Lips

With the MAC Versicolour Stain Collection for Spring 2016, It’s About Popsicle Pouts!

March 28th, 2016 by Nicole Fraser-Herron 45 Comments

MAC Versicolour Stain Collection Spring 2016 — The MAC Versicolour Stain Collection for Spring 2016 ($24 each)

It’s officially spring! And it seems like El Niño (and Karl the Fog) got the memo here in the Bay, because we’ve had nothing but sunshine for the past few days.

Also, now that it’s warming up, I’m busting out the lip stains, which might be my favorite beauty items for the spring/summer months.

They’re crucial! They’re great for naked face days, no-makeup-makeup days, and basically all days that ends in “-day.” I like them because they’re low maintenance, and they last. One of my all-time favorite lip stains is the one I get from a cherry Popsicle.

But today I’m bringing you one of the latest launches from MAC, the MAC Versicolour Stain Collection, which is a gloss/stain fusion formula available in 16 shades ranging from nudes to peaches, oranges to fiery reds, and magentas to deep purples. There’s a shade (if not, like, three of them) for everyone, and they’re going to be permanent!

The formula is smooth and feels quite nourishing. These are also hella pigmented, with the exception of Long Live the Night, which is a nude. I wore Preserving Passion (a deep wine) one day last weekend, and it lasted all. day. long.

I started the day wearing it as a gloss, and the shine started to wear down about an hour or so later, but my lips retained a satin finish for most of the day after, progressively fading to a matte stain over the course of many hours.

Lip stains can be intimidating because if you mess up, well…you’re done for, but the Versicolour tube and applicator makes application a lot easier than usual. The applicator is a pointy doe foot that doesn’t pick up too much product (for me, anyway). The stopper is also a lot lower than the lip of the actual tube, which makes wiping excess product off of the applicator a breeze.

While I love the convenience of doe-foot applicators, they sure do load on the product sometimes, and that always gets me into trouble, so, needless to say, I’m a fan of lip stain reservoirs.

The collection has a flirty, summer-lovin’ color story that is only enhanced by the shade names. I wouldn’t call the collection groundbreaking…but I do think that these really are quite exquisite lip stains.

First, they’re very pigmented. Every swatch below is just one coat, and I blotted all of the excess away in the bottom rows to give you an idea of how each shade looks as a stain. I have a good feeling that these will perform well on a wide variety of skin tones.

Long Live the Night – Pale warm nude
Constant Craving – Mid-tone blue pink
Tattoo My Heart – Bright pinky coral
Let’s Stay Together – Mid-tone warm pink
Ceaseless Energy – Bright raspberry pink

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Too Faced La Crème Color Drenched Lipstick Swatches

March 28th, 2016 by Jen Clark 32 Comments

We live in a world filled with uncomfortably drying matte lipsticks.

They are EVERYWHERE!

But I took a much-needed break from the discomfort with the Cruelty Free Lipsticks by Too Faced this week, and let me tell ya, it felt gooood.

These lipsticks are smooth and balmy with a surprising color payoff. Normally, when I go for moisture and comfort, the appearance takes a hit, but not this time! Even with nasty, cracked lips with dry patches (I have notoriously dry lips, mm yummy), these smooth over the top and make them look a lot better than they did, and I appreciate the heck out of that.

There are 22 gorgeous shades to choose from, 10 of them being brand-spankin’ new! There are a couple of perfect nudes, some amazing pinks, and even some stunning darker vamp-y shades.

I just have to gush over the packaging for a sec… Ugh, it feels so luxurious! There’s something about a heavily weighted golden lipstick tube that just makes you feel a little bit better about life, and I love to wear these partly for the experience of putting them on.

I doubt that I’m the only one who feels that way, or at least, I hope I’m not the only one who gets that excited about lipstick. 🙂

Now, I’m just going to warn you, but beware of the shades with glitter/shimmer in them, and there are quite a few, because this is not a subtle glitter. I’m talking, I felt like I could have been the sixth member of the Spice Girls. You may now call me Shimmer Spice.

I’m not saying I hate them. In fact, part of me loves them! Just make sure you’re aware that they pack a punch if you plan to order online. Take a peek at the swatches down below if you want to see what I’m talking about, although it’s not as obvious as it is in real life.

Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lipstick in Unicorn Tears — “Unicorn Tears” — an iridescent shimmer

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4 Lipsticks I Love That No One Ever Talks About

March 25th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 31 Comments

Tarte LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint in Fiery on my lips

Well, I’m sure that some people did talk about them back when they were first released, but they seem to have fallen into oblivion in favor of more recent launches…

We beauty lovers are a little like spoiled children sometimes, don’t you think? We like our brand new toys for about 10 seconds, and then we want newer, shinier things to keep ourselves entertained. 🙂

But today is a different day, and I’m bringing back the love for four these not-so-recent lipsticks I absolutely adore!

NARS Pure Matte Lipstick Carthage Maybelline Superstay 14H Fuchsia Forever Tarte Matte Lip Tint Fiery Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Lipstick Rebellious Rose — Clockwise from the top left corner: Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Rebellious Rose, Tarte LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint in Fiery, Maybelline SuperStay 14HR in Fuchsia Forever, and NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage

Swatches NARS Pure Matte Lipstick Carthage Maybelline Superstay 14H Fuchsia Forever Tarte Matte Lip Tint Fiery Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Lipstick Rebellious Rose — L-R: NARS Carthage, Maybelline Fuchsia Forever, Tarte Fiery, Estée Lauder Rebellious Rose

1. NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage ($28)

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Here Are My Makeup Bag Essentials! What Are Yours?

March 24th, 2016 by Adia Goss 34 Comments

I’m sort of a makeup bag hoarder.

The easiest way to get me to buy something is to offer a free makeup bag. Then I’m sold (Clinique, I’m looking at you).

My excuse is that they always come in handy, whether for travel, organization, gift-giving… In fact, I always keep a makeup bag in my desk at work and another one in my gym bag. But I also like to have one that I just leave on my vanity, because it takes the guesswork out of doing my makeup in the morning, and I’ll also throw things in there that I’ve been meaning to try, so that I don’t forget about them.

I’ll also bring another makeup bag with me if I’m going somewhere after work, and I know I’ll want to freshen up my makeup.

See? So many makeup bags!

Here are what I currently consider my makeup bag essentials:

Face products

I’m not really one for powdering my nose on the go, so I have these Palladio Rice Paper Sheets instead. They soak up excess oil and don’t disturb the rest of my makeup. They’re very affordable, too (available at Ulta for $3.99).

If my base has worn off, or if I just want to add some coverage, I’ve been loving this Clinique Chubby in the Nude Foundation Stick. I use the shade called Gargantuan Golden. This one pictured is actually a free one that I got at Sephora, but I purchased the full size about a month ago (at Sephora for $24). I love how easy it is to blend on the skin with just my fingers, so it’s perfect for on-the-go. It’s build-able up to medium coverage and has a satin finish, so it looks very natural. If you’ve found other stick foundations to be too heavy or too creamy, look into this because it has a less slick feel than others that I’ve tried.

For added glow on the go, I absolutely LOVE Butterfly Beach by ColourPop Cosmetics. It’s a cool-toned champagne highlighter that instantly wakes up my face. I think it’s very flattering and so easy to just apply with my fingers, so this is one of my all-time favorite highlighters.

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Cheeky New Products From Chosungah 22: So Tiny Lip & Cheek, C&T Blend Fresh Mix Liquid Foundation and Bounce Up Pact Powder Foundation

March 23rd, 2016 by Anna Oh 14 Comments

Chosunga 22 — Wearing Chosungah 22 c&t Fresh Blend Foundation and SO TINY in Orange on cheeks and lip (mixed with MAC Pure Fiction gloss)

Hi, everyone! It’s time for another K-beauty break with a new brand available at Sephora. Chosungah 22, a beauty line by Korean makeup artist Sungah Cho, is based on the principal that makeup is a platform for play and self-expression. The packaging is usually brightly colored with lots of polka dots and plenty of bold graphics.

Now, I am one of the biggest suckers when it comes to awesome packaging…but I’m happy to report that these products aren’t all fluff!

Here are some neat things the brand has to offer…

beauty illustration anna oh chosungah so tiny — Illustration of the Chosungah 22 So Tiny Lip & Cheek

These cute little bottles are the So Tiny Lip & Cheek Face Colors ($14 each at Sephora), and they are, indeed, tiny! They’re long-lasting lip and cheek colors that dry down without any tacky residue. The matte, dry texture means that you’ll probably want to mix them with a balm or gloss to make them easier to use on your lips.

chosungah 22 so tiny lip & cheek swatches — Swatches of the Chosungah 22 So Tiny Lip & Cheek (L-R) Peach, Orange, Pink, Purple, Dark Red

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Dare to Go Bare With Rimmel “Essential Nude” Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate

March 18th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 19 Comments

Is there anything more Kate Moss than a smoky eye and a nude lip? Rimmel’s collaboration with the iconic Brit supermodel has given us countless iconic shades of lipstick, but none more iconic than the Essential Nude Lasting Finish Lipsticks released for Spring 2016 ($5.79 each, available exclusively at Walmart).

