SPOTLIGHT: Favourite May & June 2020 LOTD's...

If you follow my Instagram account, you would have noticed that instead of the regular five-days-a-week appearances, my LOTD uploads are somewhat sporadic and erratic. Due to COVID, I'm only heading into the office every second week, and while I'm still wearing makeup just about every day, I'm saving my dress-ups (and consequently my LOTD pics) for those days when I go to the workplace. Consequently, I've not had many lip love photos to choose from, but below are what I put together from the May & June limited assortment...

What's been interesting is that my lipstick application skills soon deteriorate if I don't keep up the practice, so some of these are a bit lopsided - anyways the colours and textures are what count, right?

1. Colourpop Ultra Metallic Lip - DM. A regular, I trot this out when I'm wearing golden browns from my wardrobe. In July last year, I said it was too drying and was going to toss it, but in the end, I couldn't bear to do it as I've nothing else quite like it, and I solved the problem by applying a thin layer of balm underneath ♥...

2. NYX SlipTease Lip Lacquer - Shady. You'll see these fairly often as they are totally fabulous - full review of the majority of the shades is HERE. Still can't believe I picked these up for $7 each from Priceline ♥...

3. Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm - Coy. I've had this for ages and I'm bamboozled as to why I've never worn it. Lost in a sea of lip products, I'm delighted I singled it out. It's gorgeous - creamy, moist, wears pretty well, super convenient being in crayon form, and I just adore the colour ♥...

4. Antipodes - South Pacific Coral. Received this in a surprise gift from the brand, and I wear it fairly regularly. It's actually a lot brighter in the tube but I'm experimenting with different lip liners underneath to see if I can get it to really pop. Fabulous formula, sooooo comfortable ♥...

5. Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Bloom - Rose Rush. Seems to be only available on eBay now - such an unusual and pretty orangey-pinky-red. I'll keep wearing it though in the hope that MNY changes their mind and brings it back - LOVE IT! ♥...

6. Seraphine Botanicals Vegan Berry Tint - Cherry Cream.  Three years old and still going strong. Supremely comfortable with brilliant coverage and wears well. Although it does get a little dry after a few hours, reapplication is smooth and makes it all creamy again ♥...

7. Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink - Pioneer. How about that red hey? These liquid lippies are astonishingly good - methinks I need a few more in my kit. Their lasting power is amazing, and the comfort-factor is way up there ♥...

8. Avon Mark Lipstick - Berry Cute.  Love the name, the colour, the formula - I think this is appearance #4 in my faves posts, will definitely be a fifth ♥...

9. IBY Beauty High Intensity Lipstick - Mardi Gras. I keep this for the shade - it has a very high blue content which makes it just the right colour for several outfits. It's a little drier than other formulas, but my obsession with matching is stronger than my desire for comfort lol ♥...

Would any of these suit you?

Take care of you, and keep your loved ones safe,

kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: Favourite May 2019 LOTD's...

Some absolute LOTD gems last month. Only three new ones as I'm doing my utmost to work through my collection to eliminate the so-so's (lip withering duds are long gone) and see if I can narrow down the range to a set of every colour, texture and finish imaginable, but they MUST be supremely comfortable, and I have to love them to bits. Once I have the volume under control I'll do another count (last one in 2017 was over 500 which is ridiculous!). My darling friend IndieAna has been culling her collection for over a year too - I swear it takes ages lol ♥...

As usual, I'm starting with the browns/neutrals and working my way through to the passionate purples...

1. The Balm - Amanda Kiss My Lips. I'd forgotten what a delish formula this is - still creamy and moist at over 2 years old, and it's a beaut slightly golden brown unlike a lot of my others which contain a lot of red ♥...

2. Maybelline Color Sensational Made For All - Mauve For Me. LOVE this new range! I scored this (and #8 below) from a beautyheaven trial. Slightly misleading colour name as it's more like a terracotta or a deep nude than a mauve, but either way, it's gorgeous. The formula is juicy, softening and satiny, and the fact that each case is an almost perfect match to the contents adds to the appeal ♥...

