I love a bargain. In fact it gets a bit embarrassing; particularly when I say “Hahaha I am so cheap” and no one contradicts me (a nice “no you’re not, don’t be silly” wouldn’t go amiss, guys). So, I got a bit excited when I was doing my weekly Superdrug/Boots browse a few weeks ago and spotted a 3 for 2 on all MUA makeup. I’ve never actually bought anything from MUA (which ambiguously stands for makeup academy…right), mostly because I tend to stick to mid-range stuff. I’m not a big makeup snob, but I do think you can tell the difference between cheaper stuff and makeup you’ve spent a bit more money on.
Nevertheless, when I saw that MUA lipsticks were £1 (yes, one human pound) and that if I bought three, I would get THREE LIPSTICKS FOR TWO HUMAN POUNDS, I couldn’t resist. There weren’t a huge range of shades left and I really would have liked the nude coloured one, but I got three pinky ones anyway.
I have to say, I’m a convert. I don’t have the nicest lips and they tend to chap easily, so I have to have quite a moist (sorry) lipstick when I do wear it. I find that some Rimmel lipsticks (particularly the Kate Moss ones, although I love them anyway) just look a bit flaky on my lips. Barry M lippies are also a bit hit and miss, though there is a great nude one that is perfectly moisurising that I’d definitely recommend. ANYWAY, my point is that the MUA lipsticks are really moist (sorry again) and surprisingly long lasting. I’ve read on a number of other British beauty blogs that these are brilliant lipsticks and now I really do believe it. I bought Shade 15 ‘Juicy’, Shade 4 and Shade 3 and I’m pleased with all of them.
The Shade 4 goes on very clear with just a hint of colour. It’s almost like a lipgloss but with a thicker consistency, which means it works really well for work or during the day. It looks like a Barbie pink in the tube but doesn’t look anywhere near as bright on, so be aware if you’re thinking of buying this shade!
Shade 15 ‘Juicy’ is absolutely brilliant. It’s a bright, pale pink and looks great during the day or at night (I like bright lipstick during the day, so you might not want to trust me wholly on this if you prefer a more natural look!). It’s a lot thicker than Shade 4 and is also a lot more matte. It has a great staying power and is just generally fabulous.
Shade 3 is the most vibrant shade I bought but it is also probably my favourite. It’s got great staying power, it’s really vibrant and it also does that thing some lipsticks do – even when it rubs off, it stains your lips a bit so you have colour all day (kiss proof, wink wink).
You can see that there is a slight difference with how they look on (or a big difference in Shade 4’s case) but I’m really pleased with them. For £2 for three or even at £1 each when an offer isn’t on, I definitely will be buying these again. They’re not ‘cheap and cheerful’, there’s a surprising quality to them that you don’t expect with budget lipsticks. Any other MUA fans out there? I’m thinking of investing in other items in their makeup range since the success of these lipsticks so I will keep you all posted if there are any new purchases! If you want to buy these online, you can find the lipstick store here.
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