Wild Card, Christmas 2012 x

Hey you all, I hope that you all had a fabulous Christmas.

I did!

Lots of moments to cherish and mementos gained. In fact, today I would like to share with you the beautiful Benefit lipstick that has defined my make up this Christmas and will always remind me of Christmas 2012.

I was lucky enough to be given the beautiful Wild Card lipstick from Benefit on Christmas day- Thanks, Sis : ) - and it has pretty much being imprinted on my lips ever since.

Now I've got to admit that in the bullet, it doesn't look terribly exciting. A very dark neutral described by Benefit as a Pomegranate. One that is almost maroon and more berry, closer to wine then some of our more well-known go tos such as Angel or Hue. Yet, despite it's individuality, in the bullet, Wild Card just comes across as a bit dark and maybe even a little bland for all us nude pink lovers.

 

 

 

Even in swatches, it comes across glossy but dense and so muddy compared to Viva Glam Cyndi from MAC and the postbox red, I swoon over but rarely wear, Frenched (also from Benefit).

Here we have from top down, Viva Glam Cyndi; Wild Card and finally, Frenched. Hmmm, I've got to say even here, Wild Card isn't inspiring me much. . !

 

 

However . . .

 

 

 

 

On the lips, Wild Card comes in to its own and is a real beauty. On mine, the hints of berry seem pretty much lost (pretty much as, just in a very, very occasional light, I see slight hints of berry and Twilight) and this lippie becomes a red, which with some unmistakable soft rosy tones, is vibrant and eye-catching. I'm the one who is usually very scared to leave the house wearing a red, Viva Glam Cyndi being the only exception I can name. However, as red as Wild Card makes my lips, it is a lippie made to be worn out of the house and it will be. Believe me, over and over again.

 

It is just so flattering and brings life to the rest of my face (which if I had a better pic you would be able to see. . . ) so that as red as this (probably a medium red for all you true red lovers out there) lipstick is, I don't really see big scary red when I look in the mirror. Yes, in my world, medium red = scary red! Instead I'm distracted and just see relatively nice make up, bright eyes and a face that looks just a little healthier and happier then it otherwise does. Instant zest, then. For me, I can't imagine a red lipstick doing better!

I love this little number and like all Benefit lipsticks, that I have tried, Wild Card feels very moisturising on my lips (even though it is one of the full finish ones not a silky) and certainly doesn't leave my lips feeling dry later after wear.

I have to admit that I've been wearing this lipstick quite casually. You know, a little haphazard application from the bullet and then some tissue staining and maybe even a little finger shaping here and there. I'm all about the technicalities, you see!!!

Despite the initial tissuing, there is a certain degree of glossiness and a 'wet paint' look for a couple of hours before Wild Card dulls to a pigment-strong but more matte stain. For a more Hollywood ready (or New Years Eve) look, I'd recommend a good lip brush and liner because I  find it quite difficult to apply this lipstick in a classic manner flawlessly straight from the bullet. This lipstick does have the traditional lipstick shape (unlike Frenched with its' flat tip). However, as Wild Card is so pigmented and creamy, it shows up every jerk on application and as I'm so cack-handed, I do find it hard to skirt around my lip flawlessly. Hence, the staining action!

Although I've only been staining this lipstick, I do think Wild Card has the potential to be a very versatile lipstick that could be dressed up and down for every occasion. I've been staining it and pairing it with the shimmery Half Baked eyeshadow from Urban Decay. I like to think that this keeps it young and funky (here's hoping!!!) but I do think that those with the inclination and talent could come up with a very sophisticated look to show off this stunning lipstick.

I'm not sure I'm so good at describing lipstick but I really rate Wild Card and hope I've persuaded you to give it a go next time, you encounter a Benefit counter where I'd imagine you can buy Wild Card. Here is a link for Benefit UK and Wild Card online.

What lipstick defines Christmas 2012 for you? Do you like Benefit lipsticks? Are you game to don a red lip?

 

In case, I'm not in touch before, Happy, happy New Year to you all!!!

