Lips

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balms

July 25th, 2013 by Karen 12 Comments

About the Author
The following guest post was written by Jessica Desjardins of Beautezine. You can also find Jessica on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.

There are a few things I love to collect, like cute USB keys, shoes and Maybelline Baby Lips lip balms.

As much as I adore makeup, I don’t consider myself a collector of limited-edition collections, adorable packaging or even designer pieces, but I can’t help myself when it comes to these Maybelline Baby Lips. I just have to have them all!

I admit that I have a slight addiction to these fun, colorful lip balms…

I don’t feel too guilty though. They retail for just $3.99 USD / $4.99 CAD each, so my wallet doesn’t get angry at me when I feel the need to hoard a few more. The permanent lineup features six shades — two of which are clear and the other four have a sheer tint. Sometimes they launch limited edition shades too, and those fly off the shelves super fast (psst! keep your eyes peeled for the new neon shades this fall).

Maybelline Baby Lips in (L-R) Pink Punch, Grape Vine, Peach Kiss, Cherry Me & Quench

I wanted to share five of my favorite shades and a bit about why I’m so head-over-heels for these drugstore lippies.

First of all, they’re totally adorable. The fun packaging features bold colors and a cute design. Next, they smell great and have a sheer tint that’s totally fool-proof to apply, yet slightly buildable too. These are the types of lip balms that you keep in your office drawer, on your nightstand, and a couple in every purse. Finally, they have SPF20, so they are great for daily protection (but don’t have that awful sunscreen taste), and they’re super moisturizing too.

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

Quenched. Quenched, probably my most-loved shade, is clear and smells like lemon-lime. It has a permanent spot on my nightstand; I use it each night before I go to bed, and my lips feel soft, smooth and hydrated every morning.

Peach Kiss. Peach Kiss is another favorite. It smells like peaches and has a shimmery, peachy bronze tint. It’s pretty neutral, so it goes with almost every look! It’s my go-to when I’m in a rush or can’t decide on a lip color.

Pink Punch. Pink Punch is a super fun, bright pink with a berry scent. It’s quite buildable and pairs perfectly with an ultra black cat eye!

Cherry Me. Cherry Me is your classic cherry Chapsticky balm kicked up a few notches. The juicy cherry scent is totally nostalgic and leaves lips with a rosy tint.

Grape Vine. Grape Vine is so dark that it might look a little scary in the tube, but it goes on super sheer and kisses lips with a soft berry tint. The grape scent is so amazing I wish I could eat it!

I could go on and on about these lip balms, but really, it comes down to this: they’re affordable, hydrating, cute and come in some pretty awesome shades. If you haven’t tried them yet, run — don’t walk — and snatch up as many as you can because you’ll definitely love them all!

[Continue reading…]

My Lips Would Stage a Coup for These New $22 Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks

July 16th, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

Urban Decay Streak Revolution Lipstick — Wearing Urban Decay’s coral pink Revolution Lipstick in Streak, one of 22 shades in UD’s new Revolution Lipstick line

A couple weeks ago Urban Decay started a revolution. They unleashed a new line of lipsticks unto the world and their permanent collection — the Revolution Lipsticks — and I kid you not, I’ve been wearing them almost every day since.

Renowned for their iconic palettes (hello, Naked!) and eyeshadow singles, UD decided to show some love to lips, and mine certainly love what they’ve done here. This new line of 22 lipsticks keeps the brand firmly near the front of the pack.

Costing $22 each but looking and feeling more extravagant than that, they seem like a bargain next to lippies from Tom Ford and Dolce & Gabbana.

With their concentrated pigments and creamy, smooth formula, even colors that can normally be tricky and uneven, like beiges and pale neutral pinks, apply without a hitch. A single swipe is all it takes.

I find myself having to reapply them after meals, but they easily handle tea. Between meals, I get at least 4-5 hours from them.

