Review: Concealer Comparison

I finally finished editing this video!  I think all the text is what made me take so long getting this up :P  And I don't know why but I forgot to sit off to the side so I didn't have a lot of room to put the text :(

I thought about posting swatches of these concealers but I decided not to because ultimately, how well a concealer works is particularly dependent on your individual skin color and tone.  Not to mention your skin condition (oily/dry/combo), what kind of foundation you use over it, what kind of scars you're trying to cover etc all come into play.  So, I thought it would be best just to write the most objective observations I can in terms of texture and blendability, which doesn't vary too much between different people.

NYX Concealer In A Jar (Green)
Purchased at: Cherry Culture ($5)

I was not impressed.  It had the notorious gray overcast and while it did neutralize redness, it just did not hide my scars and zits.  I have almost nothing good to say about this except that it was quite cheap so I don't feel too bad about throwing this away.  I tested this out on very "typical" sized zits (smooth but red, about 3-4 mm in width) and this does not cover those.  Blending the edges without fading the green color is next to impossible and causes caking if you use a powder foundation.  I have heard that some people have had good results with this but their acne must be very light.  Overall, I find that this was too difficult to work with.  I would rather spend a bit more for a better concealer and I don't recommend this, especially for makeup noobs like myself :P

L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Concealer
Purchased at: Walmart ($7-8)

I commented that I find this setup unhygienic but it really isn't any less unhygienic than the jar set up, so I don't know why I said that :P  I think I was thinking about mascara and how bacteria grows inside the tube if you don't remove the brush in a twisting motion...I dunno.  Anyway, although 9 shades sounds like a lot of colors to pick from, I couldn't find my match.  There are 3 warm, neutral, and cool colors each.  I personally tried Fair/Light Cool 1-2-3, Light/Med Cool 4-5 (the one in the video), and Fair/Light Neutral 1-2-3.   None of them worked for me very well for one reason or another.  I bought the Light/Med C4-5 in August, so when I was tanner, the color wasn't "that" off but as I've gotten quite pale for winter, this concealer has become a spectacularly bad color match.

The coverage is rather good I think, much better than what the NYX Concealer in A Jar resulted in.  It's also blendable, doesn't cake much, quite creamy, and decently long lasting.  However, the tendency to oxidize and the bad color match killed it for me.  I don't really recommend this unless you're on a tight budget, willing to test out a lot of colors, and don't need to wear a lot of concealer (aka you only need to cover redness around your nose and a zit or two).  Otherwise, the oxidation isn't worth the trouble.

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer (Medium 02) 
Purchased at: Sephora ($18)

I like to fancy myself as someone who favors drugstore brands over higher ends most of the time, but in this case I have to admit, I'm willing to dish out more money for the higher end.  Mara recommended I try this and I don't regret it because the texture, coverage, lightness, and blendabilty were far superior to the NYX and L'Oreal concealers. I picked this up during Sephora's annual 20% off Friends & Family sale and it was definitely the best thing I hauled.  Don't get fooled by how NYX concealer jars have .23 oz ($5) and the Boi-ing has only .1 oz ($18) because this pot is going to last you awhile.  You just need a dab of the this to pat on your face, I can honestly see this lasting at least a year for me.  The texture is silky smooth and it just sticks to your face somehow, so it doesn't fade as you put foundation over it.  Needless to say the staying power is great and it does not oxidize.  The one thing about this concealer is you need to "warm it up" with your fingers to maximize blendability; this is a common characteristic for most creamy concealers so this is not a negative.

Shade 02 Medium is little dark for me right now but it has a peachy yellow undertone so it blends passably enough without leaving an orange or ashy shadow.  Like I said in the video, Shade 01 would probably be best for me but I am so lazy I just never got around to returning the one I have *sigh*  But I really have no complaints about this.  $18 is an excellent investment for a good concealer but since everyone's skin is a little different, I highly recommend poking your head into a Sephora one day and trying it first.  This way you can be sure you aren't allergic and are pleased with the results before buying a full-sized jar.

Concealing Tips
1.) Less is more, particularly with concealers.   Even the Boi-ing will start caking if you add too much.  Just start super light and don't try to completely cover blemishes with the concealer because remember you are probably adding foundation over it.  You need to just blend out about 40-60% of the blemish's redness and your regular application of foundation/BBcream will do the rest.

