Lime Crime Velvetines, Review, Swatches, Photos and Credit Card Scandal

Lime Crime Velvetines

It's safe to say that over the past year the popularity of liquid to matte lipsticks has exploded.  Although drugstore brands have carried long wear liquid lipsticks in a variety of forms for ages now many in the beauty community would agree that Lime Crime revolutionized the liquid lipstick genre with their Velvetine line.  I won't assert that they are the originator of this fad because I am not known to be the most accurate historian, but I will say that Red Velvet from the Velvetines line had a large role in establishing the liquid to matte lipstick trend.  

Currently there are 9 Velvetine shades to chose from; Red Velvet (a blue toned red), Suedeberry (inconsistent in shade that ranges from coral to a soft pinkish red), Pink Velvet (radioactive hot pink), Salem (a milk chocolate brown), Wicked (a deep brownish burgundy), Black Velvet (…black), Utopia (fluorescent purple), Pansy ( a deep blueish purple), and Cashmere (nude with a touch of grey).  Lime Crime has been poised to release their 10th shade Riot for some time now but distribution and productions issues now coupled with their latest controversy have pushed back it's release and there is no official word on when it will be available.   I've seen it portrayed, however, as a warm taupey neutral to a soft earthy pink.

Lime Crime Velvetine Swatches

I have been having a love affair with Lime Crime since a MAC makeup artist told me about the brand almost 3 years ago.  Centrifuchsia was my first Lime Crime purchase and continues to be my favorite fuchsia lipstick to this day.  I adore the packaging, the pigmentation, and just everything about the "unicorn lifestyle"  that this brand represents.  Still, I can't ignore that this is a brand that has been riddled with controversy over the years.  The most recent being a security breach, alleged by Lime Crime themselves, on their website causing credit card information to be taken from a number of customers.  Thus far I don't believe that I was among those affected as I always use Paypal for online shopping but I am still diligently checking my paypal and bank statements.  My heart goes out to those who have been compromised though.  I have had my identity stolen twice and despite my bank taking the brunt of the impact it was still a burden financially and even though it was many years ago I still have to dispute the occasional collections letter or phone call demanding I repay charges incurred fraudulently in my name.

Part of an official statement issued by Lime Crime via Instagram

I don't really want to get too deep into the scandal and allegations involving Lime Crime as you can google them and find many a blog or tumbler devoted to disseminating that kind of information.  I just want to impart my opinion that we live in a time where everyone wants to market themselves as a brand.  A new makeup line pops up everyday.  Instagram is flooded with jewelry and clothing "boutiques" that just appear out of nowhere.  The beauty community in particular is saturated with MUAs plugging the latest boutique or hair extensions and so many of these products are private label or straight from Aliexpress.  I urge you to do some research before you spend money with any company small or large.  Can you find the same item on eBay for 1/10 of the price?  Is this product unique to this company?  Is the product ethically produced?  Do the companies values align with your own?  At the very least is the ownership of the company grateful to you,  the consumer?  If I'm going to make someone else rich, personally, I really want to make sure it is someone with at least a shred of human decency.
Ok, someone help me down of this soapbox.  I have rambled enough so let's get to what this blog is really about…makeup! I won't go on and on because Lime Crime Velvetines have been reviewed to death and by now most of you all probably have at least one in your collection.   I'll just briefly say that they are very opaque and pigmented, Utopia and Cashmere I find to be particularly unique shades in the sea of liquid lipsticks on the market today.  The packaging is adorable and they smell like Funfetti cupcakes.  The only downside I see with these compared to other liquid to mattes (all controversy aside) is that they aren't as smudge proof.  They are much longer wear than a typical lipstick but if you drink, eat, or kiss they will smear.  This can be particularly annoying with your liquid to matte formulas because once they smear onto your face they are extremely difficult to get off without ruining your foundation.  So without further adieu here are the swatches.  I hope you enjoy them.

Cashmere

Suedeberry

Pink Velvet 

Red Velvet 

Wicked 

Salem

Utopia

Pansy

Black Velvet

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipsticks Review, Pictures, Swatches

The Moisture Renew line was released by Rimmel London sometime in 2013, I believe.  I know that makes this review barely relevant but I almost always find myself purchasing limited edition collections from MAC which leaves little to no funds available for permanent lines from other brands.  I actually really didn't have much interest in this collection initially.  I own a few lip liners from Rimmel but otherwise they aren't a staple in my collection.  

So at first glance these lipsticks don't do much for me.  The colors don't appear to be anything unique, the packaging is just so-so, and while $7 isn't expensive there were others in that price range that ranked higher on my wish list.  

Well now that I have tried these I must say that my expectations have been beyond exceeded.   They glide on to the lips effortlessly.  They have an unmatched quality of being both weightless and richly pigmented at the same time which I adore.  They are actually reminiscent of Lancome's Rouge in Love line which retail for $29 at Sephora.  

