Yves Saint Laurent

Nothing says glamour like a little Yves Saint Laurent in your life. I picked up their Rouge Pur Couture during Sephora's VIB Beauty Event. I had wanted to try it for a while as it's in almost every  magazine beauty editor's purse.

I scooped up 19 Beige Aquarelle in my ongoing search to find the perfect nude stain. The glossy lip stain smells as how living life as a royal might. Like fresh roses & pure luxury- it's delicious. Swatched on the hand it looks like my dream color.

However, when on my actual lips, it's very sheer.  I'm afraid to say this shade washed me out in an almost lifeguard wearing old school zinc oxide sort of way. The formula is lovely though, I will definitely be picking up another shade. This is just a product that you should probably select in person versus online.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

The Lipgloss Diaries: Anastasia's Kisses On My List Vol. 2

It's the most wonder'ful' time of the year! How holiday lipgloss value sets make me swoon! Anastasia of Beverly Hills doesn't disappoint with her Kisses On My List Volume 2 Collection. This value set contains 6 Hydraful Lipglosses- 3 of those being Hypercolor Lipglosses.

Above & below - shades swatched from left to right: Moi, Maggie May, Sharona, Roxanne, Jolene & Lola.

The unique applicator resembles the oar of a paddle- which makes it easily deliver much more product than your standard sponge or doe foot applicator in one swipe.

There's something about Anastasia's Hypercolor glosses that I've never found with another gloss- how it doubles as a stain. Though the gloss wears off normally, after 5 hours & having soup for lunch- a vibrant pink stain lingered after wearing Lola. It's the best of both worlds! 

As of now it seems the Hypercolor shades tend to fall in the pink family, as these are 3 shades to the right that were swatched above. Though they look faint here, they pack a punch on the lips. I have my fingers crossed for when they create the perfect nude!  I adore these glosses & can't believe what a steal of a deal this kit is for $30! Break them up & rock out a bunch of stocking stuffers for $5 a pop.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Must Have Make-Up Monday:Tarte Holiday

The holiday make-up collections release such a lovely giddiness in me, it almost squelches the panic that then follows due to the fact that the holidays are indeed under 8 weeks away. Cue the Cathy comics, 'Ahhhh!!!" After a particularly crazy work week last week, coming home to some Tarte treats had a more stress relieving effect than a large glass of vino! 

I've been using Tarte's LipSurgence Stick in Exposed almost every morning this past year. It is the perfect lazy woman's beauty tool for those of us time crunched in the a.m. It's a gorgeous matte nude that's a great building block for any lip look.  A lip pencil, lip stick, lip stain & hydrator is shoved into one jumbo pencil!

  So imagine my delight at Tarte's holiday collection Statement Lips ($34) boasting 5 shades! There are 2 lip tints, 2 lip lusters & my beloved Exposed matte lip tint included. One for every mood & day of the work week to help us cope! 

Tarte's other fabulous lip kit- Girl Meets Gloss ($34.50 exclusively at QVC) has 5 delicious coordinating Maracuja Divine Shine Lipglosses. 

 To die for packaging aside, the easy push button applicator dispenses that nourishing maracuja goodness in such pretty shades.

  My trick for easy & affordable gift giving for all those great gals in your life? Buy both kits & break them up. Pair the coordinating gloss & LipSurgence together with cute ribbon + a candy cane. Voila! You have 5 fabulous gifts (ones that your girlfriends actually want) coming in at under $15 a piece- that is, if you can part with any!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Benefit Ultra Plush Gloss

To match their much adored cheek colors, Benefit recently launched coordinating lipglosses to match! Having a hard time deciding which shade I wanted to try, I opted for the Ultra Plush Glosses First Class Set which had baby sizes & will be perfect for when I travel abroad in the fall.

This collection features Bella Bamba, Coralista, Dandelion & Sugarbomb. They're all wearable hues just like the best selling cheek colors they coordinate with.  This set cost $26, versus the full sized versions ringing in each at $16.

From top: Coralista, Bella Bamba, Sugarbomb & Dandelion.

The textures are interesting- there is no really tack whatsoever. If you've ever tried Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics' Lip Tar, that is what this reminds me of texture wise. Don't be afraid of the brighter shades, as these are all completely sheer. The slant tip applicator is convenient feature. On the swoon worthy scale, these glosses rate about 3 out of 5 stars.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Nars: Larger Than Life Lip Gloss

For some reason the 'doe' foot or sponge applicator that come with most lipglosses just never makes me as happy as a brush applicator.  These day the majority of lines have switched to doe foot applicators to eliminate the occasional brush fraying & to cut costs. So I was thrilled to discover at The Make-Up Show, that Nars Cosmetics' newly launched Larger Than Life Lip Gloss collection had brushes! Rejoice!  I feel brushes deliver more gloss & more precisely.  From the top I scooped up (t)Born This way, (c)Spring Break & (b)Piree.

