Lime Crime Velveteens: Swatches, Review, and Tips!

Lime Crime Velveteens, boxed

I love reds and I love mattes. So I don’t know why it took me so long to try Lime Crime’s Velvetines.

Every fan of the ultra matte-red lip should at least check this out once! These go on a little like NYX Soft Matte Lip Cremes, but are more liquid and they really set and stay on after that.

Lime Crime Velveteens in Suedeberry (left) and Red Velvet

The finish is very smooth and these apply evenly, especially Red Velvet. If your lips are naturally very red or dark, Suedeberry might not be opaque enough to look 100% even. You will get little bits of darker color peaking out from beneath sometimes.

Color-wise, Red Velvet is like an even more dramatic version of MAC Russian Red, and Suedeberry is a bright coral-red which sometimes glows a little pink. (The company is bringing out a pink shade soon; can’t wait!)

Lip swatch of Lime Crime Velvetine in Suedeberry

Lip swatch of Lime Crime Velvetine in Red Velvet

If you’re a fan of the dramatic, “velvety”, zero-shine finish, these - in particular Red Velvet - are top of the range in my humble opinion. Suedeberry is a very cute shade too, but doesn’t go on quite as evenly as the deep red, and I think you can never go wrong with a classic ultra-matte red.

Of course, this also means that if you don’t like the feel of matte lipsticks and your lips are quite chapped or flaky, you should not come within a mile of these. They are VERY unforgiving of flaky, dry skin because the formula sets almost powdery-feeling.

Wrist swatches for Lime Crime Velvetines in Suedeberry and Red Velvet

Click here for 5 Tips to using and getting the most of your Velvetines!

Aqua and Cobalt: Marine-themed Liquid Liner Look

Liquid liner is always a quick way to make a statement/. This is a duo-tone liner look using two shades I love; a pearly aqua (Maybelline Hyper Glossy Liquid Liner in Turquoise Blue) and a rich cobalt blue (Lime Crime Uniliner in Lazuli)

I also used 2 pencils; a black (Shahnaz Husain black kajal) and a matte beige (Nars Rue Bonaparte), and 2 matte shadows (a beige called Nude and a navy called Navy Baby from Coastalscents.com).

IMPORTANT: If you're not sure about liquid liner but would like to get a similar/softer look, just use pencils or gel liner.

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Step 1: First apply 2 matte shadows in the above way, with the navy in the socket first, sweeping from outside in so the color softens inwards, then blended out so there are no hard lines. The beige is just there to "tidy up" the navy, and to neutralize any darkness or discolorations on the lid.

New Pulp Fiction: Dark Lips and Nails, with soft Glittery Lids

Uber-dark lips are incredibly dramatic, but can look sophisticated at the same time. Here are a few quick tips to wear super-dark lips AND nails without going all goth or emo.

1. Wear a bright blush. Many people don't think to do this, but dark lips can really drain your face of color, and the pop of a glowing pink or peach on the cheeks adds some life and prettiness so the look isn't too severe.
2. Choose soft, cool colors for the lids. A very dark lip is almost a neutral shade in itself, so if you do a brown or taupe eye, the whole thing can look very monochromatic in a 90's sort of way. Not a bad look per se, but we're trying to keep things modern here.
3. Add a little texture into your look. Whether it's a bit of sparkle or a metallic sheen to your lids, it helps to again liven up and lighten the look.
4. Go purple/plum rather than brown when choosing a dark lipstick. That tends to be more flattering on most skins, including the very fair and the very dark. A dark brown can be more aging and draining.
5. Go for a creamy texture rather than a matte, for a more accessible look.

Tips: Invest in a black lip mix or lipstick. (I used OCC Tarred for this, but my favorite black lip product is actually MAC Pro lipmix in Black.) You don't need 4-5 shades of dark lipsticks. Just add varying amounts of black to change it a bit.

Tool: I used a synthetic concealer brush for this.

Avant Garde Baby Blue: Smoky-Blue Eyes with Pop of Pastel Liner

I think I seldom do anything that's really against the grain in terms of makeup looks, so I just felt like exploring for once. 

I paired a pale sky blue with a dark smoky eye, for those of you who want a little kick to your usual evening routine.

