Viva Glam Miley Cyrus

Viva Glam Miley Cyrus Lipstick and Lipglass

One on Christmas Day for all of you!

One of the most anticipated releases of 2015 (at least for me) has got to be Viva Glam Miley Cyrus.

And whether you are a fan of Miley or not, you GOTTA admit this lipstick and gloss kicks @ss. And that's the main reason I'm so excited. I love a good hot pink. And who doesn't like sparkle?

Swatches: Viva Glam Miley Cyrus Lipstick and Lipglass

Similar to releases like Viva Glam Riri 2, the Miley Cyrus duo is not a matchy-matchy duo where the gloss and lipstick are identical in color. They are different but complementary, so you can choose to layer them for a 3rd look if you like.

Lip swatch: Viva Glam Miley Cyrus Amplified lipstick

Lip swatch: Viva Glam Miley Cyrus lipglass

I love the 2 layered, but if you have to get just 1, I'd say to get the Amplified Lipstick.

The gloss is gorgeous, but you can get a similar effect with any hot pink Dazzleglass. And any sparkly pink gloss will look similar layered over the lipstick.

It's my personal opinion Viva Glams - for which 100% of proceeds go to charity - should be shades with wide appeal and flattering to many skintones, so as to to encourage more sales. Pretty much all of them have been, except for Riri 2 which in my own humble opinion did not meet the criteria.

Viva Glam MC hits all the spots, so it doesn't matter at all who it's named after. I LOVE this shade.

Popster: Fuchsia Lips with Warm, Romantic Neutral Eye (Good for Mono-Lids and Smaller Eyes

I call this look the "popster" because it's SUCH a common look among celebs and popstars both in the West and in the East. 

A warm, glamorous eye focusing on winged liner and sometimes false lashes, paired with electric fuchsia-pink lips.

This is a look that's especially good if you want to "enlarge" your eyes a little, because the lashes, the shadow AND the liner all create the illusion of bigger eyes.

You will need:

• A brown cream shadow (I used Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in #14; you can use a regular powder shadow if you want)
• A soft bronze-beige shadow (I used The Body Shop's single shadow in #41; just look for something a little deeper than a beige)
• A pale yellow matte pencil (NYX Yellow would work)
• A black gel liner (or liquid liner if you want; I used Maybelline's black gel liner)
• Black mascara
• False lashes (I prefer soft fluttery, natural-looking ones like Ardell 122s for this sort of look because they are longest at the center, not the outer corners. You want to retain that very rounded, doll-like eye shape.)

Meet the Purrr-fect Barbie Pink Lip Pencil

My beloved MAC Pink Nouveau stub.

 You guys know I love my hot pinks and bright pinks. But just awhile back, it suddenly hit me that I couldn't find a good strong, bright medium pink liner to match these lipsticks.

Most pink lip liners on the market are either too pale, too nude, too beige, too red, too coral, or too deep.

MAC Pink Nouveau swatched beside liners (R-to-L): NYX Dolly Pink (pale blue-pink), Rimmel 018 Addiction (nude-pink),  Rimmel 005 Pure (coral), NYX Fuchsia (blue-based magenta), MAC Chromagraphic in Process Magenta (true fuchsia)

To illustrate it, I lined up the pink pencils I own and swatched them all beside Pink Nouveau. No go.

After searching high and low through high- and low-end brands, I was amazed that all these companies (MAC, Make Up Store, NYX, etc,) with huge color ranges didn't cater for this particular color tone when it was so popular.

And then I found it.

Barry M has a lip pencil called #12 Fuchsia, which I had dismissed time and time again because the color representation online was totally inaccurate, and because I associate the word "Fuchsia" with a much deeper pink.

Shown here: Barry M #12 Fuchsia Lip Pencil (and China Glaze Sea Spray Nail Polish)

Now let me tell you, this is not a perfect match. But it is the closest to perfect that I have EVER found.

Lip match: MAC Pink Nouveau lipstick swatched with Barry M #12 Fuchsia Lip Pencil

If you own Pink Nouveau, you will know it's a bright pink, but it's not quite neon. The real perfect matches with Barry M #12 Fuchsia Lip Pencil are the more fluorescent pinks such as Lime Crime Countessa Fluorescent and Barry M 62 Vibrant Pink. If you're wearing it with a slightly softer shade like Pink Nouveau or Dolly Pink, make sure to fill in your lips rather than just outlining them, as you don't want it to catch the light when a camera flashes and give you a neon ring around your mouth (tried and tested by yours truly).