Thicker and creamier than Urban Decay’s old lipsticks — the ones with the swirls on the packaging and the silver dagger — they feel more significant (and better) on my lips, but aren’t what I’d call heavy. Not like a ton of product plastered on my pout. I think of them as lipsticks for lipsticks lovers, but if you gravitate toward featherweight glosses and lip colors that look barely there, these are probably not what you need.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick ($22 each)

Urban Decay Shame Revolution Lipstick 1 — Shame, a deep berry

Urban Decay Venom Revolution Lipstick 2 — Venom, a bright plum

Urban Decay Jilted Revolution Lipstick 3 — Jilted, a deep fuchsia shimmer with blue shift

Urban Decay Anarchy Revolution Lipstick 4 — Anarchy, a bright fuchsia

Urban Decay Turn On Revolution Lipstick 5 — Turn on, a rosy pink

Urban Decay F-Bomb Revolution Lipstick 6 — F-Bomb, a classic red

[Continue reading…]

Powder Surge! Retro Lips Go to the Matte With the NARS Fall 2013 Velvet Matte Lip Pencils

July 9th, 2013 by Karen 32 Comments

This morning I had a Channing Tatum revelation.

In 1990, Chan-Tate — master of abdominal gyrations and star of many of my favorite daydreams — was 10 years old.

That same year, I was 15, and my younger brother was 11. So, technically, Channing could have been my lil’ brother’s homeboy, which by default means I could have been Channing Tatum’s babysitter.

Cue sad unicorn face!

Hmm… There’s something very weird about that. At approximately the same time I discovered the wonders of matte lipsticks (more on this in a sec), I could also have been preparing Channing Tatum a Hot Pocket for lunch, reading him a story, or scolding him for jumping on the couch.

Yup, matte, powdery-lookin’ lips were all the rage back then. For a period of about 10 years, while young Channing Tatum was probably pretending to be a Thundercat in the backyard, the world faced a severe shortage of glossed and glittery lips.

But, as they say, what’s old is new again. 🙂 It’s time for us to talk about lips and NARS Fall 2013.

Take my hand, friend, as the waves of ’90s nostalgia crash over us…

In a collection heavy on matte eyes and lips, with the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, there isn’t a single sparkle to be found between pale pink Paimpol and brick-like Mysterious Red.

Mysterious Red

Of the two, Mysterious Red is the showstopper for me, albeit one that isn’t entirely unique. While striking and bold, I’ve seen the color and shades like it before (NARS Forbidden Red, MAC RiRi Woo and MAC Red come to mind).

Beautiful and classic, this warmish opaque brick red is the exact lip color I longed for in the summer of 1990, when I desperately wanted to look like Madonna in her Express Yourself video, yet despite its stark, flat matte finish, it feels surprisingly smooth on my lips.

For comparison, you know that dramatic, powdery effect you get with MAC RiRi Woo? Well, Mysterious Red has it, too, but without the tugging or skipping.

And being a pencil, it’s a cinch to use. Just line and fill in your lips.

From the left, for comparison: NARS Mysterious Red, NARS Forbidden Red, MAC Red, MAC RiRi Woo and MAC Dubonnet — From the left for comparison: NARS Mysterious Red, NARS Forbidden Red, MAC Red, MAC RiRi Woo and MAC Dubonnet

If you compulsively collect reds and want to freshen your collection for fall, Mysterious Red would be a solid choice. It may not be the most groundbreaking shade, but at least you know it won’t go out of style before you’ve worn it down to a stub.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+/A-

Paimpol

Under close examination, I do see some sparkles on pink chiffon Paimpol’s tip, but there isn’t a twinkle in sight when it’s on my lips, where it’s more of a straight-up flat matte.

NARS Fall 2013 Swatches from the left: La Paz Pure Matte Lipstick, Peloponnese Pure Matte Lipstick, Paimpol Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, Mysterious Red Velvet Matte Lip Pencil — From the left: La Paz Pure Matte Lipstick, Peloponnese Pure Matte Lipstick, Paimpol Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, Mysterious Red Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

[Continue reading…]

Laying Out the Welcome Matte for Glitter: This Fall, Two Pure Matte Lipsticks Sparkle at NARS

July 8th, 2013 by Karen 27 Comments

NARS Pure Matte Lipsticks in La Paz — Keeping the peace with La Paz, one of two new NARS Pure Matte Lipsticks ($26), on my lips

Don’t be fooled. Just because they call deep purple La Paz and coppery pink Peloponnese “Pure Matte Lipsticks” doesn’t mean they aren’t perfectly capable of powering you through a psychedelic Care Bears-themed rave or a princess party.

Both lipsticks, the only two in the new NARS fall 2013 collection, contain a fair amount of glitter — you know, just in case you need to party.