 

Benefit, Benefit and Benefit!

If you were to go way, wayyy back to some of my early posts then you would notice a couple of things, namely Benefit and well, a whole lot more Benefit.

You see, even then I knew that Benefit were capable of producing quality make up products and often did/do with a price tag to match. I've never been particularly loyal to individual make up products yet top notch offerings such as Benefit's Erase Paste and That Gal primer secured their own place in my make up stash frequently. To be honest, when I find a product I like from Benefit, the quality has always been good enough to hit pan and to repeat the purchase again and again.

Yep, three Erase pastes (and let me tell you those little pots last forever, that is probably over two years worth), three or four That Gals down the line and now, I'm here, well on my way to finishing a third or fourth Dandelion blush (quite an achievement for sure, you Guys know how much product Benefit deliver in those boxes!).

So it is no surprise that after a casual visit to say hello to one of my little sisters in her new job on the Benefit counter (and yes, I am more then a tad jealous about that), I soon walked away poorer.

Yes, people, there was a small Benefit haul!!!


First up is Jing-a-ling. A lippie I have cavorted from afar for a while.

It is early days, I only purchased this beauty less then 24 hours ago but at the moment, I adore it and can't stop looking at my lips. Yes, it falls in the same family as my other lipstick regulars Angel, Creme Cup and Beehive and my lips just look pink again as normal but woah, what a pretty pink.

You've heard it all before but there does seem to be something a little different about this mid pink neutral and that makes it so easy and enticing to wear. For a start, it is light to mid pink. I wouldn't say it is a cocher light pink and it certainly doesn't wash me out. There are slight hints of red and maybe even a little blue(?) in there. I think it looks a little brighter in real life. It really brightens the face up and just looks so healthy. Now healthy, what a boring term for make up but honestly, this lippie is so pretty especially when it catches the light. It seems to catch it in the most flattering manner showcasing just enough shimmer (gloss NOT required although I had to er, try one or two out. Y'got to be polite!) and that too makes it different. I remember saying in the past that one of my handbag favourites, another Benefit offering, Skinny Dip really seemed to soften my pale complexion. It instantly seemed to wake my skin up and I can say the same here. Jing-a- ling appears to possess the same magic. I've got to say from the three or four I've encountered, these silky finish lipsticks from Benefit always seem to equal instant radiance to some degree. Got to love that! : )

Yep, so, soo pretty but then many a lipstick is but the clincher here was just how moisturising the silky finish felt on my (Very dry, of late) lips. I have yet to regret this purchase as for three or four hours, the soothing feel seemed to last on my lips. Given the current state of my lips, this means the world (not that I'm overly dramatic or anything ; ) ) and the beautifully smooth, strongly pigmented finish is just a bonus.

So right now, I've got to say I'm pretty excited about my first lipstick purchase in a while and can see it getting a lot of wear. In fact, I must admit if Jing-a-ling lives up to early expectations then a further purchase WILL be made and you will find Lady 's Choice, the stunning lipstick sister to Jing-a-ling, featured here soon!

I also picked up Hervana. As soon as I saw the colours in the box, I just wanted to swirllll. My initial thoughts again are cor, there is some mighty pigmentation here (as usual from Benefit, I've always found their pigmentation fab) so I must remember to apply with a light hand and blend, blend, blend.

I do like these Benefit boxed powders and have purchased a few but my go-to would be Dandelion and I think, this is just because the light colour means that what appears to be a heavily pigmented product never appears too much on me. Hervana seems a little more obvious on me but I think tentatively, I like it! Here is a little peek at a swatch on my hand.

My initial thought is that when applied just above the apple of my cheek, it really draws attention to my eyes. However, I'm going to wear this one a little bit more and then I will probably do a post. Some things never change, I always take a while to form an opinion on blush products but one thing is for sure, Hervana would look lovely on a dressing table and just taking the lid from the box and peeking at the multi-toned powder inside makes me smile.