2.) If a concealer/foundation looks ashy/grey/dirty, it means the color is too light.  Most people can tell when things are too dark ^_^  Asians tend to do best with peachy concealers with a hint of yellow for spot-concealing, but ultimately, you need to go by your own individual skincolor/tone.

3.) Concealing spots and concealing undereyes are two different things and may require two different concealers.  The concealers I reviewed today were for spot-concealing.  I never tested any of them on my undereyes and fyi, I do not cover my undereyes because I like to fancy myself as someone who doesn't really have too.

4.) Concealers/makeup in general should never have orange undertones, it just means it's oxidizing and has a bad formula. Also I don't think orange undertones are flattering on anybody :\

Overall
It's pretty clear that the only concealer I recommend in this video is the Benefit Boi-ing.   I probably will not be reviewing anymore concealers till I run out of the Boi-ing since I am very pleased with it.  The next concealer I'll probably try is the Kevin Beautymaker BB Mineral Concealing Cream.  In the meantime, please do leave your thoughts/experience with these concealers if you've tried any of these :)

December 2010 Top 5 Favorites + Review: SkinFood Red Ginseng Repairing Toner

Omg 5 days till Christmas!  Time for mistletoe kisses, wrapping presents, writing cards, and a monthly  Top 5 favorites video!  I was a little schizophrenic between just "going over" products and "reviewing" products.  The concept of just talking about a product without reviewing it confuses me a little....

Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel
Purchased at: Sephora

I feel that it's gentle yet very effective at cleaning off my face makeup (not eye makeup).  I wear BBcream, sometimes concealer, and some kind of setting powder everyday and this gets everything off without me having to scrub at my face.  I wet my face with warm water, massage one pump all over my face, brush my teeth (I do this b/c I feel like it gives the cleanser time to soak in), then rinse with cold water.  This is a makeup remover and cleanser so it saves me the trouble of doing a two-step process (makeup remover wash then cleanser).  I like that it leaves no residue, seems very gentle, yet leaves my skin feeling clean.  No breakouts.   Bottle is pretty small though....ok, I need to stop, I'll cover the rest later.

Will do an in-depth review later.

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask
Purchased at: Sephora

I picked this up b/c Fuzkittie loves this mask xD   However, she recently said that it's not supposed to remove black/whiteheads, just refine and luminize skin.   However, for me, this does remove whiteheads...I will post pics of this on my in-depth review later.  Personally, this mask removes almost all of my whiteheads and many blackheads as well.  It is a very powerful mask though and you should not use this if you have open sores/lesions or popped/healing acne on your face.   I feel that this mask really helps my skin turnover and I will definitely agree that this mask refines and luminizes your face.  The texture of my skin has really improved in the 5 weeks I've been using this (have used 4x so far).   You must moisturize like a mofo afterwards though, especially since it's winter, or else you'll end up as dry as the Sahara.

Will do an in-depth review later.

Skinfood Red Ginseng Repairing Toner

Purchased at: Sasa

Description: Skin Food Red Ginseng Repairing Toner is enriched with nutrients from red ginseng and royal jelly extract. This toner with oriental medicine moisturizes and nourishes skin, making it moist and smooth.

Beneficial Ingredients (from video):

Ginseng
- Revitalizes skin cells.
- Helps skin circulation = reduces fine lines and makes skin firmer.
- Adaptogen: helps the skin adjust to stress.

Royal Jelly
- Healing, moisturizing.
- Antibacterial: effective for eczema, neurodermatitis, & impetigo.
- Restores proper pH balance.
- Contains amino acid (collagen building block) helps eliminate age spots and wrinkles.

I ended up pretty much reviewing this in the video so I guess this will be my official review of this toner :\  That said, I really like this toner!   Unlike the Skinfood Peach Sake Toner, which is infinitely more popular (no doubt because of its delectable scent), this one actually seems to work!   To quickly summarize, here's my pros/cons list from the video:

Good:
- Skin seems much healthier, plumper.
- Does not dry my skin out.
- No oily or sticky residue.
- A little goes a long way.
- Absorbs quickly.
- Very reasonable cost.

Bad:
- Honey-like consistency makes toner hard to get out of bottle.
- Herbal ginseng scent may be very off-putting (I got used to it).

