BUDGET BEAUTY | My Favourite MUA Lipsticks
Welcome to my first ever 'Budget Beauty' Blog post. Usually I upload these in video form for my YouTube audience, however, you bloggers out there will get a preview of the products and my opinions on them before this video goes live. I understand that because it is a post on my 'favourite' MUA lipsticks, than you would expect to hear nothing but good things, but this is not the case. Although they are my favourites, they are not 100% perfect and they do have their own small flaws as do even the most expensive lipsticks, but that is what I am here for! To tell you what the best ones are for your money (even though they only cost £1).
Now because of the extremely affordable price tag, I can fully understand why you would be dubious about the quality of the lipstick, this includes factors such as pigmentation, consistency, durability, staying power and also transferability (will it smear down your chin or transfer on to your teeth for example?). I go into much detail about each one of these factors and I have rated each lipstick out of 5 for each factor and also given it a rating out of 5 as an overall product.
Also, if you would like to purchase any of these, I will link the MUA and Superdrug MUA lipstick website page at the end (together with where you can find my YouTube channel, my Instagram and my Twitter), where you can find the ones that you like the sound of! You can also view other people's ratings of the different lipsticks where they also rate each one out of 5! ENJOY!
SHADE 1
This shade is a very deep red, much like the Kate Moss Rimmel London lipsticks in the numbers 107 and 01. This colour is very popular during the Autumn and Winter months and is a very festive red, rather than a summery 'cherry' red colour (see below).
As with most of these new released MUA lipsticks, they include a balm or a stain at the bottom of the packaging (see below) which supposedly locks in the colour. Many people suggest using it as a lip liner, I personally have not used it for that purpose, in fact, I have not used the pot at all. Unlike the older lipsticks where they would clip on and off, these new releases make it a lot easier for the consumer to access the product, replacing the click on and off function with a screw on and screw off compartment instead. It is up to you how you use the pot, or whether you would want to use it at all, however the pots are rather small, as you can expect, therefore making it a little harder for one to insert a finger into the product, instead limiting it's usage to a brush only, which in turn, can make the product messy.
The pigmentation of this product is brilliant, (see below for a swatch) as are most MUA products, not just their lipsticks! The consistency is very creamy and also surprisingly moisturising! Comparable to the MAC 'Cream Sheen' lipsticks , but for a fraction of the price. However, like most lipsticks, the consistency of this one can become a little drying over time.
As you can see, this lipstick adopts a pink undertone, almost looking like a 'purply-red' upon first swatch. However, on the lips, it is a lot more of a 'berry red', (see below) as opposed to a 'cherry red' which tends to be orange toned. The staying power of the lipstick is excellent...provided you don't eat or drink anything! That is the only down side to this particular product. After drinking, it almost transfers from your lips onto a glass. Although this product does slightly stain the lips which makes the product more durable (therefore not removing the colour from your lips completely), it is obvious that a touch-up of lippy is required as the 'rub-off' effect can look rather odd if not dealt with.
That also ties in with the transferability.
Be careful when touching your lips about 5 mins after you have applied the product, it is a very creamy lipstick which does work in it's favour to an extent, but it can make transfer onto your face a lot more likely. When the product has been left for a short time to dry and settle onto the lips, transfers onto your face should become less of a problem. Like most lipsticks, a transfer onto the teeth is likely but only if the product has been over applied. Because the pigmentation is so brilliant, a small layer should be applied and blended out with a finger. This product doesn't work so well with a brush as streaks and lines can start to appear on the lips, even if you have exfoliated before hand.
Shade 1 Ratings
Pigmentation - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 4 out of 5
Staying Power - 3 out of 5
Durability - 3 out of 5
Transferability - 3 out of 5
*Overall Lipstick Rating* - 3 out of 5
SHADE 3
This lipstick is a dark pink, almost a fuchsia coloured pink. This particular colour, and colours like it from other brands, proves very popular in the world of clubbing as it is a very bright and vibrant coloured pink instead of a lighter Barbie coloured pink. It is also a very nice shade to wear during the Summer and Spring months (see below).
Like all of the lipsticks I am going to talk about, it includes a screw off colour pot which you can choose to use or leave depending on what you would be able to use it for (see below).
Much like shade 1, the pigmentation of the lipstick is extremely good, so excellent in fact that only a small layer would need to be applied which in turn, makes the product last even longer! Not bad for £1! The consistency is also exactly the same as shade 1. Much like in MAC, MUA do have different lipsticks with different consistencies. All of the lipsticks in this post are all cream formulated (which is my favourite kind of lipstick) which makes them more moisturising and therefore more comfortable to have on the lips, these would almost be the equivalent to MAC's 'Cream Sheens'.
