Monthly Favourites // July 2014

It's July favourites time! This month went SO fast, legit. My first couple of weeks back at school were not cruisy, I was bombarded with assignments and due dates which made it feel like I never had a holiday at all!  I try to make time for commenting on and reading blog posts though it can be hard! I had a major writing sesh in the hols though, so most of this months posts, and for the next couple of months are all pre-written/scheduled posts. Anyways I have a few products that I've been really enjoying this month, that I wanted to share with y'all.

Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream

What with it being Winter and all, my skin has definitely gotten a bit drier, meaning I can get away with using a richer moisturiser during the day. This one is sooooo lovely and smells DIVINE (you were right Vanessa). While it's rich and uber nourishing, it doesn't feel heavy, absorbs well and doesn't make me any oilier throughout the day, even under makeup. I can even use it at night with rosehip oil, but I've been loving a different mosituriser for that...

Trilogy Rosapene Night Cream

(amazing segue right?) This night cream has been amaze for my drier Winter skin. It's so lovely and really quite a dense cream, though absorbs pretty well into the skin. I use it in conjuction with the Trilogy Antioxidant + Rosehip Oil which I mentioned in my last faves, and my skin has just been drinking it up. It feels uber soft and nourished. Love.

Coconut Revolution Coconut Lip Balm in Cherry

This is a sweet little lip balm that smells and looks like Willy Wonka Redskins - yerm. Doesn't really remind me of Cherry at all, which is a good thing cos I ain't a fan of that medicinal cherry scent/flavour. It is slightly tinted, and the colour is buildable (though still sheer, obvs). I find this is really nourishing, and I've really been liking the sheer wash of colour it gives, and the easy tube format. 

Bourjois Happy Light Foundation in shade 52 Light Beige

I've been wearing my Rimmel Matte BB Cream most days which I talked about in my last favourites, but for weekends or days/nights when I'm going out, I've been no doubt reaching for this foundation.I will definitely have a review up at some point, but to round things up; light-medium coverage, satin finish - not too dewy or matte, very natural - and really good lasting power, surprisingly! Love the packaging too.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original

This is a little sample sachet I got with my Naked 3 palette. Despite the rave reviews, hype and talk of this being the original and best eyeshadow primer, I actually didn't have overwhelmingly high hopes for it. I guess a few slightly negative reviews tipped the scales for me. I do really like it though, and have been using it everyday I wear eyeshadow! It works really well, my shadows only have minimal creasing by the end of the day and show up lovely and vibrant!

Jordana Fabuliner in Black

I haven't been wearing this heaps this month, my eyeliner wearing is rather sporadic, but I did a couple of times this month and really enjoyed it. It's a felt tip liquid liner, super black and although the tip is a bit thick, it still comes to a fine point, allowing thick and thin lines. I really like the lasting power of this too - it doesn't smudge, smear or fade throughout the day.

Max factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink

As I said, my skin has been a bit drier and I have a few dry patches on my cheeks (the acne isn't helping those at all either), so I've been opting for a cream blush as I find it just sits much nicer over dry skin. The finish is creamy and dewy, and I love this shade.

PS. Shiwashiful. reached a milestone of 300 followers this week! Thanks so much guiz! :')

(Hopefully noone's unfollowed me by the time this post goes up haha...)

NOTD // Stack the Deck

A few weeks ago was my friend's birthday party which was slightly Alice in Wonderland themed. A couple of friends and I ended up going as Tweedledum, Tweedledee and Tweedle...daa, yeah...haha! It wasn't full on dress up though but it was a heap of fun :) I ended up doing my nails somewhat card inspired, but who am I kidding, it's really just red, black and white - close enough...right?

To make things interesting, I threw a couple of glitter polishes into the mix; Ulta 3 Stop the Press and Sportsgirl Party Popper. I've already done a NOTD with Stop the Press  here that you can check out. Party Popper is a really pretty glitter combination that has matte coral, white and grey hexagonal glitters of varying sizes. The glitter coverage is really good and was easily applied using the dabbing method. I love how it turned out and I think it would look really good over a range of shades!

On a couple of nails, I did a jelly sandwich using Essie Marshmallow which is a white jelly polish. I really liked the milky, layered effect. My pinky finger almost looks like cookies and cream!

The other polishes I used were a random black, Revlon China Flower and Sportsgirl Snow. I really like the end product actually! Although it was a bit random, there was a colour theme and I got a few compliments too!

