Lips

The New Tom Ford Beauty Lipsticks in Crimson Noir, Bruised Plum, Sable Smoke and Vanilla Suede Lavish Lips in Luxury This Fall

August 29th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Tom Ford Crimson Noir — Wearing Tom Ford’s new Crimson Noir Lipstick ($49), one of four new shades available for fall 2013

“Do you have any idea haw many cans of gravy that is?!”

— What Tabs says (inside voice) every time we talk about Tom Ford Lipsticks being almost $50 each.

The price is completely redonk, but as far as spendy splurges go, at least Tom Ford Beauty’s new $49 lippies make you feel like a million bucks.

Tom’s Lipsticks are like cooking a meal on Le Creuset pans and serving it on fine china. Or like looking into your dream closet and trying to decide between the Louis or Chanel bag…right after you grab the Choos.

This fall, Tom’s shades have that “You have arrived” vibe. The two nudes and two bolds make me feel grand — like I finally got that corner office I always wanted here at Tabs the Cat Industries, LLC. 🙂

The shades are re-promoted colors in the new fall 2013 line.

Tom Ford Crimson Noir Lipstick — Crimson Noir Lipstick

Of these four, Crimson Noir is my favorite, but not by far. All it takes to brighten my look is a single layer of this intense red with its supernaturally smooth, satiny finish. It’s one of those reds guaranteed to turns heads.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Tom Ford Sable Smoke Lipstick — Sable Smoke Lipstick

Sable Smoke, the peachy beige, runs a close second. When you have pigmented lips like I do, light beige shades like Sable Smoke are often hard to pull off, but Tom got this one totally right. Smooth, opaque and just plain elegant, it’s a red carpet color and already a new resident of my purse.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Tom Ford Bruised Plum Lipstick — Bruised Plum Lipstick

Bruised Plum, to me the most dramatic color of the bunch, should flat-out sing on light and dark skin tones. Like Sable Smoke, Crimson Noir and Ryan Gosling, it’s smoooooove. Would love to see this on a very pale princess and a dark damsel. I bet it would look really hot. I love it! — I just wish it were a little more unique. MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

Tom Ford Vanilla Suede Lipstick — Vanilla Suede Lipstick

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For Makeup That Goes the Distance, There’s the New Long-Wearing MAC Retro Matte Collection, Pro Longwear Paint Pots and Eye Liners

August 29th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

The New MAC Pro Longwear and Retro Matte collections

Forget flash-in-the-pan and fly-by-night colors that disappear faster than you can say, “I’m going to need years of therapy to recover from that Miley Cyrus performance.” The new Retro Matte and Pro Longwear collections are built to last with long-wearing lipsticks, lip liners, cream shadows and pencils ready and waiting to go the distance this fall.

The MAC Retro Matte Collection

Down-and-dirty deets on the new MAC Retro Matte Lipsticks, Pro Longwear Paint Pots and Eye Liners

Permanent or limited edition: Limited edition
Availability: Next week! They’ll be online starting the week of September 3, in North American MAC stores/counters September 12, and available some time in September at all international MAC locations.
Inspiration: Actually? Ruby Woo Lipstick’s matte texture and finish. MAC decided to increase the number of shades available in Ruby Woo’s ultra-flat matte finish.
Includes: eight matte Lipsticks ($15 US, $18 CDN each) and eight Pro Longwear Lip Pencils ($19.50 US, $23 CDN each)

As someone who experienced the ’90s firsthand and owned several MAC mattes over that time, I have mixed feelings about this encore of matte lips…

To their credit, they last a looong time, which I like. They barely break a sweat after six hours, even through meals, but dayum! — what’s with all the flakes?!

At least these new MAC Lipsticks don’t seem as drying as the old-school versions, based on the couple I wore today, but they definitely aren’t heavy with hydration. I probably won’t be wearing them daily, no matter what, because matte formulas like these usually leave my lips drier than the Sahara.

I gotta admit, though, that flat finish looks really cool…

Can. Not. Wait. to wear the bright pinks and reds with cat eyes this fall.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pots and Pro Longwear Eye Liners

MAC Pro Longwear collection — All four of the Pro Longwear Eyeliners and four of 12 MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pots from the new Pro Longwear collection

Permanent or limited edition: Permanent
Availability: Available now online, and coming to North American stores and counters September 5; internationally some time next month.
Inspiration: Vibrant colors and long-wearing cream shadows and liners.
Includes: 12 Pro Longwear Paint Pots ($20 US, $24 CDN each) and four water-resistant Pro Longwear Eye Liners ($19.50 US, $23 CDN each). There’s also a 242 Shader Brush ($25 US, $30 CDN)

Oh, boy! I’m stoked about the liners and Perky Paint Pot, in particular. Remember it from 2008’s Fafi? Yeah, good times… (Wow, can you believe we’ve been together that long? HOLY CANNOLI!)