Finally, we have an eyeshadow, Rich Beach. Again, this one is not a million miles away from the eyeshadows I already own. I'm thinking All That Glitters, Tempting, Modellette and like these it just looked great on my lid (considering we're talking my lids. It's all relative, people!!) and seemed to bring out the golden specks in my eyes and make the green look that ever so more alluring. As long as it can last a good few hours on the lid, I have hopes that this one will get a lot of wear and we will reach pan. I just know this one was an investment purchase and it will be reached for. A lot! I love golden, sandy shades. They are so easy to wear. This one crosses over to the light brown/bronze end of the spectrum with some depth and without any horrible cheap-looking orange tones or chunks of glitter. Ideal!

Here is a very blurred snap (every post needs a pic fail!) but I feel it does show what the colour looks like on my lid quite well when it fleetingly catches the eye.

Ahem, sorry, I will try to do a proper FOTD/EOTD soon.

So there we go, that was my little "haul" and yes, I'm quite chuffed with what I picked up and can see myself returning soon as a few other gems caught my eye.

My word, the newish 'They're real!' really gave me some lashes. Now we all know that I can never have too much lash. Well, that was until now! This mascara really, really worked my lashes and honestly completely transformed my eyes delivering glossy, defined, very, very long and thick lashes. It almost seemed to encase each lash creating even more lash then L'Oreal, Million Lashes and I don't think I've ever been able to say that about a mascara before! I actually felt it was a little much since I was going straight back to work after my make up play and I actually removed 'They're Real!' and then reapplied it very lightly over the Benefit faithful, Bad Gal. Although I'm not convinced that alone, They're Real! would be a practical every day product for me, I'm still tempted to return again today and make a naughty purchase crossing the line hitting destination, excess lash! We are talking about one mighty mascara that would certainly shake my look up a bit, it could be the perfect weekend/night out mascara especially for someone as cack-handed as me who struggles to work falsies. On a more serious note, for anyone who feels they lack in the lash area, this IS more then likely your remedy.

And finally, I have made a mental note to investigate the Benefit skincare further. The products smell divinnneeee. A beautician told me once something along the lines of, that when it comes to skincare, give the product a sniff and if you feel compelled to take another sniff then your skin is needing those ingredients and the product is likely to work for you. Now I absolutely loved the smell of the Benefit products (though I suspect there are 'fragrance ingredients' added to this line, I think my beautician was talking about more natural products. Still, a good scent always means something. . .) and they felt so gentle and soothing on my skin. I'm pretty happy with my current skincare routine right now but a mental note has been made and I can see the Ultra Radiance Facial Re-hydrating Mist sitting in my handbag very soon.

Phew, that was quite a post. Now I think I deserve an episode or two of Miranda, how late am I with this but I love it, it's so funny.

I hope you are all well and have a fabulous weekend. A special little *wave* to my new followers, thank you! And now one for my not so new followers *wave* and finally, finally a quick thank you, 'Thank you' for all the comments on my River Island watch post. I love hearing from you xxx

Do you buy Benefit? What is your favourite Benefit product?

 

X

In and Out!

So many of you will know that when I got in to blogging a couple of years ago, I was on a mission to make a little more of myself. One of the first bloggers I followed was Laura of Buy Now, Blog Later. At the time, she was posting on her former blog, lollipop26writes.com. In particular, I loved reading her In and Out posts so today, I thought I would post my own.


IN

- 17 Mirrorshine, Beehive

This lipstick is my lip's best friend. It is so incredibly moisturising and this particular shade is very beautiful and easy to wear. The amazing look that Natalya created, for Valentines, used this lippie and I think, I fell in love with it just a little bit more (if that is even possible!) and don't even get me started on the fantastic price (currently £4.59) that the mirror shine lipsticks come in at. Bargain!

- Gucci, Guilty

I quickly went through that bottle of VIP (featured in this earlier post) . VIP was a gorgeous scent but it had very, very little lasting power. Resprays were constantly required and I think, I used the bottle in two weeks. There was no way I could justify £40 odd pounds on another bottle so soon.

