LipMonthly - July 2014 - pics, swatches, mini reviews & value breakdown!

Hello, Beautiful!

This is my July 2014 LipMonthly box! Check out below to see what I received, a little about each product and my thoughts, as well as a break-down of the value of this month's box!

LipMonthly is just $10 a month! Each month you'll receive 2 to 3 FULL SIZED lip products and 2 to 3 sample sized products (the sample sized products may not always be lip items). If you want to sign-up for your own LipMonthly box, CLICK HERE (it's my referral link) and enter code SUMMERLIPS to get your first box for only $5!!! Join me and let's be LipMonthly friends!

July 2014 LipMonthly Box

Included Info Card:

Shipment Quick Stats:

• Value of this month's LipMonthly Box: $36.77 (value is approximate)
• Total # of Items Received: 5
• # of FULL SIZED items: 4
• # of deluxe sized sample items: 1
• # of lip items: 4
• # of non-lip items: 1

Now I'll talk about each product...

Appeal Cosmetics - Lipstick
Shade: Red Light District

 

• MY THOUGHTS: I'm not a red lipstick type of gal, so instantly I was turned off by this product only by the shade. Which is a shame, since this is the highest value item in this month's box. Shade aside, this lipstick formula is actually really nice! It's very creamy, goes on smooth, has great pigmentation and feels comfortable on the lips. I haven't tested the wear of this lipstick, so can't comment on that. I'll likely keep this around in my collection for a day I want to wear a red. I may have to look into the Appeal Cosmetics brand and see what else they offer and what other shades this lipstick comes in.
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Sized
• VALUE: $22.00

City Color - Lip Balm
Shade: Bright Pink

  

• MY THOUGHTS: Initially I was most excited about this product because I love pink lip products - and in the summer, especially bright pink lip products. But this turned out to be my least favorite product of the box. The color looks bright pink but goes on much more sheer with less intensity and it also has a frost to it that I personally don't enjoy. As far as a lip balm goes, I don't feel like this does a good job. It kind of just sits on top of the lips without sinking in and feels slick on the lips. Not something I would seek out other shades or recommend.
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Sized
• VALUE: $2.99

City Color - Lip Lush Luscious Lip Crayon
Shade: Wine

• MY THOUGHTS: This product isn't bad, but I feel like the shade is better suited for fall. It's definitely a more fall/vampy shade of purple. That being said, I do like that this lip crayon is thinner, making it easier to line the lips - which is important when you have a deeper shade. I also like that it's a twist up lip crayon. It has nice pigmentation too. But it's drying on my lips. I definitely need to put a lip balm on first (and/or after) if I want to wear this comfortably. I don't know how long this wears because I didn't test that out yet, but I will keep this around for the fall and definitely pull it out to use then.
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Size
• VALUE: $2.99

Revlon - Colorburst Lipgloss
Shade: 044 Sunbaked

 

• MY THOUGHTS: I already know I like the Revlon Colorburst Lipglosses, so was happy to see one in there (even though I believe this packaging/formula is discontinued now). The shade I received, Sunbaked, isn't one I would probably pick up in the store but I'm actually very happy I received it because I like it a lot! Again, same with the previous item, I feel like this is more of a fall shade. It's a nude lip color but more brown than pink and on me, it wears a bit deeper/darker of a nude so more suited for fall. But I do like it and the formula as well. Probably my favorite product in the whole box!
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Sized
• VALUE: $6.99

John Frieda - Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme

 

• MY THOUGHTS: You don't always get lip products in your LipMonthly box, and this month I received this Smoothing Creme from John Frieda. I actually own this in full size, so I'll either keep this one for travel or use it in a giveaway. A good product to have if you like straight and smooth hair.
• FULL SIZE: 5 oz @ $5.99
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 1.5 oz
• VALUE: $1.80

My Thoughts On The Entire Box...