Disappointing Products #1

Over my time as a beauty blogger, I've found plenty of products that I love and enjoy using, but I've also stumbled across some that I don't like as much. These are pretty scarce occurrences as I generally read a lot of reviews on any particular product I want to buy, or have heard in general whether a product is good or not. However, sometimes I buy into the hype and said products disappoint me, in other cases they didn't live up to my expectations or just simply didn't work out. This post has probably been long overdue and I actually had so many products I had to split it into two posts! Another will be coming soon and it actually features all lip products.

Sanctuary Spa Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser

This isn't a terrible cleanser, and I do intend on finishing it - it cleans my skin effectively but just isn't as thick or creamy as I'd like it to be. It doesn't leave my skin feeling soft or moisturised, if anything slightly dry and craving the rest of my skincare. It's definitely nothing special and I wouldn't recommend it sadly.

Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Pre Foundation Skin Primer

One of the first primers I ever used, and I really actually don't notice this doing anything to be honest. I don't find it to smooth or improve my skin's texture, nor prolong the wear of my foundation considerably. If anything it's more of a moisturising primer, but that's why I use a moisturiser! Not worth the money in my opinion. Face of Australia makes a primer with practically the same ingredients if you're interested!

Indeed Labs Hydraluron

This has been hyped up beyond belief! I'm one of the minority who doesn't like this very much because it's an essential for a lot of people. I don't think it lived up to the hype because I really don't notice it doing anything significant for my skin. It doesn't necessarily make my skin feel good when I apply it, and when moisturiser goes over the top, it honestly doesn't feel like it's done anything. Perhaps it has helped the moisturisation of my skin, but not significantly. I just don't think I have the right skin type for this! If you have dry or dehydrated skin, perhaps it would make more of an impact.

Lush Grease Lightning

I've expressed in my review my indepth thoughts on this. I don't really think it's that effective. It is of course better than using nothing but it's just very gentle and not very potent. Also the packaging is a bit annoying, the pump is very hard to press and dispenses way too much product, mine broke anyways!

Stila Under the Mistletoe palette

This was a limited edition anyways, so I don't think you can buy it anymore. I was just very disappointed in the formulas of the eyeshadows (I do like the convertible colour included). I found them very sheer and not very long-lasting, even with a good primer. Very different from all the praise I've heard about Stila eye shadows!

Benefit Cha Cha tint and High Beam

On the whole, I was pretty disappointed in this kit to be honest (bar the lip gloss). My issue with these two very hyped and well loved liquid products is that they're so difficult to apply and blend! You definitely can't just stripe it onto the cheeks because the initial strokes will still be visible. I find Cha Cha tint actually not that long lasting, a bit drying on the lips and overall a hassle to apply. The colour is so pretty though! Besides application issues, High Beam is a bit too silvery-pink for my very yellow skintone, therefore coming off a bit ashy. I know a lot of people love these products so I was shocked when they just didn't live up to my expectations!

Benefit Coralista Boxed Powder

Well, my expectations were very high for this blush, so many people love and swear by it as their favourite shimmery peachy-pink shade. It just didn't work out for me! I actually find it to be quite sheer and on the whole a bit light, therefore it barely shows up on my skin as a blush. I will say though that the shimmer is beautiful, it lends an uber pretty golden natural glow to the cheeks. If I want any hint of colour to show up, I have to build it up. I've been using this more so as a layering blush or subtle highlighter.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation

Okay now, this product I actually did really like at one point, it was one of my go to foundations! I've since realised that it perhaps isn't totally matched to my skin type. It gives a beautiful dewy, natural finish to my skin but just doesn't last. I get shiny quite quickly with it, and I find it breaks up a bit around my oily areas. My biggest gripe with it though is how easily it transfers, especially when I get shiny. If I touch my face, it comes straight off. Really not the nicest thing! Also the shade 53 is too pale for me so I really haven't been using it much anyways. It is a lovely foundation though, just one I think works better on drier skinned peeps!

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

A much loved drugstore mattifying powder that has never really performed as well as I'd like. I find myself getting shiny around 3 hours after application, which is basically like I hadn't applied powder at all. I also find that the Transparent shade isn't really transparent, and can often make me look a bit pale. Clearly I've used it having hit pan, but I've since reached for other powders over this one.

Phew! That was a long post, I hope I didn't anger anyone with a few of my more controversial products. A lot of these just didn't work out for me, most likely due to my skintype or skintone, or I just had unrealistic expectations for them!

