Category Archives: lips

all kinds of potions for a prettier pout

lip gloss lineup

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lip gloss lineup

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for a blog called the glossarie, lip gloss sure doesn’t get much play around here. i’ve been in a longstanding lipstick / tinted lip balm phase because i had started to feel like glosses were kind of…annoying. they stick to everything (hair, wine glasses, the like) and you can’t get through a full glossy-lipped meal without smearing it all over the place. in short, they feel fussy and i was over it.

but, i’ve slowly been getting back into the lipgloss game and there have been a bunch of key players impressing me as of late. seems like with these bang-up formulas, i can have the shiny lips i like without the hassle!

physician’s formula pH matchmaker pH powered lip gloss, $9.95 - there’s very little this gloss can’t do. it has a mirror along the side of the tube and a lighted top for application in the dark.** the paintbrush applicator is perfect for getting the right amount of gloss on your lips and the formula reacts to your pH to create a “custom shade.” once it fades, you’re left with a light stain that i kind of like.

mark. glimmer shine lip gloss, $12 - these are gorgeous, and all about the shine. i love the light, hydrating formula and the sheer colors tint lips in just the right way, leaving them smooth and full with a glossy finish. the oversized tube looks ultra expensive with its shiny gold top and the flat applicator makes putting it on a piece of cake. they are easy to wear – a makeup bag must have.

miracle skin lip rewind, $24 - sometimes your lips just need a little something extra. with this click pen from miracle skin you get a beautiful jewel-tone finish and ingredients that work behind the scenes to hydrate, restore, enhance and protect. lips feel comfortable while you wear and the hydration effects really last once it fades. a definite must for those seeking a little color and a lot of nourishment!

aerin beauty limited edition lip gloss, $30 – for the girls out there who just want to feel pretty, from the time you pull the product out of your purse until you tuck it away, this gloss is for you. off the bat, it’s nothing  fancy – a medium weight, near full-coverage pink that goes on extra smooth and doesn’t settle into lines – but something about this gloss just brightens up my whole face and makes me smile. i can’t get enough! a clutch must.

nyx butter gloss, $5 – these were such a pleasant surprise! the formula is creamy and opaque with beautiful color payoff and bonne bell-like deliciousness. each shade is named after a sweet treat and the insanely moisturizing gloss is, well, just like butter. i cannot stop swiping these on my lips and i think the four shades currently knocking around in my purse says something very important about my feelings on the matter.

**it works! i tested it…but who are you people applying your lip gloss in the dark? am i too old to understand the need for this? please advise.

hourglass lip treatment oil

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hourglass lip treatment oil

this is one beauty product that evokes a sense of fancy just by looking at it – let alone actually applying it to your lips. at first glance, hourglass’ new lip treatment oil is just plain pretty! for starters, the antibacterial applicator tip is 24k gold plated and if that doesn’t tell you this stuff means business, i don’t know what will. one press of the dispenser produces something that falls somewhere between the consistency of an oil and a balm and it soothes and hydrates on contact, providing instant relief. the taste is a unique orange, vanilla, clove combination that is ultra luxurious. and the shine? beautiful. it’s also worth noting that this tube might last you a lifetime thanks to a genius pump operation that allows you to waste zero precious product.

at $42, do you need it? no. could you get similar effects from aquaphor? probably. but if you take your lip balm very seriously (as i do – never joke about lip balm) or if you get a kick out of products that are truly special (and that work!), then you’re going to want to give this one a second look. and it goes without saying that if you suffer from super dry chapped lips, this could be quite the life saver.

i say, treat yo’self to this little gem, beauties.

shop hourglass lip treatment oil ($42) >

new! color by benefit

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benefit cosmetics color

benefit is one of the brand’s that fueled my beauty addiction early on. i loved the brightly colored packaging, cheeky product names and the rich, wearable shades that translated to a beautifully natural look. the brand has come so far over the years and i am salivating over their new color collection, featuring ultra plush lip glosses, creaseless cream shadows, and longwear powder shadows. all coming in newly redesigned packaging that screams art deco, these pretty products are just as gorgeous in the box as they are on your skin.

the new ultra plus lip glosses ($16) come in six shades. they are soft and luscious, gliding on so smooth and giving lips a kissable, sexy sheen. i’m recommending the clear fuchsia ‘kiss you’ as my pick of the six.

the brand’s award winning creaseless cream shadows ($20) are back in a big way with seven new shades. colors are fresh and fabulous for the ultimate in crease-proof and budge-proof wear. my personal favorite is the new bikini-tini, a gorgeously girly oyster pink.

new longwear powder shadows ($20) are available in 12 shades, spanning three finishes: matte, satin, and sheen. i’m all about blingo! a brilliant silver that’s infusing just the right amount of electricity into my spring routine.

do you think you’ll be dipping in to benefit’s new color collection?

lipstick queen hello sailor

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poppy king, blue lipstick

file this one under “so crazy that it just might work.”

poppy king is no stranger to the innovative lip product – her offerings include sheer black, a blood-red stain, and even incandescent opaque shades that mimic butterfly wings. her latest release, however, has me a bit intimidated. hello sailor is a navy blue tint that the experts are telling me is sure to glide on sheer and leave lips with a beautiful berry hint. the blue pigments are suspended in a super-moisturizing vitamin-e treatment, so it goes on like a balm and softens skin with every application. i am lost between feelings of it looking like costume makeup and the thought that it could also be freshly gorgeous for spring…

while i attempt to figure that out, those not of the faint of heart (or perhaps any brides needing a ‘something blue’?) can preorder their own tube from barney’s ($25).

