Lips

Long Live Hot Pink Lips! Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Viva, From the États Poétiques Fall 2014 Collection

June 26th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

Chanel Viva Rouge Coco Shine Viva — Wearing Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine in 95 Viva ($35)

¡Ay, caramba! ¡Este color está en fuego! (Thank you, Efrain!)

This hot pink shade from Chanel’s fall collection totally lights my fire. The brightest of the four Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshines released with the États Poétiques fall 2014 collection, Viva ($35) is neither shy nor serious, unlike the dainty pale pinks and deep berry shades in the launch. It’s just bright and lovin’ life. 🙂

¡Viva la Viva!

Chanel Rouge Allure Coco Shine in Viva — Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in 95 Viva ($35)

Depending on the individual color, the Rouge Coco Shines range from sheer to medium coverage, but even when they’re sheer, you can still see the colors on your lips (and they don’t all look alike).

I love that Viva, despite being a bright hot pink, isn’t fully opaque, so I can put it on without a lip brush.

A lovely pink stain

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A Summery Reddish Orange Lip With Dolce & Gabbana’s Classic Cream Lipstick in Fire

June 25th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

Wearing Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Fire ($33)

OK, so my next door neighbor has these flowers in her front yard, and there’s this orangey red one. Every single time I walk by it I have to stop and stare for a few seconds because it’s so vibrant and eye-catching.

Reddish orange flower from my neighbor's front yard — Hello, beautiful!

I was under its spell yesterday and thought, “I need to find a lipstick like that…”

Then I thought, “And I need to wear that lipstick…”

Then I pictured dream Karen throwing her arms up in the air, twirling around in circles and screaming, “It’s summer, world! HAAAAAAY!”

OK, that last part didn’t happen. 🙂 But maybe if I’d had a glass of wine first…

Anyways! The flower looked exactly like Fire, one of the reformulated Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipsticks I mentioned yesterday.

An opaque electric orangey red, Fire sometimes borders on coral, depending on what I’m wearing (it’s kind of a chameleon), like this reddish coral shift dress I’m wearing today.

Today I think Fire looks more coral, but when I wear a black or white shirt, I think it looks more red.

Now, about the formula, my lips aren’t in the best shape right now. They’ve been very dry lately (I think they got wind burned in Redding), and there’s some flaking along the edges, but not when they’re on Fire!

LOL! Sorry, bad pun. I just wanted to write “…not when they’re on Fire!”

I meant, not when I’m wearing Fire. 🙂

It applies smoothly and incredibly opaque, and here I’m only wearing one layer.

YEAH!

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Incite Lipstick Envy This Fall With the New Smitten Kitten Collection La Creme and Melted Lipstick Shades

June 23rd, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Country Star — Wearing the new La Creme Lipstick in Country Star by Too Faced

I love me some sheer lip balm (lazy girl says haaaay!), but I’ll be the first to admit that when a girl walks by me wearing a snazzy lip that catches my eye and I’m wearing one of those nondescript barely-there shades I’m apt to do on any given day, my insides start metaphorically pounding the air with bratty baby fists, WAH!

I call it lipstick envy, and I’m totally guilty of having it.

Like, if you walked by me wearing one of the new shades from the Too Faced Smitten Kitten collection for fall 2014, I’d be going ape-sh*t inside.

This time around, Jerrod and crew added fun new shades of peach, pink, berry and purple to the La Creme Lipstick and Melted Lipstick lines.

Too Faced Smitten Kitten Collection Swatches from the left: La Creme Lipstick in Country Star; Melted Long Wear Lipsticks in Melted Marshmallow, Melted Fig and Melted Berry — Swatches from the left: La Creme Lipstick in Country Star; Melted Long Wear Lipsticks in Melted Marshmallow, Melted Fig and Melted Berry

All of the shades are eminently wearable, ’cause hello! — this is Too Faced, and they have the glam/girly/pretty corner of the makeup market down pat.

