Drugstore Back-to-School Lip Products for Middle School, High School, and College

It's that time of year again - school is almost back in session! Parents everywhere are rejoicing, while kids are savoring their last day or two of summer. You may have already stocked up on the coolest notebooks, pencils, and folders - but don't forget the lip products! Here are some of my back-to-school favorites, from moisturizing to colorful, so you can find the right lip product for you and your grade level! I've picked out 3 lip products each for middle school, high school, and college - and the best thing is that they're all from the drugstore!

Middle School:
If you're in middle school, you may have started wearing light makeup already, or you may be rocking the natural, bare-faced look. Either way, I'd recommend keeping the lip products light. Not only will products like balms and glosses look more natural, but they are also easier to apply and require less precision, which means you won't be stuck in the bathroom trying to apply perfect lipstick!

SoftLips Tinted Lip Conditioner - Rose: This lip balm is probably a little too frosty for most adults, but for younger girls it's lovely! I've always found SoftLips balms to be extremely moisturizing, and the SPF 15 will help protect lips from damaging sun rays.
Bath & Body Works Liplicious Gloss: The particular shade that I'm wearing isn't being sold in Bath & Body Works stores anymore, but you can still find similar clear and lightly tinted glosses - and the best part is that they come in a bunch of fun flavors! These glosses add just a hint of shine and shimmer, and the tube packaging makes it super easy to swipe them on in between classes.
Maybelline Baby Lips Balm - Pink Punch: The most pigmented lip product in the bunch, this balm gives a beautiful pink tint to the lips, feels smooth and moisturizing, and has SPF 20! If the pink is too bright for you, these balms come in a variety of other tints, and there are several clear options as well!

High School:
Whether you've started wearing a fuller face of makeup and want the perfect lip product to compliment the rest of your look, or you want to keep the face natural and just accentuate your lips, these lip products range from glossy to matte and from bright to subtle. They all look great alone, so no need to pack a ton of lip products to take to school!

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color - Tea Rose: This lip color is extremely matte, so it may not work if you have dry or chapped lips. But if you keep your lips moisturized and smooth, this lip color is a beautiful pale shade with a bit of a purple undertone. Since it's matte, it won't move around on your lips throughout the day, and it won't compete with your eye makeup!
CoverGirl Jumbo Gloss Balm - Ballet Twist (205): This jumbo lip pencil is a pale peachy shade with a touch of shimmer. It goes on very sheer, but you can also build up the pigment by applying a few layers. It's really easy to apply without a mirror, and feels very lightweight on the lips!
NYX Butter Gloss - Peaches and Cream: This has been one of my favorite summer glosses, and I definitely plan on wearing it into the fall as well! It's a gorgeous peachy pink color, and true to the name, it's extremely smooth and buttery on the lips! It gives the lips exactly the right touch of color.

College:
Let's be real - anything goes in college! For these lip products, I picked out something nude, something bright, and something with super versatile packaging, for those busy days where you're going from the dining hall to class to practice to clubs and finally, to the library for an all-nighter!

Revlon Lip Butter - Peach Parfait: This shade is the perfect peachy-nude color with a bit of shimmer and a TON of shine! One of my favorite things about the Revlon Lip Butters is that I never feel like I need a gloss with them, because they're incredibly shiny already!
Rimmel London Show Off Lip Lacquer - Stellar: In reality, this shade is a bit more pink than it looks in my selfies, but either way - this one is bright! Since this product stains my lips, I don't have to worry about reapplying it right away when I feel it wearing off! (Note: I purchased mine in England where they're called "Apocalips," thus the different name on the packaging.)
Physicians Formula pH Matchmaker Gloss - Pink: I've never found these pH products to really change color on anyone, but I can't dispute the fact that this gloss is a gorgeous, vibrant pink shade that gives a ton of color just by itself! The packaging on this gloss is also so cool - there's a mirror on the tube and the wand lights up, so you can reapply in any situation and don't need to carry a separate mirror with you all day!


