NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo - Review, Photos, Swatches

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San Paulo (São Paulo) - is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. (via Wikipedia) 

I was so excited to learn that I (and the rest of my countrymen) don't need to get a VISA to be able to fly to the beautiful Brazil!!! (For more info about this, click HERE) The country, the people, and it's beaches are gorgeous! For now, I'll stick to a piece (or at least inspired by a city there) of Brazil: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo (São Paulo).

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo (São Paulo)

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo (São Paulo)

lip cream with a wand

SMLC08

swatch with flash

swatch without flash

Lip Swatch(shot outdoor, hence the bright lighting)

San Paulo is lighter and brighter than NYX Matte Lipstick in Merlot and MAC Craving. It is a dark pinkish red. It's no as bright as the typical reds and pinks. It's subtle yet still have enough punch of color to make your puckers cute and kissable.

Apologies for the different lighting, I was outside when I took the photo of the lip swatch. It was pretty sunny that time (10:00am-11:00am). The more accurate swatches are the ones on my skin. 

PROS: Formula is great: creamy while being applied, dries out matte. The color is "neutral" enough to work for probably everyone.Opacity is awesome! Longevity is pretty decent for a drugstore brand and it is affordable.

CONS: I can't think of any. If you have problems with using wands, then that's probably it. Personally, I don't mind them. :)

VERIDCT: 5 out of 5 CHILIS!

Where To Buy:

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo
300php, Pretty Goddess

FTC: I paid for these products with my own money. I am not getting paid to make this review. I am not affiliated with the said brands. Photos above are taken/owned by yours truly.

L.A. Girl Lipstick in Last Night - Review, Photos, Swatches

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They say, when you're a shopaholic (and/or an impulsive buyer), looking around, browsing aisles of products in the store won't lead you to anything good. Those people do not know what they're talking about.

I was just killing time at the mall, so I decided to go to one my favorite places: Watson's.
I love this place because you never know what you'll discover. They carry interesting and never-heard-of products (mostly from Asia and North America) that will definitely tickle your fancy.

I was browsing the makeup aisle not knowing I would find a lipstick in this shade, in a drugstore :)

L.A. Girl Lipstick in Last Night

L.A. Girl in Last Night

L.A. Girl Lipstick

A bright pink lipstick

LC540 Last Night

The lady behind the L.A. Girl counter told me that this has a matte finish. I do not completely agree, 'cause I find it a little creamy. Maybe semi-matte? It's opaque, highly pigmented, and it lasts a decent 2-4 hours of wear. For a drugstore lipstick, that's pretty long (at least for me). It has distinct taste and smell, that could bother some. The smell and taste is not that strong though. They have other shades as well. I think they have an orange and a red.

Swatch with flash

Swatch without flash

PROS: formula is semi-matte (matte but still a little creamy), opaque, highly pigmented, affordable, and locally available :)
CONS: People might have issues with the smell and/or taste. Personally, I don't mind it. The packaging (the clear cap) could get a little messy, too.


VERDICT: 4 OUT OF 5 CHILIS! I really don't mind the taste/smell. The packaging can use a little improvement. But really, for a drugstore lipstick? You really can't complain much.






L.A. Girl Lipstick in Last Night
299.75php, Watson's

FTC: I paid for these products with my own money. I am not getting paid to make this review. I am not affiliated with the said brands. Photos above are taken/owned by yours truly.

Red Lips: MAC Russian Red and NYX Perfect Red

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Oh red lipsticks, how I love thee. I'm not exactly sure why it's my go-to color. Is it because Marilyn Monroe, one of my favorite icons, made this her signature lip color? Maybe its the way I feel whenever I wear one: confident, strong, and sexy.

Red lipsticks come in different hues, formulas, and packaging. It's not true that red lipsticks are exclusively for fair-skinned women. There are a bunch of different kinds, both drugstore and high-end, that will suit you. All you have to do is try them all until you find your red lipstick.

I decided to choose red lipsticks from different price brackets to emphasize that you don't have to shell out tons of your hard-earned cash to wear and achieve the sultry red lips.

From the high-end part of the spectrum: MAC Russian Red

MAC Russian Red

On the other part of the spectrum: NYX Perfect Red

NYX Perfect Red

MAC Russian Red and NYX Perfect Red

MAC Russian Red and NYX Perfect Red

MAC Russian Red and NYX Perfect Red

MAC Russian Red is matte, blue red, vampy, and super pigmented. It's long-wearing and leaves a good stain on my lips after 4-5 hours since application. Its matte, but not as awfully-drying as Ruby Woo.