luxe and lightweight lip sheers for spring

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luxe and lightweight lip sheers for spring

i do love myself a lip sheer. they’re easily applied without a mirror and give your lips a blooming sheer wash of color to brighten and hydrate. these days, the shade range goes far beyond the pinks and reds of yesteryear to include oranges and plums so there’s definitely something for everyone. the drugstore brands are also getting into the game in a big way which means you don’t have to spend a lot to make a big impact. here are a few of my many favorites for the coming season, from left to right:

clinique almost lipstick in flirty honey, $15

burt’s bees lip shine in pucker, $6.99

it cosmetics vitality lip flush in je ne sais quoi, $20

soap & glory sexy mother pucker gloss stick in plum jam, $16

ysl volupte sheer candy in succulent pomegranate, $32

bare minerals loud & clear lip sheer in tangerine trance, $15

boots botanics tinted lip balm in sheer guava, $5.99

bite beauty matte creme lipstick

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i am craving bold, bright lips – especially rich fuchsias and electric violets. i should have known that my favorite lip line would deliver the goods. bite beauty’s new matte creme lipsticks are pure velvet. the four crazy fun shades deliver lush, moisturizing color that lasts for hours and their signature ingredient, reservatrol, ensures your lips are hydrated and nourished. for a matte finish, these are surprisingly comfortable to wear and i can’t say enough about the pigment-rich color. i’m particularly taken with lilac (the vibrant fuchsia on the top right) and violet (bottom left). just gorgeous.

have you delved into the world of bite beauty yet? do you think you’ll be giving these a go?

shop bite matte creme lipsticks ($24) >

bobbi brown pretty powerful pot rouge

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bobbi brown pretty powerful pot rouge

happy international women’s day, beauties!

to celebrate the day, i am pleased to announce a new initiative from bobbi brown cosmetics. the brand is launching its first ever charitable initiative: the pretty powerful campaign for women and girls. the worldwide movement is dedicated to empowering women and girls with education, resources, job skills and work experience and will aim to help them “be who they are.”  the campaign will raise funds through the sale of a limited-edition pretty powerful pot rouge ($25) and via globalgiving.org.  in the u.s., every cent of the proceeds from sales of the pretty powerful pot rouge will go to dress for success, which bobbi has worked with for years.

i love bobbi’s pot rouge – it’s a makeup bag essential for both lips and cheeks and i absolutely love the way that it blends. i always feel like it brings out a natural-looking flush, but i can’t get enough of this new universally flattering pink shade. the pretty little pot is the perfect way to update your look for spring while supporting an important cause.

shop bobbi brown pretty powerful pot rouge ($25) >

soap & glory a great kisser

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soap & glory a great kisser

when jean godfrey-june says jump,  i say “how high?” i pretty much live and die for that woman’s “from the beauty closet” section in each issue of lucky magazine. i can trust that there will always be one or more gems of product that i did not know i could live without. this month, that product was soap & glory’s lip balm called “a great kisser” and once again, june did not disappoint.

i’ve been using this balm faithfully each morning to top off my makeup routine and boy am i impressed. this pink pot has several major pro’s over its less-great peers. for one, it smells and tastes like apricots (or maybe peaches?). from there, it has a tendency to melt on to lips and sinks in deep. a trifecta of soothers (mango butter, apricot berry, and lingonberry oil) work to moisturize, protect against winter winds, and hydrate intensely.

after washing my face and applying makeup, this balm leaves my lips feeling immediately moisturized and hydrated. it lasts a shockingly long time (my biggest complaint of all lip balms) and has a sheer coral tint that makes lips look shiny and full. i’d say that this one is totally worth the ten bucks. i think you’ll find a friend for life. or at least, for as long as it takes for me to discover the next best thing in lip balm.

shop soap & glory a great kisser ($10) >

note: i always finish my makeup routine by prepping my lips for color with a moisturizing lip balm. to share some perspective, previous contenders for this highly coveted spot have been smith’s minted rosebud salve, christian dior creme de rose, bobbi brown lip balm, and good old fashioned vaseline.

beauty treats love heart lip gloss palette

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Beauty Treats Love Heart Lip Gloss Palette

(photo by kate headley)

happy love day, valentines! i thought that this sweet lip palette was the perfect thing to share with you today. the kind people at 2nd love cosmetics sent it my way and i had completely forgotten how practical it is to keep a multi-shade lip palette in my beauty collection. this group of warm and cool pinks are all super wearable, and i love to dip into the four glittery shades in the bottom row for some added sass. twelve heart shaped glosses in all (meaning that these ring in at a whopping 50 cents each) – you can wear them on their own or combine them for a unique lip look. the texture of each one is cushiony soft giving you the coverage of a lipstick with the comfort and shine of a gloss. i’ve been playing with these and layering them since they arrived finding endless combinations that can’t be beat. (for the smoothest, most precise, and longest-wearing results, i use my favorite jane iredale lip brush.) i’d definitely recommend treating yourself (and your lips!) to this palette of pinks and roses. you and your valentine won’t be disappointed.

shop beauty treats love heart lip gloss palette ($5.95) >

on my lips

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on my lips: january 2013

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there is no shortage of crazy good new lip products on the market and six of them make up my january rotation. here’s the latest rundown of what’s on my lips, top to bottom:

clinique chubby stick intense in roomiest rose, $16
bite beauty lush lip tint in orchard, $24
covergirl lip perfection jumbo gloss balm in rose twist, $6.64
maybelline baby lips in melon mania (new limited edition shade), $3
tarte lipsurgence skintuitive lip tint, $24
jouer spf15 lip sheer in positano, $22

what’s new and exciting in your lip wardrobe?