Purple Haze

Last week when I was doing my makeup I wanted to wear a colour I hadn't worn in a while. Wasted, a matte purple from the BPerfect Cosmetics Carnival Palette was calling to me as I hadn't actually tried it yet. The look was inspired by this one from Viola of Killer Colours and this one by Celine Bernaerts. I liked the idea of taking just one vivid matte shade and blending it out and that's the basis for the whole look. It looked great on it's own but I decided to take inspiration from Celine's look and add black liner for more of a contrast. You could definitely add a bigger wing and lashes for more drama or pare it back and just wear the purple on it's own with lots of mascara. That's what I love about bright colour, you could do this kind of look with literally any bright matte eyeshadow and it would look amazing. I definitely want to try it with yellow or the same cornflower blue that Celine used.

I then added some of the Clarins cream bronzer stick to warm up my skin a bit and I reconnected with an old friend, the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter in Moonstone which I bought in the travel size about a year and a half ago in Sephora but haven't used in ages. I've seen Makeup Artist Nikki Wolff using it on her Instagram quite a bit as she's a brand ambassador for Becca. I applied it on the high points of my face using the Real Techniques Setting Brush and it gives such a gorgeous luminous sheen to my skin. I definitely want to get the full size but I think I might try the shade Pearl which is a bit better suited to fair skin tones. Instead of using a setting powder I very lightly dusted the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light over my face. 

I kept my cheeks and lips in a more peachy tone. I used the Peach shade from the Clarins duo stick on my cheeks and mixed two lipsticks to get the shade I wanted for my lips. I also want to give a mention to the Lancôme Teint Idole Foundation Stick which I actually prefer to the liquid version. It's so handy, you can just apply it directly onto your face wherever you need coverage and it's such a  creamy formula, it blends out so easily. It's a great option if you do your makeup on the go or if you need to do it quite quickly. I also needed three concealers as my dark circles were more pronounced than usual and I had a few blemishes. 

*Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Oil-Free Foundation Stick (010 Beige Porcelaine)
*Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage High Coverage Concealer (010 Beige Porcelaine)
*IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer (Light)
bareMineral bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (Fair)
*Billion Dollar Brows Brow Powder (Taupe) (Review Here)
Glossier Boy Brow (Brown) (Review Here)
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Duo Stick (Golden Peach) (Review Here)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Anti-Aging)
Sephora Collection 12hr Colorful Contour Eyeliner (02 Clubbing Stilettos)
NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Liner (Black)
*BPerfect Cosmetics Stacey Marie Carnival Palette 
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter (Moonstone)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Travel Size (Dim Light)
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick (Bitch Perfect) (Review Here)
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick (Meringue) (Review Here)

*Press Sample


What do you think of bright colours like this? Would you wear purple eyeshadow?


Emma x

Because You're Worth It!

A couple of weeks ago I went along to an event with L'Oréal Paris to check out their new collection. I was intrigued to see what the products would be like mostly because it's been a while since I've bought anything from the brand. I don't think I could tell you what any of their releases from the last few years have been and a few of my fellow bloggers on the day felt the same way. I have used their True Match and Infallible Matte foundations before and really liked both of them. I also love their mascaras and eyeliners but other than that I haven't tried many of their products.

I was excited as soon as I walked into the room and saw little stations set up with an array of products for us to play with including base, brow and lip products. We were given a short presentation in which the marketing manager said that L'Oréal Paris were looking to go in a more edgy/modern direction with the brand and make it more relevant and appealing to the current market which you can clearly see in the new campaign imagery.