3. Nutrimetics nc Hydra Brilliance - Russet. The perfect winter orange hey. Magical formula, I reviewed a couple of the shades HERE ♥...

4. Lacura Photo-Fit - Paris. Still loving these lippies from Aldi - full review is HERE ♥...

5. L'Oreal Color Riche Moisture Matte - Bloody Mary. Appearance number 6 or 7 in these posts - pretty safe to say this is my favourite matte red lipstick ♥...

6. Nutrimetics nc Hydra Brilliance - Garnet. Ditto #3 above ♥...

7. BarryM - 151. What a pretty coral - not as moist as some of my others, but still comfy and long wearing ♥...

8. Maybelline Color Sensational Made For All - Fuchsia For Me. The second one from the bh trial ♥ Such a gorgeous pink - not too bright, and it feels as hydrating on the lips as it looks ♥...

9. MODE Matte - Back to the Fuchsia. Another one that had slipped into obscurity in my kit. It's over three years old, and a little too drying now so I tossed it, but would buy it again if it were still available ♥...

10. Jane Iredale Triple Luxe Long Lasting Naturally Moist - Ella. One of the best long lasting formulas, I need more from this brand. Long wear usually means way less lip comfort, but not this baby ♥...

11. Avon Mark - Berry Cute. Adore every one of these I scored from mag covers - despite the number of lipsticks I have, this particular shade gets an outing every month or so because of the vibrant shade, intensity and moisture content ♥...

12. Maybelline Colorsensational Metallic Matte - Copper Rose. I picked this up at Priceline for $5 because it's discontinued. Discontinued? I wasn't even aware of this range! Such a shame as it's a fascinating finish - matte with a soft metallic reflect. Oh well, I bought two so I'm good for a while lol ♥...

Which one do you like the most?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: Favourite January & February 2019 LOTD's...

Even I'M bored with the number of times I've mentioned I need to do a "catch-up" of my LOTD's, so here it is - a combo of January & February. There were actually quite a few that appeared in both months, so rather than repeat myself, I've culled the lot down to 20 faves, and am now officially up to date yay! ♥...

With so many pinks, mauves and purples, you'd think this was a spring edition. Actually, my only obvious concession ot the seasons is that I tend to keep my dark and broody shades for the cold weather, and there'll be plenty of that soon - yikes! Meanwhile, here we go with what's left of summer...

1. Maybelline Colorsensational - Bronze Metal. Not everyone is a fan of brown lipstick, but I love it now and then, especially when I'm wearing more natural coloured clothing, like creams, beiges, tans and even soft leafy greens. This is an oldie but a goodie, have had it for years but it hasn't deteriorated in the slightest...

2. Lip Monthly - 02. Adore this one - it's definitely orange, but kinda scorched so it's not overly bright. I'll be trotting this one out several times during autumn - it reminds me of maple leaves...

3. Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer - Sunstone. Another blast from the past - the sheer volume of my collection is the only reason why I haven't worn this in ages. Deliciously moisturising, and such a gorgeous colour...

4. Ulta3 Matte - Bitter Sweet. Reasonably comfortable for a matte, I've included it because it's such a pretty coral. Most of my other ones have a much higher pink content...

5. Maybelline Colorsensational - Rose Rush. Love this, the only coral red I have in my kit, and MNY has nailed this formula...

6. Ulta3 Ultra Matte Longwear Lip Cream - Wild Fire. Another one that's on the dry side but it's tolerable, and I'm prepared to put up with the slightly shrivelly effect as it's such a stunningly bright orange-red...

7. Jeffree Star Liquid Lipstick - Red Rum. Bless Jeffree - he knows what he's doing, this is a classic...

8. Rimmel The Only One - Best of the Best. Hard to beat this bold and sassy gem from Rimmel. Super moist, super red, super glossy...

9.  Maybelline ColorDrama Intense Velvet Lip  Crayon - Red Essential. My love for these crayons continues unabated - the perfect deep winter red...

10. Essence Lights of the Orient Matte Lipstick - Belly Dancing Queen. Very comfy for a matte, and it has enough pink in it to qualify as a berry...