MUA have also released a new formula in their lipstick line, these are the frosted lipsticks. These kind of lipsticks will often have glitter or shimmer incorporated into them, something which annoys me immensely as I can find them much more drying and chalky. These frosted MUA lipsticks are the equivalent of MAC's 'Frost' lipsticks. These are my least favourite type of lipstick so I always end up avoiding the shimmery lipstick products. Although the frosted lipsticks are irrelevant to this post, I thought a quick mention would be handy, just so you are aware that they are not all cream formulated. A quick and easy way to spot a frosted MUA lipstick to a cream MUA lipstick is to look at the bottom where the colour pot is located. If the colour in the clear pot at the bottom looks glittery or shimmery, then that lipstick is going to be a frosted one, just in case there are no testers for you to examine or swatch (see below).
The staying power of this lipstick is very good. This usually means the durability is also great seeing as the categories are more or less the same, but they do have their differences. The staying power often refers to how much colour stays on the lips after eating, drinking etc. This pink coloured lipstick remains on the lips even after drinking stronger beverages such as wine or cocktails as well as soft drinks such as Coke or Fanta etc. The durability is also extremely good. It stains the lips to an extent where it does look a lot more natural and not odd like shade 1. You can get away without re-applying this shade for a while as the colour is pink and also blue toned instead of red toned.
Transferability however is a problem when the product has been over applied. This is because the shade is very bright, and pigmented making transfer a lot more noticeable. again, don't be too liberal with the application of this lipstick as an over application can look too cakey which would also make transfer a lot more likely (see below).
Shade 3 Ratings
Pigmentation - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 4 out of 5
Staying Power - 5 out of 5
Durability - 4 out of 5
Transferability - 3 out of 5
*Overall Lipstick Rating* - 4 out of 5
SHADE 13
Although this lipstick is also a red, it is a 'cherry red' rather than shade 1's 'berry red'. This automatically makes the lipstick a lot more seasonally varied, meaning you can wear this lipstick all year round depending on the time of day in which you wear it. I enjoying wearing it for clubbing or nights out all year round, but more so during the day in the colder months rather than the Summer months as again, it is a red which tends to tie these tones down to the colder seasons (see below).
Like pretty much all of the cream formulated MUA lipsticks, the pigmentation is great, I am never left disappointed with the pigmentation of any of their lipsticks, even the lightest shade they sell in their cream formulated lipstick line! The consistency is also excellent, leaving your lips soft and feeling flake free, this moisturising lipstick also means its very creamy which is something that sells a lipstick to me personally, but, with every up, there must be a down.
The down on the consistency with this product, like the other two I have discussed, is that after a while, the lipstick can become rather dry, but, with a complementing lip gloss or even a re-apply of the product, that problem is soon fixed, it just takes away from the convenience of the product as because of its bright colour, a mirror would be needed, therefore, not great for being literally 'on the go', nor is it handy to be carrying around yet another lip product especially when you are going clubbing, every bit of space in a girl's clutch bag is valuable, so taking it up with lip gloss is not of great convenience (see below).
Much like shade 3, the staying power for this particular shade is also excellent. With the colour lasting so long on the lips, even after consuming food and drink, it is great for nights out especially. This also means that the durability for this product is also second to none! With it's long lasting pigmentation and not even the smallest accidental nudge on your lips effecting the colour transfer or smudging, the staying power and durability of this particular lipstick seems to be the best that I have reviewed so far! This also goes hand in hand with the transferability of the product.
With not even the slightest knock or brush by with your hand effecting the colour brush-off, this means the possibility of transfer onto anything (this includes teeth, face and clothes) is unlikely. There is colour transfer on to a fork or a glass after you have eaten or drunk anything, but this is normal and can be expected, however, it does not effect the colour on the lips in any way, so you are safe to go clubbing and come home without half your lipstick on your chin! (see below)
Shade 13 Ratings
Pigmentation - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 4 out of 5
Staying Power - 5 out of 5
Durability - 5 out of 5
Transferability - 4 out of 5
*Overall Lipstick Rating* - 5 out of 5
SHADE 15
This shade is very different to the others. This shade is a lot more of an everyday colour no matter what the season may be! It is a very peachy toned pink, in fact I can not really decide whether it is a peachy toned pink or a pinky toned peach. However, it is a very gorgeous colour and looks fabulous whether just out at school or college or even just out shopping for the day with your girls, or even going for a classy night out for cocktails and even a rave! There is no real occasion to which I would wear this! It would even look great worn to a wedding!
