It's officially November, start of the party season!!! Best time to crack out the berry, plum and red lipsticks, if you haven’t already?! I know these colours are typical autumn/winter shades, but if you want to rock them in spring and summer, go for it!!! They can make an interesting juxtaposition. Either way, they are bound to be the star of the show!
THE BERRIES & PLUMS
First up are the berries and plums. I find the berries (along with the brighter reds, see below) the most versatile, season-wise, of the lot. When I think of berry lipsticks the colours that immediately pop into my mind are those of strawberries (the darker smaller ones) and raspberries. Because they contain more of a red tone, they tend to make the lips brighter and juicier looking than their plum counterparts (this can vary depending on the finish of your lipstick too of course) and hence can be worn pretty much whenever.
However, plums are a lot darker and more blue-toned in nature hence their purple appearance can give you a more "vampy" look very quickly. Again, you can rock this look in the summer by all means but for me, personally, under the harsh bright sunlight it makes you look like you're wearing too much makeup (even if you're not!). But don't despair, for summer evenings/nights, when the sun has quietly nestled beyond the horizon, your dark plums can come back out to play! Paired with a golden goddess look, it can be really fun, as it's an unexpected yet very glamorous combination!
Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet - 02 Frambourjoise
Speaking of berries making me think of raspberries, let me introduce you to my first favourite and aptly named liquid lipstick: Frambourjoise (it's a play on the word framboise which is the French for raspberry). This is the perfect berry colour! This range of liquid lipsticks has one of the most pleasant textures out there, and when Bourjois first launched this line (before everyone and their mother started making liquid lipsticks) it was all the rage for good reason!
Velvety matte without being drying (it looks shiny in the pictures because I didn't wait for them to dry down after application as I was quickly swatching one after another). I especially love the almost airbrushed lip line it gives without even trying (using a lip pencil is not needed and would ruin the effect). You can layer it up too from a simple wash of colour to a bolder one (yet always super smooth and pigmented). Hence this Edition Velvet is the perfect consistency to create a Korean gradient lip. Just you wait, like the cushion compact, this trend will surely trickle its way to the western beauty world...as soon as everyone puts down their contouring brushes that is! ;)
Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet - 14 Plum Plum Girl
And because at this point I may or may not own every colour from the Edition Velvet line (there are a few colours that aren't my cup of tea) I had to also include another favourite from this line (...don't make me choose, they're all my babies!!!), Plum Plum Girl. This one is right on the cusp between a berry and a plum depending on how many layers you apply; one coat would be more berry but it gets darker and hence plum-ier as you layer. It still has a hint of red, which is why I hesitate to call it a full on plum despite the name. To be fair, Bourjois themselves have categorised it, along with the lipstick in Violine Strass (just below), as a plumy fuchsia.
Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick - 18 Violine Strass
Despite belonging to the same plumy fuchsia category as the lip velvet above, this one I wouldn't hesitate to call a plum (even if it's in a lighter plum on the "plum spectrum"...yes I am indeed inventing my own colour grouping!), because it's darker and more purple-toned. As it has a satin finish, it has a certain glossiness which I'm not a big fan of in darker lipsticks! This consistency means the lipstick can transfer easily and never actually quite "sets". We've all experience those windy days with our hair dragging across our lipstick to then leave random lipstick marks all over the rest of the face, now while this might not be a problem with a glossy neutral...dark plums are a different story! Hence, I mattify down all glossy dark lipsticks (depending how transferable and glossy they are) by blotting my lips on a tissue (I usually don't bother with the transluscent powder step).
However, since this lipstick also contains small specs of super fine gold glitter (you can just about see it in the photos) you never actually fully lose the shine. When any light hits it, you still get a slight sparkle/shine not matter how much you've mattified it beforehand.
Sephora Cream Lip Stain - 14 Blackberry Sorbet
You may recognise this beauty from my Sephora Cream Lip Stain post. In those photos however it appears to have a blue sheen which was caused by my camera flash. These photos are a way more accurate depiction of what this colour actually looks like. Still dark and very blue-toned, i.e. a quintessential plum, it's still one of my favourites. I stand by my first description though, that it's a bit finicky to apply; excess product on the doe foot applicator can line the edge of your lips (a quick dab with a tissue solves this problem). Not too drying, yet not as comfortable as the Bourjois Edition Velvet liquid lipsticks. The Sephora Cream Lip Stains still remain some of my favourite go-to liquid lipsticks. As a bonus, since they dry down completely matte and transfer proof these are my saviour in windy conditions when I still want to wear a bold lip.
