Girlactik Matte Lip Paint Allure vs The Balm Meet Matt Hughes Charming

I've tried several matte liquid lipsticks and I must say I were not a huge fan as they all tend to be very very dry and crack my lips. But, recently I purchased 2 liquid lipsticks that I found to be very very good. Let's do a comparison between Girlactik Lip Paint in Allure and The Balm Meet Matte Hughes in Charming.

The Balm Meet Matt Hughes Charming

Girlactik Allure

The Balm Meet Matt Hughes in Charming is described as a long lasting liquid matte lipstick. Let me start by saying that the description is on point. Charming is a muted deep rose / berry shade, basically the shade that is on trend at the moment. Almost every brands that carry liquid matte lipsticks are having this shade because it's a flattering color for almost all skin tones. I personally love Charming very much. It's a shade that makes my teeth appear whiter and also complementing my complexion really well. The texture is very thin and watery and it sets into a matte finish. It's true matte with no sheen whatsoever. It feels sticky for the first couple of minutes before setting into a rather rubbery feeling. From the beginning, I was well aware that no matte liquid lipstick will be hydrating and Charming was not an exception. It is slightly drying, but it's not uncomfortable and I still can wear it the entire day despite of my lips being easily chapped and dried out. However, I prefer to apply a thin layer of lip balm underneath to make it a little less drying ( the balm won't eliminate the matte effect though, so no worries about it, just make sure to apply just a very thin layer of lip balm ). Having a balm underneath will shorten its staying power, but I really don't mind. Without a lip balm underneath, Charming can get to 5-6 hour mark with no problem. 

Girlactik Matte Lip Paint in Allure was a exciting surprise. I purchased it on a whim because I really liked the shade, but I didn't expect it to be anything groundbreaking. But, after trying it on, I was so happy to find out how good it really was. The texture is similar to The Balm Meet Matt, very thin and watery. It's really easy to apply and the doe foot applicator enables a precise application. It sets after few seconds into matte finish as well. Compare to The Balm, Girlactik is more comfortable on the lips and doesn't particularly need a lip balm underneath. It feels a tad sticky but the stickiness will fade after few minutes. It is very comfortable on the lips to the point that I almost forgot that I had something on. Allure is a warm nudish pink shade. On my lips however, it appears a bit coral which is still very beautiful. It is also the kind of shade that will flatter a lot of skin tones. The staying power is great and slightly longer than The Balm.

Overall, if you have problems with dry lips and have yet to find the perfect matte liquid lipstick, look no further. These two are excellent.

The Balm Matt Hughes retails for €16,99 / 7,4ml and Girlactik Matte Lip Paint retails for US$ 23 / ( can't find the amount of the product on the website, but I guess the same as The Balm ).

Love,

Pam

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush

I visited Amsterdam last month and of course I had to give De Bijenkorf at Dam Square a visit. I was surprised to see a huge Charlotte Tilbury counter there. It was a Monday, but the counter was packed. All the lovely ladies working there were busy , so I had a good time alone swatching here and there before a lovely CT girl approached me and we spent almost an hour solid talking about make up xD.

 

I was there with my aunt and she was looking for a nice natural foundation for mature skin ( my aunt is 65 years old ). So, she was given a make over from the nice CT girl ( I sadly forgot her name though :/) and my aunt ended up taking all the stuffs the MUA applied on her face. I was impressed to see the direct result on my aunt's skin. While waiting for her make up to be done, I did a lot of swatches and ended up liking the Cheek to Chic blush in Ecstasy a bit too much xD ( I wanted to get the Walk of Shame lipstick too but it was sold out ). 

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush comes in a nice slim and round plastic case. The case is well made and has a good weight to it despite of it being made out of plastic. There is a built in mirror inside but it doesn't include mini brush which I think is good as mini brushes are usually being thrown away.

The Cheek to Chic Blushes have 2 different shades in one pan. I picked up the shade Ecstasy which  a bright coral and a peach shade. Both shades have sheen and are not matte. They're not shimmery though. I like to swirl my brush to both shades and mix them together to achieve a flattering peachy coral color. The blush has a good pigmentation and reminds me a lot of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush. The texture is smooth and finely milled. I experience very minimal fall out and despite of its excellent pigmentation, it still has room for errors. It blends beautifully and won't give you an over blushed look.

