MAC x Charlotte Olympia Lipsticks - Leading Lady Red & Starlett Scarlet

L - R; leading lady red, starlett scarlet

Like I said in my haul I'm not usually one to sit and wait for MAC limited edition launches but with this collection containing some matte red lipsticks (and already owning every matte red shade MAC has to offer) I jumped at the chance to add some new shades to my collection.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats - 203

Slowly and steadily I'm accumulating all of the lipsticks from this collection. A whole set of matte red lipsticks? You can bet your bum I'm going to get them all. Unfortunately though, £26 on a lipstick is rarely justified even to an a complete addict like me so when this went on sale over Christmas I was a very happy bunny (and it took all every ounce of will power not to buy the other 6 I don't have - yet).

Unlike 204 this a very bright, clean cherry red with warm undertones. The texture is creamy and it's comfortable to wear pretty much all day. The finish is demi matte, super opaque and beautiful. It's very similar in terms of quality to 204 which is always a good thing. A lot of people say that YSL lip products can be very hit and miss but so far so good when it comes to these lipsticks, well they have been for me at least.

Without a doubt these are still my most treasured lipsticks. I have a huge amount of love for Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks and Nars especially, but there's something about these that make them my absolute favourites. They feel luxurious, the packaging is stunning, the formula is incredible and every shade is so spot on. They're classic, timeless lipsticks that suit everyone and if you haven't already (and you have the $$$), I would highly recommend investing in one of these. Unless you don't like red lipsticks in which case - WHAT?!

Read my review of 204 - here


What's your all time favourite lipstick?

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Nars Audacious Lipstick - Rita

Say hello to my new favourite red lipstick. If you haven't been here long, firstly hi and secondly, I am a complete and hopeless devotee to a red lip - I own a lot of red lipsticks - so for this to shoot straight up to my number one spot is saying something.

First of all, I just love the packaging. I think it's simple and beautiful and the magnetic closure is beyond satisfying. Because I'm part magpie it was actually the packaging that initially drew me in but it was the lipstick kept me in for the long haul! It's described as a scarlet red which I think encapsulates it perfectly. It's a medium to deep neutral red with some warmer undertones and it is gorrrrgeous. Out of all of the red shades in the Audacious family, according to reviews, this seems to be the most matte shade which I could not be happier about. When applying it feels creamy and doesn't tug at all but becomes significantly drier throughout wear. It was around the 5 hour mark when I noticed it becoming slightly uncomfortable but I was happy to find that it didn't flake or come off patchy but surprisingly faded pretty evenly. The pigmentation is incredible, after one sweep on each lip it was completely opaque.

I really don't have a bad thing to say about this lipstick. It's everything that I could dream of a lipstick being and I totally and wholeheartedly adore it.

What's your favourite lipstick? Have you tried any of Nars' Audacious lipsticks?

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Topshop 5 Years of Beauty Lipstick - Rio Rio

Topshop 5 Years of Beauty Collection Lipstick in Rio Rio £8 - link

Another day, another red lipstick. Considering this lipstick was part of Topshop's original collection 5 years ago I'm surprised I've never got round to getting it until now. I am glad though that I held out and bought it in this adorable rose gold packaging - I know the release of the 5 years of beauty collection was a while ago now but hey ho!

Rio Rio is a vivid orange red with obvious warm undertones and a satin finish. It's beautifully creamy to apply but moves easily and starts to separate and fade fairly quickly, particularly in the center of the lips. It doesn't dry out throughout wear so it doesn't last that long at 3 hours maximum before it's completely gone. It doesn't stain the lips.

I'm still adjusting to brighter reds and I think I'll always be a burgundy gal at heart but for now I'm happy to add a few to my collection.

Do you like bright reds? What's your favourite shade of red?

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My Red Lipstick Collection Part #3 - Darks

Darks
swatches from L-R:
Rimmel 107 £5.49 - link, MAC Diva £15.50 - link, MAC Studded Kiss £15.50 - link, Topshop Beguiled £8 - N/A, YSL 204 £26 - link, Topshop Wicked £8 - N/A, Topshop Trigger £8 - N/A


Well I'm just going to pretend that there wasn't a month in between this part and the previous one. This is the final installment of my red lipstick collection as it currently is and this is my most favourite part - the dark reds. I get the most use out of these without a doubt and I don't limit them to this time of year but they definitely do seem a little more suited to it. I have a whole bunch of these kinds of shades sitting in baskets on various websites, but mainly MAC who am I kidding, so I'll be sure to update this when there are a few new additions to talk about but for now - here's what I'm working with.


Rimmel 107 - Dark red with strong cool blue undertones. It's a semi and comfortable matte finish that lasts 4/5 hours. The formula seems much better than others I have from the range. It's less dry, more opaque and lasts a lot longer on the lips without fading or becoming patchy.