THE M.A.C. LIPSTICKS
M.A.C. Satin Lipstick - Captive
Described as a pinkish-plum on the Mac website, this is another colour that can be described as right on the cusp between a berry and a plum. It has a rusty red quality/undertone to it (exaggerated in certain lights), which is what first captured my interest (see what I did there?). Bought pretty recently (right before last autumn) it is a colour I find myself keep being drawn back to as an everyday lipstick. When I'm craving the pigmentation/colour of a berry/plum but I don't want it to be the centre piece of my makeup look that day (dark lips will automatically draw the eyes downwards), this is the one I reach for! It has this amazing capacity to be a lip accentuating lipstick all the while without monopolizing the totality of the attention to that area of the face either, which is a rare feat and one which I very much love!
M.A.C. Satin Lipstick - Rebel
Described as a midtonal cream plum this is quite a strong purple hued lipstick (it also stains the lips pinky-purple when removed). It's an autumn classic when it comes to anyone that collects Mac lipsticks. If you've followed me for a while now you'll know that I've never been obsessed with the whole Mac lipstick craze that went on for a while in the YouTube Beauty community (don't get me wrong, I found some of my favourite YouTubers that way!). But price point wise, I wasn't impressed and still find them very expensive to this day, especially since you can find equally good formulas, if not better, at the drugstore! So I never felt the need to look anywhere else; personally my all-time favourite drugstore lipsticks are The Moisture Renew ones from Rimmel.
Since then however, and after many solely lipstick swatching trips to Mac, I now know that my favourite formula from them is their Satin finish (with a few exceptions for certain colours). If you weren't aware, Mac do their lipsticks by finish: Amplified, Cremesheen, Frost, Glaze, Lustre, Satin, Matte and Retro Matte. And a colour will only come in one of these finishes, not all...sad face (with a few exceptions like the Matte vs. Retro Matte), so sometimes you'll absolutely love a colour but hate the finish or vice versa.
Needless to say, only fools don't change their minds and since then, after much umming and ahhing, I've amassed quite the collection (seven total) that I'm really happy with! While there are still some colours I might have my eye on, I'll never become one of those "must have the latest Mac IT colour girls"...nope...that honour is exclusively reserved for Essie I'm afraid (probably all those nail polish fumes going to my head).
THE REDS
L'Oréal Color Riche Collection Exclusive - Julianne's Pure Red
A true classic red (although also a bit of a lip stainer; it leaves a pinkish hue when removed), I can't get enough of this lipstick come spring and summer. I love to style it with gingham...a bit "à la vintage", with some red sunnies to complete the look (as seen in my Sunglasses Lookbook). But there are many ways to style a red lipstick (as it goes with anything) but if you're looking for some fresh ideas then I highly recommend checking out Wendy (from Wendy's Lookbook), who recently did a red lip; pairings video which I absolutely loved! You'll stay for her soothing voice and impeccable taste in style...trust me!
Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish - 107
This lipstick needs no introduction, made famous by the beautiful Zoella (yes I immediately went out to buy it the first time she ever mentioned it), it's a staple autumn shade. However, this has also got to be my favourite of all time dark red/burgundy colours, which makes it an all year round go-to for any evening event in my opinion. Plus, I have yet to see anyone that this colour doesn't suit (which I'm sure has helped with its huge popularity). Great formula, long lasting power and overall comfort, I'm now on my second tube, that's how much I love it! Do be warned though, it leaves your lips stained a bit red when removing ;)
Topshop Velvet Lips - Velveteen Ribbon
Last but by no means least is this Topshop Velvet lipstick (also leaves your lips a bit stained after removal). Now this one is a bit of a tricky lipstick because I absolutely love the colour and velvety finish it gives (it really does look like you've cut up a piece of soft velvety fabric and stuck it onto your lips) but I hate the heavy/dry feeling it leaves on your lips (like literally having a piece of velvety fabric glued onto your lips). So, a no-win situation really! But I thought it was important to mention, as Topshop sporadically comes out with different colours in this formula so it might be worth knowing what you're getting yourself into beforehand. I personally can't stand wearing it for more than an hour stretch at a time, but for that one hour, it really does look stunning!
There you have it; my top berry, plum and red lipsticks. Sorry this latest blog post has been such a long time coming, but hopefully you've enjoyed it nonetheless?!
What are your favourite berry, plum and red lipsticks?
How do you like to style your red lipsticks? Do you coordinate your outfit to your lipstick, or do you prefer to clash (it can be a fun look too!)? Although clashing with red is a bit harder to do as it suits pretty much every outfit!
Finally, do you reserve these colours strictly for autumn/wintertime or do you like to wear them all year round like me? I still do love to wear bright colours in the spring/summer I just don't "ban" these ones from my repertoire, the more the merrier I say! ;)
xxxemma