date your lipstick was produced.

Okay, why A30? 

The first letter stands for the batch number of the product.  A for first batch. B is second and so on.

The second is a number/letter that stands for the month it was manufactured. 

1 - January 

2 - February

3 - March

4 - April

5 - May

6 - June

7 - July

8 - August

9 - September

A - October

B - November

C - December

(if you have a D on the second letter, congratulations again! It might be fake)

The third is the year it was manufactured. Mine is zero which stands for 2010. 

So to sum up, the date my lipstick was manufactured was 1st batch of March 2010. 

Therefore, the code written at the bottom of your lipstick should match the one written on the box

Mac Pink Nouveau has Satin finish. It glides smoothly on my lips with good color payoff. Since it’s in Satin finish, it tends to be drying on lips especially after few hours of wearing it.  Therefore, applying lip balm before is a must.  Mac lipsticks are famous for its mild vanilla scent.

Commercial: When I was new to this makeup world, I’m not familiar with satin, creme, amplified, lustre etc- finishes. I’m only familiar with 2 kinds of finishes: the Matte (are those without shimmers) and Frost (with shimmers). And so, in my first few lipstick posts, I told you that my favorite kinds of finish for lipsticks are matte. But then, as I get to know lipsticks more, I realized how much I hate matte (no-shine) finishes as they’re super drying on my lips. The finishes that I’m referring a year back then were Satin and Crème finishes.  Matte like what I’ve said before has no shine to it, just a flat color. Satin, on the other hand, is a semi-matte. It’s has a sheen to it but not so glossy. Crème finishes are shiny and very creamy. So basically, Satin is in between Matte and crème finish. Other finishes include frost, lustre, dazzle, and glaze.

Staying Power: I normally would wear it a little longer than most typical lipsticks. It stays probably 4-5 hours (or more, if you don’t eat your lipsticks LOL) on me. 

Overall, I highly recommend this shade and lipstick. It's okay to spend sometimes. After all, it is worth every single cent! 

As usual, pictures are provided at the end of this post! Enjoy!

Until then! 

Appreciate, do not hate!

Love lots!

This is my sister, the one who made my banner! :)

Some pictures I took before using my low-quality cellphone's camera

Lastly, a lip swatch from google image. credit to the owner.