Star Light On My Mind

I have been so busy lately with work and haven’t had the time to blog as much as I would like. It’s been ridiculous. The desire to blog is there it’s just been a lack of time. It’s been a bit frustrating.

Today I have something a little different than my usual nail related post. Those who know me well know I’m a fan of cosmetics that utilize botanical ingredients. I love makeup but it can be tough for me to find makeup my skin loves as much as I do. One of the things I really enjoy when it comes to cosmetics is lip color. I especially enjoy the matte lipstick trend. Dark matte lipstick makes me very happy. However, it’s hard for me to find a long wearing matte lip color that doesn’t make my lips feel tight and dry.

I was contacted by Highlight Cosmetics to review their matte liquid lip color and I was pretty excited when I saw their product line. Along with providing a beautiful appearance Highlight Cosmetic’s line of lip colors is crafted with several natural ingredients that improve the overall feel and appearance of your lips. The lip color contains ingredients such as turmeric, green tea, white tea, kelp, and safflower oil. You can read further on the full list on benefits on the Highlight Cosmetics website.

I choose Ruby Royalty as the shade I wished to  review because I really enjoy red lip color and wanted to find a shade of red that was wearable in a wide variety of situations. I also wanted to see if Highlight Cosmetic’s lip color could become a regular staple in my cosmetic routine. The packaging for Highlight Cosmetic’s lip color is really nice, very high quality. The box has a high quality feel with nice embossing. I especially like the unique tube for the lip color. At first glance you think it’s a lipstick inside a clear case but unscrew the cap and a doe foot applicator is enclosed inside the lipstick shape. The packing feels nice, not at all flimsy.

I wore Ruby Royalty for ten days to get a good idea of what the product was like and so I could get a feel for some of the long term benefits of the lip color. One thing I noticed right off the bat is even though Ruby Royalty seems to be one of the darker shades from their color palette it was still a very wearable shade o red and will be very wearable for a variety of skin tones. I have very fair neutral toned skin and it looked great on me. It was just enough of a pop of color that I felt like I had my red lipstick but it wasn’t so intense that it looked like I had vampire lips during the day. You can certainly control the intensity by what lip liner you use underneath this color. If you wear a lip liner that matches your lips you’ll get a less intense look. If you want a brighter color then wear a red lip liner that matches the lip color.

My initial impression of the Highlight Cosmetics lip color is it has a nice texture. It has he consistency of lip gloss when you first put it on your lips. I recommend dabbing a little bit of the color on at a time and using a lip blending brush to get a more precise application. The doe foot applicator is nice but if you apply too much it will be a bit messy. Once I applied the lip color I added a little extra to the cupid’s bow of my upper lip and the center of my bottom lip for extra dimension. I do like the metallic sheen to this color and I feel it does give the lips the appearance of looking fuller right away.

Another thing I really appreciated about this lip color is the fragrance is very natural and earthy. You can certainly smell the green tea and turmeric but it’s not unpleasant and it doesn’t linger. One thing that really drives me nuts is when lipstick has that weird, and very obviously artificial, perfume fragrance to it that stays with you. I don’t care how pretty the color is. If it has that waxy perfume fragrance to it I can’t use it.

Wear on this lip color is pretty good. As always, if you use a lip primer and liner underneath the color lasted significantly longer. It does come off a tiny bit on coffee cups and napkins but not so much that you need to redo your lipstick. I was able to get through my day without needing to reapply the lip color which was nice. I noticed throughout the day my lips didn’t get that tight, dry, feeling either which is a huge bonus for me.

Over the ten day wear test I did notice my lips were much smoother and weren’t flaking anywhere near as much as they normally do this time of year. I can’t the same of most matte lip colors I wear over that same amount of time.

Highlight Cosmetic’s lip color retails for $25 each. That price is a bit steep for novelty shades. It’s more suited to a lip color you plan on wearing regularly as a staple to your makeup routine. Think of it more like picking your signature shade. Another thing I really like about the Highlight Cosmetics line is they have something for everyone and suit a very wide age demographic. They have very neutral shades and some more daring ones for those who want a trendier color.

 

For my photo I did a softer, every day, look to show how you can wear a brighter lip color but still have a nice, bright, look. I started out with a balancing foundation for combination skin followed by a tone balancing powder. I used a neutral blush for contour. On my eyes I used a soft brown on my lids, an ivory as my highlight, and medium metallic brown for the crease. I used a white shimmery liner on my waterline to help my eyes look brighter. On the lash line of my upper lid I used a dark brown liquid liner to emphasize my upper lashes and a oft taupe on the lower lid. I finished my eye look with filling in my brows and a coat of black mascara on my upper and lower lashes. I wanted a soft look that wouldn’t compete with my lip color but wouldn’t leave me looking washed out either.

I certainly do recommend Highlight Cosmetic’s products and I think if you are looking for a great matte lip color to wear regularly that will provide care benefits it is worth investing in this product. You will want to check out the Highlight Cosmetic’s website for the full lineup of colors and finishes. Some have a metallic shimmer to them and are really beautiful. Which color would you be most excited to try?