Royal jelly and ginseng has always traditionally been known to be great for skin, but I've always associated both with *ahem* old ladies because the ginseng smell is so herbal and lots of older ladies in Korea use royal jelly.   But I picked this up anyway since it said this is a "repairing" toner and I am always on the hunt for something to help my scars and the texture of my skin.   I haven't been using this long enough to comment on whether it helps heal old scars, but my skin has definitely gotten plumper and seems healthier somehow. I am going to say I've recently been using a lot of face masks too, so they definitely aided the effect.  Regardless, I haven't broken out at all from this toner and my face really took to this like a fish to water.  I used it for a week before I started using sheet masks regularly and I felt like my skin was plumping out ever so slightly and it just felt refreshed - like my face could breathe all of sudden.   Also, toners are notoriously drying but this one is not at all.  It's not moisturizing per se but it definitely is not as drying as witchhazel or the Peach Sake toner.  Perhaps because of the honey-like consistency?

Like I said, this toner is a real pain in the ass to get out of the bottle; I've tried prying the plastic top off, but haven't been able to manage.  I guess that's alright though since too much would come out at once then, I only need 3-4 drop to cover my whole face anyway.  I don't use a cotton ball for toners btw, I just shake the bottle over my face and spread the droplets that land.  I feel like using a cotton ball soaks up too much toner and wipes off rather than applies :\  The scent is ginseng and pretty strong.  I found it very off-putting at first but I've gotten used to it really fast.  One you put it on your face, there's no scent anyway.  I put this toner on right after I wash my face or after a sheet mask.

I would highly recommend this to people with sensitive skin who have always found toners either too harsh, drying, or completely ineffective.   This is truly a rather unusual toner and at $10.10, it wouldn't hurt to try.  And if you like it, this bottle is gonna last you awhile. I've been using this toner for several weeks and it still looks like I haven't used any :} The fact that it's hard to get out of the bottle probably helps me limit how much I'm using at once too ^_^  Also while the scent is quite herbal, I promise that it doesn't linger on your face and you will get used to it surprisingly quickly.  

R&R Contrived Blush in X-rated
Purchased at: Official R&R website (how to order)

There are about a million swatches of this so I'm not going to bother.  Overall, it's just a luscious matte berry with cool fuchsia undertones - perfect for a holiday look.   I've seriously been using this blush everyday since the day I got it.  X-rated and Foreplay are hands down the best fall/winter blush colors ever.

NYX Round Lipstick in Pumpkin Pie
Purchased at: Cherry Culture

Although my initial review of this color was lukewarm, I have really fallen in love with this color.  It's my second favorite NYX color after Circe.  I never thought an orange-tinted l/s would work on me but...damn.  This color is understated, yet not quite a nude lip, and markedly trendy since it has a rather unusual orange-rose hue.  The texture is creamy and leaves a glossy sheen.  Goes well with both dramatic and simple eye looks.

My favorite look these days are understated e/s with a semi-dramatic wing, berry-colored cheeks, and Pumpkin Pie on the lips.  I feel that it's holiday-ish without being the typical bronze/gold eyes + pink cheeks + berry lips look.   It looks more natural, is easier to put on, and it looks like your cheeks are flushed from playing in the snow ^_^ Downside is that it wears off pretty quickly since it's creamy :P But it's moisturizing, which is vital for the winter months :D!

I still want to try NYX Orange Soda (still OOS on CC), which I hear is a lighter version of Pumpkin Pie though :)

Review: More NYX Shadows, Eye Pencils, and Lipsticks

This my NYX Haul from Cherry Culture that I mentioned a few days ago (fast shipping as usual)! I'll be reviewing the Beauty Blender after I get to use it more.  My first impression is...geez, it's really small.  But we shall see how it works.  My favorite part of this batch was definitely the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils.   Everything else was kind of meh - mostly because of my shitty color selections (as you will soon see ~_~).

NYX Single Eyeshadows - $3.99

My last sample of NYX eyeshadows was pretty positive but I clearly forgot I have a weakness for greens and blues because...look what happened!! They're all practically (fraternal ^_~) twins!  Blue Marine is from my last NYX haul but I included it in the pics so I can do a compare and contrast.

Shimmer: Sparkly eye shadow with soft glittery effect.
Matte: Flat color with NO shimmer or frost.
Sheer: Hint of opalescent color.
Glitter: Eye shadow with glitter to create bold sparkles.
Frosty: Shimmery eye shadow without glittery effect.
Metallic: Bold colors with intense shimmer.

