I can’t help myself when it comes to QVC. It sucks me in!
Other people in my life (mainly El Hub and the cat) fail to see why watching a show to sell lipgloss or hair dryers can be so compelling, but I like to think of it as educational television. I’m just trying to expand my mind. 🙂
A few weeks ago I caught a segment featuring the Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish lipglosses by BareMinerals ($18), a San Francisco company famous for their mineral foundation kits.
The girls modeling the product had extra pouty lips that made me stand up and take notice. “Hmm…”
Sure, Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish is a plumping lipgloss, but it looked like it was working a little too well. Maybe it was the set lighting. That’s when I had a Mark Anthony moment: I *needed to know* if these glosses worked as well as it looked they did.
I tested two of the 15 colors — Candi (shimmery coral) and Dolly (shimmery pale pink).
The saucy packaging has cartoon pics of sassy girls in their skivvies. The box boldly claims that 86 percent of women who use Buxom Big & Healthy experience an “immediate increase in lip fullness.” WOW!
Okay, so I applied it and waited for the magic to happen.
After a minute, no magic yet, but I’m used to waiting for miracles.
I checked again after five minutes, then after ten and then fifteen. Nope, no magic. My lips were still pretty much the same size as usual. I did feel a nice minty tingle but didn’t see a lot of plumping up in here.
I wasn’t expecting to go from zero-to-L.L. Cool J-caliber lips in seconds, but for $18, I was hoping for a little something-something.
Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish lipglosses by BareMinerals
Price: $18
Use: A non-lip plumping lip plumper for subtle lip color and shine
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B
I may not like Buxom as a plumping gloss, but it still has some nice things going for it. I enjoy the medium-weight consistency and non-sticky feel along with the brown sugar scent. I also like how invigorating the gloss feels on my pucker — kinda minty fresh, like when you get toothpaste on your lips.
I think both of the sheer colors I tried, Candi and Dolly, would pair nicely with brightly colored or smokey eyes.
Just call me slow jamz
Would you believe you can actually get this on a t-shirt? Genius!
Aye, I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I’m having a major ’90s slow jams moment. My iPod’s been bumping either Jodeci, Toni Braxton or Tevin Campbell for days.
You haven’t lived until you’ve slow danced to this song from Blackstreet.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Haha… it must be the Tuesday doldrums, but I’ve been craving 90s music today, too!
Sorry to hear the lip plumping didn’t work as well as you hoped, but I really like the colors. How long do they last?
Hi Christina,
Must be something in the air! 🙂 Right now I’m listening to Foxy Brown’s Ill Na Na. Remember this song? I can’t believe I still remember all the words, LOL! What are you listening to?
Regarding the gloss, the colors are super pretty, I agree. Wear time is typical — about an hour and a half to two. The fresh minty feeling lasts for ’bout 30 minutes.
GIRL you are too funny i missed reading your posts these days!!
its funny i tried some o glow by smashbox recently and i almost freaked out my lips were tingling and burning lol it was funny if you were there i was freaking out trying to act cool in sephora lol – i didnt have any miracles either just burning lips with a nice pink flush lol
You know i was a full fledged 90’s girl ! those were my hs years lol you know when i thought i was sooo cool !
i actually found an old sketch book of mine recently with me listing all sorts of artists and songs i liked at the time dont forget some janet jackson, tlc, mary j , enVOUGUE lol, brownstone! oh the list can go on for me
jamaica was great trip was too short weather not that great but atleast i got one day of fun in the sun accompanied by sunburn and a hangover from a very cool bartender who coined herself as crazy mona – her signature drink the mona special – she refused to tell anyone what it was and refused to let anyone order anything else but she said ” its fruity, its smooth and its strong” and she was right lol if you ever go to sandals ocho rios look and ask for crazy mona lol she will get the party started lol it was about 10 people at a swim up pool bar and we all were laughing and had a great time!! Fun stuff!
Hi Yadi!
Glad to hear that your trip was fun. I missed ya!
Crazy Mona sounds like my kind of bartender. If I’m ever at the Sandals Ocho Rios I will have to hunt her down and have her make the signature drink for me. I’m a total lightweight (cheap date, ha!) so I’m sure it won’t take much for me to start feeling the love.
You and I probably like the same types of music! Remember how Babyface touched during that era practically turned to gold?