Texture wise, it's smooth and pigmented to apply, and when you color in your lip with it, the color is not streaky or clumpy. It's also vegan-friendly, and costs a very fabulous £2.99. I totally stocked up on it.

The Weekend Face: Barry M 146 Dolly Pink Lip Paint

If you've ever wondered about the fate of that gorgeous tube of bright, candy pink lipstick, you'll be glad to know it's been well-loved. It's no longer summer, but I still can't help whipping it out from time to time. There's nothing like a standout lipstick for looking "done" without spending a whole lot of time on your face.

Barry M 146 Dolly Pink Lip Paint

Dressed-up Face in 5 Minutes:

• Dior Nude Foundation #21
• MAC Studio Finish Concealer NC25 + NC30
• Make Up For Ever HD Powder 
• MAC Well Dressed blush
• Wet n Wild Greed Palette: peach-gold shimmer shade on lids, black along lash line
• Bourjois Volumizer Mascara

Barry M 146 Dolly Pink Lip Paint (Swatch and Review)

Barry M Dolly Pink Lip Paint close-up.

This is THAT pink.
Yeah, you know. The one that is soft, bright, girly, and yet a little bit rebellious all at the same time. The one that looks so scary, but seems to work with every skin tone. MAC Pink Nouveau will always be the queen of bright doll pinks to me, but there are a few worthy dupes or alternatives.

If you want a creamy version of MAC's Pink Nouveau or NYX Summer Breeze, Barry M 146 Dolly Pink is the color for you.

Swatches (L-to-R): MAC Pink Nouveau Satin Lipstick, NYX Summer Breeze Matte Lipstick,  and Barry M 146 Dolly Pink Lip Paint.

As you can see above, the shades are extremely similar. Barry M Dolly Pink is a little more expensive than NYX, but still a very affordable lipstick. NYX Summer Breeze is the warmest, MAC Pink Nouveau in-between, and Dolly Pink is a touch more blue than the other two (which makes it pop more as there is more contrast with your skin), so if you're afraid of very blue pinks, this is not a good shade for you.

I'd liken the texture to a MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick, as it's very high-intensity but still has a creamy sheen. In terms of opacity, it is not as dense and pigmented as Barry M 62 Vibrant Pink or 52 Shocking Pink.
 In fact, compared to those 2 lipsticks, Dolly Pink needs just a little more work to even out as it has a bit more "slip", and pressing your lips together can shift and smear the coverage. But it's nothing I can't live with if I very lightly blot with a single-ply sheet of tissue to take away some of the emollients.

I'd say the wear is average, which is expected for a creamy lipstick, but it more or less survived half a burger, fries, soda and ice-cream to boot, although it did not cling on as evenly as denser lipsticks like Pink Nouveau or Shocking Pink.

It's no longer summer for many of you, but you don't NEED a season to wear beautiful pinks. 

Evening Rose: Featuring NYX Doll Pink Lip Gloss (Swatches and Mini-Review)

Evening look featuring NYX Doll Pink Gloss, softly-colored eyes, and cool pink cheeks.

Since rediscovering my love for the richness, opacity and longer wear of lipsticks, I've sort of left most of my glosses lying around for months.

NYX Doll Pink (below) Round Lip Gloss is one of those items that I dropped into my shopping cart while buying all those NYX Matte Lipsticks, and it's been left forgotten and unloved for a long while, until I finally remembered it and dug it out.

As you can see below, this gloss is extremely pigmented as glosses go, but it's not sticky or heavy. In fact, it's really lovely, for a gloss that costs under a couple of bucks online.

Swatches of hot pink glosses (L-to-R): MAC Cremesheen Glass in Loud & Lovely, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Pink Pop, and NYX Gloss in Doll Pink

For the simple eye look, you just need 2 shadows, liquid liner, and mascara. It's meant to hold its own against the pink gloss and blush, but not overpower because it's just a soft neutral smoky eye. But when it catches the light, that touch of shimmery blue should keep everything fresh and interesting.

Step 1: Apply a dark chocolate brown shimmer all over the lids and wing out at the outer corners. You can choose a matte brown if you want, but be careful not to go too dark as the whole look can become overly heavy.

Step 2: Gently pack a stroke of sparkly blue along the lower lash line (you can use transparent glitter with mixing medium for maximum drama) and at the inner corners to highlight.