From the soft peach packaging marked with Kate’s signature — equal parts modern and evocative of classic vintage lipstick tubes — to the chic range of 10 nudes in varying hues and undertones, all lipstick lovers are bound to find a nude lip to love.

Like Kate’s celebrity status, nude lips can be intimidating. Some may elect to gleefully experiment with all of the shades, while others may want to more carefully follow a playbook. Alas, I belong to the latter group.

Nude lipstick can be a bit of a challenge for me personally — finding the “right” shade can be overwhelming, like picking a foundation! Like all skin-toned products, there are things to consider, from the shade, to the undertone, and a whole host of other aspects from opacity to texture that make a nude lip perfect for an individual’s beautifully unique complexion.

What I love about this collection is the fact that Rimmel seized the opportunity to make nude lips more approachable. At $5.79 each, the Essential Nude Lasting Finish Lipsticks aren’t cost prohibitive, meaning that you can pick up several shades and experiment with them, or mix, match and layer to create a customized hue.

Each lipstick is tagged with an associated undertone (more on that in the captions), making it simpler to target your “my lips but better” shade.

On the other hand, the array of diverse nudes allows you to achieve a particular effect — brightening the overall complexion, adding dimension or adding warmth — should you choose to use your lips as a way to change the overall appearance of your makeup.

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Power Colors! The Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipsticks

March 17th, 2016 by Nicole Fraser-Herron 41 Comments

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte — Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte in Commanding

I was having a tough morning today, and by the time I sat down to get ready for the day, I needed a serious pick-me-up.

I remembered that one of my favorite professors in school shared her secret to getting over her nerves and insecurities.

Lipstick.

She says that everyone has a power color, and hers is pink. Whenever she has to speak in front of large crowds or finds herself in a situation where she may be nervous, she wears hot pink lipstick.

She says it gives her an edge, a decent dose of sass, and reminds her to be herself, because you can’t cower down when you’re wearing a bold lip. You have to own it.

So, today I wore a fur coat and a bold lip, because I can. 🙂

My power color changes, but today I went with the Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipstick in Commanding ($30), because on these particularly rough days, I need a bullet.

Like, a lipstick bullet.

Liquid lipstick and glosses don’t hold the same figurative power for me as a classic bullet.

Also, the packaging. How can you feel down when you’re holding lipstick made from actual goddess magic in your hands? It’s simple yet substantial with an engraved lid and navy casing with gold accents.

They also close magnetically, which is so satisfying.

Putting this lipstick on even feels like a power move.

My lips are always moderately dry, so prepping them is crucial for me. When adequately conditioned, these lipsticks glide on evenly and last between 3-4 hours (with no lipliner!), even through light eating and drinking.

The formula is smooth and richly pigmented. It’s hard to mess up application with these guys. They have a subtle vanilla scent, too, which doesn’t last, and therefore doesn’t bother me.

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Acure Organics Lip Lush | Swatches & Review

March 17th, 2016 by Adia Goss 17 Comments

Acure Organics Lip Lush ($5.99 each) lip glosses are perfect to just keep in your desk at work, in your car, or wherever, really. They’re lightly tinted and really moisturizing (but not sticky!), so they’re great basic lip glosses. The four I have here — Birthday Suit, Shmexy, Date Worthy and Daaang! — beyond having insanely cute names, have a light fruit scent that fades after a few minutes (which is a good thing in my opinion).

I like how moisturizing they are (due to the argan oil, echinacea, beeswax and other natural ingredients). Lots of lip glosses are really shiny but can be oddly drying or irritating for me. It’s like all that shine is just on the surface of my lips, and my actual lips aren’t getting any benefit, but that’s definitely not the case with these glosse, because they keep my lips feeling soft even after the shine wears off.

Here are some swatches on me:

The one called Birthday Girl is a clear lip gloss. Period. But it’s comfortable on the lips and easy to apply.

I’ve been keeping this one in my gym bag to use after working out. Like, my hair may look crazy, but my lip gloss is poppin’!
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