Makeup Review - L'Oreal Colour Riche Le Matte Lipcolor

I'm a lipgloss / balm kind of girl. Anything more opaque than that makes me feel like a kid wearing Mommy's makeup. But I've been trying to bust out of my makeup rut, to try new products and amp up my look a little bit. So when I saw this on clearance at Target, I had to snatch it up.

Matte lip formulas are a great way to add some drama to your look for Fall - they look chic and strong without being too shiny or over the top. IN THEORY. The color I picked up is number 408 - She's So Matte - and the package color is the most PERFECT salmony-watermelon mix.

...which would be a pretty color, but a horrible paté.

The product is housed in a thin barrel, and you can twist the top to expose more lipcolor. There's decent color payoff, for sure, and it's a pretty smooth feeling formula. Given how strong the color is, there's plenty of product - though, let's be fair, the barrel length is a bit deceiving.

As with any matte formula, you want to be sure that your lips are smooth and moisturized before applying. A sugar scrub or a light exfoliation with a really soft toothbrush is a good way to keep your lips soft, and a nice lip balm will make sure they feel moisturized. 

If you skip these steps, you might end up with zombie Kool-aid mouth. And unless you're a zombie in a Kool-Aid commercial, I don't recommend that look. 

Work it, girl. Decomp diva, right here.

On a moisturized lip, the color applies very smoothly and feels lovely. It has a nice satiny feel. If you neglect balm before applying, the color feels like it is drying your lips out very quickly (logical for a matte product to not be as slick and pleasantly moisturizing as a gloss to some extent, but many matte finish lipsticks feel moisturizing for some time on the lips). Also, the color of the product is not quite that of the packaging - at least in this instance. It's more of a very shockingly vibrant berry than the melon color I expected. I had a little trouble capturing the difference in a proof photo...

As you can see. "BABY LOOK PRETTY NOW, MOMMY?" < / Maria Bamford stand-up routine >

Above, it's bled at the edges - the lip balm I used was probably a little too decadent, and the color slipped around. An EOS balm would do the trick nicely, I'd think - my current go to is Vanilla Carmex (love love love), and it's a bit less waxy. The PRODUCT seems to dry/fade somewhat easily, but the COLOR lasts really well - almost like a stain. I couldn't get it off before work!

I feel like this would be a great product for a fun night out - maybe where you weren't going to be doing a lot of eating or kissing. I think it's too drying of a matte to comfortably wear for a busy day look, unless you're in to frequent touch ups to keep your lips from feeling too dry. But that could just be me still getting used to mattes! If it weren't for the color, I wouldn't regret the purchase a bit - but I don't know that I love it enough to buy another.

If you tried this product, or their lacquer line, let me know what you thought! If you want to see more zombies, let me know that, too!

BRAAAAIIIIINS.

BENEEEEFITTTT.

BAREEEEE MINERALLSSS.

MOISTURIZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

...BRAIIIIINS.

The product above was bought with my sad little wallet, and the opinions are my honest (albeit rambling and confusing) thoughts on the product and are in no way endorsed by the brand.

P.S.

Guys. What should I name my sexy undead "makeup don't!" zombie lady? Kimm Corpsedashian. The Corpse "Always a Bridesmaid, Never a-" Bride. Give me your zingers, I think she needs to stick around. She's wearing the featured lipcolor. What a sport!

P.P.S.

The above-quoted Maria Bamford stand-up bit. Get that voice in your head, and repeat it at your mirror every time you finish getting ready. Bonus points for faces. Bonus bonus points if you can cross your eyes, I can't. Seriously, it's a problem. Language warning...which really, you should be prepared for any time you come here. I used to be a sailor.

...hello, sailor. < / Graham Chapman >

I've completely lost the point of this post. Zombies, Stand-up and Monty Python...all necessary components in the beauty biz, really. Later days!

Sexy Face Mask Sunday - Que Bella Relaxing Aromatherapy Mask

Say it with me now:

SEXY FACE MASK SUNDAY! WOOHOO!

Today's skin treat was another one from Que Bella, the Relaxing Aromatherapy mask. It's described as a "lavender day mask", and its lavender essential oil is supposed to make you feel "refreshed, revitalised and relaxed". It comes in the familiar 15g/0.5 Fl Oz. size foil pack, and feels quite like a mud mask when applied.

Also? It's FANTASTIC. Look at how relaxed I was! I'm a fantastic actress, folks, but that was REAL.

Sometimes natural lavender products can be too strong. This has a soothing, light scent. It's a pale colored mask with a clay consistency. At the same time, it's very smooth - it doesn't feel gritty or drying as some mud masks do. I genuinely felt myself relaxing and enjoying the mask. It stung a tiny bit around the nose as it dried, but otherwise it was comfortable.




My skin felt very moisturized and happy after using this mask....I will definitely get it again! It's my favorite of the line thus far.