These glosses definitely deliver on the high impact shine that they promise.  It has a substantial texture, but isn't very tacky or too thick.  Its staying power also impressed me, we all know most glosses wear off in an instant.  This sticks around for a while. My pick of my haul is definitely Piree. It's my lips, but oh so much better. Born This Way & Spring Break are rather pale, so the might wash people out.  They offer a nice opacity to them.  I'll use those shades in my professional kit in case I need to modify any lip looks I create. The collection includes 12 shades & I will definitely go back for some more. In fact I have my eye on 3 other shades- you know I'm an addict!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Fabulous Finds Friday: Smashbox's Shades of Fame

How smitten am I with Smashbox's Shades of Fame Lipgloss Collection? Pretty smitten. I love these bite size samplings of color- which are perfect for travel. It's like a box of chocolates, but with this collection you won't take a bite of one & put it back in the box! I even like this slanted tip applicator & tube over their standard doe foot applicator. What can I say? Mama likes a lot of gloss.

Don't be alarmed by thinking any of the colors will be intense, as they might look in the tube- they're all beautifully sheer. Swatched shades listed from top: Star, Buff, Hibiscus, Papaya, & Candy. As always Smashbox's glosses are never tacky or sticky, so they're ideal to not have that oh-so-sexy-my-hair-is-seriously-stuck-in-my-lipgloss look.

My favorite of the bunch is Papaya. There's something about a soft peach that brightens your whole face, while still looking completely natural. These glosses are good for your pucker, too- they're packed with vitamins & hyaluronic acid.  So scoop up this limited edition collection while you can. With the kit coming in at $29- it's a steal of a deal getting 5 Smashbox glosses for under $6 a piece!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M
*Gifted for review

Must Have Make-Up Monday: Naked Princess

 

Who doesn't love exquisitely packaged confections? It doesn't matter whether said confection is a cupcake or lipgloss, presentation matters. Unwrapping lip treats from Naked Princess is a swoon worthy experience. Insert ohhhs and ahhhhs here.

 

  I immediately thought of the gifting potential.  With the tag line "And she lived lovely ever after" imprinted on all of their lip products...I thought this would be perfect gift to send to girlfriends for a number of occasions.  For my newly engaged neighbor, I'd attach a note with "sealed with a kiss." For another friend going through a rough break-up, I'd go with a note saying "Kiss that sucker good bye!"

The presentation makes you feel like a princess.  I bet the company is called Naked Princess, not just because they craft artisan lingerie- but also because their beauty products are free of parabens, phthalates or GMOs.

Their Objet D'Love Luxurious Lip Treatment ($26), which comes in 2 flavors & its very own carrying pouch, calls on Matcha Green Tea and shea butter to pamper your lips.  A collagen stimulating peptide rounds out the mix to ensure your lips look fuller & smoother. Another bonus? The compact is refillable!

The Naked Shine Luscious Lip Glosses ($26) also feel like lip treatments on, I could tell that they were packed with beneficial ingredients like shea butter and sweet almond oil to hydrate my pucker.  The Moroccan Vanilla lends a delicious scent.

Shades listed from top: Barely Blush, Barely Naked, Barely Nude. These colors are just 3 of the gorgeous sheer options in Naked Princess' 8 color nude collection and you know I can never get enough nude glosses!  My entire sensory experience was pure luxury from beginning to end. This cruelty free line gets my seal & kiss of approval!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.
*Gifted for Review

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Anastasia See or Be Seen Kit

Isn't this new Anastasia kit so summer!  The See or Be Seen limited edition kit includes 2 of their Hydrafull Liglosses in Heiress & Plastic, an Illumin8 Eyeshadow Duo in On Set & their Tinted Brow Gel in Caramel.  

As we head into hotter(read humid) weather, I love to pare down the amount of products I use.  I love vivid sheer glosses to instantly brighten up my look. The Hydrafull glosses in this kit just remind me of popsicles! Each gloss retails for $18 each & nearly pay for the entire cost of the kit at $44.

  These glosses are incredibly vibrant & have a patent like appearance, without being sticky. They boost some serious staying power, and as they wear off they leave a stain on the lips that rivals most stain only products! Top shade is Heiress, a gorgeous watermelon hue. Bottom shade is Plastic, which reminds me of a Barbie doll pink.

The Illumin8 EyeShadow Duo in On Set features a coppery bronze palette. One shade is a soft rose gold, the other is like a copper penny. These shadows have serious color payoff. I also love that Anastasia shadows boost skincare benefits to the delicate eye area. We show age first around the eye area, yet it's often neglected! I use Anastasia's brow powders often to perfect my brows,  however this is my first foray into using a tinted brow gel.  The Caramel shade in this kit is unusual in that it's metallic.  It definitely tones down my brunette brows, but it's not the right shade for me-I think it's more ideal for blonds. This kit is not for those faint of heart. But for those out there who appreciate serious color payoff, this limited edition summer kit is right up your alley - grab it before it's gone!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M
*kit gifted for review
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Jouer Cosmetics

Henri Bendel's has a crack like effect on me. Major addiction. I seriously cannot go into the flagship store in NYC without making something mine.  This go around I decided to try Jouer, a cosmetics company known for the ability to connect their individual compacts into customizable palettes.