Still, maybe that is how it should be, as right now, there seems to be only one scent that smells right (read 'right' as in 'I want to actually wear it!')  and that is Gucci, Guilty.

Surprised?

Yep, me too.

I've always said I love the scent of Guilty but in my earlier review (where I see I referred to Black Orchid as White Orchid,oops!) I was a little wary of it. I found the scent beautiful but in a very obvious and in your face way. It seemed quite sensuous and one I felt a little nervous to wear and on certain occasions, it just seemed  to be a scent that was too distracting and powerful.

However, for some reason, whenever I spray the scent now, it is just as bloody gorgeous but muted. In other words, it is now about as perfume perfect as it gets. I absolutely adore it and at the moment, it is the only scent I'm picking up to spray.

And by the way, Gucci Guilty lasts. Fact! It lingers on everything, skin; clothes; hair etc for hours. So this bottle should last a while.

- My new haircut

I finally got my haircut (FYI: A slight dusting off the ends DOES qualify as a cut!) after more then eighteen months. I am now on a mission to look after my more polished barnet and have brought some new products which I'm hoping to post with new hair photos (!) soon. It's strange but now I've actually had the "snip", I feel a bit stupid that I was so scared about a haircut and held off for so long. I mean for goodness sake, really, what was the worst that could have happened?!

- New Girl



Image from Google Search here!


Normally, I take it or leave it with comedy TV. When it comes to DVDs, for every episode I watch of Friends, I'll watch three or four more of Sex and The City or The Hills. However, New Girl is laugh out loud fantastic. I love it and although, her style is completely different to mine (ie.she always wears a lot of bright colours and I wear black, black, black, maybe a little denim, black, black and navy), I look forward to seeing what Zooey Deschanel's character, Jess, is wearing in each episode. As for Jess and Nick, a big awh, so meant to be!

- Katie Piper

Image from Google Search here!

You all know how incredible and inspiring, I found Katie's book, Beautiful, to be. Well, earlier this week, I watched her new documentary, 'The Science of Seeing Again' and this reminded me not only how amazing and strong Katie is but also, of the fantastic work she puts out there. So I went back and caught up with some of the 'Katie: My Beautiful Friends' episodes and what can I say but that I urge all of you to watch an episode or two of one of the Katie Piper documentaries. At the very least, it will leave you in complete awe of the human body and the courage that some people conjure up every day.

OUT

Image from Google Search here!

- Contact lenses

I thought that these were going to make my life so much easier but I'm really struggling to get them in and when I have to leave for work at 6.20am, I'm not sure just how practical these are going to be. Though once they are finally(!) in, all is good and the world is no longer a blur!

- Phytovolume shampoo

Image from Google Search here!

I have just finished a bottle of this and my hair always looked pretty good (considering it is mine) and big after using this but it was so watery and lathering action was non-existent. It reminded me a little of the Mane and Tail products. Maybe the condition of my hair is just a little too dry then is optimal for these products. The final result was fine but I just didn't like the way this Phyto shampoo made my hair feel as I was washing and drying it. Saying that, I'm pretty sure that this shampoo is much better for the health of my hair in the long term then some supermarket alternatives so may consider repurchasing Phyto (I really rated the citrus conditioning treatment a while back!) in the future but as far as Phyto shampoo goes, I certainly prefer the Phytorhum.

- Spending

Image from Google Search here!

I have so many of those bi-annual payments and direct debits due over the next month or so and I'm literally tripping over products and clothes in my flat so I really am going to try and take a no spend seriously this month. Honest, Guv!

What scent are you wearing? Have you got any contact lenses tips for me? I hope you've all had a fabulous start to the weekend. Don't forget to wrap up warm if it is as cold where you are, as it is here in England!

X

Ahoy there!

A little note from me to you:
 Hey, this is a post I drafted over a week ago but never got around to posting. What can I say?! There was just too much birthday cake to be eaten and a few too many presents to "play" with. I hope you can understand why I was a little distracted from photo editing and spell-checking but a week later and I realise, I need to get a post up ! ASAP!!! I've gotten so behind with blogging this year. So here is last week's feeble effort . . . Happy Friday, hope you are all well x

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I don't know about you but I find, birthdays always fall together. I recently had mine. Then Monday was my sister's and Tuesday was my Mum's. I'm also on annual leave. So over the last week or so, I have had the perfect excuse to try and mix up my look a little.

