MUA HAUL; Cheeks & Lips

I love MUA products, so this post is all about the shades of blusher and lipstick that I own and currently love. 

Blusher - £1.00

MUA Blusher - £1 - 2.4g

MUA Blusher Shades and Open Pallets

For me, I find it hard to find the right shade of blush. Swatching it on skin never shows the true colour in my opinion as I don't think you can find the right one unless it's ontop of your base and foundation. MUA's blushers are great value as they're only £1 - so you can definitely afford to try a few each week and find the perfect shade for you.



MUA Blusher Swatches

Shade 2

I love using MUA Shade 2 from their previous collection before the NEW blushers came onto the scene. The large perspex lid shows the colour of the blush quite clearly and it shuts securely too, although after I've thrown mine about in my makeup and handbag, the hinges of the blush have broken so I have to secure it with a hairband now :(

Shade 2 is a mix between pink and a tinge of orange and it seems to blend quite well with my tone and look natural. It's easy to build up a dramatic look with a heavier application, although you have to be careful to not be too heavy otherwise you look like a clown and too blushed up!

When brushing the pallet with my F6 Blusher and Contouring Brush the powder blush doesn't clump or stick - when you tap off any excess it comes off easily and doesn't leave uneven levels of blush on the brush. 

Bon Bon

When MUA released the NEW blusher shades I immediately bought two I thought would look okay; Bon Bon and Cupcake. The new design is smaller in height although MUA have kept the large perspex window!  It's secured with hinges and a little clip-button where is pops into when shut down. Hopefully my lids will be more secure if they break in the future..

Bon Bon is darker than my usual Shade 2. It's described as "Apricot" although in the compact it looks quite dark, but when swatched it's quite a pigmented pink. It would therefore suit a darker skin tone or someone with a darker tan to my skin as it's quite pigmented, plus I haven't got the confidence to try it and step out of my comfort zone. This shade isn't my favourite out of the three I us regularly.

Cupcake

The compact looks slightly orange compared to Shade 2 and Bon Bon and is described as "Soft Peach". I'd agree. Although it looks slightly orange, when swatched it has a tinge of peach - not too orange and not too pink. I like using this shade when I have sunkissed skin as it looks really natural and not too 'dolled up' as it leaves you with a sunkissed look rather than using bronzer. As it's quite light you can also build up a heavier look, although as it's pigmented with orange you need to be careful not to apply too much or you could end up looking too orange.



Lipstick - £1.00





MUA Lipsticks - 3.8g - £1



I don't wear lipstick a lot, only certain occasions such as parties, family get togethers and meals out. I have always wanted a  nude colour lipstick since I was in my teens, and I was so excited when I discovered Bare and Juicy by MUA! They're only a £1 so you can buy the whole collection for the price of a couple of high end lipsticks!

The lipstick design is simple. Black with the MUA logo imprinted in silver on the lid. A cute little addition to the lipsticks is the little gloss that you can unscrew and use at the bottom. Even though it's little, I use it to identify what colour it is and it looks super cute and stylish in my opinion!


MUA Lipstick Swatches

Shade 14 BARE

Bare was my first MUA lipstick. I've wanted a nude lipstick for AGES and I finally found one! As you can tell from the picture - it's falling apart because I use it all the time as it's my favourite! The swatch doesn't look nude although the shade and tone will all depend on your natural lip colour and the way it takes to it. However, whatever shade your lips are, I think Shade 14 BARE would look great on any shade of lips as the tone of the lipstick would differ between nude or nude peach.

Shade 14 BARE glides on smoothly and I only need one application to get the best of the colour. The lipstick doesn't dry my lips out, although I do apply a moisturising lip balm on allday everyday so this might contribute to it. It isn't a Superstay lipstick so I didn't and don't expect it to stay on whilst eating and drinking, but it does stay on for an acceptable amount of time. 

Shade 15 JUICY

Juicy is very similar to Bare although it's slightly more peach/dusty pink. When I can't get hold of Bare I turn to Juicy as it's similar but adds a little of a summer look. The swatch looks rather pink/peach although the shade would differ depending on your skin tone and lips etc. But again I think it would look great on anyone to help create a natural look.

Like Bare, it doesn't leave my lips feeling dry and as it's a natural colour, it makes my eyes pop out an draws the attention away from bad skin or that awkward spot.. It's easy to apply and I only need to apply it once to get the best out of the colour. Like mentioned previously, it doesn't stay on whilst drinking or eating, but then again if you're looking for a lipstick that does that you'll need to look for a more durable lipstick/stain.

Shade 16 NECTAR

Nectar is a completely different shade compared to Bare and Juicy. The colour is a pink/pale coral shade which is great for Summer! I've never been keen on using vibrant colours, but I love using Nectar when the sun is shining and to get in the Summer mood!

Nectar doesn't feel as moisturising as other shades although I've only started using it so it might be because it's new! I need to apply it a couple of times to get the best of the colour on my lips but when I want a more subtle shade of Nectar, I just gently sweep it on and blend it with a little moisturising lip balm. As the shade is quite vibrant - it's more noticeable and therefore it seems to stay on longer.

Shade 5

I love the colour pink, but pink does not look good on my lips because of my pale skin. I thought I'd give shade 5 a go because it's only a £1! The colour looks very pigmented when opened, but from the swatch it looks rather light - a nice surprise considering the differences and how it suits my skin.

As it's new, I need to apply the lipstick a few times to get a good application although because of the colour of my own lips, the pink pigment isn't too 'in your face'. Shade 5 is tinted with a shimmer, so when applied the subtle pink colour shimmers which is great for the Spring and Summer seasons. Because of the subtle shade, it isn't too noticeable when it comes off when eating and drinking as it acts more of a slight shimmer than a lipstick because I apply a little Vaseline/Lip Balm before applying my lipstick. This helps it to not dry my lips out which is a bonus throughout the sunny, hot and humid days.

 

Shade 9

Shade 9 couldn't be more further from my usual shades and preferences. The lipstick is a Brown/Burgundy shade with a slight shimmer. It doesn't suit my tone at all and I would suggest it would look better on those with a darker skin tone rather than pale light skin.

Due to the dark pigmentation, Shade 9 stays on quite well, although when eating and drinking it is noticeable when it comes off. In my opinion, the shimmer aspect of the lipstick would be more appropriate for a night time look, although that's just me as I don't have the confidence! You have to apply it a few times to get the application on the lips right, although it comes out quite dark and 'in your face'. This shade is my least favourite of my collection although I haven't wasted money due to the great price so I can afford to experiment and try new shades.



RATING

Price; 5 STARS The majority of Make Up Academy's products are £1 which is great is you're on a budget but great news so that you can buy all their shades of each product and experiment at home!

Promises; 5 STARS The blushers and lipsticks do their job. The lipsticks aren't going to stay on through meals or big nights out, but they're great for adding a pop of colour every now and then. The blushers are cute and great to define cheekbones and create a dramatic or natural look.

Ease of Use; 5 STARS The makeup brushes and tools glide over the blusher pallets making them easy to store and use. The lipsticks are also easy to apply with most only needing one application and the design makes it easy to hold whilst applying.

Would I Recommend to a Friend? YES For £1 you can't make a mistake. If you wanted, you could buy all the lipstick and blusher shades to match each outfit and mood you're in or even just experiment to find a dupe for another brand. Even if you purchase the totally wrong colour, like I did with Shade 9, you haven't wasted money, it's worth a try!

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