Category Archives: Lips

My Ulta NYX Haul; Liners, Shadows, and Glosses

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When I say I love NYX, I mean it. I received a few things to review a while ago and quickly became obsessed with its creative on the cheap vibe that (dare I say..?) beats the tar out of M.A.C. I gauged the color and wear time of M.A.C’s Penultimate Eye Liner against the one below from NYX and there was no comparison. NYX had them beat on richness of the black (it made M.A.C’s look almost graphite or brown) and it wore longer without budging. The tip is much easier to apply too. I reviewed the NYX Super Fat Marker (which I use daily) but toady I grabbed the smaller one for my kit when I want more precision lining. Here’s a look at the pen and the rest of what I grabbed today from Ulta.

Super Skinny Marker $9

I’ve used their Studio Liquid Liner in Black and Coffee so I knew these stay-put liquids were easy to work with and the shade selection was so fun. I needed a few new hues to stay inspired so here’s what I chose.
Sky Blue, Purple, Silver, Blue. $4.49 ea

If you love a sheen without glitter chunks, these little jars of Ultra Pearl Mania will make you happy. They’re great alone as shadows or placed over them, or even as mix-ins with lip gloss for an unexpected sheen effect on your pout.
Nude, Charcoal, and Baby Pink $2 ea
I couldn’t leave without Lip Gloss. Theirs is thick and smooth but not sticky – oh and it smells good. Big points for that right?

Sweet Heart and Crystal Soda. $5.40 ea

The only thing I didn’t find at Ulta is NYX Doll Eye Mascara ($9) which I grabbed online. They’ve released a few newer ones that I haven’t tried, I really hope this one doesn’t get discontinued because it’s so easy to build. I use it as a ‘topper’ to bulk my lash tips. 
Check out NYX either at Ulta or online. It’s big artist-quality performance for a ton less money.

Tarte: Smooth Operator Illuminating Serum & LipSurgence

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There was an Ulta right outside my yoga studio in CA, dangerous right? I’d stop in totally exhausted and sweaty from time to time and of course something usually caught my eye. To catch my eye is one thing, to move me to purchase quite another. For a few totally unique gems from Tarte though, it was an easy call.

You know I’m an illuminator fiend, especially when I find one like this that strikes the perfect balance of creating a special glow to the skin without looking glittery or frosty. Used on its own, Smooth Operator Illuminating Serum gives skin a fresh glow, used as a primer the Amazonian Clay absorbs oil for a longer foundation wear time, mixed in with foundation it boosts the look of radiancy.

Here’s a peek.

It’s a light to medium shade that blends into skin well. Deeper skin tones would want to mix it in or use as a primer.
See what I mean? It just gives some glow without a hint of sparkle for grown up radiance. 

I’m also a sucker for anything that goes on the lips, so I grabbed a LipSurgence twist up lip stain.  It’s an almost gel-like consistency that has a sheerness about it, a good pick for a lipstick-phobe who wants color without weight.  I’ve been using mine almost like a balm since it moisturizes well and isn’t sticky.

Crayon applicator with a twist up, no sharpening needed.

Shown in Charmed, a just-right pink that isn’t too Barbie. Just the color boost I needed.

Check out all things Tarte at Ulta.com HERE

What Lip Gloss was Angelina Jolie Using at the Golden Globes?

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I knew it would cause a stir the moment the camera flashed over to Angelina Jolie touching up her lips with a quick swipe of gloss during Rober De Niro’s acceptance speech at the Golden Globes last Sunday. What gloss was she using?

Chantecaille’s Brilliant Gloss in a soft pink hue called Love.

NBC/INFphoto; Courtesy of Chantecaille

You can see Love and their entire gloss collection HERE

TSA Approved Beauty Essentials

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Happy New Year!

They say some 35% of people intend on traveling from now until the end of February to catch some post-holiday sun and relaxation. If you’re lucky enough to get away this winter, here are a few TSA-friendly finds that will hopefully make packing the least stressful part of your trip.

