Lips

Bringing Back the ’90s With MAC Tendertalk Lip Balm

June 29th, 2016 by Adia Goss 11 Comments

mac tender talk balms — You just might need a MAC Tendertalk Balm

These MAC Tendertalk Lip Balms 100% sent me on a trip down memory lane. 🙂 They’re meant to react to your natural pH level to give you a perfect lip tint. Now all I need is a mood ring and I’m set!

Please tell me I’m not the only one totally reminiscing about those Hypercolor T-shirts that changed color with your body heat!! Lightweight but super hydrating, the Tendertalks are available now in five sheer shades at Nordstrom for $20 each.

Candy Wrapped, Play With Me, Pretty Me Up, Side Dish and Teddy Pink adjust and intensify ever-so slightly after being applied to give you a very natural flush, but to me the best thing about them is how incredibly moisturizing and shiny they are without feeling heavy or sticky at all. They also work great as bases under liquid lipsticks because they provide lots of slip but don’t affect the wear time or the look of matte liquid lipsticks.

mac tender talk balm — Available in five sheer shades

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Conquering My Fear of the Buxom Full-On Lip Creams

June 27th, 2016 by Adia Goss 10 Comments

Full Disclosure: I’ve been afraid to try the Buxom Full-On Lip Cream for ages.

I heard them described as “plumping” and “tingling” and was like, “Oooh, girl. No.” Like, I was seriously nervous about trying these glosses! But because I take my job as a beauty blogger very seriously, I finally took the plunge.

There are 15 shades in all, $20 each (available now at Ulta), and I have five of them here — Peach Daiquiri, Pink Champagne, Grape Groove, Sangria and Berry Bramble.

First up is Peach Daiquiri, which is very sheer with just a hint of a peachy undertone. On my bare lips, it’s not particularly groundbreaking, BUT I do think it would look nice over a nude lipstick to give it a little life.

Pink Champagne is another very light gloss that would probably work better over a lipstick than on its own, at least for me.

Both Peach Daiquiri and Pink Champagne are kind of high maintenance, though, in that lines form and the color clumps a little when I press my lips together.

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Try the $4 Miss Spa Deep Recovery Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask for Smoother Lips and a Fun Experience

June 23rd, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 8 Comments

Wearing the Miss Spa Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask Deep Therapy ($4.00) — Wearing the Miss Spa Deep Therapy Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask ($4.00)

Now that summer is here, there are many things I’ve been enjoying that I don’t usually do during winter…like drinking iced coffee without getting strange looks. I also haven’t had a head cold since April, at least, and I’m on the prowl again for the perfect plus-size maxi dress.

But one thing I can never seem to find, no matter the season, is a cure for my dry, flaky lips.

My bag usually has at least two or three different lip balms in it, and I literally hoard them at home, but none of them really, really work. They help, but they aren’t a solution, so now I’m looking for answers outside the realm of everyday lip moisturizers.

I’ve tried exfoliating my lips, but this time I’m going with a more popular approach. I’m testing a mask!

So, face masks are nothing new, as I’m sure you’re aware. Single use sheet masks, in particular, have been extra popular lately (Jen liked this one by Amore Pacific), but have y’all ever tried a lip mask before?

They sound weird, right?

But this affordable little treasure — the Miss Spa Deep Therapy Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask — was too hard to resist (I’ve seen it at Target for about $3).

This was my first time trying a mask like this, and I was a little surprised when I opened the package for the first time at how thick the mask is.

I assumed it would be a thin sheet mask that would just cover my lips, but as you can see, it’s a little bigger than that.

The Miss Spa Deep Recovery Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask — I didn’t expect the illustration on the front to be quite so…literal.

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My Picks for This Year’s Best Spring and Summer Makeup Launches

June 22nd, 2016 by Adia Goss 24 Comments

best spring summer launches — Some of my picks for “The Best Spring and Summer Makeup Launches”

Whew! There has been so much good makeup lately.

I mean, I used to get more excited about moody fall colors, but this year the spring and summer collections have been incredible! Literally, every time I turn around, I’m seeing another gorgeous collection.