The MAC Retro Matte Lipsticks…

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Bright Lips Are the Big Draw in the Illustrative MAC Antonio Lopez Lip Palettes

August 28th, 2013 by Karen 28 Comments

MAC Antonio Lopez: 3 Lips/Fuchsia in Candy Yum Yum — Wearing the new MAC Antonio Lopez: 3 Lips/Fuchsia palette lipstick in Candy Yum Yum

Bold lip lovers say what?! In your dreams, are your lips ever super saturated shades of red, pink or purple?

Heck, even if they aren’t, draw a big red Sharpie heart around September 12 on your calendar (or ask Siri to remind you), because that’s when the MAC Antonio Lopez collection lip palettes arrive.

MAC Antonio Lopez product packaging — Wants that hat!

MAC Antonio Lopez 3 Lips Nude Fuchsia Red Boxes — Oh! The boxes have the same design…

I’m pretty stoked about two of ’em — 3 Lips/Fuchsia and 3 Lips/Red. At least for me and my bold lip-lurving heart, they steal the limelight away from the 3 Lips/Nude palette.

If you like powerful pouts, watch out for 3 Lips/Fuchsia and 3 Lips/Red. Their smooth, super saturated colors do NOT mess around. Both palettes get mad love from me.

As for the Nude palette…

MAC Antonio Lopez: 3 Lips clockwise from the reds on the left: Red, Nude and Fuchsia — MAC Antonio Lopez: 3 Lips clockwise from the left: Red, Nude and Fuchsia

MAC Antonio Lopez: 3 Lips/Fuchsia shades from the left: Candy Yum Yum (a matte neon pink) and Moxie (a matte mid-toned bluish pink) and Violetta (a violet/purple with an amplified finish)

MAC Antonio Lopez 3 Lips Red — MAC Antonio Lopez: 3 Lips/Red shades from the left: Scarlet Ibis (a bright matte orangey red), MAC Red (a bright bluish red with a satin finish) and Deeply Adored (a matte deep scarlet)

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How a Tinted Red Lip Balm Like Butter London’s Lippy Tinted Balm in Strawberry Field Can Save You Time This Fall

August 23rd, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

“Let me take you down, ’cause I’m going to, apply Strawberry Field forever.”

LOL!

This, my friend, is what happens when you grow up in a house (of learned doctors) where both of your parents worshiped The Beatles. You hum that song to yourself every time you apply Butter London’s creamy new $20 Lippy Tinted Balm in Strawberry Field (and keep calling it “Strawberry Fields Forever”) — a side effect of growing up on a steady diet of music by John, Paul, George and Ringo.

The Lippy Tinted Balms: New to the Butter London Line

The nail polish purveyors recently branched out into other forms of makeup, releasing pieces for eyes, lips and cheeks. Strawberry Field is one of six Lippy Tinted Balms added to Butter London’s permanent line.

The pigment sucks you in, but the coverage seals the deal…

Before I brought the bright red balm to my lips for the first time, I thought it would be a chore to apply based on how pigmented it looked in my initial swatches, but it’s just as easy to wear as a Burt’s Bee’s Lip Balm.

When fall, which is still just a whisper on the wind, and the holidays roll around, red lips abound! — and there are plenty of options to choose from, but Strawberry Field doesn’t bring with it the high-maintenance drama that often accompanies full-coverage crimsons.

Being a balm, it’s sheerer than your average lipstick and doesn’t flip out if I fudge my application a little… Mistakes aren’t as easy to spot.

Heck, I can even apply it without a mirror and can skip a lip liner and lip brush. Really, it’s one of the easiest reds I’ve ever worn.

Mo’ deets…

Does it smell or taste like strawberries? Nope, neither. And thank goodness for that! Nothing turns my tum more than faux strawberry. It’s a little like Nilla Wafers, and it’s faint and fades after five minutes.
How’s the moisture content? Not too shabby, tabby. They may not be as moisturizing as a Burt’s Bees Lip Balm (those make my lips go “AHHHHH!” whenever I wear them), but they’re still quite hydrating.
What’s the wear time like? One layer and I’m good to go for at least 3-4 hours, which is great for a lightweight, non-sticky balm.
Will I need multiple layers? Nah, just one, and get this — the formula’s smooooove and doesn’t settle into lip lines.

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A Fall Berry That Fits All: Covergirl’s Affordable Lipslick Smoochies Lip Balm in Luv U

August 22nd, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

Covergirl Lipslicks Smoochies Lip Balm Luv U — Wearing Covergirl Lipslicks Smoochies Lip Balm in Luv U ($5.99) on my lips

Complete with a convenient see-through cap, so you can quickly pick it out in a crowd (and won’t have to spend DAYS rifling through the other lippies in your purse to find it), a universally flattering soft shine and sheer coverage, gorgeous and affordable Covergirl Lipslick Smoochies Lip Balm in Luv U goes from the office to date night without skipping a beat.