Speaking of the 90s, I was thinking the other day of the makeup from the era. Did you ever wear purple lined lips with frosty lipstick (you know, Faith Evans style)? I so did!
I think your lips are already pretty plump and pouty. It’s sexy by itself!
I love bumping 90s jamz at work. My coworkers are always like, “what the.. how the hell do you go from Hannah Montana to this?!?”
Hey.. I might be a kid, but I enjoy my music! As for the frosty lips.. sadly, in the 90s, I looked to my sisters for beauty guidance, and uh, yea. I tried that in middle school. Thank god I found my own beauty look shortly!
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Hi Gloria,
Aww, thanks hon. 🙂
I hope you have Janet Jackson up in your 90s mix (I just heard, I Get So Lonely… that song is kinda naughty!).
LOL, I think everybody was rocking those Faith Evans lips late in the decade. I look at some of those old pictures and I’m like OH DAYM! Not a good idea in retrospect.
How many sisters do you have? You’re so lucky to have had them around for beauty advice!
lol i am so a light weight too but not with this chick she didnt allow it !
sandals is all inclusive so you feel more inclined to drink more freely since it doesnt hurt your pocket lol
girl i so did the lip line thing – i wasnt into the frosty lipstick much but i had a camel colored matte brown with a chocolate brown liner – my parents were strict so i couldnt do as harsh of a line as other girls but i did perfect the whole blended corners technique with my liner to make for a poutier lip back then
it was sooo ugly looking back – i did have a purple liner and a frosty purple gloss at one point i dont think i used it for long i retired it pretty quick since i moved on to a cappucino brown matte lipstick by brucci dear god the madness !
i have always said you and i have very similar music tastes – i have noticed in your little obsession blurbs on random song phrases especially during your biggie phase recently 90’s were great – i dont remember too much of the 80’s as i was just a little kid but the 90’s i am all over it!
ps i loved your title no sleep till brooklyn for tabs pic on the other post – was he on his way to visit diva?
Hi Yadi,
I desperately need a vacation like that. One where all you do is lie on the beach and do nothing but read and veg… in this dream of course I’d have a big ole’ stack of magazines, a Corona and some killer abs. 🙂
Ohh, I remember loving the brown liner and frosty lip variation, too. Did you ever pop the clear gloss on top?
I bet you we have lots of the same songs on our iPods! You know who else I’ve been loving lately? All those bad girls from the 90’s, like Foxy and Lil’ Kim.
Tabs is out playing right now… who knows, maybe he’s actually on a plane on his way to kick it with Diva!
Hi Karen!
I definitely get the QVC thing. I think it’s so comforting! Quite strange!
My flatmate and I often go on 90s downloading kicks and then freak out when we remember how good the music was! Last time it was EnVogue and the Honeyz. Amazing!
🙂
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Hi SophieLou,
En Vogue! I played out Runway Love circa 1994. When they trimmed down to a three person group after Dawn left in the late 90s they ended up putting out some good stuff. Have you heard No No No (Can’t Come Back)? AWESOME!
Aww it’s not plumping? I think your lips look quite good if you ask me! 🙂 And they’re such pretty colours.
Arianne´s last blog post..The Formula to Cuteness.
Girl.. I have 4 older sisters and I’m their beauty counselor. One of them still insists on not wearing foundation that actually matches her skin tone. The same one sister? It took me and another sister YEARS to get her to stop wearing frosty pink eyeshadow paired with brown liquid liner.
Yea… I guess I learn what NOT to do from them!
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ooh, that stuff looks nice! I like the colors, but for $18 I’ll stick to my CoverGirl Incredifull in Mauve Souffle. It actually does give me a bit of plumping, and it doesn’t burn and hurt like a lot of other ones I have tried. I usually top it with Pop Culture Tell All Lip Plumper Gloss in Coconut Crush from Bath & Body works. I think the gloss has been discontinued, my sister in law bought it for me and I looooooove it! The coconutty scent reminds me of Maui and drinking yummy Lillikoi Margarita’s on lovely lanai’s overlooking the water! 🙂
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I’m so glad you reviewed these Karen, I had wondered wether they worked or not. If you like the minty feeling, you should try C.O. Bigelow’s Mentha lip glosses. They’re so much cheaper and you can layer them over other glosses or lipsticks if you want color. I’ve been wearing mine for the past couple of days. Oh and I totally get the QVC thing. I find myself getting sucked in when brands I like are on. I’ve never watched one in front of my husband though lol, I’m avoiding the wisecracks!