And....that's it! Hopefully you'll get some back-to-school inspiration from these lip products, and find one that's perfect for you! And of course, to everyone who's starting school again - lots of luck! <3

XOXO,
Ally

MAC Viva Glam Nicki Minaj - Review & Swatches

I'm not even gonna try and build up the suspense here guys - I am IN LOVE with this lipstick! If I were designing a shade of lipstick it would be exactly this color, and as soon as I saw pictures online I knew I had to have it. And there's also the fact that I love Nicki Minaj...

This lipstick is $14.50 from MAC, and 100% of the proceeds go to the company's AIDS fund - so you can buy makeup and feel good about raising HIV/AIDS awareness, too! Plus, how awesome is it that MAC actually donates 100% of the sales to charity - so often you see brands donating 5% or 10% from the sale of a certain item to charity, and while a donation is always good, no matter the amount, it's nice to see brands donating more...I mean, they definitely can afford it!

Viva Glam Nicki

Viva Glam Nicki

Anyway, Nicki's lipstick shade is a bright pink with a slight yellow undertone - it's definitely a warmer-toned pink, which is part of the reason I love it. It's a satin finish and feels really smooth and creamy on the lips; the only issue I can think of with this lipstick is that you made need several layers if you have very pigmented lips, but that's probably the case with most lipsticks (I have pretty pigmented natural lips, so I always have to be careful with my lipstick application)!

Viva Glam Nicki

This shade is definitely a hit for me, and the fact that I'm contributing to a good cause by buying it basically makes it irresistible!


Rating: 10/10 - yup, I adore this lipstick!

XOXO, Ally

Wet n Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 525D and 552A - Review & Swatches

Yesterday I popped into Walmart because I needed contact lens solution, and I came out with two new lipsticks, a set of nail files, and one of those mirror/brush travel compacts so I can touch up my makeup at my desk. I've never tried the Silk Finish lipsticks from Wet n Wild, but they were $.98, so I kept my expectations low and grabbed two.

(Picture taken with flash.)

I chose 552A (Just Garnet), which is a berry red, and 525D (Retro Pink) which is a cool-toned medium pink. Both lipsticks applied a little sheer at first, but you can build the color intensity up as you apply. They actually felt very moisturizing, and they didn't seem to sit on top of my lip like some other lipsticks do. 552A is a little brighter than it appears in the tube, but it's a really nice berry color for fall without being too dark. I love the vampy look, and this shade gives a bit of the vampy effect without making me feel too conspicuous. 525D is a little too cool for me, but if you generally like cooler pinks, then I'd definitely check it out. I do like that it's bright but not too light. The best part about these lipsticks is that they're less than a dollar, and you can experiment with tons of different colors without worrying about wasting your money if you don't like a shade.

Rating: 4/5They're not perfect, but the price range more than makes up for it, especially if you find a shade you love.

XOXO, Ally

(PS: I tried to take lip swatches of these but my lips are so chapped that they just looked disgusting, so I'll get the lip swatches up sometime in the next few days!) 

Three Valentine's Day Lip Looks!

Whether you're saving a kiss for that special someone, spending time with your closest friends, or just flying solo, Valentine's day is the perfect time to express how much you love the people around you - or yourself! And on a holiday that's all about lip-locking, you can say more with your lips than words alone.

Look One: Bold & Bright

You're one of those girls who doesn't need a man or anyone else to tie you down. When you want to do something, you go get it done - you don't wait for someone to do it for you and you certainly don't need anyone's help. And while you wouldn't mind a nice card or a box of chocolates on Valentine's day, there's no way you're pining over a crush today, or any other day.

So go for the crazy and colorful and make sure all eyes are on you when you walk into the room. I applied e.l.f. Essentials lipstick in Gypsy all over my lips, and topped it off with a little bit of the original Too Faced Mood Swing lip gloss.

