Etude Proof 10 Lip Stain in 01

Ah Etude House, with you, I don't need Benefit for lip stains anymore! Meet my new favourite daily lipstain. It's slightly warmer than Benetint, but not by much so the colours are fairly close but where I need two coats with Benetint, with Proof 10 I only need one. It's longer lasting than ANY other Etude House Lipstain I've used and I adore it.

The doe's foot applicator makes it great for applying on the lips - much better than the nail polish brush Benetint comes with. I've never used it on my cheeks as I'm still getting over a bad breakout.

Slightly washed out pic in the cool morning sunlight, but I love how natural it looks with just one coat and a slick of lipbalm. Two coats gives me berry-stained lips, three vamps it up to near vavavoom. Great as a base for evening wear.

Conclusion
At cost price this costs about RM25 and is certainly worth every penny. If I spot these babies on sale I'm SO stocking up. LOVE them to death. Have come to believe that clear liquid tints work way better than gel, opaque or solid.

Sweet Stains: Etude House Fresh Cherry Tint in Red and Peach

The stain mania lives on! Etude House has once again produced two love-worthy stains at a wonderful price point. What I love about these two shades is that neither is your typical rosy cool-toned red. The stains aren't clear either and resemble Posietint in texture.

Peach
Perhaps the shade I coveted most, while looking out for non-red shades. Although it looks orange on the does-foot applicator wand, when applied it turns into a natural pinky-peach shade that goes brilliantly with blushes like Coralista. The swatch here is topped with clear lipbalm but it also goes amazing with Nivea's Pink Grapefruit. ;) (Come on, you knew I'd say that)

Red
Unlike Dear Darling Liptint which is a Benetint-style red, Cherry Tint Red is a warmer, bright strawberry red. It's very cheerful and gives your lips a playful stained-with-a-popsical look. I love it on its own so I wear it topped with clear lip balm. It also makes a good base to pop any nude lipgloss that's too flat or for cooler-red lippies.

Wear & Formula
Neither of these tints last as long as the clear tints or even Posietint. They do wear out faster and I find by the end of the day they've faded almost away. Fortunately they do still hang around through meals and drinks far longer than any lipstick or gloss.

As I've just gotten through a breakout on my face I haven't yet tried this on my cheeks and I'm not sure I will. I have blushes that match them exactly and when applied over a base of Revlon Colorstay, powder blushes last as long as stains.

Conclusion
These are both from an older collection and I'm not sure if there are many left. I picked them up at a nice discount of 25% from RM22.90 - very nice. =D If you spot them, buy them!

Sweet Stains: MAC Rose Romance Gel Cheek Blush in Just A Pinch

I rushed this one out ASAP because it's LE. Who knows, there may be a few pots left lurking about, and MAC may re-release it with another collection. Now I'm somewhat torn on this product. I love the formula, the packaging, the ease, the colour and the portability. But... and this is a big but because it's a main reason why I love stains... it doesn't really last the day. *sighs*

Colour
Don't let the scary bright colour in the pot fool you, this gel blush is every bit as sheer as Benetint. Both products were swatched twice side by side in the pic below:

It really is a much cooler red than Benetint, and on me it gives a nice brightening flush. In shade it is really quite similar to Etude House Dear Darling Tint in Shade 01.

Formula
The formula is delightful, light and non-sticky. Now I normally prefer using brushes, but just for you my dear readers I used my very clean fingers just the once. I found it patted onto my cheeks, over liquid foundation smoothly and blended out very easily. On my lips it feels more moisturising than most stains, and it has no taste whatsoever.

Now I apply it with The Body Shop's Foundation Brush for cheeks, and a mac lip brush - this method works well, if a bit slower. But I do prefer it for reasons of hygiene.

It also has no scent, which was a bit of a surprise as I expected it to smell of roses.

Wear
This is where the product falls down. I find I have to apply it far brighter than I normally would beacuse it quietens down quite swiftly to a more muted colour. I'd almost accuse my foundation of drinking it up, if it didn't perform so well with every other blush I have.

It also isn't as lasting, even over Revlon Colorstay. In fact, my powder blushes last longer when patted into my foundation than this blush. Major boo boo. It also won't last beyond the lightest meal on the lips, so it only looks like a lipstain - it won't perform like one.