Monday night, I chose to debut my new white dress. I wore it with the Topshop collarless cropped jacket, jeans (typical!) and my New Look boots.

I think, by the end I looked like a little bit of a pirate especially as I chose to leave the one dress sleeve hanging under the cropped jacket just to add a little more interest to the outfit.

Of course, every pirate has a little bling and mine was in the form of an old favourite, my massive twinkling ring from Tanya Burr's, Talullah Tu jewellery line (I brought this about eighteen months ago. Read that post here).

As I said before, white is very classic and clean so I tried to keep the colours of my look equally bold. I used, 'Tweet Me' from MAC on my eyes and then lined them heavily with a kohl pencil from Body Shop and Carbon. Then for the lips, I went red! Yay, red always puts me in party mode but there is really only one red that I'll leave the house in and that is the gorgeous Viva Cyndi.

Meanwhile on Tuesday night, again I invited the Top Shop jacket out to play and paired it with a H&M sequined vest which I tucked in (I was lacking a belt and I felt quite daring, 'tucking a vest in' as my casual look normally features a vest top of some kind hanging over jeans etc.) to my black midi (maxi on me!) skirt from Next.

Then, just because I seemed a little obsessed, I added a little more sparkle in the form of my twinkly ballet flats from New Look.

Make-up wise, I wore a look more familiar to my face. All That Glitters on the eye and Snob (my old love!) on the lips. I carefully applied and blended Snob with a little Creme Cup to try and avoid a patchy finish.

Now, I've got to decide what to wear for my little niece's birthday tomorrow . . !

In other news, I finished Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson last week. It was a fantastic book with a lot of twists and turns which I didn't see coming (and my goodness, was I looking out for them!?!). I'm not sure if this just means I'm a bit slow on the uptake or that this, is genuinely a very clever book. Whatever the case may be, it sure was entertaining and I'm glad that I read it.

I'm now moving on to something a little lighter. I Heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelks. I read the Single Girls To Do List last year and found it so so (mind you, if I remember correctly I was in a bit of a strange mood at the time) but I've read all of the 'I Heart . . .' series so far and have always found them a great laugh so fingers crossed for this one! I'm also planning to dip in to a couple of photography books that I was given recently.

These books by Michael Freeman are more about the composition of photography rather then the technicalities. I'm definitely more a 'place the pretty flower here next to the vase so that it can show it's natural colour off' type of person rather then 'press this button and this button to make the flower appear beautiful but artificial and completely foreign to it's reality' so hopefully, I will pick some tips up with these.

Do you mix up your style or make up very often? What are you reading right now?

X

And the winner is . . .

So . . .


I logged on to random.org earlier this evening and a winner for my giveaway was generated.

Let's pause a moment, Ant and Dec style . . .

And . . .

Ahem *somebody reading the blog coughs*

More pausing . . .

Cue music and atmosphere of suspense!

A little more pausing . . .

Should I insert an ad here?

No?! Er ok. Just another little pause then . . .

. . .

Image from Google search here!

Congratulations Lipstick Fridays, you've won!

Yay!!!

I will email you shortly.



Image from Google search here!


Lipstick Fridays chose the beautiful MAC lipstick, Angel as her prize. Angel is a gorgeous, light rosy pink that has being a staple in my collection for a good year or so. I hope Lipstick Fridays likes it as much as I do. I think, it has just the perfect degree of pink for spring!

Thank you to all who entered. I'm sorry that you couldn't all win but my, didn't you pool some good choices?! A couple of lippies in particular caught my eye.

Lady Bug (suggested by Amelia)

Image from Google search here!

Billed in reviews as a sheer but buildable red with yellow tones, this MAC lipstick is very sophisticated and has a bit of a glamorous, timeless vibe about it yet apparently, it is an amazing pick for those a little nervous or new to red lipstick. Stunning!

