MAC MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Guessing Game + Lots of MAC Lipstick Swatches

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of Googling makeup swatches and being directed to filtered-to-hell TikTok videos. MAC has reformulated almost all of its lipsticks over the past few years, and it’s next to impossible to find the new ones swatched even on Instagram, let alone on blogs. (Forget about coherent reviews written… Read More MAC MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick in Guessing Game + Lots of MAC Lipstick Swatches

Cheap Thrills, Part 1: NYX Smooth Whip Blurring Matte Lip Cream in Chocolate Mousse

Have makeup prices increased dramatically in the past year, or am I just no longer receiving a paycheck? I mean, probably both. For the past month, I’ve been searching for a brownish red lipstick similar to Elaine’s in the “Soup Nazi” episode of Seinfeld, but the $10-$20 price point of lipsticks, my former sweet spot,… Read More Cheap Thrills, Part 1: NYX Smooth Whip Blurring Matte Lip Cream in Chocolate Mousse

2020 Lipstick Chronology #5: Bite Beauty Molten Chocolate

Product: Bite Beauty Crystal Crème Shimmer Lip Crayon in Molten Chocolate Date Purchased: April 2020 Grade: A- Can someone tell me what the hell happened to Bite Beauty? For close to a decade, everyone knew them as the brand that produced food-grade, food-themed lip products. Then it was like we collectively glanced away for a… Read More 2020 Lipstick Chronology #5: Bite Beauty Molten Chocolate

2020 Lipstick Chronology #4: Urban Decay Lip Chemistry Tint in X-Ray

Product: Urban Decay Wired Vice Lip Chemistry Lasting Glassy Tint in X-Ray Date Purchased: Mar. 1, 2020 Grade: B Let’s take a time machine back to the United States on the first day of March in the year 2020. After a shaky start to his primary campaign, Joe Biden has just emerged as the presumptive… Read More 2020 Lipstick Chronology #4: Urban Decay Lip Chemistry Tint in X-Ray

Wet n Wild Liquid Catsuit in Shady Witch (and a New Wave Halloween)

In the past five years or so, I’ve owned at least one dark lipstick in almost every color family: red, purple, pink, plum, brown, even blue and gray. Until this year, though, I had never bought a true black lipstick. Black lips were a little too predictably goth, too Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way. A… Read More Wet n Wild Liquid Catsuit in Shady Witch (and a New Wave Halloween)

Lipstick Queen Black Lace Rabbit: Just Another Gimmick?

Lipstick Queen is a brand that confuses the hell out of me. When I first heard of it, about five years ago, I got the sense that it specialized in high-quality, beautifully packaged, somewhat overpriced renditions of traditional lipstick shades. Despite reading favorable reviews online, I found the shade range uninspiring and the price point… Read More Lipstick Queen Black Lace Rabbit: Just Another Gimmick?

Stress-Fueled Impulse Purchase #2: Milani Matte Fearless

Prior to this year, I felt ambivalent about Milani. It was the only cruelty-free brand with a decent selection in my local CVS (no NYX or Wet n Wild for this backwater), but its offerings included heavily fragranced, drying lipstick, sticky lip gloss, coarsely milled eyeshadow, and too-shimmery baked blush. 2015 has changed all that. I… Read More Stress-Fueled Impulse Purchase #2: Milani Matte Fearless