Now for the bad news: I don't see it listed on their website,  OR on Amazon.com. Hopefully they keep carrying this one! I bought mine last week at Target. Like all their masks, it sells for between $2-3 dollars. This is the perfect thing to accompany a nice long soak in the tub on a relaxing day off.

Orrrrrr those five minutes of stolen peace on a hectic morning...like mine today :D!

Sexy Face Mask Sunday - Que Bella Pomegranate Peel-Off Mask

It's that time again, sparklesaurs! SEXY FACE MASK SUNDAY!

This week, I tried Que Bella's "Refreshing Pomegranate Peel-Off Mask". Like the other masks in their line I found it at Target in the familiar foil packet. It's 15g/0/5 fl oz., and was a low price. Unlike the other masks, I hated it.

The package states, in part, "Refresh tired skin with this fresh-scented mask...will leave your skin with a great, refreshed feeling".

If you're unfamiliar with peel-off masks, they are usually of a transparent, gel-like consistency. You smear them on your face awkwardly, and after they dry you peel off a thin layer of something akin to stretchy Elmer's glue as you peeled it off your fingers in first grade. Afterward, your skin feels somewhat more refreshed - usually due to a magic, skin feeding ingredient that makes your life better.

This mask wasn't exactly gel-like. More like Jelly.

K.Y. Jelly. 

Um. Nice to meet you too, over-excited spa lady. How refreshing?

I think the formula separated somewhat in the pack...there was a lot of liquid, making application messy. Oddly enough, the gel portion was semi-tacky already - like it had already started to dry. So. wrong on two counts. The mask got uncomfortably itchy quite quickly...mostly around the nose, where I was probably crinkling it in distaste. It peeled off in small, spiderweb-like sections - not the satisfying peel of other masks. I ended up washing most of it off under the tap. The scent was somewhat fruity, but in an almost alcohol way - like really cheap, fruit vodka. I didn't notice it as much as it started to dry.

The one positive thing I noted about this mask was that my skin looked less red after using it on some areas where I had temporary discoloration from a breakout. My skin doesn't feel like it's horribly dry, it does feel cleaner and like oil was removed - but I do have the urge to go slather on moisturizer, my cheeks and forehead feel too tight when I move.

So, not the worst thing that's ever been on my face - story for another day! - but I won't be repurchasing it.

 Image from Amazon

Try Queen Helene's Grape Seed Extract Peel-Off mask instead, if you want to jump on the peel-off train - it too promises to remove impurities, is low-cost, and shockingly leaves your skin feeling BETTER after you use it.

Find it on Amazon, or the "Skin Treats" collection of my brand sparking new Luvocracy.

...have you tried Luvocracy? It's like Pinterest, for products you can then buy. It looks pretty amazing. Comment below to show me yours, and let me know how you like it! I'm thinking of using it to list items used in tutorials or comparison reviews.

That's all for this masky madness, until next time!

<3

Sexy Face Mask Sunday - Que Bela Purifying Mud Mask

SEXY FACE MASK SUNDAY!

...I need some better lighting. BUT! Not a better mask! Plug! Just kidding. I get the "Que Bella" masks whenever I stop at Target for groceries (aka just to be at Target, because it's my shiny and clean happy place) and I've been very happy with them as a little weekend pick-me-up skin treat. The mud style masks come in a good-sized foil pouch containing 15g/0.5 fl oz of product, and the product is so thick that you can use it a few times. I've been sealing the pouch in a ziploc in the fridge to finish later in the week. 

This week I used the Purifying Tea Tree and Witch Hazel mud mask. The package describes the mask as "a tingly treat", stating "The cleansing action of the mask naturally draws out impurities and eliminates excess oil, leaving your skin revived and wonderfully clear". Target.com says it has a peppermint scent, but I get more of a tea tree aroma - not overly chemical or mineral, with just a hint of mint. It reminds me of something from when I was young, maybe an old Avon mask my Mom would use.

This mask had a nice tingle, not too caustic - just enough to feel like a good cleanse was going on. My pores had a party! It was a teensy bit uncomfortable at the end, as some masks can be, but a thicker application may have made it feel less so. I was pretty light handed today. My skin felt smoother after using it, and I did notice less oil on my makeup-free face at the end of the day though my skin didn't feel irritated or dry.

These masks usually run between $2-3 at Target, and for a once a week face treat (with more to spare, for a friend/roomie/relative/your metro-man/the you of tomorrow) I'm sold. Repeatedly.

The products mentioned above were purchased with my own sad little wallet, and I am in no way affiliated with Que Bella Beauty or Target. Though their website shows they carry body butters and bath syrups - somebody's gonna be hearing from me soon if they don't pop up in the Target beauty aisle! Hello! Toffee Apple? Come to mama! I wanna smell like delicious fair food, without rolling around in elephant ears. Why'd you think I chose the tea tree oil mask in the first place? Oil! This is all made up. I just get lonely, guys. YAY, FIRST REVIEW! Maybe I'll take a real product photo next time. SKY'S THE LIMIT!