Do note that the liner I used (Lime Crime Uniliner in Blue Milk) is quite an expensive option, and I'm not aware of any dupe at this point, so if you want a similar effect on a budget, I recommend a matte baby-blue pencil or using a liner sealant to apply a matte baby-blue pigment or shadow as a liner.

Step 1: Apply a deep, rich metallic blue over your lids, leaving just the center clean. It's best to use a good primer beneath so the pigments will show up really strong and dimensional. Make sure to go under the eyes, alone the lower lash line as well.

I used a limited edition MAC Shadow called Motorhead but there are PLENTY of beautiful deep blues around from brands like NYX, etc.

Step 2: In the center, pack on a soft pastel blue and gently blend the edges outward into the deeper blue so there are no harsh lines. This should give a really beautiful contoured gleam.

Step 3: You can finish off with black mascara and leave it be, or you can do what I did (for a kick) and apply a bright, matte baby blue liquid liner along the inner corners of lower lash line, and as a flick at the outer corners. For the lower lashes, to prevent smudging and smearing or general eye irritation, take care to apply to your tightline (where the lashes go into the flesh) rather than directly in the center of the inner rims.

For the flick at the outer corners, as always, follow the angle of your lower lash line. This is the best angle as the flick will work with your natural contours and never look like it is "off". When your eye is open, the lower and upper lines should look beautiful together.

Lime Crime Uniliner Swatches and Tips!

Lime Crime Uniliners

Swatches (L-to-R): Lunar White (liquid-paper white), 6th Element (true orange), Citreuse (lime), Blue Milk (baby-blue), Lazuli (cobalt), Orchidaceous (bright violet) and Quill (straight black)

The team at Lime Crime very kindly sent me a set of their brand-new, uber-bright Uniliners, so I'm swatching them here and throwing in a few tips on application if you happen to like matte, intense liquid liners as much as I do.

(To see a previous tutorial using a matte liquid/cake liner, click here!)

It's easy to find liquid liners in neutral shades (black, brown, grey, navy), and metallic finishes, but much less common to get hold of them in matte, BRIGHT shades, hence my previous post raving about the colors in this range.

Lime Crime Uniliner in Citreuse

The Good News:

These do go on the way they look in images and swatches. I'm actually surprised by just how nice the paler shades are; particularly Blue Milk and Citreuse. They look like they might have a bit of shimmer in the tubes, but go on matte.

These come with long-ish, fine brush tips, so you can get maximum intensity (as compared to felt tips which tend to deposit less product.

The colors are actually quite wearable in real life despite how bright they look in images. They also don't smear off when rubbed, and don't crack after drying, unless you really coat on layer after layer.

The Bad News?

They're a good bit smaller than they look in pictures (1.3ml or 0.04 oz as compared to the typical 2ml or so in the average liquid liner). This isn't too much of a problem in the sense that most liquid liners dry out before they're finished, but at $13.99, bear in mind that these are definitely higher-end.

The fact that they come with a fine brush also means they might not be the best option for liquid-liner novices or those with shaky hands. 

Tips for Use

1. Instead of trying to apply your liner in one single stroke, you'll get more control and a more intense line if you apply it in sections. Center, outer, and then inner corners when you have the least amount of liquid left on your brush.
2. Take care not to apply too many coats of liner or your liner will crease and crack after drying.
3. If you're going to do what I do and stack liners (black and lime shown here), apply the paler color first in a thick swatch along or close to your lash line. THEN apply the darker or black shade thinly along the base. Doing it the other way round (black first then colored) would be a whole lot messier and harder to control.
4. Arm yourself with Q-tips and a disposable mascara brush. All that liquid liner that you get on places like your skin and your lashes is going to show up instantly. After applying, clean up any smudges with the the Q-tip or by briskly running the mascara wand through your lashes.
5. You can wear it neat without shadow, but always add a little dark color around the lashes or wear tons of mascara. Your lash line can disappear otherwise.
6. Wearing a full strip along the entire upper lash line creates the optical illusion of a smaller but more defined double-lid
7. If you have a very steady hand, wear it along your lower lash line!
8. These, like most liquid liners, are made to last. They won't come off properly with just soap and water. Use a makeup remover.
9. Apply it thick over the entire lid and gently smooth out with your finger tip for a dramatic eye shadow look!

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Lime Crime products are vegan and cruelty-free.

Sultry Candy: Matte Pastel Evening Look (using Lime Crime Palette D'Antoinette)

If you want to wear colorful makeup, I always find matte shades to be an fun option because they are so color-true.