The brand new line of Too Faced La Creme Lip Balms ($22, in the pink tubes) and a new La Creme Lipstick shade, Country Star ($22, in the gold tube)

Peachy pinkish nude Country Star ($22), the new La Creme Lipstick shade in the release, is so creamy and smooth that it could almost pass for a gloss.

I have trouble with some nude lip colors washing me out (Or otherwise looking strange… You know how it is with some funky nude shades.), but this one doesn’t do that.

Unfortunately, it’s limited edition, so when it’s gone, you’ll find me in the corner with an embroidered lace hanky, daintily dabbing at glittery tears as they pool in the corners of my cat eyes. 🙁

The new Too Faced Smitten Kitten fall 2014 collection, with the Melted Lipsticks in the lower left ($21 each)

Then there are the four new $21 Melted Long Wear Lipsticks in the launch, which are like intense liquid lipsticks with a glossy finish and a smooth texture. They join the permanent line.

Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Fig — Melted Fig

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The New Too Faced La Creme Lip Balms Make Perpetually Parched Pouts Go Ahh!

June 20th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

Too Faced La Creme Lip Gloss in Plum Crazy — Someone’s going Plum Crazy. Wait — I mean, someone’s wearing Plum Crazy, one of six shades in the new Too Faced La Creme Lip Gloss line ($22 each)

Yabba-dabba-doo and zip-a-dee-doo-dah! I’m wearing Plum Crazy from the new Too Faced La Creme Lip Gloss line, and it is the bomb!

LOL!

Sorry, the bomb? Lame ’90s reference. What can I say? It’s Friday afternoon, and all I want to do is sneak out of the office early and go watch a movie (I still haven’t seen Edge of Tomorrow).

Yeah, right. As if Tabs would ever allow me to peace out early (dare to dream). If he did, I’d definitely take one of the brand Too Faced La Creme Lip Balms with me. With their shiny finish and sheer tints, they’re super chill, and the ultra moisturizing formula feels goooood on my lips.

There are currently six shades in the new line, and they more or less look the same on my perpetually parched and pigmented pout, but that’s OK. It means I only need one.

Or two.

OK, three. You know it is. #lipbalmhoarders 🙂

They feel rich and buttery on my lips and have a light citrus flavor and scent.

“This ultra-nourishing formula is saturated with antioxidant-rich White Lotus Flower Extract, Black Currant Seed Oil and Hyaluronic Filling Spheres, leaving your lips plump and irresistibly kissable.”

— Too Faced Cosmetics

I’d compare them to the $18 Tinted Lip Balms Benefit recently launched, but I wouldn’t exactly call them dupes. The La Creme Lip Balms cost a little more at $22, but you also get more pigment and moisture for that.

The La Cremes also feel slightly thicker to me and last longer on my lips. I’ve been applying Like Buttah, the clear shade, before bed, and I can still feel it there the next morning.

Too Faced La Creme Lip Balms Swatches from the left: Like Buttah (clear), Honey Bunny (a sheer nude), Peachy Keen (a sheer peach), Pink Slip (a sheer pink), Just Kissed (a sheer rose) and Plum Craze (a sheer plum) — Swatches from the left: Like Buttah (clear), Honey Bunny (a sheer nude), Peachy Keen (a sheer peach), Pink Slip (a sheer pink), Just Kissed (a sheer rose) and Plum Craze (a sheer plum)

Too Faced La Creme Lip Gloss in Peachy Keen — Peachy Keen

Too Faced La Creme Lip Gloss in Pink Slip — Pink Slip

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You CAN See This Aura, Even on Pigmented Lips: Aura and Intime, Two of the Four New Chanel Collection États Poétiques Fall 2014 Rouge Coco Shines

June 19th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Chanel Aura Rouge Coco Shine — Can you see my…Aura? Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Aura ($35), from the new États Poétiques fall collection

Once upon a time there lived a $35 lip balm named Aura.

She was beloved by all of the fabulous forest creatures and magical makeup mavens, myself included, because of her devil-may-care, mega-moisturizing formula and her totally low-maintenance point of view.

