rockalily lipstick.

a part of make-up which really excites me is discovering new brands. if you own as much lipstick as i do, you either a) own all the shades that one of the 'big brands' offer, b) feel uninspired by what is there, or c) simply yearn for something different. my 'something different' for today is lipstick by cult-favourite rockalily. i actually was introduced to the brand half because the owner follows me on twitter (who essentially has my dream job, she must tell me her secrets), and half because she knows one of my best friends who SWEARS by the stuff (note: said friend is the utterly gorgeous and extremely talented maxine who runs little miss delicious).

however, as i own about 4 or 5 red lip products (and god knows how many pinks), i just couldn't justify purchasing it there and then. but whaddyaknow. maxine went and got it for me for christmas! the gift of beautiful red lipstick. what a sweetheart. FYI, i also got a new plushie too, although it's not edible. don't ask how i found this out. 

nails - no 7 (pillarbox).

maxine had chosen 'rockette red' (£13.50). if you go on the website, the shade is described as "a creamy and luxurious matte lipstick [and] a classic blue-based lipstick".

i noticed an immediate difference when it came to applying the lipstick. i thought that it might have been due to the packaging being slightly bulkier than what i'm used to, but once i compared it with another lipstick, i realised that the bullet is different in shape.

see what i mean? apologies for the bad picture and everything - the sun was setting and my room has little light. the tip of rockalily's lipstick is a lot smaller than that of mac, which seems to be the more standard size. i think it will take some getting used to seeing as i haven't been blessed with much of a pout a la angelina jolie - but i can see how a smaller tip would make for more precise application. if i don't get used to it, i can always just use a lip brush instead anyway.

application over, my lipstick faced then face the ultimate test: dinner and cocktails. nachos grande, to be precise: chips, cheese fondue, guacamole, salsa, jalapenos, the works. poor rockette red... however, once my carbfest ended, i decided that i really liked the lipstick - it didn't lose any pigmentation as time went on, and even though it did fade after dinner, it still left a red stain on my lips. it felt creamy and soft and oh so good - performing just like any other high-end brand (warranting the price). however, i think it's more of a semi-matte finish rather than being fully matte, which is probably a great alternative for anyone who wants something inbetween the two. if you want something extremely matte as mac's ruby woo, this isn't it.

so yeah, long story short: i really love it. it's a sort of red i don't have, and i adore how creamy it is. i showed the website to another friend who was slightly intimidated by the fact that it's a brand adored by alternative girls - but please don't let this put you off (if it works for illamasqua...!). trust me when i say that it's a lovely product who would suit 99.999% of the population. possibly even obama.

face: no 7 lift and luminate day cream, 17 primer, bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, urban decay eyeshadows (naked, virgin), maybelline gel liner, little bit of rimmel kohl pencil and mac superslick liquid eyeliner (black), no 7 lash adapt mascara (black), eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: illamasqua cream pigment (hollow), bourjois blush (rose ambré) and benefit gilded highlighter (tangerine gold).
lips: no 7 lip pencil (fire), rockalily lipstick (rockette red).

also, check out the new earrings. i was eyeing up these bad boys for the longest time and bought them on sale. they're by mawi x disney. i've been to disneyland three times but as i share my name with a disney princess, i think i'm going to excuse myself.