They have tried to take into account the big makeup trends at the moment, one of the biggest ones being skin looking like skin and not like it's covered in heavy makeup. Part of this latest launch is a newly formulated Infaillible 24hr Fresh Wear Foundation.  It's a long wearing, waterproof, lightweight formula with oxygen technology (I have no idea what that is but I'm guessing it's what makes the formula so light). It's also advised that a little goes a long way and I totally agree, especially as it is a more full coverage finish. The Infaillible More Than Concealer is the accompanying concealer to the Fresh Wear foundation and has all the same claims, full coverage and a lightweight, long wearing formula. It comes with an oversized doe foot applicator which makes this concealer perfect for using as both a concealer and as an all over or targeted base product which is a popular technique at the moment. 

They also created a new brow product, Unbelieva'Brow, as they realised that the brow market is still huge as well as their Rouge Signature Matte Liquid Lipstick range. I feel like a lot of brands have moved on from liquid lipsticks and particularly matte lips, however L'Oréal have created a new lightweight but highly pigmented and long wearing formula so at least they're trying to improve on what's already on the market. 

Infaillible 24hr Fresh Wear Foundation (Porcelain), Infaillible More Than Concealer (Ivory), Rouge Signature Matte Liquid Lipstick (I Represent and I Achieve), Unbelieva'Brow (Dark Brunette). 

Bare Skin

Foundation, Concealer and Brows done

Close up of the foundation on my skin

Having tried the products for the past couple of weeks I'm so suprised by how much I like everything. The powder is what you'd expect, a good setting powder that I'll definitely keep using but nothing mind-blowing (I don't know any powder that is). The collection also came with the Infaillible Magic Essence Drops which contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate, anti-oxidants and light diffusing technology to brighten dull looking skin. I only tried this briefly at the event so I can't attest to how well it works but it's definitely something I'm interested in buying myself. 

I've been using the foundation and concealer on an almost daily basis since I got them which I haven't said about a "drugstore" brand for a long time apart from No7. If your skin is on the dry side I'd definitely make sure it's sufficiently hydrated before applying these as long wearing products have a tendency to be a bit more drying. On my combination skin I find they last really well and don't end up sitting on top of my skin after a long day which some much more expensive foundations can do. In the photo below I had been wearing both of them for 9 hours and they still look pretty much perfect. Obviously my skin is quite good at the moment and I haven't had any blemishes to cover thankfully so I can't say how these products would work if you're having any issues with your skin. As always  with foundations and concealers, try them in store or get a sample before you buy. There are 26 shades of the foundation and 25 shades of the concealer so not the most inclusive but not the worst either, sadly most drugstore brands are the same. 

I was really interested in the brow gel as I'd never seen any product like it. It comes with a small doe foot applicator and a double ended brush, one end with a spoolie and the other with small and thin angled brush. I've found the best way to use this for me is to brush my brows first and then use the angled brush end to take product directly from the doe foot applicator and apply it a little bit at a time so that you don't overdo it and end up with Groucho brows unless that's what you're going for. Then I brush it through just to make sure it's properly coating my brows so that they stay in place. 

I'm so impressed with the lipsticks too. It's definitely a liquid lipstick formula unlike any I've tried. It's the most lightweight formula and the pigmentation is amazing. They don't sit on your lips like other liquid lipsticks can. Instead they're buildable so you can apply a light layer for more of a stain (and they do stain, let me tell you!) or add more layers for more opacity and longevity. I've worn them all day in work and I do find my lips feel dry by the end of the day and I want to put lip balm on top. The great thing is they last so well, I don't need to top it up the entire day. I've worn them as a stain with lip balm on top, as a full on matte lipstick and with gloss on top, so they're a lot more versatile than you'd think for a liquid lipstick. There's a great shade selection too, from neutrals to pinks, reds and dark shades.