Like other products in the forest, she had powers, too. She was much more than a mere lip balm. She could summon a smooth texture and enough pigment to allow makeup lovers to skip liner and just apply her directly on their lips from her tube — even without a mirror!

Pretty incredible.

Chanel Collection États Poétiques — That’s Intime, one of the Rouge Coco Shines, in the upper left-hand corner (the pink lipstick) and Aura (the plum), $35 each

For their États Poétiques fall 2014 collection, Chanel added four new Coco Shine shades in soft pink Intime, fuchsia Viva, rosy Confident and plum Aura.

My dry lips kicked it last weekend with two of them — Intime and Aura, woo-hoo! — and a good time was had by all. 🙂

For the ultimate in causal pinks, there’s Intime. Neither too warm, nor too cool, Intime actually shows up on my pigmented lips, which is unusual for pinks like this; I’ve been wearing it a lot.

Chanel Intime Rouge Coco Shine Swatch — Intime

I think Aura is just as beautiful and remarkably easy to wear. It appears really dark in the tube, but applies with less intensity than that — almost like Clinique’s Black Honey Almost Lipstick, but with a plummier reddish tone.

Chanel Aura Rouge Coco Shine Swatch — Aura

Lip colors typically turn toward opaque and matte for fall, so I’m a little surprised to see Chanel go shiny and sheer.

I like it. It’s different and fun, and yes — easy! Plus, I like the idea of sheer, shiny lips to go with more intense fall eye makeup looks.

Chanel Intime Rouge Coco Shine — Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Intime

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With Pen Packaging, These MAC Moody Blooms Collection Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tints Do Some Things Write

June 12th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Blushing Berry, a mid-tone cool red — MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Blushing Berry, a cool mid-tone red

GURL, I’ve been Team MAC Lipglass since 1998! — ever since that first tube of Spite found its way into my purse.

That’s a lot of lipgloss lovin’. In fact, it’s the longest relationship I’ve ever had with a gloss.

And because we have all this history together, it’s easy for me to see the good points when it comes to the Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tints ($20) from the Moody Blooms collection.

They have a few things in common with the O.G. Lipglasses, like a thick, non-drying formula and a mirror-like shine, but there are some differences. I’d say they’re more like cousins than sisters.

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tints from the lightest shade on the bottom to the top: Bubble Gum, Gwi-Yo-Mi, Blushing Berry, Glorious Intent and Simply Wow ($20 each)

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tints Swatches from the left: Bubble Gum, Gwi-Yo-Mi, Blushing Berry, Glorious Intent and Simply Wow — Swatches from the left: Bubble Gum, Gwi-Yo-Mi, Blushing Berry, Glorious Intent and Simply Wow

First, there’s the packaging. The Sheen Supremes come in a pen with a brush tip (as opposed to a regular tube with a doe-foot)…

Fun to use! I feel like I’m in art class whenever I use these to paint my lips with gloss.

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Simply Wow, a mid-tone cool mauve — Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Simply Wow, a mid-tone cool mauve

And then there’s the stickiness, and how these don’t feel quite as sticky as regular Lipglasses do to me. Perhaps as a result, they don’t last quite as long. I get about three hours of wear from them, which still isn’t bad.

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Bubble Gum, a soft warm pink — Sheen Supreme Lipglass Tint in Bubble Gum, a soft warm pink

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These Six MAC Moody Blooms Sheen Supreme Lipsticks Gleam Like a Dream

June 11th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

The six Sheen Supreme Lipsticks from the new MAC Moody Blooms collection ($17 each) — The six MAC Moody Blooms collection Sheen Supreme Lipsticks ($17 each)

Like deep green leaves bathed in the light of a full moon, these beautiful bulbs of tuberous terrific-ness gleam! — but not like high-shine metallics or frosts. Their sheen is more muted and shrewd than that…

I can really see it in the six Moody Blooms collection Sheen Supreme Lipsticks ($17 each).