Look Two: Flirty and Fun

You're not going to waste your time moping around because you're single on Valentine's day - you'll take this opportunity to remind your friends just how special they are to you, single or not! Whether it's a girl's night out, a girl's night in, or just a whole bunch of friends hanging out in someone's room, your lips should echo your carefree spirit - and if a guy just happens to be entranced by them, then that's fine by you!

So if you want to go for something a little different, go for a cool lilac-toned lip color. I started by applying Revlon lipstick in Lilac to my lips, then covered that with Revlon lip gloss in Lilac Pastelle. To give it an added pop of purple sheen, I dabbed a few drops of Jesse's Girl Liquid Crystal lip gloss in Violet right in the center of my lips.

Look Three: Natural and Nude

You've been waiting for Valentine's day all year - and you have a special someone in mind for that big Valentine's day kiss. Maybe it's your boyfriend, or maybe it's someone you've been crushing on hard, but either way, it all comes down to one smooch. And no matter what, you want your lips to be perfect and as ready as you are.

So unless your man wants to wear your lip color too, stick with a natural, sheer wash of color. And while bold lip colors may alert everyone in a room to your entrance, nude colors give you an irresistible innocent appearance. I stuck with just gloss for this look, and swept Sally Hansen Lip Inflation in Sheer Mocha all over my lips. The color is a sheer light brown, and the plumping ingredients will make your lips eye-catching even when wearing only gloss.

If you were wondering about my eyes, I'm wearing Urban Decay's loose pigment in Shag on the lid, with Urban Decay's Gunmetal on the outer third and Too Faced's Boy Toy on the inner third, with Too Faced's Glamazon right in the inner corner. I used the darkest color from the wet N wild Lust palette (the black with the pink glitter) as a liner and CoverGirl's Lash Blast on my lashes.

Have a fantastic Valentine's day, loves!

XOXO, Ally

CVS Beauty Clearance - Haul and Swatches

Guys, I look like SUCH a stereotypical lazy beauty blogger right now. I'm in my pajamas, my hair is up in a towel, I have a green face mask all over my face (not like it would go anywhere else) and I'm writing up a blog post about makeup. Oh gosh, what has my life become? (Oh right - super-mega-awesome-foxy-hot, that's what it's become.)

Anyway, my local CVS finally busted out their beauty clearance, after days and days of checking in with no luck. I saw them putting out the stickers two days ago and planned to actually go on a hardcore CVS shopping spree yesterday, but there was a major snowstorm yesterday so I was basically confined to my house. But today I managed to stop in twice, and completely shock my mom with the amount of makeup that a single person could purchase at one time.

(From left to right.)
Loreal HiP Shocking Shadow Pigments in 102 (Exciting): 75% off of $14.49 = $3.49
Rimmel London Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation in 100 (Ivory): 75% off of $7.99 = $1.99
Peacock ring from Payhalf: $4.50
CoverGirl Outlast Smoothwear Lip Liner in 100 (Blush): 50% off of $9.49 = $4.75
Milani Lipstick in 32 (Berry Rich): $6.79
Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in 001 (Lilac): 75% off of $11.29 = $2.82
CoverGirl Continuous Color Lipstick in 565 (Rose Cashmere): 50% off of $8.29 = $4.15
CoverGirl Wetslicks Amazemint Lipgloss in 660 (Happy House): 50% off of $7.99 = $3.99
CoverGirl Wetslicks Amazemint Lipgloss in 615 (Plum Crazy): 50% off of $7.99 = $3.99
CoverGirl Wetslicks Amazemint Lipgloss in 610 (Tickled Pink): 50% off of $7.99 = $3.99
CVS Purifying Mint Masque: $4.59
Almay Pure Blends Foundation in 140 (Buff): 75% off of $11.49 = $2.87
Almay Pure Blends Loose Finishing Powder in 100 (Translucent Matte): 75% off of $15.99 = $3.99
Rimmel London Colour Rush Quad Eyeshadow in 001 (Smokey Noir): 75% off of $8.49 = $2.07
Loreal HiP Shine Struck Liquid Lipcolor in 662 (Arresting): 75% off of $14.49 = $3.62
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in 200 (Lilac Pastelle): 75% off of $9.99 = $2.49
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in 160 (Firecracker): 75% off of $9.99 = $2.49
Revlon ColorStay Mineral Bronzer in 040 (Golden Bronze): 75% off of $13.99 = $3.49
Maybelline New York Expert Wear Blush in 100 (Mocha Velvet): 50% off of $5.99 = $2.99
Total: $66.57
Total value: $181.82
Money saved: $115.25, 63% of total value