11. W7 Matte Lipstick - In The Pink. Soft and feminine, this is girly all the way and doesn't dry my lips...

12. Nutrimetics Hydra Brilliance 50th Anniversary - Frosted Grape. You've seen this before and will again, countless times. So kind to my old pucker...

13. Revlon Superlustrous Lipstick - Liptember Mauve. Totally mauvalicious, sometimes I loathe Special Editions like this because I fall in love, and then I can't buy it again. Boo!...

14. Ulta3 Lipstick - Orchid. Another soft and pretty baby. Ulta3 lipsticks are amazing value - they have a tendency to be sheer, but I've worked my way through the whole range and found all the ones that are dense enough to cover my freckles, like this one...

15. Revlon Superlustrous - Fuchsia Fusion. What's a lipstick collection without a few fuchsias? If the truth be known, it's only recently I've gotten the hang of how to spell fuchsia ha ha. Well done Revlon, this is a darling...

16. Nutrimetics Hydra Brilliance - Magenta. Oh Barbie, this one's for you!...

17. Ulta3 Lipstick - Lilac Glow. More pink than lilac, but one of their finest, and highly recommended if you want something moist but not glossy, total coverage and excellent longevity... 

18. Avon Mark Lipstick - Berry Cute. One of the best magazine cover giveaways ever - adore this lippie, so creamy and moist...

19. Sash Cosmetics Luminous Lipstick - Gypsy Child. I call this shade mystic purple - just my little thing lol. I fear Sash Cosmetics has folded, and their Christmas giveaway was a loving way to say goodbye. Both their Facebook and Instagram pages are no more - so sad...

20. Sash Cosmetics Luminous Lipstick - Insomnia. This purple is heading into brown-land, but it's still purple in my beauty book, and another one that's ideal for the cooler months - a darn shame I can't get hold of any more from this brand as the formula is a winner...

Would love to know which ones you like ♥...

Take care of you,
kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: 1st Quarter 2018 Fave LOTD's - Part 2...

Following on from Part 1, here are my recent personal Fave LOTD's in the nude, coral, pink, berry and purple families ♥ Kinda proud of myself for including more than one row of nudey examples - maybe I'm mellowing in my old age lol? Can't imagine that I'll ever stop wearing the bold reds, pinks and purples, or the deeper browns and berries though - too much fun!

I'm not faithful to any particular brand, although I do have quite a few more Maybelline and NYX lip products than any other. But there are lippies from 15 different companies here, hopefully some you might be inspired to try. So here we go, starting with...the nudes...

1. NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Cream - Speed Of Light. Almost always in one of these posts, can't rave enough about the formula (some other brands do metallics that set like plastic, and peel off like plastic), and my local Priceline now has a spot for them on the stand - yes!!!...

2. Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick - Beige Trench. Lovely pinky nude with the perfect balance of comfort and lasting power. My love affair with Bourjois continues unabated...

3. Cosmoholic Liquid Lipstick - Prudish Pink. Via Lipmonthly, this is the same company that makes my #1 gold gloss, so dense, so glossy...

4. Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick - Vintage Pink. This one appears almost every time - adore!

5. Revlon Matte Balm - Sultry Sulfureuse. I've never been all that enthused with stick balms as they're usually not dense enough to hide my freckles, however this one has exceptional coverage...

6. Eye Of Horus Bio Cleo Goddess Lipstick - Plum. Lovely colour, but I'll admit I was a little disappointed, was hoping it would be a deeper shade (this appears to be the brightest and boldest in their range and for me it's only a notch above nude), but the formula is lovely and like their fabulous Goddess eye pencils, all natural...

7. Models Prefer Artist Collection Crayon - Flushed. Always a soft spot for corals, and this is a pretty one for around $1.50...

8. Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil - In With Coral. I think this is the third or fourth one I've purchased, so dreamy and creamy...

9. Hola Neon Velvet Liquid Lipstick - Party Pop. Thanks Lipmonthly - another winner, and with an almost metallic sheen...

10. Bobbi Bown Crushed Lip Color - Watermelon. A gift from the beautyheaven Glosscar Marketplace event, and my first ever from this brand. One of the few mattish style lipsticks out there that is comfortable to wear all day, and it will survive a meal...

