MUA Liquid Lipstick Haul

I'll admit it - I love liquid lipsticks. Much like everyone else, I have become all kinds of obsessed with them and they're pretty much all I reach for at the moment when it comes to the lip department. They deliver gorgeous rich, opaque pigment in just one swipe and most dry down to a matte finish which just lasts and lasts and lasts with minimal touch-ups required throughout the day. Sure, they may feel a tad less comfortable on the lips and be prone to going a little dry but for the fuss-free finish and longevity - I really can't complain. I've tried a few different offerings from brands so far and have quite the list of others I want to try and one of them which is perhaps the most budget-friendly are the MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers. I've looked at these for a while now, debating whether to pick a few shades up and in the end, I just went for it and so here we are with today's post. A big ol' one brand, liquid lipstick haul complete with swatches and some first impressions as we go along too. Sound good? Keep on reading...

I picked up a good selection of shades - mainly because there were so many which called out to me and also due to the 3 for 2 that Superdrug currently have in-store and on their website. Cause, there's nothing like a good multibuy offer to make you buy even more makeup than you were expecting to - yanno? I plumped for six shades in total at £3.00 each - but as I effectively only paid for four, they worked out at only £2.00 a pop! Pretty bargainous so far. With the nude-toned hues being all the rage right now and everyone, including myself, making it some kind of mission to buy as many as humanely possible, I opted for 'Tranquillity' - a gorgeous light, brown-ey nude which I think I've heard a few others mentioning in the past; and also 'Dash' - a darker, plum-toned shade.  I also wanted to pick up a few bolder, deeper colours seeing as we're firmly in the Autumn/Winter months now. I really like the idea of a red liquid lipstick (it's kinda become my mission to find one I like for the festive period) and so I picked up 'Reckless', a classic, true red and also 'Firecracker', a deeper, more burgundy-toned berry shade. Last, but certainly by no means least colour-wise I went for 'Flair', a super deep brown, berry shade and I also picked up the 'Colour Enhancer' - a white base which you can layer underneath a normal liquid lip to create a nice, even starting ground and improve the opacity and intensity. Sometimes when ordering lip colours online, it can be a little hit and miss but on first swatches on my arm (see above) and also on my lips, I am so super happy with the colours I picked out.

The one main downside I can find so far is that I hate, hate, hate the smell. Unlike many other liquid lipsticks which have a much more appetising cakey scent, this range possesses a fragrance that's more reminiscent of Calpol - a sickly-sweet, strawberry aroma - but luckily, after you finish applying them to your lips and have quickly closed the tube up, it soon subsides. Phew. Surprisingly, other than that, there isn't much else I can complain about so far. All of the colours are well-pigmented, rich and are either fully opaque in just one coat, or can be easily layered up - something which I actually really like, as it means that they can be topped up throughout the day without things getting cakey and messy. Once applied, they dry down in a matter of seconds and the finish is super lovely. It's completely matte, transfer-proof and smudge resistant (things which actually, aren't always the case with supposed 'matte liquid lipsticks') and they fare pretty well in the longevity stakes aswell. Of course, eating and drinking will cause them to wear down a tad, but it's only when you tackle them with proper oily, greasier foods when you will do the most damage - much like any other, more expensive formula. Honestly, for only £3.00 a shade, that ain't half bad in my opinion. I may just have to go back for more shades (that's unless I haven't already exhausted the range already)...