Review: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick – “Fire and Ice”

So yesterday I was in Wal-Mart (a college girl needs her ramen!), and I ever-so-casually happened to pass right through the beauty section, coincidentally right by the “sale” signs… Yes, okay, it was totally on purpose. Anyways, Revlon had a bunch of rollback prices, so I decided to treat myself to one lipstick by them. The Super Lustrous line was on sale for $4.57 a pop, so I waffled for about five minutes in between Siren (a vibrant coral-leaning-orange) and this, Fire and Ice. In the end, I settled on this one because truth be told, I’ve already got quite a few corals and oranges, and while I do own a hefty amount of reds, none were quite as bright as this (Maybelline’s “Red Revival” and MAC’s “Heartless” are some of the reds I own: deep, darkened, more ’40s style rather than ’50s).

As I’m sure a lot of you know, there is quite a history behind this iconic shade. I was unaware of it upon purchasing, but had I known, I wouldn’t have even bothered picking up a different shade. So, F&I 101: It was originally released back in 1952, with quite a gorgeous advertisement, which I’ve included here:

Look, it even comes with a quiz to see if you're a "true Fire and Ice woman!"

It was repromoted back in 2010 in the original vintage packaging as well. Sadly, I don’t own that, but I’m quite happy with this one!

I tried it on as soon as I got home. It’s a very, very bright colour, I’ll say that! The formula is quite creamy, and goes on very smoothly. I’ve got a bit of a problem with my perpetually-dry lips, and this lipstick did not exacerbate the issue. It sits very comfortably on them, and doesn’t dry them out. It also stays quite a while if you’re not eating; drinking is not that much of an issue if you apply, blot, and reapply. It creates a lovely stain as well once it wears off.

The colour itself is a bit hard to describe. In the fluorescently-lit bathroom, it’s a bright geranium colour, nearly neon. In the softer, more yellowy light of my bedroom, it takes on a more blue-based tone; and in the daylight, it’s simply a bright orangey-red. I believe the name Fire and Ice is very appropriate, as the undertones can fluctuate between orange (fire) and blue (ice) depending on your colouring and the lighting that which you are in.

All in all, it’s a lovely and unique colour that I truly adore. I highly recommend it, and will be purchasing a backup or two. Maybe three. I kind of love it.

My full face with Fire and Ice. As you can see, it's very in-your-face and requires very basic, simple face and eye makeup.

This one really shows the different undertone it can take. In this lighting, it's much more blue-based.

One more for the road? :) A black and white photo to play up the vintage aspect of this lipstick.

Winged Liner/Shadow For A Hooded Eye Tutorial

Hello all!
If you follow me on MakeupAlley, you know I’m extremely fond of winged liner. Thick, thin, double, single, black, colourful, I love it all. Unfortunately, winged liner can be a bit of a hassle when you have hooded eyes.

Hooded eyes are basically when the brow bone protrudes slightly over the lid, almost like a deep-set eye, except the entire socket is not sunken in; just the top, or so the illusion shows. This makes it almost impossible to do crazy makeup looks, as your lid below the crease will be almost or totally covered by your browbone, which also comes down over the corner of the eye sometimes, which will make winged liner look a little off.

Thankfully, my obsession combined with ridiculous stubborness has come up with an easy way to overcome the hooded eye.

First, here’s a photo of my bare eye. You can see the shadows where the browbone hangs over my lid (sorry about my scraggly brows, I need to pluck those stray hairs soon…).

So! First, you’ll want to cover your lid from lash to brow with a neutral base. I used Wet N’ Wild’s “Brulee” for this.

Next, pick a slightly darker colour for your crease. The trick with the crease is to focus on the outer half of your eye to create the illusion that the shadows cast by your browbone are really part of the eyeshadow. For this, I used Estee Lauder’s “Chestnut.”

Next, pick an even darker colour to compliment your crease. Use this one ONLY on the outer part of your eye, right in the crease. It makes a gradient “shadow” to make your illusion more believable. For this, I used the dark brown in Wet N’ Wild’s “I <3 Matte” pallet.

You can add a highlight if you want. Generally I prefer matte on the browbone and shimmers in the inner corner. I didn’t use one on the inner corner, but I did use “Brulee” again to blend my shadows on my browbone. You don’t want to accentuate your browbone too much; after all, you’re trying to balance it!

Now it’s time for the liner! Here’s the main trick for this. Most of the time, thick wings will follow the natural curve of the eye instead of a straight line up top. However, you’ll need a straight line to create a sharp wing; a curve won’t work on a hooded eye because it will naturally slope down and drag your eyes down.

Remember to follow your natural lower lashline when creating the wing.

