Last month I was obsessed with hair products and this month, I have moved onto lip products. I haven't had much time to get ready in the mornings lately, as finals week has officially started, so I usually go barefaced. Adding a hint of color on my lips makes me feel less dead and a bit put together, even if it's just lipstick.
--AT A GLANCE--
As we all know, nude lipsticks can be very tricky to find as we are not all the same skin tone, let alone undertone. If you can rock the beige concealer lips, more power to you, but the rest of us had to settle for something else. The L'Oreal Collection Privee sought to remedy that situation ans was inspired by present and previous spokesmodels of varying skin tones. There were a total of six lipsticks released in the US: Doutzen Kroes, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Frieda Pinto, and Liya Kebede. The UK replaced Jennifer Lopez with Cheryl Cole. Matching nude nail polishes also accompanied this collection but as I have way too many nail polishes for one person, I decided to skip out (though I sort of regret it now but life goes on!).
Unfortunately, this collection is limited edition here in the US. The collection has been out for a while now so I don't know how readily available it is but a visit to CVS two days ago still had Frieda and Liya's Nude Lipsticks and nail polishes.
--THE BREAKDOWN--
Each lipstick is encased in a squared-off, black rubberized case, reminiscent of the NARS packaging. The gold twist up base reminds me of old school Hollywood glamor. Embossed with the brand's name, it is a step up from the normal packaging.
I found mine at CVS for $9.99 USD each. The lipsticks contain 5mL or 0.17 oz, coming in at $58.76 USD per oz. The two colors I got were Eva's Nude and Jennifer's Nude.
❤Eva's Nude, or Barely Golden, looks quite brown in the tube but comes off as a warm, dark salmon with subtle golden shine that doesn't look frosty on the lips.
❤Jennifer's Nude is a peachy pink lipstick with no shimmers in it. This shade comes off as a nice nude on my medium skin tone.
--THE GOOD--
Aside from the luxurious packaging, the formula isn't too bad. Though I wouldn't call it a matte finish, they aren't exactly all that shiny and glistening. My lips don't get dried out from these lipsticks and they apply well enough over chapped lips (though having freshly exfoliated lips doesn't hurt!). Lasting power is so-so. If I don't eat and drink lightly, I can still see decent color at hour 6. I definitely need to reapply after hour 7-8 for full color or after eating a full meal. The cover snaps on and off securely and easily, though you have to make sure the cover aligns with the base as there is a rectangular piece that sticks out from the front.
Both of them smell like Twizzlers to me (a cherry-ish scent?), which used to be my favorite candy of all time before it got dethroned by Crunch and Twix.
Jennifer's Nude is my favorite kind of formula. It has not a single speck of glitter or sheen and applies smoothly. The color does remind me of something that J.Lo would wear and makes me feel glamorous like she is when I apply xD.
Eva's Nude does have a slight gold sheen to it but it isn't visible on the lips; it just adds a nice volumizing effect. I was afraid this color was going to look dated on my lips or make me look older but this one is my favorite out of the two.
--THE BAD--
This is a reoccuring problem with L'Oreal lip products--they don't come sealed. Now, I'm not a total germaphobe but people sometimes swatch them or apply them onto their lips and I don't want to use a used product, especially a lip one, on my own face!
Though the packaging is very nice visually, the rubberized tube is just a fingerprint and lint attractor, which makes me anxious as I don't like dirty makeup. I'm not sure how you can get rid of that but if you know of any tips, please let me know!
Jennifer's Nude applies sheerer than does Eva's Nude. It took me three swipes to get the same opacity as Eva's Nude so I think there are inconsistencies when it comes to pigmentation.
--THE BOTTOM LINE--
I would recommend these! I didn't think I was going to like any of the colors but I found ways to make them work. Eva's Nude can be worn alone for a more natural rosy lip look. Jennifer's Nude is a little too nude and washes me out slightly when worn alone with no other makeup on but I think it would be perfect for smokey eyes. I don't think you have to be the exact coloring of any of these ladies to pull off their lipsticks but it might be a nice place to start if you're new to neutral/nude lips, and I don't mean the kind that looks like you put concealer on!
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| Slowly adding to my nude lips collection! |
- Took my first finals this morning. Feel like I did okay--might not be an A but will hopefully still be good enough for a B.
- Went to volunteer at a clinic this weekend but ended up fainting and hitting my head. Have gone for two checks ups and will need to schedule an MRI and a visit to the neurologist--GAH.
- At least summer vacation is coming in less than 4 days xD
So that's it for this post! I hope that you'll still be able to find some of these lipsticks (sorry for posting this so late but I was late to this party too >.<). If you live in the UK, you can still get all of these (except for JLo) on the Boots website.
**11/30/14 UPDATE**: I've seen them online at Ulta, which usually means an item is going to be permanent! Head on over there to grab yours if you see a color you like!
**11/30/14 UPDATE**: I've seen them online at Ulta, which usually means an item is going to be permanent! Head on over there to grab yours if you see a color you like!
XOXO,
MWAH ❤
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Disclosure Statement: All products mentioned were purchased with my own money. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned above and was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. Links are not affiliate links and are provided for the readers' convenience. I cannot guarantee that the product(s) will work for you. I do not approve or endorse the products or information available on these sites. Proceed at your own risk.
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