Maychiri's Thoughts: Burgundy

Haus Laboratories Le Riot Lip Gloss [Scream] Review

June 14, 2023

After lining your lips, how about applying some lip gloss on top? Let’s use this, the Haus Laboratories Le Riot Lip Gloss, shade Scream.

As a Lady Gaga fan, imagine my enthusiasm even I heard that she would be launching a whole makeup brand of her own! I knew it would end up being expensive, but, damn it, I needed at least a few things! I reckoned that it would make sense to buy a lip set, a matching lip gloss and lip liner. Okay, that’s set (no pun intended). But what colour? How about this dramatic burgundy wine red? I was in a vampy phase back when I ordered this gloss, so it was right up my alley! Sold! Fingers crossed that my immense hype will be rewarded! Let’s see what Lady Gaga has cooked up for us!

Packaging: so edgy and unconventional! It’s sleek, modern and it looks so expensive! Sleek black colour that is enhanced by the silver metallic logo. The cap closes super tightly. The tube is thick and rectangular. But don’t be mistaken, it’s not a boring design, as it hides a few tricks up its sleeve! Look at the cap: it’s got a pyramidal top that is actually sharp! Be careful not to poke yourself on it! That makes the whole look edgier and more dramatic, as befitting Lady Gaga! But that’s not all!

The base of the tube is transparent with a crystal that matches the colour of the gloss pretty well (although it is lighter to a degree). The crystal is absolutely beautiful! So vibrant and the shimmer in it sparkles gently but noticeably. If you’ll notice, the top of the cap and the crystal are both pyramidal, which makes it nicely symmetrical. All in all, top notch design! Perfectly dramatic! I am like obsessed with it!

Source: hauslabs.com

Ingredients: vitamin E for nourishment. No parabens. I must say that I expected more emollients or humectants for the price. When Wet n Wild can put dozens of emollients inside their lip glosses for literally 1/10 of the price, this is just disappointing. The scent is... not the most pleasant one, let’s just say. Alright, it doesn’t have perfumes, so it had no chance of smelling particularly nice from the start. But it’s quite bitter, and as time goes one, it only gets even more bitter and chemical. Even a freshly opened tube smells like it has expired. At least it isn’t noticeable on the lips. The expiration date is 12 months after opening.

Colour: a deep burgundy wine. So, a mix of dark red and purple pigments, giving a true burgundy tone. The colour is very seductive and vampy, it’s especially good for autumn. There are a lot of purple pigments, but it doesn’t overpower the red pigments. It’s a really gorgeous colour, especially on pale/light skin. Such a sexy colour!

Worn with the Haus Laboratories RIP Lip Liner [Slayer]

The formula is definitely gelly! So, no lies when they say this is a gel lip gloss. It’s super thick and gelly. Not my favourite type of formula, as it’s a bit too heavy for me. But it looks so luxurious and expensive! It’s not at all greasy or oily, but it is somewhat waxy, especially a few hours later. When it’s freshly applied it’s not at all tacky, but it does become slightly tacky later. Given how thick the formula is, it shouldn’t come as a surprise how intensely pigmented it is. It’s so extremely pigmented that even just one layer is enough to get deep burgundy lips.

This lip gloss is, in fact, quite comfortable to wear! It feels wet, soft and lightweight at first, like, such a luxurious feeling! It also definitely feels like a gel lip gloss. I thought it would be heavy when I saw the thick formula, and how goopy it looks in the tube. But it is so creamy and rich instead! However, after some time it becomes much waxier and drier, and more heavy. It doesn’t age as gracefully as I hoped it would. I don’t really like this new formula after a few hours. It’s way too waxy then. Still, it’s better than most thick lip glosses. The texture is ridiculously glossy! It’s got a real 3D effect to its gloss, so much that it actually looks glassy! There is also a bit of a gelly shine, which makes it so much better! My lips really do look fuller! I love how reflective it is!