If your head has been spinning a little like mine, then I hope you’ll like my picks for some of the best spring/summer makeup launches. I’d also love to hear yours.

I think I’ll start with lips, because I think a new lipstick or gloss is probably the easiest way to update your look.

Lips

First up, the Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint by Tarte, and I have the shade called Double Tap (here are swatches of the full range in this post).

I’m wearing cool-toned nude Double Tap in these pics, but I usually go for warmer-toned peaches and pinks. Thing is, this mauve is just so pretty and different from the rest of my stash. It’s opaque and not sticky at all.

Next, Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick, and I just mentioned the shade called Swinger in my roundup of my favorite liquid lipsticks, so I’ll be brief now: the color and formula are AMAZING. This one is perfect for summer.

Of course, I couldn’t talk about this season’s new launches without mentioning beautiful ColourPop Dohee.

Here’s a snap of me wearing it from my Spring Haul video.

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5 Bright Pink Lipsticks to Brighten Your Complexion and Mood This Summer

June 15th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 33 Comments

Bright Pink Lipsticks Summer — My favorite bright pink lipsticks

My very first lipstick was a bright fuchsia-pink from Maybelline… I can’t remember the name now, but I think it was supposed to have diamond powder in it? (Yeah, right!)

I was 16 at the time, and my best friend Giorgia gave it to me before I left to go to school on the French Riviera for a month. She had the same lipstick, and we used to share it before going out on Saturday night.

Ahhh, good times… 🙂

Since I was a little sad to leave her for a whole month, she gave it to me and said, “Never underestimate the brightening power of bright pink lipstick.”

You know what?

She was totally right!

Not only is bright pink lipstick one of my favorite ways to brighten up my complexion, it also never fails to brighten my mood!

Seriously, try it sometime, and if you need some ideas, here are five of my bright pink lipstick summertime faves.

1. YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in Fuchsia Fetiche ($37)

YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats 208 Fuchsia Fetiche Swatch — What’s my all-time favorite lipstick? It’s YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in 208 Fuchsia Fetiche.

So, in my Orange Beauty Edit post I mentioned that Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Flame is the one lipstick I’d keep if I had to give up all of my lipsticks but one, but can I take that back? LOL!

Just kidding! I think I’d still choose that one, as not only is it a great lipstick, but it also has sentimental value for me, because I got it last time I was in San Francisco, which is a city I’ve been completely in love with since I spent a year at Cal as an exchange student.

But my favorite, favorite lipstick of all time is YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Mats in 208 Fuchsia Fetiche.

I absolutely adore EVERYTHING about this lipstick. I love how luxuriously long-lasting, beautiful and extremely comfortable it is.

Not to mention, I love the shade! It’s the brightest, most gorgeous raspberry fuchsia I’ve ever seen.

Seriously, gurl, if you’ve never tried the YSL Rouges Pur Couture The Mats, I highly, highly recommend checking them out next time you’re at a counter.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lost Cherry ($32)

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Lost Cherry Swatch — Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Lost Cherry has such a lightweight texture that I usually forget I’m even wearing it!

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The Estée Edit by Estée Lauder Cocobalms: A Sleek Treat for Packaging Geeks and Coconut Freaks

June 14th, 2016 by Karen 32 Comments

estee cocobalm — The $22 Estée Edit Cocobalms

Obvs, the packaging.

Like, what are these? From the front they kinda look like jewelry to me, like you could wear one as an earring or a statement necklace (a statement pendant?), and from the side, they look like, I dunno…Saturn? Or perhaps a doughnut with a jelly center.

Mmm, doughnuts…

OK, so these aren’t jewelry, doughnuts or Saturn. They’re actually lip balms! They’re the new $22 The Estée Edit Cocobalms, and The Estée Edit is a relatively new makeup line from Estée Lauder that splashed on the scene at Sephora a few months ago.

It’s like the younger, hipper, more casual branch of Estée Lauder because, you know, Estée Lauder has a bit of a rep among many makeup lovers for being more stately, mature and refined.