Step 3: Apply black liquid liner along the upper lashline. I also applied it just to the base of the lashes at the waterline so no skin shows under the lashes. Finish with black mascara or false lashes if you want.

For the lips, I applied NYX Doll Pink gloss first, then very lightly stroked a taupe-brown pencil just around the edges of the gloss for definition. Note that you should not be drawing OUTSIDE the gloss but just over the border so your pencil blends with the gloss.

You don't want a visible brown line.

For the cheeks, I applied a pale pink blush onto a kabuki and then dabbed it lightly into an intense blue-pink shadow before applying the mixture to the cheeks. Try MAC Stars n Rockets or any other intense magenta-pink (or even pinky-purple).

Barry M 52 Shocking Pink Lip Paint: Swatches and Review

Barry M Shocking Pink Lip Paint

This is the last of my Barry M Lip Paint features!

Shocking Pink is THE ultra-hot blue-pink in a matte, opaque texture. You've heard this is a dupe for Candy Yum Yum (which I did not purchase), but a little more pigmented and intense. Shocking Pink is also dryer in texture than Candy Yum Yum or NYX's matte lipsticks, so make sure you pat on some lip balm and then blot off any excess product before applying this. 

 Swatches (L-to-R): NYX Cancun Pink (black label), NYX Louisiana (round), Barry M Shocking Pink, NYX Shocking Pink (matte), Revlon Fuchsia (Colorburst) lipsticks

To better appreciate the brightness and "blue-ness" of the shade, I've swatched it next to a gamut of other "intense pinks". As you can see, NYX Cancun Pink does not even look bright compared to Barry M Shocking Pink. NYX Louisiana, which many consider a hot pink, looks very red beside its strong blue undertones. Revlon's Fuchsia is plummy in comparison, and NYX Shocking Pink looks almost mauve. 

If you are afraid of very blue or very bright pinks, feel free to check out one of the other shades listed depending on what you feel more confident wearing.

The Pros?

I don't find any lip liner necessary as this matte lipstick has not bled. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find any matching lip liner more intense and pigmented than this anyway. It also applies evenly, lasts for hours without touch-ups, and is one of the most incredibly unapologetic pinks you will find in the market.

The Cons?
I don't like lipsticks staining, and this stains big time. But I experienced this with pretty much all hot pink lipsticks of this intensity. It's also not very moisturizing compared to other matte formulas like MAC Candy Yum Yum or NYX Shocking Pink. Then again, I have to say neither of those is this opaque and intense.

Compared to other Barry M shades in my collection?
I do find the texture of the 3 stronger lipsticks (Sunset, Vibrant Pink, and Shocking Pink) more even and high-quality than the lighter shades (Peachy Pink and Baby Pink) which take a bit more work to apply.

The differences between Shocking Pink and Vibrant Pink are in the undertones (Vibrant Pink is more of a true-pick, and Shocking Pink more blue-based) as well as texture (Vibrant Pink is creamier). If you are afraid of wearing something that is too cool-toned, or don't like a very matte texture, go for 62 Vibrant Pink.

Lime Crime Countessa Fluorescent Dupe: Barry M Vibrant Pink Review and Swatches!

 Barry M Lip Paint 62 Vibrant Pink

I've always considered Lime Crime's Countessa Fluorescent the Queen of Barbie Pinks. It's different from hot electric pinks and fuchsias like MAC's Candy Yum Yum in that it is a truer pink (as opposed to blue-based), not as deep, and almost highlighter-bright on the lips. 


Imagine my delight when my Barry M package included one that was extremely similar in shade. 

 Meet Barry M Vibrant Pink (left) and Lime Crime Countessa Fluorescent (right).

Barry M Vibrant Pink is something of a satin finish (similar to MAC Pink Nouveau), which means it is opaque and tacky, with a muted sheen - which I love. This is my favorite texture of all MAC lipsticks because it imparts great color, lasts really long, but doesn't feel as dry as a full matte lipstick.

Swatch comparison; Lime Crime Countessa Fluorescent (left) and Barry M 62 Vibrant Pink (right)

The right side of my hand is a little more shaded, or the two swatches would look even more similar. I was quite surprised to realize the Barry M was actually more opaque and intense than the Lime Crime, which is more of a creamy Amplified finish. If you like demi-matte finishes that last a long while, get Barry M Vibrant Pink. If you want a bit more moisture, get Lime Crime Countessa Fluorescent.