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Moody Bloom, a bronze plum — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Moody Bloom, a bronzed plum

While bronzy plum Moody Bloom and pinkish coral Phosphorescent radiate a few watts of warmth, most of these lecherous lippies live on the cool- and neutral-toned sides of the garden, which makes sense to me. I think it balances well with the warm earthy copper, brown, and warm pinkish gold eye makeup in the release.

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Phosphorescent, an electric pinkish coral — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Phosphorescent, an electric pinkish coral

As for the semi-opaque Sheen Supreme Lipstick formula, it still lets some of my natural lip color peek through, so these definitely aren’t sheer, and my lips like how they feel — plush, creamy and super soft, almost like a gloss.

As they fade on my lips over the course of about two hours, they leave behind a lovely stain — particularly the brighter colors, like pinkish coral Phosphorescent, my favorite of the bunch, and dark bluish pink Pheromonal.

Unfortunately, they aren’t the most moisturizing lip products in the glam garden, but I think they’ve improved over the original MAC Sheen Supremes released in 2011.

Those back then sucked all of the H₂O out of my lips, but I think this batch in Moody Blooms is a little better.

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Pheromonal, a dark blueish pink — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Pheromonal, a dark blueish pink

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Lust Extract, an electric violet — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Lust Extract, an electric violet

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Quite the Thing!, a deep blueish plum — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Quite the Thing!, a deep blueish plum

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Venomous Violet, a deep berry available exclusively online at maccosmetics.com — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Venomous Violet, a deep berry (available exclusively online at maccosmetics.com)

They don’t completely dehydrate my lips, but if I lived in a desert, I think I’d probably apply a layer of lip balm first. I wore Phosphorescent a lot up in Napa last weekend, and it was hot and dry! By the end of the weekend trip, my pucker was starting to get a little parched.

MAC Moody Blooms Sheen Supreme Lipstick Swatches from the left: Moody Bloom, Phosphorescent, Pheromonal, Lust Extract, Quite the Thing and Venomous Violet — Swatches from the left: Moody Bloom, Phosphorescent, Pheromonal, Lust Extract, Quite the Thing and Venomous Violet

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Moody Bloom Swatch — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Moody Bloom

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Phosphorescent Swatch — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Phosphorescent

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Pheromonal Swatch — Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Pheromonal

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How Sweet It Is To Wear These Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments

June 6th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

I’m going to file these Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments under, “GURL, what in tarnation was I thinking?! Why did it take me so long to get on this train?”

Shoot, I’ve walked by these so many times at ~~my home away from home~~ Sephora, thinking to myself, “Cute! But $22.50 cute? I dunno…”

I mean, let’s face it — they’re lip treatments. I figured there would be dozens of things just like ’em, but cheaper, at any drugstore.

These Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments, which are available now in 10 shades, have been around a good long while. They seem to send beauty lovers into a crazy-pants tizzy every time a new color joins the fam.

I just haven’t understood the hype, ever since I got sample in a Sephora VIB gift set a few years back. I wasn’t impressed with it then, but looking back now, I think I may have gotten a bad tube, because the three colors I’ve been wearing this month — creamy pink Petal, sheer red Cherry and bold juicy Coral — are the cat’s meow.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments counterclockwise from the lower left: Coral, Cherry and Petal — Counterclockwise from the lower left: Coral, Cherry and Petal

Being the perfect time of year for casual lip looks, these kittens love summer. They have just enough tint to show up clearly on my pigmented lips but aren’t fully opaque, so I can still see some of my natural lip color.

And, hello moisture! When I use these throughout the day, all ye flakes be gone.

Mmm…

Oh! — my bad. Pardon me while I sit here rubbing my lips together all day long like a weirdo makeup pervert. 🙂 Because these feel fantastic on my lips. Just really buttery and comfortable.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Swatches from the left: Petal, Coral and Cherry — Swatches from the left: Petal, Coral and Cherry

Some folks aren’t big fans of the flavor and scent, but I kind of like ’em. They remind me of lemony fresh sugar cookies. I quite enjoy them.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Cherry — Cherry

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