NYX Perfect Red is from their Matte lipstick line. So far, this is my favorite among NYX's lip product lines. The shades are awesome. Formula and longevity are way better than that of their round lipsticks. Its a tad brighter than Russian Red.

Now let's compare them :)

As you can see, on the tube, there is an obvious difference with their shades.

Russian Red is darker than Perfect Red.

MAC Russian Red and NYX Perfect Red

MAC Russian Red and NYX Perfect Red

But once swatched on my skin, you really can't tell which is which.

Perfect Red is almost a dupe for Russian Red!

(L-R) Russian Red, Perfect Red, Ruby Woo

(photos of lip swatches to follow)

I'm really happy with these red lipsticks. Don't get me wrong, I love all my red lipsticks. These are my favorites because I love their finish, pigmentation, and longevity. 

To sum it all up, you don't have to be intimidated with red lipsticks. It's just that, there's no such thing as a universal red lipstick that would compliment everyone, but that doesn't mean you won't find something that will suit you. I found these babies because I kept an open mind in trying every single red lipstick I encountered. If I found mine, how hard would it be to find yours? :)

MAC Russian Red, MAC Counters
1000php

NYX Matte Perfect Red, Pretty Goddess
350php

Have you found your red lipstick? What is it? I would love to hear from you. :)



FTC: I purchased these products with my own money. I 'm not getting paid for this post. I'm not affiliated with the brands mentioned. Photos above are owned/taken by yours truly.

Dupe Alert: NYX Amsterdam for MAC Eden Rouge

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We all want to be (and should be) a smart shopper, especially nowadays that money (or work, for some people) is hard to come by. We should determine (or differentiate) our "wants" and "needs", and prioritize the latter. Probably that's one of the motivations why people are always on the lookout for cheaper alternatives or dupes for the things that they want, especially with makeup.

For my first dupe alert: NYX Amsterdam for MAC Eden Rouge :)

(L-R) NYX Amsterdam, MAC Eden Rouge

Its really hard to tell which contains more product because NYX didn't specify theirs in the packaging.

(L-R) NYX Amsterdam, MAC Eden Rouge

Amsterdam is a part of NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cream line. I believe this is a permanent line, since they didn't say its a limited edition or seasonal line. I don't even think NYX does that.

(L-R) NYX Amsterdam, MAC Eden Rouge

NYX Amsterdam is a cream lipstick that goes on smoothly and dries out matte.

It tastes good and has a longer stay-on power compared to their round lipsticks.

Now, let's compare Eden Rouge's swatch and Amsterdam's swatch :)

(L-R) NYX Amsterdam, MAC Eden Rouge

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream when worn

MAC Eden Rouge when worn

As you can see, they are pretty close in shade, if not identical.
(Apologies for the different lighting :[ )

The intensity of their hue is also the same. They're both bright blue red.

You almost cannot tell which is which, until Amsterdam goes matte.

What's the deal?

Longevity: MAC, being known for their superb formula, obviously wins by 2-3 hours. But to be fair, Amsterdam has also a decent longevity in wear, probably 2-3 hours.

Opacity: For me, Amsterdam is more opaque, probably because its more matte than Eden Rouge and because it's a lip cream.

Packaging: For people who have issues with wands and "double dipping", I'm pretty sure you'll have issues with Amsterdam. For me, Eden Rouge bags this because it's packaging is sleeker and more sophisticated.

Price: Given that MAC is a high-end makeup brand, NYX is a more practical option.

VERDICT: If you're the type who doesn't mind dropping a thousand for a tube of high-quality lipstick, MAC Eden Rouge is for you. You're paying for what you're getting: long-wearing, high quality product in a sleek packaging. Downside? It's a limited ed shade.

On the other hand, if you're practical, doesn't mind working with a wand, and loves matte lips, NYX Amsterdam is for you. Plus, its not a limited ed shade so you won't have trouble getting them. I believe NYX is one of those drugstore brands who can compete with high-end brands, without the sky-high prices.

So, which one would you buy?

MAC Eden Rouge, MAC Counters

1000php

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam, Pretty Goddess

300php

FYI: Pretty Goddess sells a lot of awesome makeup that are not available here in the Philippines. Check out her Facebook page!

Click here for my full review on MAC Eden Rouge :)



FTC: I paid for these products with my own money. I'm not getting paid to make this review. I'm not affiliated with the said brands. Photos above are owned/taken by yours truly. :)