But it was apparently supposed to have faint shimmer inside; in reality, it doesn’t have any shimmer, it’s just reflective glossy. At least mine doesn’t!

Excellent choice of colours!

I love how easy this lip gloss it is to apply! Partly due to the wonderful formula, partly due to the incredibly designed applicator. I will come back to the applicator so put a pin in it. There is absolutely no tugging or pulling, the colour just glides across lips evenly, giving you a rich layer of pigment. Which is really important when it’s so extremely pigmented! You want it to be perfectly even without trying too hard. And this lip gloss does exactly that, as it’s immediately perfectly even. I still like to apply more layers just to make sure it truly is even in all places, especially the cupids bow. It’s extremely easy to line the lips precisely, without the gloss pooling on the edges. And best of all, you don’t have to make sure your lips are in perfect condition, as it looks superb even if your lips are chapped or damaged.

The applicator is unique, at least among all the various lip glosses I have. It might seem like a fairly typical doe foot applicator, but look, it’s much more curved than standard applicators. This curvature ensures you get a rich and even layer every time as it packs on so much pigment that it’s insane! It picks up a literal ton of pigment, way more than you need. Not that that’s a bad thing! It’s got depressed areas on both sides of the applicator, where most of the pigment collects.

There is a surprisingly large amount of pigment on the tip, too. This is already amazing, but it gets better! The applicator is super soft, so it feels incredibly gentle on the lips. The curved shape allows it to be perfectly precise, being able to line the cupids bow with ease. It’s also relatively large, which helps it deposit an even layer of colour. Very innovative shape that is actually better than the standard shapes. So it’s not different just for the sake of being different.

Longevity is not this lip gloss’ strong suit, unfortunately. Okay, it is more long-lasting than most other lip glosses, but, in general it is not anything to write home about. It fades with time, becoming a more subdued mauve colour, kind of like what Maybelline’s Superstay Vinyl Ink, shade Coy, is. It also tends to collect in the lines of the lips, with the colour seeming much more intense there than on the rest of the lips. And it doesn’t take so long for it to start fading, either. Only two hours or so. It gets progressively worse the longer it’s on the lips, being totally faded after 8 hours. To be honest, it would be a bloody miracle if a lip gloss survived 8 hours without any significant changes.

The fact flat it doesn’t take too long to start fading goes hand in hand with what I already said about the formula changing into a much more waxy, tacky one. Apparently, it dries relatively quickly, and I don’t mean that it sets, as it never does that (it will continue transferring onto stuff until you remove it). But, good news, it is not at all drying out for the lips! Despite having next to nothing in it to keep the lips supple and soft, they don’t feel dried out or chapped or any worse for wear. It’s some wizardry, I am telling you! In terms of how resistant to food it is, not a whole lot, tbh. No matter what kind of food you eat, it tends to fade and smudge, especially if it’s greasy/oily food. The same goes for drinking. So you’ll definitely have to reapply it after a meal. The damage isn’t atrocious, but it is visible. Quite a bit better than a lot of other highly pigmented lip glosses, though. I didn’t really expect it to last super long, it is a lip gloss after all, no matter how much it costs, but I still wish that it had better longevity. Especially in terms of how it starts to feel waxy and somewhat uncomfortable. That’s just a shame.

It’s honestly much easier to remove than you might think! Even if you use only micellar water, it comes off easily, without a lot of rubbing. If you, like me, use a specialised remover, it’s gone faster than you can say Haus Labs! It does not leave a greasy residue, despite becoming quite greasy after a few hours. Oh, and it doesn’t leave stains, either! Burgundy lip products are more likely to leave stains, so it’s great that this lip gloss doesn’t!

