Review: Maybelline Color Elixir

A month ago, I found out that Maybelline was finally bringing their Color Elixirs to Canada. I could not be more excited. These little babies were supposed to be a trifecta, delivering shine, pigmented application, and a balm-like texture in one. So I popped over to the closes Walmart and picked up two colors that I'd been in love with for a while.

L: Blush Essence // R: Captivating Carnation

L: Blush Essence // R: Captivating Carnation

I really like this new line by Maybelline. They do deliver on the appropriate shine and the balm-like texture. However, I don't particularly think they're the most pigmented glosses in the market. Then again, it could be because of the the shades I picked up are relatively light. I'd like to buy a deeper colored shade and test out its pigmentation though. But I do like the softness of the colors; both colors apply very subtly and give a nice, soft touch to your overall look.

The only thing that I don't like about these elixirs is that they are very sticky. I absolutely hate it when strands of my hair get stuck to my lips and for that reason, I've learnt not to wear either of these elixirs on a particularly windy day out -- at least not if my hair won't be up in a bun or a ponytail.

In every other way, I think these are pretty good though. Love the color and the shine it gives.

Have you tried these? What are your thoughts?

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Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain + Swatches

Remember when I said I've been getting a little too into lip products? Well when that started, it started with baby steps. If I'm going to try out different colors, I want to try them out with products like Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable balm stains. 

I had originally picked up the Honey shade but after falling in love with it, I decided to experiment with some of the more different shades - Crush and Smitten. One of the lipstick colors that I've always wanted to experiment with was a nice, deep wine color. Winter season is the perfect time to rock anything wine-colored: lips, nails, scarves, whatever you like! 

The Honey shade originally applies as a soft-pink, almost-mauve color and once the shimmer has faded, it turns into a really soft and subtle pink shade, which is just lovely for everyday wear. 

Crush, on the other hand, is an amazingly deep wine-colored shade that really makes a statement on your face. It pairs brilliantly with really subtle eye makeup and is great for occasions where you want a deep color but you don't want to use a lipstick. 

Smitten is a great intermediate shade between Honey and Crush. It's a deeper pink than Honey but not as deep as Crush. Again, it's particularly fantastic for everyday use and this shade you can pair with subtle eyes for a daytime look or with a nice smokey eye for a nighttime look. 

What I love about this range is that while there is originally bit of shimmer in the initial application, after a few hours, the shimmer pretty much fades away, leaving a nice matte finish on the lips. It does tend to leave residues on cups or mugs or whatever but not to the point that it's very noticeable.

The pigmentation is absolutely fantastic and since it's a balm stain, the formulation leaves your lips feeling nourished and well-moisturized. Bonus point: use these with a nice chapstick if your lips are really dry. It will make a significant difference.

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