Help To Find Mr. Right

Today's try...and i got cherried away.
I've had this lipstick for a while, and never tried it properly, only a dab here, a swatch here. I'm actually glad i got to do it since it's a beautiful color for summer, especially in the evening. I prefer lighter lipsticks, more natural, peach and pinks, but this is a re-find i'm definitely glad about. Who knows what other stuff i've got laying around in my makeup shelves...









The product i used is called 'Help To Find Mr Right' and it's a lovely red lip tint from H&M cosmetics. I really really LOVE their lipglosses, lipsticks and tints, together with their false lashes and eye liners.









The color is beautiful, the little pan retails for about 3 euros or actually less, and i simply can't believe the wonderful texture. It's creamy, gel-like, it easily dissolves in contact with water (not necessarily a pro but i like to be able to completely wipe off any traces of lipstick if i'm wearing something darker than the usual so i'd apply a new one and be good to go), and you basically don't need a lipgloss afterwards. Whether you decide to use a serious layer of product or just a little dab the results will be the same; the color is less intense when applied scarcely, giving rosy, dewy plump lips. My complaints about these lip tints is that they're too pigmented to be used as cream blushes (well...they weren't supposed to do this in the first place so..) and the rather limited choice of colors...apart from this cherry red there's also fuchsia, then a taupe sort of pink, matte and creamy, a very pretty color that doesn't suit my skintone (unfortunately) and then a few others i haven't tried yet...which makes me think i must embark on a shopping spree as soon as possible...

I also used a lip liner to prevent any bleeding from happening, though the gel consistency doesn't really allow it to happen:





Maybelline's Moisture Extreme in 59 Rosewood/Bois de Rose, my all time favorite.

Swatches:





(The line next to the lip tint is the lip liner. I smudged it a little so the undertones would come out better).
Hurray for drugstore makeup!

Nude Lips

I guess the simplest way to put it is that i love nude, natural lips. A natural lipstick is perfect for both day and night makeup, doesn't look overbearing at all, it's the best choice for all age ranges, it suits all complexions and all occasions. 'Nuff said, an evergreen of the makeup bag.

But.

Apart from personal choices, i think there ARE lipsticks, not necessarily brands or shades, that can easily create the perfect natural, nude effect without looking as though you're trying too much. However and unfortunately, probably most girls don't seem to be aware of this. I'm no mother goose but i get a little confused whenever i 'research' on beauty topics to come across MANY beauty blogs and videos bearing the tag of the nude lip. In 99% of the cases it's a complete mess. So i decided to blog about this in an attempt to 'protest'- it's becoming increasingly difficult to stay in the natural makeup area. I can honestly say there were a couple of occasions i was reading some random beauty blogs and i even got a little frightened....yaikes!

Anyways, here's my take on the issue at stake.

The good nude/pale lipstick:

Most nude-lip girls wrongfully assume a nude lipstick must be as close as possible to the color white. Therefore light lavender and beige seem to be their number ones. I don't have any problem with regards to whatever people choose to wear on their faces- just don't dub it as something that it is not. I personally own several natural lipsticks, light nuances, that are NOT whatever they're supposed to be in the beauty blogging 'community'. My idea of the perfect nude lipstick is peach and pale pink. By combining shades and textures it's easy to create the perfect shade. Not a single makeup is ever made by using only one lipstick shade, particularly for special occasions.



This is a beautiful flesh-toned lipstick with very subtle pink undertones that mimic the natural flushing of lips.



Even Paris nailed it here. Absolutely beautiful and tasteful and i happen to actually love the pink shade she chose.




Nicole Richie and Katy Perry are right on the border, the fine demarcation line between tasteful and tacky. I actually wouldn't have considered Katy's lipstick as a 'good' choice because it's too light and jazzy; however, it was only once, at an event, her complexion is fair enough to match the lipstick and i find it to be a correct and lucky use of a lipstick that's quite troublesome otherwise, the MAC Saint Germain:






Other lovely nudes:











The scary ones:



You honestly actually WEAR this?



To me it looks like oily lavender chalk.



The uppercase is just desperate. The lips look very dry, flaky under the 'creamy' lipstick galore, and the entire look reminds of plasticine and oil. It's not a nice...view at all.









This is sad. It doesn't even look like lipstick but as if Kim rubbed a heavy-duty industrial strength concealer on her lips and then added half a tube of lipgloss...I'm sorry but i can't help it, i just can't stop the amazement at the sight of Kim Kardashian's makeup! and it was made by a professional! According to most gurus, Kandee, Eve Pearl being just a couple who spoke about it, a makeup artist is supposed to also have chromatic knowledge and a 'good eye' for color, texture, facial bone structure, plus to be knowledgeable of the latest trends and products, etc. I just seriously can't...continue.