MAC Diva - A deep burgundy red with warm undertones.  It's a semi matte finish that becomes drier throughout wearing it but never becomes uncomfortable. It's completely creamy and completely opaque on application and lasts for a good amount of time at 6-7 hours and leaves a light stain as it fades.

MAC Studded Kiss - A really similar shade to Diva this is also a burgundy red with warm undertones. It's a slightly warmer hue and has brown tones tones running through it. It's, again, a semi matte finish that applies creamy and if you're interested in reading more I wrote a review you can have look at here.

Topshop Beguiled - Warm toned burgundy red. Its a velvet finish with a creamy formula that is opaque in a couple of coats.  Lasts 5-6 hours.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture - The Mats 204 - Definitely the most luxurious in my collection. It applies beautifully smooth and opaque and wears for around 4-5 hours and even then only just starts showing signs of wear. It's a semi matte finish that continues to stay moisturising and comfortable all through wear. It's a warm toned deep red with subtle brown undertones. Full review here.

Topshop Wicked - A deep berry burgundy shade with strong blue undertones. This is, unfortunately, the only berry shade in my collection but it's beautiful and without doubt one of my favourite lipsticks that I own. It's a really flattering shade and one that I get a lot of use of especially around this time of year. It wears well at 4 hours before it starts fading - I have a review of this which you can read if you want to here. It's more of a satin finish than a velvet or semi matte like all the other Topshop lipsticks I own.

Topshop Trigger - A medium - dark true red with subtle blue undertones. It's a velvet finish that takes a couple of coats to be opaque. It has a smooth texture and that lasts around 3 hours before a need to reapply. Full review here.


Do you like dark reds? What's your favourite A/W lipstick?

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MAC Matte Lipstick - Studded Kiss

MAC Matte Lipstick (Studded Kiss) £15.50 - link

London has been full of rainy days and cloudy skies which means Autumn is practically here and to celebrate I bought a very fitting dark red lipstick.

The shade of this lipstick is beauuutiful! It's a deep red, described as a dark oxblood red, with warm undertones and subtle brown tones running through it too. It has a matte finish, and as we've come to know from MAC's mattes, it's completely opaque but surprisingly not as drying. It has a creamy texture meaning that it's comfortable to wear and apply but doesn't last as long on the lips. It does however dry after around an hour of wear into a truer matte finish. It lasted around 5 hours before I needed to take it off or reapply. It does stain the lips lightly.

I love this colour and I will absoultely be living in it as soon as the days get shorter and the nights get colder. I'm so excited for endless hot chocolates and oversized jumpers, roll on Autumn!


What colour do you wear a lot when the weather starts getting colder? Do you like matte lipsticks?

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My Red Lipstick Collection Part #2 - Classics

Classics
L-R: Nars Mysterious Red £18 - link, MAC Russian Red £15.50 - link, Rimmel Lasting Finish Shade 10 £5.49 (similar available in shade #37) - link, Charlotte Tilbry  Red Carpet Red £23 - link, Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Shade 111 £5.49  - link, MAC Ruby Woo £15.50 - link, Topshop Hazard £8 - link


Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - Mysterious Red
A crimson red with deep, warm undertones. It's dreamy to apply with the pencil format making it easy to stay within the lines and the smooth texture means it doesn't tug and is opaque in one light sweep. This is without doubt one of my most favourite lipsticks I own even if it's not completely matte, and trust me that is saying something. It's called velvet matte for a reason and is semi matte/velvet finish although it does dry over time. It lasts for around 4 hours and then gradually fades. For more details I did a review you can read here.

MAC - Russian Red
Do I even need to write anything about this lipstick? This should and must be in your collection - along with Ruby Woo but we'll get to that in a minute. This is my second one of these lipsticks because, without fail, I always come back to it. The blue undertones make it extremely flattering and the true red shade is a winner in every situation. It's smooth and somewhat creamy on application and then dries to a completely matte finish after a few minutes. It is eventually drying and uncomfortable but that doesn't bother me at all. It lasts for 4-5 hours or 6+ with liner. It's totally opaque although has applied unevenly sometimes when I've tried to build the intensity with more than one coat. Overall it's an incredible lipstick, go and buy it if you haven't already - you've been missing out.

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate - Shade 10
A beautiful classic red that applies creamy with subtle blue undertones to accentuate a glowing smile. Considering it's not matte and that pretty much means I should be allergic to it, I get a lot of wear out of this lipstick. It's a satin finish that lasts around 3 hours. I can't find this shade available anywhere in the UK as I bought mine in America a couple of years ago but the shade '37' (linked above) is a pretty close match. There are some other shades from this range that I am dying to get my hands on and plus it's 2 for £10 at the moment at Boots, what could be a better excuse?!