I picked up the limited edition Blushing Beauty Palette, which consists of the Whisper Tint/ Feather Highlighter duo, Chocolate/Peach Eyeshadow duo, Sheer Matte Touch Powder & Bronzer duo + Cherish Lipgloss. In this picture all of the pieces are actually connected. Worth mentioning- I think I got a lot of prestige product for the price of $58.

Here I am sporting the shadows, powder/bronzer duo & gloss. The colors are neutral classics.  I could see a lot of brides sporting this collection for the summer wedding season now upon us. Though it's listed currently as out of stock on Jouer's website, I would call Bendel's & see if they can ship it to you. It's pure loveliness!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Senna Cosmetics

So I did a fair amount of damage while up in NYC for The Make-Up Show. I showed  *ummm* let's say a little restraint when it came reigning in my purchases. First up Senna Cosmetics.  Though I've never tried their line before, it was created by make-up artist Eugenia Weston & has been around since 1976. 

I know you'll be shocked that I picked up more nude lip treats. The never ending quest continues. I had read in Lucky Magazine a celebrity rave about their lipliners, so of course I had to scoop up one. I went for the lip liner in Heather {t} & a gloss in Flaunt{b.}

Here's the Smooth Lip Pencil {$18} in Heather. It's a nice classic nude, with pink undertones. A great basic.

I'm loving the Lip Lacquer {$20} in Flaunt & the packaging's gorgeous, too! Doe foot applicator, but the wand still dispenses a nice amount of gloss.   It's rather opaque in coverage- it reminds me a bit of Lorac's Couture Shine Liquid Lipstick, which I love.  Together this duo offers a look that ranks high in my book, though they're solid enough on their own to get plenty of use.  Just what I need- another make-up line to love!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

I purchased these products.

Must Have Make-Up Monday: YBF

God Bless the woman who has the courage to go on national tv without any make-up on & her hair in curlers. Yes, this is the sight Stacey Schieffelin presents at each & every one of her Your Best Friend Cosmetics make-up shows on HSN. She then goes through each & every step, applying her products to 'put her face on' in front of the world. I give her serious props- I would never have the *ahem* we'll call it courage to do that.

When I stumbled upon one of her shows recently, they posted a lip set called Baby Lips- in the brief airing it was on, I was intrigued. It was 2 dual ended products that resulted in perfect kissable glossy lips. Any make-up artist knows to create amazing nude glossy lips a minimum of 2 products are needed, often it's more like 4. So I whipped out my credit card to check it out.

It's already a great deal at basically getting 4 products for $24.95, more like $30 when you factor in shipping & handling- oh how I hate s&h charges! The pencil (top 2) has both a neutralizing primer in a concealer tone & a nude toned lip liner in creamy consistencies. The other dual ended product (bottom 2) contains the pink toned stain and nude toned gloss.

Everything falls into the peach color family, except for the stain- which on its own is a rather alarming shocking pink. Don't be fooled by its sheer appearance, it packs a punch! I toned it down with the lipgloss on the other end- it doesn't look that intense in the photo, but I felt a bit like my grandmother in Florida.
Here is what all four products used together looks like. I would definitely use all of them, save the stain on their own in different applications. All in all, I love this set & think it's a steal of a deal. I hope YBF comes out with some other color variations of this idea!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

LORAC Bejeweled Day & Night Jewelry Box

It's that time of the year *swoon* when some of my favorite lines launch their holiday collections! Armed recently with a 20% Sephora coupon, I did some major damage online. On my list of acquisitions: Lorac's Bejeweled Day & Night Jewelry Box Collection{$56}. I must say when I opened the box my first thought was, " Holy Toddlers and Tiaras!" It looked a little bit more, ahem, elegant online.

I wanted to keep an open mind, as I adore Lorac's buttery shadows. Opening the drawers my hopes lifted a little when I spotted the sparkly day & night palettes.

Upon lifting the top of the Steel Magnolia themed jewelry box, there was a bronzer meant for a giant & 2 rather frosted lipglosses.

Just to be honest, I do love some sparkle as seen here on my cell phone case. The shadow palettes were beautiful on the outside.

But when I opened them, I was disappointed to see how small the actual shadows were. I would have preferred less shades, for a little more product.

Lorac's shadows are lovely. I'm sporting some of the coppery colors from the Day compact.

The Night compact's color shades.

Here's a closer look at the gorgeous shades & actual size, which as you can see most shadow brushes wouldn't fit into completely! I felt like this entire collection had been put into production in a big rush. Quality of product aside(because it is there), this kit just isn't user friendly. Giant bronzers, tiny shadows- the layout is off. The box is not what I would call a keepsake, either. If you want tons of options, in one time use sizing- buy it. Otherwise, skip this one as there are tons of winners that I'll be showing you this holiday season!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M