Model Agyness Deyn:



Mary Kate:



Paris:



And J.Lo, who screwed up this time:



Bottom line:

-a truly pale lipstick will emphasize the natural creases of the lip and make it look dry and flaky
-no matter how much you're willing to try, it will never look natural and you'll always end up looking like you've literally painted your face
-a light lavender mouth will always catch the eye, overbearing the rest of the makeup
-the tricky 'nude' lipsticks, such as Saint Germain or YSL's Rouge Volupte in Lingerie Pink or other light, beige or pink shades also happen to be creamy; you can't escape the 'dry' look because of the natural light reflection that occurs; yet the shine will look downright greasy
-a pale lipstick (especially the aforementioned ones, extremely popular among the beauty fans) looks better if used very scarcely; i have the YSL Rouge Volupte in Peach Passion and i got scared the first time i applied it; i only need a dab of lipstick, then smear it with my finger and add the tiniest amount of lipgloss. You only need a little, a little goes a long, less is more, you get the point. It's so unpleasant to see the chunks of lipstick caking up in the creases of the lips!
-a very pale lipstick will make your teeth look yellow and give you an overall tired appearance, making you somehow look sick (Kim Kardashian and Agyness, for example). There's no flushing of the lip, no nothing, just a clownish slick
-again, it will NEVER look natural. IMO makeup is supposed to enhance the natural features and cover imperfections, adding a little here and there if it's needed; not to be a mask.
There, i said it.

Nivea Teint Delight gel foundation

Today i decided to try a rather generous sample i received from a beauty store. This foundation is the latest one from Nivea; i already have a foundation from this brand, which i really like; i find this product is actually very different from mine (a medium coverage foundation).

The said foundation is described as 'lightweight', rich in natural ingredients (such as Ginko extract and antioxidants), with a gel-type consistency that lets the skin breathe and shine through. The antioxidants it contains are dubbed as 'helping to activate the microcirculation' and give an overall healthy aspect of the face through a natural 'flushing' of the face. Hmmm....interesting. A little weird too.

Tried and tested. Not purchased yet but i am seriously contemplating it.

Consistency: it's not a gel-type of thing, naturally, as i would have expected. However it's not completely liquid either. I'd say the consistency is somewhere in between, the foundation is runny but a little jellowy as well. Pretty interesting, however it will run and get absorbed very quickly into the sponge or the brush bristles. I preferred to use my fingers when i applied it; it's easier, you end up using the correct amount of product.




Shades: this foundation comes in four shades only but they are the 'right' ones...'nuff said, Nivea nailed it. The shades are extremely natural and the sample i got, in Sand, matches my skintone 100%. A-maha-zing, it's never happened to me before. Pretty impressing. It can be a little disturbing since they don't cater to extremely pale complexions or very dark ones; however, this product is at it's experimental stage, therefore i'm hoping for the best in the future.

Coverage: that's the strange thing about this foundation. The final effect of the coverage is visible only after let's say approximately five minutes; initially it can appear as the coverage is nonexistent. It is VERY light indeed, the only difference between this and Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer (or other tinted creams, for that matter) being that it's not greasy at all, it's not creamy (rather the fresh, runny gel-type consistency comes in mind) and it looks like a foundation when you apply it, it will not disappear off your face and you can see where you've applied it. Ideally i'd say it's a perfect combination between a mineral foundation and a gel moisturizer. The finish of this foundation is the SAME one i used to get when using/testing mineral foundation. It is INCREDIBLY light, natural, it sinks into the skin and there are absolutely NO demarcation lines left (i assume this can only happen if the wrong shade is applied). Again, i am very impressed. Because whenever a foundation claims being 'natural' and 'light', it's actually a little more than an oily regular tinted moisturizer that sinks in the pores and emphasizes them, settles into the fine lines around the lower lashes and comes off at the lightest touch. This is obviously not the case; i simply am VERY surprised and satisfied with this product.
Coverage-wise, this foundation would ideally be indicated to those of us who have only discolorations and undereye circles to conceal (like me), and not in a serious way; if you have acne scars or very visible spots and are a fan of the full-coverage kind of products i wouldn't recommend this. No concealer was used in the following pics:

-without flash:



-with flash:




Finish: very, very natural. Surprisingly natural for a drugstore liquid foundation, it rivals that of an expensive mineral one. It leaves the skin looking fresh, natural, a little powdery. It is the first foundation (or tinted moisturizer, for that matter) i own that is truly undetectable. Another bonus (yay! i can't believe it!) is an almost imperceptible glow; it doesn't contain any shimmer particles but the consistency is formulated in such manner that the finish looks dewy; when you touch your face you feel it perfectly normal, as if you had nothing on. The finish is PERFECTLY comparable to the Dior Forever foundation minus the latter's higher coverage, plus the glow and natural feeling. All in all i think it's a great pick.

Scent: it has the lightest floral scent in it, which i don't find disturbing at all.

Price: cheap. I've got a sample but i am contemplating purchasing it.

Therefore...: all that being said, there's a little disadvantage, that it contains paraffin. I don't know about that, especially for sensitive skin. Other than that, it's a very good choice for a summer foundation; the perfect combo of liquid adherence to skin and mineral lightness and finish.

Too Much...

I seriously don't and can't understand. Is this her makeup artist's fault? I doubt it, his work is always beautiful. Is this her fault? someone has clearly got to tell Kim the '80's are over...and she's not (yet) a Mötley Crue groupie or employed by a circus.



Kim's emergency kit:


facial toner (for fresh, glowing skin)



light foundation

natural blush


tasteful and naturally-looking lashes




youthful lipstick