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick - Red Carpet Red
A deep, blue toned red. I almost considered putting this in with the dark reds of my collection but it seemed more suited here. In my opinion it's still a classic red shade, especially with the cool hue it has, but it's deeper than any of the other shades in this part. It's a semi matte finish, extremely creamy and comfortable on application and in wear throughout the day. It does tend to move slightly and almost feels like it never sets. It lasts for around 3-4 hours. You can read about this in a lot more glorious detail here.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate - Shade 111
A warm, rich red. It's dry on application and tugs a little but it's still comfortable to wear and stays put for 3-4 hours. This shade is definitely a true classic red and pretty much suits everyone and for £5.49 it's a winner on all fronts.

MAC - Ruby Woo
Perhaps the queen of the matte red lip. As with Russian Red this is a classic, true red with vivid blue undertones. It has a retro matte finish or an uncomfortable as all hell matte finish but it's a trillion billion percent worth it. This bad boy isn't going anywhere. It lasts for 6-7 hours with no priming or lining unless you're using your mouth a lot (I'll save the inappropriate jokes for another time) and when lined and primed, it's staying put for 8 hours and then some more. This lipstick looks great on everyone I've seen wear it and has definitely earned it's crown. If you can overcome the dry aspect of this lipstick, it'll be your greatest make up companion.

Topshop Lipstick in Hazard
I still will never understand why Topshop make up doesn't get the recognition it deserves. The lipsticks are my second favourite after MAC and consequently make up almost half of my whole collection. They are wonderful and if you haven't already I'd recommend getting your hands on one.
The finish of this one is a semi-matte/velvet finish. It applies creamy and opaque but requires blotting or you'll end up with red smudges everywhere. It dries out the longer you have it on so if you can keep your hands away from your mouth for about an hour you shouldn't have a problem with it transferring. Despite it drying it never becomes uncomfortable as it never dries to a true matte but that also does mean it's prone to a bit of movement. It lasts for 4 hours before it fades and it doesn't leave a stain.


Do you have any of these lipsticks in your collection? What do you think of classic reds?

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My Red Lipstick Collection Part #1 - Brights

Brights
L-R: Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate 110 £5.49 (link), MAC Damn Glamorous £15.50 (N/A), MAC La Vie En Rouge £15.50 (N/A), MAC Dangerous £15.50 (link)

Hello and welcome to my ever growing collection of red lipsticks!
I have a truly unhealthy addiction to red lipsticks, matte red lipsticks to be specific, and I've been collecting them and slowly growing my stash over the past couple of years. I don't quite know why I love them so much to be honest, I guess one of the more reasonable excuses I have is that they just look good on everyone, with every outfit, in any season or at any time of day - that and they're pretty to look at.

So I'm starting this 3 part series off with the smallest branch of red lipsticks I own, the brights. I've only recently started picking up more vibrant shades of red with more pink, orange and coral tones as I was never brave enough to wear a lipstick that almost seemed like it was glowing on my lips, and then I came to the realization that life is way too short to spend an hour debating your lipstick choices.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate in 110
This is a semi matte finish, coral toned red. It's almost just a coral lipstick but the warm tones through it accentuate the red, therefore in my opinion, giving it a place here. For a drug store matte lipstick (which are almost impossible to find - trust me) this is pretty good. The texture is quite dry but it applies evenly and is opaque in a couple of coats. It doesn't last that long at 2-3 hours before it starts separating on the lips (it's not pretty) but for the shorter of adventures it's great. I haven't found a similar shade in any other brand which is the main reason I like it so much. It's a really beautiful balance of red and coral and looks wonderful in the Spring.

MAC Matte in Damn Glamorous
I bought this last Christmas without even knowing that it was limited edition. In all honesty from the swatches online I thought this was much more of a classic red than what it actually is but I think that has just made me love it more. It's a bright pink red with subtle blue undertones, it has a creamy matte finish and is completely opaque. If you want to know more about this lipstick you can have a look at the review I did here.

MAC Matte in La Vie En Rouge
A stunning vibrant coral toned red with warm undertones. This is without doubt the brightest lipstick I own. The finish dries to a true matte but is creamy on application and when it sets, it seems brighter still. I wore this a lot this year to my surprise (I definitely thought I'd chicken out) and I really love it. It's one of those lipsticks that makes me feel like a better version of myself when I have it on - is that insane? It sounds insane as I'm typing this but it's true! It's a lovely shade and all round lipstick and I've already done a review on this one too which you can read here.

MAC Retro Matte in Dangerous
The newbie. This is my only full on orange red. After hearing someone say once that paler skin tones should stay away from orange reds I did, but it turns out that whoever said that was completely wrong and you should wear what ever the hell you want to. Anyway enough with the tacky life quotes, the lipstick is a true matte finish. It's dry in texture and uncomfortable to wear, which is what I've come to love with MAC matte lipsticks. I have also done a review of this one too (surprise, surprise) yesterday actually, so if you missed it you can find out all you need to know about this lipstick here.

Part 2 will be up next Friday where I talk about all my classic red lipsticks, my favourites. I hope you enjoyed this kind of post and having a look into my collection.


What's the brightest lipstick you own? And do you have a lipstick that makes you feel different or more cofident or am I just completely mental?

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