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Lush Christmas 2017

I feel like I’ve had to do this a few times recently but I’m starting this post saying sorry about another computer issue! It seems to be stuck typing \ all the time so sorry if any rogue back slashes appear in this post, I think I caught them all but one or two might sneak through! Also these photos have been taken on my iPad. Hopefully normal service will resume shortly but it may be time to…

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Lush Halloween 2017

This year Lush seem to have released quite a range for Halloween, especially considering that not that long ago there were years where it was pretty last minute and they even hinted at not releasing any Halloween themed products. I only got four, and one of these seems to be in the Christmas range for some reason but it definitely feels more Halloween to me. I decided to go for four things, to be…

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Having bought the second, apparently limited edition, version of the Meet Matt(e) Hughes Liquid Lipsticks Mini Set from TheBalm I thought it’d be interesting to compare it to the original mini set I bought a while ago. Although they should be pretty much the same there seems to be some differences, besides the colour of the lipstick, which may be due to the colours and formulation of each colour like you often find with products of different colour in the same range.

I have had the original set for a while, but I don’t think there has been much change over time with the formula. If you want to read the review posts for these you can find the original set, the one I’m calling Vol. 1, here and the newer set review can be found here. They have swatches and a bit more of a detailed description of each of the colours.

Ingredients: I feel like I should start this post off by saying that when I compare the ingredients the lists are identical besides the addition of a dspecici red in the newest set which is simply going to be the one used in some of the colours and they may not all contain all of the colour dyes. Putting the two next to each other you can see everything is the same in the same order so, I would guess, the base formula for all twelve liquid lipsticks should be the same and it’s simply the colour that makes the difference.

Consistency: For some reason the liquid Lipsticks in Vol. 1 are thinner when you apply them than the new set. This hasn’t changed over time, if anything I’d have expected the older set to get thicker, so I’m just going to assume it’s the specific colours within the set. The vol 2. set colours have the consistency more of the moussier, almost whipped feeling, liquid lipsticks like the NYX lip lingerie. The vol 1. lipsticks are more liquid, though opaque in one coat, and seem to show lines in my lips more at times, the other almost seems to smooth over my lips more.

  Pigmentation and Opacity: This is one way that both are good, it’s pretty consistent within both sets that the darker colours are more opaque and pigmented. Most of the colours in both are opaque in one coat but there are a couple in the newer set that needed a touch up when I first applied it, the two lighter colours. The original set did have one or two that I, personally, would choose to touch up but they weren’t at all obvious unless you properly look hard at them.

  Lasting Power: As when I first bought the original set it was my first real look at any matte liquid lipsticks I thought maybe I’d been expecting too much from them so wanted to give them another go after getting the new set. I think this is another point where it’s simply a matter of the specific colours being the ones that have more of a problem and, again, the lighter ones do come off worse. However, I do still think that the three non reds in the original set do not have the staying power of the rest of the colours. The reds in general, in both sets, do tend to stain my lips slightly and can be a bit messy when you remove them, I had a pink stain around my mouth for a while without realising after my last swatch of the latest set. I would say the lighter colours in the original set are definitely the weaker colours when it comes to staying power, they do need to be topped up after three or four hours or after eating, whereas all of the others seemed to survive most food without obvious fading.

Overall the Meet Matt(e) Hughes formula seems good when it comes to lasting compared to other liquid lipsticks I’ve tried since. They do take a bit of shifting if you want to remove them after they’ve set but within the first couple of hours, I had a line of marks in my arm for a while that took a lot of scrubbjng and soap as well as makeup remover and I still had red marks from some colours. However, in this category the second set wins for me, though as I said it’s probably just the specific colours in it.

Colours: This is the main difference, and probably the reason you would choose the one over the other really, and both sets do have a fair range of colours in them. Having all twelve colours actually covers most reds and neutrals, though only slightly goes into pinks. I tried to swatch them near to the colours that are kind of similar to each other with the two sets side by side so you can compare the colour ranges.

The original set is definitely a warmer group of colours with the more orangey true red if Loyal alongside the other bright red of Dedicated and then varying neutral shades that all have a warm base to me in the shape of Doting, Commited, Charming and Sincere. This set does have a nice group if colours that sit well together but it doesn’t have all that much of a range. I have a feeling this was released to cover the original, smaller range, of full sized matte liquid lipsticks thy had out at the time.

The second, limited edition, set had a greater range for me and leans more towards the cool tones, especially with Affectionate with the almost purple hints in the dusty pink. The two reds of Faithful and Romantic do have a slightly bluer base compared to the original set and are almost berry shades and the two more neutral tones of Charismatic and Reliable are more brown toned than the slightly orange or coral bases the Vol. 1 colours seemed to have. The one colour which does more on the warmer side than the rest to me is the almost salmony pink of Brilliant. It’s a nice colour and not a true pink but I find it hard to tell if it’s a neutral or warmer toned colour. This set definitely covers more vases when it comes to colour groups and the range in there.