The other difference is also that if you want to be really picky about it, the Barry M is just a hint deeper and more cool-toned. But just worn on the lips individually, the difference is not visible at all.

Barbie Pink vs Hot Pink: Barry M Lip Paints in 62 Vibrant Pink (left) and 52 Shocking Pink (right).

Just for purposes of comparison, here is Barry M's Vibrant Pink swatched against Barry M  Shocking Pink, the widely-acknowledged Candy Yum Yum dupe. As you can see, Vibrant Pink is more lustrous and reflective, whereas Shocking Pink is a deeper, cooler-based, more intense matte-pink. 


Do note that all the neon pinks do stain the lips, without exception. (If you've found any of these neon pinks that don't stain, let me know!) I believe it's the nature of the liquid dyes needed to get that intense highlighter-pink effect, as more subdued pinks I own, like MAC Pink Nouveau, do not do this.


The main drawback for this lip shade? It can make teeth look dull and yellow, so watch out there!

Barry M Vibrant Pink can be purchased internationally on Barrym.com for £4.49 each.

Weekend Hot Pink: NYX Cancun Pink Black Label Lipstick

NYX Cancun Pink is a bright, blue-based pink that is creamy, pigmented, and (to me) extremely beautiful. While some love has been shown to Hot Pink from the same Black Label range as a creamy version of MAC Candy Yum Yum, Cancun Pink is more opaque.

The bonus is that it also does not stain the lips the way NYX Hot Pink and Candy Yum Yum do.

L-to-R: NYX Paris, NYX Cancun Pink, MAC Pink Nouveau

At just under $5 from Beautyjoint.com, it's definitely more expensive than the round lipsticks, but then this has been one of my favorite NYX purchases to date, and I think it would look wicked regardless of whether you have uber-pale or very deep skin tone. 

Duping MAC Pink Nouveau

Top-to-Bottom: MAC Pink Nouveau, NYX Matte Summer Breeze, and  Etude House  VIP Girl PK009

If you don’t have access, or don’t want to pay so much for MAC’s Pink Nouveau, but want a bright pink, here are 2 quick options.

NYX Summer Breeze matte lipstick and Etude House VIP Girl PK009.

Note they are not 100% dupes. I’d say they are about 90-95% similar. Both are a twinge less blue-toned than Pink Nouveau, so if you are attracted to true pinks, but find Pink Nouveau a tad too “cool”, try these other two.

Texture wise, NYX Summer Breeze is MUCH closer to the satin finish of the MAC but with a faint touch more peach in the base. The Etude House lipstick is glossy in texture, so you won't get that full-on opaque doll-pink mouth as you would with the NYX and MAC versions. If you have dry lips, or don’t like a matte finish, get this.

Cost wise, NYX wins. The Etude House lipstick might possibly be cheaper if you’re in South Korea (but then I can't say for sure). It’s a little marked up in other parts of the world. But if you are just buying ONE lipstick though, getting PK-009 from your local Etude might be cheaper than footing the shipping cost for NYX.

Burnished Bronze Smoky Eye

This is a look that uses two bronze/grey shades over a dark base, shaped into a soft cat eye. It plays on two neutral two-toned shades applied over a black base for a smoky effect.

Step 1: Apply a black base to the lids. I used a black khol pencil over the lids and spread it out with a flat synthetic brush. Make sure to extend at the outer corners and fade out into a faint wing.

Step 2: Apply a soft silver-grey with gold sheen over the inner half of the lids. I like the silver shade in Wet n Wild Coloricon in Greed.

Step 3: Then using a soft taupe-bronze shadow, apply to the outer half of the lids and wing out slightly.

Step 4: Using a firm smudger brush, pack the matte black shade in the Coloricon palette along the upper lash line, thicker at the outer corners. Then smudge the remaining shadow along the lower lash line as well.

Step 5: Apply black liquid liner very close to the upper lashes and then apply black mascara to top and bottom lashes to finish the look.

Eye Products:

• Super Quick EX Liner (any black matte pencil or base will do)
• Wet n Wild Coloricon in Greed (grey and matte black shadows)
• MAC Patina shadow
• Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner
• L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

Face Products:

• MAC Face and Body Foundation
• KATE Brow Pencil BR-3

For the Lips: You can try the standard nude or soft creme shade, but why not splash out with a super-hot pink?

• NYX Matte Lipstick in Shocking Pink