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Espresso and Ambition

A not-so-serious gal with some serious dreams.

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My Favorite Dark Lipsticks

January 15, 2017 by Taylor 1 Comment

My all-time favorite trend at the moment is dark lipstick. I’ve loved red lipstick for quite a while, but it’s only recently that I’ve started getting into the darker colors. I’ve started to build up a collection of a variety of different shades, which is fun because it allows me to coordinate my lipstick with both my outfit and my mood.

I also generally tend to find favorite formulas and stick with them, so you’ll notice that all of these lipsticks come from three different brands: MAC, NARS, and Kat Von D. From my experience, all three of these brands generally deliver good pigmentation and a long-lasting formula (if applied correctly), so I can buy new colors on a whim and not worry about whether or not I’m getting a high-quality product.

Reds and Berries

1. NARS Lipstick in Funny Face: This is the pinkest lipstick on this post – the color actually toes the line between being considered a “bright lipstick” and being considered a “dark lipstick.” I love going for this color when my whole outfit is neutral because it adds a great pop of color without being overwhelmingly bright.

2. Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Sante Sangre: Liquid lipsticks are quickly becoming my obsession, and the formulation of the Kat Von D ones is my personal favorite. This is a bright, true red (that leans just slightly orange-ish depending on your skin tone).

3. MAC Lipstick in Russian Red: This is a cult favorite for a great reason. It’s a unique red – it’s a bit darker than most red lipsticks without getting overly brown or overly purple. It also has some minor blue undertones (aka makes your teeth look whiter), and it has a fantastic matte finish.

4. MAC Lipstick in Rebel: I honestly think this swatch makes the color look like more of a true berry color than it actually is. On me, it’s much more purple.

Burgundies and Beyond

5. NARS Lipstick in Scarlet Empress: This could also be considered a “berry” color, because it is a bit sheer, but with a second coat it’s quite obviously in the burgundy family. It’s got a lot of purple in it as well – it wasn’t quite what I expected when I bought it because it looks so much darker in the tube, but I’ve definitely grown to love it.

6. NARS Audacious Lipstick in Bette: This is my holy grail lipstick. If you buy one tube from this post, buy this one. It is the prettiest burgundy color, and is such a fantastically creamy formula. As trade-offs always occur between moisture level and longwearing capabilities, this color requires a bit more application than I’d like, but it’s so worth it.

7. MAC Lipstick in Media: This color was actually my first real foray into dark lipstick. I got it sometime freshman year, and wore it on a 90’s themed date night – and thus, my love affair with dark lipstick began. This color falls somewhere between a dark purple and a brown.

8. MAC Lipstick in Antique Velvet: This is a solid true brown. It’s completely matte and really cool-looking, although if you try to just swipe it on and walk out the door, it’ll fade off the moment you take a bite of food. Apply, dab it off, then add another coat and you’re golden. Also, this color makes me feel like Kylie – I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, but it’s a thing.

9. Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Witches: No dark lipstick collection would be complete without a true black. I wear this color sparingly – it’s a bit intimidating and can occasionally give off a goth vibe that doesn’t suit me at all, but it’s really fun to wear with an otherwise super-girly outfit as an unexpected punch. This particular shade of black is highly pigmented and stays on so well.

If you have any new dark lipstick shades I should try, please let me know in the comments! I’m always looking to expand my lipstick collection (as unhealthy as that may be for my bank account).

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Filed Under: Beauty, Etc.

Comments

  1. Kelsey says

    January 16, 2017 at 9:17 pm

    All of these colors are so pretty! I love 2 and 3!
    Kelsey | petiteinherpearls.blogspot.com

    Reply

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Meet Taylor

A real-life combination of Elle Woods and Hermione Granger. Recent graduate of the University of Georgia, currently living and working in DC. New blog posts every Monday, new YouTube videos every Thursday. Subscribe by clicking the link below for post updates and exclusive content!

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tayy_kay

📍 dc
🔥 life + fitness
✨ nasm certified personal trainer
🎥 new vids weekly!

Instagram post 2195844312121366575_7729751 it’s not a real mirror selfie unless it comes with a free where’s waldo game of my cats 😸😸 they’re truly excellent little photobombers, lol
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shop this look by following me on @liketoknow.it or by copy-pasting this link into your browser: http://liketk.it/2I02c 🖤 #liketkit
Instagram post 2192513994027168715_7729751 ⏩ swipe ⏩ to see a magic trick! ✨ok ok, not actually magic, but @teamiblends butterfly tea DOES change color when you add a squeeze of lemon, thanks to pH-sensitive butterfly pea flower 🌸 so maybe it’s not ~magic~, but it is ~science~ 👩🏼‍🔬
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get your own (and get experimenting) with the code taykay20 for 20% off an order of $24+ or taykay30 for 30% off an order of $34+! 🤑 #teamipartner
Instagram post 2191777887535233534_7729751 full workout, one machine!! 😛 smith machines are honestly great, and they don’t get enough love - they’re excellent when you’re first starting out with lifting and need that extra bit of stabilisation that comes from keeping the weight on a fixed track, and there are a number of exercises i find i like better on a smith machine than anywhere else - especially some of these!
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ready? let’s go:
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1️⃣ 3 sets of 6 sumo squats to narrow squats (so 12 squats total) - the narrow ones are death for your inner thighs in a way that no other leg exercise can match ☠️
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2️⃣ 3 sets of 10 curtsy lunges per leg to 10 good mornings - drop your hips back and keep your spine flat as you get as close to parallel with the ground as possible, and really focus on contracting your hamstrings to bring yourself upright again
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3️⃣ 3 sets of 10 kneeling kickbacks per leg - i forgot how much i love these they are just so!! good!! - into 10 single-leg incline glute bridges per leg

