THE MATTE LIPS LOVE

I confess, I am a sucker for a matte lip. The glossy, shiny, even a slight sheen in a lip in enough to leave me looking weary eyed.

What's not to love? They are easy, smudge-proof, stick around through burger or beer and add statement to an unfinished face. Yes, yes sometimes they can be a bit drying, even the most expensive matte lipstick in my stash can leave my lips without the moisture they desire, but that's what balm was invented for. Above are just a few of my top picks, my favourite being Nars Cruella which I very kindly received in the lip set that everyone coveted over the Christmas period (thank you, Mike - I am eternally grateful).

Generally I'm a drugstore girl for lip products - don't get me wrong I have a couple of YSL, MAC and Clarins residing in my collection, but I don't find there are that many matte formulas out there in the high end world that really take my fancy. If you have any recommendations, leave some in the comments because I'm definitely in the market. The products I reach for the most are definitely the Bourjois Rouge Velvet ones. The isn't a dud shade in the line up and the formula is on point, it feels SO weird on the lips, it's very thin and barely there but the pigment is unbeatable. They're so comfortable and I definitely reach for them on a daily basis. My favourite shade is Nude-ist, it's not the one pictured above as I couldn't find it at the time (low and behold it was in my handbag - no surprise there) but if I'm ever stuck in a rut, not sure of what's going to look good, this is always a good bet.

Leave me your recommendations below! And if you have a non-matte lipstick that you think could convert me then I'll give it a go.

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AN ODE TO LIP BALMS

I noticed the other day just how many lip balms I have filling up my room. Who on earth needs SIX lip balms? I like to justify this by telling myself that they all do different things, which they do! Right...?

First of all, and my potential favourite of the bunch is the classic Nivea Essential Care. This definitely has more of a cream like texture which sometimes my lips cry out for and they absolutely drink this up. In the evenings, I often put hundreds of layers of this on which used to result in my family looking at me very oddly, but it just feels SO good.

Another creamy conditioner is the Grace Cole Peach and Pear Lip Balm*. I'll be honest, the taste of this is bloody fantastic, and that is the main reason I love this! Even though it's scent and taste is the main contender, this doesn't lack on the hydration front either leaving my lips supple and soft!

More of a gel formula can be found in the next four offerings, but I find myself reaching for my Carmex balms on a day to day basis. I absolutely love these for leaving the flat with, especially in this cold, windy weather. I find they create much more of a barrier, protecting my lips from the harsh weather. They soothe and heal any nasties that crop up on my lips.

Lanolips is a no brainer for times when I'm wanting a high shine finish with ultra-hydrating properties. It's super balmy and thick but not too heavy - just an absolute treat to use. You can pretty much whack this balm on any dry areas and you'll be sorted!

Finally, my night time marvel - Blistex Med Plus for Lips. I honestly do not know what I would do without this. I often get super itchy lips (?!?!) which of course leaves me with cuts and marks all over my lips. I apply a thick layer of this in the evening an wake up with extremely soft, soothed lips. It has a medicinal scent which for some reason makes me think it works more? Ridiculous, I know...


So there's my ramblings of my extensive lip balm stash. What are your favourites?!

You can find HAYLEY LOVES on TWITTER and BLOGLOVIN' 

BOURJOIS COLOUR BOOST LIP CRAYONS

I fell for the hype when Clinique brought out their Chubby Stick Intense range, and again when Revlon released the Kissable Balm Stain. So surely it comes as no surprise that Bourjois bring out a lip crayon and I'm all over them like a rash.

I picked up the shades Red Sunrise (pictured above) - a typical colour for me - and Orange Punch - a territory I'm easing myself gently into. Texture wise, these definitely feel much more 'balm-y' like the Revlon version rather than a lipstick like Clinique. However, it glides on really pigmented and effortlessly, whereas with Revlon I find it much harder to get an all over colour.

Usually I stray well away from glossy finishes, I just don't feel they suit me at all. But with these they can easily be patted in with a finger and you still get the great colour pay off, just with a less glossy finish.
I'd say these lasted 2/3 hours on me which I think is great for such a moisturising, glossy balm. With Red Sunrise, I find it leaves a slight stain behind which gives it that little longer with longevity.

These are perfect for throwing in your bag and whacking out last minute. What do you think? I can't wait to pick up the newer shades!

You can find Hayley Loves on BLOGLOVIN' and TWITTER

Latest Lip Offerings

If you saw my Travel Makeup Bag post the other day, you'll have noticed that my lip products were no where to be seen. I tend to keep my current "go-to" lip shades in a little case and keep that in my bag until I fancy a change up!

I recently delved into the world of Revlon Lip Butters since the newer shades had been released. The initial offerings were a little shimmery for me and just not colours I really wanted to wear but when I noticed a few more shimmer-free shades were released I tentatively approached the stand and ended up going swatch crazy.