Lime Crime's Spring palette D'Antoinette is a collection of sugary pastels that are pigmented but not so crumbly and chalky that you can't apply them with a regular shadow brush. I decided to give it a test run by creating a slightly dramatic eye so you can see for youreslf if you like the color-payoff and textures.

The palette is not cheap at $34.99, but if you are in the market for a collection of blossom-y matte pastels that are so fun for spring and summer, this is a good-quality option, and actually quite a good deal if you consider that a single 1.5g MAC pan costs $11.50 without a case, and a regular shadow costs $15, while each color here is 1.6g and costs less than $7.

The only criticism I can think of is that all 5 shades are pale, bright colors, and most people would need a deep color in order as a definer shade. This is NOT an idiot-proof palette. You can't just slap on the colors in any ol' combination and walk out the door.

Unless you have extremely deep sockets, very pale skin, and full, dark lashes, you can probably benefit from using a deep brown, grey, or black, etc along with it.

Step 1: I ran a matte chocolate brown shadow (Revlon 009 Rich Sable) along the upper and lower lash line with a flat angled brush.

Step 2: I picked the soft bright peach (Macarooned) and packed it onto the center of the lids. 

Step 3: Then I swept the matte pastel pink (Royal Flush; this shadow is like the shadow version of MAC Saint Germain lipstick) along the inner half of the socket line above the peach shadow.

Step 4: Now with the only sparkly/shimmery silver shade in the palette, I dabbed around the inner corners of my eyes using a ring finger. (Mercurious; Bourjois's little round pot in Argent, below, is a dupe if you can't afford Lime Crime.)

 

Step 5: Finish by outer corners by packing the matte lavender shade (Ribonesque) in a rough in-ward facing "C" around the eye socket.

Step 6: And just because pale or bright shades all over the lids can really "flatten" your eye and sometimes make your lids look puffy, I added a bit of definition and contour back by running the matte brown from earlier very lightly along the socket line and blending it out to just a soft line.

Step 7: Finish by reapplying lavender and pink outside and above the contour line in the above shape. This helps to soften out the brown even more, and reinstates color without erasing the contours.

Step 8: Apply black liquid liner thinly along the upper lash line, avoiding any flicks. This is just a base for applying a strip of false lashes. (I used Fairylash once again because they are so black and beautifully-dramatic, and go so well with this look.)

Cotton Candy and Chocolate: Defined Pastel Makeup Tutorial (using I Nuovi Dusts)

Pastels are all over the place this season. But more of us love pastels than pastels love us, as it's not always the most flattering color-group to wear around the eyes for those with high-color (dark hair, darker skins, etc) and flatter eye contours.

For this eye look, I'm using pastels that are so pale they are almost icy, and the application is actually very straightforward, as it hinges mainly on the chocolate powder liner to bring everything together. 

You just need to arm yourself with eye shadow shades similar to the ones swatched above. It doesn't matter if it comes in loose or pressed form.

• Pale pink
• Pale Turquoise
• Deep chocolate brown

Step 1: The thick winged liner. This is MUCH easier to do with powder shadow than with gel or liquid, and you just need a firm angled brush to stroke from outside in, to gently create the wing. There are many brown shadows around, but pick a shade that is matte or semi-matte, to stand out against the pastels better.

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Step 2: Layer  a pale turquoise shadow over the outer half of your lids. Then repeat using the pink on the inner halves, extending down around the inner corners slightly to brighten the eye area.

Step 3: Finish by applying another layer of brown shadow thinly as a liner at the lash line. This gives the brown more depth close to the lashes, while the bit that has pastel blue and pink shadows layered over it has a bit of sheen.

Then finish with black mascara on top and bottom lashes.

On the cheeks, go for a hot pink blush instead of a pastel. This keeps everything edgy instead of being just pastel everywhere. I used Shu Uemura P Red 14 Blush but any intense pink will do.

On the lips, go with a blue-based pink like Great Pink Planet (what I wore here) or Saint Germain (left-most swatches) to go with the shadows!

Scarlet Slippers: Red Glitter Winged-Eye Tutorial

Red glitter on lids.

Red on the eyes is always incredibly dramatic, but when you use a red glitter, it becomes surprisingly pretty as well. I am applying two matte shadows from the Lime Crime Chinadoll palette but you can use any reddish and black shadow you have.