Do you agree or disagree with any of my picks?

Caramel Concoction

The Maybelline Colour Elixirs have been getting a lot of love in the blogger community, and I figured I should try one out for myself, especially because I have become a lover of a good non-sticky lip gloss. I bought the shade Caramel Infused because I have a caramel obsession, seriously just ask my friends, I go cray when faced with a tray full of toffee. No but really, this was actually the only shade that appealed to me from the Australian shade lineup - I wish they'd brought over Breathtaking Apricot! Anyways, keep reading for my review!

Packaging wise, it's pretty dang adorable, but also small. The tiny amount of 5ml is housed in a squat, rectangular tube that deceivingly looks like a lipstick. It is very practical though, with no extra bulk. The doe foot applicator is petal shaped and very plush feeling. It's almost ribbed and furry looking but feels nice and soft on the lips, and applies the product easily and precisely.

The Elixir claims to provide the colour of a lipstick, cushiony care of a balm and glass shine of a gloss. I'd have to agree fully with those claims. My particular shade has decent pigmentation but still a light sheer translucency. It is very close to my natural lip colour though, the bolder, brighter shades are definitely more pigmented and opaque, and almost stain, from when I've swatched them on my hand. I'm not exactly sure that it is as nourishing as a lip balm, but it does feel cushiony and balm-like on the lips and not at all drying, sticky or gloopy. The shine it gives is lovely, not overly glossy but more so like a hydrated shine. It's also very smoothing and makes the surface of the lips look rather perfected. The gloss does have a scent, one that I rather enjoy. I can't pin point it but it's light and unoffensive in my opinion.

Caramel Infused, like I've said before, is pretty much the perfect my lips but better shade for me! It is a rosy-mauve shade with a slight brown tinge, but it also has a bit of peachy warmth thrown in. It's a really pretty shade that is perfect for everyday and will most likely go with pretty much any makeup look.

Overall, this has become one of my most reached for products because of it's very comfortable feel on the lips, lovely shine and easy, everyday colour. They retail for AUD$17.95 which I think is ridiculous because it's tiny! It's one of the most expensive in Maybelline's lip product lineup. I definitely think that they are preying on the hype these have received worldwide. As much as I love the product and am happy I picked up one, I definitely won't be buying any other shades unless a really good sale comes around.

Have you tried The Elixirs yet?

Not Bland at All

I've long since moved past the foaming gel cleansers targeted at acne that only left my skin feeling dry, and worse than before, onto thicker, creamy cleansers that moisturise and cleanse the skin deeply. I've reviewed a few hot cloth cleansers that got me started, and I'm now moving onto more of the balm variety! Today I'm here to share my thoughts on Lush's Ultrabland facial cleanser, and contrary to it's name, I don't find it bland at all.

So, I wouldn't exactly describe this as a cleansing balm, and Lush seems to have described it just right, as a "rich, soft, oily cleansing cream". It has a very thick, almost paste like consistency. It's not a balm which I would usually associate as melting into an oil. With Ultrabland, as you work it into the skin, it almost absorbs and melds leaving an oily residue/film. While that sounds really unappealing, and what I would assume is the main turnoff for most people, it's actually what I love most about it. The residue isn't uncomfortable feeling at all, or oily to the touch, it just leaves your skin feeling incredibly moisturised. It also leaves my skin with a rather radiant, healthy and moisturised glow! If you're really antsy about the residue, it pretty much comes off in the toner stage anyways. Because of it's very thick consistency, it is quite a labour-intensive product. You really get a bit of a workout massaging this into the skin! It doesn't feel bad at all though, you  aren't tugging at the skin, just more so really getting down in there, which is also why I think it's so effective at cleansing. 

I tend to use it on dry/damp skin, because I find getting it too wet seems to thin it out. I use about a pea sized amount and massage it for a minute or so - I really go to town. It doesn't sting the eyes at all. I then let it sit on my face while I do other things in the shower, then use a wash cloth to remove it. Just rinsing isn't going to cut it, you need some sort of wiping/friction action to work the product off because it is so thick and almost...adhered to the skin. There's no need to get rough though! The cream also has tiny crumbs(?) in it that I find give the most gentle exfoliation.

Personally I haven't used it with a full face of makeup because I have the smaller tub and want to preserve it for as long as possible, so I only go in with it once, after I've removed the majority of makeup with a wipe/cleansing oil. If using it alone, you would need to double cleanse. The ingredients Ultrabland contains are really lovely; the oils help moisturise, but the main selling point is the beeswax and honey. Beeswax is apparently very good for removing makeup, and I've heard that honey is quite antibacterial and helps with acne prone skin.