The Estée Edit is their shout-out to risk takers and rule breakers, like the girl who goes to brunch wearing a flower crown, a flowing Free People tee, tassled shorts and gladiator shoes.

The Estée Edit recently released these new coconut-infused Cocobalms ($22 each) — lip balms infused with coconut oil — and there are one, two, three, four, five of them (extra points if you read that sequence like The Count from Seasame Street).

They vary in intensity, with the sheerest ones being mostly just pure shine with very little pigment.

I’ve been using three of ’em — Coco Peach, Coco Blush and Coco Berry — and texture-wise, finish-wise and performance-wise, they’re all pretty much the same.

The formula feels thick, slightly sticky and hangs around for a few hours, so before I give Connor a snuggle and a kiss while wearing one, I have to remind myself to wipe it off, and I also have to remember to use some elbow grease when I do it, because these take some effort to remove. They really cling to the lips.

Oh, and yes, they do have a coconut scent, but it’s very faint. I can barely smell it, but it’s there. I don’t really detect a flavor, though.

About the packaging, did I mention how they work? You lift the silver top, then squeeze the colorful center part, and gloss comes out of a tiny applicator. Seems pretty innovative, but they aren’t the easiest glosses to use when I’m on the move.

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How Cute Are These Lancome Juicy Shakers?

June 10th, 2016 by Adia Goss 22 Comments

I’ve been seeing lip treatment oils talked about on different beauty blogs a lot lately, and I’ve been curious about them…but for whatever reason, I just hadn’t gotten around to giving them a try.

Until now.

I wanted to try these Lancome Juicy Shakers ($21) for a couple of reasons. First, they’re super, SUPER cute.

They’re seriously some of the cutest lip products I’ve ever seen.

Second, the bi-phase formula (the oil and pigment settle, so you shake these up to mix them together before using them).

After you give these a quick shake, there’s an adorable little cushion applicator that you use to apply the color.

So…I really, really think these are cute. So damned cute! And they’re just perfect for the summertime, because you can get that super glossy look on your lips, but because they also contain the oil, they’re actually moisturizing.

I feel like a lot of glosses, even though they’re shiny, are actually not moisturizing at all. But these are nice because they’re moisturizing AND glossy yet aren’t thick or sticky.

As you might guess, because of the oil, they do have a somewhat oily feel, but they’re not greasy or anything like that. They feel rather unlike other lip products I’ve tried.

The two colors I have here are Apri-Cute (a peach/apricot) and pinky Berry Tale.

On my lips, Apri-Cute is pretty sheer; you don’t see a ton of pigment, but there’s a time and a place for that. And Berry Tale is a really glossy, pretty pink lip color.

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My Current Favorite Liquid Lipsticks

June 9th, 2016 by Adia Goss 26 Comments

I’ve definitely tried my fair share of liquid lipsticks (most recently, the NARS Lip Covers), and I love the look of matte liquid lipsticks in general. It’s interesting to me how each brand handles them a little differently.

I first got into them when Colourpop exploded onto the scene with their “Ultra Matte” liquid lipsticks last summer (here are some of my favorites from Colourpop, by the way), but I’ve slowly but surely moved to some more forgiving formulas from other brands.

Here’s a quick roundup of my current faves…

Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold ($21)

I just love it when a product lives up to its name! Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick in Centerfold feels super comfortable and lightweight, and the applicator makes it a breeze to neatly apply. The formula doesn’t dry down to 100% matte, but it still stays put through moderate eating and snacking.

The best part, though, is that my lips don’t feel dry at all after wearing this one all day long. If you’re looking for a long-lasting formula that feels good on your lips, definitely check it out. You can find it at Sephora for $21.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II ($20)

The original Kat Von D Lolita was wildly popular and sold out right away, but when KVD made more, the color was different, which led to Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II.

I bought a set last fall that had mini sizes of the original Lolita, as well as Lolita II, and I prefer the sequel because the warm terra-cotta tones make it so easy to wear.

The formula dries all the way down to 100% matte, and it’s more resistant to transferring than Buxom Centerfold. But it’s still pretty comfortable on the lips (available now at Sephora for $20).

matte liquid lipsticks — Wearing Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II

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