Ladies,
I’m not one to advocate joining gangs – makes me want to don a baseball cap back to front and wear massive bling. But I have recently been invited to join one and like many gangs, its hard to say no especially when they are persistent 😉 They call themselves the Lipstick Bandits but the only thing this gang does is terrorize your wallet by making you WANT more and more lipsticks. Especially the red ones. The redder the better. I think I’ve found my niche 🙂
At the pestering urging of Rae, I was unwittingly happily co-opted into this lipstick loving gang. And like all not-so-secret societies, I needed to be initiated. Here is my initiation.
Me in a bandit-esque mask, rocking a red lipstick 🙂
A month ago, I’d have laughed and said “Pish! Me, do something creative with makeup? You gotta be kidding! I don’t have a creative bone in my body!” That’s what I told Rae the first time she asked. But then I celebrated a birthday recently and with age, as they say, you lose your wisdom 😛 Suddenly you think “There’s nothing I can’t do if I just put my mind to it!” And so when Rae sneakily (banditly?) asked again, I said yes. I did this, on the eve of turning a year older but looking back, not very much wiser 🙂
The red lipstick featured here is NARS Manhunt. Like Nars Gipsy I featured before, its in the NARS Sheer lipstick texture and its got a lovely smooth texture that glides on the lips beautifully. It isn’t drying and actually applies quite sheerly as the name implies. You can layer it on and build it up without having it look thick, waxy or cakey.
Colour-wise, its a bright red that isn’t too warm nor too cool and if you apply just one layer, isn’t as bright nor as scary as you might think. I of course can never stop at just one layer 🙂
Manhunt is a lovely shade that instantly brightens up the face, isn’t scary, isn’t aging and is definitely one to pick up. Do eet! 😀
For interests sake, here is a close up of the ‘mask’ I did. This is the most ‘creative’ I’ve ever gotten with makeup so be kind 😛
Its not terribly imaginative nor precise but it suits its purpose, I think 🙂 I went for heavy blue-silver tinted eye makeup and a black racoon mask to bring it all together. Bandit y’know 😉 It would have benefited from a liberal dose of false lashes but I couldn’t put them on properly. I rather like the eye look though so I will redo it in a slightly toned down version for regular wear – can’t go round scaring people in a mask. Well except for Halloween 😛
Here’s some of the products I used and what I did with them.
Face: Dior Forever liquid foundation 010 (Ivory), Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer
Cheeks: Lunasol Contrasting Cheeks blush in 02 Natural Red
Eyes: Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow #1 Blast of Blue as base and on lower lid blended over black liner, Make Up For Ever Star Powder #90906 on upper lid, Bourjois Suivez Mon Regards loose eyeshadow in Etoile d’Argent as highlight, Giorgio Armani kohl pencil to line top and bottom lashlines, Shiseido Perfect Mascara, Shu Uemura Shimmer Eyeliner in Comet Silver for inner corners and as accent on the mask
Lips: Nars Sheer Lipstick in Manhunt
Mask: Korres Soft Liner in black all over, Urban Decay Blackout to blend over the liner, sprinkling of Bourjois silver glitter and Shu Uemura glitter liner on tip
Urgh! It bugs me that I used so many things I haven’t reviewed! 😛
I did the eye makeup first, liked what I saw and then, with shaky hands, drew in the mask, praying all the time I wouldn’t mess it up because I did not want to redo the eyes. In the process I had to sharpen my eyeliner pencil twice, and used the most black shadow and silver glitter I’ve ever had in my entire makeup life. I rather like it! 😀
Readers in Asia will be wondering why I’m breaking schedule by posting in the night. The Lipstick Bandits project is international and appears to be HQed in Canada so I’m conforming to Canadian time for simultaneous posting from all the Bandits 🙂
Here is the first wave of the Lipstick Bandits to hit the interweb. Gloriously inventive and creative and was what got me intrigued in the first place.
Collage credit to Rae
The first wave of Lipstick Bandits pictured above:
- Rae – theNotice: a beauty blog,
- Larie – Eye Heart It,
- Tracy – Beauty Reflections,
- Arianne – Glitter Geek,
- Dani – call it beauty., and
- Makeup Morsels.
The Bandits since then:
- Danielle – Bloomin’ Beauty,
- Jen – My Funny Valentine,
- Rocaille – Rocaille Writes,
- Xiao – Messy Wands,
- Paris – My Women Stuff.
I haven’t seen the masks of the newest Bandits in the team, so I’m just as keen as you are to see what these talented ladies have come up with! 😀
I hope you’ve enjoyed this and if I’ve made you want to pick up NARS Manhunt lipstick, I’ve succeeded in my mission! 😀
Viva la (red) lipstick!
Paris B
giddy tigress says
Major hot babe!! Very very cool and HOT at the same time! And very apt for Halloween too….I wouldn’t mind looking like that 🙂
ParisB says
Haha how apt we had to post on Halloween! I didn’t even think of that 😛 thanks GT
milktea says
Wow! Sexy! Very Catwoman or BatGirl! 😀
ParisB says
Batgirl! I like the cape better 😉
Jean says
COOL! lovely post and you really look good in red lips!!
ParisB says
Thank you Jean 🙂 I love red lipstick. Hope you give it a go too! 😉
Jen W says
Ok, you’ve got me. I want Manhunt. NOW.
I love your mask and eye makeup too!
ParisB says
Hi Jen! You did a great job with your mask too! Thank you and it’s time to check out the Nars counter yes? 😉
Monstro says
That’s really cool PB! And also, how much black eyeshadow did you use again? Talk about using up your supply! I also love all the other bandits’ masks. Well done, ladies!
ParisB says
It was an excellent way to use up products for sure! Haha I used up mostly the pencil. The black shadow was just to even out the colour 😀 thanks Monstro!
xin says
u look uber cool!!!!! COME ROB ME NOW!
ParisB says
Haiyo! It sounded #sosalah 😛
Lip Stalker says
Totally stalking all the lipstick bandits! Everyone did an amazing job!
ParisB says
Thank you Lipstalker! What an apt name! 😉
LeGeeque says
Well done, you! That is such a cool thing to be a part of and it’s just the perfect group for you to be in considering how you really rock the red lip look 🙂
ParisB says
Thanks geek! 😀 I’m really honoured to have been invited to join in. Those are some amazing ladies!
AnT says
WOW! LOL! You are really a sexy Zorro bandit indeed!~
Sexy Zorro-ious Paris!! ^_^
ParisB says
Thanks AnT 😀 I love the Zorro reference. I can just see me in a swirling cape and sword 😀
AnT says
LOL Yes, you carried that so well that I am so tempted to try it on me soon 😀
Marina Khong says
Oh you look absolutely gorgeous Paris!!! Va va voommm!!!
ParisB says
Haha thank you Marina!!
Reena says
I love this look on you!!! LOL!!! the lip color suits you very well… I’m thinking about getting a NARS lipstick too… any other colors you’d like to recommend?
Jess says
NARS Manhunt is a beautiful red lippie, and it flatters your skintone perfectly! You lipstick bandits are all doing an amazing job!
ParisB says
Haha thank you Jess & yes Manhunt is very lovely! 😀
gio says
That’s so cool! Love the mask, you look great!
ParisB says
Thank you Gio! 😀
Nadia says
You look really cool! I love this! You’re totally rocking the bandit look and I look forward to more fancy/creative makeup fotd’s from ya! 🙂
ParisB says
Haha thank you Nadia 😀 I think this is a one off though. I’m not very good at being very creative 😛
Alison says
That lip colour looks made for you, Paris!
Lady Lavender says
Very brilliant, very fun! Great post!