Tada! Add some undereye concealer and mascara, and do your brows…

Do your foundation and add a pretty lipcolour (a common one for wings is red or coral)…

and enjoy your wings!!

Foundation: Maybelline Mineral Power “Fair”
Blush: Milani “Luminous”
Concealer: Milani Secret Cover Cream Concealer “Natural Beige”
Eyeliner: E.L.F. Liquid Liner
Mascara: Maybelline The Falsies
Brow Powder: nameless cool brown eyeshadow
Lips: Clinique Superbalm “Black Honey”

Fresh Start: Skincare Products I Love

Bonjour! I’m Nika. You might have seen me on http://www.makeupalley.com/ where I post under “hurricanenika.” I’ve got a few other blogs as well, but this is one I’m dedicating strictly to beauty.

So, we’ll start off with something simple: My favorite skincare products.

 About my skin: Mildly oily, slightly sensitive, very clog-prone, moderately-sized pores, very prone to hyperpigmentation. Classified as fair, neutral leaning warm with slightly olive undertones, redness in the cheeks and nose, hyperpigmentation marks on the cheeks and chin.

• Cleanser: Acne.org (Amazon,com, $8)
  It’s a very basic, no-frills gel cleanser. I use it every morning and night by wetting my face, lathering one pump of it in my hands (acne.org recommends you use three pumps, but I find that wasteful and quite frankly, overkill) and then gently massaging it over my face for about ten to fifteen seconds. It’s great at washing off stubborn makeup, and gentle enough to use around your eyes. A similar drugstore option would be either Purpose, or Clean & Clear Foaming Wash for Sensitive Skin.
• Exfoliator/Mask: Clinique Turnaround Instant Facial (Macy’s $36)
  I love this because it’s a combination of a mask and a scrub, and the mask portion dries very quickly so I don’t have to sit around waiting on it.  I usually use it once a week, directly after I’ve gotten out of the shower. I’ll spread it on and let it dry while I’m drying off, doing my hair, etc. Once it’s dry, I wet a face cloth with warm water, and gently wipe it off using circular motions. There are tons of granules embedded in the mask that act as the exfoliant, and those plus the washcloth (again, gently! I don’t wage war against my face with it) really get off all the dead skin and reveal bright, fresh skin. My only qualm with it is that for some reason, Clinique decided to add a ton of glitter in it. Thankfully, I use this at night and the glitter’s gone by the morning. I’ve got slightly sensitive skin, and this has never irritated it. A similar drugstore option would be Neutrogena’s Deep Pore Scrub, left on for about ten minutes.
• Treatment: Acne.org Benzoyl Peroxide (Amazon.com, $16)
  This treatment is truly a gem. It comes in a huge 8oz tube (or pump bottle, depending on which you decide to order), and you needn’t use very much at all in order to reap its benefits. It’s a translucent white gel that is extremely easy to spread and dries quickly. My skin has always been highly reactive towards any acne treatment (even the most “gentle” will send it into an angry red stage that takes weeks to reverse), but this has never irritated it in any way. The most I’ve gotten is an unpleasant itch that last an hour or two if I apply it too soon. I use it morning and night (but never the nights I exfoliate); half the length of my forefinger in the morning, and the full length at night. The key with this is timing! I wait about five minutes after I’ve washed and dried my face before I apply it, and then wait another five or so minutes before putting on my moisturiser. If I put it on any sooner, it does burn. It also works as a wonderful spot treatment!
• Moisturiser: Philosophy Hope In A Jar (Sephora, $38)
  This one is tricky. Overall, I hear very negative things about it. I think the problem is that you’ve got to have a very specific skin type in order for this to work for you (despite its “suitable for all skin types” claim), and luckily, I’ve got it, or one of them. A lot of people are also sensitive to the smell. Personally, I’ve never had a problem with it: I find the lilac scent light and fresh, but others have classified it as “wet dog,” “vomit-inducing,” or just plain gross. That really depends on you. It does have lactic acid in it as well, which helps to continuously prompt cell turnaround. The texture is light, almost fluffy, and you only need a bit to cover your entire face. It’s really helped brighten and even my skin out. It is a bit pricy, though. If you can get to a Sephora, they’ve got a two-pack (a 0.5 and a 2 oz) on offer for $38, and they’ve got a wonderful return policy if it doesn’t work for you or you find something else. I use it morning and night.
• Sunscreen: Olay SPF 15 for Sensitive Skin (Original Formula!) (Walmart, $7)
  Another favourite. This one is technically a moisturiser as well, but it never really did much for me in the moisture department; however, it’s a wonderful basic sunscreen that doesn’t sting/burn, make me greasy, or clog up my pores. I use the Equate version with absolutely no problem or difference from the Olay one, except it’s cheaper and you get more. I apply it on top of HIAJ in the mornings.