Maybelline Super Stay "Rogue Reds" Matte Ink Edition: Brick Mask-Proof Lipstick Swatches

Very quick post just to share swatches of the Maybelline Rogue Reds color expansion for their Super Stay Matte Ink line, in case any of you were looking for color-comparisons now that there are no swatch testers in store.

Brick is not only perfect for Fall 2020, but great year-round as well. The combination of reds and browns makes it more forgiving than bright red, and not as dull as brown. But this collection isn't just red-brown. There are some interesting burnt peach, burnt orange and sun-dried tomato tones as well, like 300, 285 and 315.

315 Extraordinary, the soft tomato red, is a particular fave of mine as it looks a little (a lot) like Armani's very pricey Lip Maestro in 405.

Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink 315 an Armani Maestro 405 dupe? Not 100% but very close!

Maybelline Color Sensational Inti-matte Nude swatches

I've always liked the Maybelline Color Sensational range for proving that drugstore lipsticks can be affordable, high-performance, AND come in fashion-forward colors.

Even though we didn't get access to a lot of the more edgy finishes and colors until quite recently, I've built up quite a collection, primarily Powder Mattes (so lightweight and saturated) and a couple of the Loaded Bolds as well. I love the mattes because they have a very modern powdery texture that you can sheer out for a very editorial "flower petal" finish akin to high-end mattes like Shu Uemura's.

This October, Maybelline will be launching 10 shades in the Inti-matte Nude collection, cos who doesn't need more neutral mattes??! The shades are split into 3 groups; 2 Neutrals, 4 Warms and 4 Cools.

ZA Vibrant Moist Lip Lacquers and Lip Crayons

Japanese drugstore beauty brand ZA has is throwing out lots of strongly pigmented lip products, first with the Vibrant Moist Lip Lacquers (SG$19.50) which are in Watsons stores now, and on 1 September their Lip Crayons ($17.50).

I am a big fan of ZA's Vivid Dare lipsticks because they surprise me so much when I first swatched them in store. Typically, Japanese brands don't release extremely intense colors, and to be honest I'd half given up hope that they would ever catch up with the Korean brands in terms of releasing fashion-forward pop colors and intense formulations. So when I first saw the Vivid Dare lipsticks I swatched them and posted about them on Dayre then and there.

So I was pretty excited to try the two new products.

The lacquers come in ZA's signature black and fuchsia packaging, and you can't really see colors from the outside. The spatula is pretty interesting - it's flattened and slightly curved so you can get quite a generous amount of product on your lips in one swipe, and also smooth and spread it out quite easily.

If you don't know, ZA is owned by cosmetics giant Shiseido, and there are some similarities in the vibrant red pigment technology being used in their high-end lipsticks, and these lacquers. It corrects dull lip color and also retains a very vivid and intense appearance under different lighting conditions.

Aside from the gorgeous colors, I have to say I'm a big fan because these manage to feel SO comfortable on the lips besides being intensely glossy and pigmented. No stickiness, ultra lightweight, and great color pay-off. The collagen and hyaluronic acid infused formula is also designed to hydrate and nourish for up to 12 hours. Everything I need in a glossy product. 

I must say that I can never leave a gloss or lacquer on the whole day without touching up so I cannot tell you exactly how long this lasts. It does perform better than other typical lightweight glosses, but no matter what, as you drink and talk, the color and shine will rub off no matter what. There was also a tiny bit of bleeding into lip lines, but that's expected of all creamy products.

If you want all-day wear and need to prevent any bleeding, I would apply a layer of liner beneath first. This will give you a super-intense lacquered lip look.

I've also always been a fan of applying opaque lacquers on top of matte lipsticks for that patent leather look, and these work great for that. In fact they remind me a lot of Shiseido's Lip Lacquers (which I am also a fan of), for half the price.

As for the Lip Crayons launching 1 September, these are a typical chubby pencil with a twist-up base. (Yay for no sharpening.)

Formula wise, I can say right now I prefer these to Revlon's Colorburst Balmstains, which are just never quite plush or glossy enough for me. The ZA ones are creamy enough to give good shine without needing a separate gloss, which also means you can wear just a tiny bit for a stained effect without your lips looking patchy and dry (which can happen with typical drugstore chubby pencils), or build it up for more intense glossy color. 

With some of the paler or more milky colors, you also do need to spend some time blending or checking your lips because you can get a slightly streaky or patchy effect. But it's not as bad as some drier formulations.

I'm not the biggest fan of chubby pencils as a whole though. That's the same for all brands. (I just find they do the same thing as glossy or balmy lipsticks, and a lipstick bullet can give a quicker and more even application than the nub of a fat pencil, which is usually less even and makes you take longer to fill in your entire mouth.) 

So I'm definitely a bigger fan of the Lip Lacquers than the Crayons, although that's not saying that these Crayons are bad at all. It's just personal preference. If you already use and love lip crayons, you'll be happy when these launch because I do like them better than what we have in drugstores currently.