Blue Marine (from previous NYX haul, view review here) - Matte
A matte deep navy blue, a little streaky with some fallout but not too bad really.  There are a few silver specks in swatches. Overall, application is pretty smooth.

 
Atlantic - Matte
I got this b/c of rave reviews about this color and it is indeed quite unique.  It's a darkish blue with light purple undertones...so indigo? Sort of like a dark lavender mixed with a hint of navy blue.  Matte, no sparkles, some fallout.  Similar in application and consistency as Blue Marine. Important thing is that it's definitely a different color from Blue Marine when swatched.

Wildfire - Metallic
A slightly frosty yellow-green, more on the green side. Faint golden sparkle, very smooth application, very little (almost no) fallout.  Not at all powdery and had the smoothest application of these four. 

Seafoam Green - Frosty/Shimmer
A sheer sparkly light green-gray with a frosty gray-silver finish.  Has visible silver flecks in it.  Very pretty but rather powdery on application (see swatches).  You need to blend this out to almost sheer to avoid a powdery finish.  Some fallout.  NYX doesn't designate this as a Sheer color but it definitely is after you blend it out.   Other than the silver flecks I feel like Wildfire could be blended to mimic this color pretty well.

Overall, I'm kind of disappointed with the colors I picked :P I feel that Wildfire and Atlantic are very unique colors but I have so many blue eyeshadows, I know I could've lived without the latter.  Seafoam Green is also very pretty but a little on the useless side I think.  It blends pretty sheer so the faint green tinge is inconsequential.  Also per my suspicions, the non-matte shadows err on the (very) slightly powder-y side with some fallout. I would only recommend Atlantic and Wildfire from this batch.

Btw, as you can see - the eyeshadow sample pictures are pretty darn accurate to the actual product :)

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils - $3.50

I got Blackbean and Milk just for filling in cat eyes/highlighting and to use as an eyeshadow base.  I picked up Orange and Yellow because they are the sort of colors I'd like to have on hand for fun looks but don't want to own full e/s of because I'd never use it for a daily look.

I read a number of reviews that say these are best as a base b/c they crease like none other but are otherwise, very pigmented and useful.  I would agree with those reviews.  All these colors are very pigmented, apply on like silk and definitely will not last on oily upper lids without major creasing.  I can see these being used for waterlines though.  Overall, these are wonderfully creamy, smooth and live up to the hype - certainly well worth $3.50 apiece.  The color selection is also quite good.  These pencils are probably my favorite things from this haul and I don't regret purchasing a single one!

I also just noticed everything together makes a Candy Corn ^_^
Blackbean - matte black
Orange - a matte rich pumpkin orange
Yellow - a fairly opaque matte yellow
Milk - a matte white

NYX Round Lipsticks - $2.50

It still baffles me how these lipsticks are sold for $2.50....such a steal.  Anyway, I only picked up two lipsticks this time.  Indian Pink I got from the recommendation of Rainy Days & Lattes and I picked up Pumpkin Pie because what I really wanted - Orange Soda - was (and still is) out of stock.  I've had a hankering for an orange-tinted lipstick these days, lord knows why because it's one of those colors that comes and goes in fashion....but yeah.    As usual, both lipsticks are very moisturizing, silky smooth and pigmented (as light colors go).
  
Indian Pink - a beautiful light pink with a golden sheen.  Has a slightly frosty gold finish.  I think the Flash picture of the tube (above left) is quite accurate.

Pumpkin Pie - a subtle orange-pink, very creamy.  I thought it would be more orange but this is really more of a light pink color with a faint orange sheen.  Has a cream finish with a smooth, chaste gleam.

I really liked both when I swatched in on my arm.  Indian Pink has more shimmer to it and Pumpkin Pie looked promising as an orange-tinged nude lip color.  But as usual, the natural color of my lips popped that bubble....

Indian Pink looks very nice in pictures indeed - it has an exquisite golden flash.  I actually prefer it in pictures because it real life it's a little more yellow tinged rather than gold.  Overall, it's still lovely and I like it a lot.  Definitely a very wearable pink color, it's like "my lips but better."   It's the perfect blend of creaminess and moisturizing - it makes my lips look plump and kissable ;)  It does seem to sink into lines a little bit but it's not noticeable in real life (I dunno why my upper lip looks so wrinkly here :\).   It has a cool undertone/blue flash so I think this would be very good for cool-toned peeps (maybe that's why I see so many Asian chicks loving this color ahaha). The only downside is that I think it's fairly dupable.

