A Dose of "Berry Me"

Product in review:  "Berry Me" by Dose Of Colors

I guess I'm addicted to liquid-matte lipsticks recently I've been comparing which brand is the matte-iest of them all. When Limecrime popularized 'vegan and cruelty free' makeup (vegan meaning they use minerals and plant based/organic ingredients and cruelty free or not tested on animals), a lot of new and cheaper, cosmetic brands came out with the same claim which is good because this simply means that more women are opting for environment and animal friendly cosmetics. 

I stumbled upon Dose Of Colors while browsing Instagram photos from some makeup artists that I've been following. I've never owned any velvet colored lipstick in the past so why not try something like "Berry Me"? According to their website, their products are vegan free, cruelty free, gluten free (allergen free) and paraben free (paraben are cosmetic preservatives). This shade look a little like a mixture of pink and purple on their website so I was a little surprised when I opened the bottle because it's almost fuschia pink to me, just a little bit darker. I was a little disappointed at first and I'm not sure if I can even pull off such strong color but after applying and letting it dry for a few seconds, I realized that it wasn't so bad after all, it's kinda cute actually. The bottle is more decent compared to LA Splash, well it has to be since it is more expensive too. I like the lip applicator better as well, it's not as messy so it's easier to manage the amount of liquid that you will put on your lips. The website suggested to exfoliate lips before use since this will really leave your lips dry just like any other matte lipstick. True to their word, it is long wearing. I think this shade is perfect if you want to highlight your lips and go easy on your eyes. 

Berry, Berry Me!

Dose of Colors is a good brand and of good quality but have limited colors to choose from. I hope in the future they'll come up with more unique colors. I think Pretty Zombie Cosmetics is a good alternative if you are looking for almost similar shades but cheaper.          

Product Description:

Our liquid lipstick is a velvety high-fashion matte finish which envelops lips in a rich color. Glides on smoothly and stays put throughout the day.

• Vegan

• Cruelty Free 

• Gluten Free 

• Paraben Free

Tips: Exfoliate lips before use. Avoid greasy food.

Ingredients:

Isododecane Synthetic Beeswax VP/Hexadecene Copolymer Octyldodecanol Cyclopentasiloxane C18-36 Acid Triglyceride Disteardimonium Hectorite Phenoxyethanol Alcohol denatured Ethylhexylglycerin MAY CONTAIN: ± D&C Red No.28 Aluminum Lake (CI 45410) FD&C Red No.40 Aluminum Lake (CI 16035) Titanium dioxide (CI 77891) FD&C Yellow No 5 Lake (CI 19140) Aluminum Oxide Red 6 Lake (CI 15850) D&C Red 27 Lake (CI 45410) FD&C Red 7 Calcium Lake (CI 15850:1) Iron Oxides (CI 77499) FD&C Blue No.1 Aluminum Lake (CI 42090).

In the mood for Melt Darkroom (A review)

Melt owners Lora 
Arellano and Dana Bomar

Darkroom is 
here to stay

When Melt Darkroom was launched late last year everyone got excited about this beet colored lipstick thanks to the creative minds of Melt's lady bosses Laura Arellano and Dana Bonar who are professional MUA themselves. Just an FYI, Laura is Rihanna's makeup artist and behind most of her looks in her music videos so you know what to expect from ladies who know makeup so well. 

Nope, it's not a shoe box. 
Just my lippie!

Freebies

My first purchase of Melt are By Starlight and Space Cake because Blow and DGAF were out of stock during that time. I instantly fell in love with both, it screams 'me'! I don't care whenever I get weird stares from people like I'm from another planet or something. I love wearing daring lipsticks not because I want attention but I just love make up so much someday I swear I will make a living out of it, lol. I became obsessed with super pigmented lipsticks and eyeshadows I tried other makeup brands and lippie shades such as Five 11 Cosmetics' Free (Almost blue green in color) and Manic Panic's After Midnight (Electric Blue). I've been stalking Melt's website to see what's new until about a week ago they reached 1 million followers on Instagram so they had a 24 hour SALE offering 25% off on every product just by using the code "meltmilli". I wasted no time and bought Darkroom immediately before it's sold out.