I have to say, my skin has been in very good condition since I started using this, and while I don't use it everyday, I can attribute some of that good-skin-ness to this product. I have combo/oily skin and don't find it too heavy at all. I definitely think this would be beneficial for all skin types. If you can't tell, I really love this cleanser! The 45g tub retails for $17.95 and the 100g for $28.95.

Haul // One Last Hurrah

Yup, I did some more shopping - oops. I went on one final shopping/movie trip for the holidays so I had to stock up on a few things before school started, and I stumbled upon some gems I'm really excited to share. I ended up seeing How to Train Your Dragon 2 (in case anyone cares), and it was adorable and sad, though I didn't cry (shocker there, amirite). Anyways, on with the rather small haul!

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

I finally picked this up! I've been wanting to try this for ages, but I was hesitant because it contains Shea Butter which is supposedly an irritant for acne prone skin. I've read my fair share of reviews though and no one seemed to have an issue, I've read only good things! This will be my first cleansing balm so I am very excited :D It was $26.95 so not the cheapest, but not crazy either.

Garnier Dark Spot Treatment Night Serum

This is a repurchase - I'm almost out of my current one. I wanted to try out another brightening serum but there actually weren't that many, and this one was on sale for $12.50 so I decided to pick it up again. I have to say I think it works, but with these kinds of products, it's always hard to tell! You can read my full review here.

Hurraw! Vanilla Bean Lip Balm

Shannon from Shaaanxo always raves about these and they actually sounded really nice. I spotted them at David Jones on clearance for $4.86 so I decided to grab one because I actually don't have any tube lip balms at the moment, and I wanted one for handbag/pencil case situation. I went for the safe choice of Vanilla Bean and it smells really lovely!

Face of Australia Contour & Highlight Kit in Leopardess

This is a limited edition kit that I normally wouldn't be drawn to (I already own the Sleek one), but what really enticed me was just how cool toned the contour shade was from swatches that I saw. It really looked like it would make an amazing contour product. Of course, it was sold out in my Priceline but I managed to nab it at Kmart. They were fully stocked, and my guess is because everything is in plastic so you can't even see the product let alone swatch it, which was probably a turnoff for most customers. Good for me though ;). The highlighter is really pretty too! It was only $9.25.

3 Concept Eyes Cream Blusher in Baby Peach

Woohooo, Asian cosmetics! My local-ish shopping centre is having major renos and heaps of new stores are opening, including a shop called W Cosmetics which basically stocks a ton of Asian brands, like a ton. The store is soooo nice too, the interiors are really nice, they have a manicure section at the back and like a sitting area, where my friends retired whilst I made my way around the store a bajillion times, swatching pretty much every product. Needless to say, the makeup geek within me was FREAKING OUT. They have brands like Etude House, Tony Moly, Shu Uemura, Jill Stuart, Dolly Wink, Clio, etc, etc. It was overwhelming to say the least. 

The 3CE section was adorable, I'd heard good things about the brand but no specifics. Their packaging is so nice, definitely reminds me of NARS but their price range is similar to L'oreal/Revlon which is exciting. The SA recommended their cream blushes which was one of the first things to catch my eye. The shade is a typical me colour but quite pastel-y and ethereal. The 20g tube only cost $16.95 which I thought was pretty good, this is legit going to last me forever! No doubt I'll be returning to this store, many, many times...

[Also, a quick happy birthday to Dan Smith from Bastille!!!  ❤]

The Velvet Edition

First there were the uber pigmented liquid lipsticks, then came the oft-drying matte lip creams, and now, something in between is having a bit of a moment in the beauty spotlight. Known as the "semi-matte" lip product, they boast a matte finish that is softer, and not at all drying whilst still being incredibly long-wearing. One such product that has been all the rage of late is the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet.

L-R: Peach Club, Frambourjois

These lip products are packaged beautifully - their rectangular plastic tubes with colour coordinating lids are easy to identify, and the black band and font choice add an element of chic-ness. They have a standard doe-foot applicator that apply the product easily. One issue that I know a lot of other people had was with the outer plastic seal. I'm all for sealing products to make sure they're not used, but whoa man, this plastic seal-age was hardcore. There was no perforation, and it was basically STUCK to the tube and unripable man, un-rip-able. I've included some photographic evidence for your convenience - don't attempt it with a fresh manicure, it's sure to be ruined.

