The Lipgloss Diaries: Don't Be Tardy Edition

I'm not going to lie, the Bravo channel is on probably 75% of the time the tv is on at my house. I can't help it- I'm addicted to all things Real Housewives. I've watched all of the spinoffs, with Don't Be Tardy being a current favorite. Being a professional make-up artist & esthetician, I'm often focusing as much on the face as the storyline!

The Kim we first met many seasons ago has definitely softened up her look.

 

 I think she's had some well placed fillers, Botox, possible Rhinoplasty(nose job) & toned down her make-up - well toned down for her!  Even she has admitted her wigs are better, too!

(Top image from http://christenexpecting.blogspot.com, but possibly a Getty Image)

When she was on What What Happens Live with my beloved Andy Cohen recently (practically a news source for me) a viewer asked about her gloss.  Her gloss is pretty fabulous, so I jotted down what she said it was & got it. She uses MAC Cream Cup Lipstick (top) & Sephora's #14 Lipgloss (bottom.)

It pulls a little lighter on her overall, but it's still a super soft & pretty look.  I love the texture of the Sephora gloss, as well. I'll be picking up additional colors, for sure.

Here's a close-up. I think Kim's been looking so good lately, because she's never been so happy. Happiness is a look that looks good on everyone!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Fabulous Finds Friday: NYX

The Nude Lipgloss Diaries continue as we all know I am powerless to resist adding to my collection!  At the Ulta near me they are expanding their NYX offerings, which makes me quite happy. Add into it that all NYX is buy one, get one half off until the end of this month & there are bargains to be had!

I scooped up 1 of their automatic Lip Liners (regularly $4.50/ea.) MPL10 Nude (top) which is a nude pink beige & 2 of NYX's Lip Butter Glosses (retails for $5/ea.) in BLG05 in Creme Brulee (middle) &BLG07 in Tiramisu (bottom.)

I always fill my entire lip line in with liner. It anchors your color better, plus it also prevents the creepy clown like effect as your lip products wear off of just having an outline left around your mouth. A tip for making your lips appear fuller is to leave the very center bare of color or add a lighter highlighting gloss right in the center of the lip.

 In both pictures, Creme Brulee is on the top lip & Tiramisu is on the bottom lip.

 I know I mentioned in the past, that some of NYX's glosses smelled heavily of Cherry NyQuil...I made sure to do a sniff check before purchasing these & am happy to report that these glosses smell softly of caramels & actually of their shade names. Even at regular prices, NYX products are a great value, but with the current special- they are a definite steals & deals must!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Fabulous Finds Friday: NYX

As I previously mentioned I have been loving chubby lip pencils lately.  They're what I reach for when I'm in a rush in the morning, which is pretty much always. They're the perfect hybrid of lip pencil & lipstick + a hint of gloss, since they're often sheerer than traditional lipstick.

I decided to try out NYX's offerings, though a little hesitant. While I adore many of their intensely pigmented eye & cheek colors, their glosses are so heavily Cherry fragranced I am reminded of cough syrup & want to dry heave. Alright they're not that bad, but it's too scented for sure! I purchased their Jumbo Lip Pencil in #721 Soft Fuschia (top) & #719 Pecan (bottom.)

Here I am sporting #721 on the top & #719 on the bottom. Of course I picked 2 very soft, neutral shades that are great building pieces in creating a nude lip or wearing alone. I'm pleased to say the colors really stay put, without being drying! After a few hours & soup for lunch, I looked up to find a nice portion still left on my pucker. Nyx offers 24 shades of this product & I can't wait to experiment with a few more. They already fall into my steals & deals category as they're only $4.50 a piece. I scored an even better deal by scooping them up during a BOGO half off at Ulta! I say pick up a few & draw away.

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.

Dalton Nude Lip Wardrobe

I need to stop watching QVC Beauty shows. Who am I kidding thinking I can just watch to keep informed on the latest launches? Nope, one mention of a nude lip anything & I'm hurrying in from the kitchen to buy it. If you're a regular reader of mine you know my obsession with the perfect nude lip goes way back. It all started with Sarah Michelle Gellar on Buffy the Vampire Slayer- her gloss on that show was sheer perfection. Many years later, I'm still always trying to find the perfect concoction.

This is the Dalton Nude Lip Wardrobe which is available only on QVC (& it's on sale at the moment- um I didn't get it on sale!) From top to bottom: Baby Doll Lipstick, French Beige Lipstick, Bella Lipgloss & Buff Lipgloss.

Hyaluronic Spheres & Collagen Peptides in the formulas provide both moisturizing & anti-aging benefits. Added features are the clear tops on the lipsticks to see which lipstick shade you're reaching for & break apart connectors. That comes in handy since these pieces are just a smidge bulky- but that means you get a lot of product. The doe foot lipgloss applicator also is large & dispenses quite a bit of product on the first swipe.

I always say you can never have enough wine, chocolate or lipgloss in your life. This quad offers some lovely options to build different creations with.  It's hard to see how lovely these glosses look both in the container & on. I thought this collection was a steal of a deal at $25, now with it being on sale- I say it's a no brainer!

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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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.