Summer lip trends!

The summer has started, at least for me (finally), after finishing my exams and starting to make authentic summer plans such as parties on the beach, a trip to an island nearby, etc. 

However, what beach party would be complete without a summer lipstick to wear? 

This is the reason why I have searched through my collection to find the most adequate lip products for summer, with different trends: classic red, bright fuchsia/hot pink and orangey red. There's one for everybody! 

Trend #1: Classic Red

Everyone loves a good cool toned red, it's a classic look that's been going on for decades, right? And I have the perfect colour for you guys: NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in "Dragon Girl".

This product is great for summer because it comes in a pencil form, so that means you don't need a lip brush or anything else. I put it on my lips, and then dab with my ring finger to soften any hard edges. 

I think it's a pretty easy product to use, and as it's so bright, and not a dark red at all, this is very summer appropriate. You can see more of "Dragon Girl" in this post: CLICK.

Trend #2: Fuchsia/Hot pink lips

I really love fuchsia colours on the lips, especially when they're matte, but I also find that for summer the matte look is quite uncomfortable, that's why I put together three different looks, depending if you're more of a light lip person or matte at heart, and then I threw a fuchsia lip stain too :) 

First, is my matte alternative: NARS' Lipstick in "Funny Face"

This is straight from the tube, and as you can see it's a beautiful lipstick. It's very bright, but not what you'd call a barbie pink, which I'm glad it's not, because cool toned pinks don't look too good on me. 

You can also apply this by dabbing it with your fingers, creating a matte but light look, which I think is more suitable for summer rather than the straight-from-the-tube way.

Second is L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in "Impulsive Fuchsia".

This is a sheer balmy lipstick, but it packs a punch of colour that looks really good in summer, because it's a very vibrant and beautiful fuchsia! Definitely one of my favourite lipsticks for this summer :) 

To see more, click.

And the third look is a lip stain, Stila's Raspberry Crush.

I found out this lip stain has SHIMMER. Oh, that was such a disappointment, because I had the Cherry Crush and that didn't contain any shimmer whatsoever. So I think this doesn't look right if you apply it straight from the tube.

However... 

...If you wait a couple of minutes and you take a makeup wipe, gently take away the shimmer, and you're left with this BEAUTIFUL stain on your lips. And if it looks a bit patchy like mine do in the picture below, I just apply my BodyShop plum balm because it evens it out and moisturizes!  

Trend #3: Orangey-red lips

2012 being the year of the colour Tangerine Tango, I only see fit that we talk about this colour for lips. However, I'm not a big fan of BRIGHT ORANGE lips, at least not on myself, so I think this is a more wearable way of taking advantage of this trend.

I prepared two looks, a matte one and a sheer glossy one. 

First look, is NARS' Lipstick in "Heat wave". 

Both of the pictures above show the lipstick applied onto the lips straight from the tube. It may be a little too thick for summer, or depending on what you like your lipstick to be like. That's why I also  dabbed it with my finger for a more soft look, without losing any brightness.

The second look was created with L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in "Rebel Red".

This colour is FRUIT PUNCH love. My other favourite for this summer, I just can't stop looking at it, it's SO BEAUTIFUL! And glossy, and comfortable, and it leaves a stain behind! Can you ask for more?

See more swatches here, click.

I hope you all liked these looks, and I recently bought NARS' Bolero, so I may PROBABLY do a second installment of this kind of lip trend posts. I tried mixing up high and low end brands, L'Oreal, NARS... no MAC, however, but it will be present in my second installment if I decide to go for it! 

What recommendations do you have for any of these trends? Do you own a beautiful lipstick that matches any of these categories? Go ahead and comment! 

Love,

Maria.

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse: Impulsive Fuchsia, Rebel Red and Hypnotic Red.

Summer is on us by now, and I can't keep singing and wearing light bright clothing, and makeup! By the way, I LOVE this ad:

It just makes me think about all the amazing things I want to do this summer!

And now, onto the lip products!

I went on a little trip today to a couple of drugstores, and I wanted to get the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks. However, for some reason, they won't sell "Dating Coral" or "Aphrodite Red", which just makes me really mad because those were the ones that really stood out when I started looking for swatches online.

I did manage to buy three beautiful Caresse lipsticks, because they were on discount, so I got three for 21€ (give or take some cents), so that was really a bargain!

Impulsive Fuchsia, Rebel Red, Hypnotic Red

All of these are sheer and their packaging is a fairly sturdy transparent tube which feels quite nice, and I like the metallic showing through. Each cap is metallic on top, but a metallic colour that mimics each individual colour (shown in pictures below). They also are quite shiny, but they aren't sticky at all, but silky and smooth.

Oh, and they leave a beautiful stain on your lips after the shine has worn off, but it's not a budge-proof stain, keep that in mind. 

Impulsive Fuchsia 

 (Flash)

(No flash)

Impulsive Fuchsia: this lip colour is absolutely stunning! It's a bluish fuchsia that looks really amazing when you're a little more tanned, because it really makes your eyes and skin pop! I really love this colour, and I will show you lip swatches in the next post I am writing! Take in mind that it's sheer, so if you're scared of very bold colours, this might be a formula to try, even if it still DOES pack a punch! (The cap is a bright fuchsia pink.)

Rebel Red

(Flash)

(No flash)

Rebel Red: this is a beautiful orangey-red that looks like fruit punch to me. Take into account that flash pictures wash out colour, so look closely at the no flash pic to see how this really translates in real life! :) I think this is a beautiful summer colour, isn't it? (Has a red cap, just like Hypnotic Red).

 Hypnotic Red

(Flash) 

(No flash)

Hypnotic Red: this is colour is very different from Rebel Red, because it has this pinky berry undertone to it, which makes it stand out in my opinion. In the tube, it looks like a dark red, but it translates differently on the skin and lips! I'd use this colour all year round, even if it can be more of a winter colour.

Conclusion!

I really love ALL of the colours I picked, and I really recommend you try them, because they have the most amazing pigmentation, and feel like silk on your lips. I think you will like them if you love lip balms, or love fuss-free lipstick application that doesn't involve liners or even a mirror, because these are just perfect to put on wherever you are, and they will look nice no matter what. If you're one for matte lipsticks and long lasting lip products, then these aren't for you, I'm afraid. Take them into consideration for the summer months, though, as they are lightweight and very convenient on the go.

I picked them up for 7€ at a discounted price, but I think they'll be around 10€ or so? In the UK the price is £7.99, and in the US is $11.56. (Correct me if I'm mistaken!)

Have you tried the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks? Would you recommend other colours such as "Dating Coral" and "Aphrodite Red"? Are you willing to give these a go?

Love,

Maria.