Lips

For $45, the Tom Ford Beauty Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Gold Dust Should Be Worth Its Weight in Gold

April 10th, 2012 by Karen 22 Comments

tom ford beauty gold dust ultra shine lip gloss

If I were a beauty pirate sailing the seven seas in search of pricey golden makeup booty, I’d say, “Aye, matey!” to Tom Ford’s Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Gold Dust ($45). If I were an ancient Egyptian princess with the ability to time travel, I’d visit a Neimans in 2012 and return to the past with a tube to store in my sacred pyramid. It would go in a special burial chamber reserved for shimmery, sheer, high-end golden glosses, which would be next door to the chamber reserved for Tabs, because I know he’d insist on being buried as close as possible to the really, really expensive stuff. After all, he is a cat with a taste for the “finer things” (his words).

But if I were almost anyone else … I’d have serious reservations about this warm and shimmery golden lippie, the sole lip product in the new 13-piece limited edition Tom Ford Beauty collection for spring 2012.

Truth be told, the words “Lip Lacquer” on the tube initially confused me. I expected the product itself to be more intense, with bigger shine! — and the wherewithal to last from at least breakfast till lunch (something akin to a MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass).

Instead, Gold Dust is a breathy, barely-there whisper of shimmer and color that gives up after about 90 minutes on my lips.

Super sheer color and a limited wear time for almost $50?

Hmm…

Tom Ford Beauty Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Gold Dust

Texture: A middleweight with a smooth, non-sticky texture.
Packaging: The long tube, with its angled plastic applicator, is practical, I guess, but I would have liked something fancier, considering the price.
Flavor and scent: My nose picks up a faint brown sugar flavor and scent (yum!)
Wear time: Not great. I get between 60-90 minutes.
Finish: Very soft, like a powder puff lens.

tom ford beauty gold dust ultra shine lip gloss

tom ford gold dust ultra shine lip gloss
Clockwise from the golden pot on the left: Cream Color for Eyes in Guilt ($35), Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Gold Dust ($45) and Cream Color for Eyes in Illicit ($35)

tom ford spring 2012 swatches
Swatches from the left: Cream Color for Eyes in Illicit, Cream Color for Eyes in Guilt and Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Gold Dust
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MAC Unsung Heroes: Right Image Cremesheen Glass

April 9th, 2012 by Karen 19 Comments

mac right image (3)

A sheer pink gloss to layer atop neutral pink lipsticks? — that shouldn’t be hard to find.

Right…?

Famous last words.

You’d think it would be easy peasy! — but quite a few sheer pink glosses have a milky quality to ’em and pigments that gather in the fine lines of my lips; the end result can look patchy and uneven.

Or how about sheer pink glosses that are just too sheer? Or too pigmented? Gah! In the first case, they don’t add much, if anything, to the lipsticks they’re supposed to enhance; in the second, they overwhelm the lipsticks they’re supposed to help.

With MAC Right Image Cremesheen Glass ($19.50), I can happily tick the box next to “None of the above.” 🙂

This sheer, pale mid-tone bluish pink packs just the right amount of pigment. It’s enough that when I wear it by itself, I can see the pink on my lips, but it’s not so bold or opaque that it overshadows lipsticks when it’s worn on top (oh! — I love how it looks on top of Modesty Cremesheen).

mac right image

mac right image (1)

mac right image (2)
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Roses Are Red Before They’re Pink With Becca Sheer Tint Lip Colour in Valentina

April 7th, 2012 by Karen 9 Comments

becca valentina

Quite frankly, Becca Sheer Tint Lip Colour in Valentina ($24), the sole lip product in the new Balearic Love collection, surprised the heck out of me when I saw it in person for the first time. From the look of it on the model in the Balearic Love campaign, I expected a lighter pink, but on me, it begins as an intense rose.

What I love most about this lipstick is how it changes on my lips over time. What starts as an almost opaque rosy red (at least on my lips), slowly fades and wears down to a softer rosy pink. One layer provides medium coverage that then fades to a quiet pink stain.

The basics…

Flavor and scent: Both are like faint brown sugar
Wear time: About three hours on me
Formula: It’s pretty moisturizing, but in the dead of winter I would probably wear it on top of an even more moisturizing lip balm
Finish: A soft shine that fades to a matte pink stain

becca valentina

becca valentina swatch

becca valentina lip closeup
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Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a … Physicians Formula Match! The pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss

April 6th, 2012 by Karen 20 Comments

physicians formula ph matchmaker gloss

Got a date, can’t be late, hay! The girlie’s gonna do me.

As much as I wish I could re-allocate the part of my brain currently storing the lyrics to Bell Biv Devoe’s Do Me! to something more … practical, like, I dunno, how to fix a running toilet or perform an emergency tooth extraction without anesthetics in the least painful way possible (could come in handy in the zombie apocalypse), I can’t. Those lyrics are tattooed on my brain.

And every time one of my friends tells me that she’s going on a date, I say the same thing every time…

“Got a date, can’t be late, hay!”