My recommended Must-Try is still the Vibrant Moist Lip Lacquer range. Because they honestly feel and perform very much like high-end lacquers. Without the high-end pricetag.

Shine Caresse CC Genius Balms

L'oreal is launching 6 shades of Shine Caresse CC Genius Balms (SG$19.90) in April in Singapore, and I haven't been able to keep my hands off these the entire week. I've been wearing them to work daily, and I'm in love with the soft medium pinks in the series.

If you've followed me for a certain amount of time you will know I am a huge lover of matte lipsticks and intense opaque formulas in general. But in the recent year or so, my lips have been feeling quite dry and prone to flaking and rashes. I get around that by wearing creamy nourishing formulas more.

I'm probably committing beauty blasphemy by saying I didn't quite like the Revlon Balmstains (except the matte ones) and Colorburst Lip Butters that were so incredibly popular a couple of years back. Somehow the many separate times I bought and tried them repeatedly, I found many of the colors a bit patchy and the formulas not really that hydrating on my lips. In fact I was probably irritated by some ingredient in them as I would mostly flake or itch after a few hours.

My favorite "swipe on and go without a mirror" lipstick in recent years was actually a Colour Riche Balm from L'oreal, which was not sold in Asia and that a friend in the US sent to me to try. So I was very excited to see that they were bringing the new Shine Caresse CC Genius Balms to Singapore.

Though there are only 6 shades available in Singapore, I have to say they are all beautiful choices. The light is a bit bright above, so you should expect the colors to be slightly deeper than they look above. My favorite is the warm candy pink 704 Statement Pink, which I had thought would look too bright and garish, but turned out quite lovely. But 713 Daydream Beige, 703 Ispahan Rose and 706 Drama Burgundy are gorgeous as well. 

I had expected 708 Fearless Red to be patchy and uneven based on the wrist swatch, but the texture of the formula smooths out easily on the lips and it really did not look patchy on me once I pressed my lips together.

These have become my current "swipe and go without a mirror" choices. 

Don't expect these to last like long-wear formulas, but they don't disappear quickly either considering the creamy balmy formula. The brighter and deeper shades cling a bit better and will provide a mild staining effect. Not a lot - just enough that the color doesn't just disappear too quickly. And they feel so plush and smoothing that I don't mind reapplying them like balms anyway.

All in all, worth checking out!

Drugstore Fuchsias: Swatches and Tips for Application

Selection of  drugstore Fuchsia shades

Fuchsia is not a daily shade for most people, but there are some occasions when you want a strong lip and red is not always the easiest shade to get right. If you can't seem to get reds to work for your skin tone, or have the sort of face where reds just make you look a little aged or severe, a good alternative to try is a fun, deep, fuchsia pink.

Technically speaking, a fuchsia is a very strong and bright blue-based pink, maybe not so bright that it's highlighter-pink or so dark as to be called rose, but as we all know, what one person considers fuchsia can be very different from another's. I've chosen something of the middle ground where the shades are quite deep relative to other pinks, but still have a touch of bright blue tones to them.

Swatches L-to-R: Rimmel 220 Shocking Pink, Sephora R11, NYX Louisiana, L'oreal 288 Intense Fuchsia, and Revlon 330 Fuchsia

I own several of these deep, and the main difference between them are in the base tones (whether they lean more towards a hot red or towards a cooler magenta). Which to wear depends on your skin tone and preference. I am not one of those color nazis who will tell you that if you have "warm skin" you should wear "warm fuchsias". There's no such rule. 

Just note that a warmer red-fuchsia will tend to "fit in" better and look less bright, whereas a blue based one will tend to stick out more, regardless of whether you are warm or cool toned. This is regardless of your skin tone simply because a bright blue-pink is not a shade that occurs in nature and will provide more contrast. 

Of the shades I own, I probably wear Revlon Color Burst 030 Fuchsia most due to its good, creamy texture and the fact that it does not stain my lips. It's not the most opaque (L'oreal, Sephora, Rimmel and NYX matte are more pigmented) and it's an interesting blend between something with a rather warm red base tone, paired with a faint blue sheen which does not look like noticeable shimmer (thank goodness) but pulls the shade toward the cool side in some lights.

Revlon Colorburst in 030 Fuchsia

My latest acquisition is L'oreal's Intense Fuchsia, after I saw it on Gwen Stefani in the latest issue of InStyle magazine. But don't you hate how Photoshop and photography lies? It was nothing like the intensely blue-toned pink shown on the cover image. L'oreal Intense Fuchsia is more of a red-based strawberry fuchsia with a faint hot pink sheen (not too noticeable on the lips).

It's not that it isn't a nice shade, but you aren't going to get that glorious electric pink with a noticeable blue sheen that Gwen was sporting.