NARS La Paz Pure Matte Lipstick, an orchid ($26, limited edition) — Orchid La Paz Pure Matte Lipstick, ($26, limited edition)

NARS Peloponnese Pure Matte Lipstick, a ginger pink ($26) — Ginger pink Peloponnese Pure Matte Lipstick ($26, permanent collection)

Leave it to FranÃ§ois to bedazzle two matte lipsticks with the crushed silver bits of a broken disco ball!

It’s just so unexpected and really, really cool. The medium-sized flecks of silver glitter sparkle in a matte base.

NARS Pure Matte Lipsticks in La Paz (left) and Peloponnese (right) — The Pure Matte Lipsticks in La Paz (left) and Peloponnese (right)

It’s just too bad that neither of these — La Paz nor Peloponnese — feel as good as they look, at least not on my dry lips, which is strange, as I usually think of the NARS Pure Mattes as being on the more comfortable end of the matte lipsticks spectrum.

These, though, seem surprisingly tight and drying…

The only explanation I can come up with is the glitter — not that it’s gritty or anything, but I think it might be throwing a wrench into the texture/finish ratio.

NARS Pure Matte Lipsticks in Peloponnese — Pure Matte Lipsticks in Peloponnese

[Continue reading…]

2-Minute Review: Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine in 76 Gourmandise

July 6th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

Wearing Chanel Gourmandise Rouge Coco Shine ($32.50) on my lips

In less time than it takes to open a can of gravy for Tabs, or buy roundtrip tickets to Paris, or try on a pair of Jimmy Choos, or buy the entire Chanel Fall 2013 makeup collection on chanel.com, you can also find out if Chanel’s new 76 Gourmandise Rouge Coco Shine is right for you.

Ready for a 2-minute review?

WHAT IT IS: A shiny, peachy pink limited edition lippie from Chanel’s Les DÃ©lices de Chanel collection, Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine in 76 Gourmandise ($32.50) lives to soften, hydrate and plump lips for a fuller, healthier appearance.

Chanel Les Delices de Chanel Collection Rouge Coco Shine in 76 Gourmandise — Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Lipshine in 76 Gourmandise, $32.50

WHAT IT DOES:

Rose flavor and scent (yum)
Packed with tiny flecks of silver glitter (cute)
Very, very sheer on my pigmented lips (almost like wearing a balm), but I can see this still being a flattering “my lips but better” color for gals with lips lighter and more pink than mine
Extremely hydrating
Smooth, non-sticky, lightweight and comfy
Can’t really tell if it makes my lips look plumper, but it’s not one of those plumpers that tingles or stings
1-hour wear time

“The next chapter in the brilliant ROUGE COCO SHINE story: ROUGE COCO SHINE Hydrating Colour Lipshine, an innovative formula with intensified pigments to take colour and sheen to a new level of vibrancy. Sheer, shiny, colour-rich shades are effortlessly chic, infinitely wearable. Hydratendre Complex softens and plumps lips for a healthier, fuller appearance.”

— chanel.com

THE VERDICT: Highly moisturizing, and the bits of glitter give it a little something extra, but unless you’re a die-hard Chanel fan, Gourmandise may seem like little more than a fancy, expensive lip balm. You can probably find something similar for less than $32.50 (but it wouldn’t be Chanel).

PRICE: $32.50
AVAILABILITY: Limited edition, and available now at select Chanel counters and chanel.com
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

That’s Right — I’m Singing About These New Treats From Chanel: The Chanel Les Delices de Chanel Aqualumieres in French Toffee and Friandise

July 3rd, 2013 by Karen 14 Comments

Chanel Friandise Aqualumiere — Limited edition Chanel Aqualumiere Gloss in 82 Friandise ($27) from the Les Delices de Chanel collection

Sung to the tune of the chorus in Katy Perry’s California Girls…

Aw-qua-lumieres
You’re unforgettable

When you left town
It broke my heart

Now that you’re back
Any-thing is possible

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!

I feel like singin’. Every time I wear the Chanel Aqualumieres in French Toffee and Friandise, I see the world in a slightly better light. For the briefest of moments, the world seems less cruel, and I no longer feel the urge to shake my fist at the sky and roar, “WHY!? WHY CAN’T EVERY GIRL EXPERIENCE THE WONDERS OF CANDY GLOW!?”

Now that these limited edition glosses, which had been part of the permanent line but subsequently disappeared for a while, have returned to the Chanel line via the Les Delices de Chanel collection, I have hope again. Hope that no more makeup hearts will fall broken and shattered on glittery sidewalks. Perhaps Chanel will even bring back more of the colors, either permanently or in future limited edition releases like this one.