Evolution of Smooth, or eos as it’s known, is the most fun you’ll ever have using a lip balm. It’s a 95% certified organic paraben free formula with an application like no other. It’s a dome of balm that I twist onto my puckered lips and wiggle back and forth a bit until I can feel it’s worked in. Their twist apart design ensures that you don’t have to come close to touching anything inside (yuk airport germs), and since the entire balm is exposed it’s a snap to sanitize.

I’ve been carrying around a space-saving (about 2 inches in diameter) shea butter based Coola Hand Lotion Bar in my bag recently. Solid lotion bars are so concentrated that just a few swipes will do, without a hint of greasiness left behind.

I’ve had to check a bag because of my skin care, you might be able to relate? Murad has the cutest travel sized skin care in their new Sun Undone kit. You’ll get a Cleanser, Active Radiance Serum, SPF 30 Moisturizer, and Spot Lightening Gel with Vitamin C and Hydraquinone to lighten and brighten sun spotting and acne scaring so you can treat and repair your skin on the road.

It makes no sense to take along your regular sized shampoo and conditioner, but buying a small Pert Plus at the drugstore isn’t all that appealing either. Caviar by Alterna is one of the most popular hair collections of all time, known as the first anti-aging hair care. This Caviar travel kit is a popular pick complete with the iconic shampoo and conditioner, a mini hairspray and their new Overnight Rescue Treatment to renew and de-stress overworked hair while you sleep.

Airports = germs. I am obsessed with the new Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Hand Cream from Clean. It’s an instant hand sanitizer disguised as a hand cream with 4 hours of germ defense. It leaves skin feeling neutral, not overly moisturized with no scent whatsoever.

Heal and Plump Lips; PCA Skin Peptide Lip Therapy

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Former smokers and sun worshipers might see some signs of aging around their lips sooner than others do, although those pesky lines do appear on the rest of us as if from nowhere. Lip plumping has joined the anti-aging craze with new technologies that far surpass the ol’ cinnamon-to-burn-the-lips-making-them-irritated-and-swell routine from 10 or so years ago.

PCA Skin’s Peptide Lip Therapy uses shea butter, vitamin e, aloe, and sunflower oil along with peptides to hydrate the lips and dramatically reduce fine lines around them giving the appearance of plumper, fuller lips. You’ll feel a moisture surge that penetrates deeper than a lip balm can with a fresh and light rush of minty coolness. Use it twice daily to heal lined lips and to protect from future damage.

PCA Skin Peptide Lip Therapy

Revolution Organics; Natural Formulas for Lips and Cheeks

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Grow baby, grow!

Revolution Organics is the little line that could, starting with 3 core products, one being their Skin Cream I reviewed 2 years ago that has 22 different uses from hair glossing to stretch mark prevention. I loved what they were doing and I knew hoped to see an expansion into the world of color, which they’ve done by introducing organically formulated glosses and color-rich balms.

I try to choose formulas that are on the natural side for my everyday lip glosses since they end up being eaten away. Their 100% natural (85% organic) Freedom Lip Gloss feels more like a rich balm than a gloss because of its soft feel and complete lack of stickiness. I love the easy formula that gives lips a casual coat of color, and the texture is something I’ve come to favor over my usual balms.

Of course being the masters of multi-tasking they had to make their Freedom Glow Beauty Balm more than just a cheek color. These tinted sticks do give cheeks a good flush of color, but you can also use them on eyes, lips, decloté, and even arms and legs. They’re formulated using olive and coconut oils so they’re hydrating and smooth into the skin really well. They’re also surprisingly long-wearing, similar to a stain but with way better blendability that’s easier to apply than most powders.

If you’re pregnant, have sensitive skin, are going through chemo, a mommy wanting  to multi-task, or just a nature girl at heart like I am, check out Revolution Organics. Their safe line of Makeup Artist approved basics won’t leave you disappointed.

Revolution Organics