Trish McEvoy Gorgeous Lip Color - Gorgeous Blackberry

The main selling point of Trish McEvoy's Gorgeous Lip Color is the buildable color and the way the same lipstick can transition from daytime office friendly to nightly drama. In the tube the color seem quite dark, but once applied the pigment is a lot less aggressive and the coverage is sheer, as you can clearly see in the swatch (one coat).

Out of the four colors Trish McEvoy offers in the Gorgeous Collection, Gorgeous Blackberry was the only one that looked good on me, which was perfectly fine as I was only looking for a very casual berry color with a non-glossy finish. I usually pile on two to three coats to achieve an elegant but no too bold intensity.

While the formula is supposed to contain lip conditioning ingredients (and the texture is, indeed, soft and glides on nicely), I find that after less than an hour my lips feel dry and I experience a tightening around my scar. My solution is to use the amazing Chantecaille Contour Fill pencil under the lipstick. It takes care of the issue and helps create a more polished look.

Bottom line: Nice color, but there are many better formulas on the market.

Trish McEvoy Gorgeous Lip Color ($25) is available from most department stores as well as from Blue Mercury. I bought it at my local Bloomingdale's.

All photos are mine.

Trish McEvoy Essential Pencil (Plum Brown)

Lately I'm all about the ease and performance of lip crayons. Bobbi Brown made me a huge fan of her thick pencils, and I've been testing several others, with great success so far. Trish McEvoy Essential Pencils are a touch less creamy than the Bobbi Brown equivalent, but not so much as to make them inferior. Actually, for toting the pencils around in hot weather, something a bit less melty is probably a better choice. The Essential Pencils are still very soft and go on smoothly, giving good coverage and a comfortable feel. They can be worn alone, but I usually prefer them topped with a sheer gloss.

Plum Brown (number 10) is a perfect mauve, it has a somewhat brown base that makes look like a great autumn color. It goes well with my favorite Edward Bess lip gloss (Nude Satin) or with Givency Gloss Interdit in Rose Taboo, creating a polished and elegant look.

The staying power of the Essential Pencil is great. Some pigment survives a cup of tea, though I'd recommend doing some touch ups to restore the look back to perfection.

Trish McEvoy Essential Pencil ($22) is available from most decent department stores. I bought mine at Bergdorf Goodman.

All photos are mine.

Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card Pink Innocent Makeup Kit

Trish McEvoy took the idea of an ultra portable palette to the most charming extreme. The Beauty Emergency Card is so small and slim it could fit in your pocket (If you insist. I'd suggest putting it in the zippered pocket of your handbag) or in the smallest of evening clutches. Yet, it holds most of what one needs for an almost complete makeup look.

There's a medium tone yellow based concealer (excellent color and good coverage, though I find it too thick for use under my eyes), four eye shadows (two of which are dark enough to be used as an eyeliner) and three lip colors- one deep, two sheer (that would work as a cheek stain, if you must). The kit is super slim and small. The name Emergency Card really fits it, so don't expect a large amount of each product, but it's more than enough as an on the go solution, especially if you're like me and hate to tote numerous compacts and pots (or transfer them from bag to bag).

The colors are as usable and flattering as they get. That is, as far as I'm concerned. They are classic and neutral, the shimmery ones are subtle enough to use during the day, and the dark ones can be used to create an evening look. Even the lightest color eye shadow, Delicate Pink, is pigmented enough to provide real highlighting, and the texture is very blendable. The lip colors are pretty basic, and again- blend beautifully, so you can adjust the shade the way you want it.

The kit doesn't include brushes. While in theory you can use your fingers, I really don't recommend that for reasons starting in hygiene and ending with precise application. Since I experienced quite a bit of fallout from the eye shadows when I tested them emergency-style over a naked eye, I highly suggest you apply a primer or some kind of eye shadow base, but that's always true. Seriously, use primers! They make all the difference.

Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card Pink Innocent Makeup Kit ($28) is available from most decent department stores.

All photos are mine.