4️⃣ 4 sets of 12 half squats to finish this off - mind muscle connection is key here, really focus on squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement to make the most of this one! also if this hurts your knees skip it altogether - sometimes these aren’t for everyone and that’s perfectly ok!!
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🎧 woah - neffex
Instagram post 2188165587741361151_7729751 nobody likes you when you’re 23 🤷🏼‍♀️
Instagram post 2187385382881912295_7729751 got a whole lot to be thankful for this year (including but not limited to these pants) 🌟
Instagram post 2185989836220911104_7729751 that dead lil plant in the corner is a mood. i don’t know what kinda mood, but it’s a mood. ☠️
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new youtube video just went up on my channel - it’s a fun core + cardio workout that you’ll def wanna try! link is in bio ☺️
Instagram post 2184435918311263145_7729751 world’s cutest cover photo amirite?? 😅 ok but what IS actually cute is all these exercises targeting your gluteus medius, which is the muscle on the sides of your booty that play a crucial role in hip movement and also can help give the illusion of wider hips (which is super helpful if you’re built like me and have no natural curves whatsoever!! fake it til ya make it babyyyyyy)
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do all four exercises back to back with no rest, then rest for ~1 minute, and repeat 2 more times! throw this in the middle or the end of your leg day ☺️
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1️⃣ 12 lateral leg lifts - even though you’re holding the plate with your arm, it shouldn’t be lifting the weight up at all, that alllllll should come from the legs. also make sure you’re not swinging your leg and are really focused on feeling it on those side glutes (and also a little in your obliques, bonus ab work!!)
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2️⃣ 5 4-step squat walks - so two steps to the left two to the right is one rep. resistance band isn’t 100% necessary but man oh man does it make it 10x harder 🔥
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3️⃣ 10 fire hydrants with a pulse at the top - focus on keeping weight equally distributed on both hands so that you don’t sink into the opposite hip too much. also maybe don’t use an extra heavy resistance band for this one because i was DYING SO MUCH and i couldn’t even get my leg up to 90 degrees 😂
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4️⃣ 15 frog pumps - feet together, knees out, you look like a weirdo but it really is an excellent exercise i swear
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#legday #legdayworkout #workoutsforwomen #glutes #glutesworkout #gymlifestyle #exercisemotivation #exerciseroutine #gymworkout #musclebuilding #fitlifestyle #bootygains #bootybuilding
Instagram post 2182074781179766218_7729751 my very good and obviously 100% correct logic: if i wear long sleeves and long pants it’ll obviously make up for the fact that i’m literally wearing a crop top and i won’t get cold even though it’s like 40 degrees out!! 🥶
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shop this outfit (and maybe buy a jacket to go with it) by following me on the @liketoknow.it  app or by pasting this link into your browser: http://liketk.it/2HaPV ❣️ #liketkit #LTKunder50 #LTKholidaystyle #alsoidkwhyimstandingsoweird #whereismyspine
Instagram post 2179321133647360332_7729751 first of all, can someone please tell me where the HECK the first half of november went?? i’m lost 🥴 but i’ve got an ABSolutely stellar ab circuit for you on this fine sunday (will i ever not use that pun? doubtful), be sure to bookmark and save for your next gym session!
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1️⃣ 10 plank walk outs to commandos - focus on keeping your core tight throughout this entire movement to really maximise the effect!
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2️⃣ 10 3-part mountain climbers per leg - leg goes outside, across, then straight, and that’s one rep!
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3️⃣ 15 pause sit-ups - sit up approximately ¾ of the way (so that there’s still tension in your abs) and hold for 1 second before finishing the movement
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4️⃣ 10 single-leg hollow crunches per leg - these are SO MUCH HARDER than you expect them to be omggggg. if this is too tricky, use the modification at the end of this clip and put your feet on the floor.
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5️⃣ 12 1-1-2 leg lifts - drop one leg down, then the other, then lift both up at the same time! make sure to only go down as far as YOU comfortably can without your lower back lifting off the mat - going past that point will actually make the exercise LESS effective for your core. 😉
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cycle through this 2-3 times for a 10/10 burn 🔥🔥🔥 .
shop this workout outfit by following me on the @liketoknow.it app or by entering this link into your browser: http://liketk.it/2H0H3 ❤️ #liketkit
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