Pumpkin Pie was a disappointment to me.  It looks alright in Flash/High light settings but it looks muddy in low light settings.  Overall, you can barely tell I'm wearing anything :P so it's basically a tinted chapstick.  It's also very creamy so it doesn't last on my lips :\  I think this color is right on the border of being cool and warm toned, which leads me to say this is probably best on those of neutral-warm toned peeps.

The soapy taste was was really distinct in Pumpkin Pie - perhaps b/c of the creaminess?  It's not terrible but it was a little off-putting.    Also the faint soapy-waxy scent was present but like I said in my previous review, it's really almost indescribable unless you're sniffing for it.

EDIT 11/8/2010

Ok, I lied. I like Pumpkin Pie. A lot.  I like layering it over Indian Pink to give my lips a creamy finish and it's just beautiful :D! More info + pics at the bottom of this post.

Overall
Ughh, terrible color picks - did not like  Seafoam Green and was not crazy about Atlantic.  Wildfire I don't regret only because it's such an unusual color.  Indian Pink is very wearable but I didn't really "need" another wearable pink.  But I can always use a color like this - it's a staple color really - so I don't regret it. Loved the Jumbo Eye Pencils since they should be quite useful for random fun looks.

Get RnR Blushes for $8! + Cherry Culture Sale + Sephora Annual FnF Sale

UPDATE:

Geez, I have to keep adding to this post...so many sales right now - but Rock and Republic restocked their blushes! AND their 50% off all cosmetics with the code rockcosmetics and .99 S&H is still going on!  I know a lot of you were disappointed how the colors went out so fast a few days ago but now's your chance to snag your favorite colors.  I've received my R&R blushes in All Nighter, Tease, Foreplay and Kinky a few days ago and I can say firsthand that these blushes are amazing.  I recommend Tease and Foreplay particularly.

Read this post about how to get the best deal on RnR blushes.  If you need a $25 off your first-purchase Friend Invite, just email me at insideoutelle@gmail.com.

First off, Sephora's Annual Friends & Family Sale Code is apparently working already even though it has not yet been officially announced.  Get 20% off with the code FF2010!

AND

Cherry Culture is having this oddly understated sale going on.  I found out about it accidentally when I was going through my 'Wishlist.'  Then after I added the coupon code being advertised only on the Checkout page - the little coupon ad disappeared.  But being a great lover to taking screen caps - I got this for you :D

It's pretty obvious they're trying to keep it on the downlow cuz they're offering 10% on your whole order just because they can't process orders for a week.  The nice thing is that this discount includes all Sale items AND the regular $40+ free shipping deal.  Needless to say, despite earlier promises to myself, I've just placed another NYX haul *sigh*

For first time buyers, I really recommend the NYX Round Lipsticks and Single Shadows.  The Mosaic Blush is very nice too (reviews of these products here).

Review: NYX Product Reviews

Now for more reviews ^_^ This time from a couple NYX stuff I picked up from Cherry Culture.  Cherry Culture is pretty much the place to get NYX products; I've compared prices left and right - at Ulta, Ebay, various drugstores - CC hands down has the best prices.  Shipping isn't even much of an issue because it's always free shipping when you spend $40+.  Ulta in my area particularly jacks up the prices of NYX single shadows and round lipsticks and NYX is not carried at Walmart here. So yeah, online is really the place to get NYX for me.  The stuff came well packaged and within a week of ordering + detailed receipt.

If I recall correctly I got these all on Final Sale so they were cheaper than usual. For example, the famous NYX Round Lipsticks are usually $3.50 and I snagged em for $2.50 :D  All of these NYX items are still on sale (in the Sale section) so grab them now (esp the Round lipsticks)~!  I've heard some people have gotten these for as low as $1.75 but either way it's an amazing bargain.   NYX is known for their Round Lipsticks and Single Eye Shadows, so those are items you should definitely try if you're thinking about trying NYX stuff.

