Archive for July 2016

"I was happy before I met him. But I'm alive now, and those are not the same thing."

Everything, Everything is a novel by Nicola Yoon. The cover of this book is stunning, no question, but it also stuns content-wise. From a distance it appears to be a simple girl meets boy-next-door story. In actuality it is more than a vanilla YA romance, it's centered around Madeline, a teenage girl who has spent her entire life in her home due to a rare illness characterized by an extreme "allergy" to the outside world. She's never felt as though she's missing out on much, as she lives comfortably with her mother and enjoys the presence of her nurse, Carla. However, after she begins speaking to her new neighbor, Olly, she soon realizes that she wants to have more than just a quiet existence alone in her home. From there she not only grows closer to Olly, but, much to the dismay of her mother, starts experiencing things she'd avoided risking due to her illness.

If you weren't sold on the plot, here are some things that really made the book more enjoyable for me:

1. A biracial protagonist; Madeline Whittier is half Asian and half black, and she's more than just a token POC.

2. A whimsical style; the book is filled with Maddy's doodles, little lists and cute diagrams.

3. Lots and lots of small pushes to motivate you to finally do something you've been wanting to do.

However, in contrast to that, here are some things that made the read less enjoyable:

1. Maddy's illness is not discussed or explained with much depth, and the details are very wishy-washy.
2. The conclusion can barely be deemed so, there is no closure or insight given to the mental state of some very important characters, making the novel more of cute read than anything profound.

More depth in character development and better exposition of the Maddy's illness would've been beneficial, but I did thoroughly enjoy this book. It's endearing, unique and honestly a new favorite.

In order for this review to be as helpful as possible, I've included lip and hand swatches of all the lipsticks.

ColourPop

Lippie Stix

Lumière ($5)

OVERALL: 5/5

Color: 5/5

I purchased the lippie created by KathleenLights in the shade Lumière. At least on me, it did not show up as the color that is swatched on the ColourPop website. I do however much prefer the shade it ended up being to what I had originally expected. On me the lipstick translates as a deeper, more

fuschia-y purple as opposed to the lighter pinkish color shown on the website. I can't imagine a skin tone this wouldn't be flattering on.

Formula: 5/5

This honestly feels like a lip balm! It doesn't dry out my lips even the slightest bit. I consider that a great feat especially considering that it is a matte finish. It also smells and tastes sweet. The only thing I will say is that you definitely need to exfoliate, it may just be this shade, but this lipstick definitely emphasizes existing dryness.

Lasting Power: 4/5

This is not the longest-lasting lipstick to ever exist, but it does the job just fine. You can eat without it smearing all over your face, but chances are you'll need to reapply if you're a messy eater. It is not transfer-proof, but I'm willing to let that slide considering how moisturizing it is.

Ultra Satin

Echo Park ($6)

OVERALL: 3.5/5

Color: 2.5/5

I was kind of bummed when I tried this lipstick on. It's a very light pink. This color would be so stunning on someone with fairer skin, however it is too light for me. It's still wearable, but it definitely would be the lightest I'd ever go.

Formula: 4/5

The formula of this lipstick is a little too liquidy for me, but it dries so quick! I'm not a fan of the way it smells, but the smell disappears after a bit. The lipstick is a satin finish, which is great for those who don't like a glossy lip but aren't too fond of the matte look. It is a tad drying, but that is to be expected of a liquid lipstick.

Lasting Power: 5/5

This lipstick sets so fast and stays set! It's hard to smudge and doesn't move around on your mouth. It is not transfer-proof but it doesn't come off a whole lot.

Ultra Matte

Beeper ($6)

OVERALL: 4/5

Color: 4/5

I think this lipstick is a beautiful color. It's a deep mauvey brown. While I am pleased with how this color looks, it is not at all what I was expecting. It is much darker than what it appears to be in the tube, and it doesn't not even look remotely resemble the lip swatch shown on the website.

Formula: 4/5

The formula of this is identical to that of the Ultra Satin lipstick, other than the fact that this a matte finish (which I love!).

Lasting Power: 5/5

Also almost identical to the Ultra Sating lipstick's lasting power, but I do believe this lasts just a while longer than the aforementioned lipstick.

MAC

Velvetease Lip Pencil

Oh Honey ($14)

OVERALL: 5/5

Color: 5/5

I lovelovelove brown lipsticks and this one is absolutely gorgeous! It's a warm brown with a slightly orangish undertone. This is definitely one of my absolute favorite shades.

Formula: 5/5

This lipstick is really creamy and light, even though it's matte! This lipstick itself is not drying, but it does emphasize any dryness you may already have, so exfoliating is definitely a good idea.

Lasting Power: 4/5

This lipstick does not bleed around the lipline and it doesn't smear super easily, but it does get a bit patchy after eating. It's not too bad considering it is not a liquid lipstick, but it does definitely need to be reapplied after a meal.

Bare Minerals

GEN NUDE Radiant Lipstick

Heaven ($20)

OVERALL: 4/5

Color: 4.5/5

This color is very pink, which is not something I would usually go for, but it is at least on my skintone a very natural looking pink. It's a really pretty color for everyday wear.

Formula: 4/5

This lipstick has a very light and buttery formula. It's great for people who don't like heavy lip color. The finish is slightly shiny, but it isn't overly glossy. It's a nice everyday lipstick but it moves around smears very easily.

Lasting Power: 3/5

This lipstick by far is the first to disappear of all the ones mentioned on this post. Due to its creaminess it is not very long lasting.

All Hand Swatches

From left to right; Lumière, Echo Park, Beeper, Oh Honey, Heaven

XXX

"I was happy before I met him. But I'm alive now, and those are not the same thing."

Ipsy daisy!

"You make my heart break, bend, and shake."

Personally, I love searching for inspiration in lyrics and images, and so I've created this post in hopes of sparking creativity in others. I've included some of my favorite lyrics from the Blue Neighbourhood album by my absolute favorite artist, Troye Sivan.

In order for this review to be as helpful as possible, I've included lip and hand swatches of all the lipsticks.

ColourPop

MAC

Bare Minerals

All Hand Swatches

I hope there's a post about...

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