Volume 1 front

Volume 1 back

Volume 2 front

Volume 2 back

Packaging: I wasn’t sure if I should include this as a category as the packaging is almost identical, especially when it comes to the individual lipsticks. The outer card packaging is slightly different, the limited edition one includes small photos of the colours underneath the names so you have more of an idea of the actual colour on the lips as they are a bit different to the colour in the tube.

Final Thoughts: To be honest the main difference is the obvious one of the colours included and whichever one you choose because of this is a matter of your colour preference and skin tone. Both sets have good pigmentation and I think would show up on all skin tones, though the originals would stand out a lot more on darker skin as they seem brighter in some way, the second set has more muted colours that wouldn’t be as bright.

The formulas do feel different, though they shouldn’t, so I’m going to say that this is probably due to the variation in the colours, as with a lot of products you can find two colours in the same product react differently. Neither set is that drying but I have found that the colours in the original set seem to give my lips a drier look, I think it’s the thinner consistency so they don’t have as thick a coat on your lips to smooth then out at all. Both sets have great staying power and do almost as well as the Kat Von D one I have, just not quite, but given the price at £14 for the full size I would say they’re worth the cost and I definitely think these minis are if you want to try different colours. I can’t see these running out too quickly and you get the six colours for less than you’d pay for two so if you don’t have one particular one you want to try it’s a good price.

To me, and this is personal taste, I prefer the second set. This is due to the range of colours in there, the moussier texture and the fact that they are just more me colour wise for the makeup I choose at the moment. Both are good sets but I know I’ll personally be reaching more for the ones in Volume 2 rather than Volume 1.

Comparison: TheBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes Liquid Lipstick Vol. 1 vs Vol. 2 Having bought the second, apparently limited edition, version of the Meet Matt(e) Hughes Liquid Lipsticks Mini Set…

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Might Be Taking a Bit of a Break

It’s a bit odd posting this as I’m not sure if there will actually be any difference on my blog as, for once, I was actually organised and have a few posts scheduled. But yesterday my Grandpa died, it hasn’t really sunk in yet so no idea how I’m going to react when it does and I might go quiet online for a bit. It’s odd, I know I’ve been lucky in that no one close to me has died since I was five…

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A while ago I bought the first set of Meet Matt(e) Hughes minis with 6 small versions of the The Balm matte liquid lipsticks. My review of them can be found here, that’s the permanent set that’s still available. This post is on the limited edition version, though when they call it that I’m not sure how limited it’ll be. I have noticed some differences between the formulas of these six and the originals, not just the colours.

This set has six minis, each has 1.2 ml and costs £25 on the Debenhams website. As the full sized ones (7.4 ml) cost £14 each these sets are a great way to test out the colours or formula as I don’t see myself using any of these minis up, though if you know the colour you want these may not be the best option as they cost more for the same amount of lipstick overall. The six colours included in this set are Faithful, Charismatic, Brilliant, Affectionate, Reliable and Romantic which include a good range of colours, though these go more towards the more neutral and muted tones compared to the originals. There are reds but they’re more cool tones and the neutrals have a slight brown tone to them.

The box for these is the main thing that links them to the standard The Balm packaging, there’s the black and white photographs that have the retro feeling. The box has all the information on the ingredients on the back of it and the front has the names of the colours. This set also has mini swatch photos, or photos of the colours on lips, under each of them which is helpful as a few of them do seem to dry slightly different to the way they look in the tube. This wasn’t on the original set and I think it’s a great addition.

The tubes for the liquid lipstick themselves are mini versions of the full sized. I really like the way they’re so easy to control, with the shorter wand and the lid is slimmer so it’s a great size to hold easily and get close control for lining the lips. It’s also a great size for throwing in your bag or for travel. The doe foot applicator is, again, a smaller version of the full sized. The tubes also each have the name on then, something I forgot was on the original ones and makes it easy to know the names if you want to get the full sized one later.

I have tried each of them a few times to see how well they last with different food. Unfortunately my original watches somehow got corrupted so these photos were all taken on the same day so my lips get worse and worse condition with more matte lipstick. Other than that they do show the colours accurately on my lips. They do seem to appear lighter in my lips than on the cloth when I removed them and darker than in the tube.

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Faithful – A deep berry shade that does apply a bit patchy. As it has the slight purple tint it does make my teeth appear a bit yellower than they are but lasts really well and does stain your lips slightly.

Charismatic – a mid tone nude with a slightly orangey toned base. Applies evenly with one coat and lasts well. I find it’s not much of a difference darkness wise to my natural lips but it changes the colour so it’s a nice everyday colour.

Brilliant – a mid salmony pink, does look a lot darker in the shadow than in the light but a nice spring or summer colour to me. It is slightly patchier than some of the others so it did need a bit of touching up when I first applied it but once you’ve got the coverage you want it lasts well.

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Affectionate – a kind of lavender and mauve mid tone colour that reminds me of NYX Embellishment but a bit lighter. It does look a lot darker when not in direct light, it’s odd how some do this more than others. The slight purple tint does add a yellow tone to my teeth and it’s like Brilliant in that you need to touch it up a bit as it’s slightly patchy on first application but this lasts really well.