11. Mirenesse Matfinity Rouge Liquid Lipstick - Ibiza. Streaky, but such a pretty vibrant pink...

12. Avon Mark Lipstick - Reddy To Go. I have a few of these from mag cover freebies, and I'm impressed with both the packaging and the contents. Just have to find out where I can buy them...

13. Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid - Berry Boost. I need to dig all these out and wear them heaps more - so moist, never streaky, stunning shades...

14. Mirenesse Lip Bomb - #3. I've had this for ages and it shows no signs of going off - beautiful colour, rich and dense liquid that keeps my lips supple and moist...

15. L'Oreal Infallible Lipstick - Eternal Rose. Can't decide if this is shocking pink or neon pink, but it sure packs a punch, and of course L'Oreal lippies are always so reliable...

16. Mirenesse Shona Lip Art Ombre Stick - Noosa Duo. Love these colours and there's plenty of moisture, although it takes a while to get the hang of applying it. One of those lippies where half the stick is pale and the other is deep, and when applied correctly, you get an ombre-like finish without having to fiddle with blending or carrying around two lipsticks. But you have to remember to turn it around before you apply to the second lip so that the deeper shade ends up on the outside...

17. Bellapierre Kiss Proof Lip Creme - Orchid. This was yet another Lipmonthly surprise. It looks like a full-on lip shriveller but it isn't, in fact I'll say it's the most comfortable totally matte liquid formula I've ever tried, and it stays put FOREVER...

18. NYX Intense Butter Gloss - Spice Cake. You know, I look at this picture and wonder how on EARTH I don't wear this every day - it's just to die for...

19. Nutrimetics Hydra Brilliance Lipstick - Orchid. Gorgeous, GORGEOUS lipstick, I raved about it HERE...

20. NYX LUV Out Loud Cream Lipstick - LOLO3. The only reason this is here is the colour - be still my beating heart! Sadly the formula somewhat sucks the juice out of my lips - it's bearable, but I won't be buying any more from this set...

21. NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick - Amethyst. The suede range appears to be super popular - I find it quite drying, but for that colour, I'll put up with just about anything!...

Would love to know which ones of these you like ♥...

Take care of you,
kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: 3rd Quarter 2017 Fave LOTD's - Part 2...

With so many finishes and formulas, it isn't possible for me to declare any particular one of these plums, berries, pinks and purples as the star of my collection - they are all here because I love them, and while some colours are similar, they all deserve a place on this page. Of course at my age, a bit of gloss always looks and feels heaps better, but there are a few mattes around that I'm comfortable in, so here goes ♥...

I wear all colours all year round, but the deeper ones don't appear as frequently in the warmer weather purely because my Summer wardrobe tends towards brighter lighter hues. But unlike my fragrances, I don't put any lippies away when the season changes - you never know when you're going to need a plum ha ha! ♥...

This first one in row one appeared in the last quarter post as well - crazy about this Max Factor Color Elixir Giant Pen Stick in Intense Plum. It doesn't seem to be part of the range any more, so I won't tease you again. In the middle is a similar hue that IS available - Covergirl Katy Kat Matte in Maroon Meow. Head over heels for this comfy formula, the range in general! ♥ Third one is Milani Lipstick in Chilled Brandy - can't see this one on their website, so I'll add it to the don't tease list. As you can tell I have a habit of falling in love with products and colours that get discontinued - boo!...

Berries are forever, and I reckon they look good on anyone. This first one is another of the ModelsPrefer Artist Collection Crayons - Orchid.  Next up is Bourjois Rouge Laque Liquid Lipstick in Purple Delique. You know when I said before that I couldn't name any one of these lippies as the star? Hmm, this is close. DIVINE! On the right is another Bourjois - a Rouge Edition Velvet liquid lipstick called Plum Plum Girl. It's quite sheer but buildable, feels like liquid silk, and lasts for hours. I have to say that my most lustworthy lip product discovery this Winter has been Bourjois ♥♥♥...