Shade 15 is a fairly new addition to the MUA lipstick collection, which therefore means, it comes with a screw off and on colour pot also which directly matches the colour in the tube!
Once again, the pigmentation is second to none! Even though it is slightly more nude than the other three lipsticks I have talked about, the colour pay off, even on the lips is outstanding! The quality of the finish is great, with little streaking. However, the consistency, although cream formulated, does rather let this product down. Unlike the other lipsticks, this one tends to fall in-between any flakes or cracked bits of skin you have on your lips, in order for you to get a great pay off, make sure you exfoliate your lips with sugar scrub before use. If you do not have time to make a sugar scrub of your own or don't feel that it is worth investing the money in one, then don't panic! This lip colour looks great with a simple clear lip gloss over the top to ensure a less chalky finish!
Sadly, consistency isn't the only shortfall for this product. Although I do have many other MUA lipsticks that are a little better, I thought it best to include one with a few more downfalls so you don't think they are all great! Although I love this colour, the staying power and durability is lacking, something which admittedly is crucial in a lipstick, it will have to be re-applying almost directly after drinking or eating as the colour completely wears off, even with a lip stain or gloss over the top.
You would expect a chalky lipstick to have more durability than a creamy one, but this is not the case with this particular lipstick. Despite the constant re-application of the lipstick, the colour transfer is surprisingly minimal, it is still a bright enough lipstick for it to be noticeable on the skin (as you can see in the swatch above) but it hardly smudges onto the face or clothes which is a plus side for this product. However, as I have already mentioned, the colour does come off the lips and onto a glass or a fork after eating or drinking which automatically lets down, what would other wise be a great product! (see below)
.
Shade 15 Ratings
Pigmentation - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 3 out of 5
Staying Power - 2 out of 5
Durability - 2 out of 5
Transferability - 3 out of 5
*Overall Lipstick Rating* - 2.5 out of 5
____________________________________________________
Thanks for reading guys!
Check out where to find these and many other MUA lipsticks
Superdrug - http://www.superdrug.com/search?q=MUA+lipsticks&setpagenum=1&perpage=24
MUA - http://www.muastore.co.uk/index.php/lips/lipstick
WHERE TO FIND ME
Instagram - http://instagram.com/heartbritishthings
Twitter - https://twitter.com/TheSweetpeax
Now because of the extremely affordable price tag, I can fully understand why you would be dubious about the quality of the lipstick, this includes factors such as pigmentation, consistency, durability, staying power and also transferability (will it smear down your chin or transfer on to your teeth for example?). I go into much detail about each one of these factors and I have rated each lipstick out of 5 for each factor and also given it a rating out of 5 as an overall product.
Also, if you would like to purchase any of these, I will link the MUA and Superdrug MUA lipstick website page at the end (together with where you can find my YouTube channel, my Instagram and my Twitter), where you can find the ones that you like the sound of! You can also view other people's ratings of the different lipsticks where they also rate each one out of 5! ENJOY!
SHADE 1
This shade is a very deep red, much like the Kate Moss Rimmel London lipsticks in the numbers 107 and 01. This colour is very popular during the Autumn and Winter months and is a very festive red, rather than a summery 'cherry' red colour (see below).
As with most of these new released MUA lipsticks, they include a balm or a stain at the bottom of the packaging (see below) which supposedly locks in the colour. Many people suggest using it as a lip liner, I personally have not used it for that purpose, in fact, I have not used the pot at all. Unlike the older lipsticks where they would clip on and off, these new releases make it a lot easier for the consumer to access the product, replacing the click on and off function with a screw on and screw off compartment instead. It is up to you how you use the pot, or whether you would want to use it at all, however the pots are rather small, as you can expect, therefore making it a little harder for one to insert a finger into the product, instead limiting it's usage to a brush only, which in turn, can make the product messy.
The pigmentation of this product is brilliant, (see below for a swatch) as are most MUA products, not just their lipsticks! The consistency is very creamy and also surprisingly moisturising! Comparable to the MAC 'Cream Sheen' lipsticks , but for a fraction of the price. However, like most lipsticks, the consistency of this one can become a little drying over time.