Full list of products used for the look above:

Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen SPF 30

*My Clarins Re-Fresh Hydrating Beauty Mist
*L'Oréal Infaillible 24hr Fresh Wear Foundation (15 Porcelain)
*L'Oréal Infaillible More Than Concealer (322 Ivory)
*L'Oréal Unbelieva'brow Longwear Brow Gel (108 Dark Brunette) 6 shades
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Duo Stick (02 Golden Peach)
Keyvn Aucoin The Eyelash Curler
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging
NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Liner (Black)
Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette (jet)

Bourjois Volume Clubbing Ultra Black Mascara

*Glossier Cloud Paint (Storm)
Glossier Haloscope (Moonstone)

*L'Oréal Infaillible Magic Loose Powder
Mac Prep + Prime Lip
*L'Oréal Rouge Signature Matte Liquid Lipstick (114 I Represent)

For this second look I used mostly the same products as the first look above but I've listed any additional or alternate products below:

*IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil
Glossier Boy Brow (Brown)
*Glossier Cloud Paint (Haze)
*Soap and Glory Supercat Liquid Eyeliner Pen
Kiko Milano Glamorous Eye Pencil (401-discontinued. Similar here)
Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette (Accelerate, Ignite, Stranded)
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Mascara
*Lancôme Long Time No Shine Powder (Translucent)
*L'Oréal Rouge Signature Matte Liquid Lipstick (112 I Achieve)

*Press Sample


What do you think of this collection, is there anything you'd like to try? Are there any L'Oréal products you love?

Emma x

Selfie Ready- Clarins Spring Collection 2019

Last month I went along to a Clarins event for the launch of their new Spring Collection. I'm a big fan of their skincare but having not tried any makeup from Clarins in a long time, I was very excited to see the collection. I love their mascaras, the Instant Concealer and Instant Light Lip Perfectors and the Lip Oils but other than that I haven't tried a lot from their makeup range.

We received press samples of the collection which included the Ready in a Flash Eyes & Brows Palette (€39), the Instant Poreless Pore-Blurring Matifying Primer (€27) and the Glow 2 Go Blush and Highlighter duo (€29). We were also colour matched to the Skin Illusion Foundation (€34) which although not part of the collection, was the perfect accompaniment as it is supposed to be a natural, hydrating foundation with light coverage, perfect for Spring. I was particularly excited to try the foundation as I've never tried a Clarins foundation before. 

I'll start with the foundation because it's the first thing I tried. As far as I know, this incarnation of Skin Illusion was released last year as a reformulation of the previous Skin Illusion foundation. There are only 22 shades of the foundation and sadly very few darker shades which automatically means a lot of people won't be able to wear it. Here's hoping brands will continue to add both darker and lighter shades to their foundations in order to be more inclusive of all skin tones. I was matched to Shade 101, Linen which is a fair shade with warm undertones and it definitely looked a lot more yellow than I'm used to when I first applied it. I would probably have gone for the shade Porcelain if I had chosen myself. However because it's such light coverage once I had blended it out it was perfectly fine. 

It took me a few applications before I managed to be completely happy with the foundation. The first time I tried it I think I used too much and found it sat on my skin, the second time it really emphasised any dry skin on my face which rarely happens to me, but I was testing it out when I was sick and blowing my nose a lot so I waited until I was better and made sure my skin was exfoliated and hydrated and by the third or fourth time I was so impressed with how it made my skin look. The claims for Skin Illusion make it sound like an almost perfect foundation for me. It's meant to give a bare skin effect, hydrating, natural radiance, serum texture, anti-pollution complex and has Clarins plant-based oil expertise. It also has SPF 15 but to be completely honest, for me anything less than SPF 30 is pointless so I would use a separate SPF under this if I knew I was going to be outside.

It has a glass bottle with a dropper which let's be honest, isn't most peoples preferred foundation packaging however I know it has to have that packaging because it's a more liquid formula. If I was travelling with this I'd probably decant it into a small plastic pot to make it more travel friendly. I also found that a little goes a long way. My advice is to try a few drops and then build it up if you need to. The formula makes it very easy to blend and straight away my skin was noticeably radiant. Hopefully you can see that in the photos below. Some of the plant ingredients include a type of seaweed called Jania that helps to eliminate dead skin cells and promotes a clear complexion (it also is known to moisturise, protect and hydrate the skin). It also contains an ingredient called Kalanchoe Pinnata, known as the Leaf of Life or Miracle Leaf which is used medicinally for many different purposes and in skincare it helps the synthesis of hyaluronic acid which boosts hydration.