LOL! I’ve been doin’ it for years, but it feels like time for a change. The next time someone texts/calls/emails to share their date plans, instead of quoting BBD, I’m gonna say, “Physicians Formula pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss, hay!”

Okay, so maybe that doesn’t roll off the tongue, but whatev. It’s still a great date gloss. 🙂

Released for spring, pH Matchmaker gloss ($9.95; available in two shades, Light Pink and Pink) is moody, and by that I mean it works like a mood ring, except in this case the product reacts to light and your natural pH level to create a color customized for you.

Now, that by itself isn’t revolutionary. Mood ring-like glosses have been around forever, but I can’t remember the last time I saw one as kissable and totally date-worthy as this.

It starts out clear on my lips but transforms within a minute or two into a vibrant fuchsia.

Cool! It even has cute bits of silver glitter, but not so much that it feels gritty in the least. Just enough for a little sparkle.

Physicians Formula pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss 1
pH Matchmaker pH Powered Lip Gloss in Light Pink, $9.95; also available in Pink

physicians formula ph matchmaker gloss
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The MAC Reel Sexy Cremesheen Glasses Whisper AND Shout

April 4th, 2012 by Karen 23 Comments

mac cinestyle
Wearing MAC Cremesheen Glass in Cinestyle

There must be something in the air, because Tabs has been acting strange all day long.

Well…stranger than usual. He’s been grumbling to himself, staring at me for bizarrely long amounts of time, clawing at the carpeting on the stairs (BAD TABBY!) and suddenly taking off like a firecracker in random directions.

And he hasn’t been mugging for camera like he usually does. I got him all set for a few shots with the four new Cremesheen Glasses from the MAC Reel Sexy collection ($19.50 each), but he was like, “Not in the mood for it. Come back later.”

mac reel sexy cremesheen glass
Cremesheen Glasses from the bottom to the top: Private Screening, Cinestyle, Star Quality and Color Saturation ($19.50 US; $22.50 CDN each)

I don’t know… Maybe it’s spring fever. I know he hates being cooped up in the house. I’m sure he would have preferred to shoot on location today, maybe in the city because it’s sunny. Last week he even asked if we could do a photo spread this month (and have lunch) down at Fisherman’s Wharf. Maybe also swing by the Embarcadero.

I didn’t think much of it at the time because it was raining, but I like the idea of a kitty modeling session somewhere on location. Maybe I could bring along one (or maybe all four) of the limited edition Cremesheen Glasses. My lips have been feeling a little dry lately, and MAC’s moisturizing Cremesheens usually hit the spot.

As luck would have it, Reel Sexy includes some good ones. Colorful lips play a big part in Reel Sexy, and some of that color carries over into the Cremesheen Glasses from the release.

But there are also a couple of sheerer shades in the mix, which I like because it offsets the saturated colors. Without them, the lineup would have been like listening to a song in which the singer SHOUTS THE ENTIRE TIME!

Sometimes, it’s the quiet moments that make me appreciate the louder ones even more.

Here are some thoughts on each of the four colors…

Star Quality: And it has it, too. This one’s my favorite of the bunch. When I wear this intensely pigmented bright orange coral, I want to bust out the blender, make frozen pineapple drinks and salsa dance on the lanai. It’s bright, fun and easy to wear, and I think it looks great on its own or layered on top of Watch Me Simmer. LOVE!
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+

Colour Saturation: I was really surprised by this dark and creamy cool-toned wine (in a good way). I feared it would feel too fall-ish before I tried it on and was ready to pooh-pooh it, but it’s fresher than I expected it to be. Color traditionalists might still find it too dark for their tastes, but I hope they (and you) give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A-

Private Screening: This almost transparent milky mid-toned peach does for lips what Essie Ballet Slippers did for nails. Take care not to over-apply. When I did, it settled into the fine lines on my lips, and the coverage didn’t look uniform. I like the color for quick hits of shine, but I would have liked to see a little more pigment — not much, just a tad. As it stands, it’s great for adding shimmer to lippies like Watch Me Simmer and Reel Sexy Lipstick.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

Cinestyle: MAC describes it as mid-toned blueish gray-violet, but I don’t really see any of the gray on me, and truth be told, I’m relieved; the thought of gray lips was freaking me out! This shade, like Private Screening, applies sheer and milky, and because my lips are rather pigmented, both shades look quite alike. On its own, I think it’s just okay, but I bet it would great atop Pink Popcorn Lipstick (to enhance the shine and bring out the purple tones).
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

mac star quality
Star Quality

mac colour saturation
Colour Saturation
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The MAC Reel Sexy Lipsticks: Bright, Saturated and Undeniably MAC

April 3rd, 2012 by Karen 34 Comments

mac reel sexy
Wearing MAC Lipstick in Reel Sexy

MAC lovers must be finding Reel Sexy real hard to resist. The four lipsticks from the upcoming release don’t arrive on counters until Thursday, April 5, but they had been available for purchase online. Not now, though, at least not directly from MAC. All four are currently sold out, and it’s probably safe to assume they’ll be hot commodities when they arrive in stores this week (at the time of this writing, they were still available on nordstrom.com).