As you can see, this lipstick adopts a pink undertone, almost looking like a 'purply-red' upon first swatch. However, on the lips, it is a lot more of a 'berry red', (see below) as opposed to a 'cherry red' which tends to be orange toned. The staying power of the lipstick is excellent...provided you don't eat or drink anything! That is the only down side to this particular product. After drinking, it almost transfers from your lips onto a glass. Although this product does slightly stain the lips which makes the product more durable (therefore not removing the colour from your lips completely), it is obvious that a touch-up of lippy is required as the 'rub-off' effect can look rather odd if not dealt with.
That also ties in with the transferability.
Be careful when touching your lips about 5 mins after you have applied the product, it is a very creamy lipstick which does work in it's favour to an extent, but it can make transfer onto your face a lot more likely. When the product has been left for a short time to dry and settle onto the lips, transfers onto your face should become less of a problem. Like most lipsticks, a transfer onto the teeth is likely but only if the product has been over applied. Because the pigmentation is so brilliant, a small layer should be applied and blended out with a finger. This product doesn't work so well with a brush as streaks and lines can start to appear on the lips, even if you have exfoliated before hand.
Shade 1 Ratings
Pigmentation - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 4 out of 5
Staying Power - 3 out of 5
Durability - 3 out of 5
Transferability - 3 out of 5
*Overall Lipstick Rating* - 3 out of 5
SHADE 3
This lipstick is a dark pink, almost a fuchsia coloured pink. This particular colour, and colours like it from other brands, proves very popular in the world of clubbing as it is a very bright and vibrant coloured pink instead of a lighter Barbie coloured pink. It is also a very nice shade to wear during the Summer and Spring months (see below).
Like all of the lipsticks I am going to talk about, it includes a screw off colour pot which you can choose to use or leave depending on what you would be able to use it for (see below).
Much like shade 1, the pigmentation of the lipstick is extremely good, so excellent in fact that only a small layer would need to be applied which in turn, makes the product last even longer! Not bad for £1! The consistency is also exactly the same as shade 1. Much like in MAC, MUA do have different lipsticks with different consistencies. All of the lipsticks in this post are all cream formulated (which is my favourite kind of lipstick) which makes them more moisturising and therefore more comfortable to have on the lips, these would almost be the equivalent to MAC's 'Cream Sheens'.
MUA have also released a new formula in their lipstick line, these are the frosted lipsticks. These kind of lipsticks will often have glitter or shimmer incorporated into them, something which annoys me immensely as I can find them much more drying and chalky. These frosted MUA lipsticks are the equivalent of MAC's 'Frost' lipsticks. These are my least favourite type of lipstick so I always end up avoiding the shimmery lipstick products. Although the frosted lipsticks are irrelevant to this post, I thought a quick mention would be handy, just so you are aware that they are not all cream formulated. A quick and easy way to spot a frosted MUA lipstick to a cream MUA lipstick is to look at the bottom where the colour pot is located. If the colour in the clear pot at the bottom looks glittery or shimmery, then that lipstick is going to be a frosted one, just in case there are no testers for you to examine or swatch (see below).
The staying power of this lipstick is very good. This usually means the durability is also great seeing as the categories are more or less the same, but they do have their differences. The staying power often refers to how much colour stays on the lips after eating, drinking etc. This pink coloured lipstick remains on the lips even after drinking stronger beverages such as wine or cocktails as well as soft drinks such as Coke or Fanta etc. The durability is also extremely good. It stains the lips to an extent where it does look a lot more natural and not odd like shade 1. You can get away without re-applying this shade for a while as the colour is pink and also blue toned instead of red toned.
Transferability however is a problem when the product has been over applied. This is because the shade is very bright, and pigmented making transfer a lot more noticeable. again, don't be too liberal with the application of this lipstick as an over application can look too cakey which would also make transfer a lot more likely (see below).
Shade 3 Ratings
Pigmentation - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 4 out of 5
Staying Power - 5 out of 5
Durability - 4 out of 5
Transferability - 3 out of 5
*Overall Lipstick Rating* - 4 out of 5
SHADE 13
Although this lipstick is also a red, it is a 'cherry red' rather than shade 1's 'berry red'. This automatically makes the lipstick a lot more seasonally varied, meaning you can wear this lipstick all year round depending on the time of day in which you wear it. I enjoying wearing it for clubbing or nights out all year round, but more so during the day in the colder months rather than the Summer months as again, it is a red which tends to tie these tones down to the colder seasons (see below).
