Thursday 15 October 2015

Swatches: MUA Lipstick

I know, I know, what is this? A beauty post? Surely not! It's definitely been a long time since we've had one, mostly down to me not wearing makeup. I feel kinda sad when I see all my pretty palettes and lipsticks, sitting unused, but writing about them and not having the energy to use them is worse. Avoidance, I'm good at that apparently. Well I took these photos in the summer after a little makeup haul. Obviously I'm rarely buying makeup these days, because it seems silly to, but these were mega cheap and I saw them online and thought I'd give them a try. I was getting a free palette or something at the time...there's no offer on them currently, but they are £1 each. As my Mum would say "you cannae go wrong with that"! mua lipsticks barely there bare juicy

The cases are black plastic, silver inside. Not particularly robust and rather cheap feeling, but exactly as I'd expect for that price. They do the job, I just don't know long they'll last rattling about in a makeup bag on a daily basis. What I do like is the clear base, which contains the same colour of lipstick, like NYX. It means you can store them upside down and easily locate the colour you need when you have hundreds of lippies like I do. In my makeup absence, my style has not changed...I obviously opted for the nude type of shades and actually got quite a variety with these three. One is super light, one more beigey and the other coral toned.mua lipstick case mua lipstick base
So on the left is the lightest one, Barely There (no shade number), a very pale, pink-toned nude.  In the middle is Bare 14, a light brown or beigey nude.  The one on the right is Juicy 15, a dull toned peach.     mua nude lipsticks barely there bare juicy mua lipsticks barely there bare juicy close up
I'm seriously impressed with how these perform in the swatches.  They are very accurate to the colour in the tube, they are also extremely pigmented and opaque in a couple of swipes.  In the bottom swatch, to the side of my hand, you can see what one swipe of each looks like and then several layers in the main swatches.  There's hardly any difference.  Barely There comes across as most matte, bordering on chalky.  I definitely think it's most suited to very light skin tones and/or non-pigmented lips, otherwise it's going to come across like concealer.  You can just see it on my very pale hand, so it's going to look very bare and take all colour out of the lips.  Bare is a more wearable nude for more skintones, though I've tried this one on my lips and actually it appears lighter than this swatch.  I felt in the tube there was a pinky element that wasn't apparent in the swatch.  I'd say this has an almost satin like finish, maybe a touch more matte.  Then Juicy is a lovely pigmented peach, with a satin finish.  Perhaps the most 'shiny' of the bunch.mua lipstick swatches barely there bare juicy mua lipstick swatch barely there bare juicy
All three are lovely colours and certainly worth a shot at £1 each.  This was my first foray into MUA, but I don't think it'll be my last.  Now that I've tackled one post and broken my beauty blogging hiatus, I do have some other bits I bought at the same time, so look out for those swatches coming soon.  What do you think of these lipsticks, have you tried any?

Post contains affiliate links.  No items were gifted.  

10 comments :

  1. lovely shades also reasonable!
    I'm jealous cause most of cosmetics in Japan is pricy and lipsticks are usually costs around 1000jpy (it's like around 10 in £) or even more.
    even that nyx lipsticks are not that good price like their original price cause of sales-tax and import fee suppose to be but I believe mostly because they are greedy as well or just bad cycle with tax stuffs...
    we've got 100yen shop and they've been releasing their original cosmetics (such as nail polish etc) and lately getting better with quality and many school girls liking them.
    but I don't like that many of Japanese are not interested much to more unique shades of anything like eyeshadow / lipstick (they feels like wouldn't look good on them most of times) so as I like black lipstick or purple or any kind of that vivid colours,they wouldn't release much...
    due to society as well I guess.to work at office etc...
    but whatever most of Japanese cosmetics looks same like brown shades for eyes and coral pink red shades for lips and many things are shimmery but not glittery or matte and imported cosmetics with many more unique shades are pricy...

    from what you've got from MUA,I like coral one most<3
    I actually haven't tried nudy lipsticks yet cause I've got pretty vivid lips originally also that wearing nudy tones remind me of being low blood pressure sometimes so...haha
    but I like if like pink or coral based shades or "shade 14 Bare" from you've got.
    and apart from those three,I interested to "Raven" and "Tulip" and "Shade 6".
    I like those dusty(?) kind of pinky shades for blush and lips autumn and winter<3and dark red shades ofc<3
    aaaa,I'm really jealous that you've got so many choices for all of those shades with any kind of cosmetics and even in good price Dx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really appreciate that you take the time to write such thoughtful comments. It's always delightful to hear how fashions can vary between countries or cultures. Here you can pick up black or dark purple lipstick very cheaply and we do have a pretty decent variety when it comes to colours and finishes, not just in lips but everything. I think Japan do pretty packaging extremely well and that can be where the UK/US fail. I'm also envious of the range of whitening products available in Asia...I had a Dior whitening powder years ago that was one of my favourite ever beauty items, but it was impossible to find anything like it here (I got it discounted and wished with hindsight I'd bought several at the time). It wasn't really the whitening aspect I desired, but the fact it was so, so pale and perfect for my skin, whilst looking natural.

