Swatches first:
I picked out two GOSH lipsticks and two Maybelline lipsticks for my first foray into 'expensive' lip products. I tried to go for a range of colours to give myself a nice wide base of options. Kitten Pink is a lot brighter and more barbie pink than in this photo but for the most part, the colours are pretty accurate here to the swatches in real life. As you can see already, there is a lot of pigment in these which makes a nice change to my older, cheap lipsticks!
GOSH Kitten Pink
This is a gorgeous barbie doll pink shade which really pops out at you. I can't wait to wear this in summer with a nice floaty dress! It's a bit too bright for winter but I must admit I have worn it out once or twice because I am just in love with the shade. Unfortunately as you can see it's a bit cakey on my lips and seems to fade out easily, but it's worth the reapplication for that gorgeous colour. Definitely my favourite of the four!
GOSH Darling
The picture for this makes it look a lot more pink and less peachy than it is, probably due to the slightly dodgy lighting I was getting at the end of the day. I picked this as I wanted a nude shade to use for simple lip looks when I go with heavy eyes, but the tone is really too subtle for my liking. It's not as cakey as Kitten Pink but it is still a little hard to handle which I think (yes, from my sample size of two) is probably quite indicative of GOSH lipsticks in general. It does make a nice base for my aforementioned cheap lippies though so worth the punt!
Maybelline Pink Brown
Unf, I love this colour. On the lip in this photo it resembles Darling quite closely but in real life it's much pinker and much more subtle than the GOSH lipstick. This is now my go to for work because it's subtle but it finishes off my work make up perfectly. It's not in your face in anyway which I really like. Both the Maybelline lipsticks have a great pigment to them and cover really nicely, even when my lips are feeling a little dry. I was more than impressed with this shade and can really see myself using it a lot in the future!
Maybelline Magic Mauve
I seem for some reason to be drawn more for mauvey lipsticks than pink ones, and this is no exception. Magic Mauve is a step up from Pink Brown but not as extreme as Kitten Pink which makes it perfect for a night down the pub. It has a lovely shimmer to it as well which makes your lips look you've put gloss on without that horrible sticky feeling! I can see myself getting a lot of use out this one as well. The colour is just gorgeous.
So, verdict wise. Darling is not a lipstick I will be using a lot, it makes my lips feel really cakey and dry and the colour is not me at all. It does work nicely as a base though, so it will have it's uses. Pink Kitten is a fab, fun colour but far too bright for most days! Pink Brown is a versatile and grown up shade which I really love and use a lot. Finally, Magic Mauve reminds me of my early teen years where I used to grabe whatever shimmery pink thing I could find apply it to my lips which makes me more than happy! I will definitely be going back for more Maybelline lipsticks, but I probably won't bother with GOSH again.