In conclusion, honestly, a fricking fabulous lip gloss! Lady Gaga again did not disappoint! There’s so much good in this lip gloss: the applicator is fantastic and just super fun to use, the pigmentation is hella intense, and it is glossy beyond belief! It is so pigmented that one layer is enough to get vividly pigmented, burgundy lips, and it still looks great on its own, without any lip liners underneath. It’s even, rich and looks spectacular! The texture is so glossy that it is actually reflective, and that makes the lips look plumper. Such a 3D effect, too! However, there are some things that are bot quite so good: the longevity leaves something to be desired, and it doesn’t deal well with food. But those are things that most lip glosses struggle with. I am so happy that it is this good, as, boy, was it not cheap! But for the first Haus Laboratories product, it definitely set the bar really high. It, along with the matching lip liner, are so good that I actually felt sad letting the lip gloss go. I would suggest using this lip gloss with the matching lip liner (RIP Lip Liner/Slayer), but it is more than adequate solo – way more than adequate, in fact! Just one nit-pick: it should supposedly have some faint shimmer, but I don’t see it. It’s nothing major, just an observation. Also, the packaging! OMG, like, the drama! The black colour with the coloured crystal on the bottom of the tube! And the sharp, pyramidal cap! Breath-taking! I love it so much that it’s my go-to lip gloss when I want seductively vampy lips. So guess what? I will give it top recommendations, even with its flaws! Great job, Haus Labs!

Rating: 7.5/10

Would buy again? YES

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Burgundy

Haus Laboratories RIP Lip Liner [Slayer] Review

June 14, 2023

I suppose this should go first, before the lipgloss! This is the Haus Laboratories RIP Lip Liner, shade Slayer!

I have always been a big fan of Lady Gaga, both as a singer and as a person, so when I heard that she would be launching her own makeup brand I was beside myself with joy. Back when she launched Haus Laboratories I pretty much didn’t use makeup at all, so why would I be excited, right? Well, I can, more-or-less, credit her and her creativity for finally making me plunge into the world of makeup! I was in a bit of a dark, vampy phase back when I first ordered this, so I opted to order the darkest, most dramatic shade. The fact that it’s called Slayer is only the proverbial cherry on top! I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make a lip combo with the matching lip gloss, in Scream. Slayer + Scream... what a combo, eh? I guess all the slayage the lip liner/lip gloss combo are about to serve is going to make you wanna scream! So, let’s check out what Haus Labs has cooked up with this liner!

Packaging: it dies not have any type of outer packaging, like any cardboard or such. Which is a bit of a concern when you are ordering it online. Anyways, it arrived safely, obviously, so it must be quite robust. Just like the other Haus Labs products, this one too has a marked dramatic touch. Namely, the cap! Look at it! It’s got a pyramidal top that is actually pretty sharp! You could legit poke yourself with it, so be careful! The cap closes very securely, as it can be difficult to open sometimes. I love the silver metallic text on the jet black pencil, it’s so dramatic! Besides that, there is a small coloured area on one end of the pencil that matches the colour of the liner very well. Such and edgy, different design! There are no other lip pencils like this one, that’s for sure!

Source: hauslabs.com

Ingredients: nothing nourishing and no parabens. Also worth pointing out: this lip liner (not counting the dyes) has only 6 ingredients! Talk about slimming down! The scent is alright, it smells waxy and woody. It is a wooden pencil after all! The expiration date is 12 months after opening.

Colour: a really wintery deep burgundy wine that is so vampy and gorgeous! It’s not exactly purple or red, although it’s got a ton more red pigments than purple. Depending on the light it can even look almost rusty red. It’s a very dark, dramatic colour that is perfect for when you are feeling edgy or goth. It’s also a pretty sexy colour. I love how intense the colour is on my pale skin, it look even more dramatic and vampy!

Pigmentation is out of this world! It’s so extremely intense and dark and dramatic! And that’s with only one layer; imagine then how intense it is with additional layers! And you don’t need to press hard to get intense pigmentation; even with a light touch you’ll get dark and vampy lips! Given that it’s a classic wooden lip liner, it is very precise when sharpened properly. Indeed, it makes razor sharp lines when it is sharp enough, and it isn’t too smudgy when it isn’t.