• FULL SIZE/DELUXE SIZE: This box contained 4 full sized items and 1 deluxe size sample.
• VALUE: The value was approximately $36.77
• USAGE: I will use the Revlon Colorburst LipGloss for sure. I'm going to keep the Appeal Cosmetics Lipstick around for when I want to wear red lipstick. The City Color Lip Lush Luscious Lip Crayon may get some use in the fall, when paired with a hydrating lip balm. The other City Color product - the Lip Balm - is definitely not something I'd use. I'll either pass it onto my nieces or blog sale it in the future at a super low price. The John Frieda Smoothing Creme with either be used when I travel (since I own the full size) or I may use it in a giveaway!
• FINAL THOUGHTS: This was my very first LipMonthly box so I really didn't know what all to expect. The info card said this month was a good mix of shades, and I did get a red, a pink, a plum and a nude. The value is there too; you pay $10 and my box this month was valued at $36.77 (and my first box I got for just $5). The value is no question - you definitely get your money's worth! I'm just not exactly thrilled with the shade/brand selection I received. But that's whats good about subscription services; you get to try out products you may otherwise would have never tried. It's also a great way to discover new brands or new products within brands you already love. I'm certainly excited about future shipments and this is a subscription service that I'd recommend. It's fun to get lip products in the mail and everyone receives different items (at least from my understanding). I have a feeling LipMonthly will get bigger and better as the months go on, and I'm going to stick around for awhile and see how they grow and what each month brings!

Let me know what you think...

What are your thoughts on this month's LipMonthly Box? Did you receive an LipMonthly Box this month? If so, what did you get in your box? Discuss in the comments below.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie - swatches, pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

With so much positive talk about the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters, I had to give one a try. Now that I've tried one I want more shades! I like them more than the L'Oreal Colour Riche Balms because the Revlon Lip Butter provides more color to my lips while still feeling hydrating. I picked up the shade Berry Smoothie, which is a pretty pink and feels great on my lips.

Check out my pics, swatches, stats, and review...

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter

Shade: Berry Smoothie

Shade Description: A sheer berry rose; no shimmer.

















[Just ignore the broken piece in the pic above; that happened from swatching the color, not from applying it.]

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter PRO's & CON's:

PRO's: 20 pretty shades to choose from, hydrating, affordable

CON's: none

Basic Stats for Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter:

Formula: stick balm/lip color

Wear: sheer to light

Coverage: average

Shade Info: currently available in 20 shades

Cost/Availability: $6.00 to $8.00 depending where you shop (0.09 oz full size). Available at Target, Wal-Mart, CVS, etc. Basically everywhere Revlon cosmetics are sold.

Packaging: square tube with fishnet translucent color coordinating pull-off cap; twist-up balm

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!



Formula:

I believe this lip butter is named a lip "butter" because it feels like butter gliding onto your lips; not in a greasy way, but a smooth and soft way. It made my lips feel hydrated and look beautiful. I really love these!

Wear:

Average wear. It didn't last very long on me, but I don't mind re-applying as needed.

Coverage:

Sheer to light color; it's not super sheer where you won't see the color, but it's not super pigmented either where it looks like a lipstick. It's somewhere in between. A perfect way to wear a lip balm.

Shade Info:

Currently available in 20 pretty shades. I only have one, but I really want more. I like these a lot. I have my eye on these shades: Sweet Tart, Strawberry Shortcake, Cherry Tart, Lollipop, and Creamsicle.

Cost/Availability:
$6.00 to $8.00 depending where you shop (0.09 oz full size). Available at Target, Wal-Mart, CVS, etc. Basically everywhere Revlon cosmetics are sold.


Packaging:

Square tube that has a fishnet-like pattern. The cap is color-coordinating to the balm color (which seems to be a trend or the new norm); twist-up balm.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter Review:

These are fantastic! I really love how my lips feel when I wear this. The shade, Berry Smoothie, is natural looking yet still gives my lips a little something extra. It's not really sheer, but it's not richly pigmented either. it's a soft color that looks pretty.