Everything was in bubble wrap but what I really like is how they put the concealer in a separate pouch in case it breaks or something.  Attention to details like that always impresses me. Neway,  I've put swatches of everything up here except the concealer, I still need to take pics of how it covers blemishes~   And I have yet to try on the lashes but they're pretty cute yeah ;)? I'll review them properly another time.

NYX Fabulous Eye Lashes - $4.00

Option 121.

Option 114.

The look real nice but let's see if these really last 10 uses ;) Sample pics online are exactly what you get.

NYX Single Eye Shadows - $3.99

Extreme Apricot, Blue Marine

I only bought two so I could see what the hype was all about before a bigger investment.  The camera really captures the exact color of Extreme Apricot in this pic I think, hopefully individual monitor colors aren't too far off.  On the left is a matte red-orange, truly exquisite.  The color is rich and exactly red-orange. Love it.  Very smooth and no fallout.  Blue Marine is supposed to be a matte color too but I swear it has light sparkles and a slightly frosty finish I think. Blue Marine also has a bit of fallout and is less smooth on application than the apricot. Overall, great pigmentation and the color pay off is worth the price tag.

I don't have a particular reason I picked these eyeshadows, I just really like blues and that apricot color looked unusual. I mainly picked these up to see what all the hype about these shadows were.  I'll definitely be picking more up, these were quite good, especially the matte colors.  NYX has a great range of single shadows so I look forward to exploring more of the unusual colors.

NYX Rouge Cream Blush - $6.00

This is my first cream blush -- I've been dying to try out Canmake Cream Blushes but I've heard good things about NYX Cream Blushes so I decided to try this out and it looked quite similar to Canmake's.  I don't regret it, this blush is super creamy and pigmented.  My swatch is obviously a lot darker than how you'd apply it on your cheeks - the actually color you'd get on your cheeks is like the top part of the swatch where it fades out. I only took one pic because it captures just how the blush looks in room lighting.  Rose Petal is among the more popular colors for this blush and I can see why, it's a very wearable color indeed.  It's got a peach-pink glow and while it looks more brownish in the pan it's a lovely peach pink on your face.  Cream blushes are said to be more natural and give a delicate lit-from-within glow powder blushes just don't give and I would say that's true.  There are no sparkles and it just settles into my skin into a subtle healthy flush - very natural.  It looks like I just came in from a quick jog :)  A good first cream blush and it's decent size too.

I applied this onto my face with my fingers the first time *yuck* cuz I didn't have any sponges and it was a bit difficult to get an even application. So def use a sponge or something when using this.  I know many people use their fingers with cream blushes but it's really unhygienic in my view and since cream blushes do "dry" fairly quickly, if you don't blend fast you'll end up with splotches.

NYX Mosaic Powder - $6.75

A super popular blush color and understandably so.  This is a very wearable peach color; it creates a very natural nude peach glow.  It's gorgeous in the pan and well-milled.  No fallout from the glitter and application is smooth.  The colors mixed together are really lovely, it creates a beautiful shimmery peach glow. It's more peachy than the cream blush above.  One thing that occurred to me looking at the single swatches is that I want to use the gold-bronze in the lower left as an eye shadow ^^  This has less color payout than the cream blush but I like it that way, I prefer to build colors slowly rather than struggling not to splotch my face with too much color.  This is a really nice blush and the color's lovely - I'd say it's worth the money.

NYX Round Lipsticks - $2.50

As usual I saved the best for last - SUCH a steal and the quality is eye popping! Packaging isn't "high end" but it's definitely sturdy and does not feel cheap - it has a nice heft and I like the peep of color on the bottom of the tube.

The color payoff is amazing, application is silky smooth, it does not sink into cracks and it does not smell.  I hate smelly lipsticks, it's the reason I dislike Revlon lipsticks (it smells SO strong and chemically to me) and the reason Maybelline lipsticks will never be an HG or favorite for me even though I use them often - I hate the fake wanna-be MAC vanilla smell. Actually, I don't even like the smell of MAC lipsticks even though it has a more "true" vanilla scent :\ To be honest, I believe that cheaper lipsticks tend to smell worse than high quality ones and so far, that has always held true for me.  Not NYX lipsticks though - I was so shocked!  Just a very light almost soapy-waxy scent; it's so faint I almost missed it.  I've read some reviews complaining about this but honestly, you literally have to stick this in your nose to smell it.