Like pretty much all of the cream formulated MUA lipsticks, the pigmentation is great, I am never left disappointed with the pigmentation of any of their lipsticks, even the lightest shade they sell in their cream formulated lipstick line! The consistency is also excellent, leaving your lips soft and feeling flake free, this moisturising lipstick also means its very creamy which is something that sells a lipstick to me personally, but, with every up, there must be a down.
The down on the consistency with this product, like the other two I have discussed, is that after a while, the lipstick can become rather dry, but, with a complementing lip gloss or even a re-apply of the product, that problem is soon fixed, it just takes away from the convenience of the product as because of its bright colour, a mirror would be needed, therefore, not great for being literally 'on the go', nor is it handy to be carrying around yet another lip product especially when you are going clubbing, every bit of space in a girl's clutch bag is valuable, so taking it up with lip gloss is not of great convenience (see below).
Much like shade 3, the staying power for this particular shade is also excellent. With the colour lasting so long on the lips, even after consuming food and drink, it is great for nights out especially. This also means that the durability for this product is also second to none! With it's long lasting pigmentation and not even the smallest accidental nudge on your lips effecting the colour transfer or smudging, the staying power and durability of this particular lipstick seems to be the best that I have reviewed so far! This also goes hand in hand with the transferability of the product.
With not even the slightest knock or brush by with your hand effecting the colour brush-off, this means the possibility of transfer onto anything (this includes teeth, face and clothes) is unlikely. There is colour transfer on to a fork or a glass after you have eaten or drunk anything, but this is normal and can be expected, however, it does not effect the colour on the lips in any way, so you are safe to go clubbing and come home without half your lipstick on your chin! (see below)
Shade 13 Ratings
Pigmentation - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 4 out of 5
Staying Power - 5 out of 5
Durability - 5 out of 5
Transferability - 4 out of 5
*Overall Lipstick Rating* - 5 out of 5
SHADE 15
This shade is very different to the others. This shade is a lot more of an everyday colour no matter what the season may be! It is a very peachy toned pink, in fact I can not really decide whether it is a peachy toned pink or a pinky toned peach. However, it is a very gorgeous colour and looks fabulous whether just out at school or college or even just out shopping for the day with your girls, or even going for a classy night out for cocktails and even a rave! There is no real occasion to which I would wear this! It would even look great worn to a wedding!
Shade 15 is a fairly new addition to the MUA lipstick collection, which therefore means, it comes with a screw off and on colour pot also which directly matches the colour in the tube!
Once again, the pigmentation is second to none! Even though it is slightly more nude than the other three lipsticks I have talked about, the colour pay off, even on the lips is outstanding! The quality of the finish is great, with little streaking. However, the consistency, although cream formulated, does rather let this product down. Unlike the other lipsticks, this one tends to fall in-between any flakes or cracked bits of skin you have on your lips, in order for you to get a great pay off, make sure you exfoliate your lips with sugar scrub before use. If you do not have time to make a sugar scrub of your own or don't feel that it is worth investing the money in one, then don't panic! This lip colour looks great with a simple clear lip gloss over the top to ensure a less chalky finish!
Sadly, consistency isn't the only shortfall for this product. Although I do have many other MUA lipsticks that are a little better, I thought it best to include one with a few more downfalls so you don't think they are all great! Although I love this colour, the staying power and durability is lacking, something which admittedly is crucial in a lipstick, it will have to be re-applying almost directly after drinking or eating as the colour completely wears off, even with a lip stain or gloss over the top.
You would expect a chalky lipstick to have more durability than a creamy one, but this is not the case with this particular lipstick. Despite the constant re-application of the lipstick, the colour transfer is surprisingly minimal, it is still a bright enough lipstick for it to be noticeable on the skin (as you can see in the swatch above) but it hardly smudges onto the face or clothes which is a plus side for this product. However, as I have already mentioned, the colour does come off the lips and onto a glass or a fork after eating or drinking which automatically lets down, what would other wise be a great product! (see below)
.
Shade 15 Ratings
Pigmentation - 5 out of 5
Consistency - 3 out of 5
Staying Power - 2 out of 5
Durability - 2 out of 5
Transferability - 3 out of 5
*Overall Lipstick Rating* - 2.5 out of 5
____________________________________________________
Thanks for reading guys!
Check out where to find these and many other MUA lipsticks
Superdrug - http://www.superdrug.com/search?q=MUA+lipsticks&setpagenum=1&perpage=24
MUA - http://www.muastore.co.uk/index.php/lips/lipstick
WHERE TO FIND ME
Instagram - http://instagram.com/heartbritishthings
Twitter - https://twitter.com/TheSweetpeax
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