The hydration is nice; I mean, after all this is a lip balm -- even though it looks like a lipstick. I didn't feel the hydration lasted as long as others I've tried (the YSL Volupte Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color seems to be the best so far for hydration).

Overall a really great product that I'd love to get more of. Yes, I would recommend these!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this lip balm? Have you tried this or is this on your wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

CND Effects in 24K Sparkle: lots of pics, swatches, and my review

Hello, Beautiful!

I am really excited to share with you my very first CND polish and this one is a beauty. It's from their Effects line and the shade is called 24K Sparkle. For me, this polish is special because it's a flakie polish! The Effects line of polishes are designed for layering over any other polish you have but you can wear them alone; 24K Sparkle is very beautiful all on its own. I have lots of pics below to show you how it looks by itself and how it looks over various colors. Enjoy!

Check out my pics, swatches, stats and review...

** click on pics to view them larger **

CND Effects

Shade: 24K Sparkle

Shade Description: A sheer polish with gold flakies and gold glitter.

 

 

Shown below using 2 coats:

This is 24K Sparkle on a blank nail; no polish underneath.

All photos from this point on shown using 1 coat:

The black polish is Wet n Wild Wild Shine in Black Creme

The white polish is Wet n Wild Wild Shine in French White Creme.

The red polish is Sinful Colors in Ruby Ruby.

CND Effects - 24K Sparkle

shown over 16 different polish colors:

CND Effects - 24K Sparkle layered over H&M polish in Petrol:

CND Effects - 24K Sparkle layered over Revlon Top Speed polish in Royal:

Basic stats for CND Effects in 24K Sparkle:

Formula: 3-free!

Coverage: sheer (just one coat is needed)

Shade Info: 24K Sparkle is a beautiful gold glitter and flakie polish

Cost/Availability: $11.00 each (0.33 fl oz full size). Available at Ulta, Bloom.com, and everywhere else CND is sold. For a full list of retail stores (including some online retailers), click here.

Packaging: signature CND shaped bottle; triangular-shaped nylon bristle brush

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

Formula:

3-Free polish that adds that "ta-da" to any creme nail color. You'll have fun finding different layering combos; try it over shimmers, duo-chromes and whatever else your mind can think up!


Coverage:
The CND Effects polishes are sheer so you can layer them. You can wear them on their own; 24K Sparkle is beautiful enough to wear on its own (in my opinion). You only need one coat to get a beautiful effect.


Shade Info:
Available in a range of 15 different effects: Pearl, Shimmer, and Sparkle. I love the Sparkle ones! You can click here to view CND's website and see all their Effects!


Cost/Availability:
$11.00 each for 0.33 fl oz full size. Available at Ulta, Bloom.com, and everywhere else CND is sold. For a full list of retail stores (including some online retailers), click here.


Packaging:
Signature CND shaped bottle -- which to me, looking down at it, looks like both a C and a D. Each polish has a state-of-the-art brush with clear, triangular-shaped nylon bristles for flawless application.


CND Effects in 24K Sparkle Review:
If you couldn't tell by the number of photos I took, I am in love with this polish! 24K Sparkle is a beautiful flakie & glitter polish that adds something special to my nails. I couldn't wait to try layering it over a number of colors, but teal and blue were the two I decided to showcase on my nails. I did show it layered over black, white and red on my nail wheel, as well as showing it over various colors (but keep in mind it will look better on the nail than on a clear sheet being placed over polish already on paper).

The formula is fantastic; I had no problems applying it and just one coat is all you need. Although I did use two for some of my photos out of habit.

Seeing as how this is my first introduction to the CND world, I'm excited for more! In fact, I have another CND Effects in Sapphire Sparkle that I also can't wait to show you! That will be coming next week!

Overall, I highly recommend the CND Effects line and especially the shade 24K Sparkle!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of 24K Sparkle? Do you own this polish or any of the CND Effects? What are your thoughts? Discuss in the comments below.