#1 is ANOTHER Bourjois Lipstick - Violine Strasse. Stunning colour, stunning formula. The second one is Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Sloane's Plum - can't fault this release for comfort and value. And the last one in this row is another that appeared in the last post - definitely my favourite dusky pink of all time, Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Vintage Pink. This colour is deep enough to make an impact, and soft enough to epitomise femininity ♥...

Who doesn't love a bright pink! These three are similar shades, but I've included them all because of the differences in formula and finish. On the left is Maybelline Color Jolt in Fight Me Fuchsia. I decided I wouldn't buy any of these (just to see how strong I could be) but as you can see I caved! So glad I did - these liquid glosses are gorgeous, and this pink is to die for. Middle one is Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in shade 20. Beautiful, clear, bright pink and a pleasure to wear. On the right is Antipodes Lipstick in Dragon Fruit Pink. This is one I promised myself months and months ago after the beautiful Marisa Robinson so kindly gifted me with Hungry Like the Wolf. Hard to go past these lippies for comfort, intensity, moisture content and overall goodness ♥...

Another of the ModelsPrefer Artist Collection Crayons - this one is Bright Pink, and that pretty much sums it up. Love the blue content which makes it wearable with purples. #2 is Avon Mark in Berry Cute, a freebie on a mag cover. Quite impressed with this range, should have bought more mags lol! And this last one - hmmm, is it pink, or plum or purple? I stuck it here 'cos I wasn't sure, but I'm sure I love it. It's bhcosmetics Metallic Liquid Lipstick, shade Lucy - quite unique in my kit, a bit drying so not so comfortable to wear, but it's a killer colour ♥...

And now for the unmistakable purples ♥ On the left is ModelsPrefer Artist Collection Crayon in Grape - has an almost ethereal glow to it.  And these next two will probably appear in every fave list - NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Creams. Adore everything about these shiny explosions of colour. Middle one is Asteroid Aura, and the one on the right is a blend of Asteroid Aura and Ultraviolet. If you love purple, comfort and shimmer, then these are for you ♥...

Are you fond of these colour families? If so please tell me your fave plum, berry, pink and/or purple lippy - I'm always keen to know what you gals like ♥...

Take care of you,
kats xxx

REVIEW & EOTD: Avon Luxe Clutch Eyeshadow palette...

Here's another of the multitude of treats that angel Gemma from Lady Sapphire Blog sent to me a little while ago ♥ Who doesn't love surprises hey? Well this one was a triple-bunger - not only was I spun out by the fabulous pinky purple padded cover, I was thrilled to bits with the colour selection (both warm and cool shades, so something for everyone), and the quality of the pigmentation was totally unexpected. I've not owned an Avon eye shadow in my life, but after seeing how impressive these textures and hues are, I'm planning on investigating what else they have up for grabs...

Inside the lid is a full-size mirror, and it came with a double-ended applicator. Sorry but I don't ever bother with these pesky inclusions - I just toss them and use my own brushes, so I can't report whether this is any good. There are no mattes - most are creamy pearls, and five of them have tiny sparkles. The dark blue in the centre swatches as a whoa! black, but it has microscopic bright blue glitter particles which catch the light in certain angles, and make it appear navy...

Here are some two-finger swatches over a bb cream on my left leg - I've given up trying to swatch on my arm, I need another hand lol...

And this is the somewhat less than inspiring box it comes in - but who cares, it's what's inside that matters ♥

Here we go with the first EOTD I created using the aqua and the black. There'll be more of course :-)

Essence Sun Club BBC All Night Blue gel eyeliner was my base, I added a smidgin of Lancome silver on the inner corner, and finished with essence white kajal on the waterline (natch!)...

Very little fallout during the application process, the shadow stayed put all day, and was just as fresh and vibrant when I took it off 19 hours after these photos were taken - score! 

And...the whole face. Lips are SAX Coral with Maybelline Color Sensational Elixir gloss in Caramel Infused over the top, and cheeks are essence Blush Up in Heat Wave...

LOVE this palette (thank you again darling Gemma ♥), and I'm already inspired to put together some pretty partners, like the olive and the purple, the bronze and the caramel, the purple and the pink...mmm...

Have you ever tried any Avon eye shadows?

Take care of you,

kats xxx