Darkroom swatch

My Melt box came via USPS a week after I placed my order which is fast for international orders it usually takes a month to arrive. My very first Melt package came in a white box, now it's black so there's quite a mystery in there. Unboxing this product is the most exciting part. What I loved about Melt is that no matter what the quantity of your order, you always get a postcard and a cute freebie, (sweet!). I got a pocket mirror then, this time it's a mini Space Cake lipstick keychain (yay!). Melt just so love their customers you will feel it at the very moment you opened that box. I'm just really happy with the packaging to start with. 

The signature scent of vanilla and clay stays with Darkroom. I still like the gooey texture it glides easily but compared to By Starlight, it doesn't leave a pink stain when you remove it like a lip tattoo or something. It's still long wearing though not as matte compared to other liquid to matte lipsticks (read my previous review about La Splash Cosmetics in Ghoulish). Great news is, Darkroom doesn't leave your lips dry but applying a small amount of lip moisturizer before and after wouldn't hurt. A lip primer is a must for every MUA but I think any Melt lipstick is good to go with or without it. 

NYX Siren is a good dupe for Darkroom 
and Maison for Limecrime's Salem

Lovin' my Darkroom

Melt Darkroom is good to have especially if you like to play with colors a lot just like myself and would like to try something different, either you're going for a grunge look or simply want to look elegant on a night out. Price wise, there are cheaper alternatives in the market but bear in mind that quality makeup ain't cheap although surprisingly, some cheaper brands can come up with a better version so it would really help to read product reviews before buying. Better yet look for a product's 'dupe' (duplicate) but make sure it is safe to use. Since I'm an animal lover I go for cruelty free, vegan makeup just like Melt and Limecrime. I've been a NYX fan because their makeup is affordable and the quality is good too. I've purchased NYX Siren in the past and I noticed that it is a good dupe of Darkroom. I have NYX Maison too because I was so in love with Limecrime's Salem then. La Splash in Ghoulish became so popular because it is the best dupe of Limecrime's Cashmiere at the moment.

I'm still a Melt fan and looking forward to try their new products in the future. I'm still in the hunt for cheaper alternatives because makeup is forever. So there. 

LA Splash Lip Couture in Ghoulish (review)

I'm not a liquid lipstick fan at all because I don't like the feel of wet lips and I find it kinda hard to manage compared to matte. I've been following a lot of professional as well as self-taught MUAs (Make-up artists) like myself and there's a fuss going on about this new make-up brand called La Splash Cosmetics and their Lip Couture collection. 

What caught my fancy is 'Ghoulish.' I find this shade really interesting apart from the name which invites Halloween, I thought this lippie shade will go well with a dark, smokey eyeshadow or if you just want a nude-natural looking lips. 

I've been shopping online for 9 years and for the most part when it comes to makeup, I order directly from the brand's website unless the shipping fee is way more than the price of the product that I'm ordering then I shop for local sellers that sell it cheaper of course. I ordered my Ghoulish from a local Instagram shop given that I am an Instagram user. I bought this lippie for Php500 plus shipping fee. It was a Sunday and I got it Thursday which is not so not bad at all considering I am based up North. I got so, so excited I unpacked it immediately.

Sorry about the poor lighting

The bottle was pretty neat however, when I opened it I noticed that the lip applicator is covered with a thick amount of that liquid lipstick so if you're not careful at all you might end up spilling everything. I have a thing with smelling a lipstick before using it and this one smells like clay but almost odorless to me. 

In terms of quality, it was really liquid when you first apply it but it becomes matte afterwards. It dries out quickly so make sure to shape your lips and spread it evenly right away. I am impressed that it is really waterproof and smudge free, you can last a day without re-touching it after eating or drinking something hot (yay!). Since it is super matte, I suggest applying a little bit of lip balm before putting it on or as soon it dries out to avoid the dry feeling on your lips. You can use a nude lip liner to line your outer lips to make the color pop a little. 

To sum it up, La Splash Lip Couture in Ghoulish is a must try especially if you're into matte lipsticks and looking for a cheaper alternative of Limecrime's Cashmiere. That's pretty much it for now. I will post more makeup reviews soon so stay tuned!