We'll start with the lest beauty-related item that I got, although of course I only got it because I could use it with my makeup. It's actually a votive candle holder that was sitting all alone in the old Christmas items section, on sale for 50% off (originally 2/$5 or $2.99 each, I got this one for $1.49). I figured it would be perfect to hold my smaller brushes or my eyeliners and mascaras, since the cup I currently have them in is getting a little overstuffed.

Next, we have the foundations and things that I have yet to open and test, and a few other random assorted items that aren't really makeup. It's pretty much the misfit group, and I'll probably update this section as I test these out.
(From left to right.)
Rimmel London Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation in 100 (Ivory): To be honest, from what I've read online I don't expect this to be the best foundation ever - but a sale is a sale, and I'm never opposed to testing new foundations, especially when they're wonderfully cheap. My face does get a little oily sometimes, so anything with the promise of 'matte' at least gets a chance in my book.
Almay Pure Blends Foundation in 140 (Buff): My opinion from the above foundation also applies here - I'm iffy on whether this will work well or not, but I figured clearance was the perfect time to experiment. This one is 97.4% natural and has SPF 20, while the Rimmel foundation does not.
Almay Pure Blends Loose Finishing Powder in 100 (Translucent Matte): Up until now, I never owned or used any sort of finishing powders, mostly because I only ever used powder foundation. But I figured it's kinda an important thing to at least add to my makeup collection, so I pretty happy to see this 75% off
Peacock ring from Payhalf: Yeah, so there's one thing thrown in here that's not from CVS, but oh well. There's a Payhalf right near CVS and my mom wanted to see if there were any super-cheap black skirts for my little sister to wear to her band concert, so we popped in there for a few minutes - and when I saw this ring, I had to have it. It was probably the fastest shopping decision I've ever made, actually.
CVS Purifying Mint Masque: I saw this mentioned by a few beauty bloggers recently so I figured I would pick it up the next time I made it to CVS. I currently have it slathered all over my face, and it feels pretty nice and refreshing, despite the fact that I look a tiny bit crazy. (Update: I just rinsed it off my face and my skin feels incredibly smooth! I'm definitely going to keep using this and see if my skin improves at all.)

Revlon ColorStay Mineral Bronzer in 040 (Golden Bronze): I typically use the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer that came in my Glamour Revolution Palette, but to be honest, dragging out that huge palette every day can get tedious. So one of the things I was looking for at CVS was another nice bronzer. This one from Revlon is fairly light, which is nice because I have a pretty fair skintone. It does seem to have a bit of shimmer to it, but nothing too overpowering. The actual poweder has a domed shape in the case, and unfortunately I knocked it off of my desk while I was taking pictures and the rounded part broke off - you can see what I'm talking about in the pictures. I'm a little bummed about that, but to be fair, it was mostly my fault. I'll probably crush it up tomorrow and either use it as loose powder, or try to press it with some rubbing alcohol.
Maybelline New York Expert Wear Blush in 100 (Mocha Velvet): I used to use a Clinique blush that was similar to this shade, but a little pinkier - I believe it was called Dusty Rose or something similar to that. Anyway, I picked this up because I have a lot of shimmery bright pink blushes, but not a lot of more subdued brown tones. I like that this brush is a little more substantial compared to the tiny one that came in the Revlon Bronzer, but I'll probably still use my own blush brushes for this.

