Today's post is all about being friends, with benefits.
But not with just anyone, I'm talking about being friends with benefits with Brazen Cosmetics!
Brazen offers a monthly, subscription type package (think Ipsy, or Birchbox, but only with one brand) of varying levels, and this month I was lucky enough to be sent one of their Spring packages!
(Read about the FWB program here!: http://shop.brazencosmetics.com/pages/friends-with-benefits)
This package is a typical GOLD level. 3 eyeshadow samples, 1 lip product sample size, and 1 full size lip product!
I got three, beautiful eyeshadow samples in the shades Out Loud, Audacious, and Guilty Pleasure. They're perfect spring, bright colors!
Swatched over Concrete Minerals Electric Eye Primer
I also received a sample lip product in the shade Charged, and a full sized lip product in the shade In Yo' Face!
Again, two colors just in time for spring/summer makeup looks!
Wearing all three shadows in Out Loud, Audacious over NYX jumbo pencil in Milk, and Guilty Pleasure as a liner using Medusa's Makeup Eyeliner Seal
What I'm Wearing;
-Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer
-NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
-Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Out Loud
-Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Guilty Pleasure
-Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Audacious
-Beauty From The Earth Eyeshadow in Clara
-Wet N Wild Eyeshadow in Brulee
-Medusa's Makeup Eyeliner Seal
-Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eyeliner in Deviant
-Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Elate
-Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in Dark Brown
-Sephora Outrageous Volume Mascara
Watch my tutorial to see how I got this look here:
Wearing all three shadows, and Charged on my lips
Often, FWB packages received never before released colors, not available for purchase on the Brazen website! This is both a good and a bad thing, good, because you're wearing them before anyone else! Not so good, because it can be difficult to get a hold of them if you decide to repurchase. All in all, I think the FWB program is a wonderful way to test drive a company if you're unsure about purchasing full size products!
***Disclaimer*** Products shown were sent to me by the company for the purpose of reviewing. However, complimentary products never receive special treatment, I review them just like I'd review something I bought myself. My opinions expressed here are purely my own, and are not influenced by any outside sources, nor do I represent any company.***
Today I have a review on the much anticipated brand new Velvetines from Lime Crime, The Clueless Witch Collection!
Lime Crime launched Velvetines in the original shade Red Velvet, and their line of them has increased to six shades since then. I have never tried the shades that came before these; Red Velvet, Pink Velvet, or Suedeberry.
There are three shades in the Clueless Witch collection. Wicked, a matte burgundy red, Salem, a matte chcoclate brown, and Black Velvet, deepest matte black. They are a liquid formula, that dries completely velvety matte, are extremely longwearing and opaque, and come with a doe-foot applicator.
Upon first application
Dried down
Personally, I find the doe foot applicator to be very messy. It's VERY easy to get wayyy too much product on your lips, when you need very little. These aren't a 'grab-and-go' apply on the run type of product. I find that I need to perfect application and my lip line with a lip brush, and application would be easier if they just had a little brush on the end instead of the doe foot applicator. I can get just about a full day (at least 8 hours) of wear time out of these. Through eating, drinking, talking, and normal wear. The color will start to wear away around the inside part of your lips first, but at least 90% of the color you started with will be there at the end of the day. Which is awesome, because this is a really, really tough product to touch-up on the go.
As for the colors, Black Velvet is really the deepest, matte black. Which is pretty amazing, because black lipstick, or even wearing black eyeliner as lipstick, becomes patchy, uneven, and generally pretty gross looking VERY quickly. Black Velvet doesn't do that. I can literally give my boyfriend (or cat) a kiss on the forehead, and have NO transfer left behind. With a black lip. Salem, is the most interesting (obviously) because it's straight up brown. Not a brown-based red, not a brownish purple. It's just plain brown. I was actually going to skip out on this one, because it's so strange, but I decided to get it because it was unlike anything I currently have, or will probably ever have in the future. It honestly is more wearable and interesting than I was expecting, and I was expecting to hate it. Wicked is a gorgeous deep red. It really suits my skin tone, and the velvety matte finish just makes it almost the perfect red for me.
However, these products are really, REALLY drying. I'm a huge fan of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars, so I'm pretty used to the drying, longwearing, liquid lipstick feeling on my lips. But damn, these, after a few hours, they were painfully dry. Like, cracking and taking my lips with them dry. A gloss or lip butter can help soothe that a bit, but it'll (obviously) void the matte finish, and you'll have a higher chance of transfer and smudges.
Other than the dryness, I have one, major beef with these products. Obviously, there's the whole 'Lime Crime Scandal' thing, that honestly affects A LOT of consumers opinions about the brand as a whole. And many people have just decided to not purchase from Lime Crime at all. I'm not here to discuss that. (google it if you aren't aware and are interested, you'll have your reading for a whole afternoon!) I'm talking purely about the products here. While comparing similar products, I noticed that the Velvetines contain 2.6mL of product, for $20 a pop. And THEN I noticed that OCC Lip Tars contain 10mL for $18 a pop. FOUR TIMES THE PRODUCT! You get a fourth of the product of a lip tar, for a higher price. Also, the NYX soft matte lip creams are a similar product, contain 8mL of product for about $5-6.
Before I purchased these, I didn't look at how much product it contained (because I usually don't), but because there are so many other 'liquid lipstick' products out these days, I noticed that as a comparison point. Talk about a serious rip off/lack of product!
As a conclusion, I personally, honestly do like these products. I'm glad that I purchased them, and I'm happy to use them and can see myself wearing them on occasion. If I were to go Temptalia style and give them a grade, I'd give them around a B-. However, I've decided that I will NOT be purchasing another velvetine from Lime Crime. I'll be sticking to my OCC lip tars, I'll probably never finish a whole one in my life.
Check out my video review here!:
Did you pick up any velvetines from the Clueless Witch collection? Or do you have any of the other velvetines? Are you a fan of them or do you prefer something else? Let me know in the comments!
[This product was purchased by me with my own money and I'm not in any way endorsed or affiliated with Lime Crime.]