For the glitter, the finer cosmetic grade ones are better for the eye area, but if that's not accessible for you and you want to use regular art store glitter, find the finest you can get, and make sure to be careful when removing from the lids. (Wipe upwards, away from your lash line, not down into your eyes.)

See the step-by-step tutorial here! 

Pale/Baby Pink Lipsticks

MAC Saint Germain lipstick

Anonymous:
What are some good pale pink lipsticks?


More people love pale-pink than dare to wear it as a full-on lipstick. Sure it's a bit of a Snooki-esque disaster if you wear it wrong but the right shade can be sweet on the pale, oh-so-cute on the medium-toned, super-sexy on the tanned, and edgy on the darker-skinned.
I didn't get into pale/pastel pink lipsticks until quite recently (2010 to be exact). I never thought I'd ever pull off a pale pink without looking ridiculous, and I'm sure many of you feel that way too.
Well, arm yourself with a good lip primer or concealer, and give it a shot.

L-to-R: Lime Crime Great Pink Planet, MAC Saint Germain, NYX Jupiter, NYX Strawberry Milk, Barry M 100 Baby Pink

Shades I own:
Lime Crime Great Pink Planet: The lipstick that converted me to the world of opaque pastel pinks, and arguably my favorite of the lot. This is one of those lipsticks that is opaque enough to give you that "stick-on" lips effect when you really layer it on. If worn sheer, it will look deeper as it stains your lips pink.
Finish: Opaque Satin
Opacity: High
Price: mid-range
Shade: Bright pastel true-pink
Note: Often listed as a dupe of Saint Germain but it's actually not as blue-based.


MAC Saint Germain: This legendary Amplified pale-pink creme has driven many makeup collectors crazy as it was previously only available in Europe and via limited edition collections. It's STILL not available outside of the US/EU at the moment. (I got mine shipped to a friend's hotel on her recent trip to the States.)
Finish: Opaque creme
Opacity: High
Price: mid-range
Shade: Bright pastel blue-pink
Note: This can look quite shocking on deeper or yellower complexions because it is VERY blue-based. Not for the faint of heart. If you're not sure, Great Pink Planet is a better one to start off with as it's plenty-bright, but warmer and not so stark against the skin. If you want a really eye-catching pale pink though, this is it.

NYX Jupiter: This is what I call the "Beginner's Pale Pink", because you get a pale, pastel-pink frost rather than an opaque layer of pastel-pink. I don't like frost lipsticks but this actually looks nice, wears evenly, and will work with many skin tones.
Finish: Sheer frost
Opacity: Medium-low, buildable
Price: Low
Shade: Warm shell-pink with strong pale-pink frost
Note: Avoid pairing with frosted cheeks AND frosted lids if you don't want to look like an 80's throwback. Looks FANTASTIC on those with a tan.

NYX Strawberry Milk: Least-favored of the bunch. Seems everyone who owns it either loves it or hates it. I'm actually probably going to throw it out some day soon. It's a pale nude almost-pink that looks like it would look so fabulous, but the slippery texture killed it for me. I have a hard time applying it evenly, which drives me nuts because I'm so a**l about getting lip color even.
Finish: Almost-opaque creme
Opacity: Medium
Price: Low
Shade: Pale, pale pink with beige tones
Note: I actually have an extra NEW tube sitting in storage if anyone wants to give it a go. I'll send it to you free if you'll pay for the shipping. Just message me if you're interested and let me know your country. I'll check on the shipping rate and  you can decide if it's worth it first!
[Update] You guys are fast! I've got a few queries already and am taking this "off the market" before I disappoint too many people. I'll update again if the deal falls through and the lipstick is available again!]
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 Barry M 100 Baby Pink Lip Paint: UBER-pale pink that is almost white against the skin. I'm NC25 and even on my medium-light skin, it looks very dramatic. Not the easiest shade to wear, but works with the right makeup.

Finish: Satin-pearl (the pearl is almost invisible on the lips)
Opacity: Medium-high, buildable
Price: Low
Shade: Pale white-pink
Note: If nothing but the most deliciously-shocking pale pink will do, THIS is the lipstick for you. Just note that you will need to mute out your lips with a little concealer, especially around the edges, as the lipstick is paler than your skin and will bring out any ruddy tones around the mouth