Review: ELF Hypershine Lipgloss - Bubblegum

If there's one thing I probably have too much of, makeup wise, it's probably lipgloss, but when I took advantage of ELF's 30% off sale, I couldn't help adding this to my basket to try, and at £1.50 (or just over £1 if you take into account the discount!) it wasn't going to break the bank!

Hyper, glass-like shine infused with micro-mirror technology to reflect light. Conditioning shine lasts for hours. (ELF website)

Packaging

♥ Plastic packaging - can feel a little flimsy and isn't as good a quality as the Studio line of products, but for £1.50 I can't really complain.

♥ Brush applicator - can help for more precise application than a doe foot applicator.

♥ Twist up mechanism/design - I don't mind this as a means of dispensing the product, although things inside the lid can get messy after use!

Scent

♥ ELF have likened the scent of this to cotton candy, but it strongly reminds me of plasticine!

♥ Quite a subtle smell - thankfully!

Texture

♥ Very thick/'gloopy' - this is definitely not a gloss you want to wear on a windy day if your hair is down!

♥ I am all for a thick gloss, as it does extend the staying power, but I almost find this 'uncomfortable' to wear - it is not a gloss I can apply without a mirror as I get paranoid I would be left with unblended lipgloss lumps on my lips! Lovely.

Shade/Finish/Staying Power

♥ Very sheer baby pink

♥ No glitter or shimmer - simply glossy finish

♥ Quite pretty when worn by itself - adds a nice sheen to lips

♥ If the texture was a bit more workable i'd imagine it would look lovely over nude/pink lipsticks, but as I find it quite 'lumpy' I tend to find it looks a bit odd layered!

♥ As this is uber thick it does stay on quite a while, even after eating/drinking, but you do end up with a lovely thick layer of gloss on your mugs/cups etc.

Whats the Verdict?

This is an 'ok' gloss, but I don't think i'll buy it again.

As with the majority of ELF products, you get very little product (I guess that's why they can afford the low prices!), and as I am a compulsive gloss user, i'll finish this very quickly!

Have you tried the Hypershine glosses?

Melanie x

 

Flash Review: Rimmel Vinyl Lipgloss

I would like to say there was some inspired story behind this particular purchase of Rimmel Lipgloss, but alas not: I was at the airport, realised I had forgotten my in-bag makeup (along with all my 15-million lipglosses) and had to make a mad-dash to Boots to stock up on vital supplies for my weekend away.

The Rimmel Vinyl Lipglosses were on special offer for around £4.50ish (...I've just realised everything I buy and blog about usually starts with 'it was on special offer'...!), and I thought this shade looked particularly plumpcious. So I 'took a chance' (har har) and bought it.

There was quite an array of pretty nudes/pinks available, but I opted for this peachy/pinky-toned gloss which has a shot of gold through it, making for nicely-natural lips with one coat.

It does take quite a few coats to make it particularly noticeable on the lips, possibly as a result of it being quite thin in consistency.

As a result. the staying power of this gloss is TERRIBLE (it literally takes one drink for it to wipe off completely on the glass), and does leave me feeling a bit disappointed in this as a Rimmel product.

I wouldn't recommend you buy this at full price - you can get glosses with far better staying power for a cheaper price from the likes of E.L.F. for example - but I did notice that the Vinyl Lipglosses (in the old-design packaging) were in stock at Poundland!

As a sidenote, I used this lipgloss as part of the Mila Kunis-inspired look I was going for the other day...

What lipglosses would you recommend?

I'm always on the lookout for more!

Melanie x

Kiss Kiss...17 Mini Lipgloss Library Swatches

I received this little gem of a present from my lovely sister for my birthday - I really love my lipglosses and these mini sample-size ones from the Boots' 17 Ultimate Volume range let me try out a variety (in this case 10!) of different shades before buying a full-sized gloss.

This particular set of lipglosses is definately based on the more popular nude and pink tones (all of which make for a pretty - if sticky - lipgloss rainbow up my arm!)

(From L - R)

1. Crystal -(just seen) - a simple clear lipgloss but gives a very glassy finish to the lips

2. Blondie - this looks quite purple-toned in this pic, but is actually more a muted rose pink - not dissimilar to E.L.F.'s RunWay Pink Mineral Lipstick

3. Limited Edition Pink - I am GUTTED this is a limited edition only for this particular set, as this is without a doubt my favourite out of the set, and probably my most favourite gloss shade i've found yet. It's a nude with peach and gold tones through it, and it makes my lips look very plump

4. Sheer Pink - Not so much sheer as Barbie pink!

5. Nude - probably my favourite after Limited Edition Pink, this is quite a sheer nude with a hint of golden sparkle

(From L - R)

6. Dark Nude - as the name suggests!

7. Red  - This shade is more of a brown-toned pink than a red as such

8. Rose Red - A kind of blue-pink

9. Deep red - the most "true" reds out of the set, yet applies quite sheer, making it very wearable

10. Hot red - A metallic rose-pink red with a silver sparkle effect.

I have to say I do genuinely like all the shades of these glosses in this little set, and think they're ideal for keeping in your handbag, car etc, and it's worth searching for this kind of set (particularly in the post-season sales) in order to try products before you buy the full thing.

They are very typical glosses in that they are quite thick/gloopy and therefore sticky, but these tend to last longer on the lips than a very light/sheer gloss, and the colour payoff on the lips is true to the shade you see in the packaging.

I'm not sure what price this little was set was, or if it's still available, but the full sized glosses (8ml as opposed to the 0.8ml sample sizes her) are priced at a very reasonable £3.99 from most Boots stores.

Melanie x