Anyways! Onto the formula, which sure is a beaut! The consistency really does seem like a lip gloss, it's rather thin and not as creamy or thick and opaque as your typical lip cream product. It isn't as pigmented as I anticipated and in most cases needs more than one layer to reach opacity, but it doesn't cake/bunch when building up. These don't seem to 'dry down' like other matte lip creams, and when swatched on my hand, they stay shiny(ish). When on the lips though, they do develop into a soft matte finish - which might be due to pressing my lips together? The upside of this is that they aren't drying at all or flake/chip off. They are supposedly "enriched with evanescent oils", seems legit, though I don't find them to be moisturising. I find these still to be incredibly long-wearing, they operate like a stain, and quite a potent one at that. Without eating, they can last from 4-6 hours, with eating you get a slight bit of wear in the center of the lip, but nothing drastic. It's easy to reapply straight over the top though. Despite this, they still do transfer pretty easily (I did manage to get a little on my chin when eating), but because it's a thin and soft matte finish, it's not extremely messy.

Peach Club

Frambourjois (ignore that strand of hair, heh)

The shade range is a decent 8 colours, and while the shades themselves are pretty, I think they could've done better on the range. They're all rather deep, dusty colours, a lot of pink and red colours with not much significant differentiation. I picked two shades which appealed to me most; Peach Club and Frambourjois.

Peach Club is what I would describe as the perfect Autumnal peach. It's a deeper peach with dusty orange hints, almost pulling a bit burnt orange. I thought I would love this more than I do, whilst it's really pretty and different to my to my typical peachy/pink/corals there's something a tad...aging about it? It's just not as fresh, bright and youthful as shades typically like this. Regardless, it still is beautiful and definitely a nice warm shade for the cooler months.

For some odd reason, my lip swatch of Frambourjois is showing up VERY saturated, it's not at all like this in real life or on my computer, so I'm sorry for the misrepresentation! It's closer to the hand swatch, but still a little bit deeper. I would describe this shade as a raspberry red, like the colour of an actual raspberry. It's a pinky-red but with a touch of maroon. I really love this shade, and it's also perfect for the cooler months!

These are very unique products in my collection and have definitely become firm favourites with their comfortable feel, bold colour, matte finish and long wear! The one major downer is the price, AUD$24.00 which is down right ridiculous. Best pick up these babies in a sale peeps!

Home Grown Hands

I've often been told I have soft hands, which is an unexpected but much appreciated compliment, and one that I can attribute to using hand cream every night. I did however, go a while without using hand cream, mostly due to laziness and stress but have recently dug out a brand new one to get back into the habit. I have been thoroughly enjoying the Grown Alchemist Persian Rose & Argan Extract Intensive Hand Cream which has returned my hands to their baby-smooth glory.

This is actually supposed to be my mum's from my sister but shhh she has plenty of hand cream... Before this hand cream, I'd never really given Grown Alchemist much of a look, but after having a look at their website, I really love the aesthetic of the brand. They are certified organic, cruelty free and are 'healthy skincare', free of lots of nasties, with recyclable packaging. The packaging is simple and minimalistic and I love the almost laboratory-like feel of it. I like aluminium tubes as they feel quite chic, but also allow every drop of product to be used. The one downer is that the moulded packaging can sometimes cause the product to keep coming out after you've squeezed the tube.

The hand cream itself is described as being 'a rich intensive hydrating hand cream that is instantly absorbed, reviving the driest skin without leaving a greasy feel'. It contains many amazing ingredients like omegas 3, 6 and 7 as well as vitamin e and oils to help the skin's hydration levels and elasticity. The cream's texture is light yet still rather rich feeling, so that it rubs in and absorbs quickly while still feeling quite luxurious and nourishing. It really doesn't leave a greasy residue at all but leaves the skin feeling immediately soft and nourished, and giving it a 'glow'. Odd but true, it makes my hands look super healthy! I've been using it every night and even throughout the day when I'm just chilling about and my hands haven't been dry at all in the cold Winter weather. I'm not entirely sure however that it is 'intensive' as it's name suggests, it is very moisturising but not intense. Then again, I don't have extremely dry hands so I can't attest to it's degree of effectiveness. 