Perfect Day (suggested by Kat and Joan)

Image from Google search here!

This lipstick is from the recent MAC collection, Naturally. It looks like a gorgeous nude. I've tried Darling and Barry M 100 before but usually, my lips are left looking chalky and dry. However, this one looks a little less concealer-like and just slightly more human in colour and as an amplified, it should give a good colour payoff. I'm not surprised that it's currently sold out online.

Certainly, two more for the wish list! Oh, if only my hair grew as quick as that friggin' list!

Hmmm, must say I quite like this giveaway malarkey. Let's get me to 150 followers and then we can have another . . !

X

The Giveaway and some more MAC!

I know, it looks delicious.

Indeed, it was (!) but this cheeky little cheesecake has scuppered my blog plans a little.

I was planning to do an outfit post today, I have a couple of little dresses to show you but after a long weekend of overindulgence, I really don't feel like fluttering around in front of the camera. In fact, to be honest, I can hardly move. Yes, I really did eat that much!

So while we are waiting for the great bloat to pass, I thought I would share with you the rest of my MAC haul.

You already know about All That Glitters but I also picked up some other eye shadows specifically, Retrospeck; Bronze and Mystery.

Mystery has been on my wish list for a while now. Tanya Burr has done a couple of tutorials with it and created some gorgeous, smoky eyes. I would love to be able to create eye make up similar to this.

I guess, I'm hoping that merely including Mystery in my own collection will bring me one step closer to Tanya's amazing make up looks and talent. Hmmm, yeah, if only it was that easy!

Still, I don't think I'm going to regret purchasing Mystery. It is such a nice cool toned matt brown which seems a better brown for me. Some of the reddier browns such as Sable can make my eyes look tired and irritated. Mattes also seem to offer a more definite contour.

Bronze was a little bit more of a random purchase. It looked great in the pan and swatched well. When you pair these little points with the fact that gold/peachy shadows seem to bring out the little hazel specks in my green pupils -and oh yes, makes my eyes "pop"!- then really, Bronze was destined to come home with me.

Retrospeck, too, was a random purchase. It looks pretty and swatches well but in reality, online reviews seem a bit blah. Some suggest that the shadow is not particularly pigmented and I do worry that maybe, it will look a bit ashy on me. I guess, time will tell but I think, Retrospeck is most likely to become my new inner eye highlight if I reach for it at all!

I also brought three lipsticks, Angel (a current fave); Hug Me (a newbie for me. I asked for Hue and I guess, the assistant grabbed the wrong one out of the draw. Still, I'm gonna give Hug Me a shot as I haven't really got any wearable browns in my collection) and the one I'm a bit dreamy about at the moment, Creme Cup.

I've heard so much about Creme Cup but still, I can't remember ever trying it. I guess, Creme Cup falls in to that Hue, Patesserie, Angel, 'pink nude' type class and since I kind of lost my heart to Hue, the day I first walked in to MAC, it has took me too long to give the others any attention but yes, indeed, you were all right! Creme Cup is amazing and like Angel, comes in to its own when you give it a chance. I can tell you now, this cremesheen isn't going be far from my lips this week!

Well, I think, that is about all I got from MAC this week. However, I will be returning again soon (I need Hue!) which brings me to my giveaway.

*********************************************************************************

The 50 Follower Giveaway!!!!

Yay, that's right, I am giving you a chance to win either a MAC lipstick or a MAC eye shadow of your choice.

I know, its hardly original but who doesn't want need another piece of MAC?!

So here are the rules!

- This giveaway is open internationally.


- You must be a Google Connect Follower of Mission Me.


-A For one entry: You must leave a comment on this post naming the lipstick or eye shadow you would like, if you win. Please also leave me a contact e-mail or blog address so I can contact you if you win.


-B You will receive two additional entries, if you also tweet about the giveaway. Please remember to mention me @xessjay23x so I can see your tweet. You also need to link back to this post and mention your tweet (and your name on twitter) in your comment here.