Loreal HiP Shocking Shadow Pigments in 102 (Exciting): Deciding which of these HiP pigments to get was incredibly difficult; I finally settled on this one because I didn't think I needed any more neutral colors and I probably would never use a bright pink, blue, or green. The little brush included with this is actually not as useless as most drugstore brushes are, but you can't go wrong with your own brushes, either. This pigment has a super gorgeous pink shimmer to it that I really like a lot.
Rimmel London Colour Rush Quad Eyeshadow in 001 (Smokey Noir): So I bought this mostly out of nostalgia - no, the black isn't the most pigmented and the shimmer is a little weak, but this was one of the first eyeshadow quads I bought when I was first getting into makeup and the black in this palette was the first eyeshadow I ever lined my eyes with (I used to stick with liners pretty exclusively). It's become a makeup staple in a way, just because it would be strange to see my makeup collection without it.

Milani Lipstick in 32 (Berry Rich): This wasn't on sale, but I bought it because I had seen a swatch on Temptalia and it looked gorgeous, and I'm a huge fan of bright lipsticks. It reminds me a little bit of a Revlon lipstick I have in 725 (Love That Red) because they're both so bright, but the Milani one definitely has a pinker tone to it. It also has a strange smell, like a strong berry/fruit scent, and I'm not sure if I entirely like it, but it's something interesting to note.
CoverGirl Continuous Color Lipstick in 565 (Rose Cashmere): This color seems almost like a Barbie-pink to me - and it's rather shimmery on the lips, which I usually don't like, but I don't mind it so much here. I swatched it next to the e.l.f. Essentials Lipstick in 618 (Seductive), and while they look similar on my lips, the e.l.f. one is much peachier than the CoverGirl one. I also love the packaging on this, it's really cute.
Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in 001 (Lilac): This is a really pretty purpley-pink color, without being completely intimidating. It's really gorgeous and the packaging is adorable! It's not something I'd usually wear, but I was in the mood to try something new.
CoverGirl Outlast Smoothwear Lip Liner in 100 (Blush): I like that this is retractable instead of needing to be sharpened, and the color is very close to my actual lip color. It's a really pretty natural-looking shade, so I'm sure it would look good on a lot of different people.

CoverGirl Wetslicks Amazemint Lipgloss in 610 (Tickled Pink), 660 (Happy Hour), and 615 (Plum Crazy): I bought this gloss in Tickled Pink the first time I stopped in at CVS, and loved it so much that I had to go back for more. The blue color shows up as almost clear, and is supposed to make your teeth look whiter, so I figured it would be something cool to try out. Plus, who wouldn't love to whip out a blue lipgloss and freak everyone out? These glosses are extremely minty which I love, but if you don't like minty glosses I would stay away from them. And something about the chunky blue top just feels awesome in my hands. I dunno, I just love them!
Loreal HiP Shine Struck Liquid Lipcolor in 662 (Arresting): This is a really cool color - it's a pinky magenta with a hint of purple shimmer. It was the only Loreal HiP lipgloss that my CVS still had in stock, but it's definitely one that I would have reached for anyway, because I love bright colors and I love really unique colors - so this is the perfect combination!
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in 200 (Lilac Pastelle) and 160 (Firecracker): I love the packaging of these too - very simple, but very chic and classy. Both these colors are gorgeous, although I'm not convinced that they would look good on everyone - and Lilac Pastelle definitely looks better layered over a lipstick (like the Revlon lipstick in Lilac). Lilac Pastelle is pretty opaque but still glossy, so it looks better layered over something light than on my lips alone. Firecracker is a lot sheerer and more orangey than the tube would lead you to believe, but something about it still appeals to me. It seems like it would work well for those days where you want a quick splash of color, but can't be bothered with layers of lipstick, liner, and gloss.

So I'm off to rinse my green, peely face off. I may try and run out to the other CVS near me to see if they have anything different in stock, but if not, that's all for my super-cheap drug store beauty hauls ... for now.

XOXO, Ally