The first and only shimmer shade in my lip bag is Berry Smoothie - a pink/nude that's wearable on a day to day basis. I don't loooove this one, but occasionally it'll look perfect.. if that makes sense! I've been looking for a sheer red shade to grace my lips for a long while now, and when I found Candy Apple it was love at first swatch. It's so easy to wear, a perfect one for these coming summer months - a bright shade but sheer enough to look au natural. The final one, and the one that I've been unable to remove since buying it is the perfect nude/coral in Juicy Papaya. My first coral lip product to be introduced to my makeup collection and I am addicted - a perfect one to slick on when you're not after anything mega.

I don't really like wearing lip balms that much, I find they just make me look greasy and eurgh, but my Carmex lip balm is never more than 10 foot from me. It's not glossy at all, more satiny and adds a healthy sheen to my lips whilst repairing any breaks or sores.
The only real lipstick in my collection is my new MAC Rebel lipstick. I love to keep a bold shade with me in case of unexpected events, not that they ever happen, or if I ever feel adventurous enough to apply it on the go. Although this was more of a winter lip, I still absolutely love it.

What do you think of my little collection? I think I'll be heading back to Boots to see more Lip Butters, what do you recommend? Let me know!

You can find Hayley Loves on BLOGLOVIN' and TWITTER

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

My boyfriend loves Emma Stone, I want to be Emma Stone, so it's only right I use the same foundation and lip product she uses, right?

I've been absolutely loving the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains lately, my favourite shade being Crush. This pinky, purpley, red (perhaps I need to learn how to describe better..) is a shade I usually go for, but I find myself wearing this one SO much more often. It never feels too dressed up or too casual so it's great for an every day bold lip.

To say it's a balm, I don't find it very hydrating at all, but this is easily fixed by applying a slick of Carmex on top. It's last blooming ages! I can wear it for around 4/5 hours and it's only just beginning to look a little worse for wear however it's really easy to reapply. I often find that lipsticks tend to roll up on my lips whenever I really apply them, but I don't have that problem with this what so ever. It's not even really necessary to reapply as the stain it leaves behind it a really gorgeous pink - a shade I'd never dare to wear.

I'd love to pick up Rendezvous sometime soon, but I'm not too sure if I dare to wear it!
What are your favourite shades?

No balm stains in my giveaway I'm afraid, but here's what you can win!

PS, my URL has CHANGED. I'm now at hayleylovesxo.blogspot.co.uk! 

You can find Hayley Loves on BLOGLOVIN' and TWITTER

clinique chubby stick intense - roomiest rose

I am in LOVE. Honestly, this product is SO perfect.

My beautiful boyfriend got me this for Valentines Day after I suggested it (we both said one thing we wanted!). I'd been to a Clinique counter before and picked out this shade, she put it on for me to see and I fell in love there and then.

Roomiest Rose is a lovely berry/pink shade that is light enough to wear throughout the day as well as on a night out! There's a bit of shimmer in the crayon, but this doesn't transfer too much on the lip, which is great for me. From my swatches above, you can see this shade is buildable. The swatch on the left has been applied a few times, the right has only had one quick sweep. You can also see how much of a stain they leave in the next picture. I really rubbed it with a baby wipe and it still left this stain, just amazing.

They last for a couple of hours, enhanced by this stain which you can't get in the original Chubby Sticks.
They're not drying at all, in fact they're a little moisturising and very light on the lip, it just feels like you're wearing a balm.

I love the packaging, the chunky crayon style is perfect for applying this quickly but precisely. It's great that you can twist the product up rather than sharpening which causes waste and mess.

People often compare these to the cheaper, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, with almost identical packaging, however I've not tried those, what do you think? You can buy the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense range here.

I can't wait to try out more shades from this collection, I'll definitely be buying another! Do you own any? What shades do you recommend?

rimmels new apocalips, just in case you needed another review...

Like the title suggests, this product has become hugely popular in the blogosphere, I feel I'm a little late joining the hype, but I've had this product since it was released and really wanted to put it to the test. Another reason I'm a little late with it, is it's not a shade I'd usually buy - I wanted to go out of my comfort zone, try out different shades, and I just loved the look of the shade I picked - Celestial.

This lip lacquer is brilliant. I'm not a fan of glossy lips at all, they feel heavy, sticky and generally don't suit me, but this is light, not sticky at all and the glossyness settles after a while leaving a satiny finish.
It doesn't stay for as long as I'd have hoped - I did find myself reapplying it after about 2 and a half hours, but it was really easy to apply again. Usually when reapplying lipstick, I find it difficult unless I completely remove it as all the dry bits make it drag, but I didn't experience this at all.
The shade is a really nice pink, it's not too bright, kind of a pinker nude.. if that makes sense! I love the stain it leaves behind though, it's like my lip colour but better, even and brighter. As always with Rimmel lip products, it has a lovely watermelon scent.
One of the big things about this product is the foam, doe foot applicator with it's 'micro-reservoir' to ensure smooth, accurate application. I'm not a huuuuge fan of this. It feels like there's too much product on the wand at the beginning meaning I have to brush some of it off which I can see in the long run becoming very messy, but I do really like the idea.
It's a lovely product which I definitely think I'll consider buying more shades of. The variety of colour is good, with shades that I certainly wouldn't consider buying normally, so maybe it will be good to try them out?

