SWATCH | NARS Satin/Velvet Matte Lip Pencils (Sephora Birthday Gift 2015)

Here's what the container it comes in looks like

Velvet Matte - Cruella (scarlet red)

Satin Lip Pencil - Rikugien (rose pink)

Pros

Lightweight

Pigmented

Creamy

Easy to control application

Cons

Not twist up

Expensive

Price

$26 for 0.086 oz (full size)

These deluxe samples are 0.05 oz / 1.7 g

Verdict

I probably wouldn't buy these if it wasn't free, but I do like the colors they give you. 

Cruella is kind of a snow white red on my complexion, not a dark red as a swatch seems to show. Rikugien is surprisingly a natural pink color, I thought it was going to be frosty when I swatched it.

Purchase?

Mayyybe the peach color.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, but I personally wouldn't spend $26 on a lip product unless I LOVED the color and couldn't find it in any drugstore brand.

REVIEW | Urban Decay Perversion mascara (Ulta Birthday Gift 2015)

Sorry the order is flipped this time, the bottom is bare lashes

Middle: 1 coat

Top: 2 coats

Pros

Holds a curl

Lengthening

Not stiff like a lot of mascaras

Very dark

Cons

Not cheap

Not a lot of volume until 2nd coat

Price

$22 for 0.4 oz (full size)

$10 for 0.13 oz (travel size at Sephora)

Verdict

This is the Ulta birthday gift deluxe sample this year, I have to say Maybelline's Lash Sensational (review here) is better for my lashes. The first coat of this did nearly nothing, although it does look very clean. I wonder if my lashes have gotten thinner from wearing mascara too much. But the 2nd coat looks a lot better. I don't really like to put on 2nd coats of mascara because it usually smudges more on me, but maybe people who don't have that problem will enjoy this more. For a high end mascara this didn't wow me so I will be sticking to my $6 CoverGirl and Maybelline mascaras I can get at Target.

Purchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

Not in particular, if you just need length then it's ok