testing out a sephora lip product + mini sample review

There was a little bit left on a Sephora gift card in my wallet. Though I had intended to use it on a Rare Beauty liquid blush, the blushes are often out of stock in store. Tired of waiting, impulsively, I placed an online order for a lipstick. Since I have been really into cool toned makeup looks lately...I was looking for a cool toned lipstick to pair with my beloved Kara Beauty eyeshadow palette. A quick search on the Sephora website led me to a few different options. Ultimately, the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick was added to my cart. The shade Pretty Beige was described as a matte taupe. Since my gift card covered the $20 CDN cost, it was an impulsive decision, but one that I felt pretty good about. I was also able to add two samples to my order. I chose the Glossier Stretch Fluid Foundation sample set and the Huda Beauty Faux Filter Luminous Matte Liquid Concealer sample set. I wanted to know how the foundation and concealer would perform. Samples are a great way to find out whether the formula works for me...and if it is something that I want to purchase a full-sized version of in the future. Ready to take a look at the Sephora lipstick? The samples? Here is a makeup look and some mini reviews. 

As I mentioned, something cool toned was on my mind when I started looking at the Sephora website. I believe I searched for "cool taupe lipstick" and the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick appeared in the shade Pretty Beige. The website described it as a matte taupe and since the price was reasonable and there was a gift card in hand...the order was placed. I could only hope that the colour would be what I was searching for. Spoiler alert: it was. This lipstick is a cool matte taupe, just as described. Take a look at how it was used in a recent makeup look. I love the unexpected and dramatic colour. 

This is just the ultimate fall lipstick colour. It is cool toned and definitely suits the spooky season well. I have plans to wear this lipstick to some Halloween themed events that are planned next month. The colour is fantastic, the price was decent, and the formula was good overall. This is a bit drying on the lips (most liquid lipsticks are to some extent) so I like to layer on a bit of chapstick over top for extra comfort. All in all, this Sephora Collection lipstick is making me very happy. I adore the cool toned colour. This matte taupe is absolutely incredible and I know it will pair well with the Cool, Whatever Eyeshadow Palette.

Now to take a look at the  Glossier Stretch Fluid Foundation sample set and the Huda Beauty Faux Filter Luminous Matte Liquid Concealer sample set. I was impressed that the Glossier set included a nice range of foundation colours. This means a lot of different people can see whether the product will work for them. I used the Very Light 1 colour included in the sample, but on the back, the full line is shown. There are 32 shades in all and according to the brand, the Glossier Stretch Fluid Foundation is light to medium coverage with a natural finish. My first impressions? The Very Light 1 shade was too light for me (that doesn't happen often) but Light 1 was a decent match. This went on really cakey and heavy but looked more natural as it settled into the skin. I think this is a nice foundation but not necessarily something that I feel the call to run out and purchase at this time. I don't see enough of a difference between that foundation and what is currently being offered at the drugstore. 

As for the Huda Beauty concealer, this came with three different colours, but the light colour was way too dark for me. According to the brand, there are 29 shades in all and this is supposed to instantly brighten the under eye area and conceal dark circles. This had a really good amount of coverage (even if the test colour was all wrong) but it accentuated my fine lines. The concealer from Hard Candy is a fraction of the cost and works much better, in my opinion. Though it was nice to try out a high end foundation and concealer, neither of these products are likely to be added to my Sephora cart. 

This impulsive Sephora order certainly added some excitement to my week. (And used up an old gift card!) Though neither the foundation or concealer samples worked out for me...the matte taupe lipstick from Sephora Collection is a must. I just love that colour. It is so different and will really pair well with a lot of the spooky season looks that I have planned.

What do you think of this matte taupe liquid lipstick? Are you a fan of cool toned makeup?