Reliable – an orangey based brown, one of the darkest in the set and probably a true brown rather than the nude tones that have a brown tint. It does show orangery in light and looks quite bright then. Applies really evenly and opaque, easily covered a dark mole on my arm when I first swatched it.

Romantic – a true dark red, it does seem to make my teeth look yellower so I think there is a slight blue tones that makes it a muted red rather than a classic bright red. The most opaque of the colours and really does stain so be careful when removing it as you can end up with a bright pink stain around your mouth.

  The formula for these liquid lipsticks is really nice. For a matte lipstick it isn’t too drying, it doesn’t give that look of drying the lips out even more, but it does benefit from lip balm half an hour or so before you apply it. This set seems to have a drier, thicker formula than the originals. It has a similar look in the tube, the slightly cracked look, that the NYX lip lingerie do. This is because of the the moussy texture of the formula itself and that makes it light and easy to apply with high pigmentation. It does mean that they can be applied too thick very easily, though you just have to make sure you remove any excess on the tube. One plus for this formula over a lot of the matte liquid lipsticks is the scent; it has a mildly minty smell that reminds me of some of the lip plumping products out there without the tingling.

As far as longevity goes this formula is better than the original to me. It lasts well, though it does need reapplication after a greasy meal but it survived sandwiches, hot and cold drinks and things like pasta. Four hours after I first applied it it was still going strong without any food, a bit of fading around the inner lip line but not enough to need reapplying. A couple of hours after that most of them were obviously fading, but an overall fade rather than patchy, and there was still lipstick on my lips when I went to remove my makeup after eight hours wearing it. There was a bit of variation between the colours but in general they lasted pretty much the same under the same circumstances.

I don’t know how these colours are exclusive or if they’ve changed the formula compared to the older mini set but these seem to last better and feel a slightly thicker, moussier formula that applies evenly. I love the mix of colours, the range in this set is definitely greater to me than in the original, and the pinks in this add a different look to the more nude and red based colours in the original set.

I think I’d recommend these as a good set to try. I like the formula, they last pretty well and are comfortable and not drying when wearing or afterwards which is always a plus when it comes to liquid lipsticks. It’s a great range of colours that covers most bases and I think leans on the cooler side colour tone wise. There are definitely a couple in here that I might consider buying a full sized product in, mainly Affectionate and Charismatic, as they’re great everyday colours for me.

If you’re looking for a way to try liquid lipsticks and find a colour for you this is a rest starting point at the price as they’re a good quality lipstick and come to just over £4 each, plus I don’t see these running out any time soon. I also think it’d be a great set as a gift for someone who loves makeup. I would recommend this over the original set but it all depends on which colours you prefer, these are definitely more me.

I was thinking about doing a comparison post between the two and putting all twelve in the same post if anyone would be interested in that. I did originally mean to put it in here but this seems long enough already!

Have any of you tried any of the Meet Matt(e) Hughes? Any of these colours or from the original set or a completely different one? I’m not sure how many there are outside of the set or if there have been any limited edition colours.

Review: Limited Edition Meet Matt(e) Hughes Mini Set A while ago I bought the first set of Meet Matt(e) Hughes minis with 6 small versions of the The Balm matte liquid lipsticks.

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Review: Fresh Face Make-Up Removing Towel

Review: Fresh Face Make-Up Removing Towel

  I’ve seen these makeup removing towel style products around for a while but not seen one in a store to buy so, when I saw one in a TK Maxx a month or so ago, I had to get it. I can’t actually find the Fresh Face Make-Up Removing Towel anywhere online available in the UK, I can’t find an individual price apart from $9.99 but this style of product seems to be around and vary a lot in price. This…

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It feels like this is all I post now

But hello again to anyone still following me. I have decided that, as I have pretty much left this to it's own devices recently, basically forgotten about it, I may as well start posting my blog posts on here too! Not sure how many people even use tumblr now but I'll give it a go.

Also, to go with the new posts, a new name! At least there will be if I can remember how you change it. I don't think I've ever changed my name on here before so it feels a bit odd doing it now! Maybe I'll make a whole new tumblr account for my blog, let's see how this goes for now. 

Anyway, a long way of saying, I'm back!

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It finally works!

It may just be on my phone but my app is finally not freezing. My laptop can't handle it and the iPad just closes but my phone works! Also, how did I gain followers when I haven't posted much for over a year?

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"Happy Holidays !!"

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Catherine Andrako Photo

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literally my response 

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Get dressed you merry gentlemen Let nothing you dismay For it is Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas day It's Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas day It is Chri-i-i-i-i-is-tmas day Christmas day It is Chri-i-i-i-i-i-istmas day

Arthur (Cabin Pressure)

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The game is afoot and we are going to need lots and lots of tea

the most british thing yet (via ohminho)

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Planet of The Pudding Brains!

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Peter Capaldi for Radio Times (x)