Sisley Spring 2015 Phyto Lip Twist Shades With Swatches

I swear Sisley uncovered some secret new lip pencil formula when they created these Phyto Lip Twists. Because while they look like every other jumbo lip pencil out there, they couldn't be further from that. Yes, they have the shape of a lip pencil and the mechanics of one, but the feel of them on the lips is by far one of my favorite formulas of all time. The colors manage to be bold but not too bold, sheer but not too sheer - it is the perfect balance of coverage. Rarely have I ever come across a formula that perform like this and wear so well. The shape of them makes it so easy to apply - and this may shock you but I can actually apply these without a mirror. That is how perfect the point of the this pencil is shaped - it fits right onto my lip without being too small or too big and glides right on.

The three shades they launched are Candy (8), Coral (7) and Chestnut (9) (swatched above in that order) and will most certainly get you in the mood for spring's brighter colors. As you can see from the above swatches, they look incredibly even and smooth on the lips. I find that if my lips are experiencing any dryness or peeling, these lip pencils hide that immediately. My lips stay hydrated and moisturized almost all day when wearing these, and I only need to touch up once or twice. They are obviously not as pigmented as a matte lipstick or full coverage formula, so the staying power is strong but it's certainly not a 12 hour stain. That being said, I wouldn't want it to be because that may take away from the richness and emolliency which is one of the reasons my lips enjoy wearing these Phyto Lip Twists. I know these are quite a splurge, but they truly deliver on their luxury status and are worth every penny.

*pr samples included

Shop some of my other favorite lip pencils:

Review: Sisley Phyto-Lip Twists

I'm going to warn you now, before the post even begins to prepare yourself and brace your wallets. These Sisley lip pencils I'm about to talk about are a lip lover's dream. Between the color choices, the pigmentation, the texture and feel on the lips - these are the absolute pinnacle of lip pencils. And at a rather steep price, I reckon they should be. But to be honest, there is nothing worse than a high priced makeup item that builds up your expectations and then lets you down in a crushing blow of bad performance. Or an off-putting scent. Or an averse reaction on the skin. Yowsa, no thank you. That's why I appreciate when a luxury product comes along that gets it right. And these Sisley Phyto-Lip Twists knock it out of the park.

Sisley is generally know for it's skincare, but slowly I've seen them putting out more and more makeup products that are worth a second look. These Phtyo-Lip Twists are worth a third and fourth look if you ask me. From the zebra print packaging to the color assortment, I'm pretty sure anyone and everyone can find a shade they love.

As you can see from the swatches above, the colors fall in the middle of the pigmentation spectrum - not too sheer and not too opaque. They are the goldilocks of lip pencils! LOL Let's first talk about texture and feel before we discuss color options. To say these glide on is an understatement - they almost apply themselves they are so smooth. A lot (and I mean A LOT) of lip colors make my lips peel or dry but because I am often in love with the color over formula, I wear them. But finally I don't have to compromise because these stay super creamy and soft on my lips all day long. I get about a good 4 hours out of them before I need to do a quick touch-up, but the shape of the pencil and twist up application make it easy enough that I don't even need a mirror. Ok - onto colors. Look at these shades!!! I am partial to Lip Twist 2 as the perfect pinky nude and Lip Twist 6 as the sassiest orange red, but frankly I love them all. Lip Twist 4 pulls a bit too blue on me so I would have to layer it with something a bit warmer, but other than that, they all have made their rounds in my makeup bag. If lip pencils are your thing (and frankly even if they are not), these Lip Twists are worth the splurge. If I could insert emojis into this paragraph, I would end this post with the two hands up emoji, followed by the dancing girl in the red dress emoji and finally a lipstick emoji and the sassy girl with her hand up to the side of her head emoji. You get the jist, right?

*pr samples included

NUDESTIX: A Review

Just as I cannot pass up a good cupcake, the same can be said for jumbo eye and lip pencils. I want each and every one I see. So naturally when NUDESTIX came across my radar, they pulled me in like a tractor beam. And then there is the whole neutral color scheme that only served to make them even more appealing. NUDESTIX kindly sent over some samples for me to try and I have been putting them through the makeup gauntlet. Below is a look at the swatches of all the shades I tested.

1. Eye Pencil - The 2 colors I tried were Smoke and Stardust (bottom two swatches), which are a harder formula and wear more like a traditional eye liner. I initially wore these all over the lid as an eye shadow but found they creased a bit after about 5 hours (even with primer), so I switched to using them just as a traditional eye liner. This proved to be a much better option for me and loved the effect they gave the eye. Smoke looked beautiful smudged around the entire lash line (upper and lower) for a delicate smokey eye, and Stardust is the perfect inner corner highlight. Each comes with a sponge on the opposite end to help blend the liner, though I found that my finger worked equally as well.

2. Magnetic Eye Color Pencil - I have the colors Twilight and Angel (shown above in the middle two swatches), and absolutely LOVE these with every ounce of my being. I simply cannot sing this pencil's praise enough! They are so smooth, creamy and glide on effortlessly. I apply them directly to the lid (over primer) and then blend with either my finger or a synthetic brush. Oh, and then I just sit around and wait for them to crease. Still waiting. Frankly, I may be waiting until I am 80 because I have yet to see these bad boys move. I am actually wearing them now as I write this post and they are still going strong at 7:03 p.m. at night after applying them at 7:45 a.m. this morning. Yup, that's almost 12 long hours my friends. Amazing. Oily lid gals - get in on this immediately.

3. Lip & Cheek Pencil - The 3 colors I tested were Soul, Mystic and Blush (shown in that order top to bottom in the above top 3 swatches). While they are for both lips and cheeks, I used them only on my lips. I wish I could tell you I had a favorite shade, but frankly I loved them all. You are on your own with this one. Of course they all give that "my lip color but better" so I'm not sure you can go wrong with any of them. Moving on to texture....*mumbles with hand over mouth* I like them better than my NARS pencils. What? Who said that? That's madness. (omg, but it's true) They are incredibly creamy without being too soft (you know, the ones that break and smush as you apply - my Bite pencils are guilty of that), and they stay incredibly emollient on the lips. I do have to reapply every 4 hours or so, which doesn't bother me. They do not dry my lips out, they are super wearable, oh and they come with their own sharpener. Yes, you need to try at least one. Maybe two. Don't blame me if you buy three. I had nothing to do with that. 

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