So I won't ramble about these beauties for long.  I think the swatches speak for themselves.  My local Walgreen's carries 20 shades of this line which I believe is the entire line but I'm not certain.  I picked what appeared to be the 4 most vibrant shades and I think that is an accurate assessment.  Most of the colors in the line are in the mauve and rose family.  There are a couple deep plum type shades, a few reds, and of course the 4 wild cards I picked.  I hope you enjoy the swatches because I had a blast playing with these colors.  

I love you all for reading so stay tuned because the best is yet to come!

                                                                       -Samara 

In Love With Ginger 

Back To Fuchsia 

As You Want Victoria

Mayfair Red Lady

Milani Cosmetics Moisture Matte Lipsticks Review, Swatches, Photos

It seems like a new collection of matte lipsticks are released every week.  I don't know if it's the versatility, opacity, or staying power of this unique finish that has taken over many a lipstick collection but whatever the reason matte lipstick is here to stay.  

Recently Milani cosmetics unleashed their own take on the matte lippy phenomenon and beauty bloggers and makeup artists alike have been buzzing about them all over social media.  Although I am late to review these flat finished beauties, I have been eyeing them from afar since their initial release.  

So we already know they are an Instagram sensation.  The gilded packaging is a glistening staple on any beauty lovers vanity, but with all the matte lipsticks hitting the market lately it takes more than just shimmering packaging for us to open our hearts and our wallets to the new matte lipstick on the block.  

So let's get down to business.  

The Formula:  The formula for these lipsticks stands out from a lot of other brands on the market today. They aren't chalky and super drying like many of your extreme matte formulas like Mac or Melt lipsticks tend to be.  This can be considered both a pro and a con depending on your personal preference.  They glide on more smoothly and don't leave your lips chapped like your more matte formulas but that means that they don't have the staying power of those brands either.  They also don't have that overtly matte finish (ie. Rubywoo) that we have grown to love.  However, I will say with a little wear the emollients rub off a bit and you are left with a nice stain and a more matte finish.  They also aren't as opaque as other varieties of matte lipstick.  You'll definitely want to pair them with a good primer and lip liner to get the pigmentation just right.  

 Shade Range: The colors in this collection are beautiful.  The vibrant pinks and purples have won the hearts of makeup artists and makeup addicts alike, but even the nudes are quite pretty.  Very pale nudes look notoriously crummy on women of color like myself, but somehow in this particular formula they are surprisingly wearable.  While they aren't astounding, the reds in this collection are still quite pretty.  Passion is a spunky, orange toned red and Confident is a slightly vampy twist on your classic blue toned red.   Orchid has got to be my favorite color from this collection as fuchsia lipstick was my first true makeup obsession.  I love the depth and electricity of this shade.  In my opinion it is the shining star from this line.  Diva is quite similar to orchid, but I don't think it is as flattering for women of color or those with yellow undertones.  It is, however, a stunner on women with fair skin.  I still adore this color and intend work it into my summer makeup routine.  Blissful is the third and lightest pink from this collection.  It appears to be a mauve color in the tube but actually applies like a sweet sherbet pink with blue undertones.  It is an adorable baby doll color if you can pull it off.  Innocence and Naked are the two nude shades from this collection and don't require much explanation.  Innocence is probably better suited for fair skinned ladies and Naked is the more likely choice for you deeper or olive toned girls out there.  While 8 shades isn't an extensive range, it's still a great start and I'm genuinely looking forward to new shades being released in the future.  

The Price:  Here is where Milani has 95% of the competition beat.  I picked up the entire collection at my local CVS.  I waited until they were offering a buy one get one 50% off (which is a recurring promotion) and I had a coupon for $4 off a $15 cosmetics purchase.  With those deals combined I was able to score the entire collection for $32 plus a little tax. The only other matte lipsticks I can think of in a comparable price range would be Wet N' Wild Matte Lipsticks, Maybelline Creamy Mattes and Colour Pop Lippie Stix.  With some of your more prestige matte lipsticks costing upwards of $20 a pop this is a welcome deviation from the status quo.  

The Final Verdict:  Can you live without these in your collection?  Yes.  Should you?  Absolutely not! If nothing else spring for Diva, Orchid, and Glam.  These are the kind of super vibrant shades you rarely find in drugstore brands and they really are as stunning as they appear in photos.  The whole collection is really lovely though and if there is room in your heart for one more family of matte lipsticks I think these beauties are deserving.  

Now that I've talked you to death I'll give you what we all know you really came for…SWATCHES!!!! Allow me to leave this little disclaimer though.  This was my first time swatching this many colors in one session.  I had no idea how labor intensive it would actually be.  These swatches are by no means perfect. Between the flaking lips, a pimple that appeared out of the blue, and a random fuzz I didn't find until it was time to edit these swatches, this is definitely an art I have yet to polish.  I am still pleased with how they turned out but if you were expecting flawless then I'm sorry to say you came to the wrong place.  

I love you all for reading.  Stay tuned because the best has yet to come! 

-Samara