Lips

Kisses for You From the MAC Veluxe a Trois Collection Lipsticks and Cremesheen Glasses

July 31st, 2015 by Karen 17 Comments

Three, or trois, as my high school French teacher Madame Sonsteng would say en Francais, is the magic number for the MAC Veluxe A Trois collection, and you gotta say it all slow motion and stretched out like, “twaaaahhhhhhhh.” Veluxe a twaaaahhhhhhh!

Technically, the collection doesn’t arrive on counters or in stores till August 13, but it’s already available online.

We took a look at the eye products in the release a little while back, but you know how it is with MAC… There’s a new collection out every 3.5 seconds, so here’s a quick refresher.

The collection is coming to stores and counters soon, but you have to please do me a favor now and read this list out loud like a robot (because it’s just more fun that way). 🙂

The MAC Veluxe A Trois collection includes…

6 new Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow Trios ($25 each)
6 Lipsticks ($16 each)
4 Cremesheen Glasses ($20 each)
2 Haute & Naughty Mascaras ($22 each)
247 Flat Shader Brush ($25)

The stars of the show, obviously, are the new Veluxe Pearlfusion Trios, but the Lipsticks and Cremesheen Glasses are interesting, too. I’m looking forward to wearing a number of them this fall in looks. Check it…

mac veluxe a trois lipsticks — MAC Veluxe a Trois Lipsticks from the left in Cremesheen Lipstick in How Tropical, Cremesheen Lipstick in Pillow Talk, mplified Lipstick in Royally Riotous, Cremsheen Lipstick in Flowerscope, Cremesheen Lipstick in Quelle Surprise and Cremesheen Lipstick Heux

mac veluxe a trois cremesheens — MAC Cremesheens from the top to the bottom: Softly Lit, Richyly Revered and Dark Outsider (not pictured, Loud & Lovely)

mac flowerscope — MAC Cremsheen Lipstick in Flowerscope

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Get Into Character With the OCC Cosplay Collection Lip Tars

July 24th, 2015 by Karen 9 Comments

occ cosplay swatches — The six new OCC Cosplay Collection Lip Tars ($18 each, available now)

I have yet to partake of the costumed creative greatness that is cosplay, but if/when I do, the character I play will HAVE to have crazy-@ss green lips — obviously — because if I’m going to go through the effort to dress up like a fantastical/comic book character, there is no way I’m wearing a soft mid-toned neutral pink on my lips or a hushed neutral beige.

LAME.

Green lips all the way! 🙂

And apparently Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (also known as OCC) feels me on this.

Their six new $18 Summer 2015 Cosplay Collection Matte Lip Tars (the collection also has six nail polishes) includes a bright, vibrant leafy green appropriately called Cosplay, and no, I haven’t worn it to Trader Joe’s…yet.

occ cosplay cosplay — OCC Cosplay Lip Tar/Matte in Cosplay

Like OCC’s other Lip Tars, these totally tubular liquid lipsticks have a peppermint flavor and scent. Just dab a drop of one on the back of your hand, and then use a lip brush to apply them from there.

occ cosplay belladonna — OCC Cosplay Lip Tar/Matte in Belladonna

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Kitty Kisses From Paul & Joe: The Paul & Joe Fall 2015 Lipstick CS in Cafe Parisien, Coffee Cherry and Cafe Espresso

July 22nd, 2015 by Karen 42 Comments

To say that I’m sweet on these three new limited edition fall lipsticks and refillable lipstick cases from Paul & Joe would be both a grievous understatement of ridiculous proportions, and incredibly apt, because, hello! — TEH KITTEHS.

But also because the lipsticks are magically made/manufactured using an old Japanese candy-making technique called Kintarō-ame, which involves layers of candy (or makeup) rolled together. In this case, the innermost cylinder is shaped like a feline’s face.

Which is wondrous, delightful and incredibly amazing. 🙂

The candy-making process also means that the interior kitty tubes are still visible all the way down to the bottom of the bullets — a fact that greatly pleases my makeup-obsessed, cat-loving heart.

paul joe fall 2015 lipsticks — The three new $20 Paul & Joe Fall 2015 Lipsticks CS from the left in Cafe Parisien 093, Coffee Cherry 094, Cafe Espresso 095; and the $7 Lipstick Cases CS from the left in 030, 020 and 028

Lipstick CS ingredients and benefits

Cocoa Seed Butter — Emollient

Jojoba Seed Oil — Emollient

Lavender Oil — Emollient

Orange Flower Water — Moisturizer

White Lily Extract — Moisturizer and prevents irritation

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The “Ultimate NARS” Lip Pencil Set Shifts Lips Into Neutral

July 21st, 2015 by Karen 10 Comments

nars ultimate nars — The $49 “Ultimate NARS” lip pencil set

Yo, whose hoopty is this? Yes, the red ’95 Civic in the driveway. Will somebody please get this thing out of neutral and drive us to the Nordstrom NARS counter so we can play with the new “Ultimate NARS” lip pencil set ($49)?

Wait — what? What do you mean there’s nobody here who can drive a stick? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? NOT ONE PERSON HERE CAN DRIVE A STICK!?

OK…well, I can’t drive one either. 🙂 So I guess we’ll all just have to sit here and admire it on the interwebz.

