Out of pure curiosity, I decided to venture into the Make Up Store today after work.
For those who are slightly lost at the name of the shop, yes you heard me right, it's called Make Up Store and it's a cosmetic brand from Sweden.
So I've always walked by the Make Up Store but I've never once gone in because compared to any other makeup store, it doesn't look as appealing. Besides, half the time the store is usually empty so I definitely had my reservations against this brand.
However, I decided on my way back from work that I should give this brand a shot and at least go in and have a look at their products. Also, I was hoping that I would be able to find a good nude lipstick as aside from Peachstock, I can't find another nude lipstick to my liking at MAC.
Before going to the store I did a little research online about their products and all. Sadly I did not manage to find much reviews, aside from one that mentioned that the Sales Assistants (SA) are fairly snobbish. With that thought in mind, I was prepared to be ignored or snobbed upon entering the store, but that wasn't exactly what happened.
I'll break my review up into 2 parts. One about the experience shopping there, and another about the product I had purchased.
My experience/encounter with the SA
Unlike the review that I had read, the SA that attended to me wasn't snobbish at all. Instead she was very helpful, almost TOO helpful to be honest. The minute I entered the store, she came up to me and asked if I needed help and when I said I was just looking around, she continued to hover behind me, which really does annoy me. So in an effort to just occupy her, I mentioned I was looking for a nude lipstick.
The minute I said those words, the SA went into maniac mode and started swatching tons of nude lipsticks on the back of my hand, and at times throwing in some pinks ("why not try a pink, this is a popular color") even though I did mention upon the second swatch I wanted something more beige-toned.
Once the major swatching session was over, there were a few shades that had caught my eye. Two to be precise, however one of them looked a little too similar to Peachstock, so instead I got the other one (which you would see pictures of later on).
After I was done choosing the lipstick, I felt fairly relieved because the attention the SA was giving to me was bordering on scary. It was as if they hardly have any customers come in that they have to jump on one immediately. Either which, I was on my way to the counter to pay when the SA dragged me over to the eyeshadow section and asked if I needed shadows and proceeded to swatching on the back of my already full hand. I politely turned her down and tried to make my way to the counter as quickly as I can, but the SA started recommended glitter liners and foundations. This time I quickly smiled and said I have enough makeup as is before she retreated behind the counter and started registering my purchase.
Wow, that was a long story. All in all I must say that the service is a little overly hospitable that it sort of reflected as some customer-grabbing tactic. It's those cases where you feel you are almost pressured to get what they are recommending just so they would stop talking or something.
Anyway, enough of my little experience, on to the lipstick that I had purchased
Product Review/Photos
So I purchased yet another nude lipstick (like I need more of these) in the color Bare.
Much like MAC, Make Up Store has different finishes to their lipsticks too and the one I had chosen was in the finish 'sheer', which I would describe as a Lustre in MAC terms. It seems a little too pigmented to be called a Glaze but you may say otherwise (and honestly there is nothing wrong with disagreeing. After all I'm not at all a pro)
Isn't the color just stunning?
So I did a lip swatch, but in order to show you it's true effect, I've taken a photo of my bare lips (my true lip color) and another photo with this on, just so you can compare. I know it's kind of scary to show lips that close up, but bear with me.
My bare lips
Lips with Bare applied
Full-faced look. Pardon the cheesy smile, the flash got a little blinding after awhile.
So as you can see it's fairly sheer but not to the point where there isn't a color pay off at all. It has most definitely muted down the pink of my lips and blended my lips to my skintone a little without giving me a concealer-dead lip look.
The lipstick is also very easy to apply and it just glides on with no tugging what so ever.
As for scent/taste, this lipstick has none of that. It doesn't smell of anything in particular (aside from the partial waxy lipstick scent) and it definitely doesn't have a taste to it.
It isn't sticky at all and it feels rather moisturizing. I wouldn't say that it feels exactly like having balm on, but it doesn't make your lips feel like they are going to just crack on you.
Price-wise, these are a tad bit more expensive then MAC as they retail for SGD $29 while a MAC lipstick retails for SGD $28.
So the difference isn't really major, but I should just let you guys know.
To sum it all up, I actually really like this particular lipstick and I would have to say that it would be perfect for an everyday lip color for me as it doesn't take too much effort to apply and I don't have to spend time smoothing it out as I have to with NYX's Round Lipstick in Circe and sometimes with MAC's Peachstock because their formulaes are too opaque (which isn't exactly a bad thing).
Would I recommend it? Well it depends as it is fairly pricey but I would say their lipsticks are worth lookin at if you can get pass the slight waxy lipstick scent. However if MAC were to have a lipstick in this exact shade/finish/pigmentation, I'd choose MAC over this in a heartbeat. (But sadly MAC doesn't have one, at least not in the permanent collection)
Alright, I believe I've taken enough of your time, so I'll let you guys go now, thanks for sticking through this long entry!
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