Texture-wise, there is nothing to complain about. I always found Colour Riche lipsticks to be very pigmented and lusciously creamy without being cheap and slippery. But beware that this lipstick stains big-time. This means that over the course of the day, your lipstick will start to look darker and more red, as the dyes color your lips more and more, and it starts to show up beneath the fuchsia. You'll end up with a bright strawberry rose, which is lovely, if that's the shade you're going for.

Rimmel Shocking Pink is similar to this deep red-pink shade, but is fully matte, and does not contain shimmer, so it will look a tad deeper when applied as there is no sheen or shine whatsoever.

L'oreal Colour Riche in 288 Intense Fuchsia

 NYX Louisiana is not technically a fuchsia by my book, but a lot of people describe it as a hot pink on review sites, so I thought I'd include it for comparison purposes, just to show you why I don't consider it so.
Compared to the other shades in the swatch image above, Louisiana is a lamb among wolves. It's softer, warmer, and has more noticeable deep-peach undertones although it's by no means a pale shade. If you're new to hot pinks or are afraid of going too over the top for work or school, this is a safe shade that will still stand out without being too electric.
The blend of pink, red and peach is also quite a flattering shade for most skin tones. Beware though, that the texture is the typical NYX texture which is not going to feel very rich and luscious. It's waxy and slippery, with a plastic taste, but at least for this particular shade, it doesn't look as cheap as it feels.

NYX Louisiana Round lipstick

 This brings me to one of my cooler fuchsias. Sephora's line of lipsticks are hits and misses for me. (Actually, more hits than misses.) It might not be considered a drugstore for most, but I included it as the price range is similar.
R11 (the case does not include the name... it's only labeled on the plastic seal, which is silly as you throw it out...) is a deep magenta pink which is probably closest to a true fuchsia tone. The coverage is opaque, the texture is very much like a high end lipstick, and the finish is creamy and moisturising. There is no shimmer whatsoever, so this is a true creme finish.
It also does not stain, so if you like cool toned shades, I highly recommend this.

Sephora Rouge R11

I had to throw in an honorable mention which I did not include in the swatches when I was taking the pictures.   I'm not sure why I forgot it when I was taking pictures in preparation for this post the day before. 

NYX matte lipstick in Sweet Pink is another true cool-toned magenta pink, even more blue than Sephora R11, but not electric bright.

It has a wonderful creamy-matte finish and is one of my favorite blue-based shades to wear, as it makes your skin glow and your teeth look whiter. If you're drawn to but still afraid of shades like Shocking Pink and Candy Yum Yum, you'll be happy to know that this shade is nowhere near as bright. And the opaque matte texture means it stays on very well.

The only minus to this affordable-but-expensive-looking shade is the scent, but hey, that's a small problem for a good lipstick.

NYX Sweet Pink Matte Lipstick

Application Tips:

The problem with wearing any bright lipstick for hours is the feathering and/or fading. It always look gorgeous when just applied, but after 3 hours of talking, drinking, or general wear and tear from pressing your lips together, etc, you will find the edges of the lipstick have smeared or feathered into an unflattering mess. 

Matte formulas can minimize the problem but they may not eliminate it unless the finish is very dry. And not everybody wants to wear a full matte lip.

This is what I do to keep everything under control when I wear a fuchsia lip (demo using Revlon Fuchsia) out for a full 12-hour day:

Step 1: Apply a lip primer over the lip line (I use POP Beauty's Lip Magnet, which is a very sheer beige that does not change the color of lipsticks), and rub with fingers to even out and remove access.

Step 2: Apply lipstick to the lip area, without going beyond your lip line. 

 Step 3: Gently kiss a sheet of tissue to remove the moisture and some of the excess pigments.

Step 4: Use a fuchsia lip pencil (NYX Fuchsia is great and affordable, but if you're particular about brands, MAC's Chromagraphic Pencil in Process Magenta is a great liner for most fuchsia shades), and lightly run in windshield wiper motions along your lip line. I say windshield wiper motion because you are not going to get a perfect line in a single stroke. You want to almost fill in the lip line with your pencil, so you create a thicker barrier around the edge of your lips.
NOTE: You can choose to fill in your entire lip with the pencil first, but I don't like to weigh down the color and texture of my lips that way, so I only fill in the outer edges.

Step 4: Reapply your lipstick as layering will intensify the color and shine, and lock it in.
Then with your finger, very lightly and gently dab along the outer edges of your lip line to remove any excess emollients. If you end up removing too much product, go back in and replace it with the fuchsia pencil. Not the lipstick.
Remember; the key is to keep the outer-most edges matte so the lipstick does not bleed over the course of the day. Dabbing just at the edges will help you to achieve that while keeping most of the lip looking glossy and moist.

For a day-appropriate look, I like to pair it with very neutral eyes and a soft pink cheek to keep the whole face reined in.