Shop assistant probably had injections!
Hi Arianne,
Hmm, maybe I was expecting too dramatic a change. 🙂
I really like the colors, too — so natural, yet with just a hint of shimmer.
Hi Gloria,
LOL! Your sisters are lucky to have you around to give them some tough love. Just you wait… eventually you’ll have them so hooked on beauty they’ll soon be swiping your stuff. 🙂
Hi Briana,
I wish we could be drinking Lilikoi margaritas on the beach right now!
I’ve never tried CG’s Incredifull. It sounds really nice though (I especially like the non-stinging part).
Hi Michelle,
I’ve been wanting to check those out! I have a guy friend told me that the C.O. Methna lip glosses are the best one to wear when making out. 😉
You’re smart to keep your QVC watching on the ‘low. When the commercials come on inevitably El Hub will say something along the lines of “Is that a commercial on a channel full of commercials?” Hardee har har, he’s a comedian, that one!
Hi Tali,
Ha! Maybe so! 🙂
Karen, that song is great… I have to admit I’m not as cool. When I woke up this morning, I had Amy Grant’s Lucky One (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKEaWZsd8Ic) stuck in my head. At least it was a positive message for the day, right?
Thanks for the quick response on the lasting power!
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90’s jamz! Love it! Your video link doesn’t work.
Those lip colors are really pretty.
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Hi Christina,
Sure thing, hon.
BTW, you rock! I love that Amy Grant song, too. 🙂
Hi Marisol,
Thanks for letting me know. Gah, YouTube makes me nuts sometimes! I fixed the link… get ready to be transported back to 1994.
The Buxoms are my go to’s. I kind of think they do make my lips look a little plumper, but it might just be my imagination. Zena is my favorite. And – I confess, I watch the beauty shows on QVC. In fact, that is where I found Bare Escentuals about 10 years ago. Their bare minerals foundation is the best for me. I’ve tried the others, and always go back to the BE. Love their mineral liners as well. I have found it to be the best for my waterline lining.
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Hi Karen,
I haven’t tried a lot of plumping glosses (I don’t need it) but I do have the Caryl Baker lip plumping gloss. It is pretty small in size but I do think it works. I think the trick is if your lips are a little bit chapped when you apply it then you’ll see more of a result. Hurts like a mofo though.
I love my Dolly gloss! I actually got it for free from one of my co-workers that doesn’t wear make-up, double plus! I don’t notice the plumping but I love the smell, flavor, and the color is perfect for the day time or on the go application when you don’t have a mirror handy (like on a BART train). And the size is the best part.
I am sooo making myself a Jodeci shirt! thanks for that =)
Hey Karen-
I love the buxom lipglosses! I also didn’t notice much of a plump but did get a better plump response when i exfoliated my lips first with benefit lip exfoliator. I notice that lines in my lips are not so prominent and they fill out a bit more.
The result was similar to the rimmel groovy mood lip plumping gloss i tried- for a fraction of the buxom cost!
Yes, that’s why I try not to watch QVC!
Oh my.. we must be the teeny boppers of the 90’s! How about some Montell Jordan (This is how we do it).. Hi-Five (I like the way).. Shanice (I love your smile).. X-scape (Just Kickin’ It).. SWV (I’m so into you).. oh yeah, I love me some BLACKstreet too — No Diggity!!
I love the 90’s! iPod?? Girl, I was jammin on my Walkman!
Hey Karen! I am not a huge fan of this gloss either – mostly because the non-plumping I received and because I licked my lips after applying and realized that my throat felt tingly and strange because I had ingested this product! Creepy! Made me feel weird! I am sure there are many who think this product is amazing, but I am gonna pass!
BTW – did you get my email? Any interest?
I tried the Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish in Dolly and to me the chemically taste is just too much to stomach. That and the fact that I didn’t see any results…Personally I’m a HUGE fan of Lip Fusion!
OMG, I am so into Jodeci lately especially after watching Missy’s Behind the Music. So glad I”m not alone. I’m all about Warren G, Mint Condition and 112.