What do you think about these, and what are your favourite shades?
I'm still looking for an illustrator to help me out with my blog header - if you're interested, leave me a comment or email me at hayleyisawesome@live.co.uk

beauty wishlist

So Christmas and New Year have passed, it's my sisters 21st in a couple of weeks, and I'm left money-less and wanting more things than ever. Typical. So now I'm sat here with the face on compiling a list of my most wanted beauty products right now!


1. Benefit High Beam Highlighter
I am a complete highlighter virgin. I've never used one and since this is a product so many people rave about, I'm really wanting to try it out and see what kind of difference it makes to my face.
I looked at the different ones they had such as Sun Beam, but I think this one would be so much more suited to my skin, but like I said, I've noooo idea!


2. Nars Laguna Bronzing Powder
I don't think I need to say anything about this product. If you've not heard of it, I'll assume you've been living under a rock! Contouring my face is an everyday thing for me, but my bronzer at the moment is just too shimmery. This is perfect - apart from the price! But I've been told it lasts a verrrry long time. Worth it?


3. Clinique Chubby Stick Intense 
I'm SO desperate for this. I've seen people say that Revlon is a good dupe, but lately I've had the mentality that rather than spending a little money on a lot of products, spend a lot on a little. I definitely think spending more pays off and I've got my heart set on this. For £16, I don't think it's too expensive. The shade I'd love to try is 06 Roomiest Rose. I think it's a lovely shade, not too in your face and I think it would look quite natural. I want this so baaaaad :(


4. Kate Spade Supercalifragilipstick 
I've noticed this in the Space NK sale for just £10! Unfortunately, it's out of stock in the shade that I am absolutely loving. It's called Popart Pink and is a lovely coral-pink shade. I don't have a colour like it in my make up case and I would love to pop this cute bullet in there.


5. Escentric Molecules - Molecule 01
This was at the top of my Christmas list, with many asterisks next to it and unfortunately I didn't get it. Super sad. Alas, it remains on my wishlist, the beauty secret, Molecule 01 and I'm still to try it. I would love to see whether the reactions I've read happen to me!

my top three winter lip saviours!

Winter is well under way, and lip care is more important now than it ever has been! What with the harsh cold, and matte lips being well on trend, we need to take a lot of care of our poor lips!
These are my three favourite lip treatments for this season.


Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment
I purchased this product way back in February 2012 when I was visiting New York, my lips got dry and uncomfortably numb, which was so weird, I'd never had dry lips before, so I panicked and bought this! I got it for about $3, I can't find it on Boots/Superdrug, but I just bought this from a drugstore close to Times Square. It's a creamy formula, and I just apply it all over, it tingles a bit, and gets a bit sticky, so I only ever use it if I'm in the house. If I have a particularly stubborn bit, I'll apply a little bit more on there and within a day or two my lips are back to normal! I'm going to be gutted when I run out of this.


Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm Pot
This is an absolute must have product for me. It's thick and waxy and perfect to wear under matte lipsticks to keep hydrated. I wear this every night, I'll apply a thick layer on my lips and a little bit around and sleep wearing it. Like the blistex, it tingles a bit and feels quite cool, but that soon calms down and you're left with a waxy layer that you can instantly feel is making a difference to your lips. It's no more than £3 and lasts forever. I got this alongside the Blistex in New York and it's not even nearly finished. I'll definitely be repurchasing it though!


Vaseline Aloe Vera and Rosy Lips
I don't think I know anyone who doesn't have countless pots of this in their bags and drawers, even my boyfriend found and applied some the other day. These are my favourite of the Vaseline range. Personally, Vaseline aren't my favourite lip products, they feel too greasy for me, they don't feel great on my lips, but they're so convenient. I like the Aloe Vera one to apply on dry skin, it doesn't even have to be on my lips, but I felt I should include it anyway haha. I think the fact it's Aloe Vera makes me think it's doing a lot more good for me than it actually is.
The rosy lips one is my favourite. When I was in the hospital the other day, this was all I had in my bag but I felt I needed a balm. I applied a fair amount of this onto my lips and not only did it help my lips feel a bit healthier, it added that little splash of colour which really complimented my make up. So yeah, these aren't my favourite for a lip balm, but who doesn't rely on Vaseline?



What are your lip saviours? Anyone in the UK know where I can find the Blistex lip ointment?!
Leave me a lovely comment below, I love to hear from you guys! Hope the Christmas shopping is nearly over. After finally finishing up the Christmas decorations, I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit.

I'm also visiting London on the 20th, how exciting! Hopefully I'll pick up a few nice treats to show you all.
Take care, beauties.