The staying power is great as well. This blush is a winner in my book.

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush retails for €39/8gr of product which is expensive, but it's worth the splurge.

What is your current blush favourite?

Love,

Pam

Lancome Juicy Shaker

Ever since Lisa Eldrigde took over the creative director position at Lancome, they've been coming up with a lot of new interesting products. I was never really attracted to the brand as it used to have a slight old fashioned image to it. But nowadays, their new launches are looking really nice and make me want to explore the range more. I recently just purchased one of their new Juicy Shaker and I've been enjoying it so far.

Lancome Juicy Shaker is described to be pigment infused lip oil. This might not be the first type of product on the market, but I can say that it is the only one that looks attractive enough for me to try. 

The cute packaging plays a big role, I guess. The juicy shaker comes in a cute mini shaker tube / bullet with a witty sponge applicator. The sponge applicator absorbs a lot of product and gets soaked up after few usage. The sponge applicator is unusual but it works perfectly fine. 

Texture wise, it is a lip oil infused with pigment. It has oily-slippery texture and the pigmentation is sheer. I have tried several shades and to be honest, they all look very similar once applied. I personally don't think that you need to buy several shades as they're all very sheer and therefore do not have different effects on the lips. It is however very lightweight and is not sticky at all. It applies smoothly and a tad slippery. The oily feeling is not something that bothers me as it doesn't feel greasy. Another good thing, for something with oily and slippery formulation, it has a good staying power. The shine will fade after 2-3 hour wear, but the tint of color stays on pretty well.

The Juicy Shaker feels hydrating on the lips and is very comfortable to wear. I like to apply is as a 'topcoat' for drier lip products or sometimes alone on days I just want a very natural look.

Overall, Lancome Juicy Shaker is a nice addition to my lip product stash. It's not cheap at €17,99-€22,99 depends on where you get it, but I didn't regret the purchase.

Love,
Pam

Shiseido Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation

Another new foundation purchase over here xD. I just can't stop buying new foundation that it is no longer healthy for my wallet ( well, at least it makes me happy and happy mind means healthy being, right? ).

Shiseido recently launched a new foundation called Shyncro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation ( what a mouthful name! ). I saw the foundation featured on some instagrammers I follow, so when I spotted it online , I just took the plunge and ordered it ( other excuse ; I had a voucher so I ended up saving almost €20 woohoo ! ).

According to the official website, Shiseido Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation is supposed to be lightweight and long wearing foundation that provides a flawless and natural finish without any greasy / oily shine. The foundation is also non comedogenic and suitable for all skin types.

I've been trying this foundation for the past 3 weeks and I have a mixed feeling for it. The foundation has a lightweight and slightly runny texture. It does feel silicone-y and applies beautifully. But, it does tend to sit in my pores and hence slightly emphasize the pores which is never a good thing. It is however not the case if I pair it with Sunday Riley Breathable tinted primer so the pore enhancing case is not really an issue with me but it's worth noting if you have really large and visible pores or dry patches.

The foundation provides a medium coverage and has a natural finish. It does not look cakey or dull despite of the matte finish. The finish is not dead matte though ( if you compare it with Estee Lauder Double Wear or Revlon Colorstay for oily skin, for instance ), and as for my combination skin, even the mattest foundation will get dewy within few hours xD. But if you pair with with good primer + good setting powder, this foundation stays on pretty well. It got to 8-9 hour mark with no problem.

It was not easy to find the right shade for my complexion, but after looking at some swatches online, I decided to take shade Neutral 01. I could have gone a shade darker though as Neutral 01 is a bit too light for spring / summer. I recently went on a beach vacation and got a bit tanned , so this foundation will have to wait until my tan fades and the colder days are back.

Overall, I am glad I didn't buy it at full price ( €49,99 ) because I would be rather disappointed. The foundation is not bad, but it does have some issues. It claims to be suitable for all skin types whereas the dry patches clinging issue might make it problematic for people with dry skin as well as the pores enhancing issue might not be best for people with oily skin.

Love,
Pam