I found it best applied with a complexion sponge at first but then I tried it again with a brush and that worked just as well. You could also apply with your fingers as it's such a light texture. After a rocky start which can most likely be attributed to my skin acting up, I'm so impressed with how my skin looks with this foundation. I also spritzed the new My Clarins RE-FRESH Hydrating Beauty Mist on before applying it and it worked really well to make blending it even easier. It gave my skin such a glow but didn't cover too much, it just looked like I had amazing, even toned and radiant skin. It also lasts on me surprisingly well for a hydrating foundation. I love that it's not just a foundation, Clarins have done their research and added ingredients that treat the skin as you're wearing it which as I'm getting older is an essential for me in a foundation. At €34 for a 30ml bottle, I think it's quite reasonable in comparison to more expensive foundations. The light coverage won't be for everyone, but I love it and I can see myself wearing it a lot in the Summer.

Next up is the Ready in a Flash Eyes & Brow palette which I was very excited to try. It has the cutest packaging that's supposed to look like a smart phone, it's plastic and compact and therefore great for travelling or popping in your bag if you like to take makeup out with you. It contains 4 matte shades, 2 of which are meant for brows but can be used as matte eyeshadows either. It also has two 'Eyelighter' shades, a beautiful metallic gold and rose gold which can be used dry or with a damp brush for more intensity. They pair perfectly with the matte shades underneath and I was really surprised by how versatile the palette is considering there aren't that many shades in it. You can see below three of the looks I created using the palette. The standout shade for me is the rose gold. It's just such a stunning shade worn alone or as you can see used in a halo eye look. I tried the brow powders and they worked best for me mixed together. Although I'm not a huge fan of the heavy brow look, I'd definitely use these if I was going out or as I said they work well as eyeshadows too. It's been a long time since I've tried Clarins eyeshadows but I'm really blown away by this little palette, it's playful but with quality, versatile eyeshadows. Probably my favourite product from the collection. 

The Glow 2 Go Blush and Highlighter Duo sticks come in two different colour ways. I was given the shade Golden Peach which as you can see has one side thats a shimmery bronze shade and the other is a shimmery golden peach. The other one, Glowy Pink has one pink side and the other is a silver/holographic highlighter. When I first opened Golden Peach my first thought was that it probably wouldn't work on my skin tone however I gave it a chance and I was so surprised how much I love it. I've been wearing it a lot since I got it and I found it so handy for bringing with me when I was away for a night recently. I think the fact that it's a cream product makes it more forgiving. I rarely use bronzer but I applied the bronze side as I would any bronzer, on any areas of the face that would naturally tan (if I actually got a tan), across my cheeks and nose, a little on my chin and my forehead. I then applied the peach side on the apples of my cheeks as I would any blush and then blend it all using my foundation brush. I loved the sun kissed glow it gave my skin. It looked so healthy and although there's shimmer in both sides, it's not too overpowering. You can apply it directly on your skin or use your fingertips to warm it up and then pat it on and blend with your fingers for a faster application. I really want to get the pink one now as I'm intrigued by the silver side  and because I love easy to use cream products like this, I think I'd get a lot of use out of it. At €29 they aren't cheap but you're getting two products in one and you can also use them on your eyelids as a quick wash of colour or as an eyeshadow base. Golden Peach would work really well on darker skin tones too, particularly the bronze side which would be a gorgeous highlighter. 