Conclusion
It really is so pretty, and its portability makes bringing it around to touch up a snap so I can almost forgive it for not lasting as long as a stain should. But then again, it's not really a stain is it? And at RM78, I can't say I regret buying it. It is soooo pretty. =D


Product pic courtesy of Temptalia

Sweet stains: Etude House Dear Darling Lip Tint in Shade 01

Yes, I spent a nice amount of time mocking the ridiculous name and admiring the pretty packaging. But what really tempted me was the price - at RM22.90 it is by far the most affordable tint I've ever come across.

So, how does it compare?

The best description I can give is that it seems to be a more intense version of The Body Shop's lip & cheek stain. More pigmented and with a thicker gel formula, even it's taste and scent is similar but stronger. Euch! Like strong chemically sweet cough mixture. Not pleasant, but you get over it.

Colour
This shade is the coolest red out of 3 choices. It is a blue, rosy, almost pinky red. Shade 02 is the most neutral red, and shade 03 is scarily orange.

On the lips it is very pigmented:

One Coat

Two Coats

As you can see this is not a colour I'd recommend for girls still terrified by reds!

Wear
One thing I like about this stain is that it's thick formula makes it feel more moisturising than other stains. Plus, it doesn't settle as much into lip-lines making it very lip-friendly.

As it's not formulated for cheeks, and because it is so pigmented I've never had the guts to try it on my cheeks. If anyone has, do share!

Overall, this stain is very long-lasting, but becuase it's so pigmented it doesn't fade evenly and you can see that the centre of your lips is lighter than the rest after a meal. Not really a look a favour! Fortunately it's easy to tote around and touch up.

It also washes off fairly easily with soap and water - it's the middle swatch in the photo above.

Conclusion
At the price it's worth checking out for a portable, BRIGHT lipstain. Also if you're interested in other colours, this stain does have three different shades, and I believe Etude has a few other stains in different packaging. I think I've seen a bright pink one in Benetint-like packaging. But once again, if you're not into brightly stained lips, better give this one a miss.

Sweet Stains: The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain

Of all the stains I have this is at present, the closest in shade and nature to Benetint as it is a rosy sheer red that functions both as a lip & cheek stain. Although many (including me) have regarded this as a cheaper version of Benetint, I'd like to point out that the Lip & Cheek Stain in shade 01 (it's the ONLY non LE shade) is very affordable in Malaysia at only RM39 for 8ml while Benetint (if you buy it online) is RM100 for 12.5 ml making TBS RM3 cheaper per ml than Benetint. It's also very wonderfully portable and I prefer its doe-foot applicator to Benetint's rather tickly brush.

Colour
It is more pigmented than Benetint as I swiped it only once on my hand below, and I swiped Benetint twice. In undertones it is also cooler than Benetint, although the difference is slight, I do believe that this makes it a little less friendly to warmer-toned girls. On me (I'm cool-toned), it's more brightening than Benetint but at the same time, less natural.

So since the one-coat, two-coat lip routine worked so well in the Benetint post...

One Coat

Two Coats

I'm sorry the pics are so darned washed out. I found a setting that's great for faces lousy for lips - and only just realised it. If enough people complain I'll redo the pics...*grumble grumble*

See what I mean about good for faces? It doesn't give that awful flashed-out effect.

On Cheeks and Lips

Formula
This is more gel-like than Benetint, and therefore doesn't seem to sink as easily into the lines on my lips - making it a better option.

On the cheeks I find Benetint lasts longer, but TBS is easier to blend in. However, Benetint is sheerer so it's harder to overdo. TBS well... two dots too many and you're in Clown City. No fear, just grab the powder foundation and blend blend blen to nudge yourself back over the city border.

And oh yes, in my previous review, I forgot to mention Benetint smells of roses. A scent that I prefer greatly to TBS's stain. This one smells like sickly sweet cough syrup. Euch! Thank goodness it fades away really fast.

Wear
On my hand below it's the second from right, and well it doesn't hold up to soap and water very well.
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But I wore it about all day and it lasted with minimal fading through a light meal, drinks, and a hot sweaty day. So yay!