This berry balm is a snazzy solution to the question, “If I want an effortless lip look, how can I update my makeup bag for fall without breaking the bank?”

Only thing is, you have to be cool with a 1-2 hour wear time. And a waxy flavor and scent, as Luv U has ’em. Luckily, both fade pretty quickly (within about 10 minutes).

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Guerlain Chamade (164) Rouge Automatique Lipstick

August 18th, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

Guerlain Chamade (164) Rouge Automatique Lipstick ($35)

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Terive Swerts of BellaChique.com. You can also find Terive on Twitter and Facebook.

Allow me to introduce you to one of my all-time favourite lipsticks — Guerlain Chamade (164) Rouge Automatique Lipstick ($35). I truly love the Rouge Automatiques in general. They’re simply one of my favourite lipstick formulas. Guerlain is definitely a high-end brand, but the Rouge Automatique lipsticks are a great alternative if you don’t want to splurge on the more expensive Rouge G’s. They’re more affordable with arguably better packaging, because let’s be real here, the Rouge G’s are pretty heavy to carry around just like that, especially if you like to carry five of them like I do.

Chamade is a medium pink with a delightful glossy finish. It’s neutral with a slightly warm tone, and on my lips it looks even a bit coral at times. It really is a true pink with a bit of red in it, and that’s the beauty of Chamade. It’s the perfect medium-toned lipstick. When you wear it, you can go either way with your makeup. Go very light on your eyes, and you get a fresh-faced look with a touch of fresh pink on the lips. Or, you can go a bit darker on your eyes and use Chamade applied with your fingers for a lighter touch. You can also build it up to a nice strong pink with some red, or wear it lightly with gloss. Don’t be scared when you see a tube of Chamade looking darker than it really is!

The long-running Makeup and Beauty Blog Unsung Heroes series features much-loved permanent collection products from a variety of bodacious beauty brands.

Chamade is a shade unbound by seasons. You can wear it whenever you want! All year round. It has that timeless factor that I really love. The formula is another great trait of the Rouge Automatiques. They’re moisturising and creamy without being heavy. The finish is like a nice sophisticated shine, not overly glossy. And let’s talk about the wear time! It’s the main reason I favour these over so many other lipsticks. They last pretty long for a formula like this. I usually reapply once a day, but that’s it.

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What’s Nude and Covered Up at the Same Time? Your Lips When Wearing These New Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylos

August 12th, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 4, a pink beige — That’s pinky beige Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in No. 4 smilin’ at you from Novato, California

The last time I was surrounded by this much nudity was last year’s Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, ba-dum bum!

Ha, I jest. 🙂

Well…not really. And that was a little more jarring than the nudity I’m talking about today.

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylos — Oh, hai!

Really, though, when a dude jogs past you in nothing but tennies and a fanny pack at the crack (no pun intended) of dawn, it’s a lot to take in before your first cup of coffee.

But I digress…

These new Femme Nude Lip Stylos by Hourglass ($30 each) are a joy to play with, partly because there are so many different ways a nude lip can go wrong, and this new collection of twist-up, retractable lip pencils gets it right.

Hourglass envisioned all six Stylos working together as part of a wardrobe of nudes — nudes for minimal makeup days, nudes for when you’re feeling artsy-fartsy, and nudes for when you have a hankering for something nude and slightly dramatic.

A satin finish gives lips a sheen while ingredients like vitamin E nourish and protect yo’ pout from the elements.

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 1 — No. 1, a pale pink, and the lightest shade in the collection

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 2 — No. 2, a warm honey beige

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 3 — No. 3, a medium nude rosy pink

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Guerlain’s New Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in Madame Batifole, and Fun With the Letter “G”

August 8th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Guerlain Madame Batifole Rouge G — That’s Guerlain’s new Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in Madame Batifole ($49.50) on my lips, one of three new limited edition Rouge G’s available now in the fall 2013 Voilette de Madame collection

“G” is for…

Giggle, as in “with delight,” which is what you’ll probably do the first time you see Guerlain’s new Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick in vibrant fuchsia Batifole on your lips.

Gasp! — which you’re also liable to do when you hold the limited edition packaging in yo’ paws (and realize that it costs $49.50, holy crap!).

Generous, which is what Guerlain was with the amount of pigment they squeezed into this tube. One swipe of the super smooth formula covers my lips completely — like crazy opaque.

Glamorous, which is how you’ll feel whenever you take a peek at your reflection in Rouge G’s mirrored cap, or when you catch a whiff of its classic rosy lipstick scent (has the same flavor, too).

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