Most of my friends know me as a lipstick junkie, well I am not gonna rebut that title, just for records, I do love my eyeshadows equally as well.

1. How many lipsticks do you own?

Well, it might come as a shock to many, but I do own 50+ lipsticks (drops my head and walks away). This includes all my tube lipsticks, liquid lipsticks, lipbalms, etc. The number might be high for an average makeup consumer, but well, makeup hoarder in me doesn't seem to learn from rehab treatments. No shame!

2. What was the first lipstick you owned?

A Revlon lipstick (Don't remember the name and it is discontinued). Comes in a golden packaging. I purchased my first lipstick in 2010 after I got my first job. I went to Lifestyle and asked the SA in the first counter to show me a beautiful lipstick. She sold me the costliest lipstick Revlon had at that time (INR 760, back then). Being a first-time makeup shopper, I nodded my head in agreement when the SA told me that the dark-brown glittery lipstick looked perfect for my skin tone. I had a rude shock when I went to pay and realized I was poorer by INR 760!

3. What is your favorite lipstick brand?

Makeup For Ever and MAC for conventional lipsticks and Dose of Colors for liquid lipsticks.

4. What is your most worn lipstick?

MAC Creme in Your Coffee which sadly passed away a few months back!

5. What is your favorite finish?

Comfort + Matte = 💖

6. What was the last lipstick you bought?

Dose Of Colors liquid lipsticks in Los Anjealous and Berry Me 2.

7. How many lip products do you currently have in your bag?

Being an extra, currently, I have three lipsticks (MUFE C211, Colourpop Safari, Kat Von D Lolita 2) and Maybelline Baby Lips Pink Lolita in my office bag.

8. What is your favorite red lip color?

The mommy maroon-MAC Dubonnet. I find maroon to be more flattering on my tan skin. I also, love MAC Russian Red, I find that the shade lightens up my face.

9. How do you store your lipsticks?

I store my lipstick babies in clear acrylic containers. I purchased mine from Amazon.

10. Which lipstick are you currently lusting after?

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche lipstick. I have heard so many good things about Bite Beauty lipsticks. Also, would love to try the new ABH lipsticks.

11. Favorite balm/treatment?

Maybelline Baby Lips, all day, every day. I love how easy and comfortable they are on the lips.

12. Best luxury and best drugstore lipsticks?

NARS in the luxury category as it is creamy, opaque in full swipe, and long lasting. At 32 dollars (2340 INR), they are definitely a luxury. As for the drugstore category, I feel, Maybelline has some of the best lipsticks in the market and props to the wide range of colors and finishes.

13. Best MAC lipstick?

MAC Twig or MAC Creme in Your Coffee is my jam. For NC42, finding an MLBB is quite a daunting task, and these two are perfect for pairing with a smokey eye or office look.

14. Most disappointing lipstick?

Makeup Geek liquid lipsticks. The one major thing that I look out for in liquid lipsticks is the longevity and sadly this liquid lipstick does not perform in that category. Also, I am not a fan of the consistency and feel of the lipstick on my lips. I have to reapply the lipstick every 3 hours and it wears out in a very aweful way.

15. Lipliner, yes or no?

Yes and No! I don't apply a liner underneath the lipstick but, I love wearing the liners as is with a lip balm on top. MAC has some of the best lip pencils that I know of. The shades Soar and Spice are definitely universal colors.

16. Best lipgloss?

Not a gloss-kinda person and I don't own any gloss.

That's it, folks! Do leave your answers to the tag in the comment section below.

Lip Products on Rotation

I am at mommy land (post a bout of bad health), sipping coconut water, munching on tapioca chips while enjoying some time off from daily chores. And that means, no access to my makeup treasure vault back at my place. Stuck with a limited number of items for daily use, these are the lip products I have on rotation:

Maybelline Baby Lips in Lolita l INR 175

The only shade of Baby Lips that I have repurchased not once, but thrice. It is the perfect chapstick with the right amount of color. Quick to just apply on-the-go without having to use a mirror. The color is a pretty, bright pink. The glossy, hydrating feeling lasts for 2 hours, but I don't mind reapplying. Keeps my lips hydrated and chap-free in the stripping AC environment.

Colourpop Sheer Lippie Stix in Safari l INR 350

I have a strong feeling, Colourpop discontinued the Sheer range, as I couldn't find them on their site. The shade Safari is very bright coral, appropriate for tan skin tone. Coral is a tough color for me to pull off, and being a sheer lipstick allows me to wear the product without much discomfort. Keeps lips hydrated and stays put for 2-3 hours. The only concern, product meltdown in the hot and humid climate.

Makeup Forever Artist Rouge Lipstick C 211 l  INR 1540

Got this as part of a Sephora sample kit. Being small and handy, it quickly secured a place in my everyday makeup kit. The color can be dubbed as a mauve, but with more white pigments/more gray tones. If you are darker than NC 42, this color may be hard to pull off. The creme formula is very easy to wear, opaque in one swipe, and stays put fo 3-4 hours. I am not a fan of the smell though, there is something annoying about the smell.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Craving l INR 1450

This is a more pinkier version of another one of my favorites, Brick-O-La. The finish is cremesheen, very comfortable to wear, opaque in one swipe and last for 4 hours on me (without drinking and eating). The shade is a very flattering pinky-mauve, perfect for NC 42 or darker skintones.