LOL! You don’t actually have to know how to shift a hoopty out of neutral to roll with the three full-size pencils in the Ultimate NARS lip pencil set, but a healthy appreciation for neutral lips colors would probably help. This trio of pale, pink lip pencils is all about ze neutrals.
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Peek-a-Boo! I See Yu Wearing the New NARS True NARS Lip Pencil Set This Summer

July 20th, 2015 by Karen 17 Comments

Oh, Yu!

Yu! You know I’ve got nothing but mad love for Yu. I’m so happy to see Yu again! 🙂

Yaaaas, queen, Yu is one of my favorite NARS Satin Lip Pencils of all freakin’ time, and it just so happens to be one of the three full-size pencils in the new $49 NARS True NARS summer gift set.

This year there are three limited edition NARS summer gift sets — two lip sets and one blush palette — and True NARS is the boldest of the two summer lip sets.

Do you feel like the world is a kinder, gentler place when you’re wearing bronzer? Or is the pursuit of toasty, tanned skin one of your ongoing life goals? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then True NARS is the lip set for you, because its vivid pink Satin Lip Pencil in Yu, vivid watermelon Satin Lip Pencil in Luxembourg and matte berry red Velvet Matte Li pencil in Provocative Red were picked and put together for the way they pop when worn with bronzed skin. Wear any of them separately like I’m doing in the swatches here, or combine them to create your own custom splash of spectacular sorry-not-sorry color.

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Just Like a Single Strand of Pearls, the New MAC Cremesheen Pearl Lipsticks and Cremesheen Glasses Should Stand the Test of Time

July 16th, 2015 by Karen 22 Comments

Why is it that I know I’d be utterly destroyed — as in completely heartbroken and shattered into a zillion tiny pieces — if my favorite strand of pearls were ever to be crushed, but I’m thrilled by the idea of there being actual crushed pearls in my MAC Cremesheen Lipsticks and Cremesheen Glasses?

I guess it’s just one of life’s many mysteries. I guess.

Of course, there aren’t actual crushed pearls in the MAC Cremesheen Lipsticks and Cremesheen Glasses that launched online today with the MAC Cremesheen Pearl collection (also coming to MAC stores and counters July 23).

I just like to pretend. 🙂

Naaaw, girl! The new collection of 10 lipsticks and five glosses, all in shades of pink, coral and red with Asian-inspired names, only appears to have been sprinkled with tiny bits o’ pearl so that your lips look lusciously lacquered and luminous like a strand of pearls, and the effect is — ooh-la-la! — so classy.

mac cremesheen pearl lipstick — MAC Cremesheen Pearl Lipstick in Pickled Plum

For the collection, MAC put a pearlescent twist on their familiar Cremesheen Lipstick and Cremesheen Glass formulas. With these shades, “pearlized pigments” give the classically creamy, luscious Cremesheen finish a subtle, shimmery glow.

Subtle is the key word, too. This ain’t no drag queen disco diva glitter (although that definitely has its time and place). These Cremesheens have more of an effervescent glow.

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Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick by theBalm

July 13th, 2015 by Karen 41 Comments

thebalm meet matte hughes 1 — The new Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long-Lasting Liquid Lipsticks by theBalm ($17 each)

“Ladies and lipstick-loving gentlemen, allow me to introduce my friend here. He’s from theBalm, he costs $17, and his name is Matt(e) Hughes Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick. Go on, Matt(e)! Say hi to everyone.”

[THE SOUND OF CRICKETS CHIRPING…]

“Oops, I’m sorry. You’ll have to excuse Matt(e). He’s not much of a talker on account of him being a liquid lipstick with a matte finish.”

thebalm devoted — theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes in Devoted

“Matt(e) and I have been ‘friends’ for a few weeks now 🙂 — yes, ever since he showed up in theBalm’s permanent collection — and, well, I thought you might like to meet him because we’re getting pretty serious…”

thebalm sentimental — theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes in Sentimental

“Yup, he’s everything my lips have ever wanted — Adoring (a merlot), Loyal (a deep red), Devoted (a bright red), Sentimental (a warm magenta), Charming (a rich mauve), Honest (a warm coral), Committed (a pinkish nude) and Chivalrous (a warm magenta).”
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The MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencils Are Going Permanent

July 9th, 2015 by Karen 45 Comments

mac patentpolish lip pencil 1 — 14 of the 15 new MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencils ($20 each), available now online and at MAC stores and counters

Your tongue twister for the day…

“The Patentpolish Lip Pencils are now permanent.”

Now, see if you can say it five times fast!

The Patentpolish Lip Pencils are now permanent.
The Patentpolish Lip Pencils are now permanent.
The Patentpolish Lip Pencils are now permanent.
The Patentpolish Lip Pencils are now permanent.
The Patentpolish Lip Pencils are now permanent.

Can you do it? If you can, I vote that you reward yourself with one or more of these MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencils, but you don’t have to do it today. Feel free to take your sweet time, because…THE PATENTPOLISH LIP PENCILS ARE NOW PERMANENT! 🙂

These $20 twist-up pencils have the texture of a balm, the patent-leather finish of a high-shine gloss and the precision of a husky writing implement. If they look familiar, that’s probably because they are. Some of them made appearances in limited edition collections last year.

mac patentpolish lip pencil 2 — MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencils from the left: Clever, Fearless, French Kiss and Go For Girlie

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