L-R; Skin Illusion Foundation, Instant Poreless Primer, Ready in a Flash palette brows, mattes and eyelighters, Glow 2 Go Duo

Lastly is the Instant Poreless Pore-Blurring Matifying Primer. I found this a strange addition to a Spring collection but it's meant to almost be like a blurring filter for your skin in real life. It claims to mattify skin, minimise pores, improve makeup hold, give a blurring effect while still being breathable. If you've ever tried the famous Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch primer, it's like a lighter version of that. It doesn't have that heavy silicone feeling that a pot of pore minimising primers have, but rather feels quite lightweight. Obviously this is only going to be suitable for people with oily skin or if you have combination skin like me, I use it only on my t-zone to get a bit more wear time before I start to look oily there. As it's only a 20ml size tube I think that's the best way to use this primer as most people wouldn't need to use it all over their face. It definitely doesn't fill in your lines and pores the way other primers can but I prefer that as I like my skin to look like skin and not like I've edited it and blurred out all the texture. One of the main plant ingredients is Arbutus (Strawberry Tree) which is actually found in Ireland and helps to absorb excess sebum. I don't generally use primers most days but I find matifying primers handy to have in my collection for days when I really want my makeup to last from early to late. That being said I probably wouldn't buy this again because I wouldn't use it enough for me to spend the money on it. If you have oily skin I highly recommend checking this out in person. 

Bare Skin


Wearing Instant Primer, Skin Illusion, Glow 2 Go and the two left shades in the Ready in a Flash palette. Also wearing Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb, IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara, Brow Power and Soap and Glory Supercat Eyeliner and Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter.



Using the same products as above and the Lisa Eldridge lipstick Velvet Morning

Wearing the same makeup as above but with Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector in shade 5 Candy Shimmer

Having tried out the collection for about a month now, I have to admit I'm so impressed with Clarins makeup. I think they've stepped up their game and have made everything quite modern and youthful but with excellent ingredients and quality products that actually do what they say they're going to. I found this collection a lot less gimmicky than so many other Spring collections from other brands. These are products you would actually use and work really well to create an edited makeup collection that has multipurpose products that are easy to use and give your skin a fresh, radiant look. This collection in addition to the new My Clarins range demonstrate a brand that are becoming more environmentally and ethically aware and hopefully more inclusive. 

What do you think of the collection? Is there anything that takes your fancy?

Emma x

Steel The Look

Last month I was scrolling through Instagram as you do and I spotted this look on Emma Stone by her makeup artist Rachel Goodwin. I completely fell for the colour combination of the cool silver eyes and deep berry lips. The look Rachel created was a proper glamorous red carpet look but I wanted to tone it down a notch for myself. She used a Serge Lutens eyeshadow palette that costs €130, but the eyeshadow I used was only €3.80. Surprisingly I didn't have any silver in my eyeshadow collection and seeing as it's not a shade I'll be wearing regularly, I didn't want to spend too much money on it. 

I decided to check out the offering in Penneys as I had a voucher from a recent press event. I didn't expect to find anything but as it turns out they had four different options. I opted for a Catrice eyeshadow which swatched nicely but ended up not being great on my eyelids, and this Essence Melted Chrome eyeshadow in the shade Steel the Look. The whole idea is that they have a melted metal effect. There are six shades altogether, I can't say how the others are but Steel the Look is highly pigmented and has a soft, buttery texture. I was so impressed considering how inexpensive it was. 

I wanted a very easy, pared back look so I applied a tiny bit of the Pür On Point eyeliner in black just lightly along my top and bottom lash line just to make it look more full. I applied Urban Decay Primer Potion and then the eyeshadow with a flat brush to give as much colour payoff as possible. I then decided to try it wet to see if it intensified the colour so I spritzed some of my Lancôme Fix It Forget It Setting Spray onto my brush and it amped up the metallic look of the eyeshadow some more, it doesn't work with every eyeshadow and I often forget to do it but when it works well it can make such a difference. I also went a bit more into my inner corner than I usually would as well as along my lower lash line.

