New lip combo!

Hello everyone! :)
No luck with the YSL Glossy Stains, I'm afraid. I found a couple of them, but they didn't let me take any pictures of the swatches, and I didn't like any of the five colors that were shown on the YSL stand, but I'll try another day, I promise!

However, I have the most amazing discovery to show you guys. Actually, no. It's not a discovery at all, because I have created a lip combo with products I already owned, but despised and didn't use at all. As much as I love my NARS Lip Velvet Matte pencils, I own "Damned" and I'm afraid this color is too vampy to work on me, and made me look really dull and corpse-like. (It's way too brown for me, and I was about to give it to my mother!)

On the other hand, I have one of those Josie Maran's lip stains which has the appearance of a marker, and I find it doesn't work at all, because it doesn't apply evenly on my lips. Any kind of marker will do, but I really don't like this one because of it's crappy application, and I bought this product when I was in New York. It's a hot pink/red kind of color, and as much as I love the color, I can't bring myself to use this one at all.

I have heard that the Josie Maran apply well, on the internet. But I don't know if mine had already dried out before my purchase, or whatever, but it applies quite patchy on my lips. So if you find you really love this one, then, forget my mini-review on this product!

I think mine is the third starting from the right, if I'm not very mistaken.

The thing is, this morning, I wanted to look out for old products I don't use, and see if there's any way to use them up.

And this combo jumped out of nowhere. Since the "Damned" NARS pencil is quite dull, and the Josie Maran lip stain is bright but patchy, I decided to use first "Damned" on my lips, which looks quite brown-plum on my lips, but with the pink pop in the middle of my lips, and a little bit of vaseline on top (or clear gloss), this just looks like the MOST AMAZING burgundy red lips but still very bright, which is something I need to make my skin not look dead-like.

So, today's little tip is: guys, try to make any old dull lip color with a brighter one that matches it more or less, and see how the color DRASTICALLY improves and makes you look really lively and beautiful. Add the clear gloss/Vaseline to achieve that fruity and kissable look on your lips, or go matte if you are a matte-girl at heart.

Love,
Maria.