Swatches

Sadly, I am missing a pale skin lipstick from this list. Asking Mr. G to get it for me from my vanity is like finding a pin in the haystack and I better not burn my haystack! Have a great looong weekend ya all! while I go back to sipping my coconut water 😎.

Face-off: Maybelline Colossal Liner VS KVD Tattoo Liner

Fancy a good cat fight? read on. As much I love a red  pout, I love my wing to the T. Being a hooded eye girl means I struggle with the wing every single day. Today I am pitting two of my most used liners against each other:

Contender 1: Maybelline Colossal Liner
Black

Contender 2: Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
Trooper

Category	Maybelline  Colossal Liner	KVD Tattoo Liner
Packaging	Black pencil like-packaging. The felt tip applicator is long. The cap is slightly loose which dries out the product fast.	Black pencil like-packaging. The brush tip applicator is small. The cap is air-tight thus preventing product dry out.
Product Available	1.2 g	0.7 mL
Cost	INR 425 ($6)	INR 1400 ($20)
Staying Power	6-hour	6-hour
Application	·         Can draw thin and thick lines. ·         At times, enough pigment will not come out from the applicator. ·         The product can dry out fast. ·         Takes 3-4 minutes to dry.	·         Not black enough and I have to draw over multiple times to get enough pigmentation. ·         As the applicator is thin, can draw extremely thin precise lines. ·         Instantly dries to a matte finish.
Swatch
Color Range Available	1	2
Score	3.5	2.7
Verdict	I wouldn’t recommend either. I am still on the hunt for a better-blacker-bolder liner!

Foundation Matrix for NC 42

Buying foundation online can be a daunting task, especially when it is a high-end foundation. I have put together a shade suggestion list which you can refer if you are looking to place an online order.

Skin Type: Combination-Oily [Requires blotting in 4 hours]

Skin Concerns: Pigmentation around the mouth area

Skin Undertone: Yellow-Golden

What do I look in a Foundation: Matte, long-wearing, humidity-proof (Coastal-area problems)

Notes:

• All foundations contain 30 ml product unless mentioned.
• Products marked in YELLOW are what I have tried out either as sample or in-store. I do not own these, with an exception of MUFE Ultra HD which is still with my relatives in Canada.
• Brands that are not available in India, I purchased from Sephora US or Nordstrom US.

·         FOUNDATION	SHADE	FINISH	COST	COMMENTS
MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation	NC42	Matte	INR 2290	Good oil control, Medium-Full coverage, Nice color match, Cakey. Needs an applicator to apply
MAC Studio Fix Fluid	NC43.5	Flat-Matte	INR 2290	Very orange, Full-coverage, Sits funny on my skin, Long-wearing, Extremely plasticky smell, Oxidizes
MAC Face and Body	C5	Dewy	INR	Nice color, Very dewy, Tacky on touch, Transferable on clothes
Estee Lauder Double Wear	4N2 Spiced Sand	Matte	INR 2790	Long-wearing, Sweat-proof, Good color, Heavy coverage
Estee Lauder Double Wear Light	4.5	Matte	INR 3000	A shade dark, Long-wearing, Light on skin
Inglot YSM	52	Demi-Matte	INR 1100	Spot on color match
NARS All Day Luminous Weightless	Syracuse	Demi-Matte	$ 48	Accentuates dry patches, Long-wearing, Good color match, Sits funny on textured skin (around the mouth)
Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless	322 Golden Honey	Demi-Matte	INR 475	A tad ashy around the mouth, Long-wearing, Skin like finish
Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua	B50	Dewy	$ 47	Becomes ashy as the day progresses, Pink undertone which makes the color look off
L'oreal Infallible Pro Matte (US)	108 Caramel Beige	Demi-Matte	$13	Long-Wearing, Skin like finish
L'oreal True Match	W5	Demi Matte	INR 1025	Minute shine (glitter), Ghostly white cast
L'oreal Infallible (India)	322	Matte	INR 1126	Leaning towards pink undertone, Dulls the face
MUFE Ultra HD	153 (Y405)	Satin	CAD 50	Spot on color match. Makes me oily within 2 hours!
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte	310	Demi-Matte	$34	Tad bit light around the mouth area. Long wearing
Too Faced Born This Way	Sand	Dewy	$39	Way too neutral. Causes white cast
L'oreal Infallible Pro Glow	209 Caramel Beige	Dewy	$13	One shade dark. Dewy, non-tacky finish
MUFE Mat Velvet +	65	Matte	$39	A tad darker
Dior Forever Perfect	Honey Beige 040	Demi-Matte	$50	Ashy around the mouth area
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow	Hazelnut	Dewy	$36	A tad bit dark
WISH LIST
FOUNDATION					PROBABLE SHADES	COST
Becca Ever-Matte Shine-Proof					Bamboo	$42
NARS Sheer Glow					Syracuse	$45
UD Naked Skin					6/7	$40

 Swatches

Different Lighting: From L-R, L'oreal Infallible Pro Matte, Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless, Inglot YSM, MAC Studio Fix, MAC Face&Body, Estee Lauder Double Wear, Chanel VitaLuniere Aqua, NARS All Day Luminous Weightless, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light

                                   

Note: My arms are way lighter than my face, so the foundations may appear way dark on my arm.