      NYX began selling in the UK and they were around twice the price (if not more) than in the US, which I felt a bit cheated about. We do have many of our own brands that sell for similar prices though, so I can't really complain. Thanks again for your comment x

      Delete
    2. I'm glad that you are never bothered my long comment actually haha
      cause sometimes before clicking on "Publish",I get feeling that my comment might be too long and annoying but then I feel like then you can just ignore or however,as it's never really forcing you to read whole or so.

      and YES!about whitening products.
      as many Asians likes being pale and I think it's also because of we tend to get marks due to our melanin as well.
      and basically since old time,as you might have seen old paintings of Asians,they used like females pale also they used to like curvy females but somehow they took away that curvy part...
      I believe if originally pale or curvy or however,if it's original and natural is best and only beauty though they always tend to care about the judgement from majority and I don't feel right about that.
      I've even seen that Indian males from lately trying to become pale with getting massages or something,because many Indian females from lately liking pale males...but,but,,,
      I hate that plastic surgery becoming such common as well.
      I don't believe in that artificial and imitation of real beauty.

      and about Japanese cosmetics' packagings...I'm not sure haha
      especially after seeing packagings like Paul&Joe or Lime Crime,at least from I could think of right now.
      one another sad thing about many of Japanese cosmetic brand is that their website is not really cared...I mean that company nor buyers.so look pretty lazy...
      but foreigner brand like MAYBELLINE or MAC or NYX,it's almost like their original ones ofc.

      you may take look on some if you are interested ; )

      http://www.canmake.com/index.html reasonable brand,popular from school girls.my recommendation from this brand is blush (around 5£) and maybe http://www.canmake.com/lip/item_lip028.html that which changes colour depending on how much your lip contains moisture.it's pretty much like dupe of other brand as you might have noticed already.
      http://www.kiss-cosmetics.com/
      http://www.shiseido.co.jp/mj/index.html
      http://brand.shuuemura.jp/
      http://decora-girl.com/ it's from stationary brand
      http://www.ettusais.co.jp/index.shtml there skin care products are pretty interesting many times
      http://www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/lavshuca/
      http://www.dear-laura.com/jp/index.html
      http://www.fits-japan.com/products/love_switch/2014choco_mascara/ chocolate fragrant mascara


      and as I bet you have noticed already.
      yes they've got pretty crazy aspiration to white people.
      maybe it's because they are pale also many Asians believing that big eyes would look prettier,also about hair colour I kind of understand,that they've got more unique variety of colours if compare to Asians.haha
      but when it comes to more skincare based lines,they many times shows Asians.
      in Japan they also releasing "proactive" that prepared to Japanese skin type.
      but anyways we haven't much history with cosmetics yet especially if compare to other countries so I think they or we haven't explored much yet...
      but about stationary,I think it always been pretty advanced here in Japan!like 組み立て消しゴム.
      also 食品サンプル (that food sample made out of wax).also they making some for more daily use 食品サンプル 小物.
      sadly that url link code didn't work so copy paste and search only if you are interested ; )

      Thank You for always reading and replying too<3xx

      Delete
    3. Oh I totally agree with you on the plastic surgery. It used to be frowned upon here and we almost made fun of Americans for being so open about it, but now it is much more common. If you don't like it, then cut it off, add to it, inject it, pull it back, whatever! I personally believe one should try and get through life with as few operations as possible, so I couldn't imagine choosing to go through that for vanity. When I'm old, I'll look old, I don't want my face to look unnatural with no lines and pulled upwards and backwards! I don't think the risks (not only of botched surgeries) but reacting to anaesthetics or suffering complications during or afterwards are highlighted enough. It's a serious and big thing to go through and not something to be taken lightly. That said, cosmetic surgery can be an amazing thing when used on burns patients or those scarred in accidents etc. What they can do is amazing, but I wouldn't choose to go through it, if I didn't have to.

      Thanks for sharing those links, some I've heard of or have used. Actually about 20 years ago I worked on a makeup counter after school each day and we sold Kanebo skincare and makeup and hardly anyone had heard of them back then. I loved their double cleansing routine (skipping toner) and used it religiously for years. Thanks as always x

      Delete
  2. These are all lovely shades. I think I like your make-up/lipstick collection almost as much as your shoe collection! :)))

    ReplyDelete
  3. They are really nice colours, pretty and I'd probably Luke these (if I wore lippy more than once in a blue moon.!) X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I miss my lipsticks : ( I'm finding I'm forced to apply balm throughout the day though because my lips are accustomed to having something on them.

      Delete
  4. These are all really nice and I'm trying to wrack my brain to see if I already have any of them. I do have a penchant for £1 lippies. If I lose one it doesn't matter. xx

    ReplyDelete

Wowee your comments cheer me up!

Unfortunately I've had to disable anonymous comments for now, due to a high volume of spam.