Conclusion
If you're a cool toned girl, this is definitely a great option to Benetint. Especially when you can buy it at any TBS store as opposed to having to ship it over from the US. For everyday base-wear though I still tend towards Benetint as this is twice as pigmented and less natural a red.

Sweet Stains: Benefit's Benetint

Ahh the legendary Benetint - the tint that began all tints! What's not to love about a product that, legend has it, was originally created to tint the nipples of burlesque dancers a rosy pink?

How to use Benetint is a mystery for many, and here's hoping this blogpost will unravel it for you. First off though I'd like to recommend that you only buy Benetint off their US site, and not from the Malaysian Benetint distributors as they sell it at a large markup I've even heard that they plan on raising the prices even higher. And in this ecnomy too. Shame on them!

Read ParisB's post on the subject here, it has everything you need to know.

Now, read on to learn why this product is a must-have HG for me, and a staple in my beauty collection.

Lips
Compared to the other tints, Benetint is really the sheerest of the lot. Yes it looks crazy zany red, but to get it to the colour it is in the swatch below, I had to swatch it twice. Everything else was swatched only once.

Application - Lips
I do find the nail-polish like brush provided for use with Benetint really really annoying. It's so flimsy that it tickles my upper lip when I try to apply it there. So now rather than try I apply a generous but even layer to my bottom lip and carefully moosh the lips together.

One coat looks like this...
Two coats...
And with clear lip balm on top...

See how much more even it looks once the lip balm is slathered on?

And that's another secret to stain application - apply it on dry bare lips. Yes it feels drying but once it's set you can slather balm over and it will last and last. However, don't use Vaseline or balms that are oily instead of waxy (like Palmer's Cocoa Butter lipbalms in a tube. Reviews here and here) as these will also dissolve and remove the stain.

I often use one coat under reddish lipstick or gloss as a base colour, so when I eat or drink and the lipstick or gloss colour fades, I still have some tint to my face and am not wandering around looking like a washed-out zombie.

To tone the colour down, and get some use out of that lipgloss or lipstick you have that makes you look like a corpse because it's too nude - just use it over the stain. Voila, perfect, and versatile!

Cheeks
Although many ladies have trouble using stains on the cheek, I really don't. I love using Benetint as a blush and here's how:
Liquid Foundation
Before applying powder, dot three to four small dots along one the cheek bone of one side of your face, and quickly blend it out with a patting motion using either a stippling brush, foundation brush, or your fingers. I personally prefer the foundation brush for this as it's faster and allows me to spread it better.

Less is more here, you can always go back and apply. So until you know exactly what works for you, apply with caution!

Let it set, and then dust powder on as usual. If you'd like to top up with a powder blush, making it peachier or more shimmery, now's the time.

Mineral / Powder foundations
No matter how heavy a coverage you use a foundation is always slightly translucent - especially mineral and powder formulations. If you use a cream concealer, use that first.

Then generously dot Benetint on. Don't forget to do one side of your face at a time. And in this case feel free to slap it on as you're going for a look that's far brighter than you normally would use. This also allows for less margin for error.

Blend out with a brush or fingers in a pat-pat motion so you don't disturb the concealer underneath.

Now apply your foundation over the blush as you normally would. The heavier blush should glow through the foundation naturally. This really gives you a lit-from-within, rosy-cheeked look which I love.

Again, if you want a peachier blush or more shimmery finish, just dust it over the foundation now. And if your blush fades, as quite a few powder / mineral blushes do when used over a powder/ mineral base, the tint won't. So you get to avoid people asking you "why are you so pale and tired" towards the end of the day. Unless that's how you get your boss to let you go home - in which case maybe this method isn't for you.

Wear
As you can see, Benetint (second stripe from left) lasted through soap and water washing really well! To get it off at the end of the day, you may have to resort to an eye & lip makeup remover.

Benetint won't kiss off, won't leave marks on anything, and doesn't taste or feel of anything. So girls who have boyfriends who hate the taste and feel of lipsticks or lipglosses, this is your solution!

It will last through most meals, but not an uber-greasy lip-smacking long one. Come on. Nothing lasts through that!