I can’t say I’m surprised that MAC lovers have been snatching ’em up with a quickness. They’re bright, saturated, and undeniably MAC.

mac reel sexy lipsticks
Lipsticks from the left: Pink Popcorn (Lustre), Reel Sexy (Amplified), Watch Me Simmer (Amplified) and Heroine (matte), $14.50 US; $17.50 CDN each

One of these days, I’d love to round up a bunch of us and go to the movies. Maybe — and I’m just throwing out a suggestion here — the movie could be The Hunger Games 🙂 (yes, I’m actually thinking about watching it AGAIN), and we could all wear the Reel Sexy lipsticks, because I like the idea of looking around the theater and seeing all of our faces in the dark, with the light from the screen reflecting off our lips, all lit up and magical…

These colors would be great for something like that.

Here are a few notes on the individual shades…

Watch Me Simmer: Love this shade! So smooth, so bold, so bright… It’s easy to dress up or down, and I only need one layer for complete coverage. The Amplified finish also lasts all day long on my lips.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+

Reel Sexy: Another win! To me, this one’s all floppy hats, colorful beach coverups and white sandy beaches. I think it can take a little bit of babying to look good, like, I have to pat the lipstick down with a finger to even out the pigment, but a second layer makes it perfect.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A-

Pink Popcorn: A lavender with a Lustre finish, Pink Popcorn is the quiet one. I used a couple of layers to build it up for these pics, but when its worn as a single layer, I think it actually looks very natural, like a purpler version of Syrup. It may not have the staying power of Watch Me Simmer or Reel Sexy, but I really like color and its flexibility.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

Heroine: She might be a little too much for me, but I bet this intense violet could look really beautiful on darker damsels. If you love All My Purple Life Lipglass, don’t miss this Heroine.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

mac watch me simmer lip closeup
Watch Me Simmer

mac heroine lip swatch
Heroine
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MAC Unsung Heroes: Modesty Cremesheen Lipstick

April 2nd, 2012 by Karen 38 Comments

mac modesty cremesheen

I know that for some folks, especially ones who aren’t as ~~fanatical about~~ interested in makeup as you and I, it’s surprising to find wearable lip colors in MAC’s permanent line.

At lunch with my BFF Cindy a couple months ago, when I pulled out nude pink Modesty Cremesheen Lipstick ($14.50) to touch up after the meal, Cindy was shocked when I told her the lippie was from MAC.

Cindy, a makeup minimalist (to the extreme!), had an impression of MAC that many people share. She doesn’t wear makeup very often (the last time I saw her wearing eyeliner was at my wedding six years ago), but she has cruised by MAC counters many times before, and seeing the glammed-up artists there, always just assumed MAC only carried crazy colors.

No matter how many times I’ve tried to set her straight, gah! I swear, if I had a nickle for every time I’ve told that girl that MAC isn’t only about brights… But she doesn’t listen, probably because we’ve known each other for more than 20 years (she’s like the sister I never had), so she tunes me out when I go into makeup mode…or talk about Tabs. 🙂

mac modesty cremehseen lipstick

She did show an interest in MAC Modesty, though, which is great! — because I think it’s one of those eminently agreeable lip colors that every gal should try.

mac modesty cremesheen
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I’m Pretty Wild About Fierce: Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Fierce

March 31st, 2012 by Karen 26 Comments

illamasqua fierce

Purple lipgloss? So totally my thing, and it has been ever since at least my 27th birthday, when my BFF Jen gave me a tube of Benefit Kiss Me Gloss. I haven’t turned back since.

But to be honest, the first time I swatched Illamasqua’s latest lavender-ish lippie, the appropriately named Fierce, I gasped before I squeed!

It’s just so purple. And opaque. And…purple.

Part of Illamasqua’s new Human Fundamentalism collection, it’s probably not what I’d wear to Easter mass (imagine the look on the padre’s face during communion!), but I do think it’s more wearable than teal blue Apocalips, another loud lippie from the same launch.

The notables

Packaging: I think I would have preferred a doe-foot applicator to the brush that comes with Fierce. The fibers are a little long and unruly; some of the ones at the edges tend to splay out.
Texture: I love it. It’s somewhere between a MAC Cremesheen and a Lipglass — moderately thick and just slightly sticky.
Flavor and scent: Pop Rocks? Remember those? That’s what the scent and taste remind me of. A little weird…but I like it. For what it’s worth, both of them fade pretty quickly.
Application: Still pretty easy despite the brush. The gloss itself applies smoothly and lays down nice, even color.
Finish: It has a subtle shine (much shinier probably would’ve taken it over the top).
Wear time: About three hours on my lips. It doesn’t last through a meal, but it will tolerate a cup of tea.

illamasqua fierce
Intense Lipgloss in Fierce, $20

illamasqua fierce

illamasqua fierce
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