lipstick collection

 I was trying to think of things I wanted to blog about and thought to myself, "oh I've a handful of lipsticks, that might be good". A HANDFUL? I was shocked to find 13, not including 'Cherries in the Snow' which I have sadly lost. I showed my boyfriend and he simply remarked, "mental". Do I need 13 lipsticks? Probably not, especially since I'm more of a balm person day-to-day *hangs head in shame*. In my defense, some of these were freebies or unwanted by my mum.

L-R: Revlon Black Cherry, Revlon Wine Not, Revlon In The Red, L'oreal 106, Clinique Red-y to Wear, Revlon Fabulous Fig, Clinique Rosette

L-R: Boots 17 Belle, Topshop Show Off, Too-Faced Free Love, Boots 17 Beehive, Natural Collection Lotus, Natural Collection Apple Blossom

 The nudes/pinks:

L-R: Boots 17 Belle, Topshop Show Off, Too-Faced Free Love, Boots 17 Beehive, Natural Collection Lotus and Apple Blossom

Boots 17 'Belle': This is in their 'mirror shine' formula which I love. It looks darker in the bullet but is very sheer and glossy when applied, with that "your lips but better" result. Great everyday shade, which I think would suit a lot of skin tones and feels moisturising.

Topshop 'Show Off': I haven't seen this get as much attention as some other shades and I'll admit I haven't worn it much. The swatch above looks really bright but I still have the swatches on my arm and after a few hours it fades into a really pretty, wearable pink. So if you are afraid of the swatch I think dabbed-on would be really pretty and wearable. Long-lasting and great quality for Topshop.

Too-Faced 'Free Love': I got this free with a purchase ages ago. I really like this lipstick, it has a frosty formula which might not be to everyone's taste but i think it looks subtle on and is very moisturising.

Boots 17 'Beehive': Won't go into too much detail on this one since there are loads of reviews out there. It's shiny, moisturising, perfect balance between pink and peach, everyday favourite.

Natural Collection 'Lotus': This is in the 'sheer natural' formula. It is one of the first lipsticks I bought when I started getting into make-up. It is more matte than the 17 lipsticks and the swatch has survived on my arm (the 17's have almost disappeared but faded well). It is a nude, peach shade with tiny shimmer. Great quality for the price.

Natural Collection 'Apple Blossom':  This is in their 'moisture shine' formula and it does feel moisturising on the lips but not as glossy as the 17 lipsticks.

The reds:

L-R: Revlon Black Cherry, Revlon Wine Not, Revlon In the Red, L'oreal 106, Clinique Red-y to Wear, Revlon Fabulous Fig, Clinique Rosette

Revlon 'Black Cherry': This is one of their Super Lustrous lipsticks so it has a slightly more shiny/moisturing finish. Looks intimidating in the bullet but you can wear it really sheer as a stain or applied straight on for a gorgeous dark plum lip (perfect in winter). Similar to 'Wine Not' but with more plum and a glossier finish.

Revlon 'Wine Not': This is from their matte range, which means that it is very long-lasting. Similar to Black Cherry but in the matte formula.

Revlon 'In the Red': This is a matte brick red. Very long lasting and not drying for a matte. Similar to 'Fabulous Fig' but with more red.

L'oreal 'Vrai Rouge 106': This is an old lipstick my mum gave me, from their Rouge Sublime range which I don't think you can get anymore. To me it is a 'true red lipstick' and it has a really nice moisturising texture. It is also long-lasting and the one I grab if I'm sporting red lips on a night out.

Clinique 'Red-y to Wear': God I love a make-up pun and it turns out this lipstick is pretty damn good too. Again, its what I'd call a true red lipstick. Gorgeous shade of red, with a slight hint of pink. I think it is more of a blue-toned red which is more flattering for your teeth (supposed to make your teeth appear whiter).

Revlon 'Fabulous Fig':  This is another matte that looks great dabbed on. It is a dark brick red/brown colour that is very long-lasting and not too drying.

Clinique 'Rosette': This is a dark rose colour with gold shimmer. I don't think I've actually worn this lipstick except to try it (it was free with something I think ages ago). However, looking at it now I think I'll have to try to wear it more! Looks a lot nicer in the swatch than the bullet and it has worn well on my arm.

 Prep:

Sometimes I wear a lip primer like the one above to prep my lips for lipstick. I'm not sure if they are really necessary, like eye-lid primers they help with the longevity of the product. In general you should make sure your lips are moisturised with a balm and free from dry bits/chapped skin before applying lipstick. A lip-liner will also help keep your lipstick in place and prevent it from feathering.