The eyeshadow is such a statement by itself so all I did was blend it out and add the IT Cosmetics Superhero mascara. I've been using this mascara for a few months now and it packs a lot of punch. I loved it at first, then it started to smudge on me after a couple of weeks and now it's stopped and I love it again so I'm not sure what the problem was. You can get a lot of impact from just one coat which I really like, two coats will give you proper going out eyelashes. It's the mascara I go for when I want big eyelashes in a hurry. 

One of my all time favourite base products, the IT Cosmetics CC Cream has recently come back into my life (as a press sample) and I had forgotten how amazing it is. If you want to know more, you can read my full review here. I used the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer for a few weeks now and I didn't think I'd like it at all at first but after playing with it a few different ways I'm a big fan. It's quite similar to the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer in that it has a sticky texture. I find it best when you use a tiny amount and dampen a small complexion sponge and dab it onto your skin. It also stays in place all day. The less you use the better, you can always build it up if you need more. 

I kept my eyebrows fairly natural with just a small amount of the IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil and some Glossier Boy Brow. I've really been loving using the IT Cosmetics pencil. It's great for when I want to fill in my eyebrows quickly. It's universal shade however one of my fellow Irish bloggers has black brows and she said it's slightly too warm toned for her so I'd definitely try it out first if you're looking to buy it. I finished with a touch of Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk to give just a hint of colour on my cheeks, I didn't want anything too strong to take away from the eyes and lips. The closest lip shade I could find to the one Rachel Goodwin used (Surratt Beauty Lip Lustre in Très Chic) was Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Disturbed. It's one of their comfort mattes and I toyed with the idea of adding gloss as the Surratt Beauty shade has a high gloss finish but I preferred the look of the matte lipstick paired with the glittery eyeshadow on myself. 

I finished the look by adding a little bit of Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter to my cheekbones, the middle of my nose and cupids bow. I bought this back in September and I really didn't want to love it as much as I do. It's like no product I've ever tried before. I'd describe it as a multi-purpose liquid illuminator. You can use it under or over your base as a liquid highlighter, or you can mix it into your foundation for an all over glow. I've also been mixing mine with my Glossier Cloud Paints and it gives the most gorgeous sheen on my cheeks. This is definitely going to be repurchased once it's finished. 

As you can see I took photos in daylight, in artificial light and with a flash to try to capture just how gorgeous this eyeshadow is in reality. I don't think any of the photos do it justice, so if you're near an Essence stand, I'd encourage you to have a look at it in person. I took a little video which you can see below in the hopes that you can get a better idea of how sparkly it is. Obviously there's no great intricate technique to this look, its fairly easy to achieve but I think you'll agree it's such a statement. I was initially a bit wary of wearing it out of the house but I quickly reminded myself that it's only makeup and it's supposed to be a bit of fun. Take a look at the recent video Violette (the Creative Director for Estée Lauder) made using silver pigment, it should give you another option of how to wear silver on your eyes. I think it would be great for a Christmas/ New Year party. 

Would you wear this look? 

Emma x

Full Product List:

*IT Cosmetics CC Cream in Fair
*IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil
Glossier Boy Brow in Brown
Urban Decay Primer Potion Original
*Essence Melted Chrome Eyeshadow in Steel the Look
*IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara
PÜR Cosmetics On Point Eyeliner in Black
*IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer in Light
*Lancôme Long Time No Shine Setting Powder in Translucent
*Glossier Cloud Paint in Dusk
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter in Shade 1 (Fair)
*Urban Decay Vice Comfort Matte Lipstick in Disturbed

*Products marked were gifted or bought with a press voucher
(All brands are Cruelty-Free except Lancôme)

Velvet Ribbon- Lisa Eldridge Plush Matte Velvet Lip Colour

After five long months I'm finally back to blogging. It was a completely unintentional break but one I think was needed. That being said I've greatly missed writing more in-depth reviews despite writing for Bean Magazine and keeping my Instagram up to date. So when my Lisa Eldridge lipstick order arrived on Friday afternoon, I was immediately inspired to write a blog post about it because if there's anything that can get you excited about blogging again it's a beauty release from the queen of makeup herself.