The color pigmentation is incredible, all these swatches are just one swipe:

Circe - perfect nude lip color for me. Has a distinct yellow undertone; I really recommend this for cool toned Asians looking for a perfectly nude lipstick.   I have pretty pigmented lips and this covers it very well. I heard this color does not go with warm-toned people though but for NC15-20s (which I am), I think this is very suitable. This is already my go-to nude lip color.

Rea - The color outright looks awful on me, way too brownish-grey :\  ...it makes me look...old O_o It also has a faint purple flash and it makes me look a bit bruised and unhealthy. I do not recommend cool toned people to get this at all.  You will look like you smeared mud on your lips :( Great for a zombie look I suppose. Don't get me wrong, this lipstick is great, just a terrible color choice on my part. Do not recommend for NC15-20s.  This only has a 52% Buy Again and a 3.5 on Makeup Alley, which I think demonstrates what a tricky and unflattering color this can be :\

Thalia - a matte dusty rose color.  I really liked it as a swatch and in the tube but it has a warm brown undertint that makes this rather unflattering on me :\  It also looks kind of purple when it's on my lips.  This color truly does not match my complexion and it would look a lot better on non-pale people I think. For me, this is another "zombie" lipstick -_- Do not recommend for NC15-20s.

Doll - it looks very pink in the swatch but it really is more of a berry (reddish-pink, more red) color with a purple undertone.  This color is strangely harsh on me; it looked like a nice pink in a swatch and in the tube but it turns into a deep plum red on my lips.  It's a bit much to wear to work but it's a great winter color fo' sho'.  It's truly a warm berry tone, rich and pigmented.  I can totally see this paired with gold/bronze eyeshadow + cat-eye for a Christmas party or something ^_^ It may be a hint too warm for my skintone but I'm going to try and work it ^^;;  Nonetheless, I do not particularly recommend this lipstick for NC15-20s.

Snow White - a classic red with a blue flash.  Love it! The blue flash makes your teeth look super white and it really suits my cool toned skin ^^ I'm glad I bought this cuz everyone needs one perfect red lipstick right ;)? I highly recommend this for cool-toned people since warm-tones look better with red lipsticks with an orange flash (see below).

Tangent: I recently returned Maybelline's Color Sensation in Are You Red-dy.  It was red with an orange flash and let me tell you, it looked awful on me :\  I don't buy lipsticks too often and the ones I pick usually look decent on me (well, the lippies I pick in person, not online ^^;;) - but this is the first lipstick that legit looked BAD on me.  On camera and in real life.  It was just way too warm-toned for may face.  I'm sorry I didn't take swatch pics of this color but it was so awful I returned it before I remembered to take a swatch.  Cool-tones should try NYX's Snow White or any red lipstick with a blue flash.  Conversely, this leads me to highly recommend this to warm-toned people :D

For a ridiculous number of NYX Round Lipstick swatches go here.  From the colors I've seen, these are pretty accurate if a bit washed out and more glossy looking since she uses high flash.

FYI: The sample colors of these lipsticks on Cherry Culture are totally off.  If you're picking lipstick colors, google specific lipstick swatches because if you follow the sample colors on the site you're going to end up with something completely unexpected. I also heard NYX lipsticks melt very easily.

Overall
I can't stress how smooth and creamy the application of the lipsticks were.  I must say these have joined my HG list; Etude House lipsticks are still my favorite but those are very difficult to get in America and more expensive.  NYX is very accessible via CC in America and I can't believe these are only $2.50 each....they have a great range of colors too so I am sure everyone can find a color to suit themselves.  I 100% recommend these; of all the items reviewed here, these were the best.   The Extreme Apricot eye shadow was also really nice and the color is awesomely unusual, I haven't seen another color like it anywhere. 

For the other items I think you can find comparable blushes and the Blue Marine eye shadow else where.  They are all nice items and I don't regret buying them but I wouldn't say you're missing out on much if you don't get these. 

RESPONSE to Anonymous:

The staying power of NYX lipstick varies on the texture.  Very creamy NYX lipsticks like Circe and Pumpkin Pie are not long lasting, they come off after your eat/drink etc.  They are also nude lip colors, which is probably why they are less long lasting.  Overall, I'd say they last 3-4 hours.  More matte and darker lipstick colors like Doll and Snow White are more long lasting, they will fade but last through eating/drinking.  They leave a stain on your lips even if the actual color fades. Overall, they last a decent 6-8 hours.