MaxFactor Elixir Challenge

At a recent event the lovely Caroline Barnes set us a challenge to try out all the shades of the new Max Factor Elixir lipsticks. As you all know I'm a lover of lippie so was excited to wear all the colours and decided to do so all in one week!

There is really good selection of shades to chose from in the range, though I was apprehensive over how some of these would go down at work lol...

 Top L-R: Bewitching Coral, Burnt Caramel, Ruby Tuesday, English Rose.

Bottom L-R: Pink Brandy, Mulberry, Angel Pink.

Monday mornings are always difficult and inevitably I end up running late, so I decided to go for the lightest shade in the range - Angel Pink.

This lipstick is a lovely, delicate shade of pink that works equally well with a neutral or dramatic eye. However, as the finish is quite frosty I would recommend applying some lipbalm beforehand, so as to smooth the lips prior to application. I would say this shade is quite retro and reminiscent of the bubblegum pinks of the 60s, so would be best suited to lighter skintones.

On Tuesday I decided to keep it super neutral with Burnt Caramel.

This lipstick is a little more brown based than I would normally wear, but it has a lovely rosy tone to it that brings it to life. To keep it from looking too dark I applied it straight from the bullet and tapped around the edges to blend it into my natural lip colour. I think this lipstick would look particularly beautiful on darker skin tones.
A little more striking than a nude, and more sophisticated than a pink, it is a very welcome addition to my collection.

On Wednesday I went for Pink Brandy, which I had already fallen in love with after seeing Caroline wearing it at the presentation.

This is such a wearable coral shade with a slight pink undertone. I think it would be universally flattering for all skin tones. If you are scared of strong colours this would be a great shade to start with as it's bright, without being too striking. To soften the colour and make it modern I applied it to the centre of the lip and blended to cover. I then added a slight touch of clear lipgloss to make lips look fuller.

On Thursday I had to keep my makeup professional for a meeting, so I chose the shade English Rose.

This is a very classic pink that would suit anyone. Once again the frost makes it a little different as it adds quite a lot of shine and texture to the lips. This shade is very flattering and versatile and would work with an abundance of eye and cheek colours!

On Friday I decided to be brave and go for it with Ruby Tuesday.

Wow! This is such a beautiful, true red. I can't tell you what a raucous this caused in the office, but lets just say that I got many a compliment that day! As with any red this did need a little care in application. To prepare the lips I lined them with a red pencil and then filled them in lightly to provide a good base. I then applied the lipstick with a lip brush. As this lipstick has a blue base it not only lifts the complexion, but also makes teeth appear whiter.. yay! This lipstick lasted really well, even through a coffee meeting and lunch, and only needed one little touch up throughout the day. Ruby Tuesday will definitely be one of my go-to reds in future.

On Saturday evening I chose Bewitching Coral for a dinner date.

In keeping with the bright colour I played up the coral in my cheeks and added a little extra bronzer. To keep the colour fresh and modern I created a stain by applying the lipstick with my finger, and then topped it with a clear lip balm to add some shine. This colour is really flattering and would work even better with a tan!

On Sunday I attempted the most adventurous shade of the collection - Mulberry.

 

I was a little apprehensive about this shade as it is a little darker than I would normally wear. However, it completely surprised me by just how gorgeous it looked, even on my pale skin! I applied the lipstick carefully straight from the bullet and blotted off any excess. I then tidied up the edges with a burgundy lip liner to add some definition to the cupid's bow. I wanted to keep it looking modern, and not overlined, but to still create a really polished look. This lipstick really is something special, it's dark and dramatic, yet the shimmer particles make it still girlie and fun. I am absolutely in love with it.

Overall I am really impressed with the new Elixir lipsticks. They smell yummy (perhaps vanilla) and come in a great variety of shades. The Elixir formula contains a 60% blend of skin emollients, conditioners and antioxidants (including vitamin E), promising to make lips feel smoother in 7 days. After my week long trial I didn't notice a dramatic change in the texture of my lips (though I do put on a balm overnight anyway), but even the very strong colours didn't feel drying while wearing them so I was happy. After trialling the selection of colours and different ways of wear and application I can highly recommend these lipsticks to you guys, they really are lovely, and retailing at the £7.95 mark also affordable.

Have you tried any of the Max Factor Elixir lipsticks? Which shades are your favourite? xxx