-C/D You will receive three additional entries, if you mention the giveaway in your blog post or/and sidebar. You must link to this post. You must also link me to your post/sidebar in the comment below so I can see it. If you mention the giveaway in a post and in the sidebar, you will receive six additional entries.


-Each person can only enter once in A, B, C, D. Basically, nobody is entitled to more then 9 entries.


-This giveaway will end on 0001am, UK time on Wednesday, 1st of February 2012.


- There will be one winner. That winner will be chosen randomly. They will receive a lipstick or eye shadow of their choice from the MAC permanent line as long as I can get hold of it.


- This is my giveaway so my discretion is final!

*Just in case, I've confused you all. Here is a comment similar to one you might leave, if you decide to enter

'Enter me! I follow your blog with GFC. I would like to win ...........! My google name is .................. and my e-mail address is ..........@...........! I have also tweeted about your giveaway. My twitter name is ............! I've also posted about your giveaway here http://.............. and in the sidebar of my blog here http://..........'

*

I hope this is clearer then mud for you, lovelies! Good luck!! Can't wait to see which lippies and shadows you're yearning for!

EDIT: This giveaway is now closed. Details of the winning entry (and a peek at some lovely MAC lippies) can be found here, link.

X

The one about the red lips!

Everywhere I go at the moment, I seem to walk slap bang in to the promo for Kate Moss's new Rimmel lipstick line.

Picture from Google Image Search.

Yes, the ad with the red lip that is so striking (that eye make up is something else too).

Now I have just about summoned up the self-restraint not to buy it. I mean really, no lipstick is going to look that good on me and honestly, when do I wear a red lip?!

However, my restraint has resulted in a bit of a frenzy to find my own perfect red lip using the few red lip products that I already own.

Here are my thoughts:

*Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon No 1

This creates what I think of as a typical red lip, a solid, bright, cherry red. I was surprised at what a strong red colour this pencil lent the lip. It does feel quite drying but is quick to apply. A good one to keep in the handbag for those quick, spur of the moment red lip moments.

* MAC Viva Glam Cyndi

I might be repeating myself but I feel that Viva Glam Cyndi is one MAC's best products. Cyndi is no cherry or Hollywood red, it is too muted and is more of a raspberry red. It looks very natural for a red lip. I always say that Cyndi is the one lip, I feel comfortable leaving the house with. It is testament to this red lipstick that I actually do use it. It is such a pretty colour all on its own. I find it very flattering and I think most people would find the same as Viva is a huge campaign for MAC and I think they design the lipsticks to compliment most lips and colouring.

* Benefit Frenched

I brought Frenched on a whim after seeing it in a Benefit look two or three years ago. It is an absolutely gorgeous red but there is nothing discreet about it. If you wear this, you are telling the world that yes, you have painted your lips red and indeed, have made quite an effort.
When I put this one on, I was reminded of just how creamy this lipstick is. It leaves a very shiny, rich, almost postbox red finish and there really is no need for a gloss.
I've always liked the way this looks on my lips and now as time passes, I think that I'm also more comfortable wearing it. This is a lipstick, I've grown in to, I used to look at it longingly dreaming of a time when I would feel comfortable enough to flaunt it but now I feel a bit more ready to take the bite and wear this one a little more.

*Benefit Next Question Please

Finally, it is the gloss which falls between the red and pink and like Cyndi, there is something very raspberry about it. It gives a lovely natural looking lip when worn alone. I wouldn't say it is a gloss that is particularly striking or defines a look but it very pretty and could easily compliment or give a lift to an otherwise neutral look.

I've got to say my favourite remains Cyndi, it is just a very special wearable red but on the whole, as I get older, I do feel a bit more confident with red lips and hope to make more of Frenched and Next Question Please. In fact, this is a must do before I can allow myself to buy 01 from the Rimmel Kate Collection.
What do you think of red lipsticks? What is your favourite? Do you often venture further then Viva Cyndi and muted raspberry hues? Have you tried any of Kate Moss's new lipsticks?

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