Chanel Les Delices de Chanel Collection Aqualumieres in 83 French Toffee and 82 Friandise — Aqualumieres in 83 French Toffee (left) and 82 Friandise (right)

They’re just as wonderful as the ones I remember from Chanel’s permanent line. Mmm… They feel so good on my lips. Not sticky at all, and they’re bursting with moisture. They also have a barely there vanilla flavor and scent.

Gals who prefer long-wearing glosses might not like the limited two-hour wear time, but at least they feel great.

If you like the look of a nude lip but don’t want intense pink or peach tones, there’s shimmery sheer beige French Toffee, which should look really pretty with something like MAC Cork, or a golden brown nude lip pencil.

Chanel French Toffee Aqualumiere — Aqualumiere Gloss in 83 French Toffee (limited edition), $27

[Continue reading…]

7 Lip Combos With MAC Tropical Taboo’s Calypso Beat Cremesheen Glass

July 2nd, 2013 by Karen 16 Comments

Wearing MAC Calypso Beat Cremehseen and Midnight Mambo Mineralize Rich Lipstick on my lips

Calypso Beat Cremesheen Glass, part of the new MAC Tropical Taboo collection, and I have been glued at the hip — or rather, the lips — since last week.

It started as a red hot affair, but definitely no one night stand. Now I’m in it for the long haul…or until the next peachy nude gloss comes along (whichever comes first).

Calypso Beat isn’t just beautiful on its own. I also think it’s great for layering with other lip products, and I’ve been trying it with some combos, mixing and matching with the Mineralize Rich Lipsticks and Lip Pencils from the same Tropical Taboo collection (just for fun).

I stumbled on a few lip looks that I really like…

MAC Calypso Beat Cremesheen and Glamour Era Mineralize Rich Lipstick — Calypso Beat Cremesheen and Glamour Era Mineralize Rich Lipstick

MAC Caylpso Beat and Heroine Lip Liner — Caylpso Beat and Heroine Lip Liner

MAC Calypso Beat Cremesheen and Have to Have It Lip Pencil — Calypso Beat Cremesheen and Have to Have It Lip Pencil

MAC Calypso Beat Cremesheen, Fever Isle Cremesheen and Ablaze Lip Pencil — Calypso Beat Cremesheen, Fever Isle Cremesheen and Ablaze Lip Pencil

[Continue reading…]

Dry Lips Say Haaay to These Moisturizing MAC Tropical Taboo Cremesheen Glasses

June 27th, 2013 by Karen 38 Comments

MAC Narcissus Cremesheen Glass from the Tropical Taboo collection — That’s MAC’s Narcissus Cremesheen Glass from the Tropical Taboo collection on my lips…

I don’t care that I look a little pervy when I rub my lips back and forth and mutter, “Mmmm…” under my breath after applying these MAC Cremesheen Glass lip glosses. I don’t care that my big toe throbs because I’m always dropping the tubes, which, by the way, are bigger and heavier than MAC Plushglasses and Lipglasses, on my foot (hurts like a mother!). I don’t care that I must spend half my day digging around in my purse looking for ’em, either, since I have to reapply them every couple hours.

The MAC Cremesheen Glasses are some of the most comfortable, most moisturizing glosses I’ve used, and my dry lips love ’em, which is why I always make room for them in my makeup bag.

The four creamy $20 shades in the Tropical Taboo collection are available online now, in stores and on counters.

There’s not a lot of big, flashy glitter in pale peach Calypso Beat, coral Fever Isle, pale pink Japanese Spring or eggplant Narcissus, and yet they shine. I think they pair perfectly with the Mineralize Rich Lipsticks, too, and contrast well with Tropical Taboo’s shimmery eyes and cheeks.

MAC Calypso Beat Cremesheen Glass — Calypso Beat Cremesheen Glass, a pale neutral peach

MAC Calypso Beat Cremesheen Glass wand — The Calypso Beat Cremesheen Glass wand

MAC Fever Isle Cremesheen Glass — Fever Isle Cremesheen Glass, a bright reddish coral

MAC Fever Isle Cremesheen Glass wand — The Fever Isle Cremesheen Glass wand

MAC Japanese Spring Cremesheen Glass — Japanese Spring Cremesheen Glass, a pale dirty pink

[Continue reading…]