The scent of Persian Rose & Argan Extract sounds exotic, and it's definitely different to typical hand cream scents. I have a horrible sense of scent to begin with, so this is something I really can't describe! It's quite natural and herbal-ish, and unexpectedly, not very floral. I wasn't overly keen on it in the beginning, and while it has grown on me, it's not my favourite.

So overall, I'm really enjoying this hand cream! I think it'd be suitable for both the bedside table or the handbag. 65mL of product retails for AUD$27.95.

The Lip Product Addict Tag

A few weeks ago I was tagged by the lovely Sheri to do the Lip Product Addict tag. If there's one thing that I know I am, it's a lip product addict! This tag was also created by two of my favourite youtubers - Estee and Amelia - so I really wanted to do it! Keep reading for my answers...

1. Favourite balm/treatment?

My favourite lip balm at the moment is probably the Nivea Lip Butter, this one is in the scent Vanilla & Macadamia which smells delicious. I really like this lip balm, for no particular reason other than I think it's pretty moisturising for every day and it helped out when I had itchy lips. It's not super intense though, so don't expect it to heal extremely chapped lips!

2. Best eye-catching red?

In all honesty, I really don't wear red lipstick often so I don't have many to choose from. One red that I do have that is pretty bright, relatively cool-toned as well is the Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturising Balm Stain in the shade Rock n Rouge. It's very pigmented for one of these balm stain types, it has a slight sheen to it and it does stain. Not much more I can say really!

3. Best luxury and best drugstore?

I actually didn't have a clear cut answer for this one, I don't have any crazy, ultimate, absolute favourites from either category, so I just chose two lipsticks that I really like. For drugstore, I chose the L'oreal Nutri-shine lipstick in the shade Pink Nude. The formula is similar to the Revlon Lip Butters, only better in my opinion. The colour is a really pretty nuded peachy-pink. For luxury, I chose the Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick in the shade Soft Amethyst. The formula of this lipstick is really nice - it's super pigmented, but quite moisturising and sits very comfortably on the lips. The colour is also beautiful - a super wearable purple. 

4. Best MAC lipstick?

I only have four to choose from, but I'd have to say the definite winner is MAC Morange. It's a beautiful striking red-toned orange, that is super wearable. It's bold and bright, with an amplified formula, so it is very pigmented yet not drying at all.

5. The most disappointing?

I'm going to steal Sheri's answer here, but hands down, Face of Australia Lip Quench lipstick in the shade Lychee Crush. Firstly, the colour is horrendous on my skintone. This shade was getting RAVES, and it swatched as a really pretty pale peachy-pink nude but on the lips, it made me look dead and washed out. Also, the formula is terrible. It's too creamy that it slips and slides and settles into lines and it smells terrible. The reason it looks like I've used my whole tube is because I tried to redeem it as a cream blush. It worked for a while, but it didn't last well on my cheeks. My second disappointing product is actually the Rimmel Apocalips. My review of these was probably a bit lenient but I had a bad burger-eating experience with the shade Stellar. Whilst eating it somehow got all over my face, like chin, teeth, burger - it was a mess. This was a good few hours after application too. These don't set down and stay sitting on top of the lips - easily transferable.

6. Liner - yes or no?

I'm gonna go with a straight no on this one. I just can't be bothered! I'd only ever use liner if I had a special occasion - wanted my lip to last extra long, etc, etc you know the gist. But I've really only used a liner once or twice! I do have a few of the Essence Lip Liners which I do really like - they're creamy and you could even use them on their own.

7. Best gloss?

I could have answered this with a few different products, but chose to stick to the NYX Butter Gloss of which I have in the shade Peaches and Cream. This gloss is so lovely! It feels balmy on the lips - a slight thickness but nothing sticky. Amazing pigmentation, smoothing gloss and delicious scent. What more could you ask for?

8. And something extra!

I decided to chuck in the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets, I acquired these recently and have been loving them. They are matte lip creams but don't dry like paint on the lips. They're matte but not at all drying, with a soft feel and staining effect, making them extremely long wearing. They do still transfer a little though. I have them in the shades Peach Club and Frambourjois.

L-R: Rock n Rouge, Soft Amethyst, Pink Nude, Morange, Lychee Crush, Celestial, Stellar

L-R: Peaches and Cream, Satin Mauve, Cute Pink, In the Nude, Frambourjois, Peach Club

I hope you guys enjoyed reading my answers! I tag: Vanessa (though I don't peg you as a lip product addict, yolo imma tag you anyways), Cherie, Jen, Miss Louise, Yige, Candice, Monica & Linny and anyone else who would like to do it!