When I saw Lisa Eldridge had created her own line of limited edition lipsticks AND that they were reds AND that they were matte, I knew I'd want to buy them. She released three shades, Velvet Ribbon which is a "vibrant classic neutral/blue red", Velvet Morning, a "hot and fiery, bright orange/red" and Velvet Jazz, "a muted, earthy brick red" inspired by the 1930s reds in Lisa's vintage collection.

I love all three, and of course wanted to buy all three but I couldn't really afford it so I went for Velvet Ribbon as I tend to wear classic reds most often.

Let's begin with the packaging, the case is a beautiful pale matte gold and the lid has the most satisfying magnetic click. The top of the lid is embossed with Lisa's signature monogram. It's sleek, modern, classy and has that weighted feel too.

Once you open it up, it's not your ordinary lipstick bullet, Lisa has explained that she tried for a long time to have a velvet effect on the lipstick bullet. I have no idea how, but she managed to achieve it and it looks unlike any lipstick I've seen before. It's a small detail that was probably unnecessary but has taken this lipstick to another level. I love that she has that attention to detail. It makes these lipsticks incredibly special. I tried to photograph the texture as best I could with macro filters on my lens so that you can see the velvet effect. I think you'll agree it looks like actual material!

It's supposed to be a creamy, saturated and highly pigmented matte with a slight sheen, long lasting and not drying. I'm going to be honest I've only worn it for one day, but it was enough to know it's all of those things and more. It's so comfortable and lightweight, it applies smoothly and easily and doesn't drag on the skin at all. You can achieve full opacity with just one application.

(L-R: Velvet Ribbon, Charlotte Tilbury Red Carpet Red, Pat McGrath Elson, No7 Brick Red, MAC Ruby Woo)

This is hands down the best matte red liptick I own. I understand that's a hefty claim having only had it a couple of days, but it doesn't take long to figure out if you like a lipstick. As you can see above I swatched the most similar shades I could find in my collection. I think it's most similar to Ruby Woo and Red Carpet Red and a bit lighter than Elson. It's probably the most similar formula to Elson, but I actually found Velvet Ribbon longer lasting and the packaging of Elson broke on me after only a few uses so I now find it very difficult to use as it takes a lot of fiddling around to twist it up and down and for that price I'd expect more.

It works out less expensive than the Charlotte Tilbury (€32) and Pat McGrath (€35) counterparts before shipping at £26/€29.40 (€39 with shipping). It arrived within a few days of ordering and yes the shipping is expensive at £8.50, but for that you get a signed for DPD courier delivery with a text that gives you a one hour window of delivery. Much more convenient than other online retailers. Shipping is free over £40 too.

Obviously unless you're a big LE fan, these lipsticks probably won't interest you but if you have followed her for any amount of time, you'll know she's got so much experience in the beauty industry and has never sold out or put her name to anything sub par. She's clearly put her heart and soul into this collection and has done something different to anything currently on the market. I'm clearly a fan, and matte red lips are my favourite so this is my dream collection. They are also cruelty-free which is great to see from more brands.

With all the Black Friday "sales" recently it's very easy to get caught up in wanting things we don't need and can't afford. With all the excesses of the blogging and "influencer" community I'm trying to be more conscious about what I spend my hard earned money on instead of getting caught up in the never ending new releases. I'm hoping to bring you more quality content with detailed unbiased reviews to help you decide if you really need that new palette or lipstick or if you're better using what you have instead like I'm trying to do. That being said, I'm completely biased here because I admire Lisa Eldridge so much, but I'm so delighted her collection didn't disappoint me.

Let me know if you've bought one (or all three) of these or if you're thinking of it.

Emma x

Watch Lisa's video below for more information!