Conclusion
After a year of almost-daily use, my jar of Benetint looks all worn out as the print has faded off. Boo! And I've used about 3/4 of it. So how much do I love it? I have a new, unopened bottle waiting to be used! When I had a chance to buy it on discount through a friend I just snapped it up to stockpile, because I refuse to be without my Benetint. Ever. It's pricey but it's gorgeous, it works, and a jar lasts over a year with almost-daily, and at least weekly use.

Online, Benetint retails at US$28 (RM100.40 at current conversion rates) compared to the RM139 you'd pay at the counter here. Benefit often offers free shipping when you spend over US$115 so get a few friends together and haul away!

Sweet Stains: Lipstick Queen in Medieval

Sweet Stains is a series of reviews on the red lipstains I own and love. While this isn't technically a stain, it looks like one and lasts just about as well, so why not?

My love for red lipstick has taken on a life of its own, and is now fueled by the generosity of friends. This particular lippie was a lovely birthday gift from the incomparable Tine of Beautyholics Anonymous. She purchased it in Oz (so it's available there), and it can be bought in the US, and the UK. More than that I'm afraid I don't know.

Medieval, according to Poppy King, the Lipstick Queen herself, is not so much a lipstick as a tinted treatment. Here's her story:

Lipstick Queen is going back to Medieval times, when full coverage lipstick was considered a sin. Instead, women used lemons to stimulate the lips and stain them a see through blood red. I have recreated this very sheer flattering look in one simple universal shade that suits every skin tone and is chic as it is comfortable. It doesn't even look or feel like you are wearing lipstick. It looks like you naturally have gorgeous swollen cherry lips. Medieval is also Vitamin E based for a luxurious feel with just a touch of pigment to create a purely sensual lip.

The packaging has its own story too, but it's rather complex and I'm not sure I comprehend it all, so go to the site and decode it if you're interested. =)

Now, ON to the lippie!

Colour
Slightly glossy, sheer red with warm undertones Medieval is extremely wearable. Great for everyday wear it gives a just-bitten lips look topped with a hint of gloss. It makes for a natural look with a touch of sexiness and a dash of class.

To me the great thing about this tint-option is you get the look of a tint without the drying effect of one. Also, as tints are best applied BEFORE lip balm, and pointless if applied after, this is a great option for when I want the look, but forgot and slapped on the balm.

Feel
You really don't need a lipbalm with this. It's soooo moisturising it really is more like a tinted lipbalm than a lipstick or a stain. I love the ability to just swipe this on my dry lips without going through the extra step of using a lipbalm. Perfect for lazy days.

Wear
Now this surprised me. I lightly washed off the stains with some liquid cleanser and medieval - the supposedly non-stain - outlasted everything but Benetint! Just look (it's the first stripe):

Wearing Medieval throughout the day, I find that although it really does last through light meals, it has a tendency to settle into cracks and cake up afterwards. So after meals, it's a good idea to use a tissue to buff off excess before reapplying. This isn't actually needed when merely reapplying - it seems to only be necessary after meals.

Conclusion
Medieval retails for US$20 online making it quite the luxury purchase, one I'm not sure I'd make myself. Which makes it all the more awesome a gift!

All in all though, it certainly is special and who doesn't love being able to slick on a moisturising colour, that will always look amazing, in that mad dash out the door?

Sweet Stains: A series of lipstain reviews

While sorting through my lippy stash I was forced to admit that I have an addictiom to red lip stains. Whether they were actual stains, or glosses and lipsticks that look like stains, I have them and I love them!

They give a long-lasting and natural flush to my lips and cheeks. Not unlike what you see in a movie based on an Austen novel. Even if I want to wear another shade I often tint my lips first as an unbudgeable base so my lips always have some colour.So I'll be reviewing and comparing the following lip stains (one a week): Lipstick Queen's Medieval, Benetint, The Body Shop's Lip & Cheek Stain, Silk Naturals Mineral Wand Lip Gloss in Rouge, and Etude House Dear Darling Lip Tint in Shade 01.

I have done a review and comparison of Benetint and TBS Lip & Cheek Stain but I was a stain novice then. I'll be revisiting them and give a more complete, educated review.

Hope you'll enjoy our very first series!