The formula is, like Haus Laboratories promise, definitely creamy. It’s only very slightly waxy. I love how luxurious this formula feels; it just glides across lips without much tugging (there is some tugging if your lips aren’t in perfect condition). It’s super easy to use, perfect for beginners! However, for some reason, this pencil does tend to end up looking a bit uneven in its colouration. Like, there are some darker burgundy areas and some lighter. That’s definitely not good, especially for something that wasn’t cheap!

But it can be fixed with a bit more time and patience; it’s not a huge problem, but it is a bit annoying.

The texture is truly demi-matte. It’s not real matte as there is still some shine that makes it look velvety soft, but it’s more of a soft, waxy shine. It feels sooo good on lips! It’s featherlight, and pretty soft. It’s not very creamy, no, it feels more waxy. It’s still ridiculously comfortable to wear for hours! After some time it becomes only slightly more waxy, so it stays super comfy for hours! It’s not tacky, either! And it doesn’t exaggerate the fine lines in my lips; in fact, it seems to smooth them out!

Even though it doesn’t have anything nourishing inside it, it did not seem to dry out my lips after 8 hours of wear. I really love how lightweight and comfortable this lip liner is, it’s really on another level!

Spoiled for choice in terms of colours!

Longevity: pretty good, all things considered. Although not terribly spectacular. It does not fade over time, but the edges do tend to feather a little bit – nothing major, and nothing that would ruin how it looks, but the edges don’t stay as sharp as with most lip liners. It still looks great even 8 hours later, which is excellent. However, it doesn’t really tolerate food too well; while it doesn’t fade completely after a meal, it is noticeable, with how uneven it becomes. Of course, the more greasy the food, the more damage there is. I mean, for this price I expected it to be food-proof, but I guess that was a foolish expectation in the first place. That said, it doesn’t look horrible after a meal, even if there was a lot of oil in it. Still, I would definitely advise you to fix it post-meal so that it goes back to looking fabulous.

In spite of being so extremely intense, it is really easy to remove, be it with micellar water or a specialised remover. It doesn’t take a lot of rubbing to remove it completely. And, best thing, no stains at all! Huzzah!

One last thing, let’s talk about sharpening. This is a wooden lip pencil, so it should be easy to sharpen. Indeed, it is... most of the time. Sometimes the wood starts splintering a bit, but not enough to cause any real damage or cause the lead to break, which happens very rarely anyways. It’s perfectly fine, in my opinion.

Conclusion: this lip liner really slays! Most of the claims Haus Laboratories claimed came to be true, it’s really only the budge-proof and no feathering claim that are sketchy. See, food damages this liner, no matter what kind of food you are eating, especially greasy food. It was half-gone after I had eaten some deep-fried food. But in general, it still looks great after a meal! And it does feather a little bit in my experience. But besides that, it is truly fabulous! The extreme pigmentation that is incredibly easy to apply, with barely any pulling or tugging, ah, it is fantastic! Oh and the gorgeous colour! Oh man! It is so dark and vampy and perfect for winter! It’s also really sexy, especially when you pair it with a nice cat-eye! It honestly looks expensive, and I am glad for that, because it was! One thing that bothers me, though, is that it, for some reason, ends up being unevenly deposited, with patches of darker/lighter pigmentation. That forces me to spend more time fixing it and making it even, hmm, not good. But once you do get it to look good, man, does it look good! The demi-matte finish is the perfect one for this liner (and that’s coming from someone who prefers matte!), as it makes the liner look creamy and rich and expensive. Not at all dry. Although, for some reason, it tends to look more rusty than burgundy when I apply a full face of makeup. On bare skin it has that dark burgundy wine colour. Quite interesting, and honestly, I don’t mind it. It’s gorgeous either way! And how comfortable it is! Oh it’s super comfortable, lasting 8 hours without any notable changes to its formula or how heavy it feels or anything. Instead it feels as light as a feather the whole day! Oh, and, psst, it pairs perfectly with the Le Riot Lipgloss, shade Scream! Trust me! I am so glad that I ordered this liner, along with the matching lipgloss, even if it was above my price range; for the first Haus Laboratories order ever, I am more than happy! Now I have the perfect burgundy lip liner; it would go splendidly with songs such as Bloody Mary or Marry the Night! Yes! The name is fitting; RIP all others! Now if only I had it in some other colours as well... maybe red? Yep, with how much this liner slays, it will absolutely get my recommendation!

Rating: 8/10

Would buy again? YES

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Burgundy

Pupa Winter Blooming Nail Polish [001 - Tea Rose] Review

May 11, 2023

Hey!

The first item for today is this lovely little nail polish by Pupa, the Winter Blooming Nail Polish, in the shade 001/Tea Rose.

It was released as part of the Winter Blooming limited edition collection in winter 2021, in select DM stores. Luckily, my local DM had a stand with this collection so I could take a look at it. I originally didn’t want to buy anything from this collection because Pupa is, generally, a bit expensive for me, but as more and more items started being sold out I decided, ‘heck, I gotta have it'. So, is it any good? How does it compare to their awesome Chocolate Nail Polish? Let's see!

Packaging: a tiny clear glass bottle with a reflective gold cap. It looks really elegant and I like the white text, it looks good on the dark red background.

Ingredients: no harmful or nourishing ingredients. The scent is, at first, like any other nail polish, but as the solvent evaporates it starts to smell like roses. It’s quite a sweet and aromatic scent. I really like it and it tends to still smell like roses the following day, although it does disappear by day 2. The expiration date is 24 months after opening.

The colour is a deep dark burgundy, like red wine. It is a gorgeous colour for winter and looks great on pale skin.

The brush is fantastic! It is a small flat brush that is so easy to use! It picks up a ton of pigment and applies it extremely evenly. It is big enough to only need two swipes to cover my nails.

The formula is very nice, and it feels silky while applying it. It is a bit watery but it’s not at all runny. One coat is roughly 90% opaque and is pretty even but I do prefer how it looks with two coats. It’s totally opaque with two coats. The texture is glossy.

Longevity is excellent, having very few chips after 5 days of wearing. Mostly they were on the free edges of nails and were small enough to not be particularly noticeable. What was more noticeable though is the chipping on the side of the cuticles, but it wasn’t atrocious. The bigger issue is that it does get scratched up to hell, so a top coat is absolutely necessary. To be fair, this is apparently a problem with Pupa nail polishes in general, as the Chocolate nail polish had the same issue.

Removing this nail polish was a breeze! It didn’t need too much rubbing to remove. It might have left the tiniest bit of a red stain on nails but perhaps I am just imagining it.

All in all, another great little nail polish by Pupa! The colour is perfect for winter, a broody burgundy red that contrasts beautifully with pale skin. The formula is very nice and silky and is amazingly easy to apply, especially with the flat brush included. That little brush has no right being this good! It is also really long-lasting, having only a few tiny chips after 5 days. The main issue with this polish is that it gets a thousand scratches if you don’t apply a top coat over it. Although the scratches aren’t as visible on this dark colour as they are on light colours, it still makes it look worse, as it’s not as glossy when it is all scratched up. That said, it is an easy problem to solve and doesn’t warrant me forgoing a recommendation! So it will absolutely get a recommendation!

Rating: 8/10

Would buy again? YES (if I could, it’s a limited edition so it’s going to be impossible to find)

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Burgundy

L’Oréal Paris Les Chocolats Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick [868 - Cacao Crush] Review

March 07, 2022

Time for the first review for today, the L’Oréal Paris Les Chocolats Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick, shade 868/Cacao Crush.

This is my first order placed on Notino; I got a ton of ads on the Internet about this online shop called “Notino” and that made me incredibly curious to see what it was all about. So, I found two products that I had never seen anywhere else and decided to order them. This started a long tradition of frequently ordering on Notino and checking what’s new multiple times per week. This lipstick in particular interested me because of the name “Les Chocolat”, which implies that it smells like chocolate (and I am a huge chocoholic!). And since I already had the similar Les Macarons, which really did smell like macarons, would this lipstick be as good as it? Let’s find out!

Packaging: just like Les Macarons, it’s elegant and rectangular; it’s a clear tube with a beige cap and rose gold text. The cap fits very securely. I really like this style of packaging; it looks super modern. Again, you can see the colour of the liquid lipstick inside, so you don’t need to open the product to swatch it.

Ingredients: no nourishing ingredients, though there are also no parabens. The scent is truly like chocolate. I adore this scent; it’s delicious! The expiration date is 24 months after opening.

Worn with Haus Laboratories RIP Lip Liner [Slayer]

Pigmentation is extremely intense, and even though it looks like it’s dark brown, it’s more reddish brown, almost like burgundy but more brown. The formula is quite thick and completely opaque. The application is very easy and the pigment glides across the lips, no tugging or sticking. Although be careful not to mess up as it is difficult to fix mistakes, but that’s not surprising for a liquid lipstick.

Worn with Haus Laboratories RIP Lip Liner [Slayer]

The texture is very matte (it might look more glossy than it really is because of the SPF lip balm that I apply under liquid lipsticks). Now, this formula is less tacky than the Les Macarons one, but it is still a bit tacky after it has dried. Before drying it is quite a bit tackier. It does stay a bit tacky throughout the day, but it feels more comfortable than Les Macarons. Additionally, it does not flake like Les Macarons, so that’s great. This lipstick dries quickly, another plus!

As typical of liquid lipsticks, this one is also extremely long-lasting, even after more than 6 hours. Similarly to Les Macarons, it too dries out lips a bit, even with the greasy lip balm underneath. But it feels slightly less drying than Les Macarons. No surprise that it is super food/drink-proof, as it is a thick matte liquid lipstick. I would say that it is also mask-safe, I did not find any stains from this lipstick on my face mask. The removal is interesting: if you use micellar water it is going to be a nightmare to remove, and you will have to rub, rub, rub to remove it completely. But, if you use an oil-based remover it comes off easily, almost no rubbing needed! Whether that’s because the remover I use is just that good or because of the SPF balm, I would not know. But it is interesting! Thankfully, it doesn’t stain lips, unlike Les Macarons.

Finally, the applicator: it’s the same one L’Oréal used in the Les Macarons. It’s a pointed reservoir type applicator that deposits pigment very well but struggles somewhat in tighter spaces, like the lip corners. In any case, it’s a very good applicator.

In short, this is an excellent liquid lipstick, with a beautiful dark, vampy shade that looks beautiful in the colder months. Even though it is tacky and a tad drying, the gorgeous colour, how long-lasting and resistant to basically everything it is makes it so great to me. I wanted to like it. Instead, I grew to love it, especially once I figured out that it’s a breeze to remove with my current remover. As someone who always tries to get makeup that smells, tastes, or looks like chocolate, this lipstick really met all of my expectations. I am so glad that it is better than Les Macarons! This is a definite recommendation!

Rating: 8.5/10

Would buy again? Probably YES

Price at time of first purchase:	~~76.00~~ 57.74 HRK ( ~~~10.09~~ 7.66 € )

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Older Posts Home

Haus Laboratories Le Riot Lip Gloss [Scream] Review

Haus Laboratories RIP Lip Liner [Slayer] Review

Pupa Winter Blooming Nail Polish [001 - Tea Rose] Review